September 04
St. Andrew Church
Publish Date: 2022-09-04
Bulletin Contents
Services at St. Andrew
Announcements
Fr. John's Message
Daily Calendar
News - Flyers - Registrations - Other
Prayer List
Gospel and Epistle Readings
Saints and Feasts
Hymns of the Day
Wisdom of the Fathers
St. Andrew Church
General Information
- Phone:
- (973) 584-0388
- Fax:
- (973) 584-3573
- Email:
- info@standrewgonj.org
- Street Address:
- 1447 Sussex Turnpike
- Randolph, NJ 07869-1830
- Mailing Address:
- 1447 Sussex Turnpike
- Randolph, NJ 07869-1830
Contact Information
Services Schedule
On Sunday we celebrate
Orthros at 8:15 am & Divine Liturgy at 9:30am
Weekday Orthros and Liturgies begin at 8am
Past Bulletins
- Publish Date:
- 2022-09-11
- Publish Date:
- 2022-08-28
- Publish Date:
- 2022-08-21
- Publish Date:
- 2022-08-14
- Publish Date:
- 2022-08-07
- Publish Date:
- 2022-07-31
Services at St. Andrew
Friday 9/9
+The Holy & Righteous Ancestors of God, Joachim and Anna +Orthros @8am & Divine Liturgy @9am
Trisagion Service will be held for the repose of the soul of +Stamatia Kovas, beloved wife of Antonio and mother of Maria Kovas.
Funeral Service for the repose of the soul of +Evangleos "Angelo" Karnegis, beloved husband of Paula Colombaris Karnegis, father of: Nicholas and Kelly (Daniel) Santero, grandfather of Colton and brother of: George, Anna Mardas, Connie Schmidt, Maria Karapanagiotis and Pad Bzdek.
Saturday 9/10
at 11:00am Ryan and Katerina (Constantinou) Brooks will baptize their daughter.
at 11:00am Jarred and Melissa (Rotsides) Bakker will baptize their daughter.
Sunday 9/11
The Sunday before Holy Cross +Orthros @8:15am & DL @9:30am of SJC
A Trisagion Service will be held for the repose of the souls of all those who perished in the Terrorist Attack on The United States of America on September 11, 2001.
A Four-Year Memorial Service for the repose of the soul of +John Ιωάννου E. Giokas, father of Katherine Giokas-Marshall, Anthula Giokas & Argie Sokoli. As well as a Four-Year Memorial Service for the repose of the soul of +Maria Μαρίας Aivaliotis (Giokas), wife of John Aivaliotis; and mother of Elena Tsatsaros and Stacey Aivaliotis. Friends and relatives are invited to join the family for refreshments in the Social Hall in honor of +John and Maria’s blessed memory.
May their memory be eternal. Αιωνία η μνήμη αυτών
AGIASMOS for Religious Education School students and Families
Wednesday 9/14
+The Elevation of the Venerable and Life-Giving Cross +Orthros @8am & Divine Liturgy @9am
Friday 9/16
+Saint Euphemia the Great Martyr +Orthros @8am & Divine Liturgy @9am
Sunday 9/18
No Services at Saint Andrew
8:00 am Orthros - 9:30 am Archiepiscopal Divine Liturgy at The Great Auditorium in Ocean Grove, New Jersey
Participation in services is also available via livestream - go to: Home | St. Andrew Greek Orthodox Church (orthodoxws.com) and choose LIVESTREAM on the Menu bar
Prayers/Liturgy can always be found at: https://www.agesinitiatives.com/dcs/public/dcs/dcs.html
Online Giving System: Website: https://www.standrewgonj.org/ and choose PayPal / online WeShare
Announcements
SUNDAY’S COFFEE Houris hosted by PTA
Bagels are donated by Jimmy Psaras of ALFA BAGELS on Route 10 in Randolph, NJ
Coffee is donated by Aristotle Leontopoulos of Coffee Associates in Edgewater, NJ
Coffee Hour ON Sunday: 9/18 at Asbury Park, 9/25 DOP, 10/2 Philoptochos, 10/9 PTA, 10/16 DOP, 10/23 GOYA, 10/30 Bakaliko, 11/6 Philoptochos, 11/13 PTA, 11/20 DOP, 11/27 Bakaliko, 12/4 Philoptochos, 12/11 PTA, 12/18 DOP, 12/25 Christmas
Religious Education : AGIASMOS in Church on September 11th
Register by completing the “Family and Youth Information” Form
https://sagocrnj.orthodoxws.com/files/Family-and-Youth-2022-2023--Information.pdf
Agiasmos Service will be held on Sunday 9/11/22 for Sunday School students and families. After Holy Communion please return to your pew for Agiasmo. The students will then be blessed and proceed to the Social Hall where they will be met by the Religious Education teachers.
GREEK DANCE Program will begin Thursday September 15th
INFO & REG GREEK SCHOOL | St. Andrew Greek Orthodox Church (orthodoxws.com)
Please complete: Family & Student Information Form 2022-23
and indicate dance level
Group 1 (ages K thru age 7) 6:30pm
Group 2 (ages 8-11) 7:15pm
Group 3 (ages 12-18) 8:00pm
Annual Rummage Sale on Sept 9-11
VOLUNTEERS ARE NEEDED before to sort and price,
duringto sell and pack up for customers and
after to pack unsold items for distribution to various organizations.
Questions? please contact Irene iLaoudis@yahoo.com or Mary mmichailidis@yahoo.com
GOYA
Please use the link below to register. ..... ... Registration costs $125 for the first child and $100 for siblings. Please pay the registration on the WeShare Link, under GOYA Event. Registration helps subsidize many of our events: Volleyball, Basketball, District and Youth Commission fees, Pizza socials, Mr & Miss GOYA, Religious Retreats, Olympics Snacks, Senior Send Off (just to name a few events).
WE SHARE LINK
St. Andrew GOYA Registration 2022-2023
Kick Off Meeting and Pizza Social 9/13/2022 7:00pm
Greek Dance begins 9/15/22 at 8pm /please contact office to register
Monthly Meeting 9/22/2022 6:30 pm
Volleyball/Basketball first game: 9/25/2022
Harvest Dance 9/30/2022
RAFFLE!
2022 MERCEDES-BENZ C300 W4 MSRP $53, 395
STARLING BLUE | ALL-WHEEL DRIVE | REMOTE START | PARKING ASSISTANT | NAVIGATION|
TICKETS $25 EACH | DRAWING SEPTEMBER 25, 2022, 1PM
We need your help to make this raffle everything our church needs it to be this year!
Sign up for JUST 2 HOURS at our roadside. Sit, read, bring your laptop because we have wireless access out there, or even just relax
People pull up and buy tickets -- it can't get any easier, you just need to be there. Any day, any time. We need coverage from 8am to 8pm to schedule times email info@standrewgoj.org or call 973-584-0388
It is an easy way to help our church meet our annual budget and unforeseen expenses. We have made over $1,000 in just one day by manning the curbside raffle ticket sales. Please consider helping out in this easy way. Your church needs your support.
save the dates
GYRO SALE Saturday September 24th see flyer below
CAR RAFFLE Sunday September 25th see flyer below
AHEPA Cigar Night at the Meadowood Wednesday September 28th @7pm see flyer below
National Faith & Blue at St Andrew Friday October 7 see flyer below
60th Anniversary Gala Sunday November 13th at the Meadow Wood in Randolph NJ see flyer below
Fr. John's Message
Lord’s Voice 9-11-2022
THE SERMON OF THE CROSS
Today is the second Sunday of the month of September, and our holy Church is marching towards the great feast of the Elevation of the Precious and lifegiving Cross of our Lord. In today's gospel passage, Christ is conversing with Nicodemus, who was from the class of the Pharisees. Christ explains to him that only he who came down from heaven can make known the word and the will of God. The Son of God, being in the bosom of the Father, is the one who alone has the ability to speak to people about the heavenly mysteries, which no one in the world knows "except he who came down from heaven".
We know from our experience that Christ offers himself in every way for the purpose of our spiritual cultivation and, of course, our salvation. At this point, He talks about the crucifictional sacrifice that is to follow, in order to eliminate the sins of people and, of course, to fulfill the "preeternal" plan of God. There are many occasions when Christ announces what is about to happen, that is related to the Crucifixion and His resurrection. In order to explain to Nicodemus and the rest of the Jews, what is about to happen, He uses a passage from the Old Testament. It refers to Moses, who hung a bronze serpent on a very high point in the desert, with the intention of safeguarding the people of Israel from the poisonous snakes. And so, he also is going to hang on the Cross for the salvation of the human race. With His Crucifixion, Christ showed His infinite love for His creature and assumed "the likeness" of sin, but not having Himself even a trace of it.
The desire of His Kingdom
In the continuation of the passage, the Evangelist gives us to understand that he who will believe in the only begotten Son of God, will gain Heaven and eternal life. He who believes in Christ, he who keeps what Christ said, he who walks the steps where Christ walked, unites with Him and lives daily the great mystery of love and communion with God. God wants from us to rid ourselves of evil and sin, to put on the "new man" and return to our prefallen state, enjoying the good things of Paradise. He seeks from us our repentance, our personal struggle that will strengthen our faith, for which all humans are destined, so that, as the Apostle of the Gentiles Paul says, "we are justified by faith". The Evangelist reminds us that we are all children of God and all - regardless of ethnicity, class or gender - can be saved, so long as we confess Jesus Christ. In the new condition of the New Testament, we no longer need to follow specific commandments, but we have been freed ourselves from every formality, and our faith is now alive and capable of redeeming us from the harms that came from the preancestral sin.
The union with God
The Church today, a few days after the Feast of the Mother of God, of the Birth of the Most Holy Theotokos, marching towards the feast of the Elevation of the Precious Cross of our Lord, wants to teach us precisely that through the Cross, this supreme sacrifice, we were able to escape from sin and to unite with God.
She reminds us that life in her, is a constant joy, a constant communion of love, which is achieved by our participation in the Body and Blood of the Lord and gives the possibility to those "completed in faith" to obtain a place at the festive table of the Kingdom of the Heavens.
Archim. A. A.
Daily Calendar
Saturday 9/3
Faith Kitchen – Parish Council members are hosting (rescheduled from 8/24)
Sunday 9/4
12th Sunday of Matthew +Orthros @8:15am & DL @9:30am of SJC
Thursday 9/8
The Nativity of Our Most Holy Lady the Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary;+Orthros 8am & DL @9am of SJC
@4:30 Agiasmos for Hellenic Afternoon School students and Families followed by HAS open House Parents and Students invited to attend
@6pm Chrismation
Friday 9/9
The Holy & Righteous Ancestors of God, Joachim and Anna +Orthros @8am & DL @9am of SJC
Rummage Sale 9-6
Saturday 9/10
Rummage Sale 9-6
LOOK FOR OUR Furniture Resale in Tent in the back parking Lot
@11am Baptism (2)
Sunday 9/11
Sunday before Holy Cross +Orthros @8:15am & DL @9:30am of SJC
Agiasmos for Religious Education students and Families
Rummage Sale 12-4
Monday 9/12
@7:30pm Parish Council Meeting
Tuesday 9/13
@7pm GOYA KICK OFF MEETING & Pizza Social
Wednesday 9/14
The Elevation of the Venerable and Life-Giving Cross +Orthros 8am & DL @9am of SJC
Thursday 9/15
Greek Dance Group 1 @6:30pm & Group 2 @7:15pm & Group 3 @8pm
Friday 9/16
Saint Euphemia the Great Martyr +Orthros @8am & DL @9am of SJC
Saturday 9/17
Renaissance and Middle Ages re-enactment / The Barony of Settmour Swamp / St Andrew
Marriage Enrichment Conference / Rev. Dr. Nicholas G.Louh & Dr. Roxanne Louh at the Hyatt Regency Morristown NJ see flyer
Saint Basil’s Walk-a thon for more information email l.biniaris@sbagoa.org
Sunday 9/18 No Services at Saint Andrew
8:00 am Orthros - 9:30 am Archiepiscopal Divine Liturgy at The Great Auditorium in Ocean Grove, New Jersey followed by the Holy Cross ceremony in the waters of Atlantic Ocean - Immediately after the ceremony, a Barbeque for all will be held outside the Auditorium.
Send email to info@standrewgonj.org if you and or your family plan to attend.
Monday 9/19
@7:30pm Parish Council Meeting
Thursday 9/22
+St. Phocas the Martyr /Relics +Orthros @8am & DL @9am of SJC
Friday 9/24
+The Conception of St. John the Baptist +Orthros @8am & DL @9am of SJC
News - Flyers - Registrations - Other
Religious Education
Agiasmos on Sunday September 11 in church REGISTRATION FORM : https://sagocrnj.orthodoxws.com/files/Family-and-Youth-2022-2023--Information.pdf
car raffle
2022 MERCEDES-BENZ | C300 W4 MSRP $53, 395 | TICKETS $25 EACH | DRAWING SEPTEMBER 25, 2022, 1PM
Holy Cross Celebration - Asbury Park
8:00 am Orthros - 9:30 am Archiepiscopal Divine Liturgy at The Great Auditorium in Ocean Grove, New Jersey followed by the Holy Cross ceremony in the waters of Atlantic Ocean - Immediately after the ceremony, a Barbeque for all will be held outside the Auditorium. |Send email to info@standrewgonj.org if you and or your family plan to attend.
Faith & Blue
Friday, October 7th 4-8pm hosted by: Saint Andrew Greek Orthodox Church & The Morris County Sheriff’s Office | A collaborative effort to build bridges and break biases
AHEPA
CIGAR NIGHT on Wednesday Sept 28th @7pm at the Meadowood in Randolph
60th Anniversary
Saint Andrew celebration on Sunday Novermber 13th 2022
Marriage Enrichment Conference
Sept 17, 2022 9am-5pm |Rev. Dr. Nicholas G. Louh & Dr. Roxanne Louh will be sharing their unique perspective to provide you with the type of inward reflection that leads to lasting outward transformation. email: copticwomenfellowship@gmail.com to reserve your seats
Prayer List
Prayer for a Sick Person:
Heavenly Father, physician of our souls and bodies, who have sent Your only-begotten Son and our Lord Jesus Christ to heal every sickness and infirmity, visit and heal (me) Your servant from all physical and spiritual ailments through the grace of Your Christ. Grant (me) patience in this sickness, strength of body and spirit, and recovery of health. Lord, You have taught us through Your word to pray for each other that we may be healed. I pray that You heal (me) as Your servant and grant (me) the gift of complete health. For You are the source of healing and to You I give glory, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen
Please keep these names in your prayers
Barbara, Cesar, Angeliki, Maria, Demetri, Karen, Andrew, Stan, Vasiliki, Marios, Theodore, Gregory, Fr. Konstantine, Mary, Eftihia, Ioannis, David , Andreas, Robert, Antonis, Susan, Alexandros, Gregory, Sophia, Tara, children and families of Ukraine, Ioanna, Landon, Lueda, Evangelia, Christine, Vasiliki, Anastasia, Aikaterini, Cynthia, Demetrios, Robin, Paraskevi, Theodore, Eleni, Athena, Katerina, Sophia, Eleni, Corinne, Maria, Ioannis, Eleana, Demetra, Kenneth, Eleni, Anastasios, Gregory, John, Marny, Chari, Nikolaos, Janet, Melissa, Marty, Andreas, Fotini, Georgia, Pamela, Haralambos, Photeine, Christina, Michael, Adrianne, George, Anastasia, Nicholas, Michael, Alexandra, Sofia, Joseph, Vasilios…
If you would like us to remember you or your loved one in our prayers, please contact the office. 973-584-0388 or send us an email to info@standrewgonj.org
Names will be kept on this list for approximately 3 months. Please resubmit Names if needed. Fr. John will pray for the Names above during the Proskomide “Offering of gifts” during the first part of the Divine Liturgy when our priest prepares the mystical gifts of bread and wine. Please keep these names in your prayers as well.
Gospel and Epistle Readings
Matins Gospel Reading
First Orthros Gospel
The Reading is from Matthew 28:16-20
At that time, the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. And when they saw Him they worshiped Him; but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age. Amen."
First Orthros Gospel
Κατὰ Ματθαῖον 28:16-20
Τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ, οἱ ἕνδεκα μαθηταὶ ἐπορεύθησαν εἰς τὴν Γαλιλαίαν, εἰς τὸ Ὄρος, οὗ ἐτάξατο αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς. Καὶ ἰδόντες αὐτόν, προσεκύνησαν αὐτῷ· οἱ δὲ ἐδίστασαν. Καὶ προσελθὼν ὁ Ἰησοῦς, ἐλάλησεν αὐτοῖς, λέγων· Ἐδόθη μοι πᾶσα ἐξουσία ἐν οὐρανῷ καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς. Πορευθέντες οὖν, μαθητεύσατε πάντα τὰ ἔθνη, βαπτίζοντες αὐτοὺς εἰς τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ Πατρός, καὶ τοῦ Υἱοῦ, καὶ τοῦ Ἁγίου Πνεύματος· διδάσκοντες αὐτοὺς τηρεῖν πάντα ὅσα ἐνετειλάμην ὑμῖν. Καὶ ἰδού, ἐγὼ μεθ' ὑμῶν εἰμι πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας, ἕως τῆς συντελείας τοῦ αἰῶνος. Ἀμήν.
Epistle Reading
Prokeimenon. Third Mode. Psalm 46.6,1.
Sing praises to our God, sing praises.
Verse: Clap your hands, all you nations.
The reading is from St. Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians 15:1-11.
Brethren, I would remind you in what terms I preached to you the gospel, which you received, in which you stand, by which you are saved, if you hold it fast -- unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. For I am the least of the apostles, unfit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God which is with me. Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.
Προκείμενον. Third Mode. ΨΑΛΜΟΙ 46.6,1.
Ψάλατε τῷ Θεῷ ἡμῶν, ψάλατε.
Στίχ. Πάντα τὰ ἔθνη κροτήσατε χεῖρας.
τὸ Ἀνάγνωσμα Πρὸς Κορινθίους α' 15:1-11.
Ἀδελφοί, γνωρίζω δὲ ὑμῖν, ἀδελφοί, τὸ εὐαγγέλιον ὃ εὐηγγελισάμην ὑμῖν, ὃ καὶ παρελάβετε, ἐν ᾧ καὶ ἑστήκατε, διʼ οὗ καὶ σῴζεσθε· τίνι λόγῳ εὐηγγελισάμην ὑμῖν, εἰ κατέχετε, ἐκτὸς εἰ μὴ εἰκῇ ἐπιστεύσατε. Παρέδωκα γὰρ ὑμῖν ἐν πρώτοις, ὃ καὶ παρέλαβον, ὅτι Χριστὸς ἀπέθανεν ὑπὲρ τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν ἡμῶν κατὰ τὰς γραφάς. καὶ ὅτι ἐτάφη· καὶ ὅτι ἐγήγερται τῇ τρίτῃ ἡμέρᾳ κατὰ τὰς γραφάς· καὶ ὅτι ὤφθη Κηφᾷ, εἶτα τοῖς δώδεκα· ἔπειτα ὤφθη ἐπάνω πεντακοσίοις ἀδελφοῖς ἐφάπαξ, ἐξ ὧν οἱ πλείους μένουσιν ἕως ἄρτι, τινὲς δὲ καὶ ἐκοιμήθησαν· ἔπειτα ὤφθη Ἰακώβῳ, εἶτα τοῖς ἀποστόλοις πᾶσιν· ἔσχατον δὲ πάντων, ὡσπερεὶ τῷ ἐκτρώματι, ὤφθη κἀμοί. Ἐγὼ γάρ εἰμι ὁ ἐλάχιστος τῶν ἀποστόλων, ὃς οὐκ εἰμὶ ἱκανὸς καλεῖσθαι ἀπόστολος, διότι ἐδίωξα τὴν ἐκκλησίαν τοῦ θεοῦ. Χάριτι δὲ θεοῦ εἰμι ὅ εἰμι, καὶ ἡ χάρις αὐτοῦ ἡ εἰς ἐμὲ οὐ κενὴ ἐγενήθη, ἀλλὰ περισσότερον αὐτῶν πάντων ἐκοπίασα, οὐκ ἐγὼ δέ, ἀλλʼ ἡ χάρις τοῦ θεοῦ ἡ σὺν ἐμοί. Εἴτε οὖν ἐγώ, εἴτε ἐκεῖνοι, οὕτως κηρύσσομεν καὶ οὕτως ἐπιστεύσατε.
Gospel Reading
12th Sunday of Matthew
The Reading is from Matthew 19:16-26
At that time, a young man came up to Jesus, kneeling and saying, "Good Teacher, what good deed must I do, to have eternal life?" And he said to him, "Why do you call me good? One there is who is good. If you would enter life, keep the commandments." He said to him, "Which?" And Jesus said, "You shall not kill, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother, and You shall love your neighbor as yourself." The young man said to him, "All these I have observed; what do I still lack?" Jesus said to him, "If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me." When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful; for he had great possessions.
And Jesus said to his disciples, "Truly, I say to you, it will be hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." When the disciples heard this they were greatly astonished, saying, "Who then can be saved?" But Jesus looked at them and said to them, "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."
12th Sunday of Matthew
Κατὰ Ματθαῖον 19:16-26
Τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ, νεανίσκος τις προσῆλθε τῷ Ἰησοῦ, γονυπετῶν αὐτόν, καὶ λέγων· Διδάσκαλε ἀγαθέ, τί ἀγαθὸν ποιήσω ἵνα ἔχω ζωὴν αἰώνιον; ‘O δὲ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· τί με λέγεις ἀγαθόν; οὐδεὶς ἀγαθὸς εἰ μὴ εἷς ὁ Θεός. εἰ δὲ θέλεις εἰσελθεῖν εἰς τὴν ζωήν, τήρησον τὰς ἐντολάς. λέγει αὐτῷ· ποίας; ὁ δὲ ᾿Ιησοῦς εἶπε· τὸ οὐ φονεύσεις, οὐ μοιχεύσεις, οὐ κλέψεις, οὐ ψευδομαρτυρήσεις, τίμα τὸν πατέρα καὶ τὴν μητέρα, καὶ ἀγαπήσεις τὸν πλησίον σου ὡς σεαυτόν. λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ νεανίσκος· πάντα ταῦτα ἐφυλαξάμην ἐκ νεότητός μου· τί ἔτι ὑστερῶ; ἔφη αὐτῷ ὁ ῾Ιησοῦς· εἰ θέλεις τέλειος εἶναι, ὕπαγε πώλησόν σου τὰ ὑπάρχοντα καὶ δὸς πτωχοῖς, καὶ ἕξεις θησαυρὸν ἐν οὐρανῷ, καὶ δεῦρο ἀκολούθει μοι. ἀκούσας δὲ ὁ νεανίσκος τὸν λόγον ἀπῆλθε λυπούμενος· ἦν γὰρ ἔχων κτήματα πολλά. ῾Ο δὲ ᾿Ιησοῦς εἶπε τοῖς μαθηταῖς αὐτοῦ· ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν ὅτι δυσκόλως πλούσιος εἰσελεύσεται εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τῶν οὐρανῶν. πάλιν δὲ λέγω ὑμῖν, εὐκοπώτερόν ἐστι κάμηλον διὰ τρυπήματος ῥαφίδος διελθεῖν ἢ πλούσιον εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ Θεοῦ εἰσελθεῖν. ἀκούσαντες δὲ οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ ἐξεπλήσσοντο σφόδρα λέγοντες· τίς ἄρα δύναται σωθῆναι; ἐμβλέψας δὲ ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· παρὰ ἀνθρώποις τοῦτο ἀδύνατόν ἐστι, παρὰ δὲ Θεῷ πάντα δυνατά ἐστι.
Saints and Feasts
September 04
12th Sunday of Matthew
September 04
Babylas the Holy Martyr
Saint Babylas was the twelfth Bishop of Antioch, being the successor of Zebinus (or Zebinas); he was beheaded during the reign of Decius, in the year 250, and at his own request was buried in the chains with which he was bound. The Emperor Gallus (reigned 351-354) built a church in his honour at Daphne, a suburb of Antioch, to put an end to the demonic oracles at the nearby temple of Apollo. When Julian the Apostate came in 362 to consult the oracle about his campaign against the Persians, the oracle (that is, the demon within it) remained dumb until at last, answering Julian's many sacrifices and supplications, it told him, "The dead prevent me from speaking." It told Julian to dig up the bones and move them. Julian, then, in the words of Saint John Chrysostom, "leaving all the other dead, moved only that Martyr." He commanded the Christians to take away Saint Babylas' bones, which they did with great solemnity and triumph. When this had been done, a thunderbolt fell from heaven destroying with fire the shrine of Apollo, which Julian did not dare rebuild. Saint John Chrysostom preached a sermon on this within a generation after.
September 08
The Nativity of Our Most Holy Lady the Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary
According to the ancient tradition of the Church, the Theotokos was born of barren and aged parents, Joachim and Anna, about the year 16 or 17 before the birth of Christ. Joachim was descended from the royal line of David, of the tribe of Judah. Anna was of the priestly tribe of Levi, a daughter of the priest Matthan and Mary, his wife.
September 09
The Holy & Righteous Ancestors of God, Joachim and Anna
Today, the day following the Nativity of the most holy Theotokos, we celebrate the synaxis of Saints Joachim and Anna, honouring them as her parents.
September 11
Sunday before Holy Cross
Hymns of the Day
Resurrectional Apolytikion in the Third Mode
Let the Heavens rejoice; let earthly things be glad; for the Lord hath wrought might with His arm, He hath trampled upon death by death. The first-born of the dead hath He become. From the belly of Hades hath He delivered us, and hath granted great mercy to the world.
Reading is under copyright and is used with permission, all rights reserved by: Holy Transfiguration Monastery
Εὐφραινέσθω τὰ οὐράνια, ἀγαλλιάσθω τὰ ἐπίγεια, ὅτι ἐποίησε κράτος, ἐν βραχίονι αὐτοῦ, ὁ Κύριος, ἐπάτησε τῷ θανάτῳ τὸν θάνατον, πρωτότοκος τῶν νεκρῶν ἐγένετο, ἐκ κοιλίας ᾅδου ἐρρύσατο ἡμᾶς, καὶ παρέσχε τῷ κόσμῳ τὸ μέγα ἔλεος.
Reading is under copyright and is used with permission, all rights reserved by: Greek Standard Text
Apolytikion for Hieromartyr Babylas in the Fourth Mode
As a sharer of the ways and a successor to the throne of the Apostles, O inspired of God, thou foundest discipline to be a means of ascent to divine vision. Wherefore, having rightly divided the word of truth, thou didst also contest for the Faith even unto blood, O Hieromartyr Babylas. Intercede with Christ our God that our souls be saved.
Reading is under copyright and is used with permission, all rights reserved by: Holy Transfiguration Monastery
Καί τρόπων μέτοχος, καί θρόνων διάδοχος, τών Αποστόλων γενόμενος, τήν πράξιν εύρες Θεόπνευστε, εις θεωρίας επίβασιν, διά τούτο τόν λόγον τής αληθείας ορθοτομών, καί τή πίστει ενήθλησας μέχρις αίματος, Ιερομάρτυς Βαβύλα, πρέσβευε Χριστώ τώ Θεώ, σωθήναι τάς ψυχάς ημών.
Reading is under copyright and is used with permission, all rights reserved by: Greek Standard Text
Seasonal Kontakion in the Fourth Mode
In your holy birth, Immaculate One, Joachim and Anna were rid of the shame of childlessness; Adam and Eve of the corruption of death. And so your people, free of the guilt of their sins, celebrate crying: "The barren one gives birth to the Theotokos, who nourishes our life."
Reading is under copyright and is used with permission, all rights reserved by: Narthex Press
Ιωακείμ καί Άννα όνειδισμού ατεκνίας, καί Αδάμ καί Εύα, εκ τής φθοράς τού θανάτου, ηλευθερώθησαν, Άχραντε, εν τή αγία γεννήσει σου, αυτήν εορτάζει καί ο λαός σου, ενοχής τών πταισμάτων, λυτρωθείς εν τώ κράζειν σοι, Η στείρα τίκτει τήν Θεοτόκον, καί τροφόν τής ζωής ημών.
Reading is under copyright and is used with permission, all rights reserved by: Greek Standard Text
Wisdom of the Fathers
Rise from love of the world and love of pleasure. Put care aside, strip your mind, refuse your body. Prayer, after all, is a turning away from the world, visible and invisible. What have I in heaven? Nothing except simply to cling always to You in undistracted prayer. Wealth pleases some, glory others, possessions others, but what I want is to cling to God and to put the hopes of my dispassion in Him (cf. Ps. 72:25, 28).
Ladder of Divine Ascent, Step 28: On Prayer; Paulist Press pg. 277, 6th century
Spiritual delight is not enjoyment found in things that exists outside the soul.
Unknown, 7th century