Hymns of the Day

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the 2nd Tone

PAGE 93: When thou didst submit thyself unto death, O Thou deathless and immortal one, then Thou didst destroy Hell with Thy Godly pow'r, and when Thou didst raise the dead from beneath the earth, all the pow'rs of heaven did cry aloud unto Thee O Christ thou giver of life glory to Thee.

Apolytikion for Martyrs Sergius and Bacchus in the 4th Tone

Thy Martyrs, O Lord, in their courageous contest for Thee received as the prize the crowns of incorruption and life from Thee, our immortal God. For since they possessed Thy strength, they cast down the tyrants and wholly destroyed the demons' strengthless presumption. O Christ God, by their prayers, save our souls, since Thou art merciful.

Apolytikion for St. James in the 1st Tone

PAGE 26: As a disciple of the Lord, O righteous one, thou hast received the Gospel. As a Martyr thou art never turned away. As the Brother of God, thou hast boldness. As a hierarch thou canst intercede. Do thou intercede with Christ God that He save our souls.

Seasonal Kontakion in the 2nd Tone

O protection of Christians that cannot be put to shame, mediation unto the Creator most constant: O despise not the suppliant voices of those who have sinned, but be thou quick, o good one, to come unto our aid, who in faith cry unto thee. Hasten to intercession, and speed thou to make supplications, thou who dost ever protect, O Theotokos, them that honor thee.

Gospel and Epistle Readings

Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. 2nd Tone. Psalm 117.14,18.
The Lord is my strength and my song.
Verse: The Lord has chastened me sorely.

The reading is from St. Paul's Second Letter to the Corinthians 11:31-33; 12:1-9.

Brethren, the God and Father of the Lord Jesus, he who is blessed for ever, knows that I do not lie. At Damascus, the governor under King Aretas guarded the city of Damascus in order to seize me, but I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall, and escaped his hands.

I must boast; there is nothing to be gained by it, but I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord. I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven -- whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows. And I know that this man was caught up into Paradise --whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows -- and he heard things that cannot be told, which man may not utter. On behalf of this man I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except of my weaknesses. Though if I wish to boast, I shall not be a fool, for I shall be speaking the truth. But I refrain from it, so that no one may think more of me than he sees in me or hears from me. And to keep me from being too elated by the abundance of revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan, to harass me, to keep me from being too elated. Three times I besought the Lord about this, that it should leave me; but he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." I will all the more gladly boast of my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Gospel Reading

3rd Sunday of Luke
The Reading is from Luke 7:11-16

At that time, Jesus went to a city called Nain, and his disciples and a great crowd went with him. As he drew near to the gate of the city, behold, a man who had died was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow; and a large crowd from the city was with her. And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her and said to her, "Do not weep." And he came and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still. And he said, "Young man, I say to you, arise." And the dead man sat up, and began to speak. And he gave him to his mother. Fear seized them all; and they glorified God, saying, "A great prophet has arisen among us!" and "God has visited his people!"

Wisdom of the Fathers

That dead man was being buried, and many friends were conducting him to his tomb. But there meets him Christ, the Life and Resurrection, for He is the destroyer of death and of corruption; He it is "in Whom we live and move and have our being" (Acts 17:28); He it is Who has restored the nature of man to that which it originally was; and has set free our death-fraught flesh from the bonds of death.

St. Cyril of Alexandria

Commentary on the Gospel of St. Luke, Homily 36.42, p. 153., 5th Century

The virgin's son met the widow's son. He became like a sponge for her tears and as life for the death of her son. Death turned about in its den and turned its back on the victorious one.

St. Ephrem the Syrian

Commentary on Tatian's Diatessaron, 6.23. (Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture. vol. 3: Luke, Intervarsity Press)

Saints and Feasts

October 07

Sergius & Bacchus the Great Martyrs of Syria

These holy Martyrs were Romans of high rank in the service of the Emperor Maximian, to whom it was reported that they did not take part in the festivals of the idols. When he called them into his presence, they confessed their Faith in the one God. He had them arrayed in women's clothes and paraded through the streets in mockery. They were afterwards scourged, from which Saint Bacchus died. This was about the year 296. Saint Sergius was then taken to Resapha in Syria, where he was tortured and beheaded. His tomb in Resapha became a very famous shrine, to which pilgrims came from as far away as Western Europe; Resapha was later renamed Sergiopolis in his honour.

October 07

Julian the Presbyter & Caesarius the Deacon

The Holy Martyrs Julian the Presbyter and Caesarius the Deacon suffered for Christ in the I Century. Saint Caesarius was thrown into prison in the Italian city of Terracinium for insulting the pagan gods. They later took him bound to the temple of Apollo, but before they got him near the pagan temple it collapsed, killing the pagan priests and many of the people. At about this same time the idolators arrested the Christian priest Julian. By order of the emperor, the holy martyrs were cast into the sea, but their bodies floated up, and Christians buried the sufferers. The relics of Saint Caesarius are situated at Rome.

Upcoming Services, Events, and Information

WEDNESDAY: St. Maria of Paris Women's Prayer Group @ 10:30 AM.

Remember in your prayers Nicholas, Tamara, Christina,Theodore, Elizabeth, Pelagia, Anastasia, Photini, Mary, Katharine, John, Kenneth, Ellen, Richard, Thomas, Christine, Alexandra, Richard, Robert, Catechumens Theophylact, Mary, Mark and Bridget; Betty, Charles, Archpriest Steven, Kh. Christine, Mary, Reader Miguel, Dennis, Archpriest John, Archpriest Ounuphry, Archpriest Anastasy, Katherine, Joe, Kh. Barbara, Archpriest George, Jonathan, reposed Igumen Gabriel, reposed Michael, reposed Kevin, Newly-departed Kh. Manal

St. James Orthodox Church is a mission of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America.

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