St. Stephen Orthodox Church
Publish Date: 2018-05-13
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Allsaint
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St. Stephen Orthodox Church

General Information

  • Phone:
  • (707)235-0316
  • Street Address:

  • 11055 Hirschfeld Way

  • Rancho Cordova, CA 95670


Contact Information




Services Schedule

 

Saturday

Vespers: 3:00pm

Sunday

Matins: 8:45am

Liturgy: 10:00am


Past Bulletins


Saints and Feasts

Allsaint
May 10

The Holy Hieromartyr Symeon, Kinsman of the Lord

Symeon was a first cousin of our Lord Jesus Christ. He was the son of Clopas (or Cleopas, also called Alphaeus), the brother of Joseph the Betrothed. He became the second Bishop of Jerusalem, as a successor to James the Brother of God. He ended his life when he was crucified during the reign of Trajan, in 107, at the age of 120.


Allsaint
May 11

The Holy Nine Martyrs of Cyzicus

These holy Martyrs, who were from various regions, suffered martyrdom together when they were beheaded in Cyzicus, a city in Asia Minor on the southern coast of the Sea of Marmara.


Jason
May 12

Jason and Sosipater the Apostles of the 70 and their Companions

Both of these Saints were disciples of the Apostle Paul, who mentions them in his Epistle to the Romans, saying: "Jason and Sosipater my kinsmen greet you" (16:21). Jason was from Tarsus of Cilicia, and became bishop there. Sosipater was from Patras of Achaia, and became Bishop of Iconium. When they had shepherded their churches well for a long time, they departed west that they might profit others also, and arrived finally at the island of Corfu, where they were the first to preach the Gospel to its people. They suffered many things for Christ's Name, drew many souls to salvation, and finished the course of their life there. In the ancient city of Corfu, a church from the first centuries, built in their honour and bearing inscriptions that mention the Saints by name, verifies the historical account concerning them.


Jameszebedee
May 13

James the Apostle and brother of St. John the Theologian

James was one of the Twelve, like his brother John (celebrated on Sept. 26), whom the Lord called "Sons of Thunder," because they became great preachers and because of their profound theology. It was the Saint's boldness in preaching the Gospel that Herod Agrippa, the son of Aristobulus and grandson of Herod the Great, could not endure, and so he took him into custody during the days of the Passover, and slew him with the sword (Acts 12: 1-2); and thus he drank the cup of which the Saviour had spoken to him prophetically (Matt. 20:23). As for Herod, the following year he went down to Caesarea, and, as the Acts of the Apostles records: "Upon a set day, Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne, and made an oration" to the elders of Tyre and Sidon; and the flatterers that surrounded him "gave a shout, saying, 'it is the voice of a god, and not of a man.' And immediately an Angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory; and like his grandfather (see Dec. 29) "he was eaten of worms and gave up the spirit" (Acts 12:21-23)


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Gospel and Epistle Readings

Matins Gospel Reading

Eighth Orthros Gospel
The Reading is from John 20:11-18

At that time, Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb; and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. They said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?" She said to them, "Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him." Saying this, she turned round and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom do you seek?" Supposing Him to be the gardener, she said to Him, "Sir, if you have carried Him away, tell me where you have laid Him, and I will take Him away." Jesus said to her, "Mary." She turned and said to him in Hebrew, "Rabboni!" (which means Teacher). Jesus said to her, "Do not hold me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brethren and say to them, I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God." Mary Magdalene went and said to the disciples, "I have seen the Lord"; and she told them that He had said these things to her.

Eighth Orthros Gospel
يوحنا 20: 11-18

11في ذلك الزمان َكَانَتْ مريم وَاقِفَةً عِنْدَ الْقَبْرِ خَارِجاً تَبْكِي. وَفِيمَا هِيَ تَبْكِي انْحَنَتْ إِلَى الْقَبْرِ، 12فَنَظَرَتْ مَلاَكَيْنِ بِثِيَابٍ بِيضٍ جَالِسَيْنِ وَاحِداً عِنْدَ الرَّأْسِ وَالآخَرَ عِنْدَ الرِّجْلَيْنِ، حَيْثُ كَانَ جَسَدُ يَسُوعَ مَوْضُوعاً. 13فَقَالاَ لَهَا: ((يَا امْرَأَةُ، لِمَاذَا تَبْكِينَ؟)) قَالَتْ لَهُمَا: ((إِنَّهُمْ أَخَذُوا سَيِّدِي، وَلَسْتُ أَعْلَمُ أَيْنَ وَضَعُوهُ!)). 14وَلَمَّا قَالَتْ هَذَا الْتَفَتَتْ إِلَى الْوَرَاءِ، فَنَظَرَتْ يَسُوعَ وَاقِفاً، وَلَمْ تَعْلَمْ أَنَّهُ يَسُوعُ. 15قَالَ لَهَا يَسُوعُ: ((يَا امْرَأَةُ، لِمَاذَا تَبْكِينَ؟ مَنْ تَطْلُبِينَ؟)) فَظَنَّتْ تِلْكَ أَنَّهُ الْبُسْتَانِيُّ، فَقَالَتْ لَهُ: ((يَا سَيِّدُ إِنْ كُنْتَ أَنْتَ قَدْ حَمَلْتَهُ فَقُلْ لِي أَيْنَ وَضَعْتَهُ، وَأَنَا آخُذُهُ)). 16قَالَ لَهَا يَسُوعُ: ((يَا مَرْيَمُ)) فَالْتَفَتَتْ تِلْكَ وَقَالَتْ لَهُ: ((رَبُّونِي!)) الَّذِي تَفْسِيرُهُ: يَا مُعَلِّمُ. 17قَالَ لَهَا يَسُوعُ: ((لاَ تَلْمِسِينِي لأَنِّي لَمْ أَصْعَدْ بَعْدُ إِلَى أَبِي. وَلَكِنِ اذْهَبِي إِلَى إِخْوَتِي وَقُولِي لَهُمْ: إِنِّي أَصْعَدُ إِلَى أَبِي وَأَبِيكُمْ وَإِلَهِي وَإِلَهِكُمْ)).18فَجَاءَتْ مَرْيَمُ الْمَجْدَلِيَّةُ وَأَخْبَرَتِ التَّلاَمِيذَ أَنَّهَا رَأَتِ الرَّبَّ، وَأَنَّهُ قَالَ لَهَا هَذَا. 

 

 


Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. 5th Tone. Psalm 11.7,1.
You, O Lord, shall keep us and preserve us.
Verse: Save me, O Lord, for the godly man has failed.

The reading is from Acts of the Apostles 16:16-34.

IN THOSE DAYS, as we apostles were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners much gain by soothsaying. She followed Paul and us, crying, "These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation." And this she did for many days. But Paul was annoyed, and turned and said to the spirit, "I charge you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her." And it came out that very hour. But when her owners saw that their hope of gain was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the market place before the rulers; and when they had brought them to the magistrates they said, "These men are Jews and they are disturbing our city. They advocate customs which it is not lawful for us Romans to accept or practice." The crowd joined in attacking them; and the magistrates tore the garments off them and gave orders to beat them with rods. And when they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them into prison, charging the jailer to keep them safely. Having received this charge, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks. But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and every one's fetters were unfastened. When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. But Paul cried with a loud voice, "Do not harm yourself, for we are all here." And he called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas, and brought them out and said, "Men, what must I do to be saved?" And they said, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household." And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all that were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their wounds, and he was baptized at once, with all his family. Then he brought them up into his house, and set food before them; and he rejoiced with all his household that he had believed in God.

البروكيمنون. 5th Tone. مزمور 11: 7، 1.
أنت يا رب تحفظنا وتخلصنا
خلصني يا رب فإن البار قد فنيَ

فصل من أعمال الرسل 16: 16-34.

16 َفي تلك الأيام حَدَثَ بَيْنَمَا كُنَّا نحن الرسل ذَاهِبِينَ إِلَى الصَّلاَةِ أَنَّ جَارِيَةً بِهَا رُوحُ عِرَافَةٍ اسْتَقْبَلَتْنَا. وَكَانَتْ تُكْسِبُ مَوَالِيَهَا مَكْسَباً كَثِيراً بِعِرَافَتِهَا. 17هَذِهِ اتَّبَعَتْ بُولُسَ وَإِيَّانَا وَصَرَخَتْ قَائِلَةً: ((هَؤُلاَءِ النَّاسُ هُمْ عَبِيدُ اللهِ الْعَلِيِّ الَّذِينَ يُنَادُونَ لَكُمْ بِطَرِيقِ الْخَلاَصِ)). 18وَكَانَتْ تَفْعَلُ هَذَا أَيَّاماً كَثِيرَةً. فَضَجِرَ بُولُسُ وَالْتَفَتَ إِلَى الرُّوحِ وَقَالَ: ((أَنَا آمُرُكَ بِاسْمِ يَسُوعَ الْمَسِيحِ أَنْ تَخْرُجَ مِنْهَا)). فَخَرَجَ فِي تِلْكَ السَّاعَةِ.19فَلَمَّا رَأَى مَوَالِيهَا أَنَّهُ قَدْ خَرَجَ رَجَاءُ مَكْسَبِهِمْ أَمْسَكُوا بُولُسَ وَسِيلاَ وَجَرُّوهُمَا إِلَى السُّوقِ إِلَى الْحُكَّامِ. 20وَإِذْ أَتَوْا بِهِمَا إِلَى الْوُلاَةِ قَالُوا: ((هَذَانِ الرَّجُلاَنِ يُبَلْبِلاَنِ مَدِينَتَنَا وَهُمَا يَهُودِيَّانِ 21وَيُنَادِيَانِ بِعَوَائِدَ لاَ يَجُوزُ لَنَا أَنْ نَقْبَلَهَا وَلاَ نَعْمَلَ بِهَا إِذْ نَحْنُ رُومَانِيُّونَ)). 22فَقَامَ الْجَمْعُ مَعاً عَلَيْهِمَا وَمَزَّقَ الْوُلاَةُ ثِيَابَهُمَا وَأَمَرُوا أَنْ يُضْرَبَا بِالْعِصِيِّ. 23فَوَضَعُوا عَلَيْهِمَا ضَرَبَاتٍ كَثِيرَةً وَأَلْقُوهُمَا فِي السِّجْنِ وَأَوْصُوا حَافِظَ السِّجْنِ أَنْ يَحْرُسَهُمَا بِضَبْطٍ. 24وَهُوَ إِذْ أَخَذَ وَصِيَّةً مِثْلَ هَذِهِ أَلْقَاهُمَا فِي السِّجْنِ الدَّاخِلِيِّ وَضَبَطَ أَرْجُلَهُمَا فِي الْمِقْطَرَةِ. 25وَنَحْوَ نِصْفِ اللَّيْلِ كَانَ بُولُسُ وَسِيلاَ يُصَلِّيَانِ وَيُسَبِّحَانِ اللهَ وَالْمَسْجُونُونَ يَسْمَعُونَهُمَا. 26فَحَدَثَ بَغْتَةً زَلْزَلَةٌ عَظِيمَةٌ حَتَّى تَزَعْزَعَتْ أَسَاسَاتُ السِّجْنِ فَانْفَتَحَتْ فِي الْحَالِ الأَبْوَابُ كُلُّهَا وَانْفَكَّتْ قُيُودُ الْجَمِيعِ. 27وَلَمَّا اسْتَيْقَظَ حَافِظُ السِّجْنِ وَرَأَى أَبْوَابَ السِّجْنِ مَفْتُوحَةً اسْتَلَّ سَيْفَهُ وَكَانَ مُزْمِعاً أَنْ يَقْتُلَ نَفْسَهُ ظَانّاً أَنَّ الْمَسْجُونِينَ قَدْ هَرَبُوا. 28فَنَادَى بُولُسُ بِصَوْتٍ عَظِيمٍ قَائِلاً: ((لاَ تَفْعَلْ بِنَفْسِكَ شَيْئاً رَدِيّاً لأَنَّ جَمِيعَنَا هَهُنَا)). 29فَطَلَبَ ضَوْءاً وَانْدَفَعَ إِلَى دَاخِلٍ وَخَرَّ لِبُولُسَ وَسِيلاَ وَهُوَ مُرْتَعِدٌ 30ثُمَّ أَخْرَجَهُمَا وَقَالَ: ((يَا سَيِّدَيَّ مَاذَا يَنْبَغِي أَنْ أَفْعَلَ لِكَيْ أَخْلُصَ؟)) 31فَقَالاَ: ((آمِنْ بِالرَّبِّ يَسُوعَ الْمَسِيحِ فَتَخْلُصَ أَنْتَ وَأَهْلُ بَيْتِكَ)). 32وَكَلَّمَاهُ وَجَمِيعَ مَنْ فِي بَيْتِهِ بِكَلِمَةِ الرَّبِّ. 33فَأَخَذَهُمَا فِي تِلْكَ السَّاعَةِ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ وَغَسَّلَهُمَا مِنَ الْجِرَاحَاتِ وَاعْتَمَدَ فِي الْحَالِ هُوَ وَالَّذِينَ لَهُ أَجْمَعُونَ. 34وَلَمَّا أَصْعَدَهُمَا إِلَى بَيْتِهِ قَدَّمَ لَهُمَا مَائِدَةً وَتَهَلَّلَ مَعَ جَمِيعِ بَيْتِهِ إِذْ كَانَ قَدْ آمَنَ بِاللَّهِ

 

 


Gospel Reading

Sunday of the Blind Man
The Reading is from John 9:1-38

At that time, as Jesus passed by, he saw a man blind from his birth. And his disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" Jesus answered, "It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be made manifest in him. We must work the works of him who sent me, while it is day; night comes, when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world." As he said this, he spat on the ground and made clay of the spittle and anointed the man's eyes with the clay, saying to him, "Go, wash in the pool of Siloam" (which means Sent). So he went and washed and came back seeing. The neighbors and those who had seen him before as a beggar, said, "Is not this the man who used to sit and beg?" Some said, "It is he"; others said, "No, but he is like him." He said, "I am the man." They said to him, "Then how were your eyes opened?" He answered, "The man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes and said to me, 'Go to Siloam and wash'; so I went and washed and received my sight." They said to him, "Where is he?" He said, "I do not know."

They brought to the Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind. Now it was a sabbath day when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes. The Pharisees again asked him how he had received his sight. And he said to them, "He put clay on my eyes and I washed, and I see." Some of the Pharisees said, "This man is not from God, for he does not keep the sabbath." But others said, "How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?" There was a division among them. So they again said to the blind man, "What do you say about him, since he has opened your eyes?" He said, "He is a prophet."

The Jews did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight, until they called the parents of the man who had received his sight, and asked them, "Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?" His parents answered, "We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; but how he now sees we do not know, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he is of age, he will speak for himself." His parents said this because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had already agreed that if anyone should confess him to be Christ he was to be put out of the synagogue. Therefore his parents said, "He is of age, ask him."

So for the second time they called the man who had been blind, and said to him, "Give God the praise; we know that this man is a sinner." He answered, "Whether he is a sinner, I do not know; one thing I know, that though I was blind, now I see." They said to him, "What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?" He answered them, "I have told you already and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you too want to become his disciples?" And they reviled him, saying, "You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where he comes from." The man answered, "Why, this is a marvel! You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes. We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does his will, God listens to him. Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing." They answered him, "You were born in utter sin, and would you teach us?" And they cast him out.

Jesus heard that they had cast him out, and having found him he said, "Do you believe in the Son of man?" He answered, "And who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?" Jesus said to him, "You have seen him, and it is he who speaks to you." He said, "Lord, I believe"; and he worshiped him.

Sunday of the Blind Man
يوحنا 9: 1-38

في ذلك الزمان1 فِيمَا يسوع مُجْتَازٌ رَأَى إِنْسَاناً أَعْمَى مُنْذُ وِلاَدَتِهِ2 فَسَأَلَهُ تلاَمِيذُهُ: «يَا مُعَلِّمُ مَنْ أَخْطَأَ: هَذَا أَمْ أَبَوَاهُ حَتَّى وُلِدَ أَعْمَى؟»3 أَجَابَ يَسُوعُ: «لاَ هَذَا أَخْطَأَ وَلاَ أَبَوَاهُ لَكِنْ لِتَظْهَرَ أَعْمَالُ اللَّهِ فِيهِ.4 يَنْبَغِي أَنْ أَعْمَلَ أَعْمَالَ الَّذِي أَرْسَلَنِي مَا دَامَ نَهَارٌ. يَأْتِي لَيْلٌ حِينَ لاَ يَسْتَطِيعُ أَحَدٌ أَنْ يَعْمَلَ.5 مَا دُمْتُ فِي الْعَالَمِ فَأَنَا نُورُ الْعَالَمِ». 6 قَالَ هَذَا وَتَفَلَ عَلَى الأَرْضِ وَصَنَعَ مِنَ التُّفْلِ طِيناً وَطَلَى بِالطِّينِ عَيْنَيِ الأَعْمَى.7 وَقَالَ لَهُ: «ﭐذْهَبِ اغْتَسِلْ فِي بِرْكَةِ سِلْوَامَ». الَّذِي تَفْسِيرُهُ مُرْسَلٌ. فَمَضَى وَاغْتَسَلَ وَأَتَى بَصِيراً. 8 فَالْجِيرَانُ وَالَّذِينَ كَانُوا يَرَوْنَهُ قَبْلاً أَنَّهُ كَانَ أَعْمَى قَالُوا: «أَلَيْسَ هَذَا هُوَ الَّذِي كَانَ يَجْلِسُ وَيَسْتَعْطِي؟»9 آخَرُونَ قَالُوا: «هَذَا هُوَ». وَآخَرُونَ: «إِنَّهُ يُشْبِهُهُ». وَأَمَّا هُوَ فَقَالَ: «إِنِّي أَنَا هُوَ».10 فَقَالُوا لَهُ: «كَيْفَ انْفَتَحَتْ عَيْنَاكَ؟»11 أَجَابَ: «إِنْسَانٌ يُقَالُ لَهُ يَسُوعُ صَنَعَ طِيناً وَطَلَى عَيْنَيَّ وَقَالَ لِي: اذْهَبْ إِلَى بِرْكَةِ سِلْوَامَ وَاغْتَسِلْ. فَمَضَيْتُ وَاغْتَسَلْتُ فَأَبْصَرْتُ». 12 فَقَالُوا لَهُ: «أَيْنَ ذَاكَ؟» قَالَ: «لاَ أَعْلَمُ». 13 فَأَتَوْا إِلَى الْفَرِّيسِيِّينَ بِالَّذِي كَانَ قَبْلاً أَعْمَى.14 وَكَانَ سَبْتٌ حِينَ صَنَعَ يَسُوعُ الطِّينَ وَفَتَحَ عَيْنَيْهِ.15 فَسَأَلَهُ الْفَرِّيسِيُّونَ أَيْضاً كَيْفَ أَبْصَرَ فَقَالَ لَهُمْ: «وَضَعَ طِيناً عَلَى عَيْنَيَّ وَاغْتَسَلْتُ فَأَنَا أُبْصِرُ».16 فَقَالَ قَوْمٌ مِنَ الْفَرِّيسِيِّينَ: «هَذَا الإِنْسَانُ لَيْسَ مِنَ اللَّهِ لأَنَّهُ لاَ يَحْفَظُ السَّبْتَ». آخَرُونَ قَالُوا: «كَيْفَ يَقْدِرُ إِنْسَانٌ خَاطِئٌ أَنْ يَعْمَلَ مِثْلَ هَذِهِ الآيَاتِ؟» وَكَانَ بَيْنَهُمُ انْشِقَاقٌ.17 قَالُوا أَيْضاً لِلأَعْمَى: «مَاذَا تَقُولُ أَنْتَ عَنْهُ مِنْ حَيْثُ إِنَّهُ فَتَحَ عَيْنَيْكَ؟» فَقَالَ: «إِنَّهُ نَبِيٌّ».18 فَلَمْ يُصَدِّقِ الْيَهُودُ عَنْهُ أَنَّهُ كَانَ أَعْمَى فَأَبْصَرَ حَتَّى دَعَوْا أَبَوَيِ الَّذِي أَبْصَرَ.19 فَسَأَلُوهُمَا: «أَهَذَا ابْنُكُمَا الَّذِي تَقُولاَنِ إِنَّهُ وُلِدَ أَعْمَى؟ فَكَيْفَ يُبْصِرُ الآنَ؟»20 أَجَابَهُمْ أَبَوَاهُ: «نَعْلَمُ أَنَّ هَذَا ابْنُنَا وَأَنَّهُ وُلِدَ أَعْمَى21 وَأَمَّا كَيْفَ يُبْصِرُ الآنَ فلاَ نَعْلَمُ. أَوْ مَنْ فَتَحَ عَيْنَيْهِ فلاَ نَعْلَمُ. هُوَ كَامِلُ السِّنِّ. اسْأَلُوهُ فَهُوَ يَتَكَلَّمُ عَنْ نَفْسِهِ».22 قَالَ أَبَوَاهُ هَذَا لأَنَّهُمَا كَانَا يَخَافَانِ مِنَ الْيَهُودِ لأَنَّ الْيَهُودَ كَانُوا قَدْ تَعَاهَدُوا أَنَّهُ إِنِ اعْتَرَفَ أَحَدٌ بِأَنَّهُ الْمَسِيحُ يُخْرَجُ مِنَ الْمَجْمَعِ.23 لِذَلِكَ قَالَ أَبَوَاهُ: «إِنَّهُ كَامِلُ السِّنِّ اسْأَلُوهُ». 24 فَدَعَوْا ثَانِيَةً الإِنْسَانَ الَّذِي كَانَ أَعْمَى وَقَالُوا لَهُ: «أَعْطِ مَجْداً لِلَّهِ. نَحْنُ نَعْلَمُ أَنَّ هَذَا الإِنْسَانَ خَاطِئٌ».25 فَأَجَابَ: «أَخَاطِئٌ هُوَ؟ لَسْتُ أَعْلَمُ. إِنَّمَا أَعْلَمُ شَيْئاً وَاحِداً: أَنِّي كُنْتُ أَعْمَى وَالآنَ أُبْصِرُ».26 فَقَالُوا لَهُ أَيْضاً: «مَاذَا صَنَعَ بِكَ؟ كَيْفَ فَتَحَ عَيْنَيْكَ؟»27 أَجَابَهُمْ: «قَدْ قُلْتُ لَكُمْ وَلَمْ تَسْمَعُوا. لِمَاذَا تُرِيدُونَ أَنْ تَسْمَعُوا أَيْضاً؟ أَلَعَلَّكُمْ أَنْتُمْ تُرِيدُونَ أَنْ تَصِيرُوا لَهُ تلاَمِيذَ؟»28 فَشَتَمُوهُ وَقَالُوا: «أَنْتَ تِلْمِيذُ ذَاكَ وَأَمَّا نَحْنُ فَإِنَّنَا تلاَمِيذُ مُوسَى.29 نَحْنُ نَعْلَمُ أَنَّ مُوسَى كَلَّمَهُ اللَّهُ وَأَمَّا هَذَا فَمَا نَعْلَمُ مِنْ أَيْنَ هُوَ».30 أَجَابَ الرَّجُلُ: «إِنَّ فِي هَذَا عَجَباً! إِنَّكُمْ لَسْتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ مِنْ أَيْنَ هُوَ وَقَدْ فَتَحَ عَيْنَيَّ.31 وَنَعْلَمُ أَنَّ اللَّهَ لاَ يَسْمَعُ لِلْخُطَاةِ. وَلَكِنْ إِنْ كَانَ أَحَدٌ يَتَّقِي اللَّهَ وَيَفْعَلُ مَشِيئَتَهُ فَلِهَذَا يَسْمَعُ.32 مُنْذُ الدَّهْرِ لَمْ يُسْمَعْ أَنَّ أَحَداً فَتَحَ عَيْنَيْ مَوْلُودٍ أَعْمَى.33 لَوْ لَمْ يَكُنْ هَذَا مِنَ اللَّهِ لَمْ يَقْدِرْ أَنْ يَفْعَلَ شَيْئاً».34 قَالُوا لَهُ: «فِي الْخَطَايَا وُلِدْتَ أَنْتَ بِجُمْلَتِكَ وَأَنْتَ تُعَلِّمُنَا!» فَأَخْرَجُوهُ خَارِجاً. 35 فَسَمِعَ يَسُوعُ أَنَّهُمْ أَخْرَجُوهُ خَارِجاً فَوَجَدَهُ وَقَالَ لَهُ: «أَتُؤْمِنُ بِابْنِ اللَّهِ؟»36 أَجَابَ: «مَنْ هُوَ يَا سَيِّدُ لأؤمِنَ بِهِ؟» 37 فَقَالَ لَهُ يَسُوعُ: «قَدْ رَأَيْتَهُ وَالَّذِي يَتَكَلَّمُ مَعَكَ هُوَ هُوَ».38 فَقَالَ: «أُومِنُ يَا سَيِّدُ». وَسَجَدَ لَهُ.

 

 


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Hymns of the Day

Apolytikion of Great and Holy Pascha in the 5th Tone

Christ is risen from the dead, by death, trampling down upon death, and to those in the tombs He has granted life.

Apolytikion of Apostle James in the Third Tone

O Holy Apostle James, intercede to our merciful God, that He may grant our souls forgiveness of sins.

Kontakion of Apostle James in the Second Tone

The voice of thy God thou heardest when it called to thee, O glorious James; hence, casting off thy father's love, thou together with John thy brother didst run straightway to Christ the Lord, and with him was granted to see the Lord's most divine Transfiguration.
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Wisdom of the Fathers

What could equal these souls? These men had been scourged, had received many, stripes, they had been misused, were in peril of their lives, were thrust into the inner prison, and set fast in the stocks: and for all this they did not suffer themselves to sleep, but kept vigil all the night. Do you mark what a blessing tribulation is? ...That the earthquake should not seem to have come of itself, there was this concurrent circumstance, bearing witness to it: "the doors were opened, and all their bonds were loosed." And it appears in the night-time; for the Apostles did not work for display, but for men's salvation...Here, they did but show the doors standing open, and it opened the doors of his heart, it loosed two sorts of chains; that (prisoner) kindled the (true) light; for the light in his heart was shining. "And he sprang in, and fell before them;" and he does not ask, How is this? What is this? but straightway he says, "What must I do to be saved?" What then answers Paul? "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, thou and thine house." (v. 31.) For this above all, wins men: that one's house also should be saved ...
St. John Chrysostom
Homily 36 on Acts 16, 4th Century

But I assert that he even received benefit from his blindness: since he recovered the sight of the eyes within.
St. John Chrysostom
Homily 56 on John 9, 4th Century

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