10 th Sunday of Matthew

10 th Sunday of Matthew Κυριακή Ι Ματθαίου Όρθρος Κυριακής στις 8:45 π.μ. και Θ. Λειτουργία στις 10:00 π.μ. Sunday Orthros at 8:45 a.m. and D. Liturgy at 10:00 a.m. Presiding Priest: Fr. Nicholas Dassouras 13 Αυγούστου 2017 13 August 2017

Ήχος α Εωθινόν Ι Tone: 1 st Morning Gospel: 10 th Τῇ ΙΓʹ τοῦ αὐτου μηνὸς μνήμη τῆς μεταθέσεως τοῦ Λειψάνου τοῦ Ὁσίου Πατρὸς ἡμῶν Μαξίμου τοῦ Ὁμολογητοῦ. Τῇ αὐτῇ ἡμέρᾳ μνήμη τῆς ἀοιδίμου καὶ παμμακαρίστου βασιλίσσης καὶ κτητορίσσης τῆς σεβασμίας Μονῆς τοῦ Παντοκράτορος Σωτῆρος Χριστοῦ, Εἰρήνης, τῆς διὰ τοῦ ἁγίου καὶ ἀγγελικοῦ σχήματος μετονομασθείσης Ξένης Μοναχῆς On August 13, we commemorate the transfer of the relics of our devout Father St. Maximus the Confessor. On this day, we also commemorate the lauded and all-blessed empress Irene, the founder of the venerable Monastery of Christ the Almighty Savior, and who took the name Xenia when she became a Great Schema nun

ΑΚΟΛΟΥΘΙΕΣ ΤΗΣ ΕΒΔΟΜΑΔΟΣ Δευτέρα 14 Αυγούστου 7:00 μ.μ.: Εσπερινός Εορτής Κοιμήσεως της Υπεραγίας Θεοτόκου (Assumption Church, Danbury, CT) Τρίτη 15 Αυγούστου 8:30 π.μ.: Όρθρος & Θ. Λειτουργία διά την Εορτήν της Κοιμήσεως της Υπεραγίας Θεοτόκου

WORSHIP SERVICES Monday, August 14 th - 7:00 p.m.: Vespers for the Feast of the Dormition (Assumption Church, Danbury, CT) Tuesday, August 15 th - 8:30 a.m.: Orthros & D. Liturgy for the Feast of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos

Αναστάσιμον Ἀπολυτίκιον Ἦχος α Τοῦ λίθου σφραγισθέντος ὑπὸ τῶν Ἰουδαίων, καὶ στρατιωτῶν φυλασσόντων τὸ ἄχραντόν σου σῶμα, ἀνέστης τριήμερος Σωτήρ, δωρούμενος τῷ κόσμῳ τὴν ζωήν. Διὰ τοῦτο αἱ Δυνάμεις τῶν οὐρανῶν ἐβόων σοι Ζωοδότα Δόξα τῇ ἀναστάσει σου Χριστέ, δόξα τῇ Βασιλείᾳ σου, δόξα τῇ οἰκονομίᾳ σου, μόνε Φιλάνθρωπε. Ἀπολυτίκιον της Εορτής, Ἦχος βαρὺς Μετεμορφώθης ἐν τῷ ὄρει Χριστὲ ὁ Θεός, δείξας τοῖς Μαθηταῖς σου τὴν δόξαν σου, καθὼς ἠδύναντο. Λάμψον καὶ ἡμῖν τοῖς ἁμαρτωλοῖς, τὸ φῶς σου τὸ ἀΐδιον, πρεσβείαις τῆς Θεοτόκου, φωτοδότα δόξα σοι. Απολυτίκιον Αγίου Γεωργίου, Hχος δ. Ὡς τῶν αἰχμαλώτων ἐλευθερωτὴς καὶ τῶν πτωχῶν ὑπερασπιστής, ἀσθενούντων ἰατρός, βασιλέων ὑπέρμαχος, Τροπαιοφόρε Μεγαλομάρτυς Γεώργιε, πρεσβεῦε Χριστῷ τῷ Θεῷ, σωθῆναι τάς ψυχὰς ἠμῶν. Κοντάκιο της Εορτής, Ήχος βαρύς Ἐπὶ τοῦ ὄρους μετεμορφώθης, καὶ ὡς ἐχώρουν οἱ Μαθηταί σου τὴν δόξαν σου, Χριστὲ ὁ Θεὸς ἐθεάσαντο, ἵνα ὅταν σε ἴδωσι σταυρούμενον, τὸ μὲν πάθος νοήσωσιν ἑκούσιον, τῷ δὲ κόσμῳ κηρύξωσιν, ὅτι σὺ ὑπάρχεις ἀληθῶς, τοῦ Πατρὸς τὸ ἀπαύγασμα.

Αpolytikion of Resurrection, First Tone Though the tomb was sealed by a stone and soldiers guarded your pure body, yet you arose on the third day, giving life to the world. Therefore, O Giver of life, the heavenly powers praise you: Glory to your resurrection, O Christ! Glory to your kingdom! Glory to your plan of redemption, O only loving God. Αpolytikion of the Transfiguration, Tone Grave You were transfigured on the Mount, Christ God revealing Your glory to Your disciples, insofar as they could comprehend. Illuminate us sinners also with Your everlasting light, through the intercessions of the Theotokos. Giver of light, glory to You. Αpolytikion for St. George, tone fourth As the one renowned for setting captives free, and for defending those in poverty, the physician of the sick and the champion of kings, do thou, o Victory-bearer and Great Martyr George, intercede to Christ our God for the salvation of our souls. Kontakion, Tone Grave You were transfigured upon the mount, O Christ our God, and Your disciples, in so far as they could bear, beheld Your glory. Thus, when they see You crucified, they may understand Your voluntary passion, and proclaim to the world that You are truly the effulgence of the Father.

Αποστολικόν Ανάγνωσμα: Eκ της προς Κορινθίους Α Επιστολής του Αποστόλου Παύλου 4:9-16 Ἀδελφοί, ὁ θεὸς ἡμᾶς τοὺς ἀποστόλους ἐσχάτους ἀπέδειξεν ὡς ἐπιθανατίους, ὅτι θέατρον ἐγενήθημεν τῷ κόσμῳ καὶ ἀγγέλοις καὶ ἀνθρώποις. Ἡμεῖς μωροὶ διὰ Χριστόν, ὑμεῖς δὲ φρόνιμοι ἐν Χριστῷ ἡμεῖς ἀσθενεῖς, ὑμεῖς δὲ ἰσχυροί ὑμεῖς ἔνδοξοι, ἡμεῖς δὲ ἄτιμοι. Ἄχρι τῆς ἄρτι ὥρας καὶ πεινῶμεν καὶ διψῶμεν καὶ γυμνιτεύομεν καὶ κολαφιζόμεθα καὶ ἀστατοῦμεν καὶ κοπιῶμεν ἐργαζόμενοι ταῖς ἰδίαις χερσίν λοιδορούμενοι εὐλογοῦμεν, διωκόμενοι ἀνεχόμεθα, δυσφημούμενοι παρακαλοῦμεν ὡς περικαθάρματα τοῦ κόσμου ἐγενήθημεν, πάντων περίψημα, ἕως ἄρτι. Οὐκ ἐντρέπων ὑμᾶς γράφω ταῦτα, ἀλλ ὡς τέκνα μου ἀγαπητὰ νουθετῶν ἐὰν γὰρ μυρίους παιδαγωγοὺς ἔχητε ἐν Χριστῷ, ἀλλ οὐ πολλοὺς πατέρας, ἐν γὰρ Χριστῷ Ιησοῦ διὰ τοῦ εὐαγγελίου ἐγὼ ὑμᾶς ἐγέννησα. Παρακαλῶ οὖν ὑμᾶς, μιμηταί μου γίνεσθε.

The Reading is from St. Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians 4:9-16 BRETHREN, God has exhibited us apostles as last of all, like men sentenced to death; because we have become a spectacle to the world, to angels and to men. We are fools for Christ's sake, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are held in honor, but we in disrepute. To the present hour we hunger and thirst, we are ill-clad and buffeted and homeless, and we labor, working with our own hands. When reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we endure; when slandered, we try to conciliate; we have become, and are now, as the refuse of the world, the off-scouring of all things. I do not write this to make you ashamed, but to admonish you as my beloved children. For though you have countless guides in Christ, you do not have many fathers. For I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel. I urge you, then, be imitators of me.

Ευαγγελικόν Ανάγνωσμα: Eκ του κατά Ματθαίον 17:14-23 Τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ, ἐλθόντων πρὸς τὸν ὄχλον προσῆλθεν αὐτῷ ἄνθρωπος γονυπετῶν αὐτὸν καὶ λέγων, Κύριε, ἐλέησόν μου τὸν υἱόν, ὅτι σεληνιάζεται καὶ κακῶς πάσχει πολλάκις γὰρ πίπτει εἰς τὸ πῦρ καὶ πολλάκις εἰς τὸ ὕδωρ. Καὶ προσήνεγκα αὐτὸν τοῖς μαθηταῖς σου, καὶ οὐκ ἠδυνήθησαν αὐτὸν θεραπεῦσαι. Ἀποκριθεὶς δὲ ὁ Ιησοῦς εἶπεν, ὦ γενεὰ ἄπιστος καὶ διεστραμμένη, ἕως πότε μεθ ὑμῶν ἔσομαι; ἕως πότε ἀνέξομαι ὑμῶν; φέρετέ μοι αὐτὸν ὧδε. Καὶ ἐπετίμησεν αὐτῷ ὁ Ιησοῦς, καὶ ἐξῆλθεν ἀπ αὐτοῦ τὸ δαιμόνιον καὶ ἐθεραπεύθη ὁ παῖς ἀπὸ τῆς ὥρας ἐκείνης. Τότε προσελθόντες οἱ μαθηταὶ τῷ Ιησοῦ κατ ἰδίαν εἶπον, Διὰ τί ἡμεῖς οὐκ ἠδυνήθημεν ἐκβαλεῖν αὐτό; ὁ δὲ λέγει αὐτοῖς, Διὰ τὴν ὀλιγοπιστίαν ὑμῶν ἀμὴν γὰρ λέγω ὑμῖν, ἐὰν ἔχητε πίστιν ὡς κόκκον σινάπεως, ἐρεῖτε τῷ ὄρει τούτῳ, Μετάβα ἔνθεν ἐκεῖ, καὶ μεταβήσεται καὶ οὐδὲν ἀδυνατήσει ὑμῖν. [Τοῦτο δὲ τὸ γένος οὐκ ἐκπορεύεται εἰ μὴ ἐν προσευχῇ καὶ νηστείᾳ. ] Συστρεφομένων δὲ αὐτῶν ἐν τῇ Γαλιλαίᾳ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς ὁ Ιησοῦς, Μέλλει ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου παραδίδοσθαι εἰς χεῖρας ἀνθρώπων,καὶ ἀποκτενοῦσιν αὐτόν, καὶ τῇ τρίτῃ ἡμέρᾳ ἐγερθήσεται.

The Reading is from Matthew 17:14-23 At that time, a man came up to Him and kneeling before Him said, "Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is an epileptic and he suffers terribly; for often he falls into the fire, and often into the water. And I brought him to Your disciples, and they could not heal him." And Jesus answered, "O faithless and perverse generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him here to me." And Jesus rebuked him, and the demon came out of him, and the boy was cured instantly. Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, "Why could we not cast it out?" He said to them, "Because of your little faith. For truly I say to you, if you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move hence to yonder place,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you." As they were gathering in Galilee, Jesus said to them, "The Son of man is to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill Him, and He will be raised on the third day."

Αποστολικό Ανάγνωσμα: Eκ της προς Κορινθίους Α Επιστολής του Αποστόλου Παύλου 4:9-16 Αδερφοί μου, μου φαίνεται πως ο Θεός σ εμάς τους αποστόλους έδωσε την ελεεινότερη θέση, σαν να είμαστε καταδικασμένοι να πεθάνουμε στην αρένα. Γιατί γίναμε θέαμα για τον κόσμο, για αγγέλους και γι ανθρώπους. Εμείς παρουσιαζόμαστε μωροί για χάρη του Χριστού, ενώ εσείς είστε σοφοί χάρη στο Χριστό εμείς είμαστε αδύναμοι, ενώ εσείς είστε δυνατοί εμείς είμαστε περιφρονημένοι, ενώ εσείς είστε τιμημένοι! Ως αυτήν την ώρα πεινάμε, διψάμε, γυρνάμε με κουρέλια, ξυλοδαρμένοι, από τόπο σε τόπο χωρίς σπίτι, και μοχθούμε να ζήσουμε δουλεύοντας με τα ίδια μας τα χέρια. Στους εμπαιγμούς απαντάμε με καλά λόγια, στους διωγμούς με υπομονή, στις συκοφαντίες με λόγια φιλικά. Καταντήσαμε σαν τα σκουπίδια όλου του κόσμου, ως αυτήν την ώρα θεωρούμαστε τα αποβράσματα της κοινωνίας. Δε σας τα γράφω αυτά για να σας κάνω να ντραπείτε, αλλά για να σας συμβουλέψω όπως ο πατέρας τ αγαπημένα του παιδιά. Γιατί κι αν ακόμα έχετε χιλιάδες δασκάλους στη ζωή σας με το Χριστό, δεν έχετε πολλούς πατέρες αλλά μόνον ένα. Στη σωτήρια οικονομία του Ιησού Χριστού, εγώ σαν πατέρας σάς γέννησα με το κήρυγμα του ευαγγελίου. Σας ζητώ λοιπόν να μου μοιάσετε.

Ευαγγελικό Ανάγνωσμα: Eκ του κατά Ματθαίον 17:14-23 Εκείνο τον καιρό, τον πλησίασε ένας άνθρωπος, γονάτισε μπροστά του και του είπε: «Κύριε, σπλαχνίσου το γιο μου, γιατί είναι επιληπτικός και υποφέρει πολλές φορές μάλιστα πέφτει στη φωτιά και στο νερό. Τον έφερα στους μαθητές σου, αλλά δεν μπόρεσαν να τον θεραπεύσουν». Ο Ιησούς απάντησε: «Γενιά άπιστη και διεφθαρμένη, ως πότε θα είμαι μαζί σας; Ως πότε θα σας ανέχομαι; Φέρτε τον μου εδώ». Ο Ιησούς επιτίμησε το δαιμόνιο, και βγήκε απ αυτόν από κείνη την ώρα το παιδί γιατρεύτηκε. Πήγαν τότε ιδιαιτέρως στον Ιησού οι μαθητές και τον ρώτησαν: «Γιατί εμείς δεν μπορέσαμε να το βγάλουμε;» «Εξαιτίας της απιστίας σας», τους είπε ο Ιησούς. «Σας βεβαιώνω πως, αν έχετε πίστη έστω και σαν κόκκο σιναπιού, θα λέτε σ αυτό το βουνό πήγαινε από δω εκεί, και θα πηγαίνει και τίποτα δε θα είναι αδύνατο για σας. Αυτό το δαιμονικό γένος δε βγαίνει παρά μόνο με προσευχή και νηστεία». Ενώ οι μαθητές περιέρχονταν τη Γαλιλαία, τους είπε ο Ιησούς: «Ο Υιός του Ανθρώπου πρόκειται να παραδοθεί σε χέρια ανθρώπων θα τον θανατώσουν, και την τρίτη μέρα θα αναστηθεί». Και λυπήθηκαν πάρα πολύ.

Mustard Seed The little mustard seed appears at least five times in the synoptic gospels. In Matthew 13:30-32 the mustard seed is called the smallest of all the seeds, yet when planted, 'it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree so that all the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches'. Something so small is pregnant with something so great! The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed! With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable will we use for it? It is like a mustard seed... Both Matthew, in today's Gospel, and Luke speak of faith the size of a mustard seed. Matthew says such faith could move a mountain; that nothing is impossible to such faith. In Luke when the apostles cry: Increase our faith, Jesus replies, If you had faith the size of a mustard

seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, Be uprooted and planted in the sea, and it would obey you'. Once more Jesus uses examples from his surroundings as teaching aids, this mulberry tree. The Mulberry Tree. Vincent van Gogh So, on the one hand mustard seed sized faith can do the apparently impossible and on the other the reign of God is like a mustard seed. Is Jesus telling us that no matter how small our faith, how weak and lost we might feel, our 'little' faith is enough to make present the reign of God. Our 'little' faith can find God in all things, can become a place where all are welcome, where the birds of the air find a home. The Gospel of John says: I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. In the book, The Name of God is Mercy, Pope Francis says that Jesus Christ is the face of the Father's mercy. These words might well sum up the mystery of the Christian faith. Mercy has become living and visible in

Jesus of Nazareth, reaching its culmination in him. The Father, "rich in mercy" (Eph 2:4), after having revealed his name to Moses as "a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness" (Ex 34:6), has never ceased to show, in various ways throughout history, his divine nature. In the "fullness of time" (Gal 4:4), when everything had been arranged according to his plan of salvation, he sent his only Son into the world, born of the Virgin Mary, to reveal his love for us in a definitive way. Whoever sees Jesus sees the Father (cf. Jn 14:9). Jesus of Nazareth, by his words, his actions, and his entire person! reveals the mercy of God.

The Dormition of the Theotokos The Dormition of the Theotokos, commemorates the Falling Asleep of Mary. In the language of Scripture, death is often called falling asleep, in Greek and Latin coemeterium (cemetery in English) means a place of sleeping. Until the 5th century the Fathers of the Church do not mention the Dormition and it was until the 6th century that it was not celebrated as a holy day. Saint Epiphanius of Salamis, a Palestinian Jew, states that in Scripture there is nowhere one can find about the Virgin s death or burial - he realizes that silence might be the key to the holy Virgin s heavenly fate.

The events from the Dormition can be found in the apocrypha and therefore the Church did not take all their contents but only the basic and common idea that her soul was adopted by Christ through the Dormition. Emperor Maurice (582-602) set the first date for the Feast of the Dormition on August 15, that is when commemorations for the departing of the Virgin officially began, Rome borrowed the tradition from Constantinople during the pontificate of Pope Sergius I (687-701), the feast was called Dormitio Beatae Virginis. The Council of Ephesus was instrumental in spreading this particular Marian devotion. Christian iconography regarding the Dormitio follows the belief of the Church that Mary spent her life after her central role during the Pentecost, living at the house of Saint John in Jerusalem, when the Archangel Gabriel came back to reveal to her her coming death after three days. The apostles, scattered throughout the world, were suddenly taken at her side, except Thomas who arrived three days later. He saw a cloud above the tomb and her body being assumed into heaven. He asked her where are you going, O Holy One? and she gave him her girdle saying receive this my friend only to disappear suddenly. Then Thomas and the apostles went to see her grave in Gethsemane, where she had been buried at her request, but her body was gone, leaving a sweet fragrance in the air. An apparition informed them that her body reunited with her soul in heaven after the third day.

ALL COLLEGE STUDENTS ARE WELCOME JOIN US On Sunday, August 20, immediately following the Divine Liturgy, Fr. Nicholas will bless all college students before leaving for school. Please join him in front of the altar (after the Divine Liturgy) to receive the blessing of our Lord. Please share with those who attend college.

Truly I say to you, if you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move hence to yonder place,' and it will move.