Hymns of the Day

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the 6th Tone

PAGE 99: When Mary stood at thy grave looking for thy sacred body, angelic powers shone above thy revered tomb, and the soldiers who were to keep guard became as dead men. Thou led hades captive and wast not tempted thereby. Thou didst meet the Virgin and didst give life to the world. Thou who art risen from the dead, O Lord, glory to Thee.

Apolytikion for Sun. of the Holy Cross in the 1st Tone

O Lord, save thy people and bless thine inheritance, granting our believing kings victory over the Barbarians, and by the power of thy Cross preserving thy commonwealth.

Seasonal Kontakion in the 8th Tone

To thee the champion leader, I thy servant offer thanks for victory, O Theotokos, thou who hast delivered me from terror. As thou hast power invincible, free me from every danger that I may cry unto thee: Rejoice, O bride without bridegroom.

Gospel and Epistle Readings

Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. 6th Tone. Psalm 27.9,1.
O Lord, save your people and bless your inheritance.
Verse: To you, O Lord, I have cried, O my God.

The reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Hebrews 4:14-16; 5:1-6.

BRETHREN, since we have a high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we have not a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. For every high priest chosen from among men is appointed to act on behalf of men in relation to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. He can deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself is beset with weakness. Because of this he is bound to offer sacrifice for his own sins as well as for those of the people. And one does not take the honor upon himself, but he is called by God, just as Aaron was. So also Christ did not exalt himself to be made a high priest, but was appointed by him who said to him, "Thou art my Son, today I have begotten thee"; as he says also in another place, "Thou art a priest for ever, after the order of Melchizedek."

Gospel Reading

Sunday of the Holy Cross
The Reading is from Mark 8:34-38; 9:1

The Lord said: "If anyone wishes to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it. For what does it profit a man, to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? For what can a man give in return for his life? For whoever is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of man also be ashamed, when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels." And he said to them, "Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God come with power."

Saints and Feasts

March 19

Sunday of the Holy Cross

With the help of God, we have almost reached the middle of the course of the Fast, where our strength has been worn down through abstinence, and the full difficulty of the labour set before us becomes apparent. Therefore our holy Mother, the Church of Christ, now brings to our help the all-holy Cross, the joy of the world, the strength of the faithful, the staff of the just, and the hope of sinners, so that by venerating it reverently, we might receive strength and grace to complete the divine struggle of the Fast.

March 19

The Holy Martyrs Chrysanthus and Daria

Saint Chrysanthus, who was from Alexandria, had been instructed in the Faith of Christ by a certain bishop. His father, who was a senator by rank and a pagan, had him shut up in prison for many days; then, seeing the unchanging disposition of his mind, he commanded that a certain young woman named Daria be brought from Athens. She was a very beautiful and learned maiden, and also an idolater, and Chrysanthus' father wedded him to her so that he might be drawn away from the Faith of Christ because of his love for her. Instead of this however, Chrysanthus drew Daria unto piety, and both of them boldly proclaimed Christ and received the crown of martyrdom in 283, during the reign of Numerian, when they were buried alive in a pit of mire.

Upcoming Services, Events, and Information

TODAY: The Food for Hungry People boxes have finally arrived (late!). Please be generous in making up for the lost weeks. Our surplus might be another person's life line!

THIS WEEK:

Monday: Great Compline @ 6:30 PM. Catechumen class follows immediately afterward.

Wednesday: Presanctified Liturgy @ 6:00 PM

Friday: Great Vespers of Annunciation with the 4th Salutations to the Theotokos @ 6:30 PM

Saturday: Divine Liturgy of Annunciation at Annunciation Cathedral: ORTHROS 8:00 AM; LITURGY 9:00 AM

It's time for confession, so please make plans now!

Every day of Great Lent, with the exception of Saturdays and Sundays, the prayer “O Lord and Master of my life” is read. According to tradition, this prayer was written in Syria in the fourth century by the ascetic Mar Afrem or, as we have grown accustomed to calling him, Ephraim the Syrian. He was a monk, poet, and theologian, one of the most eminent sons of the Syrian Church, who entered world literature as a remarkable writer. (Copies in the narthex)

Remember in your prayers those in need Nicholas, Tamara, Theodore, Aubrey, Elizabeth, Alexandra, Mary, Edward, James, Daren, Florence, Josephine, Pelagia, Tara, Mitrophan, Ruth, Lani, Douglas, Anastasia, Mary, Reader Miguel, Jesse, Timothy, Andrea, Patricia, Pasquale, Allyn, Robert, Jesse, Angelina, Kevin, Peter, Mary, Jude, Patricia, Jennifer, the catechumens Mary, Xenia, Michael, Gabriel, Alexander, Ephraim, Susan, Glyceria, Thomas, Newly-reposed Anna.

Wisdom of the Fathers

The Lord was born in a new condition, for, invisible in his own nature, he became visible in ours. Beyond our grasp, he chose to become within our grasp. Existing before time began, he began to exist at a moment in time. Lord of the universe, he hid his infinite glory and took the nature of a servant. Incapable of suffering as God, he did not refuse to become a man, capable of suffering. Immortal, he chose to be subject to the laws of death. One and the same person--this must be said over and over again--is truly the Son of God and truly the son of man. He is God in virtue of the fact that in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He is man in virtue of the fact that the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us.

St. Leo the Great, Pope of Rome, Epistle 28 to Flavianum, 5th Century

If you have an announcement for the bulletin, please send an email to bulletin@stjamesorthodox.org by THURSDAY.

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

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