Hymns of the Day

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the Fifth Tone

Let us worship the Word, O ye faithful, praising Him that with the Father and the Spirit is co-beginningless God, Who was born of a pure Virgin that we all be saved; for He was pleased to mount the Cross in the flesh that He assumed, accepting thus to endure death. And by His glorious rising, He also willed to resurrect the dead.

لنسبح نحن المؤمنين ونسجد للكلمة المساوي للآب والروح في الأزلية وعدم الابتداء ، المولود من العذراء لخلاصنا . لانه سُر بالجسد ان يعلو على الصليب ويحتمل الموت ، وينهض الموتى بقيامته المجيدة.

Apolytikion for Miracle of Michael in Colossae in the Fourth Tone

Supreme Commanders of the Hosts of Heavens, we, the unworthy, importune and beseech thee that by thy supplications thou encircle us in the shelter of the wings of thine immaterial glory, guarding us who now fall down and cry to thee with fervour: Deliver us from dangers of all kinds, as the great marshal of the heavenly hosts on high.

أيها المتقدمون على الأجناد السماويين نتوسل إليكم دائماً نحن غير المستحقين حتى أنكم بطلباتمك تكتنفونا بظل أجنحة مجدكم اللاهيولي حافظين إيانا نحن الجاثين والصارخين بغير فتور: أنقذانا من الشدائد بما أنكما رئيسي مراتب القوات العلوية.

Seasonal Kontakion in the Fourth Tone

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."

Gospel and Epistle Readings

Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. Fifth 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 St. Paul's Second Letter to the Corinthians 1:21-24; 2:1-4.

Brethren, it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has commissioned us; he has put his seal upon us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.

But I call God to witness against me - it was to spare you that I refrained from coming to Corinth. Not that we lord it over your faith; we work with you for your joy, for you stand firm in your faith. For I made up my mind not to make you another painful visit. For if I cause you pain, who is there to make me glad but the one whom I have pained? And I wrote as I did, so that when I came I might not suffer pain from those who should have made me rejoice, for I felt sure of all of you, that my joy would be the joy of you all. For I wrote you out of much affliction and anguish of heart and with many tears, not to cause you pain but to let you know the abundant love that I have for you.

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

فصل من رسالة بولس الثانية الى اهل كورنثس 1: 21-24 ; 2: 1-4.

يَُّا إِخْوَة، إِنَّ الَّذِي يُثَبِّتُنَا مَعَكُمْ فِي الْمَسِيحِ، وَقَدْ مَسَحَنَا، هُوَ اللهُ الَّذِي خَتَمَنَا أَيْضاً، وَأَعْطَى عَرْبُونَ الرُّوحِ فِي قُلُوبِنَا. وَلَكِنِّي أَسْتَشْهِدُ اللهَ عَلَى نَفْسِي أَنِّي إِشْفَاقاً عَلَيْكُمْ لَمْ آتِ إِلَى كُورِنْثُوسَ. لَيْسَ أَنَّنَا نَسودُ عَلَى إِيمَانِكُمْ بَلْ نَحْنُ مُوازِرُونَ لِسُرُورِكُمْ. لأَنَّكُمْ بِالإِيمَانِ تَثْبُتُونَ. وَلَكِنِّي جَزَمْتُ بِهَذَا فِي نَفْسِي أَنْ لاَ آتِيَ إِلَيْكُمْ أَيْضاً فِي حُزْنٍ. لأَنَّهُ إِنْ كُنْتُ أُحْزِنُكُمْ أَنَا، فَمَنْ هُوَ الَّذِي يُفَرِّحُنِي إِلاَّ الَّذِي أَحْزَنْتُهُ؟ وَكَتَبْتُ لَكُمْ هَذَا عَيْنَهُ حَتَّى إِذَا جِئْتُ لاَ يَكُونُ لِي حُزْنٌ مِنَ الَّذِينَ كَانَ يَجِبُ أَنْ أَفْرَحَ بِهِمْ، وَاثِقاً بِجَمِيعِكُمْ أَنَّ فَرَحِي هُوَ فَرَحُ جَمِيعِكُمْ. لأَنِّي مِنْ حُزْنٍ كَثِيرٍ وَكَآبَةِ قَلْبٍ كَتَبْتُ إِلَيْكُمْ بِدُمُوعٍ كَثِيرَةٍ، لاَ لِكَيْ تَحْزَنُوا، بَلْ لِكَيْ تَعْرِفُوا الْمَحَبَّةَ الَّتِي عِنْدِي وَلاَ سِيَّمَا مِنْ نَحْوِكُمْ.

Gospel Reading

14th Sunday of Matthew
The Reading is from Matthew 22:2-14

The Lord said this parable, "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a marriage feast for his son, and sent his servants to call those who were invited to the marriage feast; but they would not come. Again he sent other servants, saying, 'Tell those who are invited, Behold, I have made ready my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves are killed, and everything is ready; come to the marriage feast.' But they made light of it and went off, one to his farm, another to his business, while the rest seized his servants, treated them shamefully, and killed them. The king was angry, and he sent his troops and destroyed those murderers and burned their city. Then he said to his servants, 'The wedding is ready, but those invited were not worthy. Go therefore to the thoroughfares, and invite to the marriage feast as many as you find.' And those servants went out into the streets and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good; so the wedding hall was filled with guests.

But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment; and he said to him, 'Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?' And he was speechless. Then the king said to the attendants, 'Bind him hand and foot, and cast him into the outer darkness; there men will weep and gnash their teeth.' For many are called, but few are chosen."

14th Sunday of Matthew
متى 22: 2-14

²(( قال الرب هذا المثل يُشْبِهُ مَلَكُوتُ السَّمَاوَاتِ إِنْسَاناً مَلِكاً صَنَعَ عُرْساً لاِبْنِهِ،³وَأَرْسَلَ عَبِيدَهُ لِيَدْعُوا الْمَدْعُوِّينَ إِلَى الْعُرْسِ ، فَلَمْ يُرِيدُوا أَنْ يَأْتُوا.⁴فَأَرْسَلَ أَيْضاً عَبِيداً آخَرِينَ قَائِلاً: قُولُوا لِلْمَدْعُوِّينَ: هُوَذَا غَدَائِي أَعْدَدْتُهُ. ثِيرَانِي وَمُسَمَّنَاتِي قَدْ ذُبِحَتْ ، وَكُلُّ شَيْءٍ مُعَدٌّ. تَعَالَوْا إِلَى الْعُرْسِ!⁵وَلَكِنَّهُمْ تَهَاوَنُوا وَمَضَوْا ، وَاحِدٌ إِلَى حَقْلِهِ ، وَآخَرُ إِلَى تِجَارَتِهِ، ⁶وَالْبَاقُونَ أَمْسَكُوا عَبِيدَهُ وَشَتَمُوهُمْ وَقَتَلُوهُمْ.⁷فَلَمَّا سَمِعَ الْمَلِكُ غَضِبَ ، وَأَرْسَلَ جُنُودَهُ وَأَهْلَكَ أُولَئِكَ الْقَاتِلِينَ وَأَحْرَقَ مَدِينَتَهُمْ.⁸ثُمَّ قَالَ لِعَبِيدِهِ: أَمَّا الْعُرْسُ فَمُسْتَعَدٌّ ، وَأَمَّا الْمَدْعُوُّونَ فَلَمْ يَكُونُوا مُسْتَحِقِّينَ.⁹فَاذْهَبُوا إِلَى مَفَارِقِ الطُّرُقِ ، وَكُلُّ مَنْ وَجَدْتُمُوهُ فَادْعُوهُ إِلَى الْعُرْسِ. ¹⁰فَخَرَجَ أُولَئِكَ الْعَبِيدُ إِلَى الطُّرُقِ، وَجَمَعُوا كُلَّ الَّذِينَ وَجَدُوهُمْ أَشْرَاراً وَصَالِحِينَ. فَامْتَلَأَ الْعُرْسُ مِنَ الْمُتَّكِئِينَ.¹¹فَلَمَّا دَخَلَ الْمَلِكُ لِيَنْظُرَ الْمُتَّكِئِينَ ، رَأَى هُنَاكَ إِنْسَاناً لَمْ يَكُنْ لاَبِساً لِبَاسَ الْعُرْسِ. ¹²فَقَالَ لَهُ: يَا صَاحِبُ ، كَيْفَ دَخَلْتَ إِلَى هُنَا وَلَيْسَ عَلَيْكَ لِبَاسُ الْعُرْسِ؟ فَسَكَتَ. ¹³حِينَئِذٍ قَالَ الْمَلِكُ لِلْخُدَّامِ: ارْبُطُوا رِجْلَيْهِ وَيَدَيْهِ ، وَخُذُوهُ وَاطْرَحُوهُ فِي الظُّلْمَةِ الْخَارِجِيَّةِ. هُنَاكَ يَكُونُ الْبُكَاءُ وَصَرِيرُ الأَسْنَانِ. ¹⁴لأَنَّ كَثِيرِينَ يُدْعَوْنَ وَقَلِيلِينَ يُنْتَخَبُونَ)).

Wisdom of the Fathers

One should love every man from the soul, but one should place one's hope only in God and serve Him with all one's strength.

St. Maximos the Confessor

Fourth Century on Love no. 95, The Philokalia Vol. 2 edited by Palmer, Sherrard and Ware; Faber and Faber pg. 112, 4th Century

The man who does not know God speaks about Him only in probabilities. Purity makes of a disciple someone who can speak of God, and he can move on to a knowledge of the Trinity.

St. John Climacus

Ladder of Divine Ascent, Step 30: On Faith, Hope and Love; Paulist Press pg. 288, 6th century

To brood on evil makes the heart brazen; but to destroy evil through self-restraint and hope breaks the heart. "There is a breaking of the heart which is gentle and makes it deeply penitent, and there is a breaking which is violent and harmful, shattering it complete. "Vigils, prayer and patient acceptance of what comes constitute a breaking that does not harm but benefits the heart...

St. Mark the Ascetic

On the Spiritual Law nos. 17-19, The Philokalia Vol. 1 pg 111, 5th century

Saints and Feasts

September 06

The Commemoration of the Miracle Wrought by Archangel Michael in Colossae (Chonae)

The feast today in honour of the Archangel Michael commemorates the great miracle he wrought when he delivered from destruction a church and holy spring named for him. The pagans, moved by malice, sought to destroy the aforesaid church and holy spring by turning the course of two rivers against them. But the Archangel appeared and, by means of the Cross and a great earthquake that shook the entire area, diverted the waters into an underground course. Henceforth, the name of that place changed from Colossae to Chonae, which means "funnels" in Greek.

September 07

Sozon the Martyr

This holy Martyr was a shepherd in Lycaonia. Born a pagan, named Tarasius, he received holy Baptism and was renamed Sozon. Filled with zeal for the truth, he taught his countrymen to desist from the worship of idols. Once he entered the temple of Artemis in Pompeiopolis of Cilicia, cut off the golden hand of the idol, and breaking it in pieces, distributed it among the poor. When he saw that many were being unjustly punished for the theft, of his own accord he gave himself up to Maximian the Governor. He was beaten with rods until his bones were broken. According to some, he suffered martyrdom in 288; according to others, in 304.

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

Euphrosynos the Cook

St. Euphrosynos was a 9th-century Orthodox Christian monk who lived and labored in a monastery in Palestine. Born into a simple, illiterate peasant family, Euphrosynos lacked formal schooling or academic intelligence. He chose a life of anonymous monasticism and was assigned the menial "obedience" (monastic duty) of working as the monastery’s cook. Because of his simple demeanor and lack of intellectual skills, he was frequently looked down upon, mocked, and treated with contempt by the more educated monks. Euphrosynos bore all mistreatment, harsh labor, and the physical heat of the kitchen with profound, silent patience and joy. He fasted stringently—saving the best portions of food for others while eating only simple greens and olives—and prayed constantly while tending the stoves

Upcoming Schedule

Monday, September 6

10AM - Memorial Prayers at Father Johnson's grave in Ipswich

Saturday, September 12

5PM Vespers

Sunday, September 13 - Sunday Before the Holy Cross

9AM Orthros

10AM Divine Liturgy with Procession of the Cross

12:00PM Sunday School Teacher Training

Pastor's Ponderings

In the parable of this Sunday's Gospel we are offered the invitation to join in the weeding feast. This feast is the continual celebration of God, the Angels and saints in the heavenly realities. Christ invites each of us to the wedding feast of His Kingdom. Yet the Fathers remind us that accepting the invitation is only the beginning: we must also put on the wedding garment—a life clothed in Christ and adorned with repentance, mercy, and love. Revelation tells us that the Bride was permitted to wear “fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints” (Revelation 19:8). The garment is God’s gift of grace, received in Baptism; the righteous deeds are that grace bearing fruit in our lives. May Christ find us wearing the garment He has given us.

Glory to God! Fr. Ephraim

Memorials & Celebrations

This afternoon we rejoice with Gregory and Heather upon their being united in Holy Marriage. God grant them many years!

For Memorial Prayers for Father Johnson on Monday, September 7 at 10AM.

Directions to Father Johnson's grave: 29 Town Farm Road Ipswich MA

It's a left off of Rt. 133 onto Town Farm Rd. There is a cemetery on the left just as you enter the Town Farm Rd but that is NOT the right one even though GPS will tell you it is! The correct one is about 50 yards up from there on the right- There is a white building with a sign that says Cowles Highland Cemetery- Turn right at that sign and you don't see the graves until you drive up the road.

Once in the cemetery, stay to the left driving toward the little brick building that's on the left, and shortly after that turn right onto Army Road. The grave is on the left sort toward the top of Army Road.

Stewardship

Stewardship: Living from the Gift Already Given

“God… has put His seal upon us and given us His Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.”

— 2 Corinthians 1:21–22

Christian stewardship begins with what God has already given us. He has not only blessed us with life, family, abilities, and material gifts; He has given us His own Holy Spirit as the “guarantee” and foretaste of the Kingdom to come.

St. John Chrysostom teaches that this “guarantee” is a part of the fullness that God has promised us. We therefore give not in order to earn God’s favor, but because we have already received so much from Him.

Our stewardship—our time, talents, and treasure—is our grateful response to God’s generosity. He has given us the first fruits of His Kingdom; we offer Him the first fruits of our lives.

Parish Family Life

Blessing and joy to Gregory and Heather upon their being united in Holy Marriage being celebrated this afternoon. God grant them many years!

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