Variable Portions of the Divine Liturgy
13 December 2009
27th Sunday After Pentecost
Sunday of the Forefathers
St. Herman of Alaska
After the Little Entrance
Troparion When Thou didst descend to death, O Life Immortal,
Resurrection Thou didst slay hell with the splendor of Thy Godhead!
(Tone 2) And when from the depths Thou didst raise the dead,
all the powers of heaven cried out:
O Giver of Life, Christ our God, glory to Thee!
Troparion Thou
didst justify the Forefathers through faith,
Forefathers
and didst betroth Thyself to the Church
of the gentiles.
(Tone 2) Let Thy saints exult in
glory,
for from their seed came forth a
glorious fruit:
She who bore Thee without seed.
By their prayers, O Christ God, have mercy on us!
Troparion O joyful north star of the
Church of Christ,
Saint guiding
all men to the Heavenly Kingdom;
(Tone
7) Teacher and apostle of the true faith;
Intercessor and defender of the oppressed.
Adornment of the Orthodox Church in America,
blessed Father Herman of Alaska,
pray to our Lord Jesus Christ
for the salvation of our souls!
Kontakion Hell became afraid, O Almighty Savior,
Resurrection seeing the miracle of Thy Resurrection from the tomb!
(Tone 2) The dead arose! Creation with Adam, beheld this
and rejoiced with Thee!
And the world, O my Savior, praises Thee forever!
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Kontakion The eternal light of Christ our Savior
Saint Guided you, O blessed father Herman,
(Tone 3) On your evangelical journey to America,
Proclaiming the Gospel of peace.
Now you stand before the throne of Glory;
Intercede for your land and its people
Peace for the world and salvation for our souls!
Now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Kontakion O thrice-blessed youths,
Forefathers You did not worship the graven image,
(Tone 6) but armed with the immaterial Essence of God
you were glorified in trial by fire.
From the midst of the unbearable flames
you called upon God, crying:
'Hasten to help us, O compassionate One!
For Thou art merciful according to Thy will!'
Prokeimena
(Tone 4) Blessed art Thou, O Lord God of our Fathers and praised and glorified is Thy name forever!
(Tone 7) Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints.
Scripture Readings
Colossians 3:4-11 Luke 14:16-24
Galatians 5:22-6:2 Luke 6:17-23
Communion Hymn
The righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance!
He shall not fear evil tidings!
During the Veneration of the Cross
Troparion O Blessed Father Herman of Alaska
Saint North-star of Christ's holy church.
(Tone 4) The light of your blessed life and great deeds,
Guides those who follow the Orthodox way.
Together we lift high the holy Cross,
You planted firmly in America;
Let all behold and glorify Jesus Christ,
Singing His holy Resurrection.
Epistle
Priest: Let us attend! Peace be unto all!
Reader: And to your spirit.
Priest: Wisdom!
Reader: The Prokeimenon in the 4th Tone: Blessed art Thou, O Lord God of our Fathers and praised and glorified is Thy name forever!
People: Blessed art Thou, O Lord God of our Fathers and praised and glorified is Thy name forever!
Reader: For Thou art just in all that Thou hast done for us!
People: Blessed art Thou, O Lord God of our Fathers and praised and glorified is Thy name forever!
Reader: And in the 7th Tone: Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints.
People: Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints.
Priest: Wisdom!
Reader: The Reading is from the holy Epistle of St. Paul to the Colossians.
Priest: Let us attend!
(Colossians 3:4-11)
Reader: Brethren, when Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.
Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them.
But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all.
(St. Herman - Galatians 5:22-6:2)
The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.
Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
Priest: Peace be unto you, Reader!
Reader: And to your spirit. Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
People: Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
Reader: Moses and Aaron were among His priests; and Samuel among them called on His Name.
People: Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
Reader: They called to the Lord and He answered them.
People: Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
Reader: Blessed is the man who fear the Lord; who greatly delights in His commandments.
People: Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
Gospel
Priest: The Reading is from the holy Gospel according to St. Luke.
People: Glory to Thee, O Lord, glory to Thee!
(Luke 14:16-24)
Priest: Let us attend! Then He said to him, "A certain man gave a great supper and invited many, and sent his servant at supper time to say to those who were invited, 'Come, for all things are now ready.' But they all with one accord began to make excuses. The first said to him, 'I have bought a piece of ground, and I must go and see it. I ask you to have me excused.' And another said, 'I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to test them. I ask you to have me excused.' Still another said, 'I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.' So that servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house, being angry, said to his servant, 'Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in here the poor and the maimed and the lame and the blind.' And the servant said, 'Master, it is done as you commanded, and still there is room.' Then the master said to the servant, 'Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. For I say to you that none of those men who were invited shall taste my supper.' "
(St. Herman - Luke 6:17-23)
Then Jesus came down with them and stood on a level place with a crowd of His disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem, and from the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear Him and be healed of their diseases, as well as those who were tormented with unclean spirits. And they were healed. And the whole multitude sought to touch Him, for power went out from Him and healed them all. Then He lifted up His eyes toward His disciples, and said: "Blessed are you poor, For yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who hunger now, For you shall be filled. Blessed are you who weep now, For you shall laugh. Blessed are you when men hate you, And when they exclude you, And revile you, and cast out your name as evil, For the Son of Man's sake. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy! For indeed your reward is great in heaven, For in like manner their fathers did to the prophets.
People: Glory to Thee, O Lord, glory to Thee!
This content has been generously provided by Fr. Jerome Cwiklinski, CAPT, CHC, USN