The Fifth Sunday After Pentecost
Services This Week:
· Reader’s service of Small Compline wth Akathist to Saints Peter and Paul, Wednesday, 5:30 p.m
· Saturday, Great Vespers, 5:00 p.m
· Sunday, Third Hour, 9:45 a.m., followed by The Divine Liturgy at 10:00 a.m.
During the Sundays of the Church year, we each Sunday move through a repeating cycle of eight Tones, with different music and hymns for each tone, which celebrate the resurrection of Christ. This Sunday falls on Tone 4. Here is the Sunday troparion (hymn) of the Resurrection for this Sunday:
Having learned the joyful message of the Resurrection from the angel,
the women Disciples cast from them their parental condemnation,
and proudly broke the news to the Disciples, saying,
Death hath been spoiled. Christ God is risen,
granting the world Great Mercy.
Click here to hear this hymn sung, and here for sheet music.
THE EPISTLE
How great are Thy works, O Lord! In wisdom hast Thou made them all.
Bless the Lord, O my soul.
The Reading from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Romans. (10:1-10)
Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that it may be saved. I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but it is not enlightened. For, being ignorant of the righteousness that comes from God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. For Christ is the end of the law, that everyone who has faith may be justified. Moses writes that the man who practices the righteousness which is based on the law shall live by it. But the righteousness based on faith says: Do not say in your heart, “Who will ascend into Heaven?” (that is, to bring Christ down) or “Who will descend into the abyss?” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). But what does it say? The word is near you, on your lips and in your heart (that is, the word of faith which we preach); because, if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For man believes with his heart and so is justified, and he confesses with his lips and so is saved.
THE GOSPEL
The Reading from the Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew. (8:28-9:1)
At that time, when Jesus came to the country of the Gergesenes, two demoniacs met Him, coming out of the tombs, so fierce that no one could pass that way. And behold, they cried out, “What have we to do to Thee, O Son of God? Art Thou come here to torment us before the time?” Now a herd of many swine was feeding at some distance from them. And the demons begged Him, “If Thou cast us out, send us away into the herd of swine.” And He said to them, “Go.” So they came out and went into the swine; and behold, the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea, and perished in the waters. The herdsmen fled, and going into the city they told everything, and what had happened to the demoniacs. And behold, all the city came out to meet Jesus; and when they saw Him, they begged Him to leave their neighborhood. And getting into a boat He crossed over and came to His own city.
Saints Commemorated this day (click here for saints’ lives, from oca.org):
The holy, glorious and all-laudable Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon and Parmenas,
Deacons and Apostles of the
Seventy;
Venerable Paul, founder of Xeropotamou and Saint Paul monasteries on Athos;
Venerable Irene Chrysovalantou; and Pitirim, bishop of Tambov.
Saints Peter and Paul Orthodox Church 