Divine Liturgy, Sunday, September 17, 2023
Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost: Hieromartyr Babylas and the Prophet Moses
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Sunday, Sept. 17, 2023
Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost: Hieromartyr Babylas and the Prophet Moses - (Tone 6)
NO FAST
Father Micah Chisholm Phone: (989) 324-8773
[www.stsebastianorthodoxchurch.org]
Entrance Hymn: Come, let us worship and fall down before Christ, Who rose from the dead O Son of God, save us who sing to Thee: Alleluia!
Resurrectional Troparion – Tone 6: The angelic powers were at Thy tomb; the guards became as dead men. Mary stood by Thy grave, seeking Thy most pure Body. Thou didst capture hell, not being tempted by it. Thou didst come to the Virgin, granting life. O Lord Who didst rise from the dead, Glory to Thee.
Troparion – St. Sebastian – Tone 8: The image of God was preserved in thee, O father, for thou didst take up thy cross and follow Christ. Thou didst teach by thine own example that the flesh is to be spurned as transient, while the soul needs great care as it is immortal. Wherefore, O venerable Sebastian, thou dost rejoice with the Angels.
Troparion – Hieromartyr Babylas – Tone 4: By sharing in the ways of the Apostles, thou didst become a successor to their throne. Through the practice of virtue, thou didst find the way to divine contemplation, O inspired one of God; by teaching the word of truth without error, thou didst defend the Faith, even to the shedding of thy blood. Hieromartyr Babylas, entreat Christ God to save our souls!
Troparion – Holy Prophet Moses – Tone 2: Thou didst ascend to the heights of the virtues, O Prophet Moses; therefore, thouwast deemed worthy to see the glory of God. Having received the grace-filled tablets of the Law, and bearing the grace of the writing within thyself, Thou wast the honorable praise of prophets, and a great mystery of piety.
Resurrectional Kontakion – Tone 6: When Christ God the Giver of Life, raised all of the dead from the valleys of misery with His mighty hand, He bestowed Resurrection on the human race. He is the Savior of all, the Resurrection, the Life, and the God of all.
Kontakion – St. Sebastian – Tone 2: O father Sebastian, armed with purity of soul and grasping unceasing prayer as firmly as a spear. Thou didst pierce the demons’ armies. Unceasingly pray for us all.
Kontakion – Hieromartyr Babylas – Tone 4: Thou didst guard the mighty works of faith in thy heart, therefore, thou didst not fear the tyrant;preserve us as well, Hieromartyr Babylas, good servant of Christ!
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit!
Kontakion – Holy Prophet Moses – Tone 2: The choir of prophets rejoices with Moses and Aaron today, for the fulfillment of their prophecy is iin our midst. The Cross, by which Thou hast saved us, shines forth today. By their prayers, O Christ God, have mercy on us!
Both now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Kontakion of the Theotokos – Tone 6: Steadfast Protectress of Christians, constant advocate before the Creator, despise not the cry of us sinners, but in thy goodness come speedily to help us who call on thee in faith: hasten to hear our petition and to intercede for us, O Theotokos, for thou dost ever protect those who honor thee.
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The Prokeimenon (in the 6th Tone): O Lord, save Thy people and bless Thine inheritance.
Verse: Unto Thee, O Lord, will I cry; O my God, be not silent unto me.
Epistle Reading (II Cor. 4:6-15 (§176); Heb. 11:33-12:2 (§330))
Brethren, when God made a promise to Abraham, because He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself, saying, "Surely blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you." And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise. For men indeed swear by the greater, and an oath for confirmation is for them an end of all dispute. Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath, that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us. This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil, where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.
From Hebrews: Brethren, through faith the saints subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. Women received their dead raised to life again. And others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented--of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth. And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us. Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Gospel (St. Matt. 22:35-46 (§92); St. Luke 12:32-40 (§67))
At that time, one of the Pharisees, a lawyer, asked Jesus a question, testing Him, and saying, "Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?" Jesus said to him, "'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets." While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, saying, "What do you think about the Christ? Whose Son is He?" They said to Him, "The Son of David." He said to them, "How then does David in the Spirit call Him 'Lord,' saying: 'The Lord said to my Lord, "Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool" '? "If David then calls Him 'Lord,' how is He his Son?" And no one was able to answer Him a word, nor from that day on did anyone dare question Him anymore.
The Lord said: Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell what you have and give alms; provide yourselves money bags which do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches nor moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. "Let your waist be girded and your lamps burning; and you yourselves be like men who wait for their master, when he will return from the wedding, that when he comes and knocks they may open to him immediately. Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching. Assuredly, I say to you that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve them. And if he should come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants. But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect."
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Hymn to the Theotokos
It is truly meet to bless thee, O Theotokos, ever-blessed and most pure, and the Mother of Our God. More honorable than the Cherubim, and more glorious beyond compare than the Seraphim, without defilement thou gavest birth to God the Word, true Theotokos, we magnify thee.
Communion Hymn
Praise the Lord from the heavens, praise Him in the highest! Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous; praise is meet for the upright.
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
Pre-Communion Prayer
I believe, O Lord, and I confess that Thou art truly the Christ, the Son of the living God, Who didst come into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. Moreover, I believe that this is truly Thy most Pure Body, and that this is truly Thine Own Precious Blood. Wherefore, I pray Thee: Have mercy on me and forgive me my transgressions, voluntary and involuntary, in word and in deed, in knowledge and in ignorance. And vouchsafe me to partake without condemnation of Thy most pure Mysteries unto the remission of my sins and life everlasting. Amen.
Of Thy Mystical Supper, O Son of God, receive me today as a communicant; for I will not speak of the Mystery to Thine enemies, nor will I give Thee a kiss as did Judas, but like the Thief do I confess Thee: Remember me, O Lord, in Thy Kingdom.
Let not the communion of Thy Holy Mysteries be unto me for judgment, or condemnation, O Lord, but for healing of soul and body. Amen.
Polychronion (The Many Years)
Our Great Lord and Father, His Holiness Kyrill, Patriarch of Moscow and All the Rus, Our Lord the Very Most Reverend Nicholas, Metropolitan of Eastern America and New York, First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad, Our Lord the Most Reverend Peter, Archbishop of Chicago and Mid-America, and their God-protected flock, this land, its civil authorities and armed forces, the God-preserved Lands of Rus, The Rector of this Holy Parish and all Orthodox Christians: Preserve, O Lord, for many years!
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Note: The Parish Council has decided to regularly publish our latest financial health status for general awareness. The information will be freshened each month. Here is the 2023 status as of end of August:
Total
Income to Date: $ 40,092
Expenses to Date: $ 39,301 *
Current Building Fund Balance $96,878
Building Fund Total “Pledged” $101,000
* Includes Diocesan Assessment increment
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Please pray for our Catechumens:
Corin
Ruthie
James
Moses
Joshua
Madison
Eric
Jennifer
If you are interested in learning more about the Orthodox faith,
or are interested in learning how you can become a part of Saint Sebastian Orthodox Christian Church,
please speak to Father Micah.
