10/31/2021 - Divine Liturgy
Special Hymns for Today
Troparion - Tone 2 (Resurrection)
When You descended to death, O Life Immortal, / You slew hell with the splendor of Your Godhead. / And when from the depths You raised the dead, / all the powers of heaven cried out://“O Giver of life, Christ our God, glory to You!”
Troparion for St. Nikolai — Tone 8
O golden-tongued preacher proclaiming the risen Christ, / everlasting guide of the cross-bearing Serbian people, / resounding harp of the Holy Spirit, and dear to monastics who rejoice in you, / pride and boast of the priesthood, teacher of repentance, master for all nations, / guide of those in the army of Christ as they pray to God, / Holy Nikolai teacher in America and pride of the Serbian people, / with all the saints, implore the only Lover of mankind//to grant us peace and joy in his heavenly kingdom!
Troparion - Tone 1 (Saint John)
You were revealed to all as a true shepherd / O Hieromartyr John of Chicago, / for you nurtured your people in the Orthodox Faith, / guiding them by word and deed on the path of salvation, / and defended the Faith even unto the shedding of your blood. / Therefore we your spiritual children cry out in thanksgiving: / “Glory to Him Who gave you strength! / Glory to Him Who granted you the Martyr’s ^crown!//Glory to Him Who through you grants mercy to all!”
Kontakion – Tone 1 (Resurrection)
Hell became afraid, O almighty Savior, / seeing the miracle of Your Resurrection from the tomb! / The dead arose! Creation, with Adam, beheld this and rejoiced with You,//and the world, my Savior, praises You forever.
Kontakion for St. Nikolai — Tone 3
Born at Lelich in Serbia, / you served as archpastor at the church of Saint Nahum in Ochrid./ You presided on the throne of Saint Sava at Zhicha,/ teaching the people of God and enlightening them with the Gospel, / bringing them to repentance and love for Christ. / And for His sake you endured suffering at Dachau. / Therefore, Nikolai, we glorify you as one newly well pleasing to God.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit . . .
Kontakion - Tone 3 (Saint John)
Now the holy Hieromartyr is glorified,/ for he took up his cross and followed Christ. / In so doing, he gave us a model of true discipleship. / Therefore, let us cry aloud to him: //“Rejoice, O Father John, the glory of priests!”
. . . both now and ever and unto ages of ages, Amen.
Steadfast Protectress of Christians . . .
The Prokeimenon in the 2nd Tone:
The Lord is my strength and my song; He has become my salvation.
Congregation: The Lord is my strength and my song; He has become my salvation. (Ps. 117:14)
Reader: v: The Lord has chastened me sorely, but He has not given me over to death. (Ps. 117:18)
Congregation: The Lord is my strength and my song; He has become my salvation.
Reader: The Lord is my strength and my song. . .
Congregation: . . . He has become my salvation.
The Reading is from the Second Holy Epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians (11:31-12:9)
The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying. In Damascus the governor, under Aretas the king, was guarding the city of the Damascenes with a garrison, desiring to arrest me; but I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall, and escaped from his hands. It is doubtless not profitable for me to boast. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord: I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago – whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows – such a one was caught up to the third heaven. And I know such a man – whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows – how he was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. Of such a one I will boast; yet of myself I will not boast, except in my infirmities. For though I might desire to boast, I will not be a fool; for I will speak the truth. But I refrain, lest anyone should think of me above what he sees me to be or hears from me. And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
Reader: The Prokeimenon in the 7th Tone: Let the saints exult in glory, let them sing for joy on their couches!
Congregation: Let the saints exult in glory, let them sing for joy on their couches! (Ps. 149:5)
The Reading is from the Holy Epistle of St. Paul to the Hebrews (13:7-16) (St. John)
Remember those who rule over you, who have spoken the word of God to you, whose faith follow, considering the outcome of their conduct. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Do not be carried about with various and strange doctrines. For it is good that the heart be established by grace, not with foods which have not profited those who have been occupied with them. We have an altar from which those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat. For the bodies of those animals, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned outside the camp. Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered outside the gate. Therefore let us go forth to Him, outside the camp, bearing His reproach. For here we have no continuing city, but we seek the one to come. Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.
Reader: And to thy spirit. Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
Congregation: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
Reader: May the Lord hear you in the day of trouble! May the name of the God of Jacob protect you! (Ps. 19:1)
Congregation: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
Reader: Save the King, O Lord, and hear us on the day we call! (Ps. 19:9)
Congregation: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
Reader: Your priests shall be clothed in righteousness and Your saints shall rejoice! (Ps. 131:9)
Congregation: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
The Reading is from the Holy Gospel according to St. Luke (3:26-39)
Then they sailed to the country of the Gadarenes, which is opposite Galilee. And when He stepped out on the land, there met Him a certain man from the city who had demons for a long time. And he wore no clothes, nor did he live in a house but in the tombs. When he saw Jesus, he cried out, fell down before Him, and with a loud voice said, “What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg You, do not torment me!” For He had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For it had often seized him, and he was kept under guard, bound with chains and shackles; and he broke the bonds and was driven by the demon into the wilderness. Jesus asked him, saying, “What is your name?” And he said, “Legion,” because many demons had entered him. And they begged Him that He would not command them to go out into the abyss. Now a herd of many swine was feeding there on the mountain. So they begged Him that He would permit them to enter them. And He permitted them. Then the demons went out of the man and entered the swine, and the herd ran violently down the steep place into the lake and drowned. When those who fed them saw what had happened, they fled and told it in the city and in the country. Then they went out to see what had happened, and came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid. They also who had seen it told them by what means he who had been demon-possessed was healed. Then the whole multitude of the surrounding region of the Gadarenes asked Him to depart from them, for they were seized with great fear. And He got into the boat and returned. Now the man from whom the demons had departed begged Him that he might be with Him. But Jesus sent him away, saying, “Return to your own house, and tell what great things God has done for you.” And he went his way and proclaimed throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him.
The Reading is from the Holy Gospel according to St. Luke (12:32-40) (St. John)
Do not fear, 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.”
Sunday Communion Hymn
Praise the Lord from the heavens, praise Him in the highest! (Ps. 148:1)
The righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance. He shall not fear evil tidings. (Ps. 111:6)
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!