2/21/2021 - Divine Liturgy
Special hymns
Troparion of the Resurrection – Tone 4
When the women disciples of the Lord / learned from the angel the joyous message of Your Resurrection, / they cast away the ancestral curse / and elatedly told the apostles: / “Death is overthrown! / Christ God is risen,//granting the world great mercy!”
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!
Kontakion for St. Nikolai — Tone 3
Born at Lelich in Serbia, / you did serve as archpastor at the church of Saint Nahum in Ochrid./ You did preside 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 did endure suffering at Dachau. / Therefore, Nikolai, we glorify thee as one newly well pleasing to God.
Kontakion from the Lenten Triodion – Tone 4
Let us flee from the pride of the Pharisee! / Let us learn humility from the Publican's tears! / Let us cry to our Savior: / “Have mercy on us,//O only merciful One!”
Readings
The Reading is from the Second Epistle of the Holy Apostle Paul to Timothy (3:10-15)
But you have carefully followed my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, perseverance, persecutions, afflictions, which happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra – what persecutions I endured. And out of them all the Lord delivered me. Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
The Reading is from the Holy Gospel according to Saint Luke (18:10-14)
“Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men – extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’ And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
Sunday Communion Hymn
Praise the Lord from the heavens, praise Him in the highest!
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!