8/22/2021 - Divine Liturgy
Special Hymns for Today
Troparion - Tone 8 (Resurrection)
You descended from on high, O Merciful One! / You accepted the three day burial to free us from our sufferings!//O Lord, our Life and Resurrection, glory to You!
Troparion - Tone 1 (Feast) - Dormition
In giving birth you preserved your virginity. / In falling asleep you did not forsake the world, O Theotokos. / You were translated to life O Mother of Life,//and by your prayers you deliver our souls from death.
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 4 (St. Agathonicus)
Your holy martyr Agathonicus and his companions, O Lord, / through their sufferings have received incorruptible crowns from You, our God. / For having Your strength, they laid low their adversaries, / and shattered the powerless boldness of demons.//Through their intercession, save our souls!
Kontakion – Tone 8 (Resurrection)
By rising from the tomb, You raised the dead and resurrected Adam. / Eve exults in Your Resurrection,//and the world celebrates Your rising from the dead, O greatly Merciful One!
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 1 (St. Agathonicus)
Having received the good calling, O divinely wise one, / you abandoned the cult of evil men, not fearing their tortures, O glorious Agathonicus. / Therefore, you have inherited good things//and worthily received the incorruptible crown with your fellow martyrs.
. . . both now and ever and unto ages of ages, Amen.
Kontakion - Tone 2 (Feast - Dormition)
Neither the tomb, nor death, could hold the Theotokos, / who is constant in prayer and our firm hope in her intercessions. / For being the Mother of Life,//she was translated to life by the One Who dwelt in her virginal womb.
The Prokeimenon in the 8th Tone (Resurrection):
Pray and make your vows before the Lord, our God!
Congregation: Pray and make your vows before the Lord, our God! (Ps. 75:10a)
Reader: v: In Judah God is known; His Name is great in Israel. (Ps. 75:1)
Congregation: Pray and make your vows before the Lord, our God!
Reader: Pray and make your vows . . .
Congregation: . . . before the Lord, our God!
The Prokeimenon in the 3rd Tone (Song of the Theotokos):
My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.
Congregation: My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior. (Lk. 1:46-47)
The Reading is from the First Epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians (3:9-17)
For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building. According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire. Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.
Priest: Peace be to thee [that reads]
Reader: And to thy spirit. The Alleluia in the 8th Tone: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
Congregation: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
Reader: Come, let us rejoice in the Lord! Let us make a joyful noise to God our Savior! (Ps. 94:1)
Congregation: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
Reader: Let us come before His face with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to Him with songs of praise! (Ps. 4:2)
Congregation: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
Reader: Arise, O Lord, into Your rest, You and the Ark of Your sanctification! (Ps. 131:8)
Congregation: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
The Reading is from the Holy Gospel according to St Matthew (14:22-34)
Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away. And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there. But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary. Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out for fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.” And Peter answered Him and said, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” So He said, “Come.” And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!” And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. Then those who were in the boat came and worshiped Him, saying, “Truly You are the Son of God.” When they had crossed over, they came to the land of Gennesaret.
(Instead of “It is truly meet…,” we sing:)
The Angels, as they looked upon the Dormition of the Virgin,
were struck with wonder,
seeing how the Virgin went up from earth to heaven.
The limits of nature are overcome in you, O Pure Virgin:
for birthgiving remains virginal, and life is united to death;
a virgin after childbearing and alive after death,
you ever save your inheritance, O Theotokos.
Sunday Communion Hymn
Praise the Lord from the heavens, praise Him in the highest! (Ps. 148:1)
I will receive the cup of salvation and call on the Name of the Lord. (Ps. 115:4)
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!