SS.

kosmas & damianos Orthodox Church (goa)

703 W. Center Street, Rochester, MN (507) 282-1529 http://www.holyanargyroi.org church@holyanargyroi.org Rev. Fr. Mark Muoz, Proistamenos
/APOLYTIKIA FOR TODAY

, , , , , . Through your cross you destroyed death and opened paradise to the thief. You transformed the sorrow of the Myrrh bearers, Christ our God. You commanded the apostles to proclaim that you have risen from the dead, and granted great mercy to the world. , , , , , , , . , , . Thy Martyrs, O Lord, in their courageous contest for Thee received as the prize the crowns of incorruption and life from Thee, our immortal God. For since they possessed Thy strength, they cast down the tyrants and wholly destroyed the demons' strengthless presumption. O Christ God, by their prayers, save our souls, since Thou art merciful.
/KONTAKION FOR TODAY , , , , , , , . Today, the most pure temple of the Savior, the precious bridal chamber and Virgin, the sacred treasure of God, enters the house of the Lord, bringing the grace of the Divine Spirit. The Angels of God praise her. She is the heavenly tabernacle. 9th Sunday of st luke Plato the Great Martyr of Ancyra, Holy Martyr Romanus, Zaccheus the Deacon

November 18, 2012

**NATIVITY FAST**

Todays scripture readings

Epistle reading

St. Paul's Letter to the Ephesians 2:14-22 Prokeimenon. Grave Mode. Psalm 28.11,1 The Lord will give strength to his people. Verse: Bring to the Lord, O sons of God, bring to the Lord honor and glory. BRETHREN, Christ is our peace, who has made us both one, and has broken down the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the law of commandments and ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby bringing the hostility to an end. And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near; for through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and sojourners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom you also are built into it for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

Gospel periscope

The Gospel of Luke 12:16-21 The Lord said this parable: "The land of a rich man brought forth plentifully; and he thought to himself, 'What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?' And he said, 'I will do this: I will pull down my barns, and build larger ones; and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, 'Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; take your ease, eat, drink, be merry.' But God said to him, 'Fool! This night your soul is required of you; and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?' So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God." As he said these things, he cried out: "He who has ears to hear, let him hear."

COMMUNION PRAYERS
I believe and confess, Lord, that You are truly the Christ, the Son of the living God, Who came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the first. I also believe that this is truly Your pure Body and that this is truly Your precious Blood. Therefore, I pray to You. Have mercy upon me, and forgive my transgressions, voluntary and involuntary, in word and deed, known and unknown. And make me worthy without condemnation to partake of Your pure Mysteries for the forgiveness of sins and life eternal. Amen. Behold, my Maker, I approach Holy Communion. Burn me not as I partake, for You are fire which burns the unworthy, but cleanse me from every stain. Receive me today, Son of God, as a partaker of Your mystical Supper. I will not reveal Your mystery to Your enemies, nor will I give You a kiss as did Judas. But as the thief I confess to You: Lord, remember me in Your kingdom. Seeing the Divine Blood, have fear, O man, for it is coal that burns the unworthy. It is Gods Body that deifies and nourishes me; it deifies the spirit and nourishes the mind mystically. You have smitten me with yearning, O Christ, and with Your divine love You have changed me. Burn away my sins with spiritual fire and make me worthy to be filled with Your joy, that rejoicing in Your goodness, I may magnify Your two Comings. How shall I, who am unworthy, enter into the splendor of Your saints? If I dare to enter the bridal chamber, my clothing will accuse me, since it is not a wedding garment; and being bound up, I shall be cast out by the angels. In Your love, Lord, cleanse the vileness of my soul and save me. Loving Master, Lord Jesus Christ, my God, let not these holy Gifts be to my condemnation because of my unworthiness, but for the cleansing and sanctification of soul and body and the pledge of the future life and kingdom. It is good for me to cling to God and to place in Him the hope of my salvation. Receive me today, Son of God, as a partaker of Your mystical Supper. I will not reveal Your mystery to Your enemies. Nor will I give You a kiss as did Judas. But as the thief I confess to You: Lord remember me in Your kingdom.

Announcements
Liturgical/Program Schedule:
TODAY: Ministries Sunday & GOYA service outing to FOCUS MN Mon. Nov. 19th: Philoxenia Meeting, 5pm Mon. Nov. 19th: AC/DC Class, 6pm Mon. Nov. 19th: Building Committee, 7pm Wed. Nov. 21st: Entrance of the Holy Theotokos, Orthros/Divine Liturgy 8:30am Thurs. Nov. 22nd-Fri. Nov. 23rd: Thanksgiving, Office Closed Sat. Nov. 24th: NO Great Vespers
Todays Memorial Service: Ms. Tamara Woroncow- 40 days

A Special Thank You! to Maria Thomas and Soula Pampori and ALL who attended yesterdays Prosphora Baking Workshop! We had great success in our baking and our learning about the beautiful tradition of offering the altar bread. Holiday Bake sale: Philoptochos is now taking orders for the Annual Holy Anargyroi Bake Sale. Share order forms with family, friends and co-workers! Please complete and submit your order forms by December 2, so the ladies can prepare the pastries and cookies for delivery on December 16 after Divine Liturgy. NEW Photo directories are coming! Please sign up TODAY if you have not already signed up to be photographed for the parish photo directory. You can sign up in the narthex after liturgy, at coffee hour, or online (follow the link from the church website). Each family photographed will receive a free 8"x10" portrait and a directory for participating. There is no cost to you or the church. Photography sessions are Nov. 27-29, 2-9pm. If you are unavailable these dates, but would still like your photo in the directory, contact Martha Voytovich at (507)536-4972 or mvoytovich@uwalumni.com . Help us make this parish directory complete - it won't be the same without you! Want to help? Contact Martha if you have any photos of church events we could use for activity pages at the beginning of the directory, if you would like to help design the activity pages, or would like to help check in families for their photo sessions.

Todays liturgical commemorations

1. The Holy Martyr Plato Plato was from the town of Ancyra in Galatia. He was a Christian by birth and upbringing. While in his youth, he showed great perfection in every virtue. Plato did not conceal his faith in Christ the Lord, but preached it openly, denouncing idolaters because of their worshiping lifeless objects in place of the Living Creator. For this, he was brought to trial before Governor Agrippinus, and was interrogated and harshly tortured by him. When the governor counseled him to avoid death and save his life by worshiping the idols, Plato said: ``There are two deaths, the one temporal and the other eternal; so also are there two lives, one of short duration and the other without end.'' Then Agrippinus subjected him to even harsher tortures. Among other tortures, red-hot cannon balls were set on the saint's naked body; then they cut strips from his skin. ``Torture me more harshly,'' the martyr cried out to the torturers, ``so that your inhumanity and my endurance may be seen more clearly.'' When the torturer reminded the martyr that his namesake, Plato the philosopher, was a pagan, the martyr replied: ``I am not like Plato, nor is Plato like me except in name. I learn and teach the wisdom of Christ, but Plato was a teacher of wisdom that is foolishness to God.'' After that, Plato was thrown into prison, where he remained for eighteen days without food and water. When the guards were amazed that Plato was able to live in hunger for so long, he told them: ``You are satisfied by meat, but I, by holy prayers. Wine gladdens you, but Christ the True Vine gladdens me.'' Plato was beheaded in about the year 266 and received his wreath of eternal glory. 2. The Holy Martyrs Romanus and Barulas St. Romanus was a deacon of the church in Caesarea and zealously preached the Gospel in Antioch. One day, there was an idolatrous feast. The Eparch of Antioch, Asclypiades, went to enter a pagan temple to offer sacrifices, but Romanus stood in the way and said: ``You sin, O Governor, when you go to the idols. The idols are not gods-Christ is the only true God.'' The enraged eparch subjected Romanus to tortures and had him flogged and scraped without mercy. During this, St. Romanus saw a child by the name of Barulas, and said to Asclypiades: ``Even this small child has more understanding than you, old man, for he knows the true God and you do not.'' The eparch questioned Barulas about his faith, and he confessed Christ the Lord as the One True God, contrary to false idolatry. Asclypiades commanded that young Barulas be beheaded, and St. Romanus be strangled in prison. Thus, both of these martyrs inherited the Kingdom of Christ in the year 303.

Pearls from the Desert

When a man begins to perceive the love of God in all its richness, he begins also to love his neighbor with spiritual perception. This is the love of which all the scriptures speak. Friendship after the flesh is very easily destroyed on some slight pretext, since it is not held firm by spiritual perception. But when a person is spiritually awakened, even if something irritates him, the bond of love is not dissolved; rekindling himself with the warmth of the love of God, he quickly recovers himself and with great joy seeks his neighbors love, even though he has been gravely wronged or insulted by him. For the sweetness of God completely consumes the bitterness of the quarrel. - St. Diadochos of Photiki

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Christmas Toy Drive

This year our parish will partner with the Salvation Army to provide Christmas presents for those families in need. Please bring your unwrapped gifts for either teenagers or young children ages 0-3yrs, clothing or toys are preferred. Place gifts in the large Christmas box located in the narthex of the church starting next Sunday, Nov. 18th. The last of day for drop off will be Sunday. Dec. 16th. Fyi, gifts will be secured in locked office during the week in order to prevent the disappearance of some gifts. Thank you for participating in this important drive! +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Tray for Hurricane Sandy Victims

The Philoptochos Society will be passing a tray on Sunday, Nov. 18th for the victims of Hurricane Sandy. The funds will be forwarded to the National Philoptochos at the Archdiocese for distribution. Your generosity is greatly appreciated as many are still without basic necessities. Thank you!

Guidelines for the Nativity Fast

We are well aware that our Holy Church provides the faithful with a period of spiritual preparation in anticipation of the Lords Holy Nativity. This period begins on November 15th every year with the commencement of the Nativity Fast. As this fast is a modified one I thought it helpful to remind us all exactly what is prescribed: From Nov. 15th-Dec. 12th (St. Spyridon) the following is observed: Fish/wine/oil are allowed every day except Wednesdays and Fridays which are observed as strict fast days (no meat, fish, dairy, wine, oil). From Dec. 12th-Dec. 25th the following is observed: A strict fast is observed every day except Saturdays and Sundays. From. Dec. 25th-Jan. 4th: NO FASTING ON ANY DAY! +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

THANK YOU TO ALL WHO DONATED TOWARDS THE FOCUS-MN FOOD DRIVE! ALL PROCEEDS WILL BE DELIVERED THIS AFTERNOON!
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A SAFE AND HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL! O give thanks unto the LORD; for He is good: because His mercy endures forever- Ps. 118

The Entry into the Temple of the Mostholy Theotokos

Celebrated Wednesday
When the Most-holy Virgin Mary reached the age of three, her holy parents Joachim and Anna took her from Nazareth to Jerusalem to dedicate her to the service of God according to their earlier promise. It was a three-day journey from Nazareth to Jerusalem but, traveling to do a God-pleasing work, this journey was not difficult for them. Many kinsmen of Joachim and Anna gathered in Jerusalem to take part in this event, at which the invisible angels of God were also present. Leading the procession into the Temple were virgins with lighted tapers in their hands, then the Most-holy Virgin, led on one side by her father and on the other side by her mother. The virgin was clad in vesture of royal magnificence and adornments as was befitting the ``King's daughter, the Bride of God'' (Psalm 45:13-15). Following them were many kinsmen and friends, all with lighted tapers. Fifteen steps led up to the Temple. Joachim and Anna lifted the Virgin onto the first step, then she ran quickly to the top herself, where she was met by the High Priest Zacharias, who was to be the father of St. John the Forerunner. Taking her by the hand, he led her not only into the Temple, but into the ``Holy of Holies,'' the holiest of holy places, into which no one but the high priest ever entered, and only once each year, at that. St. Theophylact of Ohrid says that Zacharias ``was outside himself and possessed by God'' when he led the Virgin into the holiest place in the Temple, beyond the second curtain-otherwise, his action could not be explained. Mary's parents then offered sacrifice to God according to the Law, received the priest's blessing and returned home. The Most-holy Virgin remained in the Temple and dwelt there for nine full years. While her parents were alive, they visited her often, especially Righteous Anna. When God called her parents from this world, the Most-holy Virgin was left an orphan and did not wish to leave the Temple until death or to enter into marriage. As that would have been against the Law and custom of Israel, she was given to St. Joseph, her kinsman in Nazareth, after reaching the age of twelve. Under the acceptable role of one betrothed, she could live in virginity and thus fulfill her desire and formally satisfy the Law, for it was then unknown in Israel for maidens to vow virginity to the end of their lives. The Most-holy Virgin Mary was the first of such life-vowed virgins, of the thousands and thousands of virgin men and women who would follow her in the Church of Christ.