We’re reminded this day in our Epistle that the Apostles and their successors, and indeed all faithful Orthodox Christians, will suffer living out our faith in this world. The life of a faithful Christian by necessity, involves our denial of self and our coming outside ourselves to love and to serve. This is part of our ‘cross’ which Christ says, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily,[a] and follow Me” (Lk. 9:23). We give of ourselves not out of a sense of duty, but in a desire to love and grow in Christ, to become more and more like Him through deification, our participation in the life of the Church. Our Gospel today prompts us to see that prayer and faith go hand in hand in enabling us to be these fellow partakers with Christ and victors over the hold that the world and its priorities often exercise on us. This day, we remember God’s gifts to us and we see our own need to return to God the glory and worship that is our thanksgiving, which is our spiritual service to God for all His bounty and blessings to us. This worship extends to our striving to bring our faith to bear on our everyday lives, our prayers, our fasting, our worship, our service, how we treat each other in the Church and the extent to which we exercise our faith in obedience and humility in our daily lives. If we seek Christ first, all other things find their proper place. So, we’re called to examine and recommit ourselves to prioritizing our life in Christ above all things. God is at work in us and through us to continue to make us into the men and women of God that He’s called us to be, if we are willing to cooperate with His work in our lives. In Christ’s love, Fr. Robert+
THIS WEEK AT HOLY ARCHANGELS:
- Saturday, Aug. 15, 10 a.m., Great Feast of the Holy Dormition, Trapeza following.
- Saturday, August 15, 6 p.m., Great Vespers (Confession following)
- Sunday, August 16, 9:30am Hours; 10 a.m. Divine Liturgy, followed by Trapeza
July Financial Report: We received $3,299 in offerings in July. YTD $18,174 has been received. We are running a deficit of -$3,824. Your faithful contributions provide for this church and ministries. Thank God for His provision and your faithfulness, which means that our Mission can continue and grow! Holy Archangels Mission Council
Mid-Year Special Commitment Opportunity: To sustain our Mission, we need to raise an additional $500 per month in offerings, which we aim to have matched by the greater Church. We ask all faithful to take a Special Offering Card (on Back Table) and place it in the offering box. $100 has been matched so far.
Please Note: At Holy Archangels we do not pass an offering plate. Instead, we encourage the faithful to place an offering in the offering box on the Entrance (back) Table in support of this Mission and its Ministries. Thank you and may Christ God repay you with His spiritual blessings… “for God loves a cheerful giver” (II Cor. 9:7).
Prayer Requests:
- That God may grow our Mission “in spirit and in numbers…”
- For God’s financial provision for our Mission and ACM (Annapolis College Ministry);
- Newly-departed servant of God, Archpriest Gordon.
- Metropolitan Isaiah of Georgia, Archpriest George, Priest John, Dcn. Basil, Rdr. John, Governor Hogan, Benedict, James, Daniel, Seraphim, Bede, Wanda, Eric, George, Daniel, Ed, John, the Church in Georgia & Romania as they address the relativism of the West, speaking the truth in love, our persecuted brethren in Iraq & Syria, a peaceful resolution to the conflict in Ukraine., those suffering from Ebola.
Troparion (Resurrection) Tone 1
When the stone had been sealed by the Jews,//while the soldiers were guarding Thy most pure body,
Thou didst rise on the third day, O Savior, // granting life to the world.
The powers of heaven therefore cried to Thee, O Giver of Life:
“Glory to Thy Resurrection, O Christ! // Glory to Thy Kingdom!//
Glory to Thy dispensation, O thou who lovest of mankind!”
Troparion (for the Feast of Transfiguration) Tone 7
Thou wast transfigured on the mountain, O Christ God,
revealing Thy glory to Thy Disciples as far as they could bear it.
Let Thine everlasting Light also shine upon us sinners,
through the prayers of the Theotokos!// O Giver of Light, glory to Thee!
Troparion (for St Herman)Tone 7
O joyful North Star of the Church of Christ, // guiding all men to the heavenly Kingdom;
teacher and apostle of the True Faith; // intercessor and defender of the oppressed;
adornment of the Orthodox Church in America: // blessed Father Herman of Alaska,
pray to our Lord Jesus Christ // for the salvation of our souls!
Kontakion (Resurrection) Tone 1
As God, Thou didst rise from the tomb in glory, // raising the world with Thyself.
Human nature praises Thee as God, for death has vanished. // Adam exults, O Master!
Eve rejoices, for she is freed from bondage and cries to Thee://
“Thou art the Giver of Resurrection to all, O Christ!”
Kontakion (for St Herman) Tone 3
The eternal light of Christ our Savior // guided thee, O blessed Father Herman,
on thine evangelical journey to America // to proclaim the Gospel of peace.
Now as thou standest before the throne of glory;
intercede for thy land and its people:// peace for the world and salvation for our souls!
Kontakion (for the Feast of Transfiguration) Tone 7
On the mountain Thou wast transfigured, O Christ God,
and Thy Disciples beheld Thy glory as far as they could see it;
so that when they should behold Thee crucified,
they would understand that Thy suffering was voluntary,
and would proclaim to the world// that Thou art truly the Radiance of the Father.
