Having recently celebrated Thanksgiving, today’s Gospel is another reminder of the importance of giving thanks to God for His work in our lives: healing us, growing us, saving us. Of the ten lepers that were healed, only ONE came back to prostrate himself before God and offer his humble thanksgiving to God. We easily take God’s work in our lives for granted, presuming God’s work in our lives as a right, rather than the grace that it is. All of us are, in a sense, like these ten lepers: we’ve all received and ARE receiving healing from God. The question is, are we like the other nine who received healing but did not come back to God in obeisance, or, are we like the one who returned, prostrated himself, and gave thanks? Giving thanks is key to our spiritual health. It’s another indication of our coming outside ourselves to love, to serve, and to grow. As Orthodox, we believe that we are saved not just individually, but also, in part, corporately. We are our brother’s keeper. Your salvation is also connected to the salvation of your brother and sister next to you. As St. Paul says today, we are meant to grow into “a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.” Do we give thanks to God for His work in us? Do we give thanks to God for His work among us? Do we give thanks to God for this Mission? In all these ways, we work out our salvation and glorify God, being like the one leper who returned, to give thanks, prostrating himself before God. May we do likewise.
This week at Holy Archangels:
- v Wednesday, Dec. 11, 5 p.m., Colinde (Caroling), St. John’s Boathouse. Dress warmly as we will be outside most of the time, but warm in our souls.
- v Saturday, Dec. 14 , 6:00 p.m., Great Vespers. Confession following
- v Sunday, Dec. 15, 9:30 Hours, 10 a.m. Divine Liturgy of the Forefathers of Christ
Looking Ahead/Mark Your Calendars:
- NATIVITY IN THE FLESH OF OUR LORD GOD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST
- v 10:30 a.m., Royal Hours of the Feast of the Nativity
- v 10:30 p.m., Vesperal Divine Liturgy of the Feast, Carols and Feasting Meal
Prayer Requests:
- That God may grow our Mission “in spirit and in numbers as a living witness of His love, healing, power, and glory;”
- For God’s financial provision for our Mission and our college ministry, ACM;
- For our Mission that we may find a Choir Director;
- Healing for Metropolitan TIKHON, Archpriest George, Archpriest Michael, Priest John, Deacon Basil, Deacon Michael, Rdr. Michael, Rdr. John, Benedict, Lance, Colette, Mary, Carol, Katherine, James, Charlene, Claudia, Daniel, Michael Anthony, Sarah, Seraphim, Ed, Lelia, the Church in Georgia and Romania as they address the relativism of the West, speaking the truth in love, for our suffering Orthodox brethren in Syria and Egypt, the nuns and orphans of St. Thekla Monastery abducted by Syrian terrorist rebels.
Troparion (Resurrection) Tone 7
By Your Cross You destroyed death. // To the thief You opened Paradise.
For the Myrrhbearers You changed weeping into joy.
And You commanded Your disciples, O Christ God,
to proclaim that You are risen,// granting the world great mercy.
Troparion (Venerable Patapius of Thebes) Tone 8
The image of God was truly preserved in you, O Father,
for you took up the Cross and followed Christ.
By so doing you taught us to disregard the flesh for it passes away
but to care instead for the soul, since it is immortal.
Therefore your spirit, venerable Patápius, rejoices with the Angels.
Troparion (Holy Archangels) Tone 4
Commanders of the heavenly hosts, // we who are unworthy beseech you:
by your prayers encompass us beneath the wings of your immaterial glory,
and faithfully preserve us who fall down and cry to you://
“Deliver us from all harm, for you are the Commanders of the Powers on high!”
Kontakion (Resurrection) Tone 7
The dominion of death can no longer hold mankind captive,
for Christ descended, shattering and destroying its powers.
Hell is bound, while the Prophets rejoice and cry:
“The Savior has come to those in faith;// enter, you faithful, into the Resurrection!”
Kontakion (Venerable Patapius of Thebes) Tone 3
Your temple is found to be a source of healing, // and the people flock to it eagerly, O saint.
They seek the healing of their diseases // and the forgiveness of their sins,
for you are a protector for all those in need, ven’rable Patápius.
Kontakion (Holy Archangels) Tone 2
Commanders of God’s armies // and ministers of the divine glory,
princes of the bodiless Angels // and guides of mankind;
ask for what is good for us, and for great mercy,// Supreme Commanders of the Bodiless Hosts
