In today’s Gospel, the blind men get themselves to Christ, beseeching Him to have mercy on them and acclaiming Him as the long-awaited Messiah by their words, “Son of David, have mercy on us!” It is both their acknowledgement of their need for healing and their coming to Christ, which so loudly demonstrates their faith. They know Who’s the One who has mercy to give, the One who alone can heal them—Jesus Christ, the Word of God, who knows us even in our mother’s womb. Christ God sees each one of us through His eyes of love and purpose for our lives. He desires the healing from sin-sickness and salvation of each one of us. We see in the blind men the faith to present themselves to Christ for healing. God never turns away those who come to Him in faith, but as with our relationship and communion with Him, our healing and salvation demand something from us: our dying to our own will and our submission to His will, our opening of ourselves to His healing through the ‘tools’ He’s entrusted to us through His Church. As Christ said to the blind men, “According to your faith, let it be to you.” Our participation in the divine services, our daily prayers, our keeping the fast, our struggle to repent and live to God’s glory, our participation in the Sacraments of Confession and the Eucharist, are all demonstrations of faith on our part, of cooperation with the work of the Holy Spirit and God’s will in our lives. God will receive us in faith too—if we are willing to struggle and present ourselves to Him. In Christ’s love, Fr. Robert+
THIS WEEK AT HOLY ARCHANGELS:
- July 20-25, Robert participating in the OCA All American Council (AAC) in Atlanta
- Saturday, July 25, NO VESPERS
- Sunday, July 26, 9:30am Hours; 10 a.m. Divine Liturgy, followed by Trapeza Important Half-Yearly Meeting and update during Trapeza. All are asked to participate and attend meeting.
Looking Ahead:
- Thurs, Aug. 6, 11 a.m., Matins, 12 Noon, Great Feast of the Transfiguration at our new Orthodox Chapel at the U.S. Naval Academy (Bancroft Hall to right of main stairs inside Rotunda)
- Sat, Aug. 15, Great Feast of the Holy Dormition of the Theotokos, location/time TBA.
June Financial Report: We received $2443 in offerings in June. $3,000 was needed. YTD $14,875 has been received, $13,998 was expected. We are running a deficit of $3,082. 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 by Sunday, July 26, date of half-yearly mtg.
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);
- 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 6
The Angelic Powers were at Thy tomb; // the guards became as dead men.
Mary stood by Thy grave, // seeking Thy most pure body.
Thou didst capture hell not being tempted by it. //Thou didst come to the Virgin, granting life.//
O Lord, Who didst rise from the dead, glory to Thee.
Troparion (Holy Fathers) Tone 8
Thou art most glorious, O Christ our God! Thou hast established the Holy Fathers as lights on the earth.
Through them Thou hast guided us to the true Faith.//O greatly compassionate One, glory to Thee!
Troparion (St Seraphim) Tone 4
Thou didst love Christ from thy youth, O blessed one,
and, longing to work for Him alone, thou didst struggle in the wilderness in constant prayer and labor.
With penitent heart and great love for Christ thou wast favored by the Mother of God.
Therefore we cry to thee:// Save us by thy prayers, venerable Seraphim, our father!
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 6
When Christ God the Giver of Life, raised all of the dead from the valleys of misery with His mighty hand,
He bestowed resurrection on the human race.//
He is the Savior of all, the Resurrection, the Life, and the God of all.
Kontakion (Holy Fathers) Tone 8
The Apostles’ preaching and the Fathers’ doctrines have established one Faith for the Church.
Adorned with the robe of truth, woven from heavenly theology,//
it defines and glorifies the great mystery of piety.
Kontakion (St Seraphim) Tone 2
Forsaking the beauty as well as the corruption of this world,
thou didst settle in the monastery of Sarov, O Saint.
There thou didst live an angelic life, becoming for many the way to salvation.
Therefore, Christ has glorified thee, O Father Seraphim, enriching thee with abundant healing and miracles.//
So we cry to thee: Save us by thy prayers, O venerable Seraphim, our father!
