The Parable of the Good Samaritan is one of the most moving of the Gospel because it calls us to come outside ourselves, our own self-focus, to live as Christ in the midst of a world that is torn apart—a world that ravages the souls of those who are caught by the ‘thieves’ that rob mankind of its greatest treasure: our life in and with God the Holy Trinity, our identity as a child of God called to glorify God with our lives and recover our ‘first beauty.’ All godlessness, whether it’s secularism, humanism, or one’s own prideful self-will pull our neighbors away from our Life-source, from relationship and communion with God. You and I have the opportunity to be like the Samaritan, a foreigner in this world, yes, but the one who ministers to those who fall among the ‘thieves’ of this generation, who are robbed of their sacred vocation and hope in Christ, who are in need of healing through repentance and the laver of regeneration. As you and I strive to live out our faith with all sincerity, prioritizing our life in Christ in the Church above all else, we give others hope of new life as well, we present an alternative to slavery to this world and the passions, we offer freedom from slavery to this world with all that is passing away. In this way, we mend the wounds of our neighbors’ eternal souls by loving them with the Gospel and the Orthodox Faith. We do so by speaking the truth in love and letting love cast out the fear to do so, to confront the destruction we see around us, to present them with an alternative that is Life itself. Christ God can give us the eyes to see those in need around us, who’ve fallen among ‘the thieves’ of our culture, and a heart to love and minister to them that they too find Christ and His Church.
May Christ our true God bless you! Yours in His love, Fr. Robert+
This week at Holy Archangels:
- v Tuesday, Nov 12, 12:50-13:20, Sixth Hour prayers, USNA
- v Wednesday, Nov 13, LAST Applied Orthodox Theology Discussion this week: “Was Jesus always kind? Where does that leave us?”
- v Friday, Nov. 15, BEGIN NATIVITY (Advent) FAST: refrain from all meat and dairy (ask Fr. Robert for guidance and blessing in cases of not being able to keep the fast).
- v Saturday, Nov.16 , 6:00 p.m., Great Vespers with Matins Gospel, Confession offered
- v Sunday, Nov. 17, 9:30 Hours, 10 a.m. Divine Liturgy
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Looking Ahead/Mark your Calendars:
- Sunday, Nov. 24, 10 a.m., Divine Liturgy, Fr. John Monto celebrating while Fr. Robert and family are visiting his parents in Washington State.
- Wednesday, Dec. 4, 6:30 p.m., Nativity (Advent) Paraklesis, St. John’s Boathouse
- Friday, Dec. 6, 6:30 p.m., Akathist of St. Nicholas, USNA (location, TBA).
- Saturday, Dec. 7, 6 p.m., Great Vespers with His Beatitude Metropolitan TIKHON and first Saturday potluck.
- Sunday, Dec. 8, 9:30 a.m. Divine Liturgy with His Beatitude Metropolitan TIKHON
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, Priest John, Rdr. Michael, Rdr. John, Benedict, Lance, Colette, Mary, Carol, Katherine, James, Charlene, Daniel, Michael Anthony, Sarah, Seraphim, Ed, Simone, 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 suffering people of the Philippines following the devastating Cyclone.
Troparion (Resurrection) Tone 3
Let the heavens rejoice! // Let the earth be glad!For the Lord has shown strength with His arm. He has trampled down death by death. // He has become the first born of the dead.
He has delivered us from the depths of hell, // and has granted to the world// great mercy.
Troparion (Apostles of the Seventy) Tone 3
Holy Apostles, Erástus, Olýmpas, Heródion, Sosipáter, Qúartus and Tértius,
entreat the merciful God, // to grant our souls forgiveness of transgressions!
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 3
On this day You rose from the tomb, O Merciful One,
leading us from the gates of death. // On this day Adam exults as Eve rejoices;
with the Prophets and Patriarchs// they unceasingly praise the divine majesty of Your power.
Kontakion (Apostles of the Seventy) Tone 2
Illumined by divine light, O holy Apostles, you wisely destroyed the works of idolatry.
When you caught all the pagans you brought them to the Master
and taught them to glorify the Trinity.
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
