“…God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?’ So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.” How do we become ‘rich’ toward God? Christ God is meant to be everything to us because He is Life. Not only is He the Creator of all life but it is in Him “we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28). In Him is the future of us all or without Him there is no future for us. The rich man in today’s parable is only focused on himself. He hordes up treasure for himself thinking that this buys him ‘security.’ How often do we see in our culture today those who put all their treasure into their material well-being, glorifying their temporal bodies, only to neglect their immortal souls. Christ God calls such people, “fools,” not because He does not love them, but because they are ignorant of their spiritual needs. The Nativity Fast we’ve now begun gives us an opportunity to put Christ and His Church first in our priorities, to be generous toward God we have to love Him and His Church. We have to offer ourselves to Him and His service and that of each other. In fasting, we learn to say “No!” to our cravings, we learn to pray and worship more to become more of who God created us to be—His adopted children whom God desires to glorify. May we be rich toward God this Nativity Fast (Advent), saying “Yes!” to live with Him and His Church, and in our generosity toward God, both material and spiritual, may we build up much treasure in heaven.
- This week at Holy Archangels:
- v Tuesday, Nov 19- Fri, Nov. 29, Fr. Robert and Family out of town visiting his parents in WA State. If you need Fr., he will have his cell phone, 262-844-2369.
- v Saturday, Nov.23 , 6:00 p.m., Reader’s Vespers
- v Sunday, Nov. 24, 10 a.m., Divine Liturgy, Fr. John Monto will be celebrating
You are now able to help Holy Archangels the next time you shop Amazon.com by visiting their website through the link on the right side of our website. Thank you. For more information please contact Noel Brockett.
Looking Ahead/Mark your Calendars:
- 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 4
When the women Disciples of the Lord
learned from the Angel the joyous message of the Resurrection,
they cast away the ancestral curse // and elatedly told the Apostles:
“Death is overthrown! // Christ God is risen,// granting the world great mercy!”
Troparion (St Gregory the Wonderworker) Tone 8
You became worthy of your name through your way of life:
through your vigilance in prayer and your constant works of mercy.
Therefore, O Father Gregory, beseech Christ God to enlighten our minds,
that we may not sleep in sin, which leads to death!
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 4
My Savior and Redeemer
as God rose from the tomb and delivered the earth-born from their chains.
He has shattered the gates of hell, // and as Master,// He has risen on the third day!
Kontakion (St Gregory the Wonderworker) Tone 8
You received the power to perform miracles,
frightening the devils and healing the sick through your wonderworking.
All-wise Father Gregory, // your deeds truly entitle you to be called “Wonderworker.”
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
Kontakion
The Virgin cometh today to the cave to give birth, ineffably to bring forth the Word eternal. Therefore, rejoice, O earth at the message with the angels and shepherds give glory to him who shall appear by his own will as a young child, he who is from eternity God.
