What does it mean to believe? We hear in today’s Gospel the oft-quoted verse, John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” Often, this verse is touted to mean mere assent is good enough, but we know from Scripture that “even the demons believe—and shutter” (Jms. 2:19). To understand this verse and God’s love for us, we have to understand the context. This context is the cross of Christ. God’s love for us is demonstrated through the Incarnation and Christ’s defeat of sin and death on our behalf on the cross, the “trophy invincible.” True belief involves our dying to self, our taking up of our cross, and our following Christ in our daily lives, participating in the sacramental life He has established through His holy Church to unite us with Him and enable our participation in the divine life of the Holy Trinity. This week, as we prepare for the Feast of the Elevation of the Cross, may we keep His triumph before us in our thoughts and in our hearts, that we too may become victors over sin and death with Him as we strive to live for Him and in Him.
In Christ’s love, Fr. Robert+
This week at Holy Archangels:
v Wednesday, Sept.12, 6:30 p.m., Daily Vespers, Confession offered; 7:30 p.m., Continuing Bible Study on the Gospel of St. John, Location: St. John’s Boathouse.
v Friday, Sept. 14, 9:30am Hours and Divine Liturgy for the Elevation of the Life-Giving Cross
v Saturday, Sept. 15, 6 p.m.,Great Vespers with the Matins Gospel. Confession following.
v Sunday, Sept. 16, 9:30 Hours and Divine Liturgy followed by Trapeza.
Prayer Requests:
- Please pray for Azariah (Brian) as he looks for a teaching position.
- Please pray for our Mission that we may find a full-time Choir Director.
Troparion (Resurrection) Tone 5
Let us, the faithful, praise and worship the Word,
co-eternal with the Father and the Spirit,
born for our salvation from the Virgin;
for He willed to be lifted up on the Cross in the flesh,
to endure death,
and to raise the dead//
by His glorious Resurrection.
Troparion (Nativity of the Theotokos) Tone 4
Your nativity, O Virgin,
has proclaimed joy to the whole universe!
The Sun of righteousness, Christ our God,
has shone from you, O Theotokos.
By annulling the curse,
He bestowed a blessing.//
By destroying death, He has granted us eternal life.
Troparion (Joachim and Anna) Tone 1
Since you were righteous under the law of grace, O Joachim and Anna,
you gave birth to the God-given infant for our sake.
Therefore, the divine Church radiantly keeps feast today,
Joyfully celebrating your honorable memory and giving ^glory to God,//
Who has raised up a horn of salvation form the house of David.
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 5
You descended into hell, O my Savior,
shattering its gates as Almighty,
resurrecting the dead as Creator,
and destroying the sting of death.
You have delivered Adam from the curse, O Lover of Man,//
and we cry to You: “O Lord, save us!”
Kontakion (Joachim and Anna) Tone 2
Anna is now no longer barren
and nurses the All-Pure One.
She rejoices and calls us all to sing a hymn of praise to Christ,//
Who from her womb gave mankind the only ever Virgin Mother.
Kontakion (Nativity of the Theotokos) Tone 4
By your nativity, most pure Virgin,
Joachim and Anna are freed from barrenness,
Adam and Eve — from the corruption of death.
And we, your people, freed from the guilt of sin, celebrate and sing to you://
“The barren woman gives birth to the Theotokos, the nourisher of our Life.”
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.
