7/30/2023 - Divine Liturgy
Tone 7 Troparion (Resurrection)
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.
Tone 8 Troparion (St. Nikolai)
O golden-tongued preacher proclaiming the risen Christ, / everlasting guide of the cross-bearing Serbian people, / resounding harp of the Holy Spirit, and dear to monastics who rejoice in you, / pride and boast of the priesthood, teacher of repentance, master for all nations, / guide of those in the army of Christ as they pray to God, / Holy Nikolai teacher in America and pride of the Serbian people, / with all the saints, implore the only Lover of mankind / to grant us peace and joy in his heavenly kingdom!
Tone 3 Troparion (Apostles)
Holy Apostles Silas and Silvanus,
entreat the merciful God//
to grant our souls forgiveness of transgressions!
Tone 7 Kontakion (Resurrection)
The dominion of death can no longer hold men 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!”
Tone 3 Kontakion (Saint Nikolai)
Born at Lelich in Serbia, / you served as archpastor at the church of Saint Nahum in Ochrid. / You presided on the throne of Saint Savva at Zhicha, / teaching the people of God and enlightening them with the Gospel, / bringing them to repentance and love for Christ. / And for His sake you endured suffering at Dachau. / Therefore, Nicholai, we glorify you as one newly well pleasing to God.
Glory to the Father….
Tone 4 Kontakion (Apostles)
You were revealed to be branches of the vine of Christ, O wise ones,
bearing clusters of virtues that pour out on us the wine of salvation.
Receiving it, we are filled with gladness,
and we celebrate your most honored memory, Apostles of the Lord, Silas and Silvanus.//
Therefore, intercede that great mercy and remission of sins may be granted to us. Now and ever…
Tone 6 Steadfast Protectress
Steadfast Protectress of Christians,
constant Advocate before the Creator:
do not despise the cry of us sinners,
but in your goodness come speedily to help us who call on you in faith.
Hasten to hear our petition and to intercede for us, O Theotokos,
for you always protect those who honor you.
Epistle Reading (1 Corinthians 1:10-18)
Brethren, Now I plead with you, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. For it has been declared to me concerning you, my brethren, by those of Chloe’s household, that there are contentions among you. Now I say this, that each of you says, “I am of Paul,” or “I am of Apollos,” or “I am of Cephas,” or “I am of Christ.” Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius,lest anyone should say that I had baptized in my own name. Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas. Besides, I do not know whether I baptized any other. For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect. For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
Gospel: Matthew 14:14-22
Let us attend! And when Jesus went out He saw a great multitude; and He was moved with compassion for them, and healed their sick. When it was evening, His disciples came to Him, saying, “This is a deserted place, and the hour is already late. Send the multitudes away, that they may go into the villages and buy themselves food.” But Jesus said to them, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.” And they said to Him, “We have here only five loaves and two fish.” He said, “Bring them here to Me.” Then He commanded the multitudes to sit down on the grass. And He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitudes. So they all ate and were filled, and they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments that remained. Now those who had eaten were about five thousand men, besides women and children.Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away.