8/27/2023 - Divine Liturgy

Tone 3 Troparion (Resurrection) 

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. 

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 8 Troparion (St. Pimen) 

By a flood of tears you made the desert fertile, 

and your longing for God brought forth fruits in abundance.

By the radiance of miracles you illumined the whole universe.//

Our holy Father Pimen, pray to Christ our God to save our  souls! 

Tone 3 Kontakion (Resurrection) 

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.  

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  Sava 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, Nikolai, we glorify you as one newly well pleasing to God.

Glory to the Father…. 

Tone 4 Kontakion (St. Pimen) 

The remembrance of your illustrious struggles 

delights the souls of the devout today,// 

O Pimen, our venerable father, wise in God. 

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. 

Tone 3 Prokeimenon 

Sing praises to our God, sing praises! / Sing praises to our King, sing  praises!  

Epistle Reading (1Cor. 15:1-11) 

Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you,  which also you received and in which you stand, by which also you are  saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you – unless you  believed in vain. For I delivered to you first of all that which I also  received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according  to the Scriptures, and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve. After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom  the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep. After that He was seen by James, then by all the apostles. Then last of  all He was seen by me also, as by one born out of due time. For I am the  least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because  I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am,  and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly  than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.  Therefore, whether it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.

Gospel: (Matthew 19:16-26)

Let us attend! Now behold, one  came and said to Him, “Good Teacher, what good thing shall I  do that I may have eternal life?” So He said to him, “Why do  you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. But if  you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.” He said to  Him, “Which ones?” Jesus said, “’You shall not murder,’ ‘You  shall not commit adultery,’ ‘You shall not steal,’ ‘You shall not  bear false witness,’ ’Honor your father and your mother,’ and,  ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ “The young man  said to Him, “All these things I have kept from my youth. What  do I still lack?” Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go,  sell what you have and give to the poor,and you will have  treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” But when the young  man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great  possessions. Then Jesus said to His disciples, “Assuredly, I say  to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of  heaven. And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go  through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the  kingdom of God.When His disciples heard it, they were greatly  astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?”But Jesus looked  at them and said to them, “With men this is impossible, but with  God all things are possible.” 

Communion Hymn 

Praise the Lord from the heavens, praise Him in the highest!  (Ps. 148:1)

Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia! 

Saint Nikolai