From The Greek Orthodox Arch-Diocese of America:
Readings for today:
John 21:14-25
St. Paul's Letter to the Galatians 6:11-18
Luke 8:26-39
Feasts and Saints celebrated today:
6th Sunday of Luke
Arethas the Great Martyr & Syncletiki and her two daughters
Sebastiane the Martyr
Orthros Gospel Reading
The reading is from John 21:14-25
At that time, Jesus revealed himself to his disciples after he was
raised from the dead, and he said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John,
do you love me more than these?" He said to him "Yes, Lord; you
know that I love you." He said to him, "Feed my lambs." A second
time he said to him, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" He said to
him, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you." He said to him, "Tend my
sheep." He said to him the third time, "Simon, son of John, do you love
me?" Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, "Do you
love me?" And he said to him, "Lord, you know everything; you know
that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Feed my sheep. Truly, truly, I
say to you, when you were young, you girded yourself and walked where
you would; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and
another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish to go." (This
he said to show by what death he was to glorify God.) And after
this he said to him, "Follow me."
Peter turned and saw following them the disciple whom Jesus loved, who
had lain close to his breast at the supper and had said, "Lord, who
is it that is going to betray you?" When Peter saw him, he said to
Jesus, "Lord, what about this man?" Jesus said to him, "If it is my
will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? Follow me!"
So, the word went out among the brethren that this disciple would not
die; but Jesus did not say to him that he would not die. He said, "If
it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you?"
This is the disciple who is bearing witness to these things, and who
has written these things; and we know that his testimony is true.
But there are also many other things which Jesus did; were every one
of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not
contain the books that would be written. Amen.
(C) 2010 Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America
Epistle Reading
The reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Galatians 6:11-18
BRETHREN, see with what large letters I am writing to you with my own hand.
It is those who want to make a good showing in the flesh that would
compel you to be circumcised, and not only in order that they may not be
persecuted for the cross of Christ. For even those who receive circumcision
do not themselves keep the law, but they desire to have you
circumcised that they may glory in your flesh. But far be it from me to glory
except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has
been crucified to me, and I to the world. For neither circumcision
counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation. Peace and
mercy be upon all who walk by this rule, upon the Israel of God.
Henceforth let no man trouble me; for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brethren.
Amen.
(C) 2010 Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America
Gospel Reading
The reading is from Luke 8:26-39
At that time, as Jesus arrived at the country of the Gadarenes,
there met him a man from the city who had demons; for a long time he
had worn no clothes and he lived not in a house but among the tombs.
When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell down before him, and said
with a loud voice, "What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the
Most High God? I beseech you, do not torment me." For he had commanded
the unclean spirit to come out of the man. (For many a time it had
seized him; he was kept under guard, and bound with chains and fetters,
but he broke the bonds and was driven by the demon into the desert.)
Jesus then asked him, "What is your name?" And he said, "Legion"; for
many demons had entered him. And they begged him not to command them
to depart into the abyss. Now a large herd of swine was feeding
there on the hillside; and they begged him to let them enter these. So
he gave them leave. Then the demons came out of the man and entered
the swine, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and
were drowned. When the herdsmen saw what happened, they fled, and told
it in the city and in the country. Then people went out to see what
had happened, and they came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the
demons had gone, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right
mind; and they were afraid. And those who had seen it told them how he
who had been possessed with demons was healed. Then all the people of
the surrounding country of the Gadarenes asked him to depart from
them; for they were seized with great fear; so he got into the boat and
returned. The man from whom the demons had gone begged that he might be
with him; but he sent him away, saying, "Return to your home, and
declare how much God has done for you." And he went away, proclaiming
throughout the whole city how much Jesus had done for him.
(C) 2010 Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America
6th Sunday of Luke
Resurrectional Apolytikion in the Plagal of the First Tone
Let us worship the Word who is unoriginate * with the Father and the
Spirit, and from a Virgin was born * for our salvation, O believers, and
let us sing His praise. * For in His goodness He was pleased * to
ascend the Cross in the flesh, and to undergo death, * and to raise up
those who had died, * by His glorious Resurrection.
Resurrectional Kontakion in the Plagal of the First Tone
You descended to Hades, my Savior, and shattered its gates, as the
Almighty. As Creator, You raised the dead with yourself, and smashed the
sting of death, O Christ. You freed Adam from the curse, O Lover of
humanity. Therefore we all cry out to You, Save us, O Lord.
Seasonal Kontakion in the Plagal of the Second Tone
O Protection of Christians that cannot be put to shame, mediation
unto the creator most constant: O despise not the voices of those who
have sinned; but be quick, O good one, to come unto our aid, who in
faith cry unto thee: Hasten to intercession and speed thou to make
supplication, O thou who dost ever protect, O Theotokos, them that honor thee.
Kontakion courtesy of St. Gregory Palamas Monastery
Arethas the Great Martyr & Syncletiki and her two daughters
Reading from the Synaxarion:
These Martyrs contested for piety's sake in the year 524 in Najran, a
city of Arabia Felix (present-day Yemen). When Dhu Nuwas, ruler of the
Himyarite tribe in south Arabia, and a Judaizer, took power, he sought to
blot out Christianity, especially at Najran, a Christian city. Against
the counsels of Arethas, chief man of Najran, the city surrendered to
Dhu Nuwas, who immediately broke the word he had given and sought to
compel the city to renounce Christ. Led by Saint Arethas, hundreds of
martyrs, including women, children, and babes, valiantly withstood his
threats, and were beheaded and burned. After the men had been slain, all
the free-born Christian women of Najran were brought before the
tyrant and commanded to abjure Christ or die; yet they rebuked the
persecutor with such boldness that he said even the men had not insulted him
so contemptuously. So great was their faith that not one woman was
found to deny Christ in all Najran, although some of them suffered
torments more bitter than most of the men. In alliance with Byzantium, the
Ethiopian King Elesbaan liberated Najran from Dhu Nuwas soon after and
raised up churches in honour of the Martyrs. Najran became a place of
pilgrimage until the rise of Islam a century later. At the end of his life
King Elesbaan, who was also called Caleb, retired into solitude as a
hermit; he sent his crown to Jerusalem as an offering to the Church of
the Holy Sepulchre. He also is commemorated on this day as a saint.
Saint Arethas' name in Arabic, Harith, means "plowman, tiller," much
the same as "George" does in Greek.
Apolytikion in the First Tone
Be entreated, O Lord, by the sufferings endured for You by the
Saints, and we pray You, heal all our pain.
Kontakion in the Fourth Tone
The resplendent festival of the prizewinners on this day is come to
us as an occasion to rejoice; and as we keep it, we glorify our
Lord, the God over all, Who doth dwell on high.
Reading courtesy of Holy Transfiguration Monastery
Apolytikion courtesy of Narthex Press
Kontakion courtesy of Holy Transfiguration Monastery
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