22ND SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST—Tone 5 (9th of Luke)
St. Gregory the Wonderworker (ca. 266-270)
Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom
Resurrectional Troparion, Tone 5
Let us, the faithful, praise and worship the Word, coeternal 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, Tone 8 (St. Gregory)
Thou didst became worthy of thy name through thy way of life: through thy vigilance in prayer and thy 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!
Resurrectional Kontakion, Tone 5
Thou didst descend into hell, O my Savior, shattering its gates as Almighty, resurrecting the dead as Creator, and destroying the sting of death. Thou hast delivered Adam from the curse, O Lover of man,// and we cry to Thee: “O Lord, save us!”
Kontakion, Tone 2 (St. Gregory)
Thou didst receive the power to perform miracles, frightening the devils and healing the sick through thy wonderworking. All-wise Father Gregory, thy deeds truly entitle thee to be called “Wonderworker!”
Kontakion, Tone 6 (Theotokos)
Steadfast Protectress of Christians, Constant Advocate before the Creator; despise not the entreating cries 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.
THE EPISTLE READING
Deacon: Let us attend!
Priest: Peace be unto all!
Reader: And to your spirit!
Deacon: Wisdom!
Reader: The Prokeimenon in the 5th Tone. Thou, O Lord, shalt protect us and preserve us from this generation forever.
Choir: Thou, O Lord, shalt protect us and preserve us from this generation forever.
Reader: Save me, O Lord, for there is no longer any that is godly.
Choir: Thou, O Lord, shalt protect us and preserve us from this generation forever.
Reader: Thou, O Lord, shalt protect us
Choir: and preserve us from this generation forever.
Deacon: Wisdom!
Reader: The Reading from the Epistle of the Holy Apostle Paul to the Galatians.
Deacon: Let us attend!
Reader: Brothers and sisters in Christ. See how large a letter I have written unto you with mine own hand! As many as desire to make a good showing in the flesh, these try to compel you to be circumcised, only that they may not suffer persecution for the Cross of Christ. For not even they themselves who are circumcised keep the law, but they desire to have you circumcised that they may glory in your flesh…
But God forbid that I should glory, except in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by Whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation. And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God. From henceforth let no man trouble me, for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus. Brethren, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen. [(215) Gal 6:11-18 Red]
Priest: Peace be unto you, reader.
Reader: And to your spirit. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, in the 5th Tone.
Choir: Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
Reader: I will sing of Thy mercies, O Lord, forever; with my mouth I will proclaim Thy truth from generation to generation.
Choir: Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
Reader: Thou hast said: Mercy will be established forever, and my truth will be prepared in the heavens!
Choir: Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
THE GOSPEL READING
The Lord spoke this parable, “The land of a rich man brought forth plentifully; and he thought to himself, “What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?” And he said, “I will do this: I will pull down my barns, and build larger ones; and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; take your ease, eat drink, be merry.” But God said to him, “Fool! This night your soul is required of you; and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?” So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”
As he said this, Jesus called out, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” [(66) Luke 12:16-21 Black]
Communion Hymn
Praise the Lord from the heavens! Praise Him in the highest! Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
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Saint Gregory the Wonderworker, Bishop of Neocaesarea, was born in the city of Neocaesarea (northern Asia Minor) into a pagan family. Having received a fine education, from his youth he strived for Truth, but the thinkers of antiquity were not able to quench his thirst for knowledge. Truth was revealed to him only in the Holy Gospel, and the youth became a Christian.
Before ordination, when it was necessary for him to pronounce the Confession of the Faith, Saint Gregory prayed fervently and diligently imploring God and the Mother of God to reveal to him the true form of worship of the Most Holy Trinity. At the time of prayer the All-Pure Virgin Mary appeared to him, radiant like unto the sun, and together with Her was the Apostle John the Theologian dressed in archbishopal vestments. At the bidding of the Mother of God, the Apostle John taught the saint how to correctly and properly confess the Mystery of the Most Holy Trinity. Saint Gregory wrote down everything that the Apostle John the Theologian revealed to him. The Mystery of the Symbol-Creed of the Faith, written down by Sainted Gregory of Neocaesarea -- is a great Divine Revelation in the history of the Church. On it is based the teaching about the Holy Trinity in Orthodox Theology. Subsequently it was made use of by the holy Fathers of the Church -- Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian, and Gregory of Nyssa. The Credal-Symbol of Saint Gregory of Neocaesarea was later examined and affirmed in the year 325 by the First Ecumenical Council, showing his enduring significance for Orthodoxy.
Having become a bishop, Saint Gregory set off to Neocaesarea. Along the way from Amasea he expelled devils from a pagan-temple, the priest of which he converted to Christ. The convert was witness to still another miracle of the saint -- through his word a large heap of stone shifted from its place. The preaching of the saint was direct, lively and fruitful. He taught and worked miracles in the Name of Christ: he healed the sick, he helped the needy, he settled quarrels and complaints. Two brothers in sharing an inheritance were not able to agree over a lake property of their dead father. Each of the brothers gathered round himself like-minded friends. They were ready to come to blows. Saint Gregory persuaded them to delay the finish of their dispute until the following day, and he himself prayed all night long at the shore of the lake causing the quarrel. When dawn broke, everyone saw that the cause of the dispute was no more -- the lake had gone underground. Through the intense prayer of the saint there now flowed but a stream, and the course of its flow defining the boundary line. Another time, during the construction of a church, he gave command in the Name of Christ for a hill to move and make room at the place of the foundation.