SS.

kosmas & damianos Orthodox Church (goa)

703 W. Center Street, Rochester, MN (507) 282-1529 http://www.rochesterorthodoxchurch.org
office@rochesterorthodoxchurch.org Rev. Fr. Mark Muoz, Proistamenos
/APOLYTIKIA FOR TODAY

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Angelic powers were above Thy tomb, and they that guarded Thee
became as dead. And Mary stood by the grave seeking Thine immaculate
Body. Thou hast despoiled Hades and wast not tried thereby. Thou didst
meet the Virgin and didst grant us life. O Thou Who didst arise from the
dead, Lord, glory be to Thee.

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In thy patience thou hast won thy reward, O righteous Father. Thou
didst persevere unceasingly in prayer; thou didst love the poor, and didst provide for them in all things.
Wherefore, intercede with Christ our God, O blessed John the Almsgiver, that our souls be saved.

/KONTAKION FOR TODAY

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Today, the most pure temple of the Savior, the precious bridal chamber and Virgin, the sacred treasure of
God, enters the house of the Lord, bringing the grace of the Divine Spirit. The Angels of God praise her.
She is the heavenly tabernacle.

8th Sunday of luke

John the Merciful, Patriarch of Alexandria, Nilus the Ascetic of Sinai, Martin Bishop of Tours
November 12th, 2017
 Todays scripture readings
Epistle reading
St. Paul's Second Letter to the Corinthians 9:6-11
Psalm 115.15,12
Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.
Verse: What shall I render to the Lord for all that he has given me?

Brethren, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will
also reap bountifully. Each one must do as he has made up his mind, not reluctantly or under
compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to provide you with every blessing
in abundance, so that you may always have enough of everything and may provide in
abundance for every good work. As it is written, "He scatters abroad, he gives to the poor; his
righteousness endures for ever." He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will
supply and multiply your resources and increase the harvest of your righteousness. You will be
enriched in every way for great generosity, which through us will produce thanksgiving to
God.

Gospel pericope
Luke 10:25-37

At that time, a lawyer stood up to put Jesus to the test, saying, "Teacher, what shall I do to
inherit eternal life?" He said to him, "What is written in the law? How do you read?" And he
answered, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and
with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself." And he said to
him, "You have answered right; do this, and you will live." But he, desiring to justify himself,
said to Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?" Jesus replied, "A man was going down from
Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him, and departed,
leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down that road; and when he saw
him he passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw
him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was; and
when he saw him, he had compassion, and went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on
oil and wine; then he set him on his own beast and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.
And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, 'Take care of
him; and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.' Which of these three,
do you think, proved neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?" He said, "The one who
showed mercy on him." And Jesus said to him, "Go and do likewise."
 ANnouncements
TODAY: Fall General Assembly
Mon. Nov. 13th: Adult Rel Ed. Class, 6pm
Wed. Nov. 15th: NATIVITY FAST BEGINS!
Wed. Nov. 15th: Parish Council Meeting, 6:30pm
Thurs. Nov. 16th: Feast of St. Matthew the Evangelist, Orthros/Divine Liturgy, 8:30am
Thurs. Nov. 16th: Adult Rel Ed. Inside the Temple, Inside the Liturgy, Inside the Community, 6pm
Sun. Nov. 19th: GOYA outing to FOCUS to serve Thanksgiving Meal, 2:30pm from church

Special Collection TODAY: every year our Philoptochos Chapter passes a tray for the
philanthropic endeavors of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. The Christian population in Istanbul
has dwindled to a few thousand, a majority of which look towards His All Holiness for succor,
guidance, and shelter. Our alms are united with the National Philoptochos and sent to the
Ecumenical Patriarchate for the sole use of caring for the needs of the local Christian
population.

HOW TO RECEIVE HOLY COMMUNIONOnly Orthodox Christians in good standing are encouraged
to receive Holy Communion frequently, provided they have prepared themselves spiritually, mentally and
physically. They must be on time for the Divine Liturgy, and be in a Christ-like, humble state of mind. They should
be in a confession relationship with their priest or spiritual father, have observed the fasts of the Church, and they
should have self-examined their conscience. On the day of receiving Holy Communion, it is not proper to eat or
drink anything before coming to church. When you approach to receive Holy Communion, state your Christian
(baptismal) name clearly, and hold the red communion cloth to your chin. After receiving, wipe your lips on the
cloth, step back carefully, hand the cloth to the next person and make the sign of the Cross as you step away.
Please do not be in a rush while communing! Please take special care not to bump the Holy Chalice.

No matter how just your words may be, you ruin everything
when you speak with anger.- St. John Chrysostom
 Pearls from the Desert
When a man begins to perceive the love of God in all its richness,
he begins also to love his neighbor with spiritual perception. This is
the love of which all the scriptures speak. Friendship after the flesh is
very easily destroyed on some slight pretext, since it is not held firm
by spiritual perception. But when a person is spiritually awakened,
even if something irritates him, the bond of love is not dissolved;
rekindling himself with the warmth of the love of God, he quickly
recovers himself and with great joy seeks his neighbors love, even
though he has been gravely wronged or insulted by him. For the
sweetness of God completely consumes the bitterness of the
quarrel. - St. Diadochos of Photiki

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Christmas Toy Drive

This year our parish will partner with the Salvation Army to provide Christmas
presents for those families in need. Please bring your unwrapped gifts for either
teenagers or young children ages 0-3yrs, clothing or toys are preferred. Place
gifts in the large Christmas box located in the narthex of the church. The last of
day for drop off will be Sunday. Dec. 17th. Fyi, gifts will be secured in locked
office during the week in order to prevent the disappearance of some gifts.
Thank you for participating in this important drive!
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THANK YOU TO ALL WHO DONATED TOWARDS THE

FOCUS-MN COAT DRIVE! ALL PROCEEDS WILL BE
DELIVERED NEXT SUNDAY!
 Todays liturgical commemorations
1. St. John the Merciful, Patriarch of Alexandria

John was born on the island of Cyprus. His father was Prince Epiphanius. John was raised as a true Christian from
childhood. At the insistence of his parents, he married and had children. However, by God's providence, his wife
and children passed from this world into the next. Renowned for his compassion and piety, John was chosen as
Patriarch of Alexandria in the time of Emperor Heraclius. He governed the Church of Alexandria for ten years as a
true shepherd, safeguarding it from pagans and heretics. He was a model of meekness, charity and love for his
fellow men. He said: ``If you desire nobility, seek it not in blood but in virtues, for this is true nobility.'' All the
saints have been distinguished by mercifulness, but St. John was completely dedicated to this wonderful virtue.
Once, while celebrating the Liturgy, the patriarch remembered the words of Christ, Therefore if thou bring thy gift to
the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath aught against thee, leave there thy gift before the altar, and
go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift (Matthew 5:23-24), and he
remembered that one of the clergy in that church had a grievance against him. He quickly left the Holy Gifts,
approached that priest, fell before his feet and begged for forgiveness. And only when he had made peace with this
man did he return to the table of oblation. Another time, as he was on his way to the Church of Saints Cyrus and
John, it happened that he met a needy and unfortunate widow who spoke to him at length about her misfortune. The
patriarch's escorts became bored by the woman's lengthy complaint, and urged the bishop to hurry to the church for
the service, intimating that he could hear the woman's story afterward. John said to them: ``And how will God listen
to me, if I do not listen to her?'' He would not leave until he heard the widow's complaint to the end.
When the Persians attacked Egypt, Patriarch John boarded a boat to escape from danger. Along the way he fell ill
and, when he arrived in Cyprus, he reposed at his birthplace, in the year 620. After he entered the Immortal
Kingdom of his Lord, his miracle-working relics were translated to Constantinople, then to Budapest, and finally to
Presburg.

2. The Holy Prophet Ahijah of Shiloh

Ahijah prophesied a thousand years before Christ. He prophesied to Jeroboam, Solomon's servant, that he would
reign over ten of the tribes of Israel (I Kings 11:29-31).

3. The Venerable Nilus of Sinai

Nilus was at first a prefect in the capital city, Constantinople. As a married man, he had a son and a daughter. Seeing
the sinful life of the capital, he agreed with his wife to withdraw from the world. This they did. His wife and
daughter went to a convent in Egypt. Nilus and his son Theodulus went to Mount Sinai. Nilus lived a life of
asceticism on Mount Sinai for a full sixty years. He wrote wonderful books on the spiritual life. He entered
peacefully into rest in about the year 450, in the eightieth year of his earthly existence, and took up his habitation in
the blessed heavenly life. These holy words are his: ``Physical passions have their origin in physical desires, and
against them abstinence is necessary; but spiritual passions are born of spiritual desires, and against them, prayer is
necessary.''
 Guidelines for the
Nativity Fast
We are well aware that our Holy Church provides the
faithful with a period of spiritual preparation in
anticipation of the Lords Holy Nativity. This period
begins on November 15th every year with the commencement of the Nativity Fast. As
this fast is a modified one I thought it helpful to remind us all exactly what is
prescribed:

From Nov. 15th-Dec. 12th (St. Spyridon) the following is observed:

Fish/wine/oil are allowed every day except Wednesdays and Fridays which are
observed as strict fast days (no meat, fish, dairy, wine, oil).

From Dec. 12th-Dec. 25th the following is observed:

A strict fast is observed every day except Saturdays and Sundays.

From. Dec. 25th-Jan. 4th: NO FASTING ON ANY DAY!

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Special Tray to Benefit the Charities of the
Ecumenical Patriarchate

Our Philoptochos Society will pass a special tray today to

benefit the philanthropic endeavors of the Ecumenical
Patriarchate. This is an annual appeal on behalf of the
National Philoptochos Society, and we invite all our
parishioners to participate in assisting His All Holiness
+Bartholomew provide shelter, comfort, food, and support
to the dwindling Orthodox population of the
Vasilevousa.
 FOOD FOR THOUGHT WHILE CONISDERING OUR 2017
STEWARDSHIP!
A rich man is not one who has much, but one who gives much. For what he gives away remains
his forever. -St John Chrysostom

A little girl noticed that after the collection was taken in a certain church, the ushers brought it up
to the altar. She whispered to her mother, Mommy, how do they get the money up to heaven?
The mother replied, The church doesnt send the money to heaven, but uses it to bring heaven
down to us. That mother could not have given a better answer. For the purpose of the Church is
to get Gods heaven into each one of us. Jesus said, The Kingdom of God is within you.

When death comes, out giving will be over. For all eternity, God will be doing the giving to us.
So, the time for us to give is now. The time for us to love is now. The time for us to share what
God has given us is now.

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WINTER COAT DRIVE

NEXT SUNDAY IS LAST DROP OFF DAY

In the narthex

New/gently-used WINTER COATS,

for GOYA to deliver to FOCUS-MN before Thanksgiving.

Help us to help those less fortunate. Thank you!!

 St. John Chrysostom
On Marriage:
A certain wise man, when enumerating which blessings are the
most important included "a wife and husband who live in
harmony (Sir. 25:1). In another place he emphasized this: "A
friend or a companion never meets one amiss, but a wife with
her husband is better than both." (Sir. 40:23). From the
beginning God in His providence has planned this union of man
and woman, and has spoken of the two as one: male and female
He created them (Gen. 1:27), and there is neither male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus (Gal. 3:28).
There is no relationship between human beings so close as that of husband and wife, if they are united as they
ought to be. When blessed David was mourning for Jonathan, who was of one soul with him, what comparison
did he use to describe the loftiness of their love? Your love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women (II
Sam. 1:26). The power of this love is truly stronger than any passion; other desires may be strong, but this one
alone never fades. This love (eros) is deeply planted within our inmost being. Unnoticed by us, it attracts the
bodies of men and women to each other, because in the beginning woman came forth from man, and from
man and woman other men and women proceed. Can you see now how close this union is, and how God
providentially created it from a single nature? He permitted Adam to marry Eve, who was more than sister or
daughter; she was his own flesh! God caused the entire human race to proceed from this one point of origin. He
did not, on the one hand, fashion woman independently from man, otherwise man would think of her as
essentially different from himself. Nor did He enable woman to bear children without man; if this were the case
she would be self-sufficient. Instead, just as the branches of a tree proceed from a single trunk, He made the one
man Adam to be the origin of all mankind, both male and female, and made it impossible for men and women to
be self-sufficient. Later, He forbade men to marry their sisters or daughters, so that our love would not be limited
to members of our families, and withdrawn from the rest of the human race. All of this is implied in Christ's
words: He who made them from the beginning made them male and female (Matt. 19:4).

Paul has precisely described for husband and wife what is fitting behavior for each: she should reverence him as
the head and he should love her as his body. But how is this behavior achieved? That it must be is clear; now I
will tell you how. It will be achieved if we are detached from money, if we strive above everything for virtue, if
we keep the fear of God before our eyes. What Paul says to servants in the next chapter applies to us as well,
...knowing that whatever good anyone does, he will receive the same again from the Lord (Eph. 6:8). Love her
not so much for her own sake, but for Christ's sake. That is why he says, be subject...as to the Lord. Do
everything for the Lord's sake, in a spirit of obedience to Him. These words should be enough to convince us to
avoid quarrels and disagreements. No husband should believe any accusation he hears from a third party about
his wife, and vice versa; nor should a wife unreasonably monitor her huband's comings and going, provided that
he has always shown himself to be above suspicion. And what if you devote the day to your work and your
friends, and the evening to your wife; but she is still not satisfied, but is jealous for more of your time? Don't be
annoyed by her complaints; she loves you, she is not behaving absurdly--her complaints come from her fervent
affection for you, and from fear.