19th SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST — Tone 2. Synaxis of the Unmercenaries.
Tone 2 Troparion (Resurrection)
When You descended to death, O Life Immortal, You slew hell with the splendor of Your Godhead. And when from the depths You raised the dead, all the powers of heaven cried out:// “O Giver of life, Christ our God, glory to You!”
Tone 4 Troparion (St. Nicholas)
The truth of your deeds has revealed you to your flock as a rule of faith, an image of meekness and a teacher of self-control; your humility exalted you; your poverty enriched you.// O Father Bishop Nicholas, pray to Christ God that our souls may be saved.
Tone 4 Troparion (Unmercenaries)
Let us praise the Radiant band of the Unmercenaries the twenty-numbered divinely-inspired phalanx, that shines with grace from heaven, for they deposed the power of the evil one, and with sympathy alleviate the illnesses of all those who cry out with reverence: // Glory to God in Trinity.
Tone 2 Kontakion (Resurrection)
Hell became afraid, O almighty Savior, seeing the miracle of Your Resurrection from the tomb! The dead arose! Creation, with Adam, beheld this and rejoiced with You,// and the world, my Savior, praises You forever.
Tone 3 Kontakion (St. Nicholas)
You proved yourself to be be a holy priest, O Nicholas. You served God in Myra and lived the gospel of Christ. You offered your life for your people, And rescued the innocent from death. Therefore God has glorified you as a trustworthy guide of things divine.
Tone 2 Kontakion (Unmercenaries)
You have received the grace of remedies, spread strength over those in need, glorious, wonderworking Physicians; by your visitation, cast down the insolence of enemies, //healing the world by wonders.
Tone 6 Kontakion (Steadfast Protectress)
Steadfast Protectress of Christians, Constant Advocate before the Creator; despise not 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 2 Prokeimenon (Resurrection)
The Lord is my strength and my song; / He has become my salvation. (Ps. 117:14)
V. The Lord has chastened me sorely, but He has not given me over to death. (Ps. 117:18)
Tone 4 Prokeimenon (Unmercenaries)
The Lord has shown the wonders of His will / to the saints who are in His land. Ps. 15:3a)
2 Corinthians 11:31-12:9 (Epistle)
The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying. In Damascus the governor, under Aretas the king, was guarding the city of the Damascenes with a garrison, desiring to arrest me; but I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall, and escaped from his hands. It is doubtless not profitable for me to boast. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord:
I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago – whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows – such a one was caught up to the third heaven. And I know such a man – whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows – how he was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. Of such a one I will boast; yet of myself I will not boast, except in my infirmities. For though I might desire to boast, I will not be a fool; for I will speak the truth. But I refrain, lest anyone should think of me above what he sees me to be or hears from me. And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
1 Corinthians 12:27–13:8 (Unmercenaries)
Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually. And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? But earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way. Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing. Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away.
Tone 2
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
V. May the Lord hear you in the day of trouble! May the name of the God of Jacob protect you! (Ps. 19:1)
V. Save the King, O Lord, and hear us on the day we call! (Ps. 19:9)
Tone 2
V. Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity! (Ps. 132:1)
Luke 8:41-56 (Gospel)
And behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue. And he fell down at Jesus’ feet and begged Him to come to his house, for he had an only daughter about twelve years of age, and she was dying. But as He went, the multitudes thronged Him. Now a woman, having a flow of blood for twelve years, who had spent all her livelihood on physicians and could not be healed by any, came from behind and touched the border of His garment. And immediately her flow of blood stopped. And Jesus said, “Who touched Me?” When all denied it, Peter and those with him said, “Master, the multitudes throng and press You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’” But Jesus said, “Somebody touched Me, for I perceived power going out from Me.” Now when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling; and falling down before Him, she declared to Him in the presence of all the people the reason she had touched Him and how she was healed immediately. And He said to her, “Daughter, be of good cheer; your faith has made you well. Go in peace.” While He was still speaking, someone came from the ruler of the synagogue’s house, saying to him, “Your daughter is dead. Do not trouble the Teacher.”
But when Jesus heard it, He answered him, saying, “Do not be afraid; only believe, and she will be made well.” When He came into the house, He permitted no one to go in except Peter, James, and John, and the father and mother of the girl. Now all wept and mourned for her; but He said, “Do not weep; she is not dead, but sleeping.” And they ridiculed Him, knowing that she was dead. But He put them all outside, took her by the hand and called, saying, “Little girl, arise.” Then her spirit returned, and she arose immediately. And He commanded that she be given something to eat. And her parents were astonished, but He charged them to tell no one what had happened.
Matthew 10:1, 5-8 (Unmercenaries)
And when He had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease. These twelve Jesus sent out and commanded them, saying: “Do not go into the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter a city of the Samaritans. But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.
Holy Unmercenaries
The “Holy Unmercenaries” are an honored group of Orthodox Christian Saints who refused payment for good deeds, most notably for healing of body but also for other services. These Saints lived out Christ’s exhortation: “Freely you have received, freely give.” (Matthew 10:8). The word “unmercenaries” is a transliteration of the Greek term “αναργυρων” which literally means “without silver”, indicating that the Saints refused payment for their services, since silver was the primary currency during the early years of the Church and, indeed, throughout most of human history since the invention of currency.
Refusal to accept payment for services was conspicuously countercultural during the Roman imperial period and was viewed with great suspicion by pagan contemporaries. Even today we see similar attitudes, where free services are viewed as some type of charity program, rather than individual acts of Christian love. Many Holy Unmercenaries were martyred for their refusal to denounce Christ after being witnessed healing in His name and refusing payment. In the process, many thousands of souls were converted to the One True Faith when the Holy Unmercenaries bore witness to Christ. There are many Saints who bear the title “Unmercenary” and we ask for their intercessions for our salvation and their aid in becoming more unmercenary ourselves!
Consecration of the Church of the Holy Great Martyr George in Lydda
The city of Lydda (Lod) is the birthplace of the Great Martyr George the Victorious. His mother’s house was there, where he spent his childhood. The Holy Great Martyr George was a Roman soldier, he suffered under Emperor Diocletian in Nicomedia at the beginning of the IV century. His relics were transferred by Christians to their homeland, Lydda, and there he was buried.
The tomb where the relics of the Great Martyr were laid is now located in an Orthodox church dedicated to the Great Martyr George. In the temple itself there is a piece of the relics of Saint George, as well as the chain with which the Great Martyr was bound.
The first church was built here in the VI century. The temple was destroyed several times and was restored in its present form only in 1872, thanks to donations from Russia. The consecration of the restored temple took place on November 3, 1872, the anniversary of the day when it was first consecrated. The Russian Church remembers and celebrates this event until the present day. This Feast is included in the Menaion, in honor of the churches built and dedicated to Saint George in Russia.
It was also in Lydda that the Apostle Peter healed Aeneas, who had been lying paralyzed for eight years (Acts 9:32-35).
Sunday Bulletin October 27, 2024