Sep. 20 – 16th Sunday after Pentecost, before Exaltation. Tone 7

Forefeast of the Nativity of the Theotokos. Martyr Sozon of Cilicia (304). Apostles Evodus (Euodias) (66) and Onesiphorus (67) of the Seventy. Martyr Eupsychius of Caesarea in Cappadocia (2nd c.). Martyrdom of St. Macarius, archimandrite of Ovruch, Pereiaslav (1678).

Gal. 6:11-18; Jn. 3:13-17;
2 Cor. 6:1-10; Mt. 25:14-30;

Tropar Resurrectional, Tone 7

By Your Cross, you destroyed Death. To the Thief, You opened Paradise. For the Myrrh-bearers, You changed weeping into joy. Christ God, You commanded Your disciples to proclaim that You are risen, granting the world great mercy.

Tropar of Forefeast, Tone 4

Today Mary, the divine Maiden, is born to us from the line of Jesse and the house of David, and all creation rejoices and is renewed with joy. Rejoice together, heaven and earth! Praise her, all you nations! Joachim rejoices, and Anna keeps the feast, crying out: "A barren woman gives birth to the Mother of God, the Nourisher of our Life!

Tropar of our church, Tone 4

Prophet and Forerunner of the coming of Christ,/ we who honor you with love can find no manner of praising you worthily./ For the barrenness of one who bore you / and the silence of your father have been ended by your being born of divine grace / and you have proclaimed to the world / the Incarnation of the Son of God.

Tropar to Martyr, Tone 4

In his suffering, O Lord, Your martyr Sozon received an imperishable crown from You, our God; for, possessed of Your might, he cast down the tormentors and crushed the feeble audacity of the demons. By his supplications, save our souls.

Kondak Resurrectional, Tone 7

The dominion of Death can no longer hold humanity captive, for Christ descended shattering and destroying its power. Hades is bound while the prophets rejoice with one voice. The Savior has come to those in faith, saying: "Enter, you faithful, into the Resurrection."

Kondak of our church, Tone 3

She who was previously barren / now bears the Forerunner of Christ / who is the fulfillment of every prophecy. / For the prophets proclaimed beforehand/ that having laid hands on Him in the Jordan, / he would be manifest as Prophet, / Preacher / and Forerunner of the Word of God.

Glory …
Kondak to Martyr, Tone 2

Assembling today, with a loud voice let us praise Sozon, the true and divinely wise martyr, the skilled athlete of piety, the initiate of the mysteries of grace, the most generous bestower of healings: for he entreates Christ God in behalf of us all.

Now and Ever …
Kondak of Forefeast, Tone 3

Today Mary, the Virgin and Mother of God, the boundless chamber of the heavenly Bridegroom, is born! From a barren woman, by the counsel of God, the chariot of the Word is rightly adorned; for she was foretold as the divine portal and Mother of life.

Prokimens

Priest: Let us be attentive! Peace be with you all!

Reader: And with your spirit!

Deacon: Wisdom!

Reader: The Prokimen in Tone 6: O Lord, save Your people and bless Your inheritance.

Choir: (repeats the prokimen)

Reader: V. To You, Lord, will I call: "My God, be not silent to me."

Choir: (repeats the prokimen)

Reader: The Second Prokimen in Tone 7: The righteous shall rejoice in the Lord and hope in Him.

Choir: The righteous shall rejoice in the Lord and hope in Him.

Epistles

Deacon: Wisdom!

Reader: The reading is from the Letter of St. Paul to the Galatians.

Deacon: Let us be attentive.

Reader: Brethren, see with what large letters I have written to you with my own hand! As many as desire to make a good showing in the flesh, these would compel you to be circumcised, only that they may not suffer persecution for the cross of Christ. For not even those who are circumcised keep the law, but they desire to have you circumcised that they may boast in your flesh. But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a new creation. And as many as walk according to this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God. From now on let no one 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.

Reader: The reading is from the Second Letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians.

Deacon: Let us be attentive.

Reader: Brethren, we then, as workers together with Him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain. For He says: "In an acceptable time I have heard you, and in the day of salvation I have helped you." Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation. We give no offense in anything, that our ministry may not be blamed. But in all things we commend ourselves as ministers of God: in much patience, in tribulations, in needs, in distresses, in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in fastings; by purity, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by sincere love, by the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, by honor and dishonor, by evil report and good report; as deceivers, and yet true; as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold we live; as chastened, and yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.

Priest: Peace be with you.

Reader: And with your spirit. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

Verse: I raised up a chosen one from My people.

Verse: For My Hand shall defend him and My Arm will strengthen him.

Verse: The righteous cried, and the Lord heard them, and He delivered them out of all their tribulations.

Communion Hymns

Praise the Lord from the heavens, praise Him in the Highest. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

The righteous man shall be in everlasting remembrance. He shall not be afraid of any evil report. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

Апостол

З Посла́ння до Гала́тів Свято́го Апо́стола Павла́ чита́ння (6:11-18)

Браття, бачите, як багато я написав вам власною рукою. Ті, які бажають хвалитися по плоті, примушують вас обрізуватися тільки для того, щоб не бути гонимими за хрест Христовий, бо й ті, що обрізуються, і самі не додержують закону, але хочуть, щоб ви обрізувалися, аби похвалитися у вашій плоті. А я не бажаю хвалитися, хіба тільки хрестом Господа нашого Ісуса Христа, котрим для мене світ розп'ятий і я для світу. Бо у Христі Ісусі нічого не значить ні обрізання, ні необрізання, а нове творіння. Тим, які живуть за цим правилом, мир їм і милість, та Ізраїлеві Божому. А втім ніхто не обтяжуй мене: бо я ношу рани Господа Ісуса на тілі моїм. Благодать Господа нашого Ісуса Христа з духом вашим, браття. Амінь.

З Другого Посла́ння до Коринфян Свято́го Апо́стола Павла́ чита́ння (2 Кор. 6:1-10)

Браття, ми ж, як співробітники, благаємо вас, щоб благодать Божу ви прийняли не марно. Бо сказано: у сприятливий час Я почув тебе і в день спасіння допоміг тобі. Ось тепер час сприятливий, ось тепер день спасіння. Ми нікому ні в чому не чинимо перешкоди, щоб не було обмовлене служіння, але у всьому показуємо себе як служителі Божі, у великому терпінні, в бідах і нестатках, у тісних обставинах, під ударами, в темницях, у вигнаннях, в трудах, у бдіннях, в постах, у чистоті, в розсудливості, у великодушності, в благості, в Дусі Святому, в нелицемірній любові, в слові істини, у силі Божій зі зброєю правди в правій і в лівій руці, в честі і безчесті, при доганах і похвалах: нас називають обманщиками, але ми вірні; ми невідомі, але нас впізнають; нас вважають померлими, але ось ми живі; нас карають, але ми не вмираємо; нас засмучують, а ми завжди радіємо; ми бідні, але багатьох збагачуємо; ми нічого не маємо, але всім володіємо.

Євангеліє - Gospel Reading

Від Іоанна 3:13-17

Ніхто не сходив на небо, тільки Той, Хто зійшов з небес, Син Людський, Сущий на небесах. І як Мойсей возніс змія в пустині, так належить піднесеному бути Синові Людському, щоб кожен, хто вірує в Нього, не загинув, а мав життя вічне. Бо так полюбив Бог світ, що віддав Сина Свого Єдинородного, щоб усякий, хто вірує в Нього, не загинув, а мав життя вічне. Бо не послав Бог Сина Свого в світ, щоб судити світ, а щоб світ був спасений через Нього.

From Matthew 25:14-30

For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them. And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey. Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents. And likewise he who had received two gained two more also. "But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord's money. After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them. So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, 'Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.' His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.' He also who had received two talents came and said, 'Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.' His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.' Then he who had received the one talent came and said, 'Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 'And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.' But his lord answered and said to him, 'You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed. So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. Therefore take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents. For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'