Sunday Sermon and Readings for Sunday 13/10/2013. Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Thyateira and Great Britain

7/27/2019 Sunday Sermon and Readings for Sunday 13/10/2013. Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Thyateira and Great Britain.

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: , , Feast Day of the Holy Martyrs of Thyateira: Carpus, Papylus, Agathoniki and Agathodorus , , , , .

RREESSUURRRREECCTTIIOONN AAPPOOLLYYTTIIKKIIOONNou abolished death by your Cross,you opened Paradise to the Thief,you transformed the Myrrhbearerslament, and ordered your Apostles toproclaim that you had risen, O ChristGod, granting the world your greatmercy.

(. 8-15) , -

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EEPPIISSTTLLEE RREEAADDIINNGG(Tit. 3:8-15)hild Titus, the word is sure. I desirethat you insist on these things, so

that those who have come to believe inGod may be careful to devote themselvesto good works; these things are excellentand profitable to everyone. But avoidstupid controversies, genealogies,dissensions, and quarrels about the law,for they are unprofitable and worthless.After a first and second admonition, havenothing more to do with anyone heretical,since you know that such a person isperverted and sinful, being self-condemned. When I send Artemas to you,or Tychikos, do your best to come to me atNikopolis, for I have decided to spend thewinter there. Make every effort to sendZenas the lawyer and Apollos on theirway, and see that they lack nothing. Andlet people learn to devote themselves togood works in order to meet urgent needs,so that they may not be unproductive. Allwho are with me send greetings to you.Greet those who love us in the faith. Gracebe with all of you. Amen.

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ECUMENICAL PATRIARCHATEARCHDIOCESE OFTHYATEIRA & GREAT BRITAIN

BBUULLLLEETTIINN OOFF SSPPIIRRIITTUUAALL EEDDIIFFIICCAATTIIOONNSUNDAY OF THE HOLY FATHERS OFTHE 7th ECUMENICAL COUNCIL

13th October 2013Grave Mode. No. 1305

13 2013. . . 1305

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(. 5-15) . , ,

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GGOOSSPPEELL RREEAADDIINNGG(Luke 8:5-15)he Lord told this parable: A sowerwent out to sow his seed; and as hesowed, some fell on the path and wastrampled on, and the birds of the air ateit up. Some fell on the rock; and as it

grew up, it withered for lack ofmoisture. Some fell among thorns, andthe thorns grew with it and choked it.Some fell into good soil, and when itgrew, it produced a hundredfold. Thenhis disciples asked him what thisparable meant. He said, To you it hasbeen given to know the mysteries ofthe kingdom of God; but to others Ispeak in parables, so that seeing theymay not see, and hearing they may notunderstand. Now the parable is this:The seed is the word of God. The oneson the path are those who have heard;then the devil comes and takes awaythe word from their hearts, so that theymay not believe and be saved. The oneson the rock are those who, when theyhear the word, receive it with joy. Butthese have no root; they believe onlyfor a while and in a time of temptationthey fall away. As for what fell amongthe thorns, these are the ones who haveheard; but as they go on their way, theyare choked by the cares and riches andpleasures of life, and their fruit doesnot mature. But as for that in the goodsoil, these are the ones who, when theyhear the word with an honest and goodheart, hold it fast, and bear fruit withpatient endurance. As he said this, hecalled out, Let anyone with ears tohear, hear!

KKOONNTTAAKKIIOONN OOFF TTHHEE FFAATTHHEERRSS OOFF TTHHEE 77TTHHEECCUUMMEENNIICCAALL CCOOUUNNCCIILL

he Son Who shone from the Father was ineffably born in two natures of a woman.We do not deny the image of His form, but depict it piously and revere it. For thiscause the Church, holding the true Faith, kisses the icon of Christs Incarnation.

Let it be assured that to do no wrong is superhuman and belongs to God aloneSt Gregory the Theologian

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, , , , . . , . . , , . , :, , , . . , , , . . . . , , , , . . . . , , , . , . .I heard many discourses which were good for the soul, but I could not discover in the case of any

one of the teachers that his life was worthy of his words. (St Basil the Great)


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SSEERRMMOONN OONN TTHHEE GGOOSSPPEELL RREEAADDIINNGG

ur Lord Jesus Christ, Who is Himself The Way, went throughout the land preachingand teaching Gods People about the Kingdom of Heaven. And as was the casewith John the Baptist, the people heard him gladly. They followed Him, even intodesert places, to listen to His teaching. They sensed that He spoke with authority,unlike the scribes and Pharisees. The wonders that He performed: healing the sick,giving sight to the blind, cleansing lepers of their malady, all testified to His divineauthority, and "no man spoke as this Man.As Our Lord makes His way, He teaches the crowds. All hear, but each hearsdifferently, just as the heart and mind of each person is unique. Attending the DivineLiturgy, or any other service at which the Gospel is read, we hear the words of Our Lord.Our God is speaking to us. The transcendent and unattainable God, immortal andinfinite, become man in our time, speaks to us directly now and in the place where weare. Christ Himself says that His words are spirit and Life for us, and St Peter affirmsthis also (John 6:64,68).We are told explicitly to pay attention, at several points in the Divine Service:"Let us Attend!"This is proclaimed immediately before the reading of the Gospel. Under normalconditions, physically we do hear the Gospel, the words Our Lord speaks, His teachingand example which His Church gives us at this moment. However, what impressionhave His words made on my mind? What thoughts arise from this impression? Andwhat is their effect on my heart, and on my will?We are now the people walking with Jesus as He preaches and teaches, and Hiswords fall on us now, as then: - on the path, on rocky ground, among thorns and weeds,and some on good, fertile soil, in which the words will, like seed that is sown, sprout,take root, and grow to bear fruit.Our Lord, explains this story to the disciples, and says, "He who has ears tohear, let him hear. "This is the lesson we must learn today. If we would be part of the Kingdom ofHeaven, we must be "doers of the Word, not hearers only." This will not happen if weallow our passions, love of this world, or public opinion to stand between us and ourreaction to the Word of God. If, after receiving the Word initially with joy, our pride,resentments, and selfishness have turned our heart into stony ground on which theseed of the Word of God cannot take root or grow, then in this parable we see what weare. By the fruit that the Gospel bears in our lives, by the change it works in us to makeus like Christ, we know whether our heart the core of our being, the real me is apublic path, stony ground, or overgrown with unproductive weeds, or good, fertile, soil.If we are choked by thorns and weeds, let us ask Gods Grace, to root them out. If wefind our hearts are stone, let us beg God to give us a heart of flesh. Let us do thisgenerously; for to break up stone, grind it to dust and make fertile soil, is slow work andpainful for us. In our patient endurance, may we bear fruit a hundredfold. Amen.

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Having fulfilled a commandment, expect temptations; because love toward Christ is

tested by difficulties. (St Mark the Ascetic)Archdiocese of Thyateira & Great Britain, 5 Craven Hill, London W2 3EN

Tel.: 020 7723 4787. Fax: 020 7224 9301. E-mail: [email protected] . Website: www.thyateira.org.uk

Printed by St Pauls Press

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Sunday Sermon and Readings for Sunday 13/10/2013. Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Thyateira and Great Britain