Words from the Saints -- January 9, 2025

"There are many differing methods of prayer. No method is harmful; if it were, it would be not prayer but the activity of Satan." --St. Mark the Ascetic

"The person who truly wishes to be healed is he who does not refuse treatment. This treatment consists of the pain and distress brought on by various misfortunes. He who refuses them does not realize what they accomplish in this world or what he will gain from them when he departs this life." --St. Maximos the Confessor

"Without contrition of the heart it is altogether impossible to rid ourselves of evil. Now the heart is made contrite by threefold self-control: in sleep, in food and in bodily relaxation. For excess of these three things leads to self-indulgence; and this in turn makes us accept evil thoughts, and is opposed to prayer and to appropriate work." --St. Kosmas Aitolos

"True hope seeks the one Kingdom of God and is sure that everything necessary for this mortal life will surely be given. The heart cannot have peace until it acquires this hope. This hope pacifies it fully and brings joy to it. The most holy lips of the Savior spoke about this very hope: 'Come to Me, all you that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest'" (Matthew 11:28).” --St. Seraphim of Sarov

"No one in this world is happy unless he has opened wide the gates of his spiritual Jerusalem—his soul—and received God into himself. A godless man feels lonely to despair. The society of others does not make his loneliness go away, but only increases it. However he who has taken God into his soul will never feel lonely even in a desert. No one dies an eternal death other than one in whom God has died." --St. Nikolai Velimirovich

Typica on January 8, 2025

Christ is Baptized in the Jordan! Glorify Him!

On January 8, the Orthodox Church commemorates

The prescribed readings are

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Vespers on January 6, 2025

Christ is Baptized in the Jordan! Glorify Him!

On January 7, the Orthodox Church commemorates the Assembly for the Holy, Glorious Prophet, Forerunner, and Baptizer-of-Christ, John.

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Prayer List for the Week of January 5, 2025

For healing: Abbot Tryphon, Fr. Daniel, Fr. Dmitri, Fr. Emilian, Fr. Gregory, Fr. Joseph, Fr. Theodore, Fr. Deacon Jorge, Fr. Deacon Nicolae, Matushka Katherine, Matushka Myra, Monk Meletios, Subdeacon Nicholas, Justin, Steven, Marian, Patricia, Mark, Nikolai, Anastasia, Alice, Kathleen, Denise, Denise, Pamela, Marianne, Ryan, Joanne, Emily, Charles, Hank, Mary Jane, Mary Jo, Clara, Margaret, Susan, Randall, Danielle, Nicholas, Kathleen, Walter, Andrew, Natalie, Arthur, Diana, Nicole, Rene, Jennifer, Michael, Marc, Paul, Michael, Daniel, Gerald, Madeline, Marcella, Darina, Jay, George, Carol, Andrew, Jodi, Ilarion, Rita, Elena, William, Andrew, Nestor, Richard, Anna, Tikhon, Michelle, Daria, Mary, Mark, Alexis, Nathan, Ann, Herman, Lillian, Victoria, Michael, Marihiam, Alexandra, Kelly, Glen, Norma, Heather, Kathleen, Daria, Vera, Ella, Ava, Petros, Dionisia, Labrini

For God’s protection: all who are missing

For God’s protection: all captives; all persecuted Christians throughout the world

For God’s protection: all those in the military; all emergency medical workers, firefighters and police officers

For God’s mercy and peace: those who are in hospice care

For God’s mercy, direction and protection: those who are unemployed, poor, hungry and/or homeless

*** We pray for: those who love us; those who hate us; those who have no one to pray for them; those who have asked us to pray for them, even though we are unworthy. ***

Departed: Fr. Michael, Fr. Thomas, Viorica, Ioan, George, Patricia, Alexandra, Stephen, Rodica, Lubov, Lubov, Ivan, Ivan, Nikolai, Ilya, Katerina, Leonid, Nina, Raisa, Alla, Alexey, Valentina, Alexey, Andrej, Kyril, Elias, Stamatina, Joan

Readings for the Week of January 5, 2025

1/5: 2 Timothy 4:5-8; Mark 1:1-8

1/6: Titus 2:11-14; 3:4-7; Matthew 3:13-17

1/7: Acts 19:1-8; John 1:29-34

1/8: Hebrews 5:11-6:8; Luke 21:5-7, 10-11, 20-24

1/9: Hebrews 7:1-6; Luke 21:28-33

1/10: Hebrews 7:18-25; Luke 21:37-22:8

1/11: Ephesians 6:10-17; Matthew 4:1-11

Typica on January 4, 2025

Christ is Born! Glorify Him!

January 4 is the Third Pre-Festive Day of Theophany. On this day of the month the Orthodox Church commemorates the Synaxis of the Seventy Apostles.

The prescribed readings are 1 Timothy 3:14-4:5 and Matthew 3:1-11.

*** Our next live broadcast on Facebook will be on Monday, January 6, at 6:30pm (Eastern). ***

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Words from the Saints -- January 2, 2025

"No other book so glorifies God as does the Psalter (Book of Psalms). It profits the soul; it glorifies God together with the angels." --St. Basil the Great

"Without sorrows there is no salvation. On the other hand, the Kingdom of God awaits those who have patiently endured. And all the glory of the world is nothing in comparison." --St. Seraphim of Sarov

"Seek to learn on earth those truths which will remain ever valid in Heaven." --St. Jerome

"A true Christian is made by faith and love toward Christ." --St. Herman of Alaska

"Every single one of the saints acquired humility from the fulfillment of the Commandments. No one can explain how this comes about, how humility is generated in the soul. Unless a man learns this by experience, he cannot learn it by verbal teaching." --St. Dorotheos of Gaza

Typica on January 2, 2025

Christ is Born! Glorify Him!

January 2 is the First Pre-Festive Day of Theophany. On this day of the month the Orthodox Church commemorates Our Holy Father-Among-The-Saints, Sylvester, Pope of Rome; and Our Venerable Father Seraphim, Wonderworker of Sarov.

The prescribed readings are Titus 1:5-2:1 and Luke 20:9-18.

*** Our next live broadcast on Facebook will be on Saturday, January 4, at 8:00am (Eastern). ***

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Typica on December 31, 2024

Christ is Born! Glorify Him!

On December 31, the Orthodox Church observes the Leave-taking of the Nativity of the Lord.

The prescribed readings are 2 Timothy 3:16-4:4 and Luke 19:45-48.

*** Our next live broadcast on Facebook will be on Thursday, January 2, at 8:00am (Eastern). ***

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Typica on December 30, 2024

Christ is Born! Glorify Him!

On December 30, the Orthodox Church commemorates the Holy Martyrs Anysia and Melania.

The prescribed readings are 2 Timothy 2:20-26 and Luke 19:37-44.

*** Our next live broadcast on Facebook will be tomorrow, December 31, at 8:00am (Eastern). ***

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Prayer List for the Week of December 29, 2024

For healing: Abbot Tryphon, Fr. Daniel, Fr. Dmitri, Fr. Emilian, Fr. Gregory, Fr. Joseph, Fr. Theodore, Fr. Deacon Jorge, Fr. Deacon Nicolae, Matushka Katherine, Matushka Myra, Monk Meletios, Subdeacon Nicholas, Justin, Steven, Marian, Patricia, Mark, Nikolai, Anastasia, Alice, Kathleen, Denise, Denise, Pamela, Marianne, Ryan, Joanne, Emily, Charles, Hank, Mary Jane, Mary Jo, Clara, Margaret, Susan, Randall, Danielle, Nicholas, Kathleen, Walter, Andrew, Natalie, Arthur, Diana, Nicole, Rene, Jennifer, Michael, Marc, Paul, Michael, Daniel, Gerald, Madeline, Marcella, Darina, Jay, George, Carol, Andrew, Jodi, Ilarion, Rita, Elena, William, Andrew, Nestor, Richard, Anna, Tikhon, Michelle, Daria, Mary, Mark, Alexis, Nathan, Ann, Herman, Rodica, Lillian, Victoria, Michael, Marihiam, Alexandra, Kelly, Glen, Norma, Heather, Kathleen, Daria, Vera

For God’s protection: all who are missing

For God’s protection: all captives; all persecuted Christians throughout the world

For God’s protection: all those in the military; all emergency medical workers, firefighters and police officers

For God’s mercy and peace: those who are in hospice care

For God’s mercy, direction and protection: those who are unemployed, poor, hungry and/or homeless

*** We pray for: those who love us; those who hate us; those who have no one to pray for them; those who have asked us to pray for them, even though we are unworthy. ***

Departed: Fr. Michael, John, Carol, David, Martin, Viorica, Ioan, George, Patricia, Alexandra, Lubov, Lubov, Ivan, Ivan, Nikolai, Ilya, Katerina, Leonid, Nina, Raisa, Alla, Alexey, Valentina, Alexey, Andrej, Kyril

Readings for the Week of December 29, 2024

12/29: Galatians 1:11-19; Matthew 2:13-23

12/30: 2 Timothy 2:20-26; Luke 19:37-44

12/31: 2 Timothy 3:16-4:4; Luke 19:45-48

1/1: Colossians 2:8-12; Luke 2:20-21, 40-52

1/2: Titus 1:5-2:1; Luke 20:9-18

1/3: Isaiah 35:1-10; Acts 13:25-32; Matthew 3:1-11; Isaiah 1:16-20; Acts 19:1-18; Mark 1:1-8; Isaiah 12:3-6; Romans 6:3-11; Mark 1:9-15; Isaiah 49:8-15; Titus 2:11-14, 3:4-7; Luke 3:1-18

1/4: 1 Timothy 3:14-4:5; Matthew 3:1-11

Typica on December 28, 2024

Christ is Born! Glorify Him!

On December 28, the Orthodox Church commemorates the 20,000 Holy Martyrs Burned at Nicomedia.

The prescribed readings are 1 Timothy 6:11-16 and Matthew 12:15-21.

.*** Our next live broadcast on Facebook will be on Monday, December 30, at 8:00am (Eastern). ***

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Vespers on December 27, 2024

Christ is Born! Glorify Him!

On December 28, the Orthodox Church commemorates the 20,000 Holy Martyrs Burned at Nicomedia.

..*** Our next live broadcast on Facebook will be tomorrow, December 28, at 8:00am (Eastern). ***

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Vespers on December 26, 2024

Christ is Born! Glorify Him!

On December 27, the Orthodox Church commemorates the Holy Apostle, First-Martyr and Archdeacon Stephen.

..*** Our next live broadcast on Facebook will be tomorrow, December 27, at 6:30pm (Eastern). ***

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Words from the Saints -- December 26, 2024

"How could the human race go to God if God had not come to us?" --St. Irenaeus of Lyons

"Pray in peace and serenity, sing intelligently and in a good state - and you will be like a young eagle soaring high in the sky." --St. Nilus of Sinai

"If a man tries to overcome temptations without prayer and patient endurance, he will become more entangled in them instead of driving them away." --St. Mark the Ascetic

"The Lord sees your need and your efforts, and will give you a helping hand. He will support and establish you as a soldier, fully armed and ready to go into battle. No support can be better than His. The greatest danger lies in the soul thinking that it can find this help within itself; then it will lose everything. Evil will dominate it again, eclipsing the light that as yet flickers but weakly in the soul, and it will extinguish the small flame which is still scarcely burning. The soul should realize how powerless it is alone; therefore, expecting nothing of itself, let it fall down in humility before God, and in its own heart recognize itself to be nothing. Then grace - which is all powerful - will, out of this nothing, create in it everything. He who in total humility puts himself in the hand of the merciful God, attracts the Lord to himself, and becomes strong in His strength." --St. Theophan the Recluse

"To receive gifts from the Holy Spirit, you must, first of all, cleanse your heart of sin, self-love, and pride. The Holy Spirit always surrounds us and wishes to fill us, but the evil nesting within us, like a wall, impedes His path." --St. Innocent of Alaska

"It is necessary that the Holy Spirit enter our heart. Everything good that we do, that we do for Christ, is given to us by the Holy Spirit, but prayer most of all, which is always available to us." --St. Seraphim of Sarov

Akathist to the Nativity of the Lord (12/25/24)

Christ is Born! Glorify Him!

..*** Our next live broadcast on Facebook will be tomorrow, December 26, at 6:30pm (Eastern). ***

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Typica on December 23, 2024

Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory Forever!

On December 23, the Orthodox Church commemorates the Holy Ten Martyrs of Crete.

The prescribed readings are 1 Timothy 5:1-10 and Mark 10:46-52.

*** Our next live broadcast on Facebook will be on Wednesday, December 25, at 7:30pm (Eastern). ***

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Prayer List for the Week of December 22, 2024

For healing: Abbot Tryphon, Fr. Daniel, Fr. Dmitri, Fr. Emilian, Fr. Gregory, Fr. Joseph, Fr. Theodore, Fr. Deacon Jorge, Fr. Deacon Nicolae, Matushka Katherine, Matushka Myra, Monk Meletios, Subdeacon Nicholas, Justin, Steven, Marian, Patricia, Mark, Nikolai, Anastasia, Alice, Kathleen, Denise, Denise, Pamela, Marianne, Ryan, Joanne, Emily, Charles, Hank, Mary Jane, Mary Jo, Clara, Margaret, Susan, Randall, Danielle, Nicholas, Kathleen, Walter, Andrew, Natalie, Arthur, Diana, Nicole, Rene, Jennifer, Michael, Marc, Paul, Michael, Daniel, Gerald, Madeline, Marcella, Darina, Jay, Carol, Andrew, Jodi, Ilarion, Rita, Elena, William, Andrew, Nestor, Richard, Anna, Tikhon, Michelle, Daria, Mary, Mark, Alexis, Nathan, Ann, Herman, Rodica, Lillian, Victoria, Michael, Marihiam, Alexandra, Kelly, Glen, Norma, Heather, Kathleen

For God’s protection: all who are missing

For God’s protection: all captives; all persecuted Christians throughout the world

For God’s protection: all those in the military; all emergency medical workers, firefighters and police officers

For God’s mercy and peace: those who are in hospice care

For God’s mercy, direction and protection: those who are unemployed, poor, hungry and/or homeless

*** We pray for: those who love us; those who hate us; those who have no one to pray for them; those who have asked us to pray for them, even though we are unworthy. ***

Departed: Fr. Michael, Roy, John, Carol, David, Martin, Viorica, Ioan, George, Stephen, Gloria, Mark, William, Dorothy

Readings for the Week of December 22, 2024

12/22: Hebrews 11:9-10, 17-23, 32-40; Matthew 1:1-25

12/23: 1 Timothy 5:1-10; Mark 10:46-52

12/24: Micah 5:2-4; Hebrews 1:1-12; Matthew 1:18-25; Baruch 3:36-4:4; Galatians 3:23-29; Luke 2:1-20; Isaiah 7:10-16; 8:1-4, 8-10; Hebrews 1:10-2:3; Matthew 2:1-12; Isaiah 9:6-7; Hebrews 2:11-18; Matthew 2:13-23

12/25: Galatians 4:4-7; Matthew 2:1-12

12/26: Hebrews 2:11-18; Matthew 2:13-23

12/27: Acts 6:8-15; 7:1-5, 47-60; Matthew 21:33-42

12/28: 1 Timothy 6:11-16; Matthew 12:15-21