Saint Gregory the Theologian – January 25
This great Father and Teacher of the Church was born in 329 in Arianzus, a village of the second district of Cappadocia, not far from Nazianzus. His father, who later became Bishop of Nazianzus, was named Gregory (commemorated Jan. 1), and his mother was named Nonna (Aug. 5); both are among the Saints, and so are his brother Caesarius (Mar. 9) and his sister Gorgona (Feb. 23). At first he studied in Caesarea of Palestine, then in Alexandria, and finally in Athens. As he was sailing from Alexandria to Athens, a violent sea storm put in peril not only his life but also his salvation, since he had not yet been baptized. With tears and fervour he besought God to spare him, vowing to dedicate his whole self to Him, and the tempest gave way to calm. At Athens Saint Gregory was later joined by Saint Basil the Great, whom he already knew; but now their acquaintanceship grew into a lifelong brotherly love. Another fellow student of theirs in Athens was the young Prince Julian, who later as Emperor was called the Apostate because he denied Christ and did all in his power to restore paganism. Even in Athens, before Julian had thrown off the mask of piety; Saint Gregory saw what an unsettled mind he had, and said, "What an evil the Roman State is nourishing"
Epistle Reading for the Day
The reading is from St. Paul's First Letter to Timothy 1:15-17
Timothy, my son, the saying is sure and worthy of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. And I am the foremost of sinners; but I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience for an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. To the King of ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory to the ages of ages. Amen.
Gospel Reading for the Day
The Gospel According to Luke 18:35-43
At that time, as Jesus drew near to Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging; and hearing a multitude going by, he inquired what this meant. They told him, "Jesus of Nazareth is passing by." And he cried, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" And those who were in front rebuked him, telling him to be silent; but he cried out all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!" And Jesus stopped, and commanded him to be brought to him; and when he came near, he asked him, "What do you want me to do for you?" He said, "Lord, let me receive my sight." And Jesus said to him, "Receive your sight; your faith has made you well." And immediately he received his sight and followed him, glorifying God; and all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God.
Απόστολος της Ημέρας
Πρὸς Τιμόθεον α' 1:15-17 τὸ ἀνάγνωσμα
Τέκνον Τιμόθεε, πιστὸς ὁ λόγος καὶ πάσης ἀποδοχῆς ἄξιος, ὅτι Χριστὸς Ἰησοῦς ἦλθεν εἰς τὸν κόσμον ἁμαρτωλοὺς σῶσαι, ὧν πρῶτός εἰμι ἐγώ· ἀλλὰ διὰ τοῦτο ἠλεήθην, ἵνα ἐν ἐμοὶ πρώτῳ ἐνδείξηται Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς τὴν πᾶσαν μακροθυμίαν, πρὸς ὑποτύπωσιν τῶν μελλόντων πιστεύειν ἐπʼ αὐτῷ εἰς ζωὴν αἰώνιον. Τῷ δὲ βασιλεῖ τῶν αἰώνων, ἀφθάρτῳ, ἀοράτῳ, μόνῳ σοφῶ θεῷ, τιμὴ καὶ δόξα εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.
Ευαγγέλιον της Ήμέρας
Ἐκ τοῦ Κατὰ Λουκᾶν 18:35-43 Εὐαγγελίου τὸ Ἀνάγνωσμα
Τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ, ᾿Εγένετο δὲ ἐν τῷ ἐγγίζειν αὐτὸν εἰς ῾Ιεριχὼ τυφλός τις ἐκάθητο παρὰ τὴν ὁδὸν προσαιτῶν· ἀκούσας δὲ ὄχλου διαπορευομένου ἐπυνθάνετο τί εἴη ταῦτα. ἀπήγγειλαν δὲ αὐτῷ ὅτι ᾿Ιησοῦς ὁ Ναζωραῖος παρέρχεται. καὶ ἐβόησε λέγων· ᾿Ιησοῦ υἱὲ Δαυΐδ, ἐλέησόν με· καὶ οἱ προάγοντες ἐπετίμων αὐτῷ ἵνα σιωπήσῃ· αὐτὸς δὲ πολλῷ μᾶλλον ἔκραζεν· υἱὲ Δαυΐδ, ἐλέησόν με. σταθεὶς δὲ ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς ἐκέλευσεν αὐτὸν ἀχθῆναι πρὸς αὐτόν. ἐγγίσαντος δὲ αὐτοῦ ἐπηρώτησεν αὐτὸν λέγων· τί σοι θέλεις ποιήσω; ὁ δὲ εἶπε· Κύριε, ἵνα ἀναβλέψω. καὶ ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς εἶπεν αὐτῷ· ἀνάβλεψον· ἡ πίστις σου σέσωκέ σε. καὶ παραχρῆμα ἀνέβλεψε, καὶ ἠκολούθει αὐτῷ δοξάζων τὸν Θεόν· καὶ πᾶς ὁ λαὸς ἰδὼν ἔδωκεν αἶνον τῷ Θεῷ.
Ο ΑΓΙΟΣ ΓΡΗΓΟΡΙΟΣ Ο ΘΕΟΛΟΓΟΣ - (25 Ιανουαρίου )
Ένας εκ των τριών μεγάλων Ιεραρχών της Ορθόδοξης Εκκλησίας.
Γεννήθηκε το329 μ.Χ.στην Αριανζό της Καππαδοκίας.Πολυσπουδασμένος σπούδασε στην Καισάρεια στην Παλαιστίνη, στην Αλεξάνδρεια και στην Αθήνα.
Το 379 μ.Χ. πηγαίνει στην Κωνσταντινούπολη, αφού πρίν είχε χειροτονηθεί πρεσβύτερος στη Ναζιανζό, καθώς και επίσκοπος Σασόμων, με σκοπό να συμβάλλει στον αγώνα της Εκκλησίας ενάντια στην αίρεση των «αριανών».
Εκλέγεται Αρχιεπίσκοπος Κωνσταντινουπόλεως ενώ παροιμιώδεις έχουν μείνει, οι λόγοι του περί θεότητας του Λόγου, εξαιτίας των οποίων του προσδώθηκε και το προσωνύμιο Θεολόγος. Επειδή μάλιστα σε κάθε έργο του κάνει αναφορά στην Αγία Τριάδα, αποκαλείται και «Θεολόγος Τριαδικός». Ήταν στενός φίλος του Μεγάλου Βασιλείου και έχει αφήσει πίσω του πολλούς Λόγους, Επιστολές και Έπη. Οι αγώνες του αγίου Γρηγορίου του Θεολόγου υπέρ της Ορθοδόξου πίστεως, τον ανέδειξαν Αρχιεπίσκοπο Κωνσταντινουπόλεως. Οταν όμως αμφισβητήθηκε η εκλογή του, ο Άγιος προτίμησε να πραιτηθεί, παρά να τραυματίσει την ενότητα της Εκκλησίας. Πόσο άραγε διδασκόμεθα εμείς οι σημερινοί χριστιανοί από τη στάση αυτή του Αγίου; Είναι δε ο άγιος Γρηγόριος ο Θεολόγος ο επιφανέστερος, ο «άριστος» Θεολόγος της Εκκλησίας, μετά τον Ευαγγελιστή Ιωάννη. Το θεολογικό του βάθος και η έντονη ποιητικότητα στο έργο του, τον ήψωσαν σε πρότυπο μοναδικού κάλλους και λάμψεως. Είναι ο πρώτος μεταξύ των θεολόγων πρίν το 372, που θεμελίωσε την αλήθεια ότι το Άγιο Πνεύμα είναι Θεός, όπως ακριβώς ο Πατήρ και ο Υιός, κι αποβαίνει έτσι ο κορυφαίος Πνευματολόγος της Εκκλησίας.
St. Ephraim the Syrian: When you begin to read or listen to the Holy Scriptures . . .
“When you begin to read or listen to the Holy Scriptures, pray to God thus: “Lord Jesus Christ, open the ears and eyes of my heart so that I may hear Thy words and understand them, and may fulfill Thy will.” Always pray to God like this, that He might illumine your mind and open to you the power of His words. Many, having trusted in their own reason, have turned away into deception.”
+St. Ephraim the Syrian (commemorated on January 28)
Apolytikion of Ephraim the Syrian in the Plagal of the Fourth Tone
With the rivers of your tears, you have made the barren desert fertile. Through sighs of sorrow from deep within you, your labors have borne fruit a hundred-fold. By your miracles you have become a light, shining upon the world. O Ephraim, our Holy Father, pray to Christ our God, to save our souls.
Kontakion of Ephraim the Syrian in the Second Tone
At all times didst thou foresee the hour of reckoning, and pricked in thy heart, thou ever didst lament with tears; and, O righteous Ephraim, thou wast a mighty teacher in works and deeds. Hence, O Father for all the world, thou didst rouse the slothful unto change of heart.
The bread in your cupboard belongs to the hungry man; the coat hanging unused in your closet belongs to the man who needs it; the shoes rotting in your closet belong to the man who has no shoes; the money which you put in the bank belongs to the poor. You do wrong to everyone you could help, but fail to help. +Saint Basil the Great
COMMUNITY PRAYER LIST - PRAYERS FOR: Julia, Helen, Peter, Sophia, Alexandra, Marina, Christos, Reem, Athanasia, Terry, Becky, Salem, Mantia, Georgia, Vicki, Maria, Vasilios, Nektaria, John, Violet, Cynthis, Fr. Jon-Stephen Hedges, Evangelos, William, Momcilo, Jill, Panagiotis, Vasiliki, Elizabeth, Panagiota, Betty, Dimitri, Alexander, Vasiliki, Eleni, Panagiotis, George, Thomas, Nicholas, Sophia, Susan, Mary Lou, Mehmet.
O Lord our God, Who by word alone did heal all diseases, Who cured the mother in law of Peter, You Who chastise with pity and heal according to Your goodness; grant aid to these Your servants (Names) and heal them of every sickness of which they are grieved; lift them up from their pain, and send down upon them Your great mercy. For to you we send up Glory: to Father, and to Son, and to Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.
Prayers for the living will be retained on the list for 40 days. Contact Church Office to add names at office@assumptionchicago.org or call Panagia office at 773.626.3114
