St. Gregory of Nyssa Orthodox Church
1100 Hicksville Rd. • Seaford, NY, 11783
Rev. Fr. Andrew Gromm
(516) 541-3628 / onearthasinheaven@yahoo.com
Website: www.sgnseaford.org/
Sunday Mornings: Hours- 9:15, Liturgy- 9:30, Church School- 10:40
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January 10, 2016 / Sunday After Holy Theophany
Epistle: Ephesians 4:7-13; Gospel: Matthew 4:12-17; Tone 7
Commemorations: St. Gregory of Nyssa (+395); St. Marcian the Presbyter (+471); St. Dometian
of Melitene (+601); St. Paul of Vologda (+1429); St. Theophan the Recluse (+1894).
Wednesday, January 13th
9:00 AM- Divine Liturgy
Saturday, January 16th
5:30 PM- Vespers
Christos Kreščajetsja! Vo Jordani!
Christ is Baptized! In the Jordan!
Happy Name’s Day, St. Gregory of Nyssa Orthodox Church!
Panachida: Today’s panachida is in memory of Deacon Richard, requested by Diana Howrilka.
Offerings: Thank you for your offerings for the Nativity season. The wreath on St. Gregory of Nyssa’s icon
was donated by Diana & Lydia Howrilka in loving memory of Deacon Richard. The 3 wreaths on our doors
were given by the Dreyer family in loving memory of Stanley and Zinaida Doskotz. Nativity flowers were
donated by the Popadin-Lesniak family in loving memory of Susan Popadin, by the Staicu family in loving
memory of Nikolai & Manina & George’s health, by Christian Loucas in loving memory of Rhoda, by the
Korchak family in loving memory of William, Michael & Mary Korchak, Albert, Michael & Bertha Stegun, and
by the Riedman family.
Blessings: Fr. Andrew is ready for house blessings & visiting. Please contact him or sign up.
Shirts: Our diocesan parish in Potomac, MD has a fundraiser selling t-shirts with Truth printed on them.
There are lots of sizes, colors, etc. The flyer is in the kitchen’s bulletin board.
Parish Finances: Last week’s contributions were $1046 and expenses were $148.
Prayers: Health for Anthony, Kathleen, Martha, Anthony, Eugenia, Gregory, Elizabeth, Mary, Annette,
Anna, Lydia, Anne, Frank, Paul, Liz & George. /// Jobs for Nicholas, Valerie and Peter.
Rubrics for the Sunday After Theophany
1.
ANTIPHON ONE:
When Israel went out of Egypt, * the house of Jacob from a people of strange language.
Through the prayers of the Birthgiver of God, O Savior, save us.
v. Judah was his sanctuary, * and Israel his dominion.
Through the prayers of the Birthgiver of God, O Savior, save us.
v. The sea saw it and fled; * Jordan was driven back.
Through the prayers of the Birthgiver of God, O Savior, save us.
v.
v.
What ailed you, O sea, that you should flee? * O Jordan that you were driven back?
Through the prayers of the Birthgiver of God, O Savior, save us.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, * now and ever & forever. Amen.
Through the prayers of the Birthgiver of God, O Savior, save us.
2. ANTIPHON TWO:
v. I am well pleased, * for the Lord will hear the voice of my prayer.
O Son of God, baptized by John in the Jordan, * save us who sing to You. Alleluia!
v. He has inclined His ear to me; * therefore I will call upon Him as long as I live.
O Son of God, baptized by John in the Jordan, * save us who sing to You. Alleluia!
v. The sorrows of death encompassed me, and the pains of hell took hold of me; * I found trouble and
sorrow, and I called upon the name of the Lord.
O Son of God, baptized by John in the Jordan, * save us who sing to You. Alleluia!
v. Gracious is the Lord and righteous; * yes, our God is merciful.
O Son of God, baptized by John in the Jordan, * save us who sing to You. Alleluia!
***Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, * now and ever & forever. Amen. O Onlybegotten Son and Word of God.....
3. ANTIPHON THREE:
v. O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, * for His mercy endures forever.
v. Let the house of Israel now confess that He is good, * for His mercy endures forever.
v. Let the house of Aaron now confess that He is good, * for His mercy endures forever.
v. Let them that fear the Lord confess that He is good, * for His mercy endures forever.
4. RESURRECTION TROPAR: (Tone 6)
Angelic powers were before Your grave, * and the guards became like dead men; * Mary stood at the
grave, * seeking Your most pure Body. * You captured death, but were not tempted by it. * O Giver of life,
You met the Virgin. * O Lord, You arose from the dead. Glory to You!
5. TROPARION OF THEOPHANY: (Tone 1)
At Your Baptism in the Jordan, O Lord, * worship of the Trinity was revealed, * for the Father’s voice bore
witness to You, * calling You His “beloved Son”, * and the Spirit in the form of a dove confirmed the truth of
these words. * O Christ God, who appeared and enlightened the world, glory to You!
6. KONDAK OF ST. GREGORY OF NYSSA: (Tone 1)
Glory to the Father & to the Son & to the Holy Spirit.
You were an alert and ever-watchful hierarch, O holy father, Gregory, * proving the truth of your name by
your vigilance of spirit. * And with the staff of your divinely inspired wisdom, * you preserved your flock intact
against the assaults of the wolves of error.
7. KONDAKION OF THEOPHANY: (Tone 4)
Now & ever & forever. Amen.
You have appeared today to the inhabited earth, * and Your light, O Lord has been marked upon us *
who with knowledge sing Your praise. * You have come, You are made manifest, * the Light that no man
can approach.
8. PROKIMENON: (Tone 1)
May Your mercy be upon us, O Lord, as we have put our hope in You. (Psalm 33:22)
v. Rejoice, you righteous in the Lord; praise from the upright is fitting. (Repeat above)
9. THE EPISTLE LESSON:
(Ephesians 4:7-13)
The Reading is from the Epistle of the Holy Apostle Paul to the Ephesians.
Brethren: Each of us has received God’s favor in the measure in which Christ bestows it. Thus you find
Scripture saying, “When he ascended on high, he took a host of captives & gave gifts to men.” “He
ascended”, what does this mean but that he had first descended to the lower regions of the earth? He who
descended is the very one who ascended high above the heavens, that he might fill all men with his gifts. It
is he who gave apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers in roles of service for the faithful to
build up the body of Christ, till we become one in faith & in the knowledge of God’s Son & form that perfect
man who is Christ come to full stature.
St. Gregory of Nyssa Orthodox Church, 1/10/16
10. ALLELUIA:
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! (Repeat after each verse.)
v. I will sing forever of Your love, O Lord, through all ages my mouth will proclaim Your truth.
v. Of this I am sure, that Your love lasts forever, that Your truth is as firmly established as the heavens.
11. THE GOSPEL LESSON:
(Matthew 4:12-17)
Let Us All Be Attentive: At that time, when Jesus heard that John had been delivered up, he withdrew into
Galilee. And leaving the town of Nazareth, he came & lived in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the
territory of Zabulon and Nephtalim, that there might be fulfilled what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet:
“Land of Zabulon and land of Nephtalim, by the way to the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles:
the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light. And upon those who sat in the region and shadow
of death, a light has arisen.” From that time, Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent, for the Kingdom of
Heaven is at hand.”
12. COMMUNION HYMNS:
1. The grace of God our Savior has appeared to all men. Alleluia! (Titus 2:11)
2. Praise the Lord from the heavens; praise Him in the highest. Alleluia!
St. Gregory of Nyssa
written by Fr. Edward Pehanich
Remember your leaders, those who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their lives
and imitate their faith. (Hebrews 13:7)
When the bishops of our Diocese were consecrated to the episcopacy, they received the honorary title of
an ancient Christian city. When Metropolitan Orestes was consecrated in 1938, he received the honorary
title of "Bishop of Agathonikeia". Bishop John received the title "Bishop of Nyssa"; Metropolitan Nicholas –
"Bishop of Amissos". When His Grace, Bishop Gregory was recently consecrated as our new bishop, he
received the same honorary title as Bishop John: Bishop of Nyssa. His new title: Bishop Gregory of Nyssa
brought much attention around the Orthodox world since one of the greatest of the early Church Fathers
was St. Gregory of Nyssa. (although Bishop Gregory's patron saint is another Gregory: St. Gregory
Palamas, archbishop of Thessalonica)
St. Gregory of Nyssa was born in the 4th century, about 335 in the region of Cappadocia (modern day
Turkey). He is numbered among the "Cappadocian Fathers", that is holy bishops, theologians and spiritual
writers of the early centuries of Christianity who originated from this region including his brother, St. Basil
the Great and St. Gregory Nazianzus. St. Gregory was born into a very pious Christian family, his mother
Emmelia was the daughter of a Christian martyr. His family was one of the most illustrious Christian families
in history: his grandmother Macrina, his parents Basil and Emmelia, and his siblings: Basil the Great, Peter
of Sebaste and Macrina, have all been recognized as saints of the Church.
In his early life, Gregory was a highly unlikely prospect of one day becoming a leading figure in the
Church and a famous saint. Gregory had no interest in devoting his life to the service of the Lord as did his
brothers & sister, but instead chose to follow his father's career as a teacher. However his life underwent a
complete change. When he was 20 years old, some of the relics of the Forty Martyrs of Sebaste were
brought to a chapel on the family estate. During an all-night vigil service at the chapel in honor of the
Martyrs, something dramatic occurred. Gregory, called to participate by his family, half-heartedly & with
indifference attended the divine service. Wearied by the long prayers, Gregory left the chapel during one of
the sermons and fell asleep. During his sleep he had a vivid dream of trying to enter the church but the
Forty Martyrs would not permit him. It was only with the help of one of them that he managed to escape
punishment. This frightening dream left a lasting impression on Gregory. He soon left his worldly studies
and devoted himself to the study of the Scriptures and the spiritual life.
St. Gregory's change of heart did not last long, and he soon abandoned his life of dedication to the Lord
and resumed his secular career as a teacher. However, under the influence of his devout family and friends,
he returned to the Church and entered a monastery founded by his brother, St. Basil the Great. His brother
Basil had an enormous influence on Gregory. In one surviving letter from Gregory to his younger brother,
Peter, he refers to their elder brother Basil as "our father and master".
In 372, St. Basil consecrated his brother as bishop of the small city of Nyssa. Unfortunately, Gregory had
little peace in his episcopal ministry for heretical clergy rose up to oppose his work. Charges were made
that Gregory was not validly ordained & that he had embezzled church funds. He was arrested, taken away
by imperial soldiers & deposed as bishop. Gregory managed to escape but was forced to wander homeless
from town to town. After the death of Emperor Valens in 378, who was a follower of the heretic-priest Arius,
Gregory was allowed to return home and was restored to his episcopal office. Gregory's joy shortly turned to
sorrow with the death of his beloved brother and mentor Basil, and then the death of his sister, Macrina.
With the death of St. Basil, St. Gregory stepped in to take the place of his brother as the foremost
defender of the Orthodox Faith from the various rampant heresies. St. Gregory became known throughout
the empire for the spiritual depth of his sermons and writings. He is considered one of the most deep and
profound writers of the Christian Faith, and stressed the importance of moderation in life. Furthermore, he
played an important role at the Second Ecumenical Council which was convened at Constantinople in 381
A.D. which defined the teaching on the Holy Spirit. At the Seventh Ecumenical Council in 787 A.D. he was
honored with the title "Father of Fathers". Many of St. Gregory's writings, letters and sermons survive and
have been translated into English. Among the most popular are his "Life of Moses" an allegorical meditation
on the life of Moses, and "On the Soul and Resurrection" a reflection on life after death which takes the form
of a dialogue between himself and his beloved sister St. Macrina.
Little is known of the final years of St. Gregory's life. The last record of him is his presence at a Synod in
Constantinople in 394. He died, probably in 395 and is commemorated each year on January 10 (Gregorian
Calendar) or January 23 (Julian Calendar).
LESSON FOR PARENTS:
St. Gregory undoubtedly became great in the eyes of the Lord through the influence of his grandmother,
parents, brothers and sister. Even when he strayed away from the Lord & his faith, it was the influence and
prayers of his devout family that led him back. Years ago a young couple asked me to baptize their new
daughter. As we talked I asked them "What do you really desire for your daughter?" They answered
unhesitatingly "We want her to be successful!" As I observed them over the years as their daughter
matured, it was clear that her worldly success was their primary focus. The little girl was enrolled in dance
classes, then later piano lessons, and a soccer league. They brought her to church and Sunday School,
infrequently, as long as it did not conflict with her other activities, especially soccer games.
For Orthodox Christian parents, the most important desire for our children is that they gain salvation and
eternity in the Kingdom of Heaven. Nothing else matters compared to this! This is the only way that we will
be together with them for eternity. Only their strong, active faith will help them face the challenges of life.
When they face tragedies, difficulties, and stresses being able to play the piano well or excel at kicking at
soccer ball will be of little help!
The Holy Bible commands parents: You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your
soul, and with all your might. And these words which I command you this day shall be upon your heart; and
you shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when
you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. (Deuteronomy 6:5-7) Fathers, do not
provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training & admonition of the Lord. (Ephesians 6:4)
Whatever happened to that baby girl I baptized many years ago? She grew into a beautiful and talented
young lady, an excellent student. But she drifted away from the church once she reached high school, much
as I expected. As far as I know, she has never been back.
To Ponder, taken from the Prologue of Ochrid for January 10th
Let me ponder on the lowliness of the Lord Jesus:
1. The lowliness of the King born in a cave.
2. The lowliness of the Most Rich, in hunger and thirst.
3. The lowliness of the All-Powerful, entering into relationship with the lowly on earth.
St. Gregory of Nyssa Orthodox Church
1100 Hicksville Rd. • Seaford, NY, 11783
Rev. Fr. Andrew Gromm
(516) 541-3628 / onearthasinheaven@yahoo.com
Website: www.sgnseaford.org/
Weekly Bible Message
January 10, 2016
The Prophet Isaiah predicted that the Light of God will come to the
darkness of Galilee. A Child will be born and His name will be Almighty
God, Prince of Peace. Jesus Christ fulfilled this prophecy, as St. Matthew
says in his gospel. The Lord Jesus lived in Galilee and began preaching.
And His first sermon was about repentance from sin, turning ourselves to
the Light with confession. He came as God, healing and saving people.
Darkness has always been scary and dangerous. But St. Matthew and the
Prophet Isaiah describe darkness as a feeling of sadness, loneliness and
misery. This feeling begins with sin and ignoring God. And then it grows
into the realization that life has no meaning. If someone does not repent &
love God, then he will continue living and thinking that there is no hope
after death. This leads to other sins and more sadness and sometimes
serious problems in the soul and in the country occur because of them.
The Light has always been viewed in our culture as a cheery day or a
sunny moment. But the Bible describes the Light as spiritual fulfillment.
When you love God, you love to pray and you soon learn many lessons to
improve your life, your family’s life and the lives of other people. You are
not sad or lonely but happy because you know the Savior of your soul,
Jesus Christ, and you give to others.
Many people don’t know God. They don’t know how a life of prayer opens
the heart to the gifts of the Holy Spirit. They have no idea that Christ the
Light is an eternal family of belonging, that is, the Holy Church. God is with
us in the Church and He teaches us what love is and how to love through
repenting our sins and understanding our weaknesses and the weaknesses
of people who are suffering. As God brings light to us, He teaches us how
to bring light to others. And all this starts with repentance and prayer.
The following is an excerpt from St. Gregory of Nyssa's sermon 1 on the Lord's Prayer:
The Divine Word teaches us the science of prayer. And to the disciples worthy of it, who eagerly
asked to learn to pray in such a way as to win the favor of the Divine hearing, this science is proposed
in the words that prayer should take. Now, I make bold to add a little to what Scripture says; for the
present congregation needs instruction not so much on how to pray, as on the necessity of praying at
all, a necessity that perhaps has not yet been grasped by most people. In fact, the majority of men
grievously neglect in their life this sacred and divine work which is prayer. In this matter, therefore, I
think it right first of all to insist as much as possible that one must persevere in prayer, as the Apostle
says; secondly, that we must listen attentively to the Divine Voice which proposes to us the manner in
which we should offer prayer to the Lord. For I see that in this present life men give their attention to
everything else, one concentrating on this matter, another on that; but no one devotes his zeal to the
good work of prayer.
Quotes from St. Gregory of Nyssa:
“Concepts create idols; only wonder comprehends anything. People kill one another over idols.
Wonder makes us fall to our knees.”
“All that the Father is, we see revealed in
the Son; all that is the Son’s is the Father's
also; for the whole Son dwells in the Father,
and he has the whole Father dwelling in
himself… The Son who exists always in the
Father can never be separated from him, nor
can the Spirit ever be divided from the Son
who through the Spirit works all things. He
who receives the Father also receives at the
same time the Son and the Spirit. It is
impossible to envisage any kind of severance
or disjunction between them: One cannot think
of the Son apart from the Father, nor divide
the Spirit from the Son. There is between the
three a sharing and a differentiation that are
beyond words and understanding.”
“When God became known to us in the flesh, He neither received the passions of human nature,
nor did the Virgin Mary suffer pain, nor was the Holy Spirit diminished in any way, nor was the power
of the Most High set aside in any manner, and all this was because all was accomplished by the Holy
Spirit. thus the power of the Most High was not abased, and the child was born with no damage
whatsoever to the mother’s virginity.”
“When God revealed himself, he united himself with our mortal nature in order to deify humanity
through this close relation with deity. Since this is so, through his flesh, constituted by bread and wine,
he implants himself in all believers.”
“Just as at sea those who are carried away from the direction of the harbor bring themselves back
on course by a clear sign, on seeing a tall beacon light or some mountain peak coming into view, so
Scripture may guide those adrift on the sea of the life back into the harbor of the divine will.”
“The three most ancient opinions concerning God are Anarchia, Polyarchia, and Monarchia. The
first two are the sport of the children of Greece & may they continue to be so. For Anarchy is a thing
without order; and the Rule of Many is factious & thus anarchical, and thus disorderly. For both these
tend to the same thing, namely disorder; and this to dissolution, for disorder is the first step to
dissolution. But Monarchy is what we hold in honor.”
“For truly barren is profane education, which is always in labor but never gives birth. For what fruit
worthy of such pangs does philosophy show for being so long in labor? Do not all who are full of wind
and never come to term miscarry before they come to the light of the knowledge of God, although
they could as well become men if they were not altogether hidden in the womb of barren wisdom?”
“Social animal always comes across several complications.”
“I got me slave-girls and slaves.' For what price, tell me? What did you find in existence worth as
much as this human nature? What price did you put on rationality? How many obols did you reckon
the equivalent of the likeness of God? How many staters did you get for selling that being shaped by
God? God said, Let us make man in our own image and likeness. For his gracious gifts, it says, are
irrevocable. God would not reduce the human race to slavery, since he himself, when we had been
enslaved to sin, spontaneously recalled us to freedom. But if God does not enslave what is free, who
is he that sets his own power above God's?”