ECUMENICAL PATRIARCHATE

ARCHDIOCESE OF
THYATEIRA & GREAT BRITAIN

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BULLETIN OF SPIRITUAL EDIFICATION

21 2013
. . . 1293

4th SUNDAY OF MATTHEW

21 July 2013
3rd Mode. No. 1293

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RESURRECTION APOLYTIKION
3rd Mode

Let everything in heaven rejoice, let

everything on earth be glad, for the Lord has
shown strength with his arm; by death he has
trampled on death; he has become the firstborn from the dead; from the belly of Hell he
has delivered us, and granted the world his
great mercy.

EPISTLE READING

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rethren, liberated from sin you

have
become
slaves
to
righteousness. I speak in human terms
because of the weakness of the flesh.
For just as you presented your limbs as
slaves to uncleanness and to iniquity
for iniquity, so now you present your
limbs as slaves to righteousness for
sanctification. For when you were
slaves of sin, you were free from
righteousness. But what profit did you
have then from the things of which you
are now ashamed. For their end is
death. But now, liberated from sin and
enslaved to God, the profit you have
leads to sanctification, while the end is
eternal life. For the wages of sin is
death, but the gift of God is eternal life
in Christ Jesus our Lord.

. 18-23

Rom. 6:18-23

GOSPEL READING

. 8:5-13

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Matthew 8:5-13

t that time, when Jesus entered

Capernaum, a centurion approached him, entreating him and
saying: Lord, my servant is lying at
home paralysed, dreadfully tormented.
And Jesus said to him: I will come and
heal him. But the centurion answered
and said: Lord, I am not worthy that
you should come under my roof. But
only say the word, and my servant will
be healed. For I too am a person subject
to authority, with soldiers under me,
and I say to this one: Go, and he goes;
and to another: Come, and he comes;
and to my slave: Do this, and he does it.
When Jesus heard this, he marvelled
and said to those following him: Amen I
say to you, I have not found such faith
in Israel. But I tell you, that many will
come from east and from west and will
recline with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob
in the kingdom of heaven, but the
children of the kingdom will be thrown
out into the outer darkness. There,
there will be weeping and grinding of
teeth. And Jesus said to the centurion:
Go, and as you have believed, so let it be
done for you. And his servant was
healed in the same hour.

THE CREED
believe in one God, Father, Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all things
visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God,
begotten from the Father before all ages. Light from Light, true God from true God,
begotten not made, consubstantial with the Father; through him all things were made;
for our sake and for our salvation came down from heaven, and was incarnate from the
Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary and became man; he was crucified also for us under
Pontius Pilate, and suffered and was buried; he rose again on the third day, in
accordance with the Scriptures, and ascended into heaven and is seated at the right
hand of the Father; he is coming again in glory to judge the living and the dead; and his
kingdom will have no end. And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Giver of life, who
proceeds from the Father, who together with the Father and the Son is worshipped and
together glorified; who spoke through the Prophets. In one, Holy, Catholic and
Apostolic Church; I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins. I await the
resurrection of the dead and the life of the age to come. Amen.


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KONTAKION
of Christians that cannot be put to shame, unfailing mediation with the
P rotection
Maker, do not despise the voices of us sinners as we pray; but, in your love, be

quick to help us who cry to you with faith: Hasten to intercede, make speed to entreat,
O Mother of God, for you ever protect those who honour you.

SERMON ON THE GOSPEL READING

he centurion had great expectations. With his servant lying ill at home in great
distress, he approaches Christ to heal him. The fact that our Lord offers to come to
the centurions house, contrary to His normal practice, puts the centurions excellent
faith on display for our benefit. From this faith, at which the Saviour marvelled, there is
much for us to learn.
Firstly, we need to understand that a personal faith in the Triune God is
necessary for every single one of us, whatever our station in life, and in the Church. It is
fundamental to our salvation. We are clearly taught that, ..without faith it is
impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He
is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. (Hebrews 11.6). It is of great
importance for all of us regularly to stand in the treasure house of the Church, to be in
the services, in other words, but we need to do so with a personal faith in God, and
discard any sense of being there just to go through the motions. Of course, we all have
to fight distraction, but that is another matter. What pleases God is for us to believe
from our hearts that He really is there, and that, whether participating in the beautiful
services, or going about our daily tasks, He truly does respond to our faith, as we set
ourselves continuously to seek Him. Clearly, the centurion was a real believer.
Secondly, this personal faith really expects God to do great things. The
centurion had a can do attitude, that is, God can do, and he was rewarded in the most
tangible way. His example can only encourage us to apply faith to our prayers, as we lift
before God our families, our brethren in Christ, and the confused world around us. And
let us not think that such vibrant and active belief is somehow arrogant and
presumptive. On the contrary, the centurion, at the same time as demonstrating faith
of high expectations, provides a wonderful model of humility: Lord, I am not worthy
that Thou shouldest enter under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant
shall be healed Real humility and real faith belong together. One of the pre-Holy
Communion prayers of St John Chrysostom starts with these first words, for how else
could we possibly come to receive the Holy Body and Blood of Christ God in faith,
unless at the same time deeply humbling ourselves before His glorious presence?
Thirdly, personal faith of high expectations needs nurturing. Faith is given to
us by God through our baptism as a gift, but we have to preserve it, and, indeed, foster
and further it within us, by making right, God-pleasing choices, on a daily basis. There
is no coercion with God. It is up to us. If a rough, tough Roman Army commander could
somehow do this in his working environment, undoubtedly filled with challenging
behaviour and language, so can we.
TV programme makers love to use titles like the X-Factor, and so on. In the
Church, in all our lives, what we need today more than ever, with the great challenges
which we face within and without, is the Faith-Factor! Reflection on the encounter
between the centurion and Christ can only spur us on in faith, and into faith. The fact
that he was an outsider, a Gentile, should also spur us on to look with eyes of faith on
all those who are as yet outside the Holy Orthodox Church.

He who does something good and expects a reward is serving not God but his own will.
(St Mark the Ascetic)
ArchdioceseofThyateira&GreatBritain,5CravenHill,LondonW23EN
Tel.:02077234787.Fax:02072249301.Email:mail@thyateira.org.uk.Website:www.thyateira.org.uk

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