Great Vespers for Sunday Divine Liturgy - "O Lord, I love the beauty of Your house, And the place where Your glory dwells."  (Psalm 25:8)

Sunday Divine Liturgy - Jesus said, "Let the children come to Me and do not stop them, because the Kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."    He placed His hands on them and then went away. (Matt 19:14-15)

Great Vespers with Litiya for the Synaxis Archangel Michael and the Other Bodiless Powers -  An angel is a pure spirit created by God. The Old Testament theology included the belief in angels. The name applies to certain spiritual beings which are endowed by God with intelligence, will and power and are employed by God as the ministers of His will. All the Angels, according the Apostle Paul, are ministering spirits, “sent forth to minister to them who shall be heirs of salvation” (Heb. 1:14). There are seven leaders of the heavenly powers. Michael—the leader of the angelic army. His name means “Who is like God”, Gabriel—His name means “The power of God”, Raphael—His name means “God the Healer”, Uriel—His name means “Light of God”, - He guards the underworld. Salathiel—His name means “One who prays to God”, Jequdiel—His name means “One who glorifies God”, Barachiel means “The blessing of God”, and Jeremiel means “God’ exaltation”.

Divine Liturgy - Nov 8, 2019 -   Synaxis Archangel Michael and the Other Bodiless Powers.     Angels, the first created beings, are not to be worshipped according to a canon of the fourth century Council of Laodicea. The number of the Angels is not defined in the divine Scriptures, where Daniel says that “thousands of thousands ministered before Him and ten thousands of ten thousands attended upon Him” (Dan. 7:10). There is perfect unity as well as obedience between the orders. The following is the hierarchy of the nine orders:   1. Six-winged Seraphim; 2. Many-eyed Cherubim; 3. Godly thrones; 4. Dominions; 5. Virtues; 6. Powers; 7. Principalities; 8. Archangels; and 9. Angels.

Great Vespers -   Nov 9, 2019 -   Icon “She Who is Quick to Hear”  -   Said by the Most Holy Theotokos: “Let them and all Orthodox Christians come to Me in their necessities, and I shall not forsake them. All their petitions will be granted by My Son, because of My intercession with Him. My icon shall be called ‘She Who Is Quick to Hear’, for I shall speedily fulfill the petitions of those who hasten to it.”   The Most Holy Theotokos then fulfilled and continues to fulfill Her promise of quick help and consolation for all those who come to Her with faith.

Sunday Divine Liturgy  - "Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me; but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened round his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea. (Matt 18:5-6)    RSV

St. John Chrysostom Archbishop of Constantinople  -  Nov. 13   -  Saint John was surnamed Chrysostom (Golden-mouth) because of his eloquence. He made exhaustive commentaries on the Divine Scriptures and was the author of more works than any other Church Father, leaving us complete commentaries on the Book of Genesis, the Gospels of Saints Matthew and John, the Acts, and all the Epistles of Saint Paul. His extant works are 1,447 sermons and 240 epistles. Besides his feast today and on January 27, he is celebrated as one of the Three Hierarchs on January 30, together with Saint Basil the Great and Saint Gregory the Theologian.

The Holy Apostle Philip  -  This Apostle, one of the Twelve, was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and was a compatriot of Andrew and Peter. He was instructed in the teachings of the Law, and devoted himself to the study of the prophetic books. “O Holy Apostle Philip, intercede with the merciful God that He grant unto our souls forgiveness of offences.” (Dismissal Hymn – Tone 3)

Advent - Forty days before Christmas, the Church begins to prepare for the Feast of the Nativity of Our Lord. This time of preparation is called “Advent,” meaning the coming or arrival of someone or something. During this time we should try to improve our way of living, and we should be sure to allow more time for prayer and preparation for the coming feast. We start our journey to the feast with St. Matthew the Evangelist, who wrote a Gospel on the life of Jesus. He is remembered on Nov. 16. Our journey next takes us to the feast day of The Prophet Obadiah, who rebuked God’s unfaithful people for their pride and wicked deeds, saying that on the Lord’s Day, the Day of Judgment, they will be rewarded according to their deeds. His day is on Nov. 19.

Vespers Saturday   -  Nov 16 -  Holy Apostle and Evangelist Matthew  -  Our journey to the Nativity of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ begins with the Gospel of St. Matthew.   Set time aside each day to read some of  this Gospel and start the journey to Christmas.    "With zeal, you followed Christ the Master, who in His goodness, appeared on earth to mankind. Summoning you from the custom house, He revealed you as a chosen apostle: the proclaimer of the Gospel to the whole world! Therefore, divinely eloquent Matthew, we honor your precious memory! Entreat merciful God that He may grant our souls remission of transgressions."  (Troparion - Tone 3)

Divine Liturgy  -   Sunday Nov. 17 -   St. Gregory the Wonderworker.     He was a pagan born in early third century Neocaesarea with the name Theodore. He was a brilliant student in the field of law. When he was sent to Alexandria to complete his studies, he met the famous Christian teacher, Origen. After studying with him for several years, Origen baptized him with the name Gregory and he moved to the desert to struggle. His fame spread and people wanted him to become Bishop of Caesarea. When Gregory arrived in Caesarea, he found only seventeen Christians in the whole city, but he considered this a challenge. Through his prayers that could heal those who were sick and drive out demons, almost the entire town became Christian.

Great Vespers with Litiya – Nov. 20 – Forefeast to the Entrance of the Most Holy Theotokos to the Temple.    "Today the universe is filled with joy at the glorious feast of the Mother of God, and cries out: “She is the heavenly tabernacle.”    (Kontakion – Tone 4)

Divine Liturgy  -  Nov 21 – Entrance of the Most Holy Theotokos to the Temple –   According to the tradition of the Church, the Theotokos was brought to the Temple at three years of age, where she was consecrated to God and spent her days until she was fourteen or fifteen years old; and then, as a mature maiden, by the common counsel of the priests (since her parents had reposed some three years before), she was betrothed to Joseph. “Today is the prelude of the good will of God, of the preaching of the salvation of mankind. The Virgin appears in the temple of God, in anticipation proclaiming Christ to all. Let us rejoice and sing to her: "Rejoice, O Fulfillment of the Creator's dispensation." (Troparion – Tone 4)

Great Vespers for Sunday Divine Liturgy -  Nov 23 -   "No greater joy can I have than this, to hear that my children follow the truth."    (3 John 4) RSV

Divine Liturgy  -   Nov 24   -   "Love is patient and kind; love is not jealous or boastful; it is not arrogant or rude. Love does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrong, but rejoices in the right. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things."   (1 Cor 13:4-7)    RSV

Great Vespers for Sunday Divine Liturgy  -   Nov 30   -      "See that you do not despise one of these little ones; for I tell you that in heaven their angels always behold the face of My Father who is in heaven.  What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray?  And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray.   So it is not the will of My Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish"        (Matt 18:10-14)     RSV