Sunday Readings

Apostolic Reading – Titus 3:8-15

Gospel – Luke 8:5-15

Hymns: See our Church’s website for Audio Recordings: holycrossmelkite.org/hymns

Troparion of the Resurrection (Tone 4)

The Women disciples of the Lord heard from the Angels the joyful news of the resurrection, and casting away the ancestral sentence, they announced with pride to the Apostles: Death is vanquished, Christ God is risen! And has bestowed great mercy upon the world.

Troparion of the Fathers (Tone 8)

O Christ our God, You are infinitely glorified for You established our fathers as radiant stars on earth. Through them, You led us to the true faith. O Most Merciful One, glory to You!

Troparion of the Holy Cross (Tone 1)

O Lord, save your people and bless your inheritance, granting peace to the world. And preserve your community by the power of your Cross.

Kondakion (Tone 2)

O never failing Protectress of Christians and their ever-present intercessor before the Creator, despise not the petitions of us sinners, but in your goodness extend your help to us who call upon you with confidence. Hasten, O Mother of God, to intercede for us, for you have always protected those who honor you.

Prokimenon

Blessed are You, O Lord, God of our fathers, and Your name is worthy of praise and glorious forever.

Stichon

For You are just in all You have done to us, and all Your works are true and Your ways right.

Reading from the Epistle of St. Paul to Titus (3:8-15)

My son Titus, this saying is true, and in this matter, I want to insist that those who believe in God be careful to excel in good works: these are good and useful to people. But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and quarrels, and disputes about the Law, for they are useless and futile.

Avoid a factious man after warning him once or twice, knowing that such a man is perverted and sins, since he is condemning himself.

When I send Artemas or Tychicus to you, make every effort to meet me at Nicopolis, for I have decided to spend the winter there. Help Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their way, taking care that they lack nothing. And let our people also learn to excel in good works, in order to help cases of urgent need so that they may not be unfruitful. All my companions greet you. Greet those who love us in the faith. The grace of God be with all of you. Amen.

Alleluia

O God, our ears have heard, our fathers have declared to us the deeds You did in their days, in the days of old.

Stichon

The just cried out, and the Lord heard them, and He delivered them from all their trials.

The Holy Gospel According to St. Luke the Evangelist (8:5-15)

The Lord told this parable: “The Sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside and was trodden under foot, and the birds of the air ate it up. And other seed fell upon the rock, and as soon as it had sprung up it withered away, because it had no moisture. And other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up with it and choked it. And other seed fell upon good ground, and sprang up and yielded fruit a hundred-fold.” As He said these things He cried out, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!” But His disciples then began to ask Him what this parable meant. He said to them, “To you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God, but to the rest in parables, that ‘Seeing, they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.’ Now the parable is this: the seed is the word of God. And those by the wayside are they who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their heart, that they may not believe and be saved. Now those upon the rock are they who, when they have heard, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, but believe for a while, and in time of temptation fall away. And that which fell among the thorns, these are they who have heard, and as they go their way are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not ripen. But that upon good ground, these are they who, with a right and good heart, having heard the word, hold it fast, and bear fruit in patience.” When He had said this, He cried out “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”