Emmanuel

Orthodox Church

First Sunday of Advent

December 1, 2019

A Western Rite Parish of the Antiochian Orthodox

Christian Archdiocese of North America
 FOR OUR VISITORS

W ELCOME to all our visitors today! Thank you for

coming to worship with us. We hope you will
feel at home. Please join us at our coffee & fellowship
hour immediately following the Mass to learn more
about our community and life in Christ.

ABOUT EMMANUEL ORTHODOX CHURCH

E MMANUEL Orthodox Church is a Western Rite

parish of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian
Archdiocese of North America. In the Acts of the
Apostles we read, “in Antioch they were first called
Christians” (11:26). The Orthodox Church has
maintained an unbroken communion with these
Christians of the first century, preserving the liturgies
and doctrines handed down to us. Our mission is to
draw close to the Holy Trinity in worship and love, to
“put on Christ” (Gal. 2:27), and in Him to be “the
light of the world” (Matt. 5:14).

His Eminence, Metropolitan JOSEPH

His Grace, the Right Reverend Bishop JOHN
The Rev. Fr. Christopher Nerreau

A NOTE REGARDING HOLY COMMUNION

I N the Orthodox Church, the Sacrament of Holy

Communion is given only to baptized, chrismated
Orthodox Christians who have duly prepared
themselves by prayer, fasting, and confession. We do
invite all visitors to receive a blessing from the priest
and to partake of the blessed bread distributed by
the altar servers.

HYMNS & READINGS AT MASS

Hymns are found in the St. Ambrose Hymnal

. MASS .
Processional: 149
Asperges 351
Kyrie
358
Gloria 359
Credo 371
Offertory: Instrumental
Sanctus 360
Pater Noster 369
Agnus Dei
361
Communion: Instrumental
Recessional: 293

PROPERS OF THE MASS

Introit. Psalm 25:1-3. Unto thee lift I up my soul:
my God in thee have I trusted, let me not be
confounded: neither let mine enemies triumph over
me: for all they that look for thee shall not be
ashamed. Ps. 25:4 Shew me thy ways, O Lord: and
teach me thy paths. V. Glory be… 

Collect. O Lord, raise up, we pray thee, thy power

and come among us: that whereas through our sins
and wickedness we are sore beset by many and great
dangers; we may be found worthy to be defended
from the same by thy protection, and preserved by
thy deliverance. 

Epistle: Romans 13:11-14. Brethren: And that, knowing

the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now
is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far
spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of
darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. Let us walk
honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in
chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. But put
ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the
flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof. 

Gradual.  Psalm 25:3-4. All they that look for thee

shall not be ashamed, O Lord. V. Shew me thy ways,
O Lord: and teach me thy paths. 

Alleluia, alleluia. V/ Ps. 85:8. Shew us thy mercy, O

Lord: and grant us thy salvation. Alleluia. 

Gospel: At that time: Jesus said unto his disciples:

There shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and
in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations,
with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; Men’s
hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after
those things which are coming on the earth: for the
powers of heaven shall be shaken. And then shall
they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with
power and great glory. And when these things begin
to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads;
for your redemption draweth nigh. And he spake to
them a parable; Behold the fig tree, and all the
trees; When they now shoot forth, ye see and know
of your own selves that summer is now nigh at
hand. So likewise ye, when ye see these things come
to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at
hand. Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not
pass away, till all be fulfilled. Heaven and earth shall
pass away: but my words shall not pass away. Luke
21:25-33

Offertory. Psalm 25:1-3. Unto thee lift I up my

soul: my God in thee have I trusted, let me never be
confounded: neither let mine enemies triumph over
me: for all they that look for these shall not be
ashamed.

Secret. Let these sacred mysteries, O Lord, so

cleanse us by their mighty power, that we, growing
in purity, may attain unto thee who art the author of
the same. Through… 
Communion. Psalm 85:13. The Lord shall shew
loving-kindness: and our land shall give her
increase. 

Postcommunion. Let us wait, O Lord, for thy loving-

kindness in the midst of thy temple, that with due honour we
may hail the coming feast of our redemption. Through…

PREPARATION FOR COMMUNION

A
LMIGHTY, everlasting God, lo, I draw nigh to
the sacrament of thine only-begotten son, our
Lord Jesus Christ. I draw nigh as one sick, to
the Physician of life; unclean, to the Fountain of
mercy; blind, to the light of eternal brightness; poor
and needy, to the Lord of heaven and earth. I
implore, therefore, the abundance of thine
exceeding bounty, that thou wouldst vouchsafe to
heal my sickness, to wash my defilements, to
enlighten my blindness, to enrich my poverty, and
to clothe my nakedness; and that I may receive the
Bread of Angels, the King of kings, the Lord of lords,
with such reverence and humility, such contrition
and devotion, such purity and faith, and with such
purpose and intention, as shall be expedient for the
health of my soul.

G
RANT me, I beseech thee, that I may receive
not only the Sacrament of the Body and Blood
of the Lord, but also the substance and virtue
of the Sacrament. O most merciful God, grant me so
to receive the body of thine only-begotten Son our
Lord Jesus Christ, which he took of the Virgin Mary,
that I may be incorporated into his mystical Body
and ac-counted among his members.

O
MOST loving Father, grant me, that thy
beloved Son, whom I now purpose to receive
veiled from sight, I may at length behold for
ever face to face. Who with thee, in the unity of the
Holy Ghost, liveth and reigneth God, world without
end. Amen.
—A Prayer before Mass, by Thomas Aquinas
PARISH ANNOUNCEMENTS
SPECIAL NOTICES & COMING EVENTS
 Please take a look at the brochure rack for a some
excellent resources on our Orthodox faith.
 Word Magazine, published by our Archdiocese is
available for free in the narthex.
 Ancient Faith Bookstore is a tremendous source for all
things Orthodox – store.ancientfaith.com
 Advent Season begins today. Days of Fasting
for the Advent season are Mondays,
Wednesdays and Fridays.
 Rules for Fasting
o Fasting includes that of Abstinence, and adds
special requirements of its own. If affects both
the kind and quantity of food. On Fasting days,
besides the obligation to abstain from flesh-meat,
the number and quantity of meals are restricted.
One may eat only one full meal in a day, and that
not before twelve o’clock. A collation, or about
one-fourth of a meal, is also allowed. All who
have completed their twenty-first year are
obligated to observe the fasts of the Church,
unless exempted by their father-confessor for
some legitimate reason.
  Our Bishop John asked the following to be
added to the ancient rule detailed above:
The practice of fasting as a spiritual
exercise and discipline, practiced on
different prescribed days throughout the
year, is a matter of pastoral application.
Each parish and each individual are
unique in situation and adaptability. The
pastor must remember that the practice of
fasting is a communal discipline in which
the individual submerges his will in the
custom of the community….Individuals
need to be careful, each year, each fasting
period, to ask the advice of their spiritual
father about how they may observe the
fasts. Such a discussion must take into
account the context of our own
Archdiocese on this continent at this time.
It should also take into account our own
situation: parish community, Archdiocese,
regional diocese, family situation, health,
and age.

SAINT OF THE DAYS

+Saint Peter Chrysologus, Bishop, Confessor, Doctor

(ca. 406-450a.D.)
Feast Day – December 2

All Christians are called to be faithful – to live out their lives, whatever the circumstances,
with love for God and neighbor and in accordance with the teachings of our Lord Jesus
Christ. For some, this has meant a life ending in martyrdom during times of persecution.
Others have been faithful through a life of quiet contemplation and prayer in a monastery
away from worldly concerns. For St. Peter Chrysologus, a life of faithfully leading and
teaching his flock was required.

Born around the year 406 near Ravenna, Peter was a deacon when he was appointed
Bishop of Ravenna in 433. Although Rome was still held in honor as the chief city of the
Empire, the capitol had long ago been moved to Constantinople, and the political center in
the western portion of the Empire had been moved to Ravenna because it was more
defensible. Thus St. Peter had responsibility for the spiritual welfare of the ruling family
(the young Valentinium III and his mother, Galla Placida, who acted as regent for a number
of years) and other governing officials.

This was a time of turmoil in the west, when invading tribes (Goths, Visigoths, Huns)
constantly threatened the peace and security of every city, and in many places, the peace
remained uneasy as these invaders became settlers and began to assimilate into the
prevailing society.

This was also a time of religious controversy. After the end of the persecution of Christians
with the Edict of Milan in 313, pagan religions continued to thrive until 380, when Emperor
Theodosius I required all subjects to become Christian. The transformation was not
immediate, and many pagan superstitions and practices lingered on in the lives of people as
St. Peter began his work in Ravenna.

Although the first two Ecumenical Councils had defined basic Christian doctrines in the
Nicene Creed, heresies continued to appear in St. Peter’s day, Monophysitism and
Pelagianism particularly. St. Peter’s task was to explain Christian doctrines – especially the
Incarnation, the Virgin Birth, and grace – to his people and inspire them to lead lives of
Christian virtue.

As was true of St. John Chrysostom (“golden-mouth”) in Constantinople, St. Peter acquired
the title “Chrysologus” or “golden orator” because of his ability as a preacher, trained in
rhetoric as was typical of his day. We are fortunate that 176 of his sermons survive to this
day, not only to give us a glimpse of this faithful shepherd, but also to teach and admonish
us as they did the people of Ravenna in the 5th century. According to George Ganss,
translator of these sermons, “Most of the sermons are moral in character. Their chief
purpose is to bring the hearers to lead a more intensively Christian life and to avoid the
vices then prevalent in society.” St. Peter made use of both the literal interpretation of
Scripture favored by the Antiochian church and the allegorical interpretation of the church
in Alexandria.

St. Peter Chrysologus built churches (with the help of Empress Galla Placida); he was a
friend of Pope Leo the Great of Rome, with whom he supported Orthodox teaching on the
Incarnation leading up to the Council of Chalcedon in 451; and he was also a friend of St.
Germanus of Auxere, at whose funeral he presided. St. Peter fell asleep in the Lord in the
year 450. May we, like St. Peter Chrysologus, be faithful throughout our lives, and may we
be aided by his prayers and teaching as we strive to be faithful Christians. (Sources: The
Fathers of the Church, Vol. 17, tr. By George E. Ganss; The Oxford Dictionary of Saints, by
David Hugh Farmer; Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church, ed. by F. L. Cross.)
Mosaic of St. Peter Chrysologus