22 December 2024
Saturday, Dec. 21 – Saturday before Christmas
5:00 PM Santa Paula Outreach Divine Liturgy
Sunday, Dec. 22 – Sunday before Christmas – Sunday of the Ancestors
8:00 AM Matins
9:30 AM Divine Liturgy
Monday, Dec. 23 – Ten Holy Martyrs of Crete
8:30 AM Morning Prayer
Tuesday, Dec. 24 – Christmas Eve
12:00 PM Royal Hours
4:00 PM Christmas Vespers
5:00 PM Christmas Divine Liturgy
7:00 PM Portions of Christmas Compline
Wednesday, Dec. 25 – Nativity of Our Lord
8:30 AM Santa Paula Outreach Christmas Matins
10:00 AM Santa Paula Outreach Christmas Divine Liturgy
Thursday, Dec. 26 – Synaxis of the Theotokos
6:30 PM Divine Liturgy
Friday, Dec. 27 – Feast of the Proto-Martyr Stephen
8:30 AM Matins
Saturday, Dec. 28 – Saturday after Christmas
5:00 PM Santa Paula Outreach Divine Liturgy
Sunday, Dec. 29 – Sunday after Christmas – David, Joseph, and James
8:00 AM Matins
9:30 AM Divine Liturgy: Sunday after Christmas
St. Mary’s: Sundays 8:45 AM or by appointment
Santa Paula: Saturdays 4:15 PM or by appointment
(Please resubmit or submit names to admin@ByzantineLA.com)
The Carlin Family, Michael Hefferon, Shirley Kunze, Michael Mina, Peter Mina, Fr. John Mina, Mila Mina, Lana Zimmerman, Patrick Zimmerman, Shannon O’Neill, Fern Bonowicz, Stephen Petach, Jenny Roman, All the sick and suffering of St. Mary’s
Collection: $933.01; Santa Paula: $1,173.15; Online: $685.00; Candles: $55.68; Christmas Donations: $100.00; Parish Social: $81.00
Total: $3,027.84 / Attendance – PSM: 88 SPO: 56
I behold a new and wondrous mystery! My ears resound to the Shepherd’s song, piping no soft melody, but chanting full forth a heavenly hymn.
The Angels sing! The Archangels blend their voices in harmony! The Cherubim hymn their joyful praise! The Seraphim exalt His glory!
All join to praise this holy feast, beholding the Godhead here on earth, and man in heaven. He who is above, now for our redemption dwells here below; and he that was lowly is by divine mercy raised.
Bethlehem this day resembles heaven; hearing from the stars the singing of angelic voices; and in place of the sun, enfolds within itself on every side the Sun of Justice.
And ask not how: for where God wills, the order of nature yields. For He willed, he had the power, He descended, He redeemed; all things move in obedience to God.
This day He Who Is, is Born; and He Who Is becomes what He was not. For when He was God, He became man; yet not departing from the Godhead that is His. Nor yet by any loss of divinity became He man, nor through increase became he God from man; but being the Word He became flesh, His nature, because of impassibility, remaining unchanged.
And so the kings have come, and they have seen the heavenly King that has come upon the earth, not bringing with Him Angels, nor Archangels, nor Thrones, nor Dominions, nor Powers, nor Principalities, but, treading a new and solitary path, He has come forth from a spotless womb.
Yet He has not forsaken His angels, nor left them deprived of His care, nor because of His Incarnation has he departed from the Godhead. …
Since therefore all rejoice, I too desire to rejoice. I too wish to share the choral dance, to celebrate the festival. But I take my part, not plucking the harp, not shaking the Thyrsian staff, not with the music of pipes, nor holding a torch, but holding in my arms the cradle of Christ. For this is all my hope, this my life, this my salvation, this my pipe, my harp. And bearing it I come, and having from its power received the gift of speech, I too, with the angels, sing:
“Glory to God in the Highest; and with the shepherds: and on earth peace to men of good will.”
A Christmas tree has been set up in the church to receive gifts for children in need. If you would like to contribute, please bring new, packaged but unwrapped toys for children of any age to place under the tree.
“They shall call his name Emmanuel,” which means, “God is with us.” The presence of God is seen through the salvation foretold in the Old Covenant, and is revealed through the Birth of Our Lord Jesus, Emmanuel. Our own lives can manifest the presence of God when we live according to our vocations. Are you being called to show God’s presence as a priest, deacon, subdeacon monk or nun? Contact the Vocations Office at 206-329-9219 or email: vocations@ephx.org
Monday, December 23 –
