Sunday, June 27
5th Sunday after Pentecost

Tropar, Tone 4: When the disciples of the Lord learned from the angel the glorious news of the resurrection* and cast off the ancestral condemnation,* they proudly told the apostles:* "Death has been plundered! Christ our God is risen* granting to the world great mercy."

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and forever and ever. Amen!

Kondak Tone 4: My Saviour and Deliverer* from the grave as God has raised out of bondage the children of earth* and shattered the gates of Hades;* and as Master, He rose on the third day.

Prokimen: How great are Your works, O Lord: You have made all things in wisdom.

Verse: Bless the Lord, O my soul; O Lord my God, You are exceedingly great.

Epistle: A reading from the Letter of the Holy Apostle Paul to the Romans (10:1-10)

        Brothers! My heart's desire, my prayer to God of the Israelites, is that they may be saved. Indeed, I can testify that they are zealous for God though their zeal is unenlightened. Unaware of God's justice and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the justice of God. Christ is the end of the law. Through him, justice comes to everyone who believes. Moses writes of the justice that comes from the law, “The one who observes the law shall live by it.” But of the justice that comes from faith he says, “Do not say in your heart, 'Who shall go up into heaven?' (that is, to bring Christ down), or 'Who shall go down into the abyss?' (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).” What is it he does say? “The word is near you, on your lips and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach). For if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Faith in the heart leads to justification, confession on the lips to salvation.

Alleluia Verses: Poise yourself and advance in triumph and reign in the cause of truth, and meekness, and justice.

   You have loved justice and hated iniquity.

Gospel: Matthew 8:28-9:1

      At that time as Jesus approached the Gadarene boundary, he encountered two men coming out of the tombs. They were possessed by demons and were so savage that no one could travel along that road. With a sudden shriek they cried: “Why meddle with us, Son of God? Have you come to torture us before the appointed time?” Some distance away a large herd of swine was feeding. The demons kept appealing to him, “If you expel us, send us into the herd of swine.” He answered, “Out with you!” At that they came forth and entered the swine. The whole herd went rushing down the bluff into the sea and were drowned. The swineherds took to their heels, and upon their arrival in the town related everything that had happened, including the story about the two possessed men. The upshot was that the entire town came out to meet Jesus. When they caught sight of him, they begged him to leave their neighbourhood. Then he reentered the boat, made the crossing, and came back to his own town.

Communion Hymn: Praise the Lord from the heavens, Praise Him in the highest. Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!