Matthew 5:16
St. Tikhon
Orthodox Chapel
Christ Restores the Man of the Gadarenes
When Christ arrives in the country of the Gadarenes, He encounters a man afflicted by demons, living among the tombs and cut off from his community. Where others see someone to fear or restrain, the Lord sees a person to be restored.
With divine authority Christ frees the man from the evil spirits. The people find him clothed, in his right mind, and sitting at the feet of Jesus. The Gospel reveals both Christ’s power over evil and His compassion for a suffering human being.
The townspeople respond with fear and ask Jesus to leave. The healed man, however, longs to remain with Him. Christ gives him a calling: return home and tell others what God has done. His grateful witness begins in the place where he lives.
As we approach the Nativity Fast, we can ask Christ to free us from whatever separates us from God and neighbor. Prayer, repentance, fasting, and works of mercy help us respond to His healing grace and bear witness to it in daily life.
This Sunday’s Readings
Epistle: Galatians 6:11–18
Gospel: Luke 8:26–39 (Gadarene demoniac)
Read the passages on the Orthodox Church in America website.
Living the Faith
Preparing our hearts for the Nativity Fast. The forty-day Nativity Fast begins Sunday, November 15 and continues through December 24. We prepare not simply by changing what we eat, but by turning toward Christ through prayer, repentance, and care for our neighbor.
The OCA reminds us that fasting shifts our attention away from ourselves and toward God and those in need. During the coming two weeks, consider renewing a simple daily prayer rule, speaking with your priest about fasting and confession, and choosing a practical act of mercy for someone who needs help.
OCA: Why fast before the Nativity? · Metropolitan Tikhon: Reflection on the Nativity Fast
Saints of the Week
Holy Unmercenaries Cosmas and Damian of Mesopotamia
Saints Cosmas and Damian were brothers and physicians who cared for the sick freely, placing their gifts at the service of God and their neighbors. The Church calls them unmercenaries because they offered healing without taking payment: they did not treat mercy as something to be bought or sold. Raised in the Christian faith by their mother, Saint Theodota, they are remembered for healing through prayer as well as medical care. Their example invites us to serve those who suffer with generosity, compassion, and trust in Christ.
Venerable Joannicius the Great
Before entering the monastic life, Venerable Joannicius served as a soldier. He later devoted himself to repentance, fasting, solitude, and prayer, becoming known for his spiritual discernment and humility. His life reminds us that a person’s past does not place holiness beyond reach: through God’s grace, each of us can begin again and grow in faithfulness. As the Nativity Fast approaches, his example encourages us to make room for quiet prayer and sincere repentance.
Saint Paul the Confessor, Archbishop of Constantinople
Saint Paul served as Archbishop of Constantinople during a time of fierce controversy over the divinity of Christ. Because he upheld the Orthodox confession of faith against Arian teaching, he suffered repeated exile and persecution and ultimately died as a martyr. His title Confessor honors his steadfast public witness to the true faith in the face of suffering. We remember him as an example of courage joined to patience and fidelity to Christ.
Parish Life
| Sun · Nov 1 | 22nd Sunday after Pentecost; Holy Unmercenaries Cosmas and Damian |
| Wed · Nov 4 | Venerable Joannicius the Great |
| Fri · Nov 6 | Saint Paul the Confessor |
| Sat · Nov 7 | Great Vespers at Living Faith · 5:00 p.m. |
| Sun · Nov 15 | Nativity Fast begins (advance reminder) |
View the chapel calendar for upcoming services and events
Great Vespers will be held at Living Faith.
Children’s Corner
Saints Cosmas and Damian helped people who were sick and did not ask for money. What can you give someone this week without expecting anything back? Perhaps a kind word, help with a chore, or time with someone who feels alone.
Family question:Why do you think the rich man did not help Lazarus? Who might need kindness from us this week? Read Luke 16:19–31 together.
Orthodox Teaching
Fasting is preparation for the coming of Christ. The OCA teaches that the Nativity Fast is a season of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, not a diet or an achievement to display. We fast from harmful words, anger, and selfishness as well as from certain foods, seeking to grow in love.
As November 15 approaches, begin with a manageable commitment to prayer and generosity. Questions about personal fasting practice are best discussed with your priest.
OCA teaching: Fasting · OCA: Preparing for the Nativity (PDF)
Please Remember in Your Prayers
For His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon; His Eminence Archbishop Daniel; all bishops, priests, deacons, monastics, and clergy; all Orthodox faithful and catechumens; our parish families and children; the elderly, homebound, lonely, and those in need; the sick and suffering, their caregivers, and those facing hardship; the grieving, the departed, and all who have fallen asleep in the hope of the Resurrection; those traveling, those serving others, and all who have asked for our prayers. May the Lord grant healing, strength, mercy, consolation, and eternal memory to the departed.
St. Tikhon of Moscow
Patriarch, confessor, and enlightener of North America. His life teaches steadfast faith, humility, and care for the Church amid hardship.