Category: Byzantine Liturgy

Petitions for the victims of Hurricane Harvey

Special Petitions for the Victims of Hurricane Harvey at Divine Liturgy.  You may take one or several of these petitions in the ektenia after the Gospel.

For those who experienced the destructive forces of Hurricane Harvey and the subsequent flooding and now endure the anguish and suffering from personal injury and the loss of property, we pray You, hear us and have mercy.

Lord, have mercy! (3 x)

For those called home to the Lord during this natural disaster of Hurricane Harvey and the subsequent flooding, may they be granted rest in the bosom of Abraham and numbered among the saints and may their grieving loved ones be comforted by Your divine grace, we pray You, hear us and have mercy.

Lord, have mercy! (3 x)

For all those involved in serving their neighbor during this time including the first responders and those assisting in the continuing relief efforts of the victims of Hurricane Harvey and the subsequent flooding, strengthen them in mind, body and soul and inspire all of us to be charitable with our generosity to our brothers and sisters in their time of need, we pray You, hear us and have mercy.

Lord, have mercy! (3 x)

Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost

The Sacred Scripture for today’s Liturgy: 1 Corinthians 15:1-11; Matthew 19:16-26
 
Jesus never praised riches. Today he tells the people who have just seen a rich young man refuse the Lord’s invitation to follow him, “it will be hard for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven.” This is repeated often in the scriptures. Jesus teaches, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:3)” But the rich in spirit cannot love God more than themselves, and it is a simple reality that if they cannot love God, they cannot love their neighbors, created by God. Mary therefore declares, “The hungry he has filled with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty. (Luke 1:53) And Abraham tells the rich man in hell, “you received what was good during your lifetime while Lazarus received what was bad; but now he is comforted here, whereas you are tormented. (Luke 16:25) And James admonishes his flock, who honored a rich man, “Are not the rich oppressing you? And do they themselves not haul you off to court? Is it not they who blaspheme the noble name that was invoked over you? (James 2:6-7)”
 
To be able to turn one’s back on riches is what it means to be human. As transcending the world, we should be able to see infinite and eternal realities. There is nothing wrong or bad about the material creation God has given us, but it has the power to blind us to greater riches. God does not simply take away riches, but he gives us spiritual riches beyond our understanding. This Sunday I am marking fifty years as a priest. I was not raised in a rich family, though today the poorest among us have more than the richest people at the time of Jesus. This is why it is so much more important to be able to see spiritual realities.
 
The rich young man was unable to follow Jesus’ call, but in humility I hope that I have answered the call to serve God and to see the image of God in all people, not only those I hope I have served. The gospel today, however, tells us one more thing, when describing how difficult it is for a rich man to be saved – easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eyes – Jesus says “for God all things are possible.” Everything that I may have accomplished in my fifty years as a priest was not due to my own talents or merits, but only to the grace of God. I hope to remain, though unworthy, in this calling, so that I may be “as sorrowful yet always rejoicing; as poor yet enriching many; as having nothing and yet possessing all things. (2 Corinthians 6:10)”
 
Meditation by Archpriest David Petras

Divine Liturgy for the coming week

Glory to Jesus Christ!

Sunday, 8/27/17    12th Sunday after Pentecost
10:00 a.m. For the people of the parish

Epistle: 1 Corinthians. 15-1-11
Gospel: Matthew 19:16-26, Tone 3

Monday, 8/28/17    Venerable Father Moses the Ethiopian and Holy Father Augustine of Hippo
9:00 +Wasyl Dobczansky (Pan.) requested by the Melnyk Family

Tuesday, 8/29/17    Beheading of the Honorable and Glorious Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist John
9:00 a.m. Special Intention

Wednesday, 8/30/17    Holy Fathers and Patriarchs of Constantinople Alexander, John, and Paul the Younger
8:00 a.m.   no special intention for the Divine Liturgy

Thursday, 8/31/17 Placing of the Precious Sash of Our Most Holy Lady the Mother of God in Calcoprateia
8:00 a.m.   no special intention for the Divine Liturgy

Friday, 9/01/17 Commemoration of Our Holy Father Symeon the Stylite and His Mother Martha

Beginning of the New Church Year (2017-2018)

8:30 a.m. +Halyna and Ivan Lobay (Pan.) requested by Maria Lobay

Saturday, 9/02/17    Holy Martyr Mamas
9:00 a.m.   no special intention for the Divine Liturgy

Sunday, 9/03/17    13th Sunday after Pentecost
9:00 a.m. Special Intention
10:30 a.m. For the people of the parish

Epistle: 1 Corinthians 16:13:24
Gospel: Matthew 21:33-42, Tone 4

Divine Liturgy for the coming week

Glory to Jesus Christ

Sunday, 8/20/17    11th Sunday after Pentecost
9:00 a.m.   For people of the parish
10:30 a.m.   God’s blessing and health for Anna Mazur requested by Stefanie Sisisky

Epistle: 1 Corinthians 9:2-12
Gospel: Matthew 18:2-35, Tone 2

Monday, 8/21/17    Holy Apostle Thaddeus and the Holy Martyr Bassa
8:00 a.m.   no special intention for the Divine Liturgy

Tuesday,  8/22/17    Holy Martyr Agathonicus and companions
8:00 a.m.   no special intention for the Divine Liturgy

Wednesday,  8/23/17   Holy Martyrs Luppus and Irenaeus, Bishop of Lyons
8:00 a.m.   no special intention for the Divine Liturgy

Thursday, 8/24/17     Holy Priest-Martyr Eutyches
8:00 a.m.   no special intention for the Divine Liturgy

Friday, 8/25/17     Holy Apostles Bartholomew and Titus
8:00 a.m.   no special intention for the Divine Liturgy

Saturday, 8/26/17    Holy Martyrs Adrian and Natalia
9:00 a.m.   no special intention for the Divine Liturgy

Sunday, 8/27/17     12th Sunday after Pentecost —Venerable Father Pimen
9:00 a.m.   Special Intention
10:30 a.m.   For the people of the parish

Epistle: 1 Corinthians 15: 1-11
Gospel: Matthew 19: 16-26, Tone 3

Dormition’s blessing of herbs and flowers

Tonight at the Divine Liturgy, Father Iura blessed herbs and flowers.

In giving birth you kept your virginity; in your Dormition you did not leave the world, O Mother of God, but were joined to the source of Life. You conceived the living God and, by your prayers, will deliver our souls from death. (Byzantine Liturgy; Troparion, Feast of the Dormition)

Divine Liturgy for the coming week

Glory to Jesus Christ

Sunday, 8/13/17    10th Sunday after Pentecost —Venerable Father Maximus the Confessor
8:00 a.m.  For the people of the parish

Epistle: 1 Corinthians 4:9-16
Gospel: Matthew 17:14-23, Tone 1

Monday, 8/14/17   Transfer of the Precious Relics of Our Venerable Father Theodosius
8:00 a.m.   no special intention for the Divine Liturgy

Tuesday, 8/15/17    Dormition of the Mother of God – (Holy Day of obligation)
10:00 a.m.  Special Intention

Blessing of fragrant herbs and flowers

7:00 p.m.  For the people of the parish

Blessing of fragrant herbs and flowers

Wednesday, 8/16/17     Holy Martyr Diomedes
8:00 a.m.   no special intention for the Divine Liturgy

Thursday, 8/17/17    Holy Martyr Myron
8:00 a.m.   no special intention for the Divine Liturgy

Friday, 8/18/17    Holy Martyrs Florus and Laurus
8:00 a.m.   no special intention for the Divine Liturgy

Saturday, 8/19/17    Holy Martyr Andrew the General and companions
9:00 a.m.   no special intention for the Divine Liturgy

Sunday, 8/20/17    11th Sunday after Pentecost —Holy Prophet Samuel
9:00 a.m.  For the people of the parish
10:30 a.m.  God’s blessing & health for Anna Mazur requested by Stefania Sadiwsky

Epistle: 1 Corinthians 9:2:12
Gospel: Matthew 18:23-35, Tone 5

Blessing herbs and flowers on the Dormition, August 15

Neither the tomb, nor death, could hold the Theotokos, who is constant in prayer and our firm hope in her intercessions. For being the Mother of Life, she was translated to life, by the One who dwelt in her virginal womb (Kontakion for the Dormition).

As part of our celebration of Dormition on Tuesday, August 15, we will bless herbs and flowers for use in the home. Please bring herbs and flowers to Divine Liturgy (10:00 a.m. and at 7:00 p.m.). As a point of liturgical fact, the Church asks God to bless herbs and flowers –and thus us– to remind all of us of the gifts God has given us for our sustenance, healing and beauty.

Holy Tradition educates us that all the Apostles, except St. Thomas who was late, were transported mystically to Jerusalem in order to be with the Mother of God – the Theotokos – as she reposed, and to given her a burial. When Thomas arrived the next day, the Apostles opened the tomb so that he could kiss Mary farewell. The opened tomb revealed that the body of the holy Virgin of Mother of God was missing, and filled with herbs and flowers. This event was a sure sign of her great purity and holiness.

What happens to Mary happens to all of us who imitate her holy life of humility, obedience, and love.

Divine Liturgy for the coming week

Glory to Jesus Christ

Sunday, 8/06/17   9th Sunday after Pentecost – Transfiguration of the Lord, God and Savior Jesus Christ

9:00 a.m. +Anna Muryn requested by Michael and Mary Muryn
Blessing of grapes and other fruit

10:30 a.m. For the people of the parish
Blessing of grapes and other fruit

Epistle: 2 Peter 1:10-19
Gospel: Matthew 17:1-9, Tone 8

Monday, 8/07/17   Holy Venerable-martyr Dometius
8:00 a.m. no special intention for the Divine Liturgy

Tuesday, 8/08/17   Holy Confessor Emilian
8:00 a.m. no special intention for the Divine Liturgy

Wednesday, 8/09/17   Holy Apostle Matthias
8:00 a.m. no special intention for the Divine Liturgy

Thursday, 8/10/17   Holy Martyr and Archdeacon Lawrence
8:00 a.m. no special intention for the Divine Liturgy

Friday, 8/11/17   Holy Martyr Euplus
8:00 a.m. no special intention for the Divine Liturgy

Saturday, 8/12/17   Holy Martyrs Photius and Anicetas
9:00 a.m. no special intention for the Divine Liturgy

Sunday, 8/13/17 10th   Sunday after Pentecost — Leave-taking of the Feast of the Holy Transfiguration

8:00 a.m. For the people of the parish

Epistle: 1 Corinthians 4:9:16
Gospel: Matthew 17:14-23, Tone 1

Blessing grapes on Transfiguration Sunday

At both of the Divine Liturgies (9 and 10:30am) Father Iura will bless grapes and other fruit on Transfiguration Sunday, August 6.

Bring grapes and fruit to observe the feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord.

Why bless grapes on this day?

On the mountain You were transfigured, O Christ God, and Your disciples beheld Your glory as far as they could see it; so that when they would behold You crucified, they would understand that Your suffering was voluntary, and would proclaim to the world that You are truly the Radiance of the Father (Kontakion for the Transfiguration).

The Transfiguration of Our Lord, as testified to in Divine Revelation shows us our ultimate destiny as Christians: the ultimate destiny of all men and all creation to be transformed and glorified by the splendor of God Himself.

The feast of the Transfiguration on Sunday, August 6th, is a summer celebration and expectation of Great Lent, of the Eucharist, the Cross, and the Resurrection. The Church blesses grapes, as well as other fruits, on the Transfiguration is a beautiful sign of our final ­transfiguration of all things in Jesus Christ. This is a very ancient observance. We bless grapes because we bless God! The gesture of bringing and blessing of grapes points to the ultimate flowering and fruitfulness (generativity) of all creation in the Paradise; here we all will be transformed in the garden by the glory of the Lord.

Bunches of grapes are symbols of completion —especially experienced in the completion of the growing season— which has finally brought things to fruition.  Christians see in the grapes the biblical image of Jesus as the Vine.

In the Bible we read of the custom of bringing fruit to the temple for consecration (Genesis 4:2-4; Ex 13:12-13; Numbers 15:19-21; Deuteronomy 8:10-14). In the New Testament the 12 Apostles brought this tradition to the Church (1 Corinthians 16:1-2). Later in the early centuries of Christianity, the faithful brought to the Church fruits and vegetables of the new harvest: bread, wine, oil, incense, wax, honey, etc. Some of the offerings were taken to the altar, and the balance made available to needs of the clergy and the poor.

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