Category: Byzantine Liturgy

Divine Liturgy for the coming week

Christ is Risen – Indeed He is Risen!
Christos Anesti! – Alithos Anesti!
Christos voskrese – Voistinu voskres!
Al Maseeh Qam! – Haqqan Qam!
Christus resurrexit! – Vere resurrexit!

Sunday, 6/04/17 Holy and Glorious Pentecost
10:30 a.m. For the people of the parish

Epistle: Acts 2:1-11
Gospel: John 7:37-52; 8:12, Tone 7

Monday, 6/05/17 Monday of the Holy Spirit
9:00 a.m. Special Intention

Tuesday, 6/06/17 Venerable Father Bessarion the Wonderworker
8:00 a.m. no intention for the Divine Liturgy

Wednesday, 6/07/17 Holy Hieromartyr Theodotus
8:00 a.m. no intention for the Divine Liturgy

Thursday, 6/08/17 Transfer of the Holy Relics of the Holy Great Martyr Theodore
8:00 a.m. no intention for the Divine Liturgy

Friday, 6/09/17 Holy Apostles Bartholomew and Barnabas
8:00 a.m. no intention for the Divine Liturgy
7:00 p.m. Moleben to Jesus Christ

Saturday, 6/10/17 Holy Priest-Martyr Timothy, Bishop of Prussa
8:00 a.m. no intention for the Divine Liturgy

Sunday, 6/11/17 First Sunday after Pentecost —Sunday of All Saints
9:00 a.m. Special Intention
10:30 a.m. For the people of the parish

Epistle: Hebrews 11:33-12:2
Gospel: Matthew 10:32-33, 37-38; 19:27-30, Tone 8

Sunday of the First Ecumenical Council

On this Sunday, we commemorate the First Ecumenical Council held in the year 325. This Council defined our faith in Christ, that he was truly God, who had been born of the Virgin Mary as a human being, therefore uniting God and us. The proclamation of faith that they composed is now read at every Divine Liturgy. It was completed in its present form at the Council of Constantinople in 381, with a fuller definition of the nature of the Holy Spirit. When the Creed is about to be read, the deacon intones, “Let us love one another, that with one mind we may profess: (we then recite the Creed).” In our faith, we profess the love of God for us, because he has come to be with us, and has sent the Spirit of truth in our hearts, to “ … guide you to all truth. (John 16:13)” The truth is this: that Jesus the Messiah is truly the Son of God, that he is our Redeemer, and that he has ascended into glory, but has not left us orphans, sending his Spirit into our hearts and minds and souls. Jesus told us, “I am the way and the truth and the life. (John 14:6)” If this is indeed the truth, then, as the deacon in the Liturgy says, we must profess it “in one mind.” We conclude the prayer of the Anaphora by saying, “Grant that with one voice and one heart we may glorify and praise your most honored and magnificent name, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.”

Today’s Gospel tells us that this is exactly how we are united to God, and become “partakers of the divine nature (2 Peter 1:4): “Holy Father, keep them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one just as we are. (John 17:11)” There is no unity more perfect than the unity of the Trinity, and in our life of faith, we share in that unity. Throughout the history of the Church, there have been those who have erred either by saying that Jesus is not perfect man or by saying that he is not perfect God. We too often let our own self-righteousness dominate the transcendent truth of the faith. However, the deacon says one thing even more profound – this unity must proceed from love, for he says, “Let us love one another that we may profess … “ The world today seems to thrive on a rhetoric of hate rather than love, and the false ideas of the world can easily infect the Church. The feast today is directly opposed to hatred, it tells us that we can achieve the unity that God desires only through love, for “God is love. (1 John 4:8)”

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Divine Liturgy for the coming week

Christ is Risen – Indeed He is Risen!
Christos Anesti! – Alithos Anesti!
Christos voskrese – Voistinu voskres!
Al Maseeh Qam! – Haqqan Qam!
Christus resurrexit! – Vere resurrexit!

Sunday, 5/28/17 Seventh Sunday of Pascha, Holy Fathers of the 1st Ecumenical Council of Nicea
9:00 a.m. Special Intention
10:30 a.m. For the people of the parish

Epistle: Acts 20:16-18, 28-38
Gospel: John 17:1-13, Tone 6

Monday, 5/29/17 Venerable-Martyr Theodosia the Virgin
8:00 a.m. no intention for the Divine Liturgy

Tuesday, 5/30/17 Venerable Father Isaac, Abbot of the Dalmatin Monastery
8:00 a.m. no intention for the Divine Liturgy

Wednesday, 5/31/17 Holy Apostle Hermas; the Holy Martyr Hermes
8:00 a.m. no intention for the Divine Liturgy

Thursday, 6/01/17 Holy Martyr Justin the Philosopher and Companions
8:00 a.m. no intention for the Divine Liturgy

Friday, 6/02/17 Holy Father Nicephorus the Confessor
8:00 a.m. no intention for the Divine Liturgy

Saturday, 6/03/17 Holy Martyr Lucillianus and Companions
9:00 a.m. +Ivan & Halyna Lobay (Pan.) requested by Maria Lobay

Sunday 6/04/17 Eighth Sunday of Pascha  —Holy and Glorious Pentecost
10:30 a.m. For the people of the parish

Epistle: Acts 2:1-11
Gospel: John 7:37-52; 8:12, Tone 7

Sunday of the Man Born Blind

Hand of Jesus touching a blind man’s eye. Detail of “Two blind men cured” (15-03-02/27) Mosaic (6th)

The story of the Man Born Blind is the third Sunday Gospel in Pascha about the mystery of baptism. This gospel is very clear, “Jesus spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva, and smeared the clay on his the blind man’s) eyes, and said to him, “Go wash in the Pool of Siloam” (which means Sent). So he went and washed, and came back able to see. (John 9:6-7)” The clay represents the anointing we receive at baptism, making us “Anointed Ones,”(Christs, or Christians) and the washing represents the washing in the water of baptism. The blind man can then see, he is “enlightened,” the name the Church gives to baptism. Two observations: to be truly enlightened, we need humility. We need to know that only God can give us the vision we need. To do that, we cannot rely on our own “opinions,” we must hear his Word in the gospel, we must worship him with his people, we must be attentive to the voice of his shepherds in the teaching of the Church. If we believe only in ourselves, we risk condemnation, as Jesus told the Pharisees, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you are saying, ‘We see,’ so your sin remains. (John 9:41)” True knowledge comes only from the Holy Spirit, “But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things. (1 John 2:20)” The second observation is that in these three weeks, our Lord calls to baptism the most unlikely people: a friendless man lying lame by a pool, a shameless woman with serial husbands, and a blind man about whom the disciples ask, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind? (John 9:2)” Jesus responds, ““Neither he nor his parents sinned; it is so that the works of God might be made visible through him. (John 9:3), thus separating the wrath of God from the judgment of sin. God truly hates evil, which brings death and failure, but he loves the sinner with infinite divine love. If we suffer because of our sins, it is because that is the “wages” of sin (Romans 6:23). We see in these three Sundays that God is merciful and wishes the salvation of all. He calls us all to enlightenment in baptism, so that we can live in the Holy Spirit and profess with the formerly blind man, now enlightened, ““I do believe, Lord! (John 9:38)”

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Divine Liturgy for the coming week

Christ is Risen – Indeed He is Risen!
Christos Anesti! – Alithos Anesti!
Christos voskrese – Voistinu voskres!
Al Maseeh Qam! – Haqqan Qam!
Christus resurrexit! – Vere resurrexit!

Sunday, 5/21/17   Sunday of the Man Born Blind
9:00 a.m. Special Intention
10:30 a.m. For the people of the parish

Epistle: Acts 16:16-34
Gospel: John 9:1-38, Tone 5

Monday, 5/22/17   Holy Martyr Basilicus
8:00 a.m. no intention for the Divine Liturgy

Tuesday, 5/23/17   Holy Bishop and Confessor Michael
8:00 a.m. no intention for the Divine Liturgy

Wednesday, 5/24/17   Our Venerable Simeon
8:00 a.m. no intention for the Divine Liturgy

Thursday, 5/25/17   Ascension of the Lord —Holy Day of obligation
10:00 a.m. For the people of the parish

Friday, 5/26/17   3rd Finding of Head of John
8:00 a.m. no intention for the Divine Liturgy
7:00 P.M. Moleben to the Mother of God

Saturday, 5/27/17   Holy Priest-Martyr Therapontus
8:00 a.m. no intention for the Divine Liturgy

Sunday, 5/28/17   Sunday of the Holy Fathers 1st Synod
9:00 a.m. Special Intention
10:30 a.m. For the people of the parish

Epistle: Acts 20:16-18, 28-38
Gospel: John 17:1-13, Tone 6

Divine Liturgy for the coming week

Christ is Risen – Indeed He is Risen!
Christos Anesti! – Alithos Anesti!
Christos voskrese – Voistinu voskres!
Al Maseeh Qam! – Haqqan Qam!
Christus resurrexit! – Vere resurrexit!

Sunday, 5/14/17     Fifth Sunday of Pascha —Samaritan Women at the Well
8:30 a.m. Moleben to the Mother of God —Sestrichi
9:00 a.m. For the people of the parish

Epistle: Acts 11:19-26 and 29-30
Gospel: John 4:5-42, Tone 4

Monday, 5/15/17     Venerable Father Pachomius the Great
8:00 a.m. +Maria Sowa (Pan.) requested by Bohdan Sowa

Tuesday, 5/16/17     Venerable Theodore
8:00 a.m. +Charles Burger (20th Anniv., Pan.) requested by John Burger

Wednesday, 5/17/17     Holy Apostles Andronicus and companions
8:00 a.m. no intention for the Divine Liturgy

Thursday, 5/18/17     Holy Martyr Theodotus, Peter and Dionisius
8:00 a.m. no intention for the Divine Liturgy

Friday, 5/19/17     Holy Bishop Martyr Patrick
8:00 a.m. no intention for the Divine Liturgy
7:00 p.m. Moleben to the Mother of God

Saturday, 5/20/17     Holy Martyr Thalaleus
9:00 +Sofia Bruchalska requested by Parania Daniw

Sunday, 5/21/17      Sixth Sunday of Pascha —Sunday of the Man Born Blind
9:00 Special Intention
10:30 For the people of the parish

Epistle: Acts 16:16-34
Gospel: John 9:1-38, Tone 5

The Samaritan Woman

The theme of baptism continues in this Sunday’s Gospel, re-affirming that Pascha is a feast of resurrection and of baptism, being born into eternal life. The center of Jesus’ conversation with this unnamed woman (the Church later gave her the name Photine, the “enlightened woman”) is about water. They met at Jacob’s well, a place of great tradition, a sign and a promise of God’s love and mercy for his people. Jacob’s well provided the riches of water to a desert place, the sign that God would always provide for and bless his people. However, the encounter with the woman reveals something more: Jesus is the Messiah to come, he is greater than the Patriarch Jacob. The water of Jacob’s well is only for this world, Jesus would give “the water that would become a spring of water welling up to eternal life. (John 4:14)” This clearly refers to our baptisms, as it comes immediately after the comparison of Jesus with John the Baptist, and the baptisms done by Jesus’ disciples.

We renew our baptism every time we receive Communion, and they are for life, for eternal life, from God, the giver of life. A couple of observations: as for Nathaniel, Jesus signs his ministry with intimate knowledge of the people he meets. He sees Nathaniel under the fig tree, and he tells the woman about her five husbands. In both cases, they become his disciple because of his knowledge of him. This is a theme of John’s Gospel, the shepherd knows his sheep and his sheep know him. Second, it should be to our wonder that Jesus always comes to the most underprivileged. To whom does he reveal the mystery of eternal life in baptism: to the paralytic who had no friends, to the woman who had led a shameful life, and came to the well at noon who no one else would be there, and to the blind man suspected of sin because of his blindness. And the disciples marvel that Jesus speaks to a woman! Not just any woman, but a heretical, decadent Samaritan woman! Are we humble enough to accept Jesus as our Messiah?

Meditation by Archpriest David Petras

Divine Liturgy for the coming week

Christ is Risen – Indeed He is Risen!
Christos Anesti! – Alithos Anesti!
Christos voskrese – Voistinu voskres!
Al Maseeh Qam! – Haqqan Qam!
Christus resurrexit! – Vere resurrexit!

Sunday, 5/07/17    Fourth Sunday of Pascha —Healing of the Paralytic Man
10:00 a.m. Pro Populo
Moleben to the Mother of God

Epistle: Acts 9:32-42
Gospel: John 5:1-15, Tone 3

Monday, 5/08/17    Holy Apostle and Evangelist John
8:00 a.m. no intention for the Divine Liturgy

Tuesday, 5/09/17    Translation of the Relics of Nicholas of Myra
8:00 a.m. no intention for the Divine Liturgy

Wednesday, 5/10/17    Holy Apostle Simon the Zealot
8:00 a.m. no intention for the Divine Liturgy

Thursday, 5/11/17    Holy Apostles Cyril and Methodius
8:00 a.m. no intention for the Divine Liturgy

Friday, 5/12/17    Holy Father Epiphanius and Germanus
8:00 a.m. no intention for the Divine Liturgy

Saturday, 5/13/17    Holy Martyr Glyceria
8:00 a.m. +Catherine and Joseph Levitzky (Pan.) requested by Joseph M. Levitzky

Sunday, 5/14/17    Fifth Sunday of Pascha —the Samaritan Women
8:30 a.m. Moleben to the Mother of God – Sestrichi
9:00 a.m. Pro Populo

Epistle: Acts 11:19-26 and 29-30
Gospel: John 4:5-42, Tone 4

Looking ahead liturgically

May 25, Ascension Thursday
May 29, Fifth All Souls Sunday
June 4, Solemnity of Pentecost
June 5, Feast of the Holy Trinity
June 11, All Saints Sunday

Divine Liturgy for the coming week

Christ is Risen – Indeed He is Risen!
Christos Anesti! – Alithos Anesti!
Christos voskrese – Voistinu voskres!
Al Maseeh Qam! – Haqqan Qam!
Christus resurrexit! – Vere resurrexit!

Sunday, 4/30/17     Third Sunday of Pascha of the Myrrh-Bearing Women
10:30 a.m.  Pro Populo

Epistle: Acts 6:1-7
Gospel: Mark 15:43-16-8, Tone 2

Monday, 5/01/17 Holy Prophet Jeremiah
8:00 a.m. no intention for the Divine Liturgy

Tuesday, 5/02/17    Holy Father Athanasius the Great
9:00 a.m. God’s blessing and health for Mary Ann Yursha requested by the Sestrichi

Wednesday, 5/03/17    Passing of Theodosius of the Cave
9:00 a.m.  +Ivan and Halyna Lobay  requested by Maria Lobay

Thursday, 5/04/17    Holy Venerable Martyr Pelagia
8:00 a.m.  no intention for the Divine Liturgy

Friday, 5/05/17    Holy and Glorious Martyr Irene
8:00 a.m.  no intention for the Divine Liturgy

Saturday, 5/06/17    The Holy and Righteous Job
8:00 a.m.  no intention for the Divine Liturgy

Sunday 5/07/17    Fourth Sunday of Pascha of the Paralytic
10:00 a.m. Pro Populo

Epistle: Acts 9:32-42
Gospel: John 5:1-15, Tone 2