Divine Liturgy for the coming week

Glory to Jesus Christ
Divine Liturgy for the coming week

Sunday, 3/24 3rd Sunday of Lent —Veneration of the Holy Cross
9:00 a.m. For the People of the parish
10:30 a.m. +Wasylyna Yukash requested by Katia and Andrew Bamber

Epistle: Hebrews 4:14-5:6
Gospel: Mark 8:34-9:1, Tone 3

Monday, 3/25 Annunciation of the Theotokos —A Holy Day of Obligation
8:45 a.m. Litija and Blessing of Bread
9:00 a.m. God’s blessing and health for children, grandchildren requested by Stephanie Tsitaridis
~Myrovann

7:00 p.m.  For the People of the parish
~Anointing

Tuesday, 3/26 Synaxis of the Archangel Gabriel

Wednesday, 3/27 Our Venerable Mother Matrona

Thursday, 3/28 Our Venerable Hilarion and Stephen

Friday, 3/29 Our Venerable Fathers Mark and Cyril
7:00 p.m. Divine Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts

Saturday, 3/30/19 Our Venerable John Climacus
9:00 a.m. For All deceased of the Parish —Memorial Saturday, All Souls Sorokousty

10:00 a.m. Yaroslava Kalynec (Pan.) requested by Nataliya and Roman Sokhan

Sunday, 3/31 4th Sunday of Lent
9:00 a.m. Special Intention —The Parish Mission
10:30 a.m. For the People of the parish

Epistle: Hebrews 6:13-20
Gospel: Mark 9:17-31, Tone 4

Too gentle?

“You cannot be too gentle, too kind. Shun even to appear harsh in your treatment of each other. Joy, radiant joy, streams from the face of him who gives and kindles joy in the heart of him who receives. All condemnation is from the devil. Never condemn each other. We condemn others only because we shun knowing ourselves. When we gaze at our own failings, we see such a swamp that nothing in another can equal it. That is why we turn away, and make much of the faults of others. Instead of condemning others, strive to reach inner peace. Keep silent, refrain from judgement. This will raise you above the deadly arrows of slander, insult and outrage and will shield your glowing hearts against all evil.”

— St Seraphim of Sarov

On Fasting by St. John Chrysostom

The value of fasting consists not in abstinence only from food, but in a renouncing of sinful practices. Do you fast? Give me proof of it by your works. If you see a poor man, take pity on him! If you see a friend being honored, do not envy him. Do not let only your mouth fast, but also the eye and the ear and the feet and the hands and all members of your bodies. Let the hands fast, by being free from greed. Let the feet fast, by ceasing to run after sin. Let the eyes fast, by observing modesty and disciplining them not to glare at that which is sinful. For it would be an instance of the highest ridiculousness to abstain from meats and unlawful food because of the fast, but with the eyes to feed on what is forbidden. Let the ear fast, by not listening to evil talk and gossip. Let the mouth fast from foul words and unjust criticism. For what good is it if we abstain from birds and fish, and yet bite and devour our brothers?

St. John Chrysostom

All Souls Saturday

Everlasting life, promised in Holy Communion, is a central teaching of our faith. In the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed, which we recite in every Divine Liturgy and also frequently in the Divine Praises, says, “I expect the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come.” It is interesting that here we say, “I expect” rather than “I believe.” This is because this life beyond death is not only a matter of faith but also a matter of hope. And both faith and hope are virtues beyond human power alone, but need also the grace of God. In a way, we do not understand this life beyond death, probably we can that just as a child in the womb does not understand what it is to live in the world.

Death is the breakdown of our secular time and space to eternity and boundlessness. We are as yet unable to comprehend or understand this. Jesus taught it would be different, “At the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage but are like the angels in heaven. (Matthew 22:30), and St. Paul cautions us, “So also is the resurrection of the dead …. It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body” (1 Corinthians 15:42.44). We do have analogous ways of thinking about death, when we pray in the Liturgy, “Grant rest, O Lord, to the souls of your departed servants in a place of light, joy and peace where there is no pain, sorrow, nor mourning.” We must be humble in our concepts of death, but still live in hope, for Jesus also said, “‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not the God of the dead but of the living” (Matthew 22:32). We also know that we will continue to be human, that is, have a body, as St. Paul says, a “spiritual body,” which we foresee already in our Lord’s resurrection. What is also undeniable is that we can pray for the dead, for no one of us dies already perfect, but we need to be purified of sin to be in the presence of the thrice-holy God.

The communion of saints tells us that we are one in Christ, and that we can pray for one another, and in this way not only help release our brothers and sisters in Christ but also ourselves from the bonds of sin. The souls of the faithful departed were always remembered on Saturday in our liturgical worship, because Saturday was the day that our Lord rested from all his works, after his death on the cross and before his glorious resurrection, for which we also hope.

Liturgy of the Pre-sanctified Gifts tonight

Tonight, March 13th, Father Iura will serve the Divine Liturgy of the Pre-sanctified Gifts at 7:00 p.m.
If you are looking for a way of getting into the spirituality of the Great Fast/Lent this is the Byzantine way to do it.

The St. Nicholas play at the parish

Children received Christmas gift bags prepared and distributed by Gloria Horbaty, UNA advisor and financial secretary of Branch 414 in New Haven. The children participated in the annual St. Nicholas play on December 23, 2018, that was presented by St. Michael School of Ukrainian Studies.

Posted in The Ukrainian Weekly, March 8, 2019.

No Parish Council meeting

Word has been received that there is parish council meeting tonight, March 11, as previously mentioned in the bulletin and online.

There is a KofC meeting at 7pm tonight.

Divine for the coming week

Glory to Jesus Christ

Sunday, 3/10 First Sunday of Lent —The Sunday of Orthodoxy
9:00 a.m. +Allan Yursha requested by Mary Ann Yursha
10:30 a.m. For the people of the parish

Epistle:Hebrews 11:24-26, 32-40; 12:1-2
Gospel: John 1:43-51, Tone 7

Monday, 3/11 Our Holy Father Sophronius, Patriarch of Jerusalem

Tuesday, 3/12 Our Venerable Father Theophanes and Pope St. Gregory the Dialogist
9:00 a.m. +Olia Uhaci requested by Anastasiya Gali

Wednesday, 3/13 Transfer of the relics of Father Nicephorus
7:00 p.m. Divine Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts

Thursday, 3/14 Our Venerable Father Benedict of Nursia
9:00 a.m. +Ella Sowa (Pan.) requested by Bohdan Sowa

Friday, 3/15 Holy Martyr Agapius and the Six companions

Saturday, 3/16 Holy Martyrs Sabinus and Papas
9:00 a.m. For All deceased of the Parish —Sorokousty

Sunday, 3/17, Second Sunday of Lent —Sunday of the Paralyzed Man and St Gregory Panamas
9:00 a.m. For the people of the parish
10:30 a.m.+Roman Lutsiuk —Panachyda

Epistle: Hebrews 11:24-26, 32-12:2
Gospel: John 1:43-51, Tone 7

Parish announcements this week

Christ is in our midst!

The Vigil Light is offered to God’s greater glory by Olga Pospolita for God’s blessing and health for Stefan and Kerin.

The All Souls’ Saturdays (Sorokousty) will be celebrated on March 16th, March 23rd, March 30th , June 8th. Please take a book found in the entrance of the church, fill it out, place it in envelope, and drop it in the collection basket. Please join us in prayer for the souls of beloved dead.

The Divine Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts will be celebrated on Wednesday, March 13 at 7:00 p.m. Please come and join in this beautiful tradition of our Church.

THANK YOU to the Ukrainian American Veterans, Post 33, for escorting Ukrainian Minister of Veterans Affairs, Iryna Friz, from Washington D.C. to her various destinations here in Connecticut and for hosting the Luncheon/Reception in her honor. Also thank you to all the people who worked to ensure the luncheon was a success. Together we all made this a “Super Special Event.” ~ Father Iura

Sestrechi will have their next meeting TODAY in Classroom 1 after the 9:00 Divine Liturgy.

The Parish Council will meet tomorrow, Monday, March 11, at 6:00 p.m. in the Holy Name Room. All council members, organization representatives and interested parishioners are invited.

The next meeting of the Knights of Columbus Blessed Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky Ukrainian Council will be held tomorrow, Monday, March 11, at 7:00 p.m. in the Holy Name Room. All men of the parish are invited to attend.

Ukrainian American Veterans will have their next meeting of Post 33 on March 17 in Classroom 2 after the 10:30 Divine Liturgy.

We have for sale borcsht, chicken cutlets, pork stew and cabbage with sausage. You can buy them in the church hall after each Divine Liturgy.

Our Sviachene —the traditional Easter parish dinner will be held on Sunday, May 5, following the Divine Liturgy. We will celebrate only one (1) Divine Liturgy at 10:30 a.m. We will be running a raffle. If you would like to donate any items to be raffled, please bring them to our church hall on Sundays before our “Sviachene” or on Sunday, May 5. Also we ask you to donate cakes for desert. We trust that all parishioners will join this parish gathering and through their presence attest to cherishing in our hearts a love for one another which builds our Parish Family.

Forty Martyrs of Sebaste

Today we celebrate the forty martyrs of Sebaste, witnesses to Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

In the year 320, 40 young men (likely around 20 years old) were executed for refusing to sacrifice to idols and to obey the Emperor’s command. These young men had been conscripted to serve in the army in present day Armenia. When it came time for them to sacrifice to idols, they refused. According to one version, there were originally 39 Christians who refused to obey this order, and upon seeing their bravery, a fortieth man, who was a pagan, threw down his weapons and his military belt (a capital offense, for its disrespect to the profession) and declared that he was to die with the Christians. They were martyred by being thrown naked in a lake.

The Troparion for the feast day

Together let us honor the holy company united by faith,
Those noble warriors of the Master of all.
They were divinely enlisted for Christ,
And passed through fire and water.
Then they entered into refreshment praying for those who cry:
Glory to him who has strengthened you!
Glory to him who has crowned you!
Glory to him who has made you wonderful, O holy Forty Martyrs!