The Myrrh-bearers —Third Sunday of Pascha

This Sunday presents us with the proclamation of the resurrection according to St. Mark.

We are first confronted with the death of our Lord. Joseph of Arimathea goes to Pilate to reclaim the body. Pilate wonders that he died so quickly, while Joseph entombs his body with great care and love. As Christians we must confront the reality that Jesus died as a sign of his love. His glory was the Cross, making the Christian faith unique – love is found in sacrifice, life is found in death, power is found in service. And St. Paul’s words are read on Good Friday: “The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written: ‘I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the learning of the learned I will set aside.’” (1 Corinthians 1:18-19). Believing in the Resurrection, we are confronted with the Christian paradox that the world cannot understand.

The women go to the tomb on the third day, but Jesus is not there. The young man announces to them: “Do not be amazed! You seek Jesus of Nazareth, the crucified. He has been raised; he is not here. Behold, the place where they laid him” (Mark 16:6). The women are told to announce the resurrection, but they fail to do so, “They said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid” (Mark 16:8). This too is a challenge to our faith. Where do we seek the Christ? Can we today complete the mission the women were entrusted with, can we proclaim the resurrection? Do we understand the gospel and commit ourselves to the Lord, “who trampled upon death by death.”

Meditation by Archpriest David Petras

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Divine Liturgy for the coming week

Christ is risen!

Sunday, 5/05, Sunday of the Myrrh-bearing Women —The Holy and Glorious Martyr Irene

10:30 a.m. For the people of the parish

Epistle: Acts of the Apostles 6:1-7
Gospel: Mark 15:43-16, Tone 2

Monday, 5/06, The Holy, Just, and Long-suffering Job
9:00 a.m. God’s blessing and health for Olga Pospolita, Irene Hladkyj, Orest Dubno requested by the Family

Tuesday, 5/07, Commemoration of the Appearance of the Sign of the Precious Cross; the Martyr Acacius
9:00 a.m. +Andrii Maruda requested by Chermak family

Wednesday, 5/08, The Holy Apostle and Evangelist John the theologian
9:00 a.m. no specific intention for the Liturgy

Thursday, 5/09, Transfer of relics of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker
9:00 a.m. no specific intention for the Liturgy

Friday, 5/10, The Holy Apostle Simon the Zealot
9:00 a.m. no specific intention for the Liturgy

Saturday, 5/11, The Holy Cyril and Methodius, Teachers of the Slavs and Equal to the Apostles
9:00 a.m. no specific intention for the Liturgy

Sunday, 5/12, Sunday of the Paralytic
8:30 a.m. Moleben to the Mother of God (for all mothers) requested by Sestretsi
9:00 a.m. For the people of the parish

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

Parish announcements this week

Christ is risen!

This week vigil light is offered to God’s glory by Margaret and Stuart Maybury in memory of Rudolph and Helen Brezicki.

The next Parish Council meeting will be held on TOMORROW, Monday, May 6, at 6:00 in the Holy Name Room.

The next Knights of Columbus meeting will be held on TOMORROW, Monday, May 6, at 7:00 in the Holy Name Room.

The Knights of Columbus will be sponsoring a Mother’s Day breakfast on Sunday, May 12, 2019 after the 9:00 a.m. Divine Liturgy. We extend an invitation to all mothers of our parish to stop in for breakfast, so that we may honor you.

The traditional Easter parish “SVIACHENE” will be held TODAY 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 Sunday, May 5. Tickets are $25.00 for adults, $10.00 for youth from 12 to 18. Free for altar boys, and under 12. Also we ask you to donate healthy and homemade 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.

Helping the poor – a work of charity: The Director of the St. Vincent DePaul Homeless Shelter in Waterbury wrote to us requesting assistance in collecting bath soap, tooth brushes, tooth paste, deodorant, Q-tips, men’s underwear, for the ministry to the homeless. We will have this collection for the poor through Pentecost (June 9). These items can be put in the basket at the entrance of the church in the marked box. Paul Zalonski (of our parish) will drive the donations to the Homeless Shelter in Waterbury.

The Knights of Columbus have available for sale a freshly cooked batch of 2 quarter-pound tasty recipe kovbasa and cabbage meals for $10.00 each or a 2 lb. vegetable only mix for just $6.00. These meals may be purchased in the church hall, please see Walter Ushchak.

Olga Iastrubchak will be offering private dance classes for children ages 3-18. Classes will be held on Saturdays at 1:00 pm the St Michael’s church hall. For more information please contact Olya at (203) 400-4467 or email: olgaiastrubchak@gmail.com

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The Virgin Mary in St Ephrem’s theology

The month of May is traditionally known on as the Month of Mary. The Church holds Mary in the highest esteem; she is venerated but not worshipped by Catholics and Orthodox. A Syrian Father, St Ephrem, –the Harp of the Holy Spirit– the fourth century hymnographer, theologian and deacon as something to offer about the Mother of God.

“As lightning illu­mi­na­tes what is hid­den, so also Christ puri­fies what is hid­den in the nature of things. He puri­fied the Vir­gin also and then was born, so as to show that where Christ is, there is mani­fest purity in all its power. He puri­fied the Vir­gin, having pre­pa­red Her by the Holy Spi­rit… having been born, He left Her vir­gin. I do not say that Mary became immor­tal, but that being illu­mi­na­ted by grace, She was not dis­tur­bed by sin­ful desi­res”

“Most holy Lady, Mother of God, alone most pure in soul and body, alone exceeding all perfection of purity… alone made in thy entirety the home of all the graces of the Most Holy Spirit, and hence exceeding beyond all compare even the angelic virtues in purity and sanctity of soul and body… my Lady most holy, all-pure, all-immaculate, all-stainless, all-undefiled, all-incorrupt, all inviolate spotless robe of Him Who clothes Himself with light as with a garment… flower unfading, purple woven by God, alone most immaculate.”

“There is in you, Lord, no stain, nor any spot in your mother.”

“You Jesus and your mother are the only ones who are beautiful in all aspects. Because in you, O Lord, there is no deformation, and in your mother, there is no stain.”

“The two women were pure and simple, Mary and Eve. One of them, however, became the cause of our death and the other, the cause of our life.”

St. Ephrem the Syrian

Easter Sviachene May 5, 2019

The traditional Easter parish “SVIACHENE” will be held on May 5, following the 10:30 Divine Liturgy. We will celebrate only one Divine Liturgy this Sunday.

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 Wednesday evening at setup or before “Sviachene” on Sunday, May 5.

Tickets are $25.00 for adults, $10.00 for youth from 12 to 18. Free for altar boys, and under 12.

Remember if you can donate homemade cakes for deserts, please do so. Fresh and healthy!

Thomas Sunday

Today is the eighth day of the celebration of the eighth day. Pascha! The Resurrection of our Lord! The Feast of Feasts!

It is a time of absence and presence.

Absence – when the risen Messiah comes to his apostles through locked doors, by divine providence, Thomas is not with them. May he come through the locked doors of our hearts!

Presence – when the risen Messiah comes to Thomas a week later, the doubting apostle gives the proclamation of faith that resounds through the ages: “My Lord and my God!

Absence – when the women come to the tomb, the body of Jesus is not there. “Why do you seek the living among the dead?” the angels ask.

Absence – the disciples on the road to Emmaus do not recognize the Lord.

Presence – they do recognize him in the breaking of the bread, “were our hearts not burning when he explained the Scriptures to us?”

Absence – we do not stand in the presence of the Lord in the same way as the apostles did.

Presence – the Lord is with us in Holy Communion, as he comes to us more intimately than we could imagine.

Absence – “But I tell you the truth, it is better for you that I go. For if I do not go, the Advocate will not come to you” (John 16:7).

Presence – “Then Jesus approached and said to them, “All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age” (Matthew 28:18-20).

Today the Gospel tells us – “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (John 20:29). Our celebration of the Resurrection, therefore, is not simply a historical report or remembrance, it is the truth of God-with-us today, challenging us to live in Christ.

Are not our two Christian greetings exactly the same:

Christ is risen! Indeed, he is risen!
Christ is among us! He is and he will be!

Meditation by Archpriest David Petras

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#StMichaelNewHaven

PASCHA – The Feast of Feasts

At the Resurrection Matins, there is a procession where the people walk around the church. This procession recalls the way the women went to the tomb. The people stop in front of the Church doors and listen to the priest announce “Christ is Risen!”

The church bells ring, and the priest and people sing, “Christ is Risen!”

The doors are opened, and the church is filled with light.

The Holy Shroud is on the Altar as a sign that Jesus Christ is risen from the dead. The people walk into the church singing, “Christ is Risen!”

There are many changes in the church. The doors on the Icon Screen are open. They will remain open from Pascha until after Divine Liturgy on Bright Saturday. This is to remind us that He opened the gates of Heaven and granted us eternal life.

The priest blesses a special bread called the Artos. The Artos is Christ – the Bread of Life.

It will remain in the church all of Bright Week. It will be distributed on Thomas Sunday.

People greet each other with – “Christ is Risen!” And respond with – “Indeed He is Risen!”

Melanie Struk fell asleep in the Lord

Melanie Horn Struk, 94, of North Haven, passed away peacefully on Monday, April 15, 2019. She was a longtime member of St. Michael the Archangel Ukrainian Catholic Church.

Our condolences go to Peter and Victoria Struk as we also pray for her husband Peter and daughter Anna who predeceased Melanie.

A funeral service will be conducted in the North Haven Funeral Home, 36 Washington Avenue on Thursday morning at 10:30.

Melanie’s full obituary may be read here.

May Melanie’s memory be eternal.

Divine Liturgy for the coming week

Christ is risen!

Sunday, 4/21, The Glorious and Holy Sunday of the Resurrection of Our Lord, God and Savior Jesus Christ

Note: There is no fasting this week. Bright vestments are worn throughout the Pentecostal season. The Holy Doors as well as the side doors of the Iconostasis are left open throughout Bright Week.

9:00 a.m. Procession and Paschal Matins
10:30 a.m. For the people of the parish

~Blessing of Artos
~Blessing of Easter Foods

Epistle: Acts of the Apostles 1:1-8
Gospel: John 1:1-17, Tone 1

Bright Monday, 4/22, Our Venerable Father Theodore
9:00 a.m. Special Intention requested by Dionizia Brochinsky

Bright Tuesday, 4/23, The Holy and Glorious Great Martyr, Victory-bearer and Wonderworker George
9:00 a.m. God’s blessing and health for Stephanie and Melanie requested by the Chermak family

Bright Wednesday, 4/24, The Holy Martyr Sabbas Stratelates
9:00 a.m. +Petro and Anastazia Malyk (Pan.) requested by Kateryna Szymkiw

Bright Thursday, 4/25, The Holy Apostle and Evangelist Mark
9:00 a.m. +George Mazur (Pan.) requested by Anna Mazur

Bright Friday, 4/26, The Holy Priest-Martyr Basil
9:00 a.m. All deceased of Zinych and Musij family (Pan.) requested by Walter and Ulana Zinych

Bright Saturday, 4/27, The Holy Priest-Martyr Simeon, Relative of Lord, Our Venerable Father Stephen

Note: The doors of the iconostas are closed, following the morning Divine Liturgy. After the Ambo Prayer, the Artos is removed from the tetrapod and the Prayer at the Breaking of the Artos is said (cf. Trebnyk or Molytvoslov). It is distributed to the faithful on Thomas Sunday, instead of antidoron.

9:00 a.m. +Yaroslava Kalynets (Pan.) requested by the Chermak family

Sunday, 4/28, Thomas Sunday
9:00 a.m. +Allan Yursha requested by the Chermak family
Distribution of Artos
10:30 a.m. For the people of the parish

Epistle: Acts of the Apostles 1:1-8
Gospel: John 1:1-17, Tone 1