Parish announcements this week

Christ is among us!

PARISH COUNCIL MEETING: Will be held in the church hall on Sunday, January 28, 2018 at 12:00 after the Divine Liturgy.

1. VIGIL LIGHT: This week vigil light is offered to God’s glory by Halia Lodynsky for His blessing and health upon Stefan Yurchak.

2. AFTER DIVINE LITURGY: Dear parishioners and guests, after each Divine Liturgy, coffee and hard rolls are available in the church hall.

3. Praying for All Souls

“Let us pray for our brethren that are at rest in Christ, that God, the lover of mankind, who has received his soul, may forgive him every sin, voluntary and involuntary, and may be merciful and gracious to him, and give him his lot in the land of the pious that are sent into the bosom of Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, with all those that have pleased Him and done His will from the beginning of the world, whence all sorrow, grief and lamentation are banished.

The church sets aside certain days as “Saturday of the Souls”. In the Slav tradition we remember the Souls of our beloved dead beginning on the Saturday of Meatfare, and then on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th Saturdays of the Great Fast, and finally on the Saturday before Pentecost.

This year, in order to allow a great number of people pray to attend the Memorial Service for the Dead, we will offer our prayers at the conclusion of the Sunday Divine Liturgies.

If You wish to join in this prayer, please provide a list of names before the Divine Liturgy on Sunday, February3. The other dates for Sorokousty are February 24, March 3 and 10 and May 19. Please take your book of names found at the entrance of the church (or ask Fr. Iura for a new book), fill it out, place it in envelop and drop it in the collection basket. The Holy Fathers were convinced that the commemoration of the departed by alms and sacrifices (Divine Liturgies)  brings great comfort and benefit to them. Eternal Memory!

4. CATECHISM: Know your Catholic Faith: Christ Our Pascha, the Catechism of the Ukrainian Catholic Church is now available online in English,www.royaldoors.net. We are working to get the print edition when it is available.

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The Jesus Prayer

Today is a great day to learn more about The Jesus Prayer (“Lord, Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me.”), THE prayer for good Christians. Orthodox Metropolitan Kallistos Ware gives a fine presentation.

Listen to the presentation by clicking here.

What better way to spend some time on the Sunday of the Publican and Pharisee than to learn about this prayer!!!

Sunday of the Publican and Pharisee: the Connection

The journey of the feast of lights was a journey to specific holy places. It is a journey which we now make in spirit, in order to find the light of Christ. Soon after this journey, we begin another journey, going with our Lord to Jerusalem, as he foretold in the Gospel of St. Luke: “When the days for his being taken up (which John calls his glorification) were fulfilled, he resolutely determined to journey to Jerusalem.” During the Great Fast, then, we make another journey that ends in the holy city of Jerusalem, as Jesus said, “Yet I must continue on my way today, tomorrow, and the following day, for it is impossible that a prophet should die outside of Jerusalem” (Luke 13:33). But his death is his glorification, “by death he tramples death,” and it is the way to resurrection, to a resurrection promised to all. Our journey likewise ends in life (resurrection) and in light, as the Gospel of Paschal Sunday, the Day of Resurrection says, “ The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:5).

The journey to light in the Christmas – Theophany – Encounter cycle ends in the temple, where the incarnate temple of God enters into the holy Temple, and there is proclaimed to the world by Simeon and Anna, who witness to his glory. The journey of the Great Fast then begins in the Temple, and two men go there to pray. One witnesses to pride and self-righteousness, the other to humility and repentance. The whole of the Great Fast is for us to make our choice on which to imitate. To be a Christian means to hear our Lord’s warning, “Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, but whoever exalts himself will be exalted.” This is the central meaning of the Great Fast, as our Lord invites us, “Come and see.”

Meditation by Archpriest David Petras

Divine Liturgy for the coming week

Christ is born! Glorify Him!

Sunday, 1/21/18 Sunday of the Publican and the Pharisee —Our Venerable Father Maximus the Confessor
10:30 a.m. For the people of the parish

Epistle: 2 Timothy 3: 10-15
Gospel: Luke 18:10-14, Tone 7

Note: There is no fasting in the week following the Sunday of the Publican and Pharisee.

Monday, 1/22/18 The Holy Apostle Timothy; the Holy Venerable-Martyr Anastasius the Persian

Tuesday, 1/23/18 The Holy Priest-Martyr Clement, Bishop of Ancyra

Wednesday, 1/24/18 Our Venerable Mother Xenia the Roman
9:00 a.m. +Hanna Yarmolenko (40 days, Pan.) requested by the Family

Thursday, 1/25/18 Our Holy Father Gregory the Theologian, Archbishop of Constantinople

Friday, 1/26/18 Our Venerable Father Xenophon and His Wife Maria

Saturday, 1/27/18 The Transfer of the Precious Relics of Our Father among the Saints John Chrysostom in AD 438

Sunday, 1/28/18 Sunday of the Prodigal Son  —Our Venerable Father Ephrem the Syrian
9:00 a.m.  For the people of the parish
10:30 a.m. +Vasyl and Anna Lupsac

Epistle: 1 Corinthians 6: 12-20
Gospel: Luke 15:11-32, Tone 1

Parish announcements this week

Christ is among us!

Note: There is no fasting in the week following the Sunday of the Publican and Pharisee.

1. VIGIL LIGHT: This week vigil light is offered by Luba Romaniw for Special Intention.

2. AFTER DIVINE LITURGY: Dear parishioners and guests, after each Divine Liturgy, coffee and hard rolls are available in the church hall.

3. PRAYING FOR ALL SOULS: Let us pray for our brethren that are at rest in Christ, that God, the lover of mankind, who has received his soul, may forgive him every sin, voluntary and involuntary, and may be merciful and gracious to him, and give him his lot in the land of the pious that are sent into the bosom of Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, with all those that have pleased Him and done His will from the beginning of the world, whence all sorrow, grief and lamentation are banished.

The church sets aside certain days as “Saturday of the Souls”. In the Slav tradition we remember the Souls of our beloved dead beginning on the Saturday of Meat fare, and then on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th Saturdays of the Great Fast, and finally on the Saturday before Pentecost.

This year, in order to allow a great number of people pray to attend the Memorial Service for the Dead, we will offer our prayers at the conclusion of the Sunday Divine Liturgies.

If You wish to join in this prayer, please provide a list of names before the Divine Liturgy on Sunday, February 3. The other dates for Sorokousty are February 24, March 3 and 10 and May 19. Please take your book of names found at the entrance of the church (or ask Fr. Iura for a new book), fill it out, place it in envelope and drop it in the collection basket. The Holy Fathers were convinced that the commemoration of the departed by alms and sacrifices (Divine Liturgies)  brings great comfort and benefit to them. Eternal Memory.

4. BLESSINGS OF HOMES: If you would like to bless your house please fill the form that are in the vestibule or call the rectory office.

5. KOLIADA: Dear parishioners, in the vestibule you will find special Koliada envelopes. If you would like to make a donation to the Koliada (Ukrainian Christmas Carols), please enclose your donation, write your name on the envelope and drop the envelope into the collection basket during the Divine Liturgies. Thank You!

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St Anthony the Great

St. Anthony the Great, also called St. Anthony the Abbot (though he was a hermit) and St. Anthony of Egypt is commemorated on January 17. He is identified as the founder of desert monasticism, though the story of his life, particularly how he met St. Paul of Thebes, who preceded him into the desert, is a study of the search for Christian perfection. This story tells how he heard the gospel about the rich young man, to whom Jesus said, “If you wish to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven” (Matthew 19:21). When Anthony heard this gospel, he immediately divested himself of all his possessions and went into the desert to seek Christian perfection. This is really the calling of all Christians, as Jesus commanded, “Be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:47). For this we are baptized, that we might seek Godly perfection. St. Anthony imitated Christ when he heard this gospel, and just as Jesus went out into the desert after his baptism by John, in order to foil the wiles of Satan, so, too, does Anthony go to the desert to conquer the evil passions exploited by the temptation of the devil.

The monastic calling is an intensification of our baptismal calling, the renunciation of all worldly concerns to find perfection in the grace of Christ. Therefore, in Eastern theology, consecration as a monastic (monk or nun) has been deemed a sacramental mystery, not a separate mystery, but as part of the mystery of repentance.

In a similar way, Holy Orders and Marriage are also considered sacramental mysteries, because they confirm the baptismal calling in a particular vocation of life. St. Anthony, then, is a model for our life in Christ through baptism, which is called enlightenment, the perfection of the wisdom that leads us to life. We pray, then, to our Holy Father Anthony, “Having clearly received immortality and eternal life, pray for my darkened soul to be enlightened by the light of grace, so that I may worthily praise you; for you bear the Three-fold Light, O Father Anthony! (Matins, Ode 1)” “O Anthony, father of fathers, you have been shown to be a light for those who share your way of life, having taught the pious to tread the paths of light; and you emit the flame and fire of lightning, consuming hordes of the demons. (Matins, Hymn of Light)”

Sunday of Zacchaeus

1 Timothy 4:9-16; Luke 19:1-10

Though there is no special office for this Sunday, it is commonly seen as the beginning of our preparation for the Feast of our Lord’s Resurrection. Today we must be Zacchaeus. When Jesus came to Jericho, “Now a man there named Zacchaeus, who was a chief tax collector and also a wealthy man, was seeking to see who Jesus was; but he could not see him because of the crowd, for he was short in stature. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree in order to see Jesus, who was about to pass that way.” Today is where we start our search for God, who is coming to take away the sin of the world. Today we must be filled with the desire to see God, as was Zacchaeus. Today we must acknowledge our sins, for Jesus is coming to St. Stephens in Phoenix, today he is coming into our homes, more exactly, into the home of our heart. What a contrast between Zacchaeus and the Blind Man of last week’s gospel, who could not see and begged Jesus for sight. Zacchaeus could see and yet climbs the sycamore tree to get the best possible view. What a contrast between Zacchaeus and the rich young man of two Sundays ago.

The rich young man could not let even one penny of his riches escape his grasp, but Zacchaeus says, “Half of my possessions, Lord, I shall give to the poor, and if I have extorted anything from anyone I shall repay it four times over.” Today, Jesus tells us, “Salvation has come to this home.” It is already Pascha, if we turn to our Lord in his mercy, if we seek him with the zeal of Zacchaeus.

Today St. Paul’s promise is fulfilled, “We have set our hope on the living God, who is the savior of all, especially of those who believe” (1 Timothy 4:10). Today we must be among those who believe.

Meditation by Archpriest David Petras

Divine Liturgy for the coming week

Christ is Born! Glorify Him!

Sunday, 1/14/18 32  Sunday of Zachaeus
9:00 a.m. +Nicholas Muryn requested by Michael and Mary Muryn
10:30 a.m. For the people of the parish

Epistle: Timothy 4:7:13
Gospel: Luke 19:1-10, Tone 6

Monday, 1/15/18 Our Venerable Fathers Paul of Thebes

Tuesday, 1/16/18 The Veneration of the Precious Chains of the Holy and Illustrious Apostle Peter
9:00 a.m. +Hanna Yarmolenko (Pan.) requested by Olga Pospolita

Wednesday, 1/17/18 Our Venerable and God-bearing Father Anthony the Great

Thursday, 1/18/18 Our Holy Fathers and Archbishops of Alexandria Athanasius and Cyril

Friday, 1/19/18 Our Venerable Father Macarius of Egypt

Saturday, 1/20/18 Our Venerable and God-bearing Father Euthemius the Great
9:00 a.m. + Dorothy Gawron (Pan.) requested by Christine Gawron

Sunday, 1/21/18 Sunday of the Publican and Pharisee —Our Venerable Father Maximus the Confessor
9:00 a.m. For the people of the parish
10:30 a.m. +Dario Aponte requested by the Czabala Family

Epistle: 2 Timothy 3:10:15
Gospel: Luke 18:10-14, Tone 7

Parish announcements this week

Christ is among us!

1. AFTER DIVINE LITURGY: Dear parishioners and guests, after each Divine Liturgy, coffee and hard rolls are available in the church hall.

2. VIGIL LIGHT: This week vigil light is offered to God’s glory by Dionizia Brochinsky in memory of +Daria Fedoriw.

3. Asleep in the Lord: +Robert Hickerson. Please remember him in your prayers. ETERNAL MEMORY!

4. St. Michael’s Parish and UNWLA Branch 108 will hold its annual PROSFORA, traditional Christmas luncheon on Sunday, January 21, 2018. On that day we will celebrate only one Divine Liturgy at 10:30 a.m. Tickets are $20.00 for adults, free for children Ridna Shkola and altar servers. We will be running a raffle. Please donate items for raffle and sweet for coffee.

5. SOROKOUSTY: The Memorial Service for All Souls will be observed on February 3 and 17, March 3 and 10,  and May 19. Please take your book of names found at the entrance of the church (or ask Father Iura for a new book), fill it out, place it in envelope and drop it in the collection basket. Let us remember all our loved ones who have gone to their heavenly reward. Eternal Memory!

6. KOLIADA: Dear parishioners, in this week’s bulletin you will find special Koliada envelops. If you would like to make a donation to the Koliada (Ukrainian Christmas Carols), please enclose your donation, write your name on the envelope and drop the envelope into the collection basket during the Divine Liturgies. Thank You!

7. Dear Parishioners: As you may know, Mr. and Mrs. Yuriy Faryna have recently suffered a tragic loss when their house burned to the ground. They have lost their home and most of their possessions. As they struggle to get back on their feet, I would humbly ask that you all consider making a gift donation to help them. There are gift envelops in the vestibule of the church. If you would like to assist this family, please place your gift in these envelops and place them in the collection baskets. Checks should be made out to “Yuriy Faryna” or you may give cash. All gift donations will be forwarded directly to the family. Thank You! Fr. Iura Godenciuc.

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