Twenty-Third Sunday after Pentecost

Ephesians 2:4-10; Luke 10:25-37

This gospel must be read very carefully. Jesus tells a story to make a point. It is just a story, it didn’t happen. However, we get the point. The scholar of the law knew the basic message of faith. We must love God and we must love our neighbor as ourselves. Then he asked a question to justify himself. He saw a loophole in Jesus’ teaching. Yes, love your neighbor, but who is your neighbor? That is the problem. Jesus then tells a story in which those you would expect naturally to give help to the beaten man, the priest and the levite (in early Christianity, another name for deacon, one who gives service) pass the poor man without a thought. Who gives help?

It is the “other,” the heretics to the Jews, the hated Samaritan. He, the “other,” shows mercy. Whether this story happened or not is irrelevant. Jesus tells us that our neighbor may be someone we do not expect. Therefore, we cannot “justify ourselves” by prejudice and racism, by hating the other. This gospel preaches itself. When I was a young priest, the “other” in our church were blacks and Jews. Today they are immigrants and Moslems. And we, like the “scholar of the law,” are still racists. Racism is the ugly face of our church today. It blocks us from being “true-believing Christians. The scholar got the point, but he couldn’t say the hated word, “Samaritan,” but only “the one who treated him with mercy.”

Jesus responds “Go and do likewise,” that is, do not hate the other, but always show mercy and care for the other. This is what God does, saves us even if we are still in sin, “But God, who is rich in mercy, because of the great love he had for us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, brought us to life with Christ (by grace you have been saved), raised us up with him, and seated us with him in the heavens in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 2:4-6)”. God’s word is clear, but do we have eyes that do not see, and ears that do not hear?

Thanksgiving Drive helping others

The Connecticut Ukrainian American Community Thanksgiving Food, Clothes and Medical Supplies Drive will be held now until Monday, November 20, 2017 with drop off on Sunday mornings after Divine Liturgy.

Questions, please contact the following persons:
Halia Lodynsky 203-494-6278
Myron Melnyk 201-264-9793

True prayer expands the heart

“Prayer is the lifting up of the mind and heart to God. From this it is evident that it is quite impossible for anyone to pray whose mind and heart are attached to anything carnal –for instance, to money or to honors –or who has in his heart passions such as hatred or envy for others, because passions usually contract the heart, in the same way as God expands it and gives it true freedom.”

Saint John of Kronstadt

St. Michael the Archangel Feast Day

On November 8, the Church has the feast day for St. Michael the Archangel and all holy angels. For the parishioners of this parish, it is “a holy day of obligation.”

The Divine Liturgy will be offered at 9:00 a.m. (in Ukrainian) AND 7:00 p.m. (in English).

Join us in the worship of God and bring a friend!

Ukraine at a Crossroads –Yale seminar

UKRAINE AT A CROSSROADS: WILL IT BECOME A SUCCESS STORY?

Monday, November 6, 2017 at 4:00 pm

Watson Center (WTS), 60 Sachem Street, New Haven, CT 06511

Four years have passed since the Revolution of Dignity began in Ukraine. The country faced war, the annexation of Crimea, and millions of internally displaced persons. At the same time, Ukraine was pushing a reform agenda with major involvement from the international community and civil society. Today, the nation is in a time of transition. Pension, medical and educational reforms were introduced only during the last 2 months. Despite many changes in place, a high level of corruption still remains.

While the future is uncertain and the tipping point has not passed, the question is: What can make Ukraine a success story? How can it avoid being treated as a failed state? What is a bigger priority now: democracy, economy or rule of law? These issues will be discussed by three World Fellows (Taras Shevchenko ‘17, Svyatoslav Vakarchuk ‘15, and Andriy Shevchenko ‘08), joined by the executive director of the IMF. They will speak about possible future scenarios for their country and will share their views on how to achieve success in a difficult situation.

Speakers:

  • Svyatoslav Vakarchuk, social activist, founder of the Centre for Economic Strategy and lead vocalist for Okean Elzy (2015 World Fellow)
  • Andriy Shevchenko, Ukrainian Ambassador to Canada (2008 World Fellow)
  • Taras Shevchenko, director of Center for Democracy and Rule of Law (2017 World Fellow)

Moderator:

  • Vladyslav Rashkovan, alternate Executive Director at International Monetary Fund

To RSVP for the talk, please email taras.shevchenko@yale.edu

Contact:
Jackson Institute for Global Affairs
203-432-6253
jackson.institute@yale.edu

Twenty-Second Sunday after Pentecost 2017

Healing upon Healing
Galatians 6:11-18; Luke 8:41-56

Many people are squeamish at the sight of blood, some even faint away. This is because of fear – we know that loss of blood can lead to loss of life. The blood flowing in our veins is life. In this Sunday’s Gospel, the Lord encounters a woman who has had a hemorrhage for twelve years – life is slowly seeping away from her. But death cannot remain in the presence of Christ, and merely by secretly touching his garment, she is healed by his power. Today’s Gospel contains this healing within a healing, a raising form the dead. Our Lord is on his way to raise the twelve-year old daughter of Jairus, where he redefines death as sleep, ““Do not weep any longer, for she is not dead, but sleeping. (Luke 8:52)” See that for God, time is without meaning, for the woman with the hemorrhage, twelve years seems an eternity, but for the little girl, twelve years is much too short. For the Jews at the time of Jesus, blood signified life. When animals were sacrificed, the blood was poured out as a libation, for the life belongs to God. While our Lord stopped the flow of the blood for the woman, and gave life to the little girl, he instead shed his own blood for the life of the world and died on the Cross to bring us all resurrection. He invites us to share in his blood, “Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, and they all drank from it. He said to them, ‘This is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed for many.’ (Mark 14:23-24)”

What would seem to be a curse, the shedding of blood unto death, becomes a blessing for the life of the world. Jesus once asked his disciples, James and John, “Can you drink the cup that I drink ? (Mark 10:38)” This is interpreted that we too must share in suffering for others as did the Lord, but it is also a blessing, for we drink the cup of our Lord’s blood in Holy Communion “for the forgiveness of sins and life everlasting.” In the Epistle, St. Paul, who asks us to be imitators of Christ as he is (1 Corinthians 11:1), tells us, “But may I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world….. I bear the marks of Jesus on my body (Galatians 11:14.17)”

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Divine Liturgy for the coming week

Glory to Jesus Christ

Sunday, 11/05/17 22nd Sunday after Pentecost —The Holy Martyrs Galaction and Epistemis
9:00 a.m. God’s blessing & health for Mary Ann Yursha requested by Sestrichi
10:30 a.m.  For the people of the parish

Epistle: Galatians 6:11:18
Gospel: Luke 8:41-56, Tone 5

Monday, 11/06/17 Our Holy Father Paul, Archbishop of Constantinople and Confessor
8:00 a.m. no special intention for the Divine Liturgy

Tuesday, 11/07/17 33 The Thirty-three Holy Martyrs of Militene
8:00 a.m. no special intention for the Divine Liturgy

Wednesday, 11/08/17 Synaxis of the Archangel Michael and the Other Bodiless Powers of Heaven
9:00 a.m. Special Intention –in Ukrainian
7:00 p.m. For the people of the parish –in English

Thursday, 11/09/17 The Holy Martyrs Onisiphorus and Porphyry; Our Venerable Mother Matrona; the Venerable Theoctista of Lesbos.
8:00 a.m. no special intention for the Divine Liturgy

Friday, 11/10/17 The Holy Apostles Erastus, Olympus, Rodion and companions
9:00 a.m. no special intention for the Divine Liturgy

Saturday, 11/11/17 The Holy Martyrs Menas, Victor and Vincent; Our Venerable Father and Confessor Theodore the Studite
9:00 a.m. no special intention for the Divine Liturgy

Sunday, 11/12/17 23rd Sunday after Pentecost —The Holy Priest-Martyr Josaphat, Archbishop of Polotsk
10:00 a.m. Lytija & Blessing of Bread
10:30 a.m. For the people of the parish AND Myrovania-Anointing of Holy Oil

Epistle: Ephesians  2:4:10
Gospel: Luke 10:25-37, Tone 6

Parish announcements this week

Christ is among us!

1. WELCOME! New parishioners are always welcome in our parish. If someone wishes to join, please contact Father Iura Godenciuc at 203 865-0388 or our Financial Secretary Natalie Chermak at 203 468-0367.

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

3. VIGIL LIGHT: This week vigil light is offered to God’s glory by Nadia and Vasyl Ivantsiv in memory of +Eva.

4. FOOD DRIVE: Judy Ellis leads the mercy project which provides food items to the needy. A container is in our church vestibule for non-perishable food. This collection will be taken every week. Father Iura will distribute the food to those in need. Thanks for your support.

5. Sestrichi will have Corporate Communion TODAY at the 9:00 a.m. Divine Liturgy, followed by meeting in the church hall. All are invited to attend.

6. K of C: The Knights of Columbus Blessed Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky Ukrainian Council will hold its next regular meeting on Monday, November 6, 2017 at 7:00 p.m. in the Church Hall. All men of parish are invited to attend to see what the Knights are all about and what they do and what you can do with them for your parish.

7. St. Michael’s Day: St. Michael’s day will be celebrated on November 12. On this day we will have only one (1) Divine Liturgy at 10:30 a.m. After the Divine Liturgy, we will have a dinner and short program. All parishioners are cordially invited to this celebration. Tickets will be available through Luba Dubno. Tickets are $20.00 for adults, $10.00 for youth between 14-18. Free for students Ridna Shkola, altar boys and for children under 12. 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 feast day. Also we ask to donate cakes for a desert.

8. ROOF REPAIR FUND ROOF, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLEDGES: Please consider the immediate as well as the long term repair capital improvement projects, roof and physical plant. (i.e., parking lot) that has been planned, both now and for the future and make a generous contribution to allow us to protect our property. The church hall roof which is 34 years old has developed major leaks. We have conducted a temporary patch to the hall roof to give us time to build up a Roof Repair Fund in a restricted account. As well as repairing the various roofs that needed treatment, especially the sacristy roof which had serious problems. These roofs have been repaired and must be maintained to prevent further water damage to our property and we cannot pay for them from regular weekly collection. Roof Repair Fund as well as Capital Improvement Fund envelopes as well as the long term Pledge forms are available in the vestibule of our church for your special sacrificial gift. Thank you for helping to keep our physical structures in good condition for our use today and for the next generation tomorrow.

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