The Feast of the Nativity of the Theotokos
Today, 8th September, we celebrate the feast of the Nativity of Mary, Our Blessed Mother!
“What then should we offer to the Mother of the Word other than an oration? Let the whole of creation make festival and sing of the most holy birth-giving of the holy Anna. For she bore for the world an inviolable treasury of blessings.” (St John Damascene, On the Nativity of Mary)
The Epistle today is from Philippians, and it is about Christ, “Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; and found human in appearance, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross. Because of this, God greatly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name” (Philippians 2:7-9).
The mystery of Mary, the Theotokos, the Birth-giver of God, is united with the mystery of Jesus our Lord, the Giver of Life to all. Every feast is a celebration of the one Paschal Mystery, how through his death on the Cross (“by death trampling upon death”) the Son of God bestowed life upon the whole world, and how, therefore, in our humiliation, in giving ourselves in love to God and, through him, to each other, we find glory in God. Joachim and Anna were humbled and desolate, barren of children, and yet, “from infertile ground, the fertile ground is born. From her has grown the Gardener (see that Mary Magdalene mistakes the risen Christ for a gardener) of all fruit, the flower bringing life, who by the will of God nourishes the universe” (1st Troparion, Ode 3, Matins of the Pre-feast).
Today, we chant that “Joachim and Anne were freed from the reproach of childlessness.” This mystery must be re-lived in the life of Christ, the child born of Mary, who dies on the Cross in desolation, so that all the universe may be freed from the “despair of death,” and find life in God.
Sr Vassa offers this brief and informative video on Mary and her parents, Ss. Joachim and Anna whose feast we celebrate tomorrow, September 9.
Meditation by Archpriest David Petras and edited by PAZ.
At Home in War: Stories from an Ukrainian-American
St Moses the prophet
Today, the Church honors the memory of the Holy Great Prophet Moses, called the God-Seer and lawgiver, and born into the tribe of Levi. Scholars say he flourished 14th–13th century BCE. As we know, under Moses’ leadership the Hebrew people were lead to their freedom from the Egyptian oppressors in what is called the Exodus, meeting with God (see the image with this post) AND received the revelation from God that became the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Bible).
Moses is also listed in the Roman Martyrology. The entry for Moses reads:
1. Commemoratio sancti Moysis, prophetae, quem Deus elegit, ut populum in Aegypto oppressum liberaret et in terram promissionis adduceret; cui etiam in monte Sina sese revelavit dicens: “Ego sum qui sum”, atque legem proposuit, quae vitam populi electi regeret. Ille servus Dei in monte Nebo terrae Moab coram terra promissionis plenus dierum obiit.
The Troparion for the feast today reads:
O prophet Moses, you reached the summit of virtues. By this you came to see the glory of God. You received the tablets of the grace-giving Law and became the crown of prophets and a mystery of piety; for you carried grace deep within you.
On Mt. Horeb the great prophet Moses saw God in the bush that burned without being consumed, and God revealed his Name to him, “I am who I am.” (Exodus 3:14) It is this Name of God that we invoke in the Anaphora of St. Basil the Great, “O Eternal Being … “ On Mt. Sinai God revealed a portion of his glory to Moses when he gave him the ten commandments. On Mt. Tabor, Moses stood with Elijah to witness the glory of God revealed though Jesus.
Thus, today we honor this Great Prophet who has led us into the presence of God, who led his people into the land promised by God, who today leads us to an understanding of God, essential Being, the Creator of all that is, the Cause of all that is good and the Lover of each and every person, “In him we live and move and have our being. (Acts 17:28).”
Meditation by Archpriest David Petras, edited by PAZ
Divine Liturgy for the coming week
Glory to Jesus Christ!
Sunday, 9/4, 13th Sunday after Pentecost
10:00 a.m. For the people of the parish
Epistle: 1 Corinthians 16:3-24
Gospel: Matthew 21:33-42, Tone 4
Monday, 9/05, Holy Prophet Zechariah
9:00 a.m. God’s blessing for Vera Trojan requested by Nadia Trojan
Tuesday, 9/06, Miracle of the Archangel Michael
9:00 a.m. No particular intention for the Divine Liturgy
Wednesday, 9/07, Holy Martyr Sozon
9:00 a.m. No particular intention for the Divine Liturgy
Thursday, 9/08, The Birth of the Holy Theotokos
9:00 a.m. Special Intention
Friday, 9/09, Holy Ancestors Joachim and Anne
9:00 a.m. +Maria Jureczko (20th Anniv.) requested by the Furmanyk family
Saturday, 9/10, Holy Martyr Menodora
9:00 a.m. +Dario Aponte (14th Anniv., Pan.) requested by the Czabala family
Sunday, 9/11, Sunday before the Exaltation of the Holy Cross
10:00 a.m. For the people of the parish
Epistle: Galatians 6:14-18
Gospel: John 3:13-17, Tone 5
Parish announcements
Christ is among us!
This week vigil light is offered by Kolesnik and Buciak families for special intention.
DEAR PARISHIONERS: If you would like to have a Confession, Holy Communion or prayer of the sick at your house or nursing home, please call the rectory at 203-865-0388.
CHARITIES APPEAL: Please don’t forget to make a donation to the Eparchy’s Charity Appeal. Please make check payable to the Byzantine Rite Eparchy of Stamford. DO NOT MAIL THIS FORM OR CHECK TO THE CHANCERY OFFICE BUT TURN IT IN AT THE PARISH. We sincerely ask all parishioners to make a generous contribution.
Our New Haven Ridna Shkola is doing a Fundraiser called, KIDS HELPING UKRAINE. The stickers (two styles) are $1.00 per sticker and if you can contribute more it will be appreciated. All donations will go to provide medical supplies and care for those wounded in this terrible war started by Russia. If you any questions contact Halia Lodynsky 203-494-6278 or Volodymyr Dumalskyy.
We will be making Pyrohy (varenyky) for Ukrainian Festival on September 11th, AND for regulars orders on September 17th. We need your help on Fridays to peel potatoes and Saturdays to make pierogis. Please come and help.
ST. MICHAEL’S UKRAINIAN SCHOOL TO REOPEN IN SEPTEMBER: The Ukrainian School of New Haven will reopen for The New School Year 2023-2023 on or about Sept. 23. Preregistration is open to all children. If you have any questions for students of Elementary School please contact The School Director Halia Lodynsky at 203-494-6278. For students, Middle School call Volodymyr Dumalskyy at 203-988-2923. A nursery school program for children 2-5 years old is also part of the curriculum. Instruction will be primarily in Ukrainian language with accommodations for English. Connecticut Covid guidelines will be followed. For further information also please call Nataliia Dankevych 203-901-7168
ST. MICHAEL’S HUMANITARIAN RELIEF EMAIL: For all communications, questions and to schedule appointments please contact us: stmichaelchurchgc@gmail.com
The Catechetical Year begins soon
Catechetical Sunday is coming up on September 18th, and our theme is the Gift of Christ: Poured Out for the Life of the World
Happy New Year 7531
September 1 is the New Year for the Greek Church; the Latin begin their new liturgical year on the first Sunday of Advent. Today, is also designated the Day of Prayer for the Protection of the Environment –an observance of many of the mainline Christians. More on this day of prayer in another post.
The point for today is to place our trust and dependance on the Lord of Life. As Christians we deeply realize that we don’t make ourselves, that someone greater than ourselves sustains and directs our being in faith, hope, love and reason. That’s God made us, we are His, and we live in relation to Him.
Together with the Church we pray:
“Maker of the universe, O Lord who alone have power over seasons and times: bless this year with your bounty, preserve our country in safety and keep your people in peace, through the prayers of the Mother of God save us.” (Troparion)
and
O Creator and Master of time and eternity, super substantial od of all, O Merciful One: bless the course of this year, and in your boundless mercy, save all those who worship You our one and on Master and who cry out to You in fear: “O Savior, grant a happy year to all mankind.” (Kondakion)
Archpriest David Petras offers this perspective for today:
We call this the “Church” New Year, but it was, of course, the civil New Year of the Byzanrine Emperor. The book, “Mapping Time, “ by E. G. Richards, says, “In AD 312 Constantine had instituted a 15-year cycle of indications (censuses of people’s ability to pay taxes). These started on 1 September …. The Byzantine year started on 1 September and this system was used by the supreme tribunal of the Holy Roman Empire until it was abolished by Napoleon in 1806.” The ancient Roman Empire began the year on January 1, and therefore September was the seventh month (from the Latin word for seven, “septem”). Of course, it is now the ninth month (!) Because of the interpolation of July (for Julius Caesar) and August (for August Caesar). Many seriously advocate making September 1 the New Year again, because, after all, this is the beginning of the school year and fall programs. It would also enable people to get home on dry roads rather than on snow and ice. In any case, the gospel today has the blessing of our Lord on the New Year, ““The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord. (Luke 4:18-19)”
Day of Prayer for the Protection of the Environment
Today is the Day of Prayer for the Protection of the Environment, a day we praise God for His creation.
In 1989, the Ecumenical Patriarch Demetrius instituted a Day of Prayer for the Protection of the Environment, establishing it on September 1. Pope Francis has extended that remembrance to the Catholic Church.
In 2016, the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew said, “Following for many years the catastrophic world developments in environmental matters, the Holy and Great Mother Church of Christ, on its own initiative set the start of every ecclesiastical year as a day dedicated to Creation, to the environment, calling during this day upon the whole Orthodox and Christian world to raise a prayer and supplication to the Creator of all, to give thanks for the great gift of Creation, make supplications for the protection and safeguarding from every visible and invisible attack by man. Therefore also this year during the aforementioned day, from the Ecumenical Patriarchy we recall the need to make EVERYONE aware of the ecological problems faced by our planet.”
The environmental issue has become a polarizing political issue, but since the leaders of the Catholic and Orthodox Churches and all the nations of the world have called for measures to protect the environment, all faithful should pray, at least, that we act to protect clean air and water, so as not “to make America stink again.” Pope Francis wrote, “These include the awareness that each creature reflects something of God and has a message to convey to us, and the security that Christ has taken unto himself this material world and now, risen, is intimately present to each being, surrounding it with his affection and penetrating it with his light.” (Laudato Si, 221)
The Orthodox Church has a liturgical office for this day:
“Lover of Mankind, keep unharmed the environment that clothes the earth, through which, by your will, we who inhabit the earth live and move and have our being, so that we, your unworthy suppliants, may be delivered from destruction and ruin,” (Stichera at Psalm 140).
Divine Liturgy for the coming week
Glory to Jesus Christ
Sunday, 8/28, 12th Sunday after Pentecost
10:00 a.m. For the people of the parish
Epistle: 1 Corinthians 15:1-11
Gospel: Matthew 19:16-26, Tone 3
Monday, 8/29, The Passion of John the Baptist
9:00 a.m. For the people of the parish
Tuesday, 8/30, Holy Fathers Alexander and John
9:00 a.m. No particular intention for the Divine Liturgy
Wednesday, 8/31, Deposition of the Cincture of the Holy Theotokos
9:00 a.m. No particular intention for the Divine Liturgy
Thursday, 9/01, Our Venerable Father Symeon
9:00 a.m. No particular intention for the Divine Liturgy
Friday, 9/02. Holy Martyr Mamas
9:00 a.m. No particular intention for the Divine Liturgy
Saturday, 9/03, Holy Hieromartyr Anthimus
9:00 a.m. No particular intention for the Divine Liturgy
Sunday, 9/4, 13th Sunday after Pentecost
10:00 a.m. For the people of the parish
Epistle: 1 Corinthians 16:13-24
Gospel: Matthew 21:33-42, Tone 4