Fifth Tuesday of the Great Fast

Fifth Tuesday of the Great Fast: Isaiah 40:18-31

Our faith begins with creation. We say, “I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, and of all things both visible and invisible.” The reading from Isaiah today tells us, “The Lord is God from of old, creator of the ends of the earth.” God indeed is the Creator, not only of our physical bodies and the world in which we live, but of our hearts and minds and souls and of all the values that we hold dear.

The journey of the Great Fast brings us to this understanding: all that we are comes not from ourselves, but from God. All that we have, the very qualities that make us who we are come from God, not from ourselves. To believe otherwise is idolatry, as Isaiah reminds us, “To whom can you liken God? With what likeness can you confront him? An idol?” If we do not put our complete trust in God, who is not some far away Creator, who makes everything and leaves it on its own, but the lover of his creation, by our side in everything we do, we become idol-worshippers. Worshippers of ourselves, or worshippers of our money or possessions or worshippers of some other created human beings, or, I think most often, of ourselves. We do not call celebrities “idols” for nothing. Isaiah gives us a physical image of “the one who is enthroned above the vault of the earth, its inhabitants like grasshoppers,” but this is only an image.

We know in faith that God is everywhere, in our inmost being, in the center of our souls, and is guiding us to life and love, but we are sometimes deaf to his voice. The Great Fast tries to make us become less deaf, to hear God, who as Mary said, “The Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name. His mercy is from age to age to those who fear him. He has shown might with his arm, dispersed the arrogant of mind and heart. He has thrown down the rulers from their thrones but lifted up the lowly, (Luke 1:49-52)” and who Isaiah tells us today “brings princes to nought and makes the rulers of the earth as nothing.”

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Praying the Jesus prayer

The sun is setting in Kyiv. They have started praying the Jesus prayer in the Patriarchal Sobor (Church). His Beatitude Sviatoslav is gathered with some clergy.

As the bombs fall, maybe you’ll pray with them?

The Jesus Prayer is the following sentence repeated: Lord Jesus. Have mercy on us, sinners.

#prayforpeace

 

Ukrainian Relief Project New Haven for March 27

We are preparing for the great feast of Easter in the coming weeks. Palm Sunday is April 10 and Easter is April 17.

Just prior to that, St Michael’s parishioners are making our famous pierogi (pyrohy) on April 9.

The leadership of the Ukrainian Relief Project New Haven indicated the following schedule for collection dates this week:

Tuesday, March 29, 5-7 p.m.
Saturday, April 2, 10-2 p.m.
Sunday, April 3, Noon -1 p.m.
and, then the collection will be closed until Saturday, April 23rd.

We need to package the medical and humanitarian supplies on April 4 and 5 and to clean the church hall.

A call for volunteers will be made on Sunday, April 3, after we survey the need.

Thank you for your generosity in giving and in time volunteering. ALL is very much appreciated.

May the Lord bless you with eternal life.

Questions, thoughts, concerns, please zap an email: stmichaelchurchgc@gmail.com

Pierogi Saturday is April 9

The Pyrohy Project sells the pierogi (varenyky) in the church hall for $8.00 per dozen. Checks payable to “Pyrohy Project.”

***Pierogi Saturday is April 9 —call by 5pm on Tuesday, April 5. ONLY pre-orders.

***Pick up the pierogi (pyrohy or varenyky) on Saturday between 12:30 p.m. and 2:00 p.m.

  • Maria Antonyshn: 203-795-6959 (for English & Ukrainian)
  • Anna Smigelski: 860-302-2176 (for English & Ukrainian)
  • Alexis Hickerson: 475-221-8399 (for English)

Volunteers are always welcome.

The pierogi (pyrohy or varenyky) is made with potato and three cheeses; they are cooked when you pick them up. All you have to do is freeze the pierogi individually before freezing in a bag. Defrost, brown in butter, chopped onion and serve with sour cream and chives.

Divine Liturgy for the coming week

Glory to Jesus Christ!

Sunday, 3/27, The 4th Sunday of Lent —Sunday of St John Climacus
9:00 a.m. God’s blessings for Joanna Oleschuk requested by the Sestretsi
10:30 a.m. For the people of the parish

Epistle: Hebrews 6:13-20
Gospel: Mark 9:17-31, Tone 3

Monday, 3/28, Our Venerable Father Hilary
9:00 a.m. No scheduled intention for the Divine Liturgy

Tuesday, 3/29, Holy Priest-Martyrs Mark and Cyril
9:00 a.m. God’s blessing and health for George

Wednesday, 3/30, Our Venerable John Climacus
9:00 a.m. God’s blessing and health for Roman
7:00 p.m. Moleben to the Mother of God for peace in Ukraine

Thursday, 3/31, Our Holy Father Hypatius
9:00 a.m. No scheduled intention for the Divine Liturgy

Friday, 4/1, Our Venerable Mary of Egypt
7:00 p.m. The Divine Liturgy of the Pre-sanctified Gifts

Saturday, 4/2, Our Venerable Father Titus the Wonderworker
9:00 a.m. +Yaroslava Kalynec (4th Anniv. Pan.) requested by Roman and Nataliya Sokhan

Sunday, 4/3, The 5th Sunday of Lent –Sunday of St. Mary of Egypt
9:00 a.m. For the people of the parish
10:30 a.m. God’s blessings for Jasek Smigelski requested by Stefania Sadiwsky

Epistle: Hebrews 9:11-14
Gospel: Mark 10:32-45, Tone 4

Parish announcements

Christ is among us!

This week vigil light is offered by Katia and Andrew Bamber in memory of Wasylyna Yukash.

Candace Brezicki, 35 years old, fell asleep in the Lord. Please remember Candace in your prayers. Eternal Memory!

SOROKOUSTY, All Souls` Saturdays, will NEXT be celebrated on June 4. Let us remember all our loved ones who have gone to their heavenly reward. Eternal Memory!

Sestretsi will be having Corporate Communion at the 9:00 a.m. Divine Liturgy on April 3. They will meet in the church hall after the Divine Liturgy.

The annual Parish Mission will be preached Fr. Hryhorij (Gregory) Lozinskyj on Sunday, April 3, for the Ukrainian Divine Liturgy and by Fr. Albert Forlano for the English Liturgy on Sunday, April 10. Confessions will be heard.

4th Sunday of Lent, Sunday of St John of the Ladder

As ever-blooming fruits, you offer the teachings of your God-given book, O wise John, most blessed, while sweetening the hearts of all them that heed it with vigilance; for it is a ladder from the earth unto Heaven that confers glory on the souls that ascend it and honor you faithfully. (Kontakion)

Here are the resources for the Sunday of St John Climacus (or, known as “of the Ladder”), the 4th Sunday of Lent. In particular, we ought to listen to the resurrection hymn and the gospel reflection by Father Hezekias and Sebastian.

Do yourself a favor, spend time with the Word of the Lord in preparation for Sunday Liturgy.

A 7th century monk of Mount Sinai of Egypt. He is the author of a famous text of spiritual discipline. He spent 40 years as a hermit and later abbot. He is famous for his book, The Ladder of Divine Ascent, which was written with the presumption of a monastic context. That is, the contents speaks of how to raise the soul to God by the acquiring virtues and rejecting specific sins. The ascent is of the soul is described in 30 steps (think of the image of a ladder with 30 steps) and the number 30 corresponds with the age that Jesus began his public ministry. A widely read book in Byzantine spirituality.

Why are we celebrating a famous monk and his book when we are not monks? The activity that St John Climacus speaks about, just like the gospel passage read today, that of the Lord’s Transfiguration, is what we followers of Jesus desire, too. That is, we desire to be personally transfigured from someone not too acceptable, into someone beautiful and desirable. Just as Moses who saw God on the mountain and came back to his followers to convey what he is seen. The connection with the gospel of the Transfiguration and St John Climacus comes in the line, “Lord, I believe but help my unbelief.” Prayer and asking for help. Faith is strengthened in prayer and fasting.

We ought to read daily a spiritual book, first starting with a passage of Scripture and then a good spiritual book. Place yourself in the presence of the Lord, so that you can cast out demons. Have faith!

Ukrainian Relief Project New Haven Update for March 26

On Friday, March 25, Carl Harvey (one of the coordinators of the Ukrainian Relief Project) was in Danbury meeting with people who are helping the Ukrainian Relief Project.

Here’s Carl Harvey’s review of Friday:

“Ihor Rudko, our UAV National Commander, CT Commissioner of Veterans Affairs and I met with the owners of a Plumbing company in Danbury this morning at 11:30. They have 6 pallets of humanitarian aid that they collected last weekend that will be coming to New Haven tomorrow (TODAY, Saturday, March 26). We also visited St. Joseph’s Catholic School in Danbury where we met with the Grade 5 and 6 students, their teachers and Principal plus Governor Lamont, the Mayor of Danbury and the state representative.

“They have collected all of the kinds of items that children in Ukraine need and packed them in a knapsack. They also included a personal note in the knapsack that they have donated.

“It is NO exaggeration when I tell you that there are at least 800 plus knapsacks in piles in this very large assembly room. It is a PHENOMENAL sight to behold. It is going to require a 40 foot container to transport all of it to a specific church in Poland to help the Ukrainian refugees that have arrived in the town where this church is located close to the border. Chris Komody and I have already discussed how we will proceed to get this shipment over there.

“We will also be getting a container from Eagle Leasing tomorrow morning (TODAY) to store the boxes that we already have and ready to ship.”

Thank you for your continued interest and generous work for our Ukrainian sisters and brothers.

In friendship, let’s keep all in prayer.

Feast of Annunciation

The Divine Liturgy will be served today, March 25, for the solemn feast of the Annunciation of the Holy Theotokos, Mary, the Mother of God.

8:45 a.m. Lytija and Blessing of Bread
9:00 a.m. For the people of the parish; Myrovann (Anointing)

7:00 p.m. +Michael Lipcan Sr. (Pan.) requested by Barbara and Patrick Bagley

The Feast of the Annunciation is the announcement of the Archangel Gabriel to Mary, that she had been chosen by the Lord among all women to be the Mother of God, and the incarnation of the Word in her most pure womb.