The Birth of St John the Baptist

THE BIRTHDAY OF THE GLORIOUS PROPHET AND FORERUNNER AND BAPTIST OF THE LORD, JOHN.

Pagan antiquity had festivals marking the winter and summer solstices. The Christian calendar absorbed these feasts, observing the birth of Christ in December on the shortest day, and that of John the Baptist in June on the longest day. From this day on, the sun slowly sinks from its zenith for six months, and begins its ascent again at Christmas. In the eyes of the Fathers, this solar rhythm is an expression of John’s words: “He must grow greater, while I grow smaller.”

The role of the prophet and forerunner began with John’s birth which Luke narrates with the same paradoxical circumstances of barrenness bearing fruit as Old Testament figures like Sarah, Hannah, and others. The name, John, with the dramatic details of its imposition, means The Lord has shown favor. Like other heavenly bestowed names in Scripture, it underlines his prophetic role in the history of salvation, which is to prepare for the immediate coming of the Messiah. Zachary’s canticle amplifies the meaning of his son’s name and parallels the canticle of the Theotokos. (NS)

Today is a holy day.

Rose Marie Deren asleep in the Lord

Rose Marie Deren fell asleep in the Lord. She died at 93 and she was a former long time parishioner of our church.

Rose’s full obituary may be read here.

In Christian charity please remember in your prayer Rose’s children and grandchildren.

May the Holy Theotokos, the saints and angels assist Rose to the Beatific Vision.

May Rose’s memory be eternal.

Prayer for Fathers

Here is a an optional special petition for Father’s Day:

O Lord our God, the Infinite Father: we beseech You to attentively hear our supplicating voices which we, Your humble sons and daughters and lowly children, offer today in behalf of all of our fathers. To our youthful fathers, may You give the wisdom of Your advice and counsel; to those of our fathers in the prime of life, may You give strength and inspiration, reassuring them with that spiritual joy that comes from having experienced mature fatherhood; to our elderly fathers, may You grant them Your preservation, sustaining them with Your comfort and spiritual tender­ness; and to those of our fathers whom You have already called to Your heavenly abode, may You graciously favor them by generously rewarding them. Kindle within our hearts that same dedicated love and faithful devotion that Your Only-Begotten Son, our Lord, God, and Savior, Jesus Christ showed toward fulfilling Your divine will. O Almighty Father, on this festive day as we especially pay tribute to all of our fathers, we beseech You to receive our petitions and to quickly hear us and show all of them Your mercy.

Lord, have mercy. (3x)

Divine Liturgy for the coming week

Glory to Jesus Christ

Sunday, 6/21, 3rd Sunday after Pentecost and Moleben to Jesus Christ
9:00 a.m. For All Fathers requested by Judith Ellis
10:30 a.m. For the people of the parish

Epistle: Romani 5:1-10
Gospel: Matthew 6:22-34, Tone 2

Monday, 6/22, Holy Bishop Martyr Eusebius
8:00 a.m. +Mary Ann Yursha (40 days, Pan.) requested by the Family

Tuesday, 6/23, Holy Martyr Agrippina
8:00 a.m. +Mary Ann Yursha requested Sestretsi

Wednesday, 6/24, Nativity of St John the Baptist
9:00 a.m. +Lew Markiw (Pan.) requested by the Wysowskyj and Sydoriak Families

Thursday, 6/25, Our Venerable Martyr Febronia
8:00 a.m. +Olga Mackew requested by Sestretsi

Friday, 6/26, Our Venerable David
8:00 a.m. +Orest Dubno requested by Luba Dubno

Saturday, 6/27, Nicholas Charnetsky and 25 martyrs
8:00 a.m. +Olga Mackew requested Sestretsi

Sunday, 06/28, 4th Sunday after Pentecost
9:00 a.m. God’s blessing and health for Irene Hladkyj requested by Luba Dubno
Moleben to Jesus Christ requested by Sestretsi
10:30 a.m. For the people of the parish

Epistle: Romani 6:18-23
Gospel: Matthew 8:5-13, Tone 3

Parish announcements

Christ is among us!

This week vigil light is offered God’s glory by Roman and Nataliya Sokhan in memory of Yaroslava Kalynec.

Every Sunday you can watch stream live on parish Facebook at 9:00 a.m. Divine Liturgy in English language and 10:30 Divine Liturgy in Ukrainian language.

Facebook: St Michael the Archangel Ukrainian Catholic Church
Website: https://stmichaelukrainian.org

In the church vestibule are arranged the forms for the Diocesan Charitable Fund. The forms are designed for each family of our parish. Attached to the form is an envelope into which you can place your contribution. The form along with your contribution, we ask you enclose in the envelope and place it in the collection basket during church services. Please make check payable to the BYZANTINE RITE DIOCESE OF STAMFORD. DO NOT MAIL THIS FORM TO THE CHANCERY OFFICE. We sincerely ask all parishioners to make generous contributions.

For Panachyda Service at the gravesites at other cemeteries please call the rectory office for appointment.

My Father Kept A Garden
(Author Unknown)

My Father kept a garden,
A garden of the heart,
He planted all the good things
That gave my life its start.

He turned me to the sunshine
And encouraged me to dream,
Fostering and nurturing
The seeds of self esteem.

His constant good example
Always taught me right from wrong,
Markers for my pathway
That will last a lifetime long.

I am my Father’s garden.
I am his legacy,
And I hope today he feels the love
Reflected back from me.

The holy prophet and saint Amos

The Church liturgically recalls the memory of the holy prophet, Amos. Like the other prophets, he is revered as a saint. Amos is third of the Twelve Minor Prophets who lived during the eighth century before Jesus Christ.

The Church sings in the Kontakion: Purifying your fervent heart by the Spirit, / O glorious Prophet Amos, / And receiving the gift of prophecy from on high, / You cry with a loud voice to the nations: / This is our God, and there is none beside Him.

One of the minor prophets, Amos was the first to write down any of his public preaching. A shepherd by occupation, he was called by God to speak out against social injustice and hypocritical piety in Israel. Through his austere life in the wilderness, by his faith and his own intense consciousness of God’s justice, Amos was compelled to preach harsh words at a time when Israel was most prosperous and secure. His uncompromising prophecy exposes the peril in which Israel was placed by its complacency, the dishonesty of its courts, the mistreatment of the poor, the selfish affluence of its upper classes, and its dependency on military might rather than on the strength of God. He came into conflict with the priests and was expelled from Israel. (NS)

Let us renew our adherence to the Lord in all things following his holy precepts and living a holy life.

Saint Amos, pray for us.