Byzantine Catholic Mission
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Holy Resurrection Byzantine Catholic Mission |
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O ye incorporeal angels who stand before the throne of God, luminous with the brilliance thereof and everlastingly shining with radiance. As secondary luminaries, entreat Christ, that He grant unto our souls peace and great mercy. O immortal messengers of the truly incorruptible Life, ye most blessed ones who received life from the first Life, ye have become holy beholders of the eternal Wisdom, full of light, and reflecting lamps shown forth as is meet. O ye archangels and angels, principalities, thrones, dominions, six-winged seraphim, and divine, many-eyed cherubim, instruments of wisdom, virtues and powers most divine. Pray ye to Christ, that He grant our souls peace and great mercy. Archives:
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HOLY RESURRECTION BYZANTINE CATHOLIC MISSION
GLORY TO JESUS CHRIST! GLORY FOREVER! MY HOUSE SHALL BE CALLED A HOUSE OF PRAYER FOR ALL PEOPLES... We welcome all visitors among us always! We hope you find our worship true and reverent and our people here friendly and cordial. If you are seeking a spiritual home, we would be honored by your presence in our family. We are glad you chose to worship with us. August 18, 2002 - 13th Sunday after Pentecost - Commemoration of the Holy Martyrs - SS. Florus and Laurus - they were twin brothers and stone cutters by trade, who for the faith were put to death by drowing in a well in A.D. 320 under the power of Licinius. Synaxarion - on August 18, we commemorate the holy marytrs Florus and Laurus. Florus and Laurus hastened to the well for the sake of the word of God who suffered thirst as he died. In that deep pit, on the eighteenth, the earth saw the life of Florus and Laurus closed. By their holy prayers, O Lord our God, take pity on us and save us. Amen. Today's Divine Liturgy is offered for Anna Stransky, deceased mother of Dolores Drouhard. Next Divine Liturgy September 7, - Saturday evening, at 5:30 PM; Prayer Rule of the Mother of God 5:00 PM. If you would like the Divine Liturgy offered for a loved one who is deceased or living, please give your offering to Father O'Connell and obtain a Liturgy intention card from William Gogar. Please write down the intention so it can be put in the bulletin. On Saturday evenings at 6:30 PM, Byzantine vespers are prayed here at Holy Family, when there is no Divine Liturgy that weekend. Everyone is welcome to attend. Offering for August 3 - $599.00 Current balance as of August 3 - $15,632.00 FEAST OF THE BEHEADING OF JOHN THE BAPTIST Thursday, August 29, is the Feast of the Beheading of St. John, the Prophet, the Precursor and Baptist. St. John the Baptist was the precursor of Christ whom Christ called "the greatest of the sons of women." He was the last of the prophets sent by God to the people of Israel to prepare them for the coming of the Messiah. St. John preached penance on the shores of the river Jordan in Palestine. Herod Antipas, tetrarch (a subordinate prince or king) of Galilee took Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip, and married her. While the "austere" pharisees did not dare to condemn their ruler, St. John the Baptist went to the royal palace and courageously condemned the tetrach's incestuous union with Herodias. Herod instigated by Herodias cast John into prison. Although Herodias would have him killed, Herod refused to shed his blood partly for fear of the people and partly out of reverence for the saintly preacher. On the birthday of Herod the opportunity was given to Herodias to wreck her vengeance on the preacher. It was a great festival with numerous guests, dancing, music etc. Herodias' daughter, Salome, danced before the tetrach and his company. Herod promised to give her whatever she might ask. At the prompting of her mother, Salome requested the head of Saint John. Herod, through a false sense of honor for his promise, ordered his guards that John be beheaded. Thus the girl took the head of the Saint to her revengeful mother. Strict abstinence is traditionally prescribed for for this day for Eastern Rite Catholics, for the day of Saint John's death is a day of sadness. The feast of St. John is very old. It was introduced in the second or third century. Other traditions include such practices as not eating food from a plate or anything in the form of a head, such as cabbage, lettuce, apples, etc. Sayings from the Church Fathers "Humility has no tongue in order to speak against someone for being careless, or someone else for being contemptuous; nor does it have eyes with which to notice another's faults; nor, again, does it have ears to hear that which does not benefit the soul. Neither does it have anything against others, except one's own sins. Instead it renders one peaceful with all people for the sake of God's commandment, and not merely some friendship. For, if one fasts for six days out of seven and is entirely given to great toils and commandments, all of that persons toils outside this way of humility are in vain." Abba Isaiah of Scetis: Ascetic Discourses The Belt of the Holy Virgin One of the things that children do instinctively is turn to their mother in time of need. Children know that mother will be there to protect them and keep them safe. As Christians, our instinct is to turn to the Mother of God in times of trial and affliction. She is our unfailing interecessor and our "gentle protectress." This sentiment for the Mother of God is at the center of a special feast celebrated on August 31st - the Feast of the Deposition of the Belt of the Mother of God. After her Dormition, the Mother of God left her Belt to the Apostle Thomas. This Belt was later taken to Constantinople and kept there in a sealed casket in the church at Blachernae. This casket was never opened until the time of the Emperor Leo the Wise (886-912) when his wife, Empress Zoe, became ill. The Emperor was inspired in a vision to take the Belt of the Mother of God and place it upon his ailing wife. The Patriarch opened the sealed casket and placed the Belt upon Empress Zoe who immediately recovered. This present feast was instituted as a memorial of this event. Throughout the centuries, other feasts - such as the Feast of the Protection of the Mother of God on October 1st - have been instituted to commemorate the interecession of the Holy Virgin. The Mother of God is never at a loss to come to the aid of her children in time of need. Saint Bernard tells us that "whoever turns to the Holy Virgin in time of need will never remain unaided." Last updated: 1-Feb-2003 |
