Holy Resurrection Byzantine Catholic Mission

HOLY RESURRECTION BYZANTINE CATHOLIC MISSION
PASTOR REV. THOMAS O'CONNELL
HOLY FAMILY CATHOLIC CHURCH
307 BLACK OAK RIDGE ROAD
P.O. BOX 817
SEYMOUR TN 37865
PHONE: 609-1081

THOSE WHO ARE FAMILY, RELATIVES, AND FRIENDS TO PARISHONERS; THOSE INQUIRING ABOUT THE BYZANTINE CATHOLIC FAITH; THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN HERE FOR AWHILE. You enter this holy place of heaven on earth, not as a stranger, but as a guest of God. He is your Father. Come then, with gratitude in your heart - for there is not one of your needs of which He is not mindful; come then, with gladness on your lips, offering Him your loving service. May all who love this Home of Faith, rejoice in the power and love of God ... that His blessings, strength, and love abide within you, both in your coming in and going out.

Today's Divine Liturgy Intention is -
Living - For the health of Dolores Antcliff, a member of our mission, who will have surgery this week. Please keep her in your prayers.

May 29, 2003 - Feast of the Ascension of Our Lord - On Thursday May 29 at 7:30 PM. Holyday for Byzantine Christians.

June 7, 2003 - (Saturday evening) Divine Liturgy at 5:30 PM - Akathist 5:00 PM

June 7, 2003 - Reader's Service - 12:00 Noon - 5^th All Souls Saturday - Panichida prayed at Oak Ridge Memorial Cemetery

June 8, 2003 - Pentecost Sunday - at 7 PM Pentecost Vespers (known as Kneeling Vespers). At this service we kneel for the first time following Pascha. There are lengthy prayers offered during our kneeling, for the whole world, but especially for the departed from all ages.

Vespers - every Saturday evening at 6:30 PM at Holy Family except when we have Divine Liturgy that weekend. Everyone is welcome to attend.

Food Sunday - every third Sunday please bring non-perishable food for the needy.

Today's Holy Gospel tells us how Jesus came to a town of Samaria called Sichar. He stopped at Jacob's well for He was tired and thirsty, while the Apostles went up to the town to purchase some food. At noon, a Samaritan woman came to draw water. A conversation developed between Jesus and this woman, in which Jesus revealed her sinful life. He told her she had five husbands and the one she had now was not her husband. The woman was astonished that she recognized in Him a prophet if not the Christ. She left her water jar, rushed into town, and brought all the people to see a man who told her everything about her (the truth). Many Samaritans came out and invited Jesus to stay in that town for two days. When they heard Him, they firmly believed that He was the true Savior of the world and became His followers. Thus, the wicked woman, by the grace of God, became a missionary for Christ in her town. As you know, the Church cannot grow and expand effectively in modern times without the active cooperation of the faithful. The church hierarchy with bishops and clergy seem to be inadequate in the twentieth century; everyone (baptized true-believing Christians) must be missionaries for Christ in your own environment just as the Samaritan woman. So many Catholics do nothing to share their faith with some of the faithless millions around them. We must win souls for Christ. "A pastor was complimenting his assistant priest on his sermons dealing with the Divine Liturgy. 'Within the past year the attendance at daily Liturgy has increased noticeably,' he remarked. The assistant answered: 'Do not give me the credit. Since I began the annual home visiting in the section of the parish you assigned to me, I have learned who is responsible for this increased appreciation of the Divine Liturgy. Miss So-and-so, whose charity leads her to the homes of the poor, the suffering, and dying, is the real apostle of Liturgy attendance. She visits every home in her vicinity.' The pastor exclaimed: 'What a wonderful amount of blessings this little woman is bringing to souls." Everyone of us could do the same if you would be a living member of Christ's Church. You all know many people in your vicinity, you meet them so frequently on various occasions. If you would try to enlighten their hearts with faith in Jesus and bring them to church, you will have done everything you could. You will belong to those whose names are listed in the Book of Life forever. Be, therefore, doers of the Divine Word and your reward will be great in heaven.

Once there was a young man who became a Christian many years ago. His rich pagan father despised him for this. He argued with his son, beat him, and then finally threw him out of the house. The young man remained a devout Christian and won many others to Christ as well. Eventually, the young man was brought before the magistrate, and was accused of being a Christian.

The magistrate offered him a choice. First, he would release him if he would simply renounce Christ, come home and enjoy his father's wealth. Or, he could remain a Christian and be put to death. "Leaving my father's riches does not trouble me," said the young man, "for there is a far more beautiful home waiting for me with my Heavenly Father."

On May 29^th we will celebrate the feast of Our Lord's return to His Heavenly Father. On Ascension Thursday, forty days after His Resurrection, Our Lord took His Disciples to the Mount of Olives near Bethany, blessed them and was lifted in a cloud which took Him from their sight. (Acts 1:9)

The Feast of the Ascension of Our Lord reminds us of our final destination. Ultimately, we are all created to dwell with God in Heaven. While we journey on earth, however, God continues to share Himself with us by sending His Holy Spirit to us, to live within us and to work among us. Therefore, let us, on the Feast of the Ascension, anticipate the coming of the Holy Spirit into the world and into us in a renewed way.