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!
DIVINE LITURGY BEGINS AT 4 P.M. EVERY SUNDAY
EVERY THIRD SUNDAY IS FOOD SUNDAY: We always welcome all visitors among us! We hope that you find our worship true and reverent and our people 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.
SEPTEMBER 28, 2003:
Divine Liturgy Intention: If you would like the Divine Liturgy offered for a loved one, deceased or living, please give your offering to Father and obtain a Liturgy intention card from William Gogar. Please write down the intention so it can be put in the bulletin.
WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE DIVINE LITURGY?
A six-part study of the Divine Liturgy will begin at 3 p.m. Sunday, October 12, in the parish hall. The class will
continue to meet at the same time for five consecutive Sundays. See Father O’Connell (609-1081) or Facilitator Tim J. Scripa
(xxx-xxxx) for details.
OUR OFFERINGS
16TH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
GOSPEL THOUGHT (LUKE 5:1-11)
Most of us get discouraged from time to time, often for reasons such as Simon Peter gave. We have labored all the night long;
we have done our best. But our toil has been in vain; we have taken nothing. So we say, or we are tempted to say: “There
is no use going on. I don’t get anywhere. It would be more sensible, and it certainly would be more pleasant to stop
trying.” To someone weary after long, arduous efforts, our Lord’s words come as an inspiration. They move us to
try again, to make St. Peter’s reply our own. When the Lord says: “Keep going,” we must answer, “I
will.” Let us try then, not seven times but 70 times seven times. Eventually we shall accomplish the hitherto impossible
task. We shall soften the heart of that implacable enemy; we shall conquer these restless passions, these deep-seated habits,
this unruly tongue. Who can predict that because we failed yesterday we shall fail today? “Let down the nets.” We
let them down, and immediately new, consoling reflections come. We see that God has been testing our trust, trying our
perseverance. We ask ourselves: Shall I gain anything by quitting? Shall I be happier if I stop trying? The answer is NO!
Although we have failed 99 times, our 100th effort may succeed; and although in a moment of depression it is hard for us to
remain calm and reasonable, down in the depths of our souls, we know that time is an indispensable element in the maturing of
plans, as in the maturing of life. Even if we do not find what we seek, we may discover something far better. So be it, then,
we shall try again; and please God, we shall die trying.
—Father James Melnic
OCTOBER 1
FEAST OF THE PATRONAGE OF THE MOTHER OF GOD The Institution of the Feast
The chief motive that led to the institution of this feast was a vision granted to St. Andrew, the Fool for Christ, when
the Turks beseiged Constantinople. The people, terror-stricken, gathered in the Church of the Most Holy Mother of God, where
her mantle was preserved, and there they held an all-night prayer vigil for the protection of the city. Greatly distressed,
the people filled the church to overflowing. Among the gathering were St. Andrew and his disciple, Epiphany. After the
service, St. Andrew saw the Most Holy Mother of God, who, in a radiant light amid the singing of a great choir of saints,
approached the altar from the main doors of the church in the company of Sts. John the Baptist and John the Theologian.
The Mother of God knelt down before the altar, prayed long, and shed tears. Finally she arose, removed from her head a
luminous veil, and stretched it over the people in the church. Then she disappeared. St. Andrew and Epiphany saw the
vision and understood that the Mother of God came to rescue the city. News of the miracle spread throughout the city like a
flash of lightning. The Turks retreated and the city was saved. From this veil, which in Ukranian is called pokrov, the
feast got its name: Pokrov Presvyatoyi Bohorodytsi, The Veil (or Protection) of the Most Holy Mother of God. The veil
became the symbol of the protection and intercession of the Blessed Virgin.
St. Andrew the Fool
Who was St. Andrew the Fool? Historians generally agree that he was a Slav from the southern part of Rus-Ukraine. He,
together with other slaves, was brought to Constantinople where he became the slave of a wealthy lord. Here he learned and
loved the Christian faith. Meditating on the words of St. Paul, “We are fools for Christ, but you are wise in
Christ,” (1Cor 4:10) he began to act like a fool. Having gained his freedom from his master, he spent much time in
prayer and the reading of Holy Scriptures.
When did St. Andrew live and when did the miracle of protection take place? Historians are uncertain. Some believe
St. Andrew lived during the reign of Leo the Great (457-474), while the majority say he lived during the reign of
Emperor Leo the Wise (886-911).
The feast of the Patronage was a local feast among the Greeks, who stopped celebrating it after the fall of Constantinople in
1453. No one knows precisely why October 1 became the feast day. Perhaps St. Andrew had the vision that day or, as
some have suggested, because on that day the Eastern Church celebrates the memory of St. Roman the Melodist, who composed
many hymns in honor of the Mother of God.
Last updated: 5-Oct-2003 |
