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
OCTOBER 5, 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.
OUR OFFERINGS
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.
OCTOBER IS RESPECT LIFE MONTH
SAYINGS FROM THE CHURCH FATHERS
“Thou shalt love thy neighbor more than thy own life. Thou shalt not murder a child by abortion.” —The Epistle of Barnabas, c. 125 (19:5)
“John and Jesus were both alive while still in the womb. Elizabeth rejoiced as the infant leaped in her womb; Mary glorifies the Lord because Christ within inspired her. Each mother recognizes her child and is known by her child who is a living being — not merely souls but also spirits.” —Tertullian, c. 160-240
WHO IS THE CLINIC WORKER AT THE ABORTION MILLS?
Many clinic workers have had a previous abortion experience. A high percentage of the women who work at abortion facilities
have child sexual abuse, incest, or forcible rape in their backgrounds. Some of these women have grown up in alcoholic,
emotionally abusive, or physically abusive homes.
When dealing with the clinic workers, please bear in mind that some of them are wounded women. Although their dedication to
abortion is confusing for us, to them it makes sense. If you live in a home where “I love you” means “I can
hurt you,” a home where the only safe place is the company of other wounded women, then it is not reaching very far to
come to the wrong conclusions — the wrong conclusions that killing children means saving them and that women are safer,
more autonomous, and better able to care for themselves in a dangerous world if they bear no children.
These of course are the wrong conclusions, but they are the wrong conclusions that come from a place of pain. We need to share
the truth and the love of Jesus with these women if we are to successfully battle these wrong conclusions and help them combat
the pain and fear in their lives. We need to love them as Jesus would — uncompromisingly, all-consumingly,
unconditionally. We need to love them with a love that they have never known, a love that will leave them standing in shame
under the hand of the living God.
Other clinic workers become involved in abortion rights because they truly believe that they are helping women. For these
clinic workers it is much more a political choice. They are involved because of their love and concern for women.
When we are in front of clinics and we hear the shouts of “murderer” and “the blood is on your hands,”
a knife goes through us. These are women who need our compassion, our love, the healing power of a risen Savior. Yes, what
they do, the wholesale slaughter of innocent children, is heinous. Yes, it must stop. But the way to stop it is to reach out
in love — not to retaliate in anger.
Love always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. We are not condoning sin, nor are we excusing sin. However, if we can get
into the heads of clinic workers, if we can understand the other side, we will be better equipped to battle our true enemy
— the father of lies — Satan. We will also be better able to love the clinic workers as Jesus would — uncompromisingly, and at the same time remaining objective enough to help them. If you understand your own feelings, you can
generally empathize.
It is sometimes easier for us to turn away from people in pain rather than reach out to them in their pain. It is difficult to
hear the anguish and despair of another person, but we must hear that anguish if we are to minister to those who are hurting.
Hearing someone’s despair means really listening to her words and not assuming what she is feeling and what she is going
to say. Scripture is always true, but there are times when people need to see Jesus in us, not hear us quoting Jesus at them.
Holding a hand or crying with someone can often be better ministry. We cannot cringe at the pain that needs mercy, nor can we
walk away from the burden that needs bearing. We are called to be the Lord’s hands and heart to those who are hurting.
Empathy is not assuming that another person’s reactions or emotions to a situation is the same as ours would be under
the same circumstances. Our reactions may not be “proper,” but those reactions must be dealt with because they are
still genuine and valid. Sometimes we need to see the face of Jesus in the face of another person.
TRIVIA QUESTION
St. Thomas the Apostle’s feast day is Monday, October 6.
According to Tradition, where did he suffer martyrdom?
a. Jerusalem
b. Turkey
c. Rome
d. India
e. Kentucky
Answer will appear in next week’s bulletin.
Last updated: 14-Oct-2003 |
