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
March 14, 2004 — Veneration of the Cross
Divine Liturgy Intention:
Our Offerings
Special Liturgical Service on the Fourth All Souls Saturday
We will pray the Panichida, a memorial service for our deceased brothers and sisters, at noon on Saturday,
March 13, at Calvary Cemetery in Knoxville. Please join us as we commemorate and pray for the faithful departed. Call Ed
Klages at 865-xxx-xxxx for details.
We Need Your Help
Holy Resurrection needs volunteers to help staff the CROSS office in Seymour. CROSS, Christians Reaching Out Serving Seymour,
provides goods and services to the needy in the Seymour area. Office hours are 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Mondays and Tuesdays,
10 a.m. to noon on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. Holy Family volunteers work Thursday mornings. Call Donna Scripa,
Holy Resurrection CROSS representative, at 865-xxx-xxxx, or Jay Craft, Holy
Family CROSS representative, at xxx-xxxx, for details.
Sunday of the Veneration of the Cross
The Sunday of the Veneration of the Holy Cross teaches us to understand the significance the Holy Cross has for us not only
during Lent but also throughout our entire lives. This Sunday tells us wherever we find the Cross we will find strength,
victory, salvation, and the pledge of resurrection to an eternal life of bliss. To arouse ourselves to a greater veneration
and love of the holy Cross, let us frequently call to mind the thoughts expressed by a great venerator of the Holy Cross,
St. Ephrem the Syrian, in the following hymn:
“Therefore, let us make the sign of this Life-Giving Cross on our forehead, lips and breast. ... Let us not leave the
Cross even for one hour, even for one moment, and let us not do anything without it, but whether we are going to sleep, or
getting up, whether we are eating or drinking, whether we are traveling on land, sailing the sea, or crossing rivers, we
should adorn all the members of our body with the sign of the Life-Giving Cross.”
The Sign of the Cross
The Sign of the Cross is part of the religious ritual Eastern Christians observe. The Sign of the Cross is the sign of our
salvation in Jesus Christ. By tracing it on our bodies, we identify ourselves with Christ and remind ourselves that we are
indeed baptized into His death and resurrection. The Sign of the Cross is an act of our faith and our commitment to Christ.
To make the Eastern Sign of the Cross, the tips of the thumb, index, and middle fingers of the right hand are brought together
while the ring and pinky fingers are bent toward the palm of the hand. The three joined fingers touch first the forehead, then
the chest, and finally the right and left shoulders.
The joining of the thumb and first two fingers symbolizes the unity of the Holy Trinity—God the Father, God the Son, and
God the Holy Spirit.
The two fingers that are bent into the palm signify a belief in the two natures of Jesus Christ — God and man.
Before and after individual prayers, the Sign of the Cross is made three times in honor of the Holy Trinity.
After making of the Sign of the Cross, reverence to God is further expressed by bowing the head. The Sign of the Cross is also
made when a priest gives a blessing. Eastern Christians bow and cross themselves when they enter a church and before they kiss
an icon.
Don’t forget to bring nonperishable foods and items for the needy next Sunday — March 21!
Pastoral Ponderings: God Answers Prayers
We all want our prayers answered. We think that would make life easier. But sometimes God answers prayers in ways we
don’t expect, making life more challenging.
Young Moses was minding his own business, tending the flock of his father-in-law, when God decided it was time to answer some
prayers. For years the chosen people had been held in Egypt as slaves. They longed to return to their own land, the land that
God had given them. They prayed for release.
God answered their prayers by appearing to Moses in a flaming bush that was not consumed. God asked Moses to lead the people
out of slavery into freedom.
This was probably not the answer Moses had in mind. Moses would have been content to let someone else lead the people to
freedom. He wanted an end to slavery as much as anyone else, but he never envisioned that he would lead the exodus. God was
answering prayers in a way that caused anxiety for Moses.
When we want something done, God hears from us. When God wants something done, we hear from God. It may come as a surprise,
but God may have us in mind to answer someone else’s prayer.
— Father O’Connell
Last updated: 24-Mar-2004 |
