Holy Resurrection Byzantine Catholic Mission

HOLY RESURRECTION BYZANTINE CATHOLIC MISSION
FATHER THOMAS O’CONNELL, PASTOR
FATHER DEACON RON VOLEK, PASTORAL ASSISTANT
HOLY FAMILY CATHOLIC CHURCH
307 BLACK OAK RIDGE ROAD PO BOX 817
SEYMOUR, TN 37865
PHONE: 865-609-1081
www.hrbcc.org

Divine Liturgy begins at 4 p.m. Every Sunday
Ninth Hour Prayer precedes Liturgy at 3:30 p.m.

Potluck supper follows Liturgy on the third Sunday of the month
Also at this time non-perishable foods and items for those in need

JUNE 17, 2007
THIRD SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
THE HOLY MARTYRS MANUEL, SABEL, AND ISHMAEL
OUR VENERABLE FATHER HYPATIUS
FATHER’S DAY

Rejoice, Virgin Theotokos, Mary full of grace, the Lord is with you. Blessed are you among woman and blessed is the fruit of your womb, for you gave birth to Christ the Savior and Redeemer of our souls.

Under thy tender compassion we run, O Mother of God; reject not our prayers in our troubles, but deliver us from harm, only Pure One, only Blessed One.

Most Glorious and Ever-Virgin, Mother of Christ our God, present our prayers to thy Son and our God and pray that through thee, He may save our souls. Amen

There is so much we could say about fathers on this their special day. Often what is said will be quite inadequate to really express what a father means to his family, his wife, and his children. We can never in a million words or cards express what we truly feel about that very important person in our lives—our own father!

It is important to dwell on several types of “fathers” on this Father’s Day. First and foremost, we remember God our Father. This is His day, too! He was presented to us by Jesus, His Son, as a Father. We sometimes forget Him on Father’s Day. Yet, in every respect, God is our Father.

God is also a father in many other ways. He constantly remains concerned about us in every facet of our lives. Like our earthly fathers, He loves us with a great love. He is ready to forgive our greatest faults. He is always open to our pleading. Even if we fail to love Him or when at times we even forget Him, our Heavenly Father never stops loving us nor will He ever forget us!

It is good to remind ourselves on this Father’s Day about the love of our Heavenly Father for we often forget that He is a very personal God who has a deep concern for us.

Of course, this day is primarily dedicated to our dads. There is really nothing we can say to express our love and appreciation for our “earthly” fathers. He knows what we feel for—in cooperation with our Heavenly Father—he gave us life and sustained us in our youth. He continues to worry about our welfare even when we are away from home, his table, and his support. Each one of us should in some way approach our dear and precious father on this day and tell him that we love him. If you don’t know what to say, just remember to tell him what’s in your heart. Our Father’s Day greeting should be something personal. It should be us expressing what we feel to someone who has given so much. Like our Heavenly Father, he does not forget us when we forget him, and he, too, is ready to forgive our greatest faults. He is always open to our pleading. And he still loves us even when we fail to love him. Don’t forget that a dad is a very special and personal individual who has a deep concern and love for his children.

There is till another “father” that should be mentioned on this day. We speak with them often. We call them “Father.” But, we often forget them on Father’s Day. They are our parish priests. They are our spiritual fathers.

Our priests offer us love and concern, and like our earthly fathers, they may sometimes fall short. But they continue to try to do their best for us. How nice it would be to remember them on this “Father’s” Day! They certainly would appreciate a kind word and a sincere expression of affection from their spiritual children. They have no family in the sense that the world knows, but they have fed many a child with the Eucharist. They have cried over the loss of many a spiritual child. Our spiritual fathers have joined others in the bond of matrimony to set them on their way to a family life. On Father’s Day, it would be good to remember them; to pray for them; to thank them for all they do; and to thank them for having given themselves for service to God and all mankind.

To all three fathers, we offer a special gift of love this day.
We can never repay the love of our Heavenly Father. To Him be praise, glory, and honor forever.
To our own dads, we say, “We love you with all our hearts!”
To our spiritual fathers, we say, “Thank you, Father, we appreciate all you do! May God bless you and help you serve us better.”
HAPPY FATHER’S DAY TO ALL OUR FATHERS!