Holy Resurrection Byzantine Catholic Mission

Icon of the Archangel Gabriel

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.

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HOLY RESURRECTION BYZANTINE CATHOLIC MISSION
FATHER THOMAS O’CONNELL, PASTOR
FATHER MICHAEL MAPLES, ASSISTANT 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

Slava Isusu Christu! Slava Na Niky!
Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory Forever!

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

OCTOBER 21, 2007
TWENTY-FIRST SUNDAYAFTER PENTECOST
OUR VENERABLE FATHER HILARY THE GREAT

The Responsibility of Riches

When God created humans, He created them in His own image and according to His own likeness, with intelligence and a free will. With these gifted faculties, humans are to follow God’s plan and, with His help, reach heaven.

Dives, the rich man in today’s parable, was living a selfish and worldly life. God had given him wealth to be used for the glory of God and the service of his brethren. But he spent it on himself. His spirit was selfish, his principles worldly. It meant nothing that outside his gates was a world of poverty of which poor Lazarus was only one example. It was nothing to Dives that there were treasures of a better kind than those of wealth, that there was an inheritance to gain in the unseen world.

It is no sin to be rich, but it is a sin to be rich and ignore others, to fail to help those in need. Dives thought his wealth was his own, to do with as he pleased. Sadly, it never occurred to him that everything belongs to God. He incurred punishment for failing to use his wealth to relieve those whose sufferings touched the Heart of God.

This parable teaches several lessons: the uncertainty and the brief duration of earthly blessings; the responsibility of wealthy individuals not only for what they do, but also for what they do not do with their wealth; the supremacy of the law of God as a guide to eternal life; and that another world remains, one of happiness or one of misery. There is a price to pay for ignoring God and His plan of salvation.

Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos
“Joy of All Who Sorrow”
(Commemorated on October 24)

This icon of the Mother of God revealed itself as a wonder-working icon for the first time in Moscow in 1688. Euphemia, the sister of the patriarch, Joachim, lived in Moscow and suffered from a severe incurable disease that exposed her inner organs. She suffered greatly and was barely alive!

Once, in her prayers to our Lord Jesus Christ and to His Holy and Precious Mother, Euphemia heard a voice, instructing her to pray before the icon, “JOY OF ALL WHO SORROW,” located in one of the local churches.

At the church, the moleben was being served and following it, the icon was brought into her house, where Euphemia was sprinkled with Holy Water. She was immediately healed and rose from her bed by herself! This miracle took place on October 24, and a feast to the icon was established to commemorate that event.

The Mother of God on this icon is portrayed in full figure with Christ, the Alpha and the Omega, giving His blessing from heaven. There is an angel on each side of her, and the faithful—with their petitions for her help and mercy from disease and illness—are at her feet. There are numerous recorded cases of her divine help to all in need and trouble—even with conditions of seizures, infirmity, throat diseases, trembling of muscles, stroke, and tuberculosis.

A GRAND INHERITANCE

Upon the death of a loved one, some people receive an inheritance. For some it is a car, a home or cash; for others, it is a valuable jewel or cherished keepsake. On October 26th, we celebrate the feast of a saint who received quite a spectacular inheritance: an entire army!

St. Demetrius was a third century saint who was born of wealthy and devout parents. His father was the Commander of the Army at Salonica, who upon his death, insured that his only son, Demetrius, would succeed him as commander. It seemed that at this point in his life, Demetrius had everything he could ever hope for: wealth, a promising career, the admiration of countless men, and the respect of the emperor. However, there was one thing in the life of St. Demetrius that was more important than all these things — his love for Jesus Christ!

Demetrius’ secret Christianity was soon exposed, though, when the emperor ordered Demetrius, as the Commander of the Army, to slaughter all Christians in Salonica! When the saint refused, the emperor threatened him with imprisonment and execution. However, Demetrius joyfully accepted his fate and would not waver. He gave away all his wealth and possessions to the poor and then allowed himself to be imprisoned and executed for his Christian faith.

Thus, the greatest inheritance that Demetrius received was not given in life, but in death! The same is true for us, too. Our true inheritance is not found in the things of this world, which “moths and rust corrode and thieves break in and steal.”

RATHER OUR INHERITANCE IS THE GIFT OF ETERNAL LIFE!

Last updated: 21-Oct-2007