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

DECEMBER 16, 2007
SUNDAY OF THE HOLY ANCESTORS
THE HOLY PROPHET HAGGAI

Sunday of the Holy Ancestors of Christ

On the Sunday between December 11 and 17, the church celebrates the ancestors of Christ according to the flesh, together with all the patriarchs of the Old Testament, who were related to Him in any way. Before the Law, these ancestors are: Adam; Enoch; Melchisedech; Abraham; Isaac; Jacob and his twelve sons, the founders of the Twelve Tribes of Israel. After the Law, they include: Moses; Aaron; Josue; Samuel; David; the four major prophets, Isaias, Jeremias, Ezechiel, and Daniel and the three holy youths; the twelve minor prophets; and also Elias; Eliseus; Zacharias; John the Baptist; and the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Christ did not come to destroy the Law and the prophets, but to fulfill them by perfecting the work of all those who had preceded Him and announced His coming. He came to fulfill the hope in the salvation to come and establish through His blood a new covenant between God and man; that is, the covenant of love and a life in God and its consummation in the bosom of the Father in heaven.

This commemoration of the Holy Ancestors is a preparation for the birth of Christ with the purpose to create in the hearts of the faithful an atmosphere of expectation, hope, and anxious eagerness for the coming of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

December 17 — Feast of the Holy Prophet Daniel and the Three Holy Children: Ananias, Azarias, and Mizael

Daniel was carried off into slavery with his companions, Ananias, Azarias, and Mizael in 605 B.C. The details of his life can be found in the Book of Daniel. God gave him the gift of discernment, enabling him to interpret the dream of Nebuchadnezzer. Falsely accused by his enemies, Daniel was thrown into a lion pit. By God’s grace he managed to tame the lion. Daniel is considered one of the four great prophets, along with Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel. He prophesied the time of the coming of the Messiah. The three companions of Daniel refused to worship the king’s golden idol, and were thrown into a fiery furnace. An angel of the Lord appeared in the furnace with them and they were untouched by the flames.

Troparion of Daniel

Faith can accomplish great things. Through it, the Three Holy Children rejoice in the flames as if they had been in refreshing water, and Daniel in the midst of lions is like a shepherd among his sheep. Through their intercession, O Christ God, save our souls.

Our Second Invitation

“You really disappointed me,” said a woman to her best friend. The woman was about to be married and her best friend had promised to hand-write all the wedding invitations in elegant script. As the day of the wedding approached, the woman discovered that her best friend had not kept her promise. There would be no hand-written wedding invitations. “I was counting on you,” the bride-to-be said in dismay. “You really let me down!”

There are few things more disappointing than when our friends let us down. We see this in today’s Gospel reading. A certain king invited his friends to a banquet, but when all was ready, his friends declined to attend. More than being disappointed, the king was downright angry! His friends, who had accepted the initial invitation to attend, now made excuses when the banquet was about to begin. In the culture in which Jesus lived, declining an invitation after first accepting it was among the gravest of insults.

Our Lord extends a similar invitation to us. He says to each of us personally, “Follow me.” At our Baptism, our godparents accepted this invitation in our behalf. Throughout our life, however, we have many opportunities to personally accept this invitation again and again. Each time we face a critical decision, or have a choice of good over evil, or have an occasion of trial and/or temptation, it is an opportunity to accept or decline Christ’s invitation to follow Him. Unlike the guests in today’s Gospel reading, let us be among those who make the right choices - not excuses!

Let us always choose Jesus…

Last updated: 31-Dec-2007