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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.

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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
JANUARY 20, 2008
SUNDAY OF THE PRODICAL SON
OUR VENERABLE AND GODBEARING FATHER EUTHYMIUS THE GREAT
SANCTITY OF LIFE SUNDAY

Our Offerings
Jan. 13: $320 — Candles: $23

ALL SOULS SATURDAYS
“If one of the faithful dies, obtain salvation for him by celebrating the Eucharist and by praying next to his remains.” Aristides, Apology, AD 138
In the liturgical year of our church, five Saturdays are set aside as days dedicated to the memory of the departed souls. They are called All Souls Saturdays. Prayers for the dead are as old as Christianity and spring from the doctrine of the communion of saints. Christians from the earliest times were convinced that they remained united to their dead brethren in the communion of the church. This found expression not only in private prayer but also in public liturgies.
This year’s first All Souls’ Saturday in the Byzantine Church will be January 26th. We will gather at Calvary Cemetery in Knoxville for a Parastas (Great Panichida) at 12:00 noon. (Calvary Cemetery is in Knoxville off of Martin Luther King Blvd.) All are welcome and encouraged to attend this short (~30 minutes) service. At the end of the service we will pray for all our departed family and friends by name, so bring a list of names you want remembered. If you cannot attend, you may give your list to Bill Gogar or Ed Klages next week.
PRAYER FOR THE SANCTITY OF LIFE SUNDAY
(The Sunday preceding January 23)
O Lord Jesus Christ, the Only-Begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, the one True God; You are the source of life and immortality, Light of Light, who came into the world to enlighten it: You were pleased to be conceived in the womb of the Virgin Mary by the All-Holy Spirit for the salvation of our souls.
O Master, who came that we might have life more abundantly, we ask You to enlighten the minds and hearts of those blinded to the truth that life begins at conception, and that the unborn in the womb are already adorned with Your image and likeness. Enable us to guard, cherish, and protect the lives of all those who are unable to care for themselves.
For You, Lord, are the Giver of Life, bringing each person from non-being into being, sealing each person with divine and infinite love. Be merciful, O Lord, to those who - through ignorance or willfulness - affront Your divine goodness and providence through the evil act of abortion. May they and all of us come to the life of Your truth and glorify You, the Giver of Life, together with the Father, and the All-Holy and Life-Creating Spirit, now and ever and forever. Amen.
RELATIONSHIPS OF LOVE
From long ago comes a story about a nun who claimed she had seen a vision of Christ. The nun was brought before the local bishop who questioned her, “Sister, did you talk to Christ?” “Yes, I did,” she answered. In order to test the validity of her claim, the bishop said to her, “If you have another vision, ask Christ this question: ‘What was the bishop’s great sin, before he became a bishop?’”
Several months later, the nun once again claimed to have had a vision of Our Lord and once again was brought before the bishop for questioning. “Did you see our Lord again?” the bishop asked. “Yes, I did,” she answered. “Did you ask Him the question about my sin?” the bishop asked. “Yes, I did,” she again replied. “And what did our Lord say?” The nun smiled and answered, “The Lord said, ‘I don’t remember anymore!’”
This charming story contains a powerful message. It is the same message of unconditional forgiveness found also in today’s Gospel lesson for the Sunday of the Prodigal Son. God is constantly willing to forgive us even when our sins are excessive and our repentance is half-hearted. Like the father in the Gospel story, our Heavenly Father is anxiously awaiting our return to Him. As prodigal (abundant) as our sins are—so, too, is God’s mercy prodigal! Moreover, in imitation and appreciation of God’s mercy, let us share our mercy and forgiveness with each other.

Last updated: 9-Feb-2008