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
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
FEBRUARY 24, 2008
THIRD SUNDAY OF THE GREAT FAST VENERATION OF THE HOLY CROSS FIRST AND SECOND FINDING OF THE HEAD OF ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST
Our Offerings
GREAT FAST SERVICES THIS WEEK
FRIDAY, FEB. 29: Small Compline and Akathist to the Most Holy Theotokos, 7:30 PM, at the home of Darrell
and Julie Drouhard
SATURDAY, MARCH 1: Third All Soul’s Day Great Panachida prayed at 12 noon at Oak Ridge Memorial Gardens
The Prayer of St. Ephrem
Lord and Master of my Life, take from me the spirit of discouragement and inactivity, of domineering others, and of empty
talk. (prostration)
Give to me, Your servant, the spirit of integrity, humility, patience, and love. (prostration)
Yes, Lord and King, let me look upon my own sins and refrain from judging others. For You are blessed now and ever and
forever. Amen. (prostration)
Third Sunday of the Great Fast
Sunday of the Veneration of the Holy Cross
The season of the Great Fast is a special time for mortification and penance, both internal and external. Because this
spiritual struggle lasts a longer time, it often happens that we begin the first days or weeks of fasting with great zeal
and resolution but then gradually become physically and spiritually exhausted, weakened, and discouraged. Holy Church,
knowing well the weakness and instability of our human nature, places before our eyes the Holy Cross in the middle of the
fast—an extraordinarily powerful incentive to motivate us to persevere in our spiritual struggles.
On the third Sunday, or mid-Lent, Holy Church encourages us to venerate the Cross of our Lord in a very special manner so
that we may be strengthened in spirit. This Sunday, therefore, is called the Sunday of the Veneration of the Holy Cross.
The Holy Cross is designed to remind us of God’s infinite love for us, Christ’s suffering for our sakes, and
our obligation to carry our daily crosses courageously. Jesus Christ addressed these words to all of us: “If anyone
wishes to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me. He who does not carry his cross and
follow Me cannot be my disciple” (Luke 9:23, 14:27).
The Mystery of Suffering
The mystery of suffering has always troubled mankind. Jesus didn’t explain it, but He suffered for love of us. Some
meaning to suffering can be found at the foot of the cross: Jesus, Mary, and John, all innocent, suffering for the sins of
the world. Without the cross, without suffering, there is no salvation. True love demands sacrifice. That’s why Jesus
invites us to deny ourselves, take up our crosses and follow Him. Life is short and the reward is great. Let’s
mortify our inordinate desires and carry our daily crosses, sufferings, trials, and tribulations with patience, humility,
and resignation for love of Him.
The Mystery of Suffering
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.
PASTORAL PONDERINGS
In order to combat the Lenten blues, perhaps the following story will be of assistance. John Smith was the only Protestant to move into a large Catholic neighborhood. On the first Friday of Lent, John was outside grilling a big juicy steak on his grill. Meanwhile, all of his neighbors were eating cold tuna fish for supper. This went on each Friday of Lent. On the last Friday of Lent the neighborhood men got together and decided that something had to be done about John. He was tempting them to eat meat each Friday of Lent, and they couldn't take it anymore. They decided to convert John to Catholicism. They went over and talked to him and were so happy when he decided to join his neighbors and become a Catholic. After an intensive training in the Catholic catechism, they took him to their pastor. Afterwards his neighbors told him, “You were born a Baptism, you were raised a Baptist, but now you are a Catholic.” The men were most relieved that their biggest Lenten temptation had been resolved. The next year’s Lenten season rolled around. The first Friday of Lent came, and just at supper time, when the neighborhood was settling down to their tuna fish dinner, came the wafting smell of steak cooking on the grill. The neighborhood men could not believe their noses. What was going on? They called each other up and decided to meet over in John's yard to see if he had forgotten it was the first Friday of Lent. The group arrived just in time to see John standing over his grill with a small pitcher of water. He was sprinkling some water over his steak on the grill saying, “You were born a cow, you were raised a cow, but now you are a fish!”
—Father Thomas O’Connell
Last updated: 9-Mar-2008 |
