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 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
SEPTEMBER 7, 2008
SUNDAY BEFORE THE EXALTATION OF THE CROSS PRE-FESTIVE DAY OF THE FEAST OF THE BIRTH OF THE THEOTOKOS THE HOLY MARTYR SOZON
Our Offerings
Sunday Before the Exaltation of the Cross: Gospel Thought
“On making the ‘Sign of the Cross’”
Today we celebrate the Sunday before the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. What a wonderful reminder we have of the cross and
the Blessed Trinity, in the SIGN OF THE CROSS. Each time we make it, we invoke the names of the three Persons in one God.
We profess our belief that these three Persons are but one God.
A few years ago, a non-Catholic man stopped at a Catholic rectory and asked the priest, whom he met there, some questions
about the Catholic Liturgy. One of the questions he asked was, “What were those senseless circles that Catholics so
often made on their chests?” At first, the priest was puzzled, but then he came to realize what those senseless
circles were. Too many Catholics were carelessly making the sign of the cross! Perhaps they were even doing it
disrespectfully!
Let us resolve that when we make the sign of the cross — we will make it fervently displaying much love and respect.
The Sign of the Cross should always indicate our belief and love in the Most Holy Trinity.
SOLEMN HOLY DAY: MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 8
FEAST OF THE BIRTH OF THE THEOTOKOS DIVINE LITURGY @ 7:30 PM
From Vespers and Matins on the Birth of the Theotokos:
“Today the God of Heaven prepares for Himself a Throne on earth. Today the Wise Creator makes a Living Heaven in His
love for man. From a barren root He gives Life to a Life-Bearing Garden: His Mother. O God of wonders and Hope of the
hopeless, O Lord, glory to You!
Today the barren Anna gives birth to the holy Handmaid of God who was chosen from all generations for the fulfillment of
the Divine Plan to become the abode of the King, the Creator of all, Christ our God! Therefore, we mortals are restored
from corruption to life eternal. The ends of the earth rejoice at your nativity, O Maiden Mary, Mother of God and Unwedded
Bride. Your birth abolishes the curse of barrenness and heals the pain of our mother, Eve.
O Marvelous Wonder! The daughter of the barren Anna with God has put an end to the barrenness of good things in this world.
Rejoice with the mother of the Theotokos, O mothers! Singing: Rejoice, O Full of Grace, the Lord is with you, granting the
world great mercy.”
Holy Tradition on the Birth of Mary, the Mother of God
The record of the birth of Mary is not found in the Bible. Iinstead, the traditional account of the event is taken from
apocryphal writings which are not part of the New Testament Scriptures. The traditional teaching which is celebrated in
this feast is that Joachim and Anna, were a pious Jewish couple who were among the small and faithful remnant — the
poor and needy — awaiting the promised Messiah. The couple was old and childless. They prayed earnestly to the Lord
for a child, since among the Jews, barrenness was a sign of God’s disfavor.
In answer to their prayers, and as a reward of their unwavering fidelity to God, the elderly couple was blessed with the
child who was destined—because of their own personal goodness and holiness—to become the Mother of the Messiah
— Christ.
The fact that there is no Biblical verification of the facts of Mary’s birth is incidental to the meaning of the
feast. Even if the background of the event as celebrated in the Church is questionable from an historical point of view,
the divine meaning of it “for us men and for our salvation” is obvious. There had to be one born of human flesh
and blood who would be spiritually capable of being the Mother of Christ; and she, herself, had to be born into the world
of persons — who were spiritually capable of being her parents.
The Feast of the Nativity of the Theotokos, therefore, is a glorification of Mary’s birth, of Mary herself, and of
her righteous parents. It is the celebration as well of the very first preparation of the salvation of the world.
(Taken from Worship, the Orthodox Faith Volume II, by Fr. Thomas Hopko)
ATTENTION: Father Michael Maples will have Vespers and Confession for our mission on Friday, September 12 at
7:30 PM.
Also, Divine Liturgy will be held on Saturday, September 13, at 10:30 AM commemorating the Dedication of the Church of the Resurrection — the feast day of our mission! Liturgy will be preceded by a reader's service of Matins. A potluck celebration will follow immediately after liturgy. EVERYONE IS INVITED!! PLEASE MAKE A SINCERE EFFORT TO ATTEND BOTH DAYS!! Last updated: 8-Sep-2008 |
