SUNDAY BEFORE THEOPHANY
Saturday, January 4 SUNDAY BEFORE THEOPHANY
4:00 PM ✞ Mary Ann Kachinko-Michael & Dolores Sinko
Sunday, January 5 SUNDAY BEFORE THEOPHANY
8:30 AM God’s Blessings and Good Health for all Parishioners
VIGIL OF THEOPHANY
4:00 PM God’s Blessings and Good Health for all Parishioners
****8:00 PM Transfiguration of Our Lord Church****
Monday, January 6 THEOPHANY (w/Myrovania)- obligation
8:30AM ✞Geri Kolotelo- Yanoshak Family
Saturday, January 11 SUNDAY AFTER THEOPHANY
4:00 PM ✞Ann Beshada- Anna Magill
Sunday, January 12 SUNDAY AFTER THEOPHANY
8:30 AM God’s Blessings and Good Health for all Parishioners
BLESSING OF HOMES: If anyone wishes to have Father Walter bless their home, please use the envelope in your collection box or leave a note in the collection basket. Also please let Father know if a visit during daytime hours is possible. No donation is required-even though the envelope says requested amount.
FESTIVAL OF THE CAROLS: Festival of Ukrainian Christmas Carols to be held at the Cathedral in Philadelphia on January 12, 2024, at 3:00pm.
Why did Jesus seemingly abandon John the Baptist to his captors and leave for Galilee? God’s ways are not man’s ways, God’s ways i.e. Jesus’s ways, are for the salvation of mankind. He did not abandon John, but rather is heading out to save the lost. Also, Jesus looking forward to salvation, knows that what must pass is His judgement of the whole world. What we call Judgement Day. On that day when John the Baptist is judged for heaven, and everyone who refused John’s preaching of repentance earns for themselves the judgement of hell and they when they complain to Jesus, Jesus will point to John the Baptist and say, “You refused his teaching, which is My teaching, and have earned for yourself hell by not repenting from your sins.” As we prepare for the Great Fast this is what we are called to do and it is critical that it is to be done well, to honestly look in the mirror at our actions, emotions, and spirit, do we truly follow Jesus’s teaching or do we reject it?
From St. John Chrystostom’s Homily on Theophany…..
First of all therefore, it is necessary to say that there is not one Theophany, but two: the one actual, which already has occurred, and the second in future, which will happen with glory at the end of the world. About this one and about the other you will hear today from Paul, who in conversing with Titus, speaks thus about the present: “The grace of God hath revealed itself, having saved all mankind, decreeing, that we reject iniquity and worldly desires, and dwell in the present age in prudence and in righteousness and piety” — and about the future: “awaiting the blessed hope and glorious appearance of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ” (Tit 2:11-13). And a prophet speaks thus about this latter: “the sun shalt turn to darkness, and the moon to blood at first, then shalt come the great and illuminating Day of the Lord” (Joel 2:31). Why is not that day, on which the Lord was born, considered Theophany — but rather this day on which He was baptised? This present day it is, on which He was baptised and sanctified the nature of water. Because on this day all, having obtained the waters, do carry it home and keep it all year, since today the waters are sanctified; and an obvious phenomenon occurs: these waters in their essence do not spoil with the passage of time, but obtained today, for one whole year and often for two or three years, they remain unharmed and fresh, and afterwards for a long time do not stop being water, just as that obtained from the fountains.
Prayer For Peace in Ukraine
Heavenly Father, Your Son taught us “Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the sons of God.” We fervently pray in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, that you inspire men to become peacemakers. May mankind seek reconciliation and peace as is Your Will in this world. May tranquility be restored to all nations and especially Ukraine. God, Our Father, we beseech You to comfort the suffering, heal the wounded, and accept the souls of the dearly departed into Your heavenly kingdom. May the Most Holy Mother of God extend Her Mantle of Protection over Ukraine and the whole world. May each of us always live our lives as instruments of Your peace, in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Father I have a question, how long should I fast before the beginning of the Divine Liturgy in order to receive communion? Let me begin by asking you a question, “How strong do you desire to be spiritually?” Do you desire to be weak when the devil and demons attack or do you desire to strong enough to resist on that evil day as St. Paul tells us? If you desire to be strong you will exercise, just like an athlete exercises- by lifting heavier & heavier weights as you become stronger? So God gives us three methods of exercising to grow in strength spiritually in the battle against Lucifer and demons-these exercises are prayer, fasting, and alms-giving. So if you desire to be strong and you are fasting before the Sunday morning Divine Liturgy you would have nothing to eat or drink after dinner time Saturday evening. If you desire to be weak, you will do nothing-simply eat breakfast before church Sunday morning. In decades past, you have heard from Bishops that a minimum of three hours before the Liturgy is sufficient, and then a short time after you may have heard that one hour is sufficient. The Bishops reduced it to this, claiming that fasting for the whole night was too difficult and they had to make it easier for people. Even God is merciful and desires good things for you, he does not ask you to hurt yourself, He is instructing you how to live well. If you are aged and need to eat or drink a small breakfast in order to take medicine, insulin, etc. out of necessity, then it is okay to do so. Now that you are reminded that fasting is a way to grow in self- control and grow in virtue, you can choose for yourself, based on what you are able to do. Just as a young athlete cannot lift the heaviest weights on the first day, neither can a person who has tried to fast in the past or exercise this practice, they will have difficulty fasting from the evening before, but if they begin to practice this, they would be able to accomplish it. So I close with my opening question, how strong do you desire to be?
The Altar Candles for the month of January are requested by Helene Sirak IMO her son Michael.
The Sanctuary Light for this week is requested by Mariya Palashchuk IMO Evhen Slobodian.
CHURCH ENVELOPES: The 2025 envelopes and calendars are available in the vestibule. If you do not see any with your name, please let David Youells or Michaelene Ostrum know and they will get them for you.
THANK YOU: Thank you to all who generously gave donations to the church this Christmas and throughout the year. God bless everyone with good health and many blessings in the New Year.
BLESSING OF WATER: On Sunday, January 5th at 4:00PM in the evening, we will have the Vesperal Liturgy with the Blessing of Water in celebration of Theophany Eve. The Feast of Theophany is Monday, January 6th. Please remember to bring your containers in order to bring water home. Please note this is a Holy Day of Obligation.
CHRISTMAS SING-A-LONG:IT’S THIS SUNDAY! ” YOU ARE INVITED to join Saints Peter & Paul Ukrainian Greek Catholic Parish (WB) for their 30th Annual Christmas Carol Sing Along in the church at 635 North River Street in Wilkes-Barre, Sunday, January 5th, 2025 starting at 2 p.m. Join in the singing of some very sacred, joyful and inspiring Christmas Carols. Afterwards, please join us in the lower church hall for a Christmas Fellowship Social. Please bring a friend or family member, and share the joy of Christmas with them, as we all welcome the Newborn Son of God into our hearts and homes.”
SS Peter & Paul Ukrainian Catholic Church 