March 22, 2026 A. D.
Saturday, March 21 FIFTH SUNDAY OF THE GREAT FAST
4:00 PM UAnn Beshada – Nieces & Nephews
Sunday, March 22 FIFTH SUNDAY OF THE GREAT FAST
8:30 AM God’s Blessings & Good Health for All Parishioners
Wednesday, March 25 FEAST OF ANNUNCIATION- Obligation (Myrovania)
4:00 PM God’s Blessings & Good Health for All Parishioners
Friday, March 28 LITURGY OF THE PRESANCTIFIED GIFTS
4:00 PM
Saturday, March 29 PALM SUNDAY (Myrovania)
Blessing of Palms/Pussywillows
4:00 PM UMichael Drazba- Monica Bergin
Sunday, March 30 PALM SUNDAY (Myrovania)
Blessing of Palms/Pussywillows
8:30 AM God’s Blessings & Good Health for All Parishioners
Transfiguration of Our Lord Church
Saturday Liturgy is 6:00 PM
Sunday Liturgy is 10:30 AM
Pre-Sanctified Liturgy (Wednesday): 6:30PM
ASK FATHER A QUESTION. Father, Lent ends on Lazarus Saturday, now what? Why are we still fasting? We fast because we are in Holy Week, a completely new fast period. Just as the children of Israel fasted before the Passover, we fast during Holy Week. We fast for the Eternal Passover. Passover? What’s Passover? Passover is when the Angel of Death came over the nation of Egypt, the 10th plague came, because in vengeance Pharaoh swore death on the first born son of every Jewish Family in Egypt. That night the Angel of Death came and took the first-born male of every household in Egypt that did not have the blood of the lamb on the doorpost and lintel (top of the door frame) of their house, but “passed over” those with the lamb’s blood marker. God instructed all the Israelites to slaughter the lamb and to eat the “whole” lamb that night. Nothing was to be left until morning. Because of the speed and the urgency of the Pharaoh’s decree, the Israelites did not have time to bake bread and to allow it to rise, hence the unleavened bread, the bread of haste, was made and eaten with bitter herbs and the lamb that evening. This is the Passover Meal. This is a type of resurrection, passing over from death into life, from slavery to freedom, that the bitter herbs are to remind them of 400 years of bondage in Egypt. Pascha has three meanings that are all intended at one and the same time: 1) Pascha is the Greek from the Jewish word “Pesach,” meaning Passover. 2) Pascha is also translated from the Greek to means “lamb.” 3) Pascha also means “bread.” When we celebrate the Feast of Pascha, we are celebrating: the Passover into Eternal Life, the Lamb of God, and the Bread of Eternal Life.
ASK FATHER A QUESTION……. Father, the betrayal of Jesus was foretold by the prophet Zechariah 11:12-13 ….. it leads one to believe that Judas is just a mechanism to fulfill the prophecy of Jesus. Is this is true? What happens to Judas? In short, the answer to the question is no. The reason for this is that Judas has free will, just like us. He can choose how to respond to God and what he will do. From his free will, desire to obtain more money, Judas betrays Christ. After the crucifixion, Judas recognizes his sin of betraying the Messiah. Perhaps his greater sin is that he falls into despair and kills himself. He does this being tempted by the Devil. This is perhaps the bigger sin. The devil leads him to believe that God would not forgive him of betraying an innocent man. Ultimately, the point is that just because something is foretold does not mean that that person has to act it out like a mechanical robot. God lives outside of time and knows everything everyone will ever do. When God reveals this message to a prophet to lead people to salvation- it does not mean that that person’s actions are “pre-destined”- meaning that that person does not have free will to act as they choose. Imagine if on that morning Judas came to his senses and repented and begged forgiveness to Jesus and the Apostles for his betrayal. We would be telling the great story of the Conversion of Saint Judas The Repenter; however, he chose to follow the deceiving words of the deceiver, fall into despair, thinking he could not be forgiven, so he hung himself. All these are of Judas’ free will choices. God’s saving plan is revealed in salvation history, i.e. time, so that we could know the truth and believe. Once you grasp this you realize that Judas is not mere mechanism to fulfill what is foretold.
“And I said unto them, If you think good, give me my hire; and if not, forbear. So they weighed for my hire thirty pieces of silver. And the Lord said unto me, Cast it unto the potter, the goodly price that I was prized at by them. And I took the thirty pieces of silver, and cast them unto the potter, in the house of the Lord.” (Zechariah 11:12-13).
The Divine Liturgy of our Father among the Saints, Basil the Great, is celebrated ten times each year: January 1st (Feast of Saint Basil); December 24th (Christmas Eve); January 5th (Theophany Eve); First thru Fifth Sundays of Lent (not Palm Sunday); and Holy Thursday & the Virgil Liturgy of Easter Sunday.
Petitions & Prayers for Our Parishioners: John Ostrum,Donna Winsock, Sonia Dempsey, Catherine Halloway, Charles Hallaway, Louise Hubiack, John Udiski, Paul Hoover & James Bencho. Keep them in your prayers. If anyone would like to be included in the prayer list drop a note in the basket, email the church or text Michalene Ostrum at 570-704-7079.
The Sanctuary Light for this week is requested by Ann Magill IMO Ann Beshada.
HEATER REPAIR: The Heat Exchange Unit has been replaced and the total cost is $8,106.54. The heater is now working. Thank you to everyone who donated to offset the cost of this repair. Thank you very much.
LENTEN RETREAT: Lenten Retreat is THIS Sunday, March 22 at 4:00PM, beginning with Lenten Vespers/Retreat given by Father Paul Makar at Transfiguration of Our Lord Church. A light social will follow.
SVIACHENNE: The Family Sviachenne will be on Sunday, April 19, 2026 at 12:15PM. Plans are being constructed to have a Covered Dish Sviachenne between Transfiguration of Our Lord Church & Ss. Peter & Paul Church! We have hams donated. We will put out a list for other items and attendees. There is no charge for the Sviachenne Dinner and it will be held at Transfiguration of Our Lord Church basement. Covered dishes and help is needed.
PSYANKY CLASSES: Thank you to Ali Shappert & David Youells for “teaching” our psyanky class. We had many children who came and enjoyed making Ukrainian Easter Eggs. Thank you!
FLEA MARKET & FOOD SALE
Transfiguration of Our Lord Church
240 Center Street, Nanticoke, PA
Friday, March 27, 9am- 2pm
Saturday, March 28, 9am- 2pm &
BAG DAY WILL BE AFTER EASTER
Weather permitting we will be
Selling Potato Pancakes, Pierogi,
Whimpies, Clam Chowder & More!
Tell Your Friends & Neighbors!
The Paschal Homily of St. John Chrysostom
If any man be devout and love God, let him enjoy this fair and radiant triumphal feast. If any man be a wise servant, let him rejoicing enter into the joy of his Lord. If any have labored long in fasting, let him now receive his recompense.
If any have wrought from the first hour, let him today receive his just reward. If any have come at the third hour, let him with thankfulness keep the feast. If any have arrived at the sixth hour, let him have no misgivings; because he shall in no wise be deprived therefore. If any have delayed until the ninth hour, let him draw near, fearing nothing.
If any have tarried even until the eleventh hour, let him, also, be not alarmed at his tardiness; for the Lord, who is jealous of his honor, will accept the last even as the first; he gives rest unto him who comes at the eleventh hour, even as unto him who has wrought from the first hour. And he shows mercy upon the last and cares for the first, and to the one he gives, and upon the other he bestows gifts. And he both accepts the deeds, and welcomes the intention, and honors the acts and praises the offering.
Wherefore, enter you all into the joy of your Lord; and receive your reward, both the first and likewise the second. You rich and poor together, hold high festival. You sober and you heedless, honor the day. Rejoice today, both you who have fasted and you who have disregarded the fast. The table is full-laden; feast ye all sumptuously. The calf is fatted; let no one go hungry away. Enjoy ye all the feast of faith: Receive ye all the riches of loving-kindness.
Let no one bewail his poverty, for the universal kingdom has been revealed. Let no one weep for his iniquities, for pardon has shown forth from the grave. Let no one fear death, for the Savior’s death, has set us free. He that was held prisoner of it has annihilated it. By descending into Hell, He made Hell captive.
He embittered it when it tasted of His flesh. And Isaiah, foretelling this, did cry:
Hell, said he, was embittered when it encountered Thee in the lower regions. It was embittered, for it was abolished. It was embittered, for it was mocked. It was embittered, for it was slain. It was embittered, for it was overthrown. It was embittered, for it was fettered in chains. It took a body and met God face to face. It took earth and encountered Heaven. It took that which was seen and fell upon the unseen.
O Death, where is your sting? O Hell, where is your victory?
Christ is risen, and you are overthrown!
Christ is risen, and the demons are fallen!
Christ is risen, and the angels rejoice!
Christ is risen, and life reigns!
Christ is risen, and not one dead remains in the grave!
For Christ, being risen from the dead has become the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. To Him be glory and dominion unto ages of ages. Amen. (an excerpt.)
Transfiguration of our Lord Church – 2026 A.D.
Holy Monday, March 30
6:30PM The Presanctified Divine Liturgy/Confessions
Holy Tuesday, March 31 – Services at SS. Peter & Paul Church (4:00pm)
Holy Wednesday, April 1
5:30 PMThe Presanctified Divine Liturgy/General Anointing
******Abstinence from Meat ***
Holy Thursday, April 2
6:30PM Matins of the Holy and Saving Passion of our Lord/Confessions
Good Friday, April 3
5:30PM Vespers with Placement of the Plastinicha/Confessions
******Abstinence from Meat & Dairy Products***
Holy Saturday, April 4
3:00PM Blessing of Paschal Food
******Abstinence from Meat ***
6:30 PMResurrectional Vespers/Divine Liturgy Saint Basil the Great(Myrovania)
Pascha (Easter Sunday), April 5
11:00AM Divine Liturgy/Blessing of Artos/Myrovania Blessing of Easter Baskets
ANOINTING OF THE SICK ON HOLY WEDNESDAY
The General Anointing of the Sick is done for all baptized Christians present at the Liturgy of Presanctified Gifts on Holy Wednesday. If there are two blessings, the first blessings is done at the end of The Litany of Peace and the second is after the Litany of Supplication. If more than one priest is present the people should be anointed by each of the priests present, up to seven priests in total. The Prayer of Anointing is said first for all present, then each is anointed on the forehead, cheeks and palm of the hands with the formula, “The servant of God is anointed for the healing of soul and body, for the forgiveness of sins and life everlasting.” This is the one time each year that this Mystery (Sacrament) is provided to all the faithful in attendance and forgives all sins so that even one who has not “gone to confession” is now freed from sin and if the person remains free from sin, is free to receive of the Eucharist, the Holy Body and Blood of Christ.
SS. Peter and Paul Church-2026 A.D.
20 Nottingham Street, Plymouth, PA
Holy Tuesday, March 31
4:00 PM The Presanctified Liturgy, Confessions
Holy Thursday, April 2
3:00PM Matins of the Holy and Saving Passion of our Lord
Good Friday, April 3
1:00PM Vespers with the Placement of the Holy Shroud
******Abstinence from Meat & Dairy Products***
Holy Saturday, April 4
1:00 Blessing of Food
******Abstinence from Meat ***
Pascha, Sunday, April 5
7:30AM Resurrection Matins, Divine Liturgy, Blessing of Artos
Blessing of Paschal Food, Myrovania
ASK FATHER A QUESTION…What is the significance of the number 40 in the Bible? Why did God allow Christ to be tempted in the desert in Christ’s 40 days of preparation for His Ministry? In Salvation History between sinning and entering the Kingdom of Heaven is a long life and preparation period. The number 40 repeats in the Holy Scriptures as a “type” of Spiritual journey either preparing to do some special calling of God in the material world or a cleansing before it is acceptable to enter the “holy Land.” Forty years in the desert of the nation of Israel, Moses on Mount Sinai forty days and forty nights, Forty days of rain at the time of Noah, Jesus going out in the desert and preparing forty days among others.
Do not forget Jesus is fully man as well as Holy God. So just as the devil has access to tempt men, so too the devil has access to tempt the Son of Man, Jesus Christ. Because, Jesus demonstrates that yes, a man can be successful and does have power over devils.
SS Peter & Paul Ukrainian Catholic Church 