Saturday, August 8 ELEVENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
4:00 PM Irene Frisbie – Anna Magill
Sunday, August 9 ELEVENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
8:30 AM God’s Blessing & Good Health for All Parishioners
Saturday, August 15 TWELFTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
4:00 PM God’s Blessing & Good Health for All Parishioners
Sunday, August 16 TWELFTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
8:30 AM God’s Blessings for Jordan & Quinby Finch
-Owen Family
WHY COOK WEDNESDAYS!: “Saints Peter & Paul Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church will hold the 3rd and last of their Why Cook Wednesday Dinners for the Summer with a Ukrainian Festival Food, Take-Out Dinner on Wednesday, August 12th. Order from a menu of festival foods including; a Holubtsi Dinner with 2 piggies, 3 pyrohy and green beans for $12.00, a Kovbasa Dinner with Kielbasa & Sauerkraut, Hard Roll and 3 Pyrohy for $10.00, Pagash – 3 Cuts for $6.00 or a whole tray of 12 for $22.00, Pyrohy – 6 for $6.00 or a dozen frozen for $10, Cabbage and Noodles for $4.00 a pint, and Piggie 6-Packs for $18.00. Desserts available at our bake sale. Pick-Ups from 4:00 to 7:00pm in their school hall on the corner of North River and West Chestnut Streets, near the General Hospital Parkade in Wilkes-Barre. Take-Out Only and Pre-Orders are strongly encouraged. Place your order by calling the School Hall Kitchen (570) 829-3051. Tickets will also be sold for a Basket Raffle. Remember…When Baba Cooks, Everybody’s Happy!”
Fasting
Christian fasting is the most effective weapon we have, especially along with prayer. The two together do wonders. One day, His disciples asked Jesus why they could not heal a boy by expelling the demon from within him, “Why could we not cast it out?” The Lord’s reply was, “This kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.”
Fasting makes us realize that we are dependent on God and trains us to control our appetites, which devils use to tempt us to sin. We are reminded that without God, we can do nothing. It also has the potential to increase our spiritual strength, true obedience to God, and total patience with our fellow man. It assists us to take control of our appetites that involve the physical senses. We fast from food to help us build up our self control “muscles” so to speak – so that ultimately we can resist the temptation to sin and live according to God’s will.
As with all fasting, please remember that abstaining from food during this period of preparation does us no good if we do not also, as St. John Chrysostom teaches us, fast with:
“… the eye and the ear and the feet and the hands and all the members of our bodies. Let the hands fast, by being free of avarice. Let the feet fast, by ceasing to run after sin. Let the eyes fast, by disciplining them not to glare at that which is sinful. Let the ear fast, by not listening to evil talk and gossip. Let the mouth fast from foul words and unjust criticism.
For what good is it if we abstain from birds and fishes, but bite and devour our brothers?”— -St John Chrysostom
-From AsceticLifeofMotherhood
UKRAINIAN INDEPENDENCE FOLK FESTIVAL: On Sun., Aug. 23, at 12:00 PM, the Ukrainian American Sport Center Tryzub(County Line and Lower State Rds., Horsham, PA) invites you to the Ukrainian Independence Folk Festival 2026. Commencing at 1:30 PM, , a BBQ and cool refreshments for all ages will be plentiful. Admission: $20; Free for children to age 14. Info: 267-664-3857; info@tryzub.org; www.tryzub.org. $2 of each paid admission goes to Humanitarian Relief in Ukraine. Review the website for possible offsite parking instructions.
Prayer to the All-Holy Theotokos
By One Who is in Trouble and Affliction
O mine all-good Queen, mine all-holy hope, receiver of orphans and assister of strangers, helper of the unfortunate and protection of the afflicted! Thou seest my peril, Thou seest my tribulation: I am beset by temptations on every side, but there is no one to help me. Wherefore, do Thou Thyself help me, for I am sick; feed me, for I am a stranger; guide me, for I am lost; heal and save me, for I am beyond hope. I have none other help, I have none other intercession or consolation, save Thee, O Mother of all who are troubled and heavily burdened. Wherefore, look upon me, a sinner in affliction, and cover me with Thine all-holy omophorion, that I may be delivered from the evils which compass me round about, and may continually praise Thine all-hymned name. Amen -From the Akathist to the Protection of the All-Holy Theotokos
The Altar Candles were requested by Michaelene Ostrum IMO her mother Helene Sirak and her brother Michael B Sirak.
The Sanctuary Light is requested by Anna Magill IMO her sister Irene Frisbie.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!: Birthday wishes to David Youells (Aug 1st), Paul Hoover (Aug 3rd) and Mary Oshirak (Aug 15th) who are celebrating their birthdays. God grant them many years of good health.
WOMEN’S SOCIETY RUMMAGE SALE: The Women’s Society will be holding a rummage sale in October. They are collecting good condition household items, which can be dropped off at the church hall. For more information call Anna Magill 570-239-9263. Thank you to everyone who helped with the Clothes & Book Sale.
CHURCH WEEDING: Thanks to all the ladies who did the weeding around the church last week. Also, to David Youells, for trimming all the shrubs by the hall.
LABOR DAY FOOD FESTIVAL:
Transfiguration of Our Lord Church is holding a one day Food Festival on Saturday, September 5th from 11-4pm. Homemade Pyrohy, Haluski, Potato Pancakes, Clam Chowder, and Sausage sandwitches. Can you hear the polka music playing!! Save the date.
ELEVENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
The Lord concluded the parable about the two debtors with the following words: So likewise shall My Heavenly Father do also unto you, if you from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses (Matt. 18:35). It would seem that such a small thing is required: forgive and you will be forgiven. When you are forgiven, you are received into mercy; and when you are brought into mercy, you have become a participant in all the treasures of mercy-salvation, and Paradise, and eternal bliss. What great acquisition for such a small thing as forgiving! Yes, it is a small thing, but for our self-love there is nothing more difficult that forgiving. We might forgive some unintentional annoyance dealt us in private that no one sees. But if the offense is just a bit more sensitive, and takes place in front of people, don’t even ask-there is no forgiveness. There are circumstances when, whether you want to or not, you are not allowed to express your displeasure-and so you remain silent. However, only your tongue is silent. Meanwhile, your heart speaks and builds evil plans. Raise the annoyance yet another degree, and there is no restraint. Neither shame, nor fear, nor loss, nor any other thing will restrain you. Egoism which has reached the boiling point makes a person as though insane, and he who gives into it begins to talk foolishly . The people most subject to this unfortunate state are usually not just anyone. The more civilized one is, the more sensitive he is to insults, and the less forgiving. Relations will often remain smooth on the surface, but inwardly there is clearly discord. Meanwhile, the Lord requires that we forgive with our whole hearts.
Petitions & Prayers for Our Parishioners: Donna Winsock, Sonia Dempsey, Catherine Halloway, Charles Hallaway, Louise Hubiack, Frank 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.
Ask Father a Question. Father, I recall speaking with you about fruit for blessing on the Feast of Transfiguration of Our Lord, you specified that I should obtain grapes and apples. Why? Wasn’t the apple the fruit the servant tempted Adam and Eve with? Is there a symbolism to this? First, the fruit with which the Devil tempted Adam and Eve was the fruit of the the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, it was not an apple. Grapes are the prime fruit to be blessed on this Feast Day, for the servants of God are called for the Gathering of the Fruits of the Vineyard. For as one sows, another reaps. God uses in parable vineyards (grapevines), grapes in all it’s many meanings to remind us of the perfection of creation before mankind’s sin. We are called to be good stewards of the garden. Jesus also tells us He is the Vine and we are the branches and we are to produce good fruit in the world., hence, the vines on the Iconostasis. So we are reminded, not just to bring grapes but as good stewards we are reminded that we are the fruits and Jesus is the Vine. No one can produce good fruit who is separated from the vine, Jesus Christ. Now, in Ukraine, apples are plentiful and grape vines are not. So in Ukraine it is common to bring the first fruits from your garden which are apples, just as we bring pussywillows instead of palms on Palm Sunday. So bring to the Lord, the best of your first fruits.
SS Peter & Paul Ukrainian Catholic Church 