FIRST SUNDAY OF THE GREAT FAST
FEBRUARY 26, 20023
Saturday, Feb. 25
4:00 PM ✞Annetta Rudeski – Donna & Donald Winsock
Sunday, Feb. 26 FIRST SUNDAY OF THE GREAT FAST
8:30 AM God’s Blessings and Good Health for all Parishioners
Wednesday, March 1 Transfiguration of Our Lord, Nanticoke, PA
6:30 PM Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts
Friday, March 3 SS Peter & Paul, Plymouth, PA
4:00 PM Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts
Saturday, March 4
4:00 PM Rita Rentko – Donna & Donald Winsock
Sunday, March 5 SECOND SUNDAY OF THE GREAT FAST
8:30 AM God’s Blessings and Good Health for all Parishioners
THE SUNDAY OF ORTHODOXY
The first Sunday of the Great Fast is called the Sunday of Orthodoxy. What do we mean by “orthodoxy”? The word “orthodoxy” stems from the Greek words “orthodoxia” (orthos=right; doksa=belief) which signifies the true faith and the true worship of God. We are not speaking here of orthodoxy as we understand it today as being separated from the Catholic Church, but orthodoxy, as applied to the whole Church of Christ. The orthodoxy that we celebrate this Sunday is the orthodoxy professed by the entire Church of Christ of the first centuries in the battle against the heresy of Iconoclasm (Gr – eikon=image; klastes=a breaker; – an image breaking heresy). The Sunday of Orthodoxy is a festival for the whole Church, both Eastern and Western with the return of icons for worship in the churches. It is the festive celebration of the decisive victory over Iconoclasm and other heresies agains Jesus Christ whom is both God and man.
The purpose of this feast is to pay solemn public homage and veneration to the holy icons of Jesus Christ, the Blessed Mother of God, and all the Saints.
The Church of Christ deeply respects and honors the holy icons as it also does holy relics, especially because icons are windows into heaven. The Church places them for public veneration and recommends that we venerate them, publicly and privately in our homes, and wear small icons around our necks in the form of little crosses or medals.
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Resolutions for Avoiding Misery
Choose to love — rather than hate
Choose to smile — rather than frown
Choose to build — rather than destroy
Choose to persevere — rather than quit
Choose to praise — rather than gossip
Choose to heal — rather than wound
Choose to give — rather than grasp
Choose to act — rather than delay
Choose to forgive — rather than curse
Choose to pray — rather than despair
THE GREAT FAST
We are obliged to fast – that is, we are obliged to refrain from sin, and from giving in to our evil inclinations. Fasting is being in control of our appetites so we become strong to resist devils plans to lead us to hell through our appetites. We are also obliged to pray and to do good deeds. In reality then, the most important goal of the Great Fast is our spiritual renewal especially in living.
The Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts:
Already in the first centuries there was a custom during the Forty Days Fast to omit the celebration of the Divine Liturgy because, at that time, it was still linked with agape, that is the Love Banquet, and this was not in keeping with the spirit of fasting. Furthermore, the Divine Liturgy is a joyful mystery; for this reason, its celebration is limited to Saturday and Sunday. On the other days of the week to give the faithful an opportunity to receive Holy Communion it was added to the Vespers (Evening Prayer) from which the name, Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts comes. It is a Vespers service combined with the reception of Holy Communion, which was previously consecrated, hence, the name of Presanctified Gifs.
The Council of Laodicia (c.364) prescribed: “It is not permitted during the Great Fast to offer up the Bread (that is the Holy Liturgy), except on Saturday and Sunday” (rule 49). The Sixth Ecumenical Council of Trullo (691) decreed: “On all the days of the Great Fast, with the exception of Saturday and Sunday, and the feast of the Annunciation, the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts must be celebrated. “ (rule 52).
SUNDAY LITURGIES DURING LENT:
WHY DO THEY SEEM LONGER?
Our Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church prescribes that the Liturgy of St. Basil the Great is to be celebrated on all of the Sundays of Lent, instead of the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom.
St. Basil’s Liturgy is older and has longer anaphora prayers than the St. John Chrysostom Liturgy, and is celebrated ten times during the church year: the five Sundays of Lent (not Palm Sunday), Holy Thursday, Holy Saturday, Christmas Eve, Epiphany Eve, and on the actual Feast of St. Basil which we celebrate on January 1st.
SANCTUARY LIGHT: The Sanctuary Light has no request this week.
PRAYERS: Please remember in your prayers those who are in Nursing Facilities, at home and those in the hospital.
WOMEN’S SOCIETY: The first meeting will be held, after the 3 month absence, on Tuesday, March 14, 2023 in the Church Hall at 6:00 PM. New members are needed for this parish organization. Please think about joining at this meeting.
CHURCH ENVELOPES: if you should know anyone who did not pick up the envelopes that remain and are able to deliver them to that person, please help in this matter as it very costly to send them through the mail. Thank you
SS Peter & Paul Ukrainian Catholic Church 