SS Peter & Paul Ukrainian Catholic Church

June 14, 2026

Saturday, June 13                   THIRD SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

         4:00 PM                          Olga Morgenfruh- Parishioners of St. Vladimir’s Church

Sunday, June 14                     THIRD SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

        8:30 AM                            God’s Blessings & Good Health For All Parishioners

Saturday, June 20                   FOURTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

         4:00 PM                          For All Fathers Living & Deceased

Sunday, June 21                     FOURTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

        8:30 AM                            For All Fathers Living & Deceased

A Spiritual Psalter
or Reflections on God

from the writings of
Saint Ephraim the Syrian

138
God will Himself give all that is necessary; yet one must also pray.

The kindhearted God gives us what we ask for not because of our prayers; rather He nourishes us according to His compassion, for it is He Who created us.

Without our asking, the Supreme Majesty granted us His own Son Who for our sake appeared on earth and, although we did not ask Him to do so, He offered 

Himself as a sacrifice for our salvation.

For who asked the Father to give His own Son up to death on the Cross?

 Or who entreated the Son to die for sinners?

To which righteous man did the thought occur to ask the Father to give up 

His Son for transgressors?

It is truly an unprecedented event, and the thought occurred to no one.

The Father gave up His Son to death on the Cross, and through His death sinners obtained life. And if He gave away His greatest treasure, can there be any obstacle to prevent a man who asks such a Lover of mankind from receiving all that he needs?

So let us ask Him, for He does give. Let us announce to Him our wishes, for He will not refuse us. Let us entreat Him, for 

He wants to satisfy our needs in every way possible.

But in accordance with His justice, He expects our prayer to come to His door, and this prayer has reconciled justice and sinners.

If kindness were to forgive transgressions without prayer, it would be a violation of justice, and no one would contemplate justice any more.

Mankind would gradually be given up to lawlessness, for the Judge would fail to apply the staff of correction. Each man would joyfully continue to sin, for

 there would be no one to correct him.

Such kindness, however beneficial it might be for us, would soon turn to harm, for it would give sinners cause to ever multiply their sins.

And it is a good thing that in the world also, justice prompts the use of punishment. For punishment causes the sinner to shudder and put an end to his sinful ways. It brings the sinner to contrition of heart, for it is he who has brought punishment upon himself. And thus the sinner puts aside his iniquities, if only for a short while, and seeks forgiveness for his sins.

Who will not thank Thee, O our Lord? For Thy justice is good and Thy punishment is a gift of grace. Thou art truly good in all Thy doings.

With the staff of justice dost Thou humble the heads of sinners who sin with shameless arrogance and cannot be converted without extraordinary inducement.

May Thy punishment, O Lord, united with Thy loving-kindness, be our mentor. May Thy right hand help us to take advantage of Thy punishment.

A Spiritual Psalter
or Reflections on God

from the writings of
Saint Ephraim the Syrian

129
The enemy is cunning, but we are careless — let us be attentive so as not to lose the kingdom.

Come, let us make an effort; come, let us fall down before God; let us steadfastly lament and shed tears before Him, that He might grant us spiritual enlightenment.

Discern the wiles of our enemy, the adversary who hates all good, who places in our path pitfalls and seductions, ruinous acquisitiveness, commendation of this age, carnal pleasure, as well as the expectation that this life will last for long, fear of ascetic struggles, a slothful attitude toward prayer, drowsiness when psalms are sung, and bodily rest.

We are as apathetic and careless as he is assiduous. We are as inattentive as he is crafty, even though we know that our days have been shortened, that the time has come and the Lord of glory will come in the majesty of His beauty with the terrible powers of His kingdom to reward everyone according to his deeds.

I fear that the Lord’s promise might be fulfilled with respect to us: that many shall come from the east and the west, from the north and from the sea, and shall sit down with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven; but we shall be driven out.

I beseech Thee, O Christ, light of truth, born of the blessed Father, being His image and the radiance of His hypostasis, Who sittest at the right hand of His majesty, Who art my life and the praise and joy of those who love Thee: save me, a sinner, in Thy kingdom and reward me not according to my deeds, but save me according to Thy grace and have compassion on me according to Thy kindness, for Thou art blessed and glorified unto the ages.

THIRD SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

“If therefore thine eye be single thy holy body shall be full of light.  But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness.” MATT (6:22-23)  Here the mind is called the eye, and the entire composition of the soul is called the body.  Thus, when the mind is simple the soul is bright;  but when the mind is evil, the soul is dark.  What are a simple mind and an evil mind?  A simple mind is one that accepts the Word of God as it is written, and is convinced beyond a doubt that all is indeed as is written.  It has no deceit, no wavering or hesitation.  An evil mind is one which approaches the Word of God with slyness, artful disputing, and questioning.   It cannot believe directly, but subjects the Word of God to its’ sophistry.  It approaches the Word not as a disciple, but as a judge and critic, to test something stated there, and then either scoffs at it or says in a haughty manner, “Yes, not bad.”  Such a mind has no firm tenets because it clearly does not believe the Word of God, and it’s own philosophizing is always unstable—today one way, tomorrow another.  Hence it has only wavering, confusion, and questions without answers.  Everything is out of place with it, and it walks in the dark, fumbling along it’s way.  A simple mind sees everything clearly:  Everything in it has a definite character, determined by the Word of God.  That is why everything in it has it’s place, and it knows exactly how to behave with relation to things—it walks along open, visible roads, with complete assurance that they lead to the true God.  -St. Theophan the Recluse

The Altar Candles for the month of June are given by John M.  Ostrum IMO 

John J. Ostrum, Jr.

The Sanctuary Light for this week is requested by RoseMarie Kachinko  IMO 

Michael & Katherine Kachinko.

Cemetery                1 Envelope      $10.00

FATHER’S DAY REMEMBRANCES:  Father’s Day is June 21^st, don’t forget to remember your Father at our Father’s Day Divine Liturgy.

PRAYER FOR THE CHURCH

We pray You, O almighty and eternal God!  Who through Jesus Christ has revealed Your glory to all nations, to preserve the works of Your mercy, that Your Church, being spread through the whole world, may continue with unchanging faith in the confession of your name, we pray in the name of the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit.    Amen.

Thoughts from St. Theophan the Recluse

The Nazarenes did not believe the word of the Lord, because when He lived among them He had no attractive luster or outward dignity that might have commanded involuntary [human] respect.  “We know who He is.” They said; “There can’t be anything extraordinary about Him.”  Their reaction, however, did not induce the Lord to assume an imposing appearance.  He remained extremely simple in appearance.  Later, the Apostles bore themselves the same way, as did all those who truly followed and emulated them.  Why is this so?  Because there is no man-made luster that could fully correspond to the light of life in Jesus Christ.  Moreover, we recognize to relegate external appearance to the lowest value, so that it does not obstruct what is within.  Let him who has eyes to see look directly at the latter without arresting his attention upon the former.  The Holy Apostle Paul expressed it like this:  We have this treasure in earthen vessels. (IICor. 4:7).  If we could see the outward appearance of those persons whom we now revere and call upon in prayer we would not believe our eyes—they were so simple.  But to this day, those who have come to know the life in Jesus Christ abandon what is outward and turn fully within.  That is why the former falls away on its own, but the latter is raised up and grows.  It often happens that no one even notices this inner brightness, not even the one who possesses it.  The human eye is evil; it is not shown what is truly good, as long as it is capable of harming it. 

The  power of prayer

Once a person has become humble, straightaway mercy encircles and embrace him; and once mercy has approached, immediately his heart becomes aware of God helping him, since he discovers a certain powerful assurance stirring within him. When someone has become aware of the coming of divine help, and that it is this which aids and assists him, then at once his heart is filled with faith, and from this he understands that prayer is: the haven of help, the fountainhead of salvation, a treasury of assurance, a saving anchor in time of storm, an illumination to those in darkness, a staff for the weak, a shelter in time of trials, a source of recovery at the time of sickness, a shield of deliverance in war, an arrow sharpened in face of enemies. Having found an entry to all these excellent things through prayer, henceforth that person will rejoice in the prayer of faith his heart exulting in confidence—no longer blindly, or through lip-service only, as had previously been the case.  Once aware of this, he has acquired prayer in his soul, like a treasure. Out of the joy he experiences, he will change the direction of his prayer, turning it into utterance of thanksgiving. –St. Isaac the Syrian

PRAYER TO SAINT MICHAEL:  Holy Michael, the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our safeguard against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray; and do you, O Prince of the heavenly host, by the power of God cast into hell Satan and all the evil spirits who wander through the world seeking the ruin of souls.   Amen.

June 7, 2026

Saturday, June 6                     SECOND SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

         4:00 PM                          Fred & Olga Yuhas – Michalene Ostrum

Sunday, June 7                       SECOND SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

        8:30 AM                            God’s Blessings & Good Health For All Parishioners

Saturday, June 13                   THIRD SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

         4:00 PM                          Olga Morgenfruh- Parishioners of St. Vladimir’s Church

Sunday, June 14                     THIRD SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

        8:30 AM                            God’s Blessings & Good Health For All Parishioners

If you have not yet become mightily inflamed with the Holy Spirit, avoid listening to the thoughts of others, that what you hear might not arouse passions not yet dead and pervert your soul.  If you are an ardent reader, seek not brilliant and erudite texts; otherwise the demon of haughtiness will strike your heart. But like a wise bee that gathers honey from flowers, through your reading obtain also healing for your soul.

Blessed is he who preaches virtue by means of his deeds. But if you say something that pertains to virtue, but do the opposite, this will not save you.  When you see people dissipated in acts of unclean love, look not at them in amazement, that you might not be seduced by rosy skin which will soon turn to dust. Rather sigh to yourself and cry out: Remember, O Lord, that we are dust — and God’s grace will prevent you from becoming a prisoner of the Evil One.  Pray diligently to the Lord, that He might grant you the spirit of perfect chastity, that even as you dream at night you might evade the wiles of the Evil One as a person runs when he sees a wild beast chasing after him; or as a man whose pursuer carries a burning torch runs from room to room, that the fire might not burn him.  Just as one cannot buy education or artistic skills for any price without working at it, so one cannot attain the habit of exercising the virtues without zeal and diligence.

Just as your head takes priority over all other members of your body, and if a stone, stick or sword is aimed at you, you raise other members of your body to deflect the blow from your head, knowing that you cannot live in this life without your head — so may you give priority over all things to faith in the Holy Trinity Which is One in essence, for without this faith no one can live the true life.  With all your heart hope on the Lord, and you will easily evade the wiles of the wicked one, for the Lord does not forsake those who work for Him.  Excerpt from A Spiritual Psalter or Reflections on God, compiled from the works of Saint Ephraim the Syrian

Blessed is he who has found a treasure hidden in a field, and cast aside all, and acquired this one piece of land.

Blessed is he who ceaselessly remembers the day of his departure and strives to be ready and fearless in that hour.

Blessed is he who finds boldness in the hour of his leave-taking, when the soul with fear and trembling bids farewell to the body, for the angels shall come to take his soul, to separate it from the body and place it before the throne at the immortal and terrible judgement place.

– 14^th Kathisma Excerpt from the First Stasis of Saint Ephraim the SyrianPetitions & 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, the world seems hopeless.  Sometimes I feel- “Where is God in the world?”  Why are many of the things happening allowed?  I try to keep “my own house in order – meaning my soul” but often I lose hope.  Maybe I fail to see God in the world.  Can you offer me any reading or advice?  I believe that the world seems hopeless to you because everything surrounding you in world:  the media, television, radio, newspaper, magazines, books, movie, theater and much stuff on the internet – the people providing these things are not offering you God.  These people are trying to lead you astray and this has been going on in the world since the time of Adam & Eve.  All these things you are encountering in your daily lives today are identical to what was happening in Russia and Ukraine 100-150 years ago.  Where is God in the world? God is everywhere.  You may feel that God is not doing anything, but God is always at work in His providence, if HE were not, total chaos would be reigning this very second.  The fact that we can openly pray as Church tells us that chaos is not reigning, that God is at work providing for His faithful ones.  Despair is a sin and the devil loves to lead people there.  Why are things allowed to happen?  Because God is always calling all men to Him.  When men choose to stay away from God, God “PERMITS” them to have the desires of their fancy which destroys themselves, with the intent that as they destroy themselves they come to their senses like the Prodigal (sinful) Son.  Seeing that they are destroying themselves they recognize that all good things came from God, so they recognize that they should return to God.  God is indeed at work today in His Providence as He always has, read 1Kings and 2Kings and notice how God works in the world.

Sending the Holy Apostles to preach, the Lord commanded them to call everyone, saying, The Kingdom of heaven is at hand (Matthew 10:7).  That is, the Kingdom has come—go toward it.  What ought we to preach?  We should cry to all, “ Sons of the Kingdom! Don’t run from the Kingdom into bondage and slavery”—for they are in fact running.  Some are captivated by freedom of mind.  They say, “We don’t want the bonds of faith and the oppression of authority, even Divine authority’  We’ll figure things out and make up our minds for ourselves.”  So they have made up their minds.  They have built fables in which there is more childishness than in the mythology of the Greeks—and they magnify themselves…  Others are enticed by the broad path of the passions.  They say, “We don’t want to know positive commandments or the demands of conscience—this is all abstract:  We need tangible naturalness.”  And they have gone after it.  What has come of it? They have bowed down before dung beasts.  Has not the [idea] that man originated from animals originated from this moral fall?  This is where they have gone!  And everyone runs from the Lord, everyone …

 -St. Theoophan the Recluse

There are no requests for the Sanctuary Light this week.

SYMPATHY:  Please remember in your prayers the soul of John Ostrum who fell asleep in the Lord on Wednesday, June 3^rd, he will be sorely missed.   May Our Lord grant him rest in the bosom of Abraham, may he be numbered among the saints, and may his memory be eternal, Vichnaya Pamyat.  Our deepest sympathies are extended to the Ostrum & Schappert Families.  Visitation is Monday, June 8^th from 5-7PM at Grontkowski Funeral home.  Parastatas will be at 7:00PM.  The Funeral Liturgy is Tuesday at 10:30AM. 

FATHER’S DAY REMEMBRANCES:  Father’s Day is June 21^st, don’t forget to remember your Father at our Father’s Day Divine Liturgy.

WALKING PILGRIMAGE: FOOTSTEPS OF OUR ANCESTORS:  Save the date Saturday, June 13.  A Seven Mile Walking Pilgrimage from St. Mary’s Church in Mocanaqua through the Pinchot State Forest, Mocanaqua Tract to St. Nicholas Church, Glen Lyon.  Divine Liturgy offered and lunch served at the end of the walk.  Register by June 6, 2026 at www.tinyurl.com/foapilgrimage26.  For more information call/text 570-301-9253 or email foapilgrimage@gmail.com.  The faith lives on in Glen Lyon……….

LASAGNA DINNER:  Saints Peter & Paul Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, (WB) will hold a Lasagna Dinner on Wednesday, June 10, 2026 in their school hall on the corner of North River and West Chestnut Streets, near the General Hospital Parkade in Wilkes-Barre.  This dinner will be Take-Out Only and Pre-Orders are strongly encouraged.  Dinners will be $15 and will include; a generous portion of two-meat lasagna, garden salad, bread and dessert.  Place your order by calling the School Hall Kitchen (570) 829-3051.  Pick-Ups will be from 4:00 to 7:00pm.  Tickets will also be sold for a Basket Raffle.  Remember…When Baba Cooks, Everybody’s Happy!”

ASK FATHER A QUESTION?  Father, what is a Tropar and a Kondak?  A troparion (plural troparia; Slavonic tropar, tropari) is a stanza of liturgical poetry. In the Byzantine Church, the troparion began as a repeated refrain during the singing of psalms. Over time it developed a life of its own, to become the troparion of today.  Troparia are sung at most liturgical services. The most important is the troparion of the day, which is sung: at Vespers, just before the dismissal – hence the alternate name dismissal troparion (Greek: apolytikion); at Matins, at the beginning and the end of the service; (on great feasts) at the Divine Liturgy, as a refrain after each verse of the Third Antiphon – an echo of the troparion’s original role in the liturgy; at the Divine Liturgy, at the Little Entrance;  at each of the Hours.  The troparion of the day thus serves as a “thread” that links the different services on a particular day. If several commemorations coincide (for example, when a feast falls on a Sunday), there may be several troparia “of the day”; the Typikon provides rules for such combinations.  Like stichera, troparion may be given special names based on their content, such as:

•          theotokion – a troparion in honor of the Mother of God

•          stavrotheotokion – a troparion commemorating the suffering of the Mother of God at the Cross

•          triadikon – a troparion in honor of the Holy Trinity.

The “middle” stanzas of each ode of a canon (following the irmos) are also called troparia.  Kontakion comes to us from fifth or sixth century Constantinople, where popular preachers were well-known for their festival sermons – orations or homilies which recounted in detail the events of a feast or saint whose day was being kept. These sermons were considered examples of rhetorical art in God’s service – icons for the ear rather than the eye.  The original kontakia were essentially festival sermons in poetic form, set to music. They consisted of an initial stanza called a proemium or “prelude”, and up to twenty-four additional stanzas or oikoi (oikos is the Greek word for “house”), having the same meter and all ending with the same final line as the proemium.The proemium served as an introduction, establishing the topic to be presented. The oikoi developed this topic, sometimes in story form, using dialog or contrast. The repeated final line served as a refrain, tying the entire hymn together. In many kontakia, the initial letters of the oikoi formed an acrostic. For example, they might spell out the letter of the alphabet (in Greek), or give the name of the poet who wrote the kontakion.  Kontakia were sung by skilled soloists, who stood at the ambo – not the solea or raised area before the iconstasis as we have it today, but a raised pulpit in the middle of the church. Due to their length, kontakia were written on scrolls, and unrolled as they were sung. The scrolls were wrapped around a pole (kontax), and the hymn was said to be sung “from the pole”. (This is the origin of the word “kontakion”, whch dates from the ninth century.) The singer was often a deacon, and there is some evidence that the choir or even the entire body of the faithful joined in singing the refrain which concluded each stanza. Unfortunately, the music used to sing kontakia has been lost.

May 30, 2026

Saturday, May 30                   SUNDAY OF ALL SAINTS

         4:00 PM                          God’s Blessings & Good Health For All Parishioners

Sunday, May 31                     SUNDAY OF ALL SAINTS

        8:30 AM                            Jewel Johnstone- Mr. & Mrs. Rossi

Saturday, June 6                     SECOND SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

         4:00 PM                          Fred & Olga Yuhas – Michalene Ostrum

Sunday, June 7                       SECOND SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

        8:30 AM                            God’s Blessings & Good Health For All Parishioners

         SS. PETER AND PAUL FAST

(June 1-June 28)

            The Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church fasts before the celebration of the feast of SS. Peter and Paul which is celebrated on the 29th of June.  The fast begins Monday following All Saints Sunday and continues until the feast day.  This year the fast begins on Monday, June 1st and will end at the Vespers for the Feast Day celebration Sunday evening the 28th of June for a total of 28 days this year.  Because the finding of The Resurrection of Our Lord (Easter) varies, so too does the fast period for this minor fast period on our Church Calendar.

            Most people do not follow this fast today because bishops have claimed it is not obligatory, but this does not mean that it is not observed.  Some Popes have said on occasions that even though the fasts of the Church are not identified as obligatory in every instance, it does not mean that people should not fast. We have the opportunity to enter freely into the fasting periods.  One may ask why fast now at the beginning of summer vacation time?  Let us say, first, this is not an easy time to fast; but we should remember that fasting is never easy. The very purpose of fasting is to discipline ourselves and this requires hard work and sacrifices.  We are always called by God to be in control of our appetites, what most secular society calls “passions” today.  We are always to train ourselves to be in control of our appetites rather than letting our bodily and human appetites rule us.

            The discipline of fasting leads one to hear and follow God’s Spirit and His Word and then to truly live God’s call. We look for consolation to today’s problems and difficulties and we seek answers in many places. The only true and lasting place to find meaning to the cris that face us is to return to God (repentance); but it is only in silent waiting for God to speak to us through His Spirit that we can find this consolation.

            Many of us turn to the world for answers, but it rebuffs us each time.  For example, people today teach us to seek personal convenience at all costs, telling us, “If it feels right, do it!”  We are not permitted to ask whether what we seek is good for us; our health, our relationship with God or neighbor. “Save time, steps, energy! But this newest and latest item! It will make you happy!” It is easy to see where this emphasis on personal convenience has led us. 

            Isn’t it strange that many of us are held under the sway of this worldly wisdom more than following God’s Wisdom?  Fasting and discipline asked of us by the Church, during this period of preparation for the feast of SS. Peter and Paul, is a teacher to seek out true goods. We can learn how to free ourselves from the sway of convenience by fasting at the beginning of summer. The free avoidance of foods on certain days along with prayer can give us the strength and insights to see what things are really needful for our lives. At a time when prices keep soaring what a helpful insight fasting can be. The wisdom of this world can be met with a spiritual wisdom that can build our character and make us holier in the eyes of God.  

For Unfailing Strength

Do not look forward to what may happen tomorrow; the same everlasting Father who cares for you today will take care of you tomorrow and every day. Either He will shield you from suffering, or He will give you unfailing strength to bear it. Be at peace, then. Put aside all anxious thoughts and imaginations, and say continually: “The Lord is my strength and my shield. My heart has trusted in Him and I am helped. He is not only with me but in me, and I in Him.

Petitions & Prayers for Our Parishioners:  John Ostrum, 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 am confused- can you please explain to me what the Beatific Vision is?  The Beatific Vision is the immediate knowledge and vision of God (the Holy Trinity-Father, Son and Holy Spirit) which the angelic spirits, angels, and the souls of the just see and enjoy in the heaven.  N.b. This is the soul alone of the person separated from their body, this is not yet entering eternally into heaven.  It is called “vision” to mark this as different from the knowledge of God which man can attain in this life.  Is the God the Father portrayed in iconography?  Yes and No.  Yes in the sense of Rublev’s Icon of the Trinity depicts the three angels who visited Abraham and the colors in the icon tell you which is Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  Also, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are depicted in the Icon of Jesus’s baptism in the Jordan.  The Son of God, Jesus Christ being baptized, the Holy Spirit in the image of a dove, and God the Father depicted as a breath coming from the clouds.  In some iconography a hand coming from the clouds blesses the Son.  God the Father is not to be depicted in iconography or statuary as an old man with a white beard according to ancient church law, even though you have seen this it is not supposed to be done. Ancient Church Canons 

The Holy Church commemorates Saints every day.  However, because there have been God-pleasers who struggled in obscurity and where not revealed to the Holy Church, the church has established a day on which we glorify all those who have pleased God throughout the ages.  So that not one might be left unglorified by the Church.  The Church established that this be done immediately after the Feast of the Descent of the Holy Spirit, since it is by the grace of the Holy Spirit that all the saints have been made and continue to be made.  The grace of the Holy Spirit brings repentance and the forgiveness of sins.  It leads one into battle against the passions and lusts.  And crowns this labor with purity and passionlessness.  And thus a new creature appears, fit for a new heaven and a new earth.  Let us be zealous to follow the saints of God.  Today’s Gospel reading teaches us how to do this:  it demands fearless confession of faith in the Lord and preferential love for Him, the raising of the cross of self-denial and heartfelt renunciation of everything [else].  Let us place a beginning according to these instructions.

-St. Theoophan the Recluse

There are no requests for the Sanctuary Light this week.

Cemetery    2 envelopes    $10

PLYMOUTH 250^th ANNIVERSARY OF OUR NATION PARADE IN PLYMOUTH:  The Auspice of Maria will participate in the parade from; St. Mary’s, St. Stephan’s & St. Vincent’s Catholic Church and welcomes parishioners of Saint Peter & Paul Church to participate.  If you are interested please call Nancy Restraino at 570-239-3363.  There is a flyer in the back of the church and they will be parking at St. Peter & Paul Church and assembling at the Family Dollar at 10:30 am.

The Borough of Plymouth has asked Parishes to ring their bells at Noon on Saturday, May 30 in celebration of our nation’s 250^th Birthday.  Any parishioner who is willing to ring the bells, please feel free to come and ring the bells.

FATHER’S DAY REMEMBRANCES:  Father’s Day is June 21^st, don’t forget to remember your Father at our Father’s Day Divine Liturgy.

WALKING PILGRIMAGE: FOOTSTEPS OF OUR ANCESTORS:  Save the date Saturday, June 13.  A Seven Mile Walking Pilgrimage from St. Mary’s Church in Mocanaqua through the Pinchot State Forest, Mocanaqua Tract to St. Nicholas Church, Glen Lyon.  Divine Liturgy offered and lunch served at the end of the walk.  Register by June 6, 2026 at www.tinyurl.com/foapilgrimage26.  For more information call/text 570-301-9253 or email foapilgrimage@gmail.com.  The faith lives on in Glen Lyon……….

LASAGNA DINNER:  Saints Peter & Paul Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, (WB) will hold a Lasagna Dinner on Wednesday, June 10, 2026 in their school hall on the corner of North River and West Chestnut Streets, near the General Hospital Parkade in Wilkes-Barre.  This dinner will be Take-Out Only and Pre-Orders are strongly encouraged.  Dinners will be $15 and will include; a generous portion of two-meat lasagna, garden salad, bread and dessert.  Place your order by calling the School Hall Kitchen (570) 

The Fifth Kathisma

The first stasis

Do you seek mercy?  Be merciful yourself.

The debts of those who ask for pardon are forgiven.  But see that you do not harbor hatred for your brothers when you ask forgiveness of your debts.  Prayers that are offered up to God remain behind closed doors if they do not contain love, for only love can open the doors for prayer.  If your brother is angry with you, then the Lord is also angry with you.  And if you have made peace with your brother below, then you have made peace with the Lord on high.  If you receive your brother, then you also receive your Lord.  Thus, make peace with the Lord in the person of those who are offended; give Him cause to be glad in the person of those who sorrow; visit Him in the person of those who are infirmed; feed Him in the person of those who hunger.  In the person of a weary traveler, prepare a soft bed for Him, wash His feet, seat Him at the head of your table, break your bread and share it with Him, and give Him also your cup.  He has already shown His great love for you; He has broken His body for you and given you His blood to drink.  – St. Ephreim the Syrian

Psalm 91 NIV- Assurance of God’s Protection

You who live in the shelter of the Most High, who abide in the shadow of the Almighty, will say to the LORD, “My refuge and my fortress; my God, in whom I trust.”  For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence; he will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge;  his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.  You will not fear the terror of the night, or the arrow that flies by day, or the pestilence that stalks in darkness, or the destruction that wastes at noonday.  A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you.  You will only look with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked.  Because you have made the LORD your refuge, the Most High your dwelling place, no evil shall befall you, no scourge come near your tent.  For He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways.  On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.  You will tread on the lion and the adder, the young lion and the serpent you will trample under foot.  Those who love me, I will deliver; I will protect those who know my name.  When they call to me, I will answer them; I will be with them in trouble, I will rescue them and honor them.  With long life I will satisfy them, and show them my salvation.

  May 24, 2026 A. D.

Saturday, May 23                   PENTECOST SUNDAY (Myrovania)

        4:00 PM                           Michael Sirak- Michaelene Ostrum

Sunday, May 24                     PENTECOST SUNDAY(Myrovania)

        8:30 AM                            God’s Blessings & Good Health For All Parishioners

       2:00 PM                             Panachyda Sts. Peter & Paul Cemetery

                                                Blessing of Graves

      3:30 PM                              Panachyda Saint Vladimir Cemtery

                                                                        Blessing of Graves

Monday, May 25                    MEMORIAL DAY

****9:00 AM Transfiguration of Our Lord Church****

Saturday, May 30                   SUNDAY OF ALL SAINTS

         4:00 PM                          God’s Blessings & Good Health For All Parishioners

Sunday, May 31                     SUNDAY OF ALL SAINTS

        8:30 AM                            Jewel Johnstone- Mr. & Mrs. Rossi

Please remember in your prayers all of our brave service men and women who bravely served our country.

FREEDOM IS NOT FREE!

PENTECOST QUESTIONS….

In the prayer, ‘Heavenly King’, we ask for salvation. But surely only Christ, and not the Holy Spirit, is our Saviour?

We use many short, and long, prayers, asking for salvation.  For example: ‘Most Holy Trinity, save us’.  ‘Most Holy Mother of God, save us’.  And yet, as you say, there is only one Savior, Christ our God.  So how then can we be saved by the Holy Trinity? Answer: Through the Savior, through Christ, sent down to us by the Holy Trinity.  How can we be saved by the Mother of God?  Surely, she cannot save us?  Yes, she can – through her mother’s prayers to the Savior. Christ saves us through others.   So too, Christ the Savior saves us through the Holy Spirit, or, if you like, the Holy Spirit saves us through Christ.  After all, it was only through the Savior, that we received the Holy Spirit and the knowledge of the Holy Trinity.  It was only through the Mother of God that the Savior became one of us, only without sin.

What does the word Pentecost mean?

First of all, I should say that the most common name for this feast is ‘Trinity Day’, rather than the more formal ‘Pentecost’.  This is because this feast is the revelation of the Holy Spirit, and therefore the revelation of the fullness of the Holy Trinity, for until today, we had only known the Father and the Son.  The Son had promised us the ‘Comforter’ and today He is here, in fulfilment of that promise.   Pentecost is simply the Greek word for fifty.  Pentecost comes 50 days after Easter. The significance of this is that even in the Old Testament (Leviticus 25), the number 50 was special.  This is because seven is the number of fullness, and eight (7+1) is the number of completion (God rested on the seventh day, after the six days of Creation).  7 x 7 is therefore a particular sign of fullness and 50 is of course 7 x 7 + 1, fullness.  Therefore, in the Old Testament, every fiftieth year was called a Jubilee year.  The Jubilee year was not only the end of the old Jubilee period, but also the beginning of the new one.  Thus, there were forty-nine years between each Jubilee year.

By adding one to seven, we reach eight.  Eight is seen as the number of what is beyond the fullness of this world, beyond Creation, beyond the physical world, what is part of the age to come, ‘the eighth day’.  Thus, Pentecost, the Descent of the Holy Spirit to earth, is the fullness of the revelation of the Holy Trinity.  This is why it is called Trinity Day.  The Descent of the Holy Spirit from heaven is the sign of the other world, the age to come, ‘the eighth day’, penetrating into this world.  That is why baptisteries were, and still are, octagonal.  They symbolize the person baptized entering into the other world, becoming a citizen of the Kingdom to come, ‘the eighth day’.

The Sanctuary Light for the week ending 5/17 was requested by Anna Magill IMO her sister Irene Frisbee.

This week ending 5/24, the Sanctuary Light is requested by Michaelene Ostrum IMO her father Michael Sirak.

PLYMOUTH 250^th ANNIVERSARY OF OUR NATION PARADE IN PLYMOUTH:  The Auspice of Maria will participate in the parade from; St. Mary’s, St. Stephan’s & St. Vincent’s Catholic Church and welcomes parishioners of Saint Peter & Paul Church to participate.  If you are interested please call Nancy Restraino at 570-239-3363.  There is a flyer in the back of the church and they will be parking at St. Peter & Paul Church and assembling at the Family Dollar at 10:30 am.

The Borough of Plymouth has asked Parishes to ring their bells at Noon on Saturday, May 30 in celebration of our nation’s 250^th Birthday.  Any parishioner who is willing to ring the bells, please feel free to come and ring the bells.

FATHER’S DAY REMEMBRANCES:  Father’s Day is June 21^st, don’t forget to remember your Father at our Father’s Day Divine Liturgy.

WALKING PILGRIMAGE: FOOTSTEPS OF OUR ANCESTORS:  Save the date Saturday, June 13.  A Seven Mile Walking Pilgrimage from St. Mary’s Church in Mocanaqua through the Pinchot State Forest, Mocanaqua Tract to St. Nicholas Church, Glen Lyon.  Divine Liturgy offered and lunch served at the end of the walk.  Register by June 6, 2026 at www.tinyurl.com/foapilgrimage26.  For more information call/text 570-301-9253 or email foapilgrimage@gmail.com.  The faith lives on in Glen Lyon……….

Petitions & Prayers for Our Parishioners:  John Ostrum, 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.

The True Spectacle

By surrendering Jesus to the blood thirsty crowd, Pontius Pilate enacted more than a judicial sentence—he affirmed Romes’s power to define life and death through public spectacle.  In the crucifixion, Jesus’ body became an object of scorn, offered up to satisfy the crowd’s appetite for violence.  The spectacle invited the multitude to gaze, to judge, and to consume.  Yet Christ, in freely offering Himself, inverting the meaning of His death.  What Rome staged as humiliation, Christ transformed into a gift.  The cross, intended as an imperial spectacle of domination, became the altar of divine love. 

The Eucharist is the fulfillment of this transformation.  Where spectacle thrives on the objectification of the body, the Eucharist invites communion with the body.  In spectacle, the flesh is consumed to satisfy desire; in the Eucharist, Christ offers His flesh to reorient desire.  Rather than being passively consumed by the crowd, Jesus gives Himself intentionally to His disciples—Take, Eat; this is My Body.

The Eucharist thus becomes the anti-spectacle: not a performance to observe, but a mystery to enter.  In consuming Christ’s body and blood, the believer is united to His death and resurrection.  The Eucharist reshapes the soul, drawing it away from the illusion of spectacle and toward the reality of divine communion.  In this sacred act, desire is not inflamed and misdirected as in spectacle, but purified and fulfilled. Through this sacrament, believers are formed not into spectators, but into participants in the life of God. -excerpt from Saints of the Apoclalypse, Saint Stephen

Typologically, the rise of the Antichrist will be marked not by overt evil alone, but by a widespread failure to perceive and name the enmity between the true Church, the Mystical Body of Christ, and its counterfeit- the Anti-Church.  In such an age, the distinction between truth and falsehood will be deliberately obscured.  The ancient conflict between Christ and the Synagogue of Satan (Revelation 2:9) will be recast as irrelevant, intolerant or obsolete.  This spiritual blindness will manifest not only in the silencing of prophetic voices, but in a distorted image of the Church herself.  Without the ability—or willingness—to identify spiritual enemies the Church risks becoming lukewarm, accommodating the worlds’ narratives rather than proclaiming the Gospel.  The command to love one’s enemies presumes the courage to recognize them—not as objects of hatred, but as those in need of truth and conversion.  – excerpt from Saints of the Apoclalypse, Saint Stephen

The True Spectacle

By surrendering Jesus to the blood thirsty crowd, Pontius Pilate enacted more than a judicial sentence—he affirmed Romes’s power to define life and death through public spectacle.  In the crucifixion, Jesus’ body became an object of scorn, offered up to satisfy the crowd’s appetite for violence.  The spectacle invited the multitude to gaze, to judge, and to consume.  Yet Christ, in freely offering Himself, inverting the meaning of His death.  What Rome staged as humiliation, Christ transformed into a gift.  The cross, intended as an imperial spectacle of domination, became the altar of divine love. 

The Eucharist is the fulfillment of this transformation.  Where spectacle thrives on the objectification of the body, the Eucharist invites communion with the body.  In spectacle, the flesh is consumed to satisfy desire; in the Eucharist, Christ offers His flesh to reorient desire.  Rather than being passively consumed by the crowd, Jesus gives Himself intentionally to His disciples—Take, Eat; this is My Body.

The Eucharist thus becomes the anti-spectacle: not a performance to observe, but a mystery to enter.  In consuming Christ’s body and blood, the believer is united to His death and resurrection.  The Eucharist reshapes the soul, drawing it away from the illusion of spectacle and toward the reality of divine communion.  In this sacred act, desire is not inflamed and misdirected as in spectacle, but purified and fulfilled. Through this sacrament, believers are formed not into spectators, but into participants in the life of God. -excerpt from Saints of the Apoclalypse, Saint Stephen

Typologically, the rise of the Antichrist will be marked not by overt evil alone, but by a widespread failure to perceive and name the enmity between the true Church, the Mystical Body of Christ, and its counterfeit- the Anti-Church.  In such an age, the distinction between truth and falsehood will be deliberately obscured.  The ancient conflict between Christ and the Synagogue of Satan (Revelation 2:9) will be recast as irrelevant, intolerant or obsolete.  This spiritual blindness will manifest not only in the silencing of prophetic voices, but in a distorted image of the Church herself.  Without the ability—or willingness—to identify spiritual enemies the Church risks becoming lukewarm, accommodating the worlds’ narratives rather than proclaiming the Gospel.  The command to love one’s enemies presumes the courage to recognize them—not as objects of hatred, but as those in need of truth and conversion.  – excerpt from Saints of the Apoclalypse, Saint Stephen

The Soul is a Lamp

Saint Symeon the New Theologian declares that God is fire.  The Holy Spirit descended on the Apostles at Pentecost in the form of flaming tongues of fire.  He compares the soul to a lamp.  Just as a lamp must be adorned with a good supply of oil and trimmed wicks in order to produce fire and light, so the soul must be adorned with all virtues, but beyond that it must receive the fire which is the Holy Spirit.  God is fire, He says, and through the Holy Spirit searches for material to set on fire with divine love.  We are that material.  Jesus came to cast fire not on earth, but in our hearts and minds.  He came to ignite and illumine the lamp of each person’s soul.  We read in Proverbs 20:27, “The spirit of man is the candle of the Lord.”  The spirit of man remains unfulfilled until it is touched by the divine flame.  All candles have one thing in common:  they must be lit in order to be useful.  If not, they may as well be pieces of pottery.  God created us in many different, sizes, shapes and colors.  Each of us has a special talent.  But, like candles, we are just a decoration in the world unless we are lit to shine for Him.

-Sacred Symbols, by Anthony M Coniaris

A Word of Caution

A note of caution here.  There are many cults that emphasize the Inner Light.  They have good things to say about the inner light and the guidance they receive from it.  However, by “inner light” they do not mean what we mean:  the presence of the Trinity within us.  Inner light to them means their own light that emerges from their own thinking.  It has nothing to do with God.  It, is in fact, a Godless humanism.  As G.K. Chesterton so well said, “That Jones shall worship the god within him turns out ultimately to mean the Jones shall worship Jones.”

-Sacred Symbols, by Anthony M Coniaris

PETROVKA (St. Peter & Paul Fast):  St.  Peter & Paul Fast begins on Sunday evening, June 1 at Vespers with the singing of “O Joyful Light…” after the Sunday of All Saints and continues until Saturday, June 29th.  The Apostles’ Fast is not as severe as Lent or the Dormition Fast, but entails fasting from red meat, poultry, meat products, eggs, dairy products, fish, oil, and wine. Fasting also partners with prayer, almsgiving and confession, readying the whole person like an athlete; body, mind, and soul, for an upcoming feast, similar to the way in which orthodox Catholics would hope to be properly prepared for the Second Coming. For this reason, during fasting seasons, no marriages should take place. Another important part of any fasting period is going to Confession.  The Feast of Ss. Peter & Paul is Sunday, June 29th.

  May 17, 2026 A. D.

Saturday, May 16                   SUNDAY OF THE FIRST ECUMENICAL COUNCIL

         4:00 PM                          Irene Frisbie- Dempsey Family

Sunday, May 17                     SUNDAY OF THE FIRST ECUMENICAL COUNCIL

        8:30 AM                            Joseph Kane- Gloria Udiski

Saturday, May 23                   PENTECOST SUNDAY

        4:00 PM                           Michael Sirak- Michaelene Ostrum

Sunday, May 24                     PENTECOST SUNDAY

        8:30 AM                            God’s Blessings & Good Health For All Parishioners

       2:00 PM                             Panachyda Sts. Peter & Paul Cemetery

                                                Blessing of Graves

      3:30 PM                              Panachyda Saint Vladimir Cemtery

                                                                        Blessing of Graves

Monday, May 25                    MEMORIAL DAY

****9:00 AM Transfiguration of Our Lord Church****

Please remember in your prayers all of our brave service men and women who bravely served our country.

FREEDOM IS NOT FREE!

PENTECOST SUNDAY

The account of Pentecost is found in the book of The Acts of the Apostles. In Chapter two we are told that the Apostles of our Lord were gathered together in one place. Suddenly, a sound came from heaven like a rushing wind, filling the entire house where they were sitting. Then, tongues of fire appeared, and one sat upon each one of Apostles. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages as directed by the Spirit (Acts 2:1-4).

This miraculous event occurred on the Jewish Feast of Pentecost, celebrated by the Jews on the fiftieth day after the Passover as the culmination of the Feast of Weeks (Exodus 34:22; Deuteronomy 16:10). The Feast of Weeks began on the third day after the Passover with the presentation of the first harvest sheaves to God, and it concluded on Pentecost with the offering of two loaves of unleavened bread, representing the first products of the harvest (Leviticus 23:17-20; Deuteronomy 16:9-10).

Since the Jewish Feast of Pentecost was a great pilgrimage feast, many people from throughout the Roman Empire were gathered in Jerusalem on this day. When the people in Jerusalem heard the sound, they came together and heard their own languages being spoken by the Apostles (Acts 2:5-6). The people were amazed, knowing that some of those speaking were Galileans, and not men who would normally speak many different languages. They wondered what this meant, and some even thought the Apostles were drunk (Acts 2:7-13).

Peter, hearing these remarks, stood up and addressed the crowd. He preached to the people regarding the Old Testament prophecies about the coming of the Holy Spirit. He spoke about Jesus Christ and His death and glorious Resurrection. Great conviction fell upon the people, and they asked the Apostles, “What shall we do?” Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38-39).

The Bible records that on that day about three thousand were baptized. Following, the book of Acts states that the newly baptized continued daily to hear the teaching of the Apostles, as the early Christians met together for fellowship, the breaking of bread, and for prayer. Many wonderful signs and miracles were done through the Apostles, and the Lord added to the Church daily those who were being saved (Acts 2:42-47).

PRAYER TO SAINT MICHAEL:  Holy Michael, the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our safeguard against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray; and do you, O Prince of the heavenly host, by the power of God cast into hell Satan and all the evil spirits who wander through the world seeking the ruin of souls.   Amen.

PRAYER FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE CHURCH

O glorious St. Michael, guardian and defender of the Church of Jesus Christ, come to the assistance of the Church, against which the powers of hell are unchained, guard with especial care her august Head, and obtain that for Him and for us the hour of triumph may speedily arrive.  O glorious Archangel St. Michael, watch over us during life, defend us against the assaults of the devil, assist us especially at the hour of death; obtain for us a favorable judgement, and the happiness of beholding God face to face for endless ages.  Amen. 

 There were no requests for the Altar Candles or Sanctuary Light.         

PETITIONS TO THE MOTHER OF GOD:  May is the month of Blessed Mother of God. We will have Petitions to the Mother of God following Divine Liturgies this month.

WALKING PILGRIMAGE: FOOTSTEPS OF OUR ANCESTORS:  Save the date Saturday, June 13.  A Seven Mile Walking Pilgrimage from St. Mary’s Church in Mocanaqua through the Pinchot State Forest, Mocanaqua Tract to St. Nicholas Church, Glen Lyon.  Divine Liturgy offered and lunch served at the end of the walk.  Register by June 6, 2026 at www.tinyurl.com/foapilgrimage26.  For more information call/text 570-301-9253 or email foapilgrimage@gmail.com.  The faith lives on in Glen Lyon……….

Petitions & Prayers for Our Parishioners:  John Ostrum, 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.

PRAYERS:  Please remember in your prayers all who are in need of God’s help.  Remember those in the nursing facilities, hospital and at home, all the sick and the suffering.  Please say a special prayer for all of our nation’s soldiers and their families at home and abroad.  Please pray for all our priests, active and retired.

SOROKOUSTY SERVICE:    The fifth Sorokousty is Saturday, May 23^rd, 8:00 am in Nanticoke. 

MEMORIAL DAY

Memorial Day began in the late 1860’s as “Decoration Day” when Americans decorated the graves of Civil War soldiers.  Memorial Day became a Federal Holiday in 1971.  According to the U.S. Department of Defense, more than 1.3 million military members have died in America’s wars.  The Civil War is the deadliest conflict in U.S. history, accounting for nearly half of all U.S. military deaths.

One hundred and thirty National Cemeteries such as Arlington National Cemetery are operated by the Department of Veterans Affairs in the United States and serve as the final resting places for service members.  The American Battle Monuments Commission maintains 26 overseas cemeteries where more than 200,000 American service members are buried.

Every Memorial Day, there is a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.  The Tomb of The Unknown Soldier (located in Arlington National Cemetery) honors unidentified service members and has been continuously guarded since 1937. The memorial stands atop a hill overlooking Washington, D.C. Since 1921, it has provided a final resting place for one of America’s unidentified World War I service members, and Unknowns from later wars were added in 1958 and 1984. The Tomb has also served as a place of mourning and a site for reflection on military service.  In March 1926, soldiers from nearby Fort Myer were first assigned to guard the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The guards, present only during daylight hours, discouraged visitors from climbing or stepping on the Tomb. In 1937, the guards became a 24/7 presence, standing watch over the Unknown Soldier at all times.  The 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment, known as “The Old Guard,” was designated as the Army’s official ceremonial unit on April 6, 1948. At that time, The Old Guard began guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Soldiers of The Old Guard also serve as escorts to the president and conduct military ceremonies in and around Washington, D.C., including military funeral escorts at Arlington National Cemetery.  Soldiers who volunteer to become Tomb Guards must undergo a strict selection process and intensive training. Each element of the Tomb Guard’s routine has meaning. The Guard marches 21 steps down the black mat behind the Tomb, turns and faces east for 21 seconds, turns and faces north for 21 seconds, and then takes 21 steps down the mat. Next, the Guard executes a sharp “shoulder-arms” movement to place his rifle on the shoulder closest to the visitors, signifying that he or she stands between the Tomb and any possible threat. The number 21 symbolizes the highest symbolic military honor that can be bestowed: the 21-gun salute.

NATIONAL MOMENT OF REMEMBERANCE ACT

Congress passed the National Moment of Remembrance Act in 2000. The act designates 3:00 p.m. on Memorial Day as a time for prayer and reflection.

As stated by the Clinton administration, the purpose of the National Moment of Remembrance is to honor fallen soldiers and remind citizens of the true meaning of Memorial Day.

May 3, 2026 A. D.

Saturday, May 9                     SUNDAY OF THE MAN BORN BLIND 

         4:00 PM                          All Mothers Living & Deceased

Sunday, May 10                     SUNDAY OF THE MAN BORN BLIND 

        8:30 AM                            All Mothers Living & Deceased

Thursday, May 14                     ASCENSION OF OUR LORD- OBLIGATION

        8:30AM                             God’s Blessing & Good Health for All Parishioners

Saturday, May 16                   SUNDAY OF THE FIRST ECUMENICAL COUNCIL

         4:00 PM                          Irene Frisbie- Dempsey Family

Sunday, May 17                     SUNDAY OF THE FIRST ECUMENICAL COUNCIL

        8:30 AM                            Joseph Kane- Gloria Udiski

MOTHERS…..

A teacher asked the class a question: “Suppose your mother baked a pie and there were five of you– two parents and three children.  What part of the pie would you get?”  Quickly a little boy shot up his hand to answer, and then confidently responded, “One fourth. “No.  You didn’t understand the question, or you don’t know your fractions,” said the teacher.  “Remember, there are five of you.”  “Yes, I realize that,” said the boy, “But you don’t know my mother.  My mommy would say she didn’t want any pie so that everyone else could have more.”  How many of us have mothers like this?  I was fortunate to grow up with a mother who possessed such a spirit.  If one phrase summarizes authentic motherhood, it is “sacrificial love,” (agape).  She is always ready to give of her very self in a quiet, humble way.  

St. John Chrysostom on Motherhood and Mother’s Prayer

As someone who studies motherhood and theology and who has five children myself, fellow Catholic mothers often ask me if I can point them to prayers for mothers for their children, since few of our prayer books include prayers on this subject. While I do have a few prayers I pass on, I also recommend that they read Saint John Chrysostom’s thoughts on prayer and motherhood.  Saint John of the fourth century is a frequent source for reflection on family life in the twenty-first. His reverence for family rings clear across the centuries, and this is true especially in his appreciation for motherhood. Saint John elevated motherhood to something beyond the mundane, daily care of children and into the realm of spiritual significance. Directing his remarks at mothers, he said, “I mean, the children being born, provided they receive proper care and are brought up to virtue by your attention, prove a basis and occasion of complete salvation for you; and in addition to your own virtuous acts you will receive a great reward for your care of them.” (Homily on Hannah, Old Testament Homilies) Thus Chrysostom saw motherhood as a salvific opportunity, as a vocation that can lead to the heavenly reward.  Saint John was particularly moved by the vision of motherhood he saw in Hannah, the mother of Prophet Samuel in the Old Testament (1 Samuel 1-2). He admired the power of Hannah’s spontaneous prayer when she visited the temple eager to have a child. He wrote of the intensity of the prayer she prayed in her quest for motherhood and in her later dedication of her child to the Lord.   In praising Hannah’s spontaneous prayer, Saint John contrasted it with more typical, less mindful prayer: “I mean, while we all pray, we do not all do it before the Lord: when the body is lying on the ground and the mouth is babbling on, and the mind wandering through all parts of the house and the market place, how will such people be in a position to claim that they prayed before the Lord?” (Homily on Hannah, Old Testament Homilies)  In short, Hannah provides the model for all types of prayer, not just a mother’s prayer. Most prayer is half-hearted, barely present, whereas Hannah’s prayer is fully present, felt in her body and her soul. Yet, Saint John also saw a special role for prayer by mothers. His specific instruction to mothers is that they should consecrate their children through prayer. As a mother and a theologian, I find this to be an important reminder of the importance of my prayers for my own children.   Though the Catholic Church lacks many composed prayers for mothers, and though the addition of such prayers would be welcome, Hannah’s tale shows that mothers have taken prayers for their children into their own hands for millennia—and that the Church has celebrated this initiative. This is why I point mothers to Saint John: he reminds us that our spontaneous prayers as mothers are powerful on their own. Whatever words we choose, it is our sacred responsibility as mothers to bless and consecrate our children by praying for them.-The Catalog of Good Deeds

To us he gave life everlasting, let us bow before His third-day Resurrection.

PRAYERS:  Please remember in your prayers all who are in need of God’s help.  Remember those in the nursing facilities, hospital and at home, all the sick and the suffering.  Please say a special prayer for all of our nation’s soldiers and their families at home and abroad.  Please pray for all our priests, active and retired.

SOROKOUSTY SERVICE:    The fifth Sorokousty is Saturday, May 23^rd at 8:00 am. 

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!:   Father Walter wishes all of the Mothers of our Parish a Very Happy and Blessed Mother’s Day and Eternal Rest to all Deceased Mothers.  

PETITIONS TO THE MOTHER OF GOD:  May is the month of Blessed Mother of God. We will have Petitions to the Mother of God following Divine Liturgies this month.

Petitions & Prayers for Our Parishioners:  John Ostrum, 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.

WALKING PILGRIMAGE: FOOTSTEPS OF OUR ANCESTORS:  Save the date Saturday, June 13.  A Seven Mile Walking Pilgrimage from St. Mary’s Church in Mocanaqua through the Pinchot State Forest, Mocanaqua Tract to St. Nicholas Church, Glen Lyon.  Divine Liturgy offered and lunch served at the end of the walk.  Register by June 6, 2026 at www.tinyurl.com/foapilgrimage26.  For more information call/text 570-301-9253 or email foapilgrimage@gmail.com.  The faith lives on in Glen Lyon……….

The Feast of the Ascension of our Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ is celebrated each year on the fortieth day after the Great and Holy Feast of Pascha (Easter). Since the date of Pascha changes each year, the date of the Feast of the Ascension changes. The Feast is always celebrated on a Thursday.  The Feast itself commemorates when, on the fortieth day after His Resurrection, Jesus led His disciples to the Mount of Olives, and after blessing them and asking them to wait for the fulfillment of the promise of the Holy Spirit, He ascended into heaven.  The account of the Ascension of our Lord, celebrated as one of the Twelve Great Feasts of the Church, is found in the book of the Acts of the Apostles 1:3-11. It is also mentioned in the Gospels of Mark (16:19) and Luke (24:50-53). The moment of the Ascension is told in one sentence: “He was lifted up before their eyes in a cloud which took Him from their sight” (Acts 1:9).  Christ made His last appearance on earth, forty days after His Resurrection from the dead. The Acts of the Apostles states that the disciples were in Jerusalem. Jesus appeared before them and commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the “Promise of the Father”. He stated, “You shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now” (Acts 1:5).  After Jesus gave these instructions, He led the disciples to the Mount of Olives. Here, He commissioned them to be His witnesses “in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8). It is also at this time that the disciples were directed by Christ to “go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19). Jesus also told them that He would be with them always, “even to the end of the world” (Matthew 28:20).  As the disciples watched, Jesus lifted up His hands, blessed them, and then was taken up out of their sight (Luke 24:51; Acts 1:9). Two angels appeared to them and asked them why they were gazing into heaven. Then one of the angels said, “This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as you have seen Him going into heaven” (Acts 1:11).  The icon of The Ascension of Our Lord is a joyous icon. It is written with bright colors. Christ is shown ascending in His glory in a mandorla.  A mandorla is a design which is almond-shaped or round. Inside the mandorla is the figure of a holy person. Christ blesses the assembly with His right hand. In His left is a scroll. The scroll is a symbol of teaching. This icon shows that the Lord in heaven is the source of blessing. In addition, Jesus is the source of knowledge. The icon reminds us that Christ continues to be the source of the teaching and message of the Church, blessing and guiding those to whom He has entrusted his work.  The Theotokos occupies a very special place in this icon. She is in the center of the icon, immediately below the ascending Christ. The gesture of her hands is gesture of prayer. She is clearly outlined by the whiteness of the garments of the angels. The Theotokos is depicted in a very calm pose. This is quite different from the appearance of the Disciples. They are moving about, talking to one another and looking and pointing towards heaven. The entire group, the Theotokos and the disciples represent the Church.  The icon of the Ascension includes some who did not witness the Ascension. St. Paul is shown to the left of the Theotokos, but we know that he was not present at the Ascension. At that time, St. Paul did not yet believe in Jesus. But he became a Christian and one of the greatest Apostles and missionaries of Church.  The icon expresses the sovereignty of Christ over His Church; He is its Head, its guide, its source of inspiration and teaching; it receives its commission and ministry from Him, and fulfils it in the power of the Holy Spirit.

May 3, 2026 A. D.

Христос Воскрес!   Воістину Воскрес!

CHRIST IS RISEN!  INDEED HE IS RISEN!

Saturday, May 2                     SUNDAY OF THE SAMARITAN WOMAN

CHRISTOS VOSKRESE!  VOISTINU VOSKRESE!

         4:00 PM                          Helene Sirak- Helen Harabin

Sunday, May 3                        SUNDAY OF THE SAMARITAN WOMAN 

        8:30 AM                            God’s Blessings & Good Health for All Parishioners

Saturday, May 9                     SUNDAY OF THE SAMARITAN WOMAN

         4:00 PM                          All Mothers Living & Deceased

Sunday, May 10                     SUNDAY OF THE SAMARITAN WOMAN 

        8:30 AM                            All Mothers Living & Deceased

“With Fear of God”- The fear of God is often misunderstood.  “Why should we fear God, when our God is the God of love?” some say.  Of course He is the God of love but if we don’t have the fear of God in us, we won’t have the love of God either, but only a deceptive feeling, which will lull our conscience into permissiveness, laxity and a stagnant spiritual life.  And if they further retort, “I don’t fear God, because I love God,” quoting the Scripture, which says, “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear; for fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears, has not reached perfection in love” (1 John 4:18) they forget one thing, that few reach this stage of perfection.

            The Scripture says, “Fear God, and keep His commandments; for that is the whole duty of everyone.  For God will bring every deed into judgement, including every secret thing, whether good or evil(Eccl 12:13-14).   Fear of God is not instructed only in the Old Testament.  The Apostle Peter is very direct and straightforward:  “Fear God”.  (1Peter 2:17) Also the Angel of the Apocalypse shouts, “Fear God and give Him glory, for the hour of judgement has come.” (Rev 14:7). The Lord Himself warned us, “I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that can do nothing more.  But I will warn you whom to fear: fear Him who, after He has killed, has authority to cast into Gehenna (Hell).  Yes, I tell you fear Him.” (Lk 12:4-5) This fear keeps us on the right path and gives birth to other virtues.

            St. Tikhon couples fear of God with faith, and tells us that, “Without living faith and the fear of God it is impossible to live in a godly way… The fear of God  will guard you and correct you everywhere and in all things, and will turn you away from every evil deed, and confirm you in every good deed.  Thus day by day, you will become better.”   “Let us draw near to Him, then, with fervor and burning charity, so that we will not have to endure punishment,”  St. John Chrysostom prompts us. And he continues: “Let us, then rouse ourselves up and be filled with awe… that we may not, by approaching thoughtlessly and carelessly heap fire upon our heads…For this table is the sinews of our soul, the bond of our mind, the foundation of our confidence, our hope, our salvation, our light, our life.”    (The Heavenly Banquet; Father Emmanuel Hatzidakis…Page 334)

ASK FATHER A QUESTION?  Father, when are the gifts changed into the Body and Blood of Christ according to our Eastern Faith?  Is there a moment, or a time in the Liturgy when we are certain?  It happens during the Liturgy which begins even before most parishioners arrive at church.  There is no single specific moment in the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom that you can point to and say it happens here.  The most you can say from that mindset is that by the time the Epiclesis Prayer is completed, this is now without question the body and blood of Christ.  Remember, the priest begins the Prayers of Preparation before the Liturgy begins. Most people notice something is happening when people hear the bells of the censor. (Priest incensing the gifts.)  

PRAYER FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE CHURCH

O glorious St. Michael, guardian and defender of the Church of Jesus Christ come to the assistance of the Church, against which the powers of hell are unchained, guard with especial care her august Head, and obtain that for Him and for us the hour of triumph may speedily arrive.  O glorious Archangel St. Michael, watch over us during life, defend us against the assaults of the devil, assist us especially at the hour of death; obtain for us a favorable judgement, and the happiness of beholding God face to face for endless ages.  Amen.

The Altar Candles for April are requested by Michaelene Ostrum IMO father Michael Sirak.

PETITIONS TO THE MOTHER OF GOD:  May is the month of Blessed Mother of God. We will have Petitions to the Mother of God following Divine Liturgies this month.

WALKING PILGRIMAGE: FOOTSTEPS OF OUR ANCESTORS:  Save the date Saturday, June 13.  A Seven Mile Walking Pilgrimage from St. Mary’s Church in Mocanaqua through the Pinchot State Forest, Mocanaqua Tract to St. Nicholas Church, Glen Lyon.  Divine Liturgy offered and lunch served at the end of the walk.  Register by June 6, 2026 at www.tinyurl.com/foapilgrimage26.  For more information call/text 570-301-9253 or email foapilgrimage@gmail.com.  The faith lives on in Glen Lyon……….

SOROKOUSTY SERVICE:    The fifth Sorokousty is Saturday, May 23^rd at 8:00 am. 

MOTHER’S DAY:  Mother’s Day is next Sunday, May 10th.  We will have Divine Liturgy for All Living and Deceased Mothers’ of our Parish.  Remember your Mom in Divine Liturgy. 

PRAYERS:  Please remember in your prayers all who are in need of God’s help.  Remember those in the nursing facilities, hospital and at home, all the sick and the suffering.  Please say a special prayer for all of our nation’s soldiers and their families at home and abroad.  Please pray for all our priests, active and retired.

Saint Andrew-The First Called (Apostle)

(Apostle means “called,” disciple means “follower,” hence there can only be 12 apostles)

St. Andrew, also known as Andrew the Apostle, was the older brother to St. Peter.  According to the New Testament, Andrew was born in the village of Bethsaida on the Sea of Galilee during the early first century. Much like his younger brother, Simon Peter, Andrew was also a fisherman. Andrew’s very name means strong and he was known for having good social skills.

Little else is said about Andrew in the Gospels, but it is believed Andrew was one of the closer disciples to Jesus. It was he who told Jesus about the boy with the loaves and fishes, according to John 6:8. When Philip wanted to speak to Jesus about Greeks seeking him, he spoke to Andrew first. Andrew was also present at the last supper.

Eusebius in his church history 3,1 quoted Origen as saying that Andrew preached in Scythia. The Chronicle of Nestor adds that he preached along the Black Sea and the Dnieper river as far as Kiev, and from there he traveled to Novgorod. Hence, he became a patron saint of Ukraine, Romania and Russia.

Per Christian tradition, Andrew went on to preach the Good News around the shores of the Black Sea and throughout what is now Greece and Turkey. Andrew was martyred by crucifixion in Patras. He was bound, rather than nailed, to a cross, as is described in the Acts of Andrew. He was crucified on a cross form known as “crux decussata,” which is an X-shaped cross or a “saltire.” Today this is commonly referred to as “St. Andrew’s Cross.” It is believed Andrew requested to be crucified this way, because he deemed himself “unworthy to be crucified on the same type of cross as Jesus.”  Andrew’s remains were originally preserved at Patras. However, some believe St. Regulus, who was a monk at Patras, received a vision telling him to hide some of Andrew’s bones. Shortly after Regulus’ dream, many of Andrew’s relics were transferred to Constantinople by order of Roman emperor Constantius II around 357. Regulus later received orders in a second dream telling him to take the bones “to the ends of the earth.” He was to build a shrine for them wherever he shipwrecked. He landed on the coat of Fife, Scotland.  In September 1964, Pope Paul VI had all of St. Andrew’s relics that ended up in Vatican City sent back to Patras. Now, many of Andrew’s relics and the cross on which he was martyred are kept in the Church of St. Andrew in Patras.

St. Andrew is venerated in Eastern Europe as the first preacher of Christianity in that territory and in Cyprus for having struck the rocks creating a gush of healing waters upon landing on the shore.  His saltire cross is featured on the flag of Scotland and is represented in much of his iconography. He is commonly portrayed as an old man with long white hair and a beard, often holding the Gospel book or a scroll.  St. Andrew is the patron saint of fishermen and singers. He is also the patron saint to several countries and cities including: Scotland, Romania, Russia, Ukraine and the city Patras and his feast day is celebrated on November 30.

*It is said that Andrew preached in Scythia,  a kingdom which included at the time modern- day Ukraine.

                                                   April 26, 2026 A. D.

Saturday, April 25                  SUNDAY OF THE PARALYTIC MAN

         4:00 PM                          Alex Szumskyj – God’s Blessings and Health 

Sunday, April 26                     SUNDAY OF THE PARALYTIC MAN

8:30 AM                           Baptism of Julia Kate Johnson, daughter of Joshua Kieth and Oksana Palashchuk Johnson.

Tuesday, April 28

         Noon                               Visit by Ukrainian Catholics from Philadelphia

Saturday, May 2                     SUNDAY OF THE SAMARITAN WOMAN

         4:00 PM                          Helene Sirak- Helen Harabin

Sunday, May 3                        SUNDAY OF THE SAMARITAN WOMAN 

        8:30 AM                            Paul Morelli- Lindy Morelli

Christ is Risen! Indeed He Is Risen!   ХРИСТОС ВОСКРЕСЕ!

The Altar Candles for April are requested by Michaelene Ostrum IMO father Michael Sirak.

SVIACHENNE:   A sincere thank you to everyone who helped out with the Sviachenne this past week.  It was especially nice to see everyone enjoying themselves and working together.  Thank you again to everyone who donated the food, money and their time to make it happen!

THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO CONTRIBUTED TO THE HEATING SYSTEM REPAIR:  I express my deepest appreciation to everyone who contributed the repair for the heating system.  The total bill was $8,106.50.  Parishioner donations were a total of $2,200 and the Women’s Society donated the remainder of the cost, $5906.50.  May God grant you many happy years, peace, health and salvation, in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

WALKING PILGRIMAGE:  Save the date Saturday, June 13.  Seven mile trek from St. Mary’s Church, Mocanaqua to St. Nicholas Church, Glen Lyon.  More information is on the flyer in the vestibule. 

MOTHER’S DAY:  Mother’s Day is Sunday, May 10th.  We will have Divine Liturgy for All Living and Deceased Mothers’ of our Parish.  Remember your Mom in Divine Liturgy. 

40^th ANNIVERSARY OF CHERNOBYL DISASTER: The disaster took place April 26, 1986.  The World Health Organization estimates that 30,000 deaths can be directly attributed to the Chernobyl Disaster and over 7 million people have been exposed to radiation from the accident.  The Chernobyl explosion unleashed at least 400 times more radioactive fallout that the bomb the United States dropped on Hiroshima in 1945.  Soviet Authorities allegedly forced thousands of pregnant women within an 18.6 miles exclusion zone to get an abortion after the disaster.  Although the Chernobyl accident occurred in Ukraine, Belarus received about 70 percent of the contamination.  Three men prevented a steam explosion after the initial Chernobyl accident.  The explosion would have destroyed the entire Chernobyl plant and rendered all of Europe uninhabitable for hundreds of years.  Please pray for the living and deceased victims of this disaster and for the whole world.  (See Letter from Major Archbishop Svyatoslav Shevchuk.)

PRAYER FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE CHURCH

O glorious St. Michael, guardian and defender of the Church of Jesus Christ come to the assistance of the Church, against which the powers of hell are unchained, guard with especial care her august Head, and obtain that for Him and for us the hour of triumph may speedily arrive.  O glorious Archangel St. Michael, watch over us during life, defend us against the assaults of the devil, assist us especially at the hour of death; obtain for us a favorable judgement, and the happiness of beholding God face to face for endless ages.  Amen.

ASK FATHER A QUESTION?  Father, in the Roman Catholic tradition at Easter Time, we have the symbol of the lamb of God- is that part of our Ukrainian Tradition- why does it not appear as prominent in our church?  Father after church on Sunday, you were wearing a White Cassock- why? The Lamb of God absolutely is in our tradition in plain sight-but unrecognized.  The white cassock of the priest is part of our tradition that if a priest or deacon has a cassock made of pure wool-the hair of the lamb- he wears it during Eastertide from Easter till Eve of Ascension.  Likewise, the priest wears the brightest vestments he has during this time for the Liturgies.  All of these are a reminder and a living of the sacrifice of the most pure and unblemished Lamb to atone for sin.  Lastly the word, Pascha translates into “Lamb of God,” “Passover,” and “Bread of Life.”  Our church calls Easter the Feast of the Lamb of God.

Saturday, April 18                SUNDAY OF THE OINTMENT BEARERS 

         4:00 PM                        God’s Blessings & Good Health for All Parishioners

Sunday, April 19                   SUNDAY OF THE OINTMENT BEARERS 

        8:30 AM                         Michael Hubiak- Louise Hubiak

Saturday, April 25                SUNDAY OF THE PARALYTIC MAN

         4:00 PM                        Alex Szumskyj – God’s Blessings and Health 

Sunday, April 26                   SUNDAY OF THE PARALYTIC MAN

8:30 AM                         Baptism of Julia Kate Johnson, daughter of Joshua Kieth and Oksana Palashchuk Johnson.

Entering into Solitude for Prayer

Whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door. – Matthew (6:6)

In the Sermon on the Mount, Christ taught us that during prayer we should “go into our room and shut the door.”  The Fathers of the Spiritual Life frequently offered interpretations of these words.  They understood them as an injunction to direct our intention deep within ourselves.  This is the interior intention to which St. Basil the Great refers in his appeal to “Attend to yourself!”  The Liturgical Words “Let us be attentive!” continually reminds us of this.  The most important reaction to this call is to increase our attention to what is going on within ourselves.  CUCC 699/700

Evil Thoughts

 We are constantly under the influence of various thoughts, ideas, and views, and we choose from among them those that we consider important.  These thoughts can be either good or evil, and so they affect our spiritual life in different ways.  In the book of Genesis, we read how the serpent deceived mankind, saying that they will become like God if they reject God’s commandment. Temptation is a “nudge” or incitement to sin.  Confronted by such instigation, mankind can either succumb or resist it.  Adam and Eve succumb to the sinful temptation and become, therefore, personally responsible for the sin.  The same occurs in our life.  If we give our ascent to evil thoughts then we sin.  The beginning of every sin is the acceptance of an evil thought coupled with the desire to bring it to life.  If a person does not take possession of an evil thought, this thought is not a sin but only a temptation.  St. John of Damascus distinguishes various stages in the process by which evil thoughts penetrate the heart.  Among these are:  suggestion, internal conversion, struggle, ascent, and passion (captivity).      *n.b. Demonic forces can influence mankind through thoughts, as can angels guide you through thoughts.  Every thought that runs through your mind did not necessarily begin with you.  Pray often and pray well so that good thoughts may originate with you and you learn to follow angels and not devils.*   CUCC 788/789

PRAYER FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE CHURCH

O glorious St. Michael, guardian and defender of the Church of Jesus Christ come to the assistance of the Church, against which the powers of hell are unchained, guard with especial care her august Head, and obtain that for Him and for us the hour of triumph may speedily arrive.  O glorious Archangel St. Michael, watch over us during life, defend us against the assaults of the devil, assist us especially at the hour of death; obtain for us a favorable judgement, and the happiness of beholding God face to face for endless ages.  Amen.

The Altar Candles for April are requested by Michaelene Ostrum IMO father Michael Sirak.

The Sanctuary Light is requested by Carol Bosack-Kosek  IMO The Bosack Family.

SVIACHENNE: IT’S THIS WEEK! The Sviachenne will be this Sunday, April 19, 2026 12:15PM.  It is a Covered Dish Sviachenne between Transfiguration of Our Lord Church & Ss. Peter & Paul Church!  There is no charge for the Sviachenne Dinner and it will be held at Transfiguration of Our Lord Church basement.  Thank you to everyone who signed up!

THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO CONTRIBUTED TO THE HEATING SYSTEM REPAIR:  I express my deepest appreciation to everyone who contributed the repair for the heating system.  The total bill was $8,106.50.  Parishioner donations were a total of $2,200 and the Women’s Society donated the remainder of the cost, $5906.50.  May God grant you many happy years, peace, health and salvation, in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

WALKING PILGRIMAGE:  Save the date Saturday, June 13.  Seven mile trek from St. Mary’s Church, Mocanaqua to St. Nicholas Church, Glen Lyon.  More information is on the flyer in the vestibule. 

FLEA MARKET:  Transfiguration of Our Lord Church will be having a Flea Market, Bag Day is Sunday, April 19^thfrom noon to 1PM.

            Ask Father a question? Father, the following passage is confusing “At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.  The earth shook, the rocks split and the tombs broke open.  The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life.  They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people,” could you help me with this?  Does this mean that individuals other than Christ have risen from the dead and are in heaven?  What does “appeared to many people” refer to, spirits?  No, just as Lazarus was raised from the dead, Lazarus died a second time and was buried a second time.  So too all those who rose from the dead, died a second time and were buried a second time.  This is a reminder to us that at the end of days with the second coming of Christ, all the dead will rise from their tombs, their soul being re-united with their perfect (finished) body.  That little passage “returned to life” means that they went back to living as they were before they died and were buried in a tomb.  Each of these people lived for a time and died a second natural worldly death.  They too will rise at the end of time for judgement with all the dead.  I believe your difficulty in understanding this, is the common concept today that salvation is being in heaven with God is your bodiless soul floating around in the sky eternally.  This is simply wrong.  Everyone will bodily rise from the dead, even the people who were vaporized by the atomic bombs of Japan at their epicenter will receive back their physical bodies with their soul reunited, and then judged for Heaven or Hell.  A little side note, did you know that the cities of Nagasaki and Hiroshima had the highest populations of Catholics in Japan?  This is an indication, and a reminder, to us of our end that God has in store for us.  Your body and your soul both matter.  So let’s go to Revelation Chapter 20:12-15:

“And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and the books were opened.  Another book was opened, which is the book of life.  The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire.  The lake of fire is the second death. Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.”

We were given a fore taste of the general resurrection with the dead that rose from their tombs with Christ.  From Luke Chapter 24:37-41:

“They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? Look at my hands and my feet.  It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.”  When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet. And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?”

April 12, 2026 A. D.

Saturday, April 11                  THOMAS SUNDAY 

4:00 PM                      Helene Sirak- Stephen & Gloria Udiski

                                                 Distribution of Artos

Sunday, April 12                     THOMAS SUNDAY 

             8:30 AM                       Divine Liturgy, Distribution of Artos

God’s Blessings & Good Health for All Parishioners

Saturday, April 18                  SUNDAY OF THE OINTMENT BEARERS 

         4:00 PM                          God’s Blessings & Good Health for All Parishioners

Sunday, April 19                     SUNDAY OF THE OINTMENT BEARERS 

        8:30 AM                            Michael Hubiak- Louise Hubiak

CONFESSION: “We can talk about a confession crisis, but the larger issue is that people just don’t believe in sin anymore,” said journalist Russell Shaw, former communications director for the U.S. bishops and author of numerous books, including “Why We Need Confession.”   This points to a related fact — many Catholics no longer affirm many ancient teachings of the church, he said.  This is especially true when details in the Catholic catechism clash with the doctrines of the sexual revolution.  When thinking about “grave” or “mortal” sins, many Catholics have decided this language simply does not apply to their own mistakes and struggles.  “The idea is that you don’t need to go to confession unless you’ve done something really, really bad,” said Shaw.  “People say, ‘I’m a good person.  I haven’t done anything bad, or I haven’t done anything I think is really bad — so I don’t have anything to confess.’  And many Catholics question whether the church should play any role in mediating this sin, repentance and forgiveness process.”  Father Moses agreed that “our culture is working hard to get rid of the concept of sin. … But sin is sin because it’s bad for us and lots of people are hurting.  That’s reality.”  While stressing that “I’ve only been a priest for four years and I’m not an authority on anything,” he said he does believe priests now have a decision to make when preaching and teaching about confession.   “We have to ask, ‘Do we believe that the gospel is good news?  Do we believe that what we are teaching is true and that the sacraments are real?’ … If we do, then confession is an essential part of our faith.”  From:  canonlawmadeeasy.com/2023/04/06/is-confession-still-an-easter-duty-repost/

Can a truly Orthodox view and practice of confession be restored?  Yes, if we have the courage to deal with the problem at its roots and not with mere externals.

The starting point of this restoration is in preaching and teaching.  To some extent all Christian preaching and teaching is a call to repentance, to the metanoia, the change of mind, the reevaluation of all values in the light of Christ.  There is no need to preach constantly on “sin,” to judge and to condemn.  It is when a man is challenged with the real “contents” of the Gospel, with its Divine depth and wisdom, beauty and all embracing meaning, that he becomes “capable of repentance,” for the true repentance is precisely the discovery by the man of the abyss that separates him from God and from His real offer to man.  It is when the man sees the bridal chamber adorned that he realizes that he has no garment for entering it.  Too much of our preaching is in the form of abstract imperatives: the Church prescribes to do this and that; but commanding is not preaching.  Preaching implies the desire to convey to people the positive, the Divine meaning, for it is only this meaning that makes “prescriptions” significant, life-giving, saving. Christian teaching should also include a deep and constructive criticism of the secularistic philosophy of life, an evaluation of the culture in which we live.  Christians must always fight idols – and there are plenty of them today: “success,” “materialism,” “security,” “money-centerdness,” etc.  For here again, only within such broad and truly Christian judgment of this world the notion of sin recovers its true meaning, as deviation of love and interest, as worshipping values and norms that are not truly “valuable.”  This implies, of course, that the priest himself is free of this identification with the world, puts eternal Truth and not the “practical considerations,” in the very center of his ministry.  Confession, then, must be replaced in the perspective of the sacrament of penance [and Holy Communion].  And each sacrament implies at least three equally essential elements: preparation, liturgical order, and fulfillment.  If the whole life of the Church, but especially preaching and teaching are, as we have seen, preparation for repentance in a broad sense, there is room and need for special preparation.  The Church has set apart special periods of repentance: Lent, Advent, other fasts.  Here the liturgy itself becomes a “school of repentance” (cf. for example the inexhaustible riches of the Lenten Triodion), and it is the proper time to center preaching on the sacrament of penance itself.  The order of Gospel readings, the Psalter, the hymns and prayers supply us with abundant material, the purpose of preaching being to “apply” all this to men, to their life, to their actual situation.  The goal is to provoke in them the penitential mood, to make them examine their life not only in terms of isolated sins and transgressions, but in their deepest motivations.  Where is the real treasure of their hearts?  What guides them in their life…A man who questions the deep motivations of his life, who has understood, be it just once, that life in its totality can and must be referred to Christ, is on his way to repentance, which is always a conversion, a change of mind, a renewed vision, a decision to return to God (cf. my pamphlet on Great Lent).  The preparation must, of necessity, include an explanation of confession, – its order, prayers, meaning.

6. The liturgical order of confession consists of A) prayers before confession, B) exhortation to penitents, C) confession proper, and D) Absolution,[and E) reception of Holy Communion which completes the confession.]

The Altar candles for April are requested by Michaelene Ostrum IMO father Michael Sirak.

The Sanctuary Light for this week is requested by Rebecca Molecavage IMO her mother Frances Bencho.

WOMEN’S SOCIETY:  The monthly meeting of the Women’s Society will be held on Tuesday, April 14th at 6 PM in the church hall. All current members are urged to attend and new members are needed and always welcome. 

SVIACHENNE: IT’S NEXT WEEK! The Family Sviachenne will be on Sunday, April 19, 2026 12:15PM.  It is 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.  Please see sign-up sheet at back of church.  HELP IS NEEDED ESPECIALLY FOR CLEAN UP.  Thank you to everyone who signed up!

WALKING PILGRIMAGE:  Save the date Saturday, June 13.  Seven mile trek from St. Mary’s Church, Mocanaqua to St. Nicholas Church, Glen Lyon.

FLEA MARKET:  Transfiguration of Our Lord Church will be having a Flea Market on Saturday, April 11 from 9am to 2pm and Saturday, April 18 from 9am to 2pm (1/2 Price Sale).  Bag Day is Sunday, April 19 from noon to 2PM.

Prayer for Family

Heavenly Father, please shine Your light upon our families. Give us strength to overcome the attacks of the evil one in all of the difficulties that we are dealing with now and protect us against any and all problems we may encounter in the future.  O Lord, please bring us together as we are meant to be.  May the love that binds us grow stronger as we fulfill the destiny you have laid out for us.   Grant my family repentance from sins we have committed.  May we also forgive one another Lord, as it is sometimes difficult to do.  Bless us O Lord, In your name of the Father, Son & Holy Spirit I pray, Amen.