Pastoral Message of the Ukrainian Catholic Hierarchy of the U.S.A
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Official Publication of the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia VOL. 76 - No. 24 DECEMBER 20, 2015 ENGLISH VERSION PASTORAL MESSAGE OF THE UKRAINIAN CATHOLIC HIERARCHY OF THE U.S.A. TO OUR CLERGY, HIEROMONKS AND BROTHERS, RELIGIOUS SISTERS, SEMINARIANS AND BELOVED FAITHFUL CHRIST IS BORN! consolation to every man and woman of our time”. The Nativity of Our Pope Francis calls us Lord and Savior Jesus to enter a journey that Christ this year will be begins with a spiritual celebrated within a conversion. He calls all Holy Year announced of us to live this year in the by Pope Francis. This light of the Lord’s words: extraordinary jubilee “Be merciful, just as your is dedicated to Divine Father is merciful”. (Luke Mercy. It began on 6:36) the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception The story of the Nativity (December 8th) and will of Our Lord and Savior conclude on November Jesus Christ gives us 20th, 2016. Our Holy glaring hints at how Father expressed the we might accept God’s hope that the whole mercy, how we may live Church will find “the joy it and how we witness needed to rediscover and it to the world which make fruitful the Mercy surrounds us. of God, with which all of us are called to give (continued on next page) PASTORAL MESSAGE OF THE UKRAINIAN CATHOLIC HIERARCHY OF THE U.S.A. (continued from previous page) God’s mercy is evident us in understanding and today’s refugees in light your sorrows and sins. in how he intervened accepting God’s mercy. of our witnessing God’s In His love for you, with the birth of His only mercy showered upon expressed through His begotten Son, Jesus in God’s presence and Joseph, Mary and Jesus priest, God reveals His a time equally difficult mercy was not desired by who themselves were understanding and love and challenging as the authorities in Jesus’ refugees. Our response for you. God directs you today. Jesus was born time. You will remember to the plight of refugees to renewed life in Him in a stable because there how Herod ordered the should be no less than in the compassionate was no room in the Inn. slaughter of all children that which our heavenly advice offered by the God’s love for humanity under the age of two in Father showered upon priest and in the penance could not be curtailed his efforts to rid himself the Holy Family. given. God’s mercy is by the busyness of that of Jesus’ presence. poured out upon you as world. God’s mercy is not The world today is Pope Francis speaks to you receive absolution of withheld. Is there room filled with incidents us of a journey leading your sins. in our hearts for Jesus and societal efforts to to spiritual conversion. amidst the busyness of rid our surroundings Recall Jesus as a boy Pope Francis asks that today’s demands and of God’s presence becoming lost as the Holy the door of every home schedules? Are we aware amidst us. Egoistic Family made a journey become “the door of of how much God’s authorities attempt to through the desert. His mercy”. Ensure that the mercy surrounds us? exert domination over parents found Jesus door of your home, the others to advance in the temple teaching door of your Church, and We are struck with specific ideologies and others. When you and I the door of your heart all the obedience of the building of empires. lose sight of our purpose richly reflect openness to the shepherds who We see this in our native in life or lose our way reveal the mercy of your respond to the angel Ukraine, in Syria and its in the busyness and heavenly Father. Express instructing them to seek neighboring countries, temptations of the world, God’s mercy by inviting the newborn King. We and in other parts of the we can find Jesus Christ, and showing others witness the serenity and world. We are humbled in His Holy temple, His whom you know, and peace of seeking Jesus by today’s witnesses Holy Church. God’s strangers amidst you to in their simplicity and and martyrs of faith mercy is present in and God’s Holy Door, the obedience. The three who defend the rights of through His Holy Church door leading to God’s kings or astrologers seek believers. They reveal and its ministers. Jesus mercy. Jesus and are clever the heavenly Father’s is among us! God’s enough to deceive mercy and summon our mercy awaits to be We join our Holy Father in Herod in avoiding telling imitating them in our generously poured out entrusting this Holy Year him of the whereabouts expression of mercy. upon you as you enter to the Mother of Mercy, of the newborn Jesus. into a deeper journey of “that she may turn her Dedication to seek the Joseph obediently listened faith. That journey ought gaze upon us and watch truth of the Gospel to a warning given in a to begin with availing over our journey”. The and avoiding those dream and protected oneself of the Sacrament door of the hearts and who might derail us Jesus and his mother of Reconciliation minds of your bishops of from meeting Jesus is Mary by fleeing into often. God’s mercy is our Ukrainian Catholic exemplified. We come to Egypt. We are called to revealed as He listens understand what assists understand the plight of to the outpouring of (continued on next page) DECEMBER 20, 2015 2 PASTORAL MESSAGE OF THE UKRAINIAN CATHOLIC HIERARCHY OF THE U.S.A. (continued from previous page) Church in USA are open our openness to receiving We joyfully impart our +Richard Seminack widely, expressing our God’s mercy. May we episcopal blessings upon Eparch of St. Nicholas in love and appreciation embrace the challenge all as we celebrate the Chicago for all in our Church. to be as merciful as our Nativity of Our Lord and We remember you in our heavenly Father. May Savior, Jesus Christ, and +Paul Chomnycky, prayers humbly offered to we rejoice in offering rich enter this jubilee year OSBM Jesus Christ, as together, testimony and witness to enthusiastically seeking Eparch of Stamford we celebrate His birth. God’s mercy in the life of our spiritual conversion. May each of us grow in the world. + Bohdan Danylo Christ is Born! Eparch of St. Josaphat in Parma +Stefan Soroka (author) Archbishop of +John Bura Philadelphia for Auxiliary Bishop of Ukrainians Philadelphia Metropolitan of Ukrainian Catholics in the United Christmas 2015 States To Metropolitan Stefan and all our readership, The entire staff of “The Way” greets all on this joyous Feast of the Nativity of Our Lord God and Savior, Jesus Christ! May the guiding light of the Bethlehem Star lead us to The Way of Christ - the path to salvation. Therefore, let us all sing the Christmas carol, Boh Predvichny - God Eternal: God Eternal is born today He came down from above To save us with His love Christ is Born! Christ, the Son of God. DECEMBER 20, 2015 3 NATIVITY OF OUR LORD CHRISTMAS - DECEMBER 25, 2015 MATTHEW 2:1-12 When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of King Herod, behold, Magi from the East arrived in Jerusalem, saying, “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw His star at its rising and come to do Him homage.” When King Herod heard this, he was greatly troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. Assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They said to him, ”In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it has been written through the prophet: And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, and by no means least among the rulers of Judah, since from you shall come a ruler, who is to shepherd my people Israel.” Then Herod called the Magi secretly and ascertained from them the time of the star’s appearance. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search diligently for the Child. When you have found Him, bring me word, so that I too may go and do him homage. After their audience with the king they set out. And behold, the star that they had seen at its rising proceeded them, until it came and stopped over the place where the Child was. They were overjoyed at seeing the star, and upon entering, they saw the Child with Mary His Mother. They prostrated themselves and did Him homage. Then they opened their treasures and offered Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their country by another route. HOLY SUPPER Holy Supper is a tradition celebrated in Ukrainian homes on Christmas Eve. The house is especially clean. Festive clothing is worn. The table is set with embroidered linen, the finest china, and candles. Under the table and under the tablecloth some hay is strewn. An extra setting is placed in honor of all the deceased members of the family. Kolach (the Christmas bread) is placed in the center of the table. This bread is braided with three rings symbolizing the Blessed Trinity, and circular rings, symbolizing the never-ending Eternity of God. A Didukh, sheaf of wheat stalks, is placed under the icons in the house. The stalks of grain represent all the family members and ancestors, whose spirit, it is believed, joins in the holy day festivities.