Saint Joseph Melkite Greek Catholic Church 130 North Saint Francis Cabrini Avenue Scranton, PA 18504

Rev. Protodeacon Michael Jolly Administrator pro tempore 570-213-9344 E-Mail: [email protected] Reader Michael Simon Web: http://melkitescranton.org Reader John Fitzgerald Webmaster: Sal Zaydon Parish Office 570-343-6092

March 31, 2013 Festal Tone and Festal Orthros Gospel Great and Glorious Pascha

Liturgy Schedule: Saturday Vespers 5 pm Sunday Orthros 8:55 am Compline Weds 8:30PM Sunday Divine Liturgy 10:00 am

Parish Notes: Liturgy Intentions: March 31, 2013 Welcome back Father Jerome Wolbert who serves at our altar this week. Paschal Flower Intentions The Qurban consecrated at today’s liturgies (see pg 10). was baked by Giovanni Olsen and Symeon Clark. Saint Joseph breakfast is rapidly approaching. April 8, 2013 Mark your calendar for April 21nd. Donations  Robert Walsh + 40 day are being accepted… see the sign up sheet. Compline resumes at 8:30PM Wednesdays Many thanks to the members of our community who assisted in decorating, singing and serving Today’s Icon at the Lazarus Saturday Children’s day and The Descent into Hades—the gates of Hades are shat- during Holy Week. tered, it’s locks broken and Christ lifts the fallen Adam along with other righteous Start collecting your surplus treasures for a parish rummage sale in May. The Vesper Liturgy of Saint Basil the Great On Saturday Evening Priest‘s Blessing of the New Light Lord Jesus Christ, Our God, Source of Life and Immortality, Eternal , invisible, incomprehensible, unchanging and unchangeable: You are the True Light who dwell in the Unapproachable Light and shine forth from Him. Your are the Light of the Father’s glory and its radiance; You are the Light of the heavenly hosts and of every man who comes into the world. O Savior, You established a law for the first man who lived in the state of light, in order to guide him and lead him to the new world of heaven and incite him to grow in the love of eternal life. But he transgressed that law and fell from that great glory in which You had established Him and by his fall he dealt death to himself and estranged himself from You, O Glorious Light. But You, O Lord and Lover of Mankind, in your great bounty and infinite mercy, submitted Yourself to death and condescended to share the lowliness of us wretched sinners, in order to lead us back to that former glory and light from which we had fallen away. For the sake of us transgressors of your divine law, You accepted to be buried, top go down into Hades, to the depths of the earth. Then, O Lord, You destroyed the gates of death, delivering and raising up those who had chained in its darkness; You filled out human nature with the light of your resurrection, bestowing upon the world a new life and a new light brighter than the sun. Merciful as You are, You restored our human nature to its former beauty and to that glorious light from which we has been exiled. Now, O Lord and God, our Savior Jesus Christ, grant spiritual and physical light to our minds and hearts that had been blinded with worldly errors; enlighten us as You enlightened the holy Marys and the holy women who came to your tomb with spices, so they could sprinkle your holy body the source of life. Fill our hearts with your joy; fill our souls with your tranquility, with your peace, with the happiness that comes from You. Since You have raised us up and delivered us from the stain of our sins and the darkness of our transgressions, make us worthy in your loving kindness to kindle our lamps with today’s light the symbol of your radiant and glorious resurrection. Bestow this perfection of light upon your Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church; grant to us sinners, your servants, that we may enkindle our own souls wit the light of your divine commandments, and that You may fulfill your holy will in us every day of our life, so that being pure and undefiled, we may be able to receive You on the day of your awesome resurrection, and that as wise virgins, with lit candles in our hands, we may come to You, O King of Glory, into your heavenly bridal chamber to enjoy the light of the indivisible Trinity, sending up glory to the Eternal Father, to You, O Lord and to your All-Holy Spirit, now and always and forever and ever.

Old Testament Readings Genesis 1:1-14 Jonas 1-4 Daniel 3:1-56 concluding with the prayer of the three holy youths and the response: “Praise the Lord and Exalt Him above all forever” Trisagion All of you who have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. Alleluia. A Reading from the Epistle of Saint Paul to the Romans 6:3-12 And we shall do this, if only God permits or it is impossible in the case of those who have once been enlightened and tasted the heavenly gift and shared in the holy Spirit and tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, to bring them to repentance again, since they are recrucifying the Son of God for themselves and holding him up to contempt. Ground that has absorbed the rain falling upon it repeatedly and brings forth crops useful to those for whom it is cultivated receives a blessing from God. But if it produces thorns and thistles, it is rejected; it will soon be cursed and finally burned. But we are sure in your regard, beloved, of better things related to salvation, even though we speak in this way. For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love you have demonstrated for his name by having served and continuing to serve the holy ones. We earnestly desire each of you to demonstrate the same eagerness for the fulfillment of hope until the end, so that you may not become sluggish, but imitators of those who, through faith and patience, are inheriting the promises The Holy Gospel According to Saint Matthew 28:1-20 After the Sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, approached, rolled back the stone, and sat upon it. His appearance was like lightning and his clothing was white as snow. The guards were shaken with fear of him and became like dead men. Then the angel said to the women in reply, "Do not be afraid! I know that you are seeking Jesus the crucified. He is not here, for he has been raised just as He said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples, 'He has been raised from the dead, and he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him.' Behold, I have told you." Then they went away quickly from the tomb, fearful yet overjoyed, and ran to announce this to his disciples. And behold, Jesus met them on their way and greeted them. They approached, embraced his feet, and did him homage. Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me." While they were going, some of the guard went into the city and told the chief priests all that had happened. They assembled with the elders and took counsel; then they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, telling them, "You are to say, 'His disciples came by night and stole him while we were asleep.' And if this gets to the ears of the governor, we will satisfy (him) and keep you out of trouble." The soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story has circulated among the Jews to the present (day). The eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had ordered them. When they saw him, they worshiped, but they doubted. Then Jesus approached and said to them, "All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age." Cherubic Hymn Let all mortal flesh be silent: Let us stand in fear and trembling, having no earthly thought : for behold the King of Kings and Lord of Lords is coming to be sacrificed and to be given as food to the faithful. He is escorted by hosts of archangels and by all the principalities and dominions. Escorted by the many-eyed Cherubim and the six-winged Seraphim covering their faces, all chanting : Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Hirmos In you, O full of grace, all creation rejoices the orders of angels and the human race as well. O sanctified Temple, spiritual Paradise and glory of virgins from whom our God who exists before all eternity, took flesh and became a little Child. He has taken your womb his throne making it more spacious than the heavens. Therefore O full of grace, in you all creation rejoices. Glory to you! Kinonikon The Lord arose as one coming out of sleep. Our Savior raised us up. Alleluia Post Communion Remember us also, O merciful One, as You remembered the thief in your heavenly kingdom.

The Divine Liturgy of Saint John Chrysostom On Sunday Morning Antiphon Prayer: O Christ God, You alone are the light and the life of all. Enlighten our spirits and our eyes as You enlightened the eyes of the Holy Marys. Gladden our hearts by Faith and Peace; and as You raised us up again from the grave of our sins and delivered us from Darkness, make us also worthy, by your great mercy, to light the lamps of our souls with the bright light of this glorious day of your Glorious Resurrection. For You are our Light, our Life and our Resurrection, O Christ God, and to You we render glory, thanksgiving and worship, and to your Eternal Father and your All-holy, Good and Life-giving Spirit, now and always and forever and ever. Antiphons Psalm 67 P.85 Troparia: Paschal Troparion Tone 5 P. 84 Paschal Hypacoi Tone 4 Mary and her companions went forth before dawn. They found the stone rolled away from the Tomb and heard the angel say “Why do you seek Him as a man among the dead, when He is in eternal splendor! Behold the shroud is folded. Hasten and proclaim to the world that the Lord is Risen and has crushed death , for He is the Son of God, the Savior of the world. Paschal Kontakion Tone 2 P. 86 Trisagion All of you who have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. Alleluia. Prokiemenon Ps.117: 24, 1 This is the day the Lord has made: let us be glad and rejoice in it! Stichon: Give praise to the Lord, for he is good, for his mercy endures forever. Reading from the Acts of the Apostles: 1: 1-8 In the preceding book, Theophilus, I was concerned with everything Jesus did and taught from the beginning, until the day he was taken up, after giving commandments through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. To them also he showed himself alive after his passion by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about God’s kingdom. And while eating with them, he told them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for the Father’s promise, “of which you have heard,” he said, “by my mouth. For while John baptized with water, you shall be baptized in the Holy Spirit within a few days.” Now, those gathered there questioned him, asking, “Lord, is it now that you will restore the kingdom to Israel?” But he answered them, “It is not for you to know the times or the proper moments the Father has set by his own authority. But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you shall be witnesses to me in Jerusalem, and in Judea and Samaria, and even to the very ends of the earth.” Alleluia Ps.101: 13; 32: 13 You shall arise and have mercy upon Sion, for the time to pity her, the right time has come. Stichon: The Lord has looked down from heaven upon all the sons of men.

The Holy Gospel According to Saint John 1: 1-17 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God; and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was made nothing that has been made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness; and the darkness grasped it not. There was a man, one sent from God, whose name was John. This man came as a witness, to bear witness concerning the light, that all might believe through him. He was not himself the light, but was to bear witness to the light. It was the true light that enlightens every man who comes into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, and the world knew him not. He came to his own, and his own received him not. But to as many as received him he gave the power of becoming children of God; to those who believe in his name: who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelled among us. And we saw his glory (glory as of the only-begotten of the Father) full of grace and of truth. John bore witness concerning him, and cried, “This was the one of whom I said, ‘He who is to come after me has been set above me, because he was before me.’” And of his fullness we have all received, grace for grace. For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. Hymn to the Theotokos Tone 1 P 87 Kinonikon Tone 1 P 88 After Communion “Christ is Risen” Instead of “Blessed Be the Name of the Lord” —- “Christ is Risen”

Is there anyone who is a devout lover of God? Let no one grieve at his poverty, Let them enjoy this beautiful bright festival! for the universal kingdom has been revealed. Is there anyone who is a grateful servant? Let no one mourn that he has fallen again and again; Let them rejoice and enter into the joy of their Lord! for forgiveness has risen from the grave. Are there any weary with fasting? Let no one fear death, for the Death of our Savior has Let them now receive their wages! set us free. If any have toiled from the first hour, He has destroyed it by enduring it. let them receive their due reward; He destroyed Hades when He descended into it. If any have come after the third hour, He put it into an uproar even as it tasted of His flesh. let him with gratitude join in the Feast! Isaiah foretold this when he said, And he that arrived after the sixth hour, "You, O Hell, have been troubled by encountering Him let him not doubt; for he too shall sustain no loss. below." And if any delayed until the ninth hour, Hell was in an uproar because it was done away with. let him not hesitate; but let him come too. It was in an uproar because it is mocked. And he who arrived only at the eleventh hour, It was in an uproar, for it is destroyed. let him not be afraid by reason of his delay. It is in an uproar, for it is annihilated. For the Lord is gracious and receives the last even as the It is in an uproar, for it is now made captive. first. Hell took a body, and discovered God. He gives rest to him that comes at the eleventh hour, It took earth, and encountered Heaven. as well as to him that toiled from the first. It took what it saw, and was overcome by what it did To this one He gives, and upon another He bestows. not see. He accepts the works as He greets the endeavor. O death, where is thy sting? The deed He honors and the intention He commends. O Hades, where is thy victory? Let us all enter into the joy of the Lord! Christ is Risen, and you, O death, are annihilated! First and last alike receive your reward; Christ is Risen, and the evil ones are cast down! rich and poor, rejoice together! Christ is Risen, and the angels rejoice! Sober and slothful, celebrate the day! Christ is Risen, and life is liberated! You that have kept the fast, and you that have not, Christ is Risen, and the tomb is emptied of its dead; rejoice today for the Table is richly laden! for Christ having risen from the dead, Feast royally on it, the calf is a fatted one. is become the first-fruits of those who have fallen asleep. Let no one go away hungry. Partake, all, of the cup of To Him be Glory and Power forever and ever. Amen! faith. Enjoy all the riches of His goodness! Pascal Homily of St. John Chrysostom

Pascha 2013 Dear beloved Clergy and Laity, Christ is risen! He is truly risen! These simple words of greeting which we use for the next forty days speak a celebration of life and an ex- plosion of joy. When we first proclaim them at the Divine Liturgy and the liturgical offices of Pascha we are filled with a new joy, refreshed and renewed even though our bodies may be tired from the long week of the Lord's passion. All you faithful come: let us adore the holy Resurrection of Christ; for behold, through the Cross, joy has come to the world. Our simple Pascha greeting also has a tremendous meaning for us, for not only is Christ risen, but we are too! We die with Him in Baptism and live with Him in a new life. We die to our selfishness and sins in order to be- come more and more actual images of Christ as He raises us up from our fallen nature to make us beacons of His life and love. Let us glory in this feast and embrace one another. O brothers and sisters, let us all say: 'Because of the Resurrection, we forgive all things to those who hate us.' As new people we no longer fear death for as St. John Chrysostom says in his famous Resurrection homily: the death of our Savior has set us free…Christ is risen and life is freed. No sooner do we hear these amazing words, take joy in them, and believe them, when we suddenly realize that this Paschal message has not reached millions of people throughout the world. I think of our fellow Christians in the Middle East, particularly in Syria, Egypt, Iraq, and Palestine where war and terror rage on. Surrounded by so much war and opposition, these people may be celebrating Pascha but not so radiantly as we would hope. The mes- sage of Christ--love unfailing--has not reached so many people. I can understand how these simple words: "He is truly risen" can seem to announce nothing or proclaim nothing. Let us in a special way pray for our brothers and sisters under oppression, that God will strengthen their faith in this Paschal event. And let us pray also for the oppressors, "those who hate us," that God will shine in their hearts a triumphal understanding that love and not hatred conquers all. We have recently witnessed a great act of love for the Church as Pope Benedict XVI stepped down from his office because of age and frailty--he is truly a man who knows and loves Christ and recognizes his own humanity. And now we welcome His Holiness, Pope Francis, a continued sign of the vitality of the Church, and we rejoice at his enormous acceptance by the world. We offer our prayers for the Pope Emeritus and for our new Holy Father. I offer to all of you my greetings and love on this glorious feast, and I remind you that you, too, are the witnesses of the Resurrection. As Jesus appeared after His resurrection to Mary Magdalene, to Peter and the other Apostles, to Thomas, and to the disciples on the road to Emmaus, He continues to appear today in the hearts of each and every one of you, and He calls you to be the image of "Christ alive" in your surroundings. He continues to show us the way. In our despair, He continues to be our hope; in our sinfulness, He contin- ues to be our forgiveness; and in our death, He continues to be our life. And you too, in His joyful image, be the same! Christ is risen! He is truly risen! X NICHOLAS Eparchial Bishop of Newton “As they were speaking, suddenly there came a voice Holy Pascha like thunder, crying ‘Remove your gates, you princes. NO ONE SAW JESUS RISE from the dead. The Scriptures Be lifted up, you everlasting doors, and the King of simply say that the tomb was found to be empty early Glory shall come in.’ …Then Hades said to his wicked on that Sunday morning. Later the risen Christ ministers, ‘Shut firm the gates of brass and put on appeared to His disciples as we read in the Gospels, them bars of iron…’ the Acts and the Epistles. This is why the Byzantine When all the saints heard it, they answered, rebuking rules governing icons prohibit showing Christ rising Hades, “Open the gates that the King of Glory may from the dead. Instead they set forth two scenes for come in.”… Paschal icons: the women at the empty tomb and the “Stretching forth His hand, the Lord said, ‘Come to “harrowing of hell,” Christ’s descent into death. Me, all you holy ones who bear My image and likeness…” In the description of St Peter’s first address to the “And the Lord, stretched forth His hand and made the people on Pentecost, we read that he applied the sign of the cross over Adam and over all His saints. He prophetic Psalm 16:8-11 to Christ, saying that the took the right hand of Adam and went up out of hell, psalmist “,,,spoke concerning the resurrection of with all the saints following Him… and brought them Christ that His soul was not left in Hades, nor did His all into the glory and beauty of paradise” (From The flesh see corruption” (Acts 2:31). Descent of Christ to the Depths 4, 5, 8, 9). This text is the earliest source we have for our icon of Christ’s time among the dead was described with some Pascha. It does not attempt to describe Christ’s detail in the first universal epistle of St Peter. We are physical resurrection but the spiritual reality of what told that Christ “went and made a proclamation to the His Death and Resurrection accomplished. The Lord spirits in prison, who in former times did not obey, Jesus, in radiant garments, is shown standing on the when God waited patiently in the days of Noah….” (1 brazen gates of Hades (also called the "Doors of Peter 3:19-20) and that “the gospel was preached also Death"), which are broken and have fallen in the form to those who are dead, that they might be judged as of a cross, illustrating the belief that by His death on men in the flesh, but live according to God in the the cross, Christ has trampled down death. At the spirit” (1 Peter 4:6). bottom of the icon we see Hades as a chasm of darkness, often with various pieces of broken locks This concept of Christ enlightening those in the and chains strewn about. darkness of death was thought to be so central to our Our paschal icon contains a second image from The faith that it was included in early creeds, we still Descent of Christ to the Depths. Christ is shown nd profess, when we say the (2 century) Apostles’ pulling Adam and Eve up out of Hades, surrounded by Creed, that Christ “…descended into hell; the third day other righteous figures from the Old Testament, “the He rose again from the dead.” The English version saints” mentioned in The Descent. In many versions of translated as “hell” the Greek word katotata (the this icon Christ is not shown holding them by the lowest region), the place of the dead. hands, but by their wrists, to stress that mankind could not attach himself to God because of his ancestral sin; Early Images in Our Liturgy rather it is Christ’s work alone which effects our “The Descent of Christ to the Depths” is a third- recreation. century text incorporated in later writings such as the apocryphal Gospel of Nicodemus and the Acts of

Pilate. This text – much abridged here – contains a dramatic scene involving Satan, Hades (the realm of The Dialogue with Satan death) and those held captive there. This image of the brass gates in The Descent was taken “Behold, Satan, the prince and chief of death, said to in turn from Psalm 23, depicting a conqueror’s entry Hades, ‘Prepare to receive Jesus, who boasts that He is into the city. In The Descent this psalm is used to the Son of God, and yet is a man afraid of death…’ describe Christ, the true King of Glory, breaking down the gates of Hades and leading mankind from the prison of death to paradise. In the Middle Eastern Patriarchates this psalm is recited as the Paschal procession stands in darkness before the doors of the church. The priest outside and a “Satan,” inside recreate this dialogue: Priest: Lift up your gates, you princes; and be lifted up, you everlasting gates, and the King of Glory shall enter in. Reader: Who is this King of Glory? Priest: The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord, mighty in battle. Lift up your gates, you princes; and be lifted up, you everlasting gates, and the King of Glory shall enter in. Reader; Who is this King of Glory? Priest: The Lord of hosts, He is the King of Glory.

The doors burst open and the congregation enters the brilliantly lit church, becoming themselves an icon of redeemed humanity.

Christ in Hades (St Epiphanius of Cyprus) Something strange is happening—there is a great silence on earth today, a great silence and stillness. The whole earth keeps silence because the King is asleep. It trembled and is still because God has fallen asleep in the flesh and He has raised up all who have slept ever since the world began. God has died in the flesh and Hell trembles with fear. He has gone to search for our first parent, as for a lost sheep. Greatly desiring to visit those who live in darkness and in the shadow of death, He has gone to free from sorrow the captives Adam and Eve, He who is both God and the Son of Eve. The Lord approached them bearing the Cross, the weapon that had “I am won Him the victory. At the sight of Him Adam, the first man He had created, struck his breast in terror and cried out to everyone, ‘My Lord be with you all.’ Christ answered him: ‘And with your spirit.’ He took him by the Life the hand and raised him up, saying: ‘Awake, O sleeper, and rise from the dead, and Christ will give you light. ‘I am your God, who for your sake have become your son. Out of love for you and your descendants I now by of the dead!” my own autho-rity command all who are held in bondage to come forth, all who are in darkness to be enlightened, all who are sleeping to arise. Sleeper, awake. I did not create you to be held a prisoner in Hades. Rise from the dead, for I am the life of the dead. Rise up, work of my hands, you who were created in my image. Rise, let us leave this place, for you are in Me and I in you; together we form one person and cannot be separated. Paschal Flower Intentions  John R. & Louise Chally  Adam & Lisa Jezrenski  Edward and Dorothy Abda  Edward Barrett  George R. Bolus  Frank G. Bolus & Karen Murray  Minnie Milewski  Edward and Dorothy Abda  Karen Cianci  Robert D. Walsh  the Simon Family Activity time at Lazarus Saturday Youth Day… Thanks  the Cianci Family to those who made the day a a success  Edmund 'Jack' Patchoski  Robbie Walsh  Jack Patchoski  Rose Marie & Albert Abda  Joseph and Catherine Zaydon  Dr. Thomas and Helene Zaydon Annual  Louis and Helen Zaydon  Mary and Peter Noto Jr. Saint Joseph  Baby Joseph Zaydon  Elsie & Jim Jaks Breakfast  Margaret Fagan  Peggy Jolly  Bud Abood nd  Loretta Coury Sunday April 21  Ann Coury 8am-1pm  Catherine Bolus ADULTS: $7.50  Deceased memebers of the Barron and Shehadi Kids Under 10: $4 Families Donations Needed  Stanley and Helen Hayward Please See the signup sheet in the back of the Church Fr. Christopher Manuele

Prophecies about the Resurrection of Christ

Many prophecies of the Old Testament foretell the resurrection of the Messiah. Among them are those places in the Holy Scriptures which say that the Messiah shall be not only a person but also God and, therefore, immortal by His divine nature. See, for example, the following texts: Psalms: 2, 45 and 110; Gen. 9:6; Jer. 23:5; Mich. 5:2; Mal. 3:1. Prophecies which predict the eternity of Christ's Kingdom indirectly refer to His resurrection — because an eternal kingdom implies an immortal king. See Gen. 49:10; 2 Samuel 7:13; Psalm 132:11; Ezek. 37:24; Dan. 7:13.

The clearest prophecy about the resurrection of Christ is the one pronounced by Isaiah 700 years before Christ. This prophecy occupies the whole 53rd chapter of his book. Isaiah, after describing the sufferings of Christ in detail as if he were standing right beside the foot of the Cross, finishes his narration with the following words: "They assigned to Him a grave with the wicked, but He was buried in a rich man's, because He did not sin nor His mouth did say any lies. But God saw fit for Him to suffer, and to put Him to torment. But when His soul shall make a sacrifice of appeasement, He shall see life eternal. And God's will shall be successfully fulfilled by His hand. He shall look benevolently upon the exploits of His soul. Through His knowledge, the Just, My Servant, shall justify many and shall carry their sins upon Himself. Therefore, I shall give Him a place among the great and He shall share a prize with the strong." The conclud- ing words of this prophecy clearly say that the Messiah, after His redeeming suffering and death, shall come to life and shall be glorified by God the Father.

The resurrection of Christ was also predicted by King David in the 16th Psalm, in which David says on behalf of Jesus: "Always have I seen God before me, because He has me in His right hand, I shall not quake … Therefore My heart has been filled with joy, and My tongue has become merry. Even My flesh shall rest in hope. For You shall not leave My soul in hell nor allow Your Holy one to see putrefaction. You shall indicate to Me the path of life. A plenitude of joy before Thy face, bliss in Your right hand — forever" (Ps. 16:9-11, see also Acts 2:25 and 13:35).

Thus, these prophets laid down for their people a foundation of faith toward the advent and the resurrection of the Mes- siah. That is why the Apostles so successfully spread among the Hebrews the belief that Christ was resurrected from the dead, despite all the obstacles that were perpetrated by the religious leaders of the Jewish nation. Devotions and Readings for this week

Mon Monday of Bright Week Acts 1:12-17, 21-26 John 1:18-28 4/1

Tues Tuesday of Bright Week Acts 2:14-21 Luke 24:12-35 4/2

Weds Wednesday of Bright Week Acts 2:22-38a John 1:35-51 4/3

Thurs Thursday of Bright Week Acts 2:38b-43 John 3:1-15 4/4

Fri Friday of Bright Week Acts 3:1-8 John 2:12-22 4/5

Sat Saturday of Bright Week Acts 3:11-16 John 3:22-33 4/6 Prayer Requests Parish Calendar Rev. Deacon John Karam April Rev. Basil Samra Rev. Father David White 21 Saint Joseph Breakfast 28 Parish Council Meeting

Michael Abda Yolande Haddad Marie Barron Marylou Iandoli Sacrificial Giving March 24, 2013 Joseph Barron Niko Mayashairo Weekly $ 506.00

Mary Sue Betress Mary McNeilly Monthly $10 00 Chris Carey Marie Patchoski Candles $ 12.00 Nikki Boudreaux Theodore Petrouchko Jr. ST. MARY’S BYZANTINE CATHOLIC CHURCH Dr. Frances Colie Charles Simon DINNER CLUB, 320 Mifflin St. Scranton is sponsoring an John Colie Charlene Simpson Ancient Greek Cuisine Dinner on April 11, 2013 at the Church Center. There are two sittings (5:30 - 6:30) and the Mark Dillman Ruth Sirgany cost is $25.00 per person. The night will start Avgolemeno Soup (traditional egg drop lemon soup), with a Greek Salad. Margaret Dillenburg James Shehadi The Entrée will be an Ancient Greek Sampler of Stuffed Grape Leaves (Moussaka), Athenean Chicken (Breast of Carol Downer Maryann Walsh Chicken Stuffed with Spinach and Feta cheese wrapped in Phyllo Pastry and Grilled Seasonal Vegetables. The dessert Karen Haddad Jemille Zaydon will of course be Baklava. Please call 570.343.5151 by April 5 to reserve your table and seating time. All those Serving in our Armed Forces

The Christian Community in the Middle East The Weekly Quiz Jesus said to Peter, "If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me." What did they wrongly interpret this to mean? That Jesus would now set up His kingdom. That the disciples would not die. That John asked too many foolish questions.

That He must leave them now. Last Week’s Answer Q. Who owned the tomb where Jesus was buried? A. Joseph of Arimathea