November 13, 2016: 26Th Sunday After Pentecost Epistle: Eph
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- 2 - November 13, 2016: 26th Sunday After Pentecost Epistle: Eph. 5: 9-19 Gospel: Lk. 10: 25-37 Mon., Nov. 14 8:00 + Nancy & George Tehensky (Daughter Dorothy Chezik & Family) Tues., Nov. 15 8:00 + John & Mary Stevensky (Msgr. John Stevensky) Wed., Nov.16 8:00 + Dominick & Gladys Savino (Roger & Beverly Barren) Thurs. Nov. 17 8:00 + Alice & Joseph Swider (Rosalie Namiak) Fri. Nov. 18 8:00 + Peter & Nellie Nestor & Family (Sam & Myra Taffera) Sat., Nov. 19 No Morning Divine Liturgy 10:30 Confessions 2:00 pm Confessions 4:00 pm + George Chowanec (Paula Bartkovsky) Sun., Nov. 20 9:00 + Christine Danylak (Leo Danylak) 11:30 For Our Parishioners Pylypivka Pastoral Of The Ukrainian Catholic Hierarchy Of The U.S.A. To Our Clergy, Hieromonks And Brothers, Religious Sisters, Seminarians And Beloved Faithful Praise be Jesus Christ! TIME TO REFLECT ON WHY WE ARE HERE IN THIS WORLD With the commemoration of St. Christmas preparations, shopping for Philip on November 14th, we begin the gifts for others, and invitations to par- customary fast or preparation for the ticipate in many social festive events. Feast of the Nativity of the Birth of It truly becomes a challenge for us to Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. It withdraw ourselves from our earthly coincides with the hectic season of pre- appetites, as we attempt to facilitate - 3 - more time for prayer and meditation. ent in their lives. Every person is im- When we become overwhelmed by mensely holy and deserves our love”. such preparations, many of us step Why are you here in this world? Pope back and wonder whether all these Francis tells us so beautifully, that “if things really add to our happiness and I can help at least one person to have our feelings of contentment. We reflect a better life, that already justifies the on why we are here in this world. offering of my life. We achieve ful- Pope Francis, in the Apostolic Ex- fillment when we break down walls hortation, “Joy of the Gospel”, says and our heart is filled with faces and that you and I are “a mission on this names!” earth”, and that is the reason why you Herein lies our challenge during and I are here in this world. We are “Pylypivka” or Advent. Be still, calm called to live as missionaries who feel yourself and hear the voice of Jesus in genuine happiness in seeking the good your life in prayer and meditation. Go of others, in desiring their happiness. about your daily life energized with It is who we are. The Holy Father calls the closeness of the Lord in your heart. us to draw nearer to others and to seek Let Jesus be the source of your ener- their welfare. In turn, our hearts are gy and that which you need for daily opened wide to the Lord’s greatest and life. Choose to draw nearer to oth- most beautiful gifts. “Whenever our ers seeking their betterment in small eyes are opened to acknowledge the ways. Open your eyes to be become other, we grow in the light of faith and more aware of others and their chal- knowledge of God”. lenges in life. Listen. Observe. Share The recent beatification of Saint of yourself in increased attentiveness Teresa of Calcutta reminds us of a to others. Share from your abundance. life dedicated “to give until it hurts”. Pope Francis observes that “we do not Mother Teresa gave of herself until it live better when we flee, hide, refuse to hurt, as she continued to give of her share, stop giving and lock ourselves understanding, compassion, care and up in our own comforts. Such a life is devotion. She revealed to us that every nothing less than slow suicide”. person is worthy of our giving. Pope You will come to know that “it is Francis reminds us that “every human more blessed to give than to receive” being is the object of God’s infinite (Acts 20:35). You will be able to “give tenderness, and He himself is pres- until it hurts” because it will not hurt. - 4 - Jesus will not ask more of you than you Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! can handle. You will do it with His joy God bless you in ways only He can and peace overtaking you. And, you as you journey through “Pylypivka” in will have come to understand why you anticipation of the birth of Jesus in the are here in this world as you prepare to cave at Bethlehem. celebrate the Feast of the Nativity of Our +Stefan Soroka (author) (Archbishop of Philadelphia for Ukrainians) Metropolitan of Ukrainian Catholics in the United States +Paul Chomnycky, OSBM (Eparch of Stamford) + Bohdan Danylo (Eparch of St. Josaphat in Parma) +John Bura (Auxiliary Bishop of Philadelphia) Don’t Scatter Cremated Ashes Or Keep Them At Home, Vatican Says The Catholic Church prefers burial For centuries, the Catholic Church over cremation and wants ashes of the prohibited cremation because it clashed dead to be kept in “sacred places”, not at with teachings about the resurrection of home, divided among family members the body in the Last Judgment at the end or scattered to the wind, the Vatican of the world. said. It started allowing cremation in 1963, A two-page instruction issuing new but has always frowned on the practice. rules on cremation also said that there “The Church insistently recom- were even some cases where a Christian mends that the bodies of the deceased funeral could be denied to those who re- be buried in cemeteries or other sacred quest that ashes be scattered. “The con- places,” because it showed the dignity servation of the ashes of the departed and respect for the human body, said the in a domestic residence is not permit- document approved by Pope Francis. ted,” the instruction from the Vatican’s If cremation is chosen, “the ashes department on doctrine said, except in of the faithful must be laid to rest in a “grave and exceptional cases” to be de- sacred place, that is, in a cemetery or, cided by the local bishop. in certain cases, in a church or an area - 5 - which has been set aside for this pur- done attitudes such as considering death pose,” it said. as the “definitive annihilation of the per- “It is not permitted to scatter the son, or the moment of fusion with Moth- ashes of the faithful departed in the air, er Nature or the universe, or as a stage in on land, at sea or in some other way, nor the cycle of regeneration.” may they be preserved in mementos, A Christian funeral could be denied pieces of jewelry or other objects,” the if a person requests scattering of ashes document said. as a means to mock the faith, the docu- The Church could not permit or con- ment added. http://risu.org.ua/en/index/all_news/culture/religious_ceremonies/64902 There Are Sinners In Our Church! The world has this notion that to be one honest enough to seek God’s help. a churchgoer, one must lead a sinless At church we deal with sin, its cause, life. You may even be thinking, “When I and its cure. If you’d like to know more get my life straightened out and become about how you can become the person a good enough person, then I’ll go to God intends you to be, come to church church.” A lot of people feel this way. more often. But if anyone believes that they are Please share this invitation with already good enough, they’ve probably someone you know who should be com- missed something. If the church was ing to church. God’s LOVE and forgive- only for the sinless, it would surely be ness and restoration awaits them! empty. But church is for sinners and any- Food For Thought The churchgoer who never misses God’s people and getting to know Him Sunday liturgy may spend as much as better, we spend more than 37 com- 78 hours per year in corporate prayer muning with rectangles with moving to God. Sound like a lot? An average pictures. It’s no wonder that we know American spends more than 2,900 hours far more about politics, sports, fashion, per year in front of some kind of screen. soap operas and science fiction than we So for every hour we spend praying with do about God. - 6 - The Important Things In Life A philosophy professor stood before – your family, your partner, your health, his class with some items on the table in your children – things that if everything front of him. When the class began, word- else was lost and only they remained, your lessly he picked up a very large and empty life would still be full. mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it The pebbles are the other things that with rocks, about 2 inches in diameter. He matter – like your job, your house, your then asked the students if the jar was full. car. The sand is everything else. The They agreed that it was. “small stuff”. So the professor then picked up a box “If you put the sand into the jar first,” of pebbles and poured them into the jar. he continued “there is no room for the He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles, of pebbles or the rocks. The same goes for course, rolled into the open areas between your life. If you spend all your time and the rocks. He then asked the students again energy on the small stuff, you will never if the jar was full.