The Witness Parish Newsletter of the Church of the Holy Ascension 209 S. Lehigh Ave. Frackville, PA 17931 V. Rev. James M. Jadick - Rector - 570.874.3162 Mr. John Malinchok - Council President - 570.590.2669 July / August 2020 We have been informed that the cost for the blue Parish News table covers has been donated. All other sets are still available. Parish Council Meetings We are planning to hold a meeting in July & August. Thank You The date is to be determined. We will follow all of - Our thanks to Mike Weremedic, John Malinchok, the directives of the CDC for proper interaction in a David Keysock and John Ruschak for cleaning the public setting. parking lot and cutting the grass./weeds! Great Job! Parish Education Bulletin & Candle Listing Each week you receive a separate insert with your The new contact person for the offerings of weekly weekly bulletin. THIS is a very important part of our bulletins, candles and newsletters is Cheryl parish education program. I sincerely hope that you Ruschack. You can contact Cheryl at 570-617-3559 take the time to read it and learn something new each week. As always, if you have any questions regarding what you have read, please feel free to contact me! Holy Days in July & August Transfiguration of Our Lord Transfiguration - August 6th Dormition Fast - August 1 thru 14. Forty days before He was delivered to an Dormition of the Theotokos - August 15th ignominious death for our sins, our Lord revealed to three of His disciples the glory of His Divinity. New Table Coverings “And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and The White table coverings have arrived and are John his brother and bringeth them up into a high absolutely beautiful! The other sets are now being mountain apart; and was transfigured before them: made. We waited to be sure that the measurements and His face did shine as the sun, and His raiment were correct before work began on the remaining was white as the light” (Matt. 17:1-2). This was the sets. Unfortunately, they have been delayed due to event to which our Lord was referring when He said, the world wide spread of the virus. If anyone would “There be some standing here which shall not taste like to support this project they are welcome to make of death till they see the Son of man coming in His a donation to help cover the costs. Each set costs Kingdom” (Matt. 16:28). By this means the faith of approximately $1300. the disciples was strengthened and prepared for the trial of our Lord’s approaching passion and death; We have obtained the burgundy covers to place on and they were able to see in it not mere human the Altar, Chalice/Paten, Litiya Tray and Grave of suffering, but the entirely voluntary passion of the Our Lord when they are not in use. These 4 covers Son of God. cost approximately $500. If anyone wishes to offer to cover this cost please feel free to do so. 1 The disciples saw also Moses and Elijah talking with seemed that time itself stood in the contemplation of our Lord, and thereby they understood that He was the Divine Light. The awed apostles fell to the not Himself Elijah or another of the prophets, as ground. The vision ended. Together with Jesus some thought, but someone much greater: He Who Christ they came down from the mountain and by could call upon the Law and the Prophets to be His morning were back in Capernaum. witnesses, since He was the fulfillment of both. The Lord not only preached His Gospel to the The three parables of the feast concern the people, but also educated and enlightened His appearance of God to Moses and Elijah on Mount disciples. And gradually He revealed Himself to Sinai, and it is indeed appropriate that the greatest them as the Messiah not only of Israel, but of all God-seers of the Old Testament should be present mankind, as the King of the eternal spiritual at the glorification of the Lord in His New Testament, kingdom. The Messiah’s words that He would be seeing for the first time His humanity, even as the tortured in Jerusalem evoked awe and fear in the disciples were seeing for the first time His Divinity. disciples. A vision of the crucified Messiah might have evoked the feeling of despair in Christ’s The Transfiguration is the visual manifestation of disciples, the thought that everything was God’s Kingdom on earth. Shortly before His irrevocably lost. The mystery of redemption could suffering on the cross, Jesus Christ, taking along have appeared to them as a defeat, as the with Him three of His disciples – John, James, and Messiah’s powerlessness. At a time of despondency Peter, – left Capernaum and went north towards and doubt, the three apostles’ witness to the Mount Tabor, which rose like a citadel above the hills Transfiguration was to strengthen the faith of the of Galilee. The disciples were silent, having a other disciples. presentiment that a mystery would be revealed to them. Mystic events take place in silence. The What constitutes the mystery of Christianity? It human word bears the same relation to mysticism attracts people not so much by its delicate and as a wave to the depth of the ocean. sophisticated intellectualism, nor by the brilliant oratory of its preachers, nor yet by the beauty of its On Mt.Tabor the apostles saw the divine rites. Christianity revealed to the human soul a new Transfiguration of Christ, the manifestation of His world, an eternal world, a world of divine light – that majesty and glory. The Saviour’s face became like which not a single religion or philosophical system lightning, His raiment – white as snow. He stood could give. encircled by shining brilliance, as though amid the rays of the sun. Two prophets – Moses and Elias – “And after six days Jesus taketh with Him Peter, and appeared before the Saviour and conversed with James, and John, and leadeth them up into an high Him. Interpreters of Holy Scripture say that they mountain apart from themselves: and He was talked of the sacrifice on Golgotha, of Christ’s transfigured before them. And His raiment became forthcoming suffering, of the fact that mankind’s sins shining, exceedingly white as snow; so as no fuller would be redeemed by the blood of the Son of God on earth can white them. And there appeared unto and Saviour. them Elias with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus” (Mark 9:24). Together with Christ three apostles – Peter, James, and John – ascended Mt. Tabor, where the Lord’s Transfiguration took place. It was accompanied by the appearance of the Old Testament prophets Moses and Elias. They spoke with Christ about His imminent departure from earth to rejoin God the Father. The Gospel then speaks of how all of them were overshadowed by a bright cloud, out of which a voice issued, saying: “This is My beloved Son; hear Him.” The Lord did not ascend the mountain alone, but took three disciples with Him. On Mt Tabor their eyes were opened to a different, spiritual world, and The three apostles experienced the manifestation of they were able to see the Light which transfigured the Divine Light as a great and incomparable joy. It Christ. After that the Saviour spoke for the first time 2 about His martyric end and resurrection. At that time promised to all who “hear the word of God and keep the apostles did not understand Him, because in it” (Lk11.27–28). accordance with Jewish tradition they saw Christ as a future earthly king and liberator from foreign The services of the feast repeat the main theme, domination. Christ, however, was preparing for His that the Mother of Life has “passed over into the suffering on the cross and the humiliation of heavenly joy, into the divine gladness and unending Golgotha, and He showed His Transfiguration to the delight” of the Kingdom of her Son (Vesperal hymn). three disciples, so that they would be able to bear The Old Testament readings, as well as the gospel witness to His divine nature and voluntary readings for the Vigil and the Divine Liturgy, are agreement to torment on the cross. exactly the same as those for the feast of the Virgin’s nativity and her entrance into the Temple. The essence of the Transfiguration is revealed in its Thus, at the Vigil we again hear Mary say: “My soul symbols. The mountain is a silent, solitary place magnifies the Lord and my Spirit rejoices in God my which makes it easier to engage in prayer and helps Saviour” (Lk 1.47). At the Divine Liturgy we hear the us unite our restless mind with God. The name letter to the Philippians where Saint Paul speaks of “Tabor” translates as purity or light. Whoever comes the self-emptying of Christ who condescends to to an awareness of his actions and repents of what human servitude and ignoble death in order to be he has committed is freed of spiritual uncleanliness “highly exalted by God his Father” (Phil 2.5–11). And and is able to see the divine uncreated Light. once again we hear in the Gospel that Mary’s Christian teaching sees the spiritual meaning of life blessedness belongs to all who “hear the word of precisely in the attempt to acquire this Light and God and keep it” (Lk 11.27–28). deify human nature.