4. Moses represents the law and all those who have died. Elijah repre- sents the prophets and— since he did not experience death— all those who are alive in Christ. Their presence shows that the law and the prophets, the living and the dead, all bear witness to Jesus as the Messiah, the fulfillment of the whole Old Testament. The pres- ence of Moses and Elijah also manifests the communion of the saints (Hebrew 12: 1). Both men are immediately recognizable and THE ARCHANGEL talk with the Lord. The disciples are now able to understand Jesus’ words that “Elijah has come already” (17: 12) referring to John the Baptist. Their eyes have been opened to the fact that Malachi’s St. Michael Orthodox Church prophecy (Malachi 3: 22, 23) refers to one coming “in the spirit and St. Clair, Pennsylvania power of Elijah” (Lk 1: 17), rather than to Elijah himself. 5. Finally, the Holy Trinity is manifest here, for Christ is transfigured (Mt 17: 2), the Father speaks from heaven testifying to Jesus’ divine sonship (17: 5), and the Spirit is present in the form of a dazzling light surrounding Christ’s person, overshadowing the whole moun- tain (17: 5). —The Orthodox Study Bible Tropar-Tone 7 You were transfigured on the mountain, O Christ our God.* revealing as much of Your glory to Your disciples as they could bear.* Through the prayers of the Birth- giver of God,* let Your everlasting light also shine upon us sinners,* O giver of Light* glory be to you. + Please Remember St. Michael Orthodox Church in your Will + August 19, 2018 Rev. Fr. Jeff L. Zias: 570-429-0670 Transfiguration of the Lord Joseph T. Yarashus: 570-691-4143 (Parish Council President) Epistle: 2 Peter 1:10-19 The Gospel of St. Matthew 17:1-9 Website: www.stmichaelorthodox.org The American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese of the U.S.A ECUMENICAL PATRIARCHATE OF CONSTANTINOPLE 4 August 18, Saturday 6:00 p.m. Great Vespers with Litija August 19, SUNDAY TRANSFIGURATION OF THE LORD Blessing of Fruit! 9:00 a.m. Confessions 9:30 a.m. Hours of Prayer The Transfiguration 10:00 a.m. The Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom “And He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, August 20, Monday +Anna Malusky (Rescheduled from Aug. 13) and His clothes became as white as the light” (17: 2). 9:00 a.m. Memorial Liturgy, offered by John Malusky The Transfiguration is a theophany— a manifestation of God, especially of the August 21, Tuesday +Annetta & Michael Hresko divinity of Christ, through a display of His uncreated, divine energy. Therefore, 9:00 a.m. Memorial Liturgy, offered by Marsha Chwastiak the Orthodox Church celebrates the Transfiguration of the Lord as a major August 25, Saturday 6:00 p.m. Vespers (Tone 4) feast day. Several elements of the Transfiguration show that Christ is Messiah August 26, SUNDAY Confessor Maximus and God. 9:00 a.m. Confessions 1. Because God is light (1 Jn 1: 5), the bright cloud, the shining of Jesus’ face 9:30 a.m. Hours of Prayer like the sun, and the whiteness of His garment (Mt 17: 2, 5) all demon- 10:00 a.m. The Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom strate that Jesus is God. (In some icons this light is shown as beyond white, a blue-white, ineffable color, indicating its spiritual origin.) Orthodox Christianity— 2. The Father bears witness from heaven concerning His Son. He does not The Church that Christ Built! say, “This has become My beloved Son,” but “This is My beloved Son” (17: 5), indicating that this divine glory is Christ’s by nature. From eternity past, infinitely before Jesus’ Baptism and Transfiguration, He is God’s Son, fully September 11: Beheading of St. John the Baptist, 9:00 a.m. (STRICT FAST) sharing in the essence of the Father: Jesus Christ is God of God. September 13: 40th Day Memorial Liturgy, +Paul Semanco 3. The Transfiguration not only proclaims Christ’s divine sonship, but fore- September 16: Orthodox Education Classes begin! shadows His future glory when He as the Messiah will usher in the long- September 16: Sisterhood Dinner, following Divine Liturgy awaited Kingdom. The bright cloud recalls temple worship and the cloud September 20: Parish Council Meeting, 7:00 p.m. that went before the Israelites in the wilderness, the visible sign of God September 21: Nativity of the Mother of God,9:00 a.m. being extraordinarily present. Peter sees this as a sign that the Kingdom September 27: Elevation of the Holy Cross, 9:00 a.m. (STRICT FAST) has come. Knowing that the Feast of Tabernacles is the feast of the coming September 30: First Confessions will be heard at 9:00 a.m. Kingdom, he asks to build booths (17: 4), as was done at that feast, to serve as symbols of God’s dwelling among the just in the Kingdom. + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + 2 3 .