SAINT BASIL the GREAT PARISH

Transcription

1 SAINT BASIL the GREAT PARISH 202 HARCOURT STREET, WINNIPEG, MB R3J 3H3 Parish Office: Parish Hall: Parish Priest: Rt. Rev Canon Walter Klimchuk SUNDAY OF THE PRODIGAL SON FROM FATHER WALTER The story of the prodigal son is one of the best known of all Jesus' parables. Most of us have probably heard it or read it periodically ever since we were children. The story is often used as an example of the love of a father for his children despite their shortcomings and as an example of God's love for his people in the face of their sin and rejection. The father and elder brother of the prodigal had every right to be offended by the young man's actions. He had taken his inheritance before he was legally entitled to receive it. Not only that, he had squandered it. As a result, the father and the elder brother had suffered a significant financial loss which fueled the elder son's resentment. By going off as he did, the prodigal indicated clearly that he was permanently severing his relationship with his father and the rest of the family. Despite this, when the prodigal returned his father was able to disregard the financial loss and the pain of his son's rejection. The elder son was unwilling or unable to do so. His anger and resentment were so great that he was incapable of forgiving. SUNDAY DIVINE LITURGY 10:00 a.m. (Rosary precedes each Liturgy by one half hour) WEEKDAY SERVICES 8:30 a.m. Rosary followed by Liturgy CONFESSIONS Before Divine Liturgies BAPTISIMS By appointment FUNERALS By arrangement MARRIAGES By appointment at least three months in advance WEBSITE: PARISH OFFICE ADDRESS: parish@saintbasilwpg.ca BULLETIN SUBMISSIONS: bulletin@saintbasilwpg.ca At one time or another, we have probably all been offended by the action of some family member. Like the elder son we may still be harboring resentments because of our unwillingness to forgive someone who has hurt us. If anyone ever had the right to bear a grudge, it would surely be the father of the prodigal son. But because of his great love, he was able to overcome the temptations of anger and resentment. This is the kind of love God has for us - and the kind he wants us to have for each other.

2 Examine your relationships with others, especially members of your own family. In light of God's love for us, we cannot withhold our love from others, even if they have caused us great pain and disappointment. God calls each of us to love and to forgive in the same way that he loves and forgives. If you are nursing a grudge against anyone because they have hurt or offended you, forgive them in your heart. Pray (in the words of the Our Father) that God would deliver you from the evil holding you in bondage. If possible and prudent, seek reconciliation. This does not mean that we ignore or condone sin, but it does mean that we seek to heal ruptured relationships so that God's healing might be worked through them. THE DIVINE MERCY Part Two In Ephesians 2:4-5 we read: But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved). Paul says that God is rich in mercy and because of His great love for us, He saves us by grace. God is love. Before anything was created, God was love. Love is the nature of God. Mercy can be defined as not getting what you deserve. Grace can be defined as getting what you don t deserve. Salvation stems from the love of God but God does not save by His love or His mercy. God did not so love the world that He saved the world, He so loved the world that by His mercy He provided a Savior for the world and He can now save by grace. He cannot simply open the back door of Heaven and slip you in. Salvation is not only the expression of the love of God but it is also an expression of His justice and righteousness. Because He loves you and because He must be just and righteous, His mercy provided a Savior. As John Paul II said, mercy is love s second name. It is a particular kind of love, a particular mode of love when it encounters suffering, poverty, brokenness and sin. Divine Mercy is when God s love meets us and helps us in the midst of our suffering and sin. Because we are all sinners on this side of eternity and because suffering is our lot in life, God s love for us here always takes the form of mercy. It s always the Lord stepping out in compassion to help us. The middle-eastern landowner lives in a village, not out on his land. This is as true today as it was in the past. We know this from archaeology and from documents of the day. Therefore, when the Lord told this parable, we can confidently say that the people hearing it would have imagined the father living in the village. Now about that father, living in the village. Perhaps the father imagines that his younger son will fail. He anticipates that his son will return someday. Many others in the village, however, assume that he is dead. Or as good as dead. He has left his father s home and hearth. He has rejected his father s heart. And the village would have cast him out of their memory. A failure and maybe dead. He may as well be dead. At least they know him to be lost. Lost in more than one way.

3 Yet the father longs for his son. He waits for him. The others in the village would have talked about the father, and how he did this impossible thing. He had given one third of his estate to his son who then had left with it in hand. They might have told the father that he should not have done this thing. At least they are talking about the father and his strange lack of wisdom. His foolish act. Yet, the father waits for him. Maybe maybe he will return one day. Maybe as a beggar. Maybe as a failure. But yet the father waits. The father also knows that if his son returns the young man will have to face the citizens of the village. He knows how the crowd will treat him. He will draw great crowds. Think of the return of Naomi in Ruth chapter one. The whole village asks about her. The whole community is abuzz. The prodigal, if he ever returns, will most certainly be met with scorn and mockery. A crowd will assemble spontaneously as word flashes through the town that the father s son has returned. A proverb of the day (not from the book of Proverbs) says that there are four things that terrify two of them are, "slander by a whole town, and the gathering of a mob." As soon as the son would return, if he would dare, he would have to face the mob. He will be taunted and scorned for losing his inheritance. He will be verbally and maybe even physically abused. In the days of the Lord Jesus, there was little worse that a son could do than loose his inheritance to Gentiles. They even had a ceremony to ban and shun such a loser. The community would shout out together, "So and so is cut off from his people!" From that point on, the village would have nothing to do with such a one. He would be excommunicated, cast out, shunned, disciplined. And this, the father knows. He knows his son, if ever he would return, would face the scorn of the village. The father is painfully aware of what a homecoming would be like for one who has rejected the village community. His son would be humiliated. So the father stands: watching, waiting, looking, anticipating the return of his son. We have heard that the younger son has a plan. A plan that he kept repeating on his way home. " Father! I will say, Father, I have sinned. " But the father, he too has his own plan. He knows what he will do if the day should ever come that news arrives that his son is coming home. He waits day after day, gazing down the village street to the roadway in the distance. He looks to the horizon over which his son had left with high hopes and arrogance. The prodigal, on the other hand, that wastrel son, he knows that he will be an outcast. That he cannot come back into the family. He knows the ceremony of excommunication, of shunning, of banning.

4 The prodigal knows that he should return with generous gifts for his family. Instead all that he can do is practice his confession: "I will set out and go back to my father and say to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men. Do not have me as a son. Make me work to earn my keep. Only take me back. I ll make it worth your while. I will earn my place within your home. Take me back, lest I die of hunger. " He is repentant, but he does not know his father well. He thinks that he can earn his keep, that his place within the covenant home is an earned place. However, he will learn something new today as he approaches home. For the father also has a plan. And he puts his plan into action. He will reach the son before the son reaches home. He will achieve reconciliation in public and then no one in the village will dare to treat the lost son badly. His son will not be banned, or shunned, or cut off from the people, if only he can reach his son first. And so he waits, watching, looking down the road. Then the father sees him, he sees him, while he is still far off. He sees his son in the distance. And that great distance is not only a distance of meters or miles, but it is also still a spiritual distance. The son, having come to his senses, returns to his father, but yet he is far off the mark. The prodigal thinks that he can earn money and so solve the problem. Yes, even as he comes near, he is far off; he is at a great distance. In Isaiah 57:19, we can read that God affirms peace to those who are far off and to those who are near. In this parable, the father sets out to announce peace to one who is far off. Who has been at a great distance. And then he will proclaim peace to one who is near (the older brother.) Again the father breaks the pattern of a middle-eastern patriarch. He takes the bottom of his robes in hand and runs out to meet his pig-herding son in the street. He grabs him in his arms and kisses him. He does this before his long lost son is able to confess his sin. Even as Isaiah 57 says, "I was enraged by his sinful greed yet he kept on in his wilful ways. I have seen his ways, but I will heal him; I will guide him and restore comfort to him." The father does not demonstrate his love to his son in response to his son s confession. No, but out of his own compassion, he empties himself, assumes the form of a servant and runs to be reconciled to his estranged son. Middle Easterners do not run in their robes. Dignified men do not run. An ancient proverb says, "A man s manner of walking tells you what he is." In Eastern eyes, it is so terribly undignified for an elderly man to run. Even Aristotle wrote, "Great men never run in public."

5 The father had compassion for his son and will heal him, guide him, restore him. He does not wait for his son to make his way into the village. He does not wait even for his son to speak. Rather the father assumes a humiliating posture for his child. He kisses his dirty son; he hugged his son in rags. The father speaks no words there at the edge of the village. He substitutes kisses for words. His hands and arms for speeches. His son is overwhelmed. He can only offer the first part of his practiced speech. "Father I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son." His practiced speech takes on new meaning. He now understands that he cannot work in order for reconciliation to be achieved. He cannot be a hired hand and so earn his place in father s household. Reconciliation comes only through the unconditional love of the father. He sees suddenly that the only way home is through his father s heart. The father does not interrupt his son or cut him off. It is not as if the son began and father spoke. No, now there is genuine repentance. And father escorts his son back into the village. The younger son sees his father s grace demonstrated in his condescending action of becoming a servant. Of putting off his glory. Of running and hugging and kissing before he can speak. The son thought that reconciliation would come through humbling himself and taking of the role of servant. But it is the father who humbles himself. It is the father who becomes the servant. The father has come down and out to reconcile his child to himself. And so we see that the father becomes a symbol of Christ Jesus himself. This is not God the Father of the Trinity, but God who has become our father. He is the son who is born to us. Who was born at Bethlehem. Of whom Isaiah wrote in 9:6, Whose name shall be "Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Prince of Peace, Everlasting Father." He proclaims peace to those who are far and who are near. At Christmas we commemorate in a special way that God came down and out to us in the person of the eternal Son, born as Jesus in Bethlehem, that He might meet us on the road and reconcile us to Himself. Though He was in the form of God, He made Himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness (Philippians 2). The father in the parable is God in Christ. In the Old Testament the shepherd is God the Lord, Yahweh (Psalm 23; Jeremiah 23; Ezekiel 34). The Lord Jesus transforms that Old Testament image to be an image of Himself. The Good Shepherd of John 10, the seeking shepherd of Luke 15. The Old Testament Father is fulfilled in the person of Jesus Christ. The Pharisees had murmured, "This man welcomes sinners and eats with them." The Lord replies with this story. "Yes, I do eat with sinners; I look for them as a good shepherd would seek for a lost lamb. I seek for the lost, as a woman would her coin. Actually, it is even worse than you thought. I

6 run down the road, when I see lost sons, and shower them with kisses and embrace them, and then escort them home that I might eat with them, for I am the father in the parable." The father in his selfgiving love on the road is a symbol of Jesus. The Saviour. The Mediator. This is reinforced in that he not only goes out to greet his younger son; he also goes out to meet his elder son. The one with a bitter heart: hardened, hurtful, hypocritical. We read how, when the father takes his younger brother home and kills the fattened calf, the elder will not come into the banquet that he will not greet the guests, that he will not serve at table. We hear how bitter he was, how angry and hurt he was and how jealous he was when he thought that the father loved his brother best. "Father always loved you best! I will not come to the banquet." By his refusal, he engages in an unspeakable public insult to the father. The older son s rejection of his father s reconciliation with the younger leads the elder to break his relationship with his father. And what does the father do? Does he throw his hands up in despair? "I have gained one son, at the cost of the other?" No, not at all! Is he angry with his elder son? Does he simply ignore him, leaving him to sulk in the darkness? "I ll deal with him later." No, not at all! Once again, the father does the unexpected. The radically different. The surprising. For the second time in a day, he is willing to offer a costly demonstration of love. Only now, his love is shown to the law keeper, not the lawbreaker. Amazing grace is shown to both sons. The father, as patriarch would have been expected to ignore his petulant elder son. He would be expected to ignore this insult and deal with the matter later. But, no, again he goes out. Now, not running down the street to greet his child, but he goes out into the courtyard to plead with his son, within earshot of his guests. In painful public humiliation, the father goes out to seek the lost child, the lost sheep. He goes out with sorrow. This one is so close, yet so far away. He lives in the midst of covenant blessing and yet has no joy. God in Christ goes down and out into the darkness to call His law-keeping child into the light. He humbles himself. He invites him in. Nevertheless, angrily, the elder child says, "All these years I ve been slaving for you. I have been your servant. Now I m angry; I ve had it!" But why was that elder son so angry at his father s actions? Because the father had called for a celebration. He called for the very best for his younger son. He had called for a feast, a banquet. And why did he throw this feast? The reason lies at the heart of the parable. In this parable, there are three reasons given, for the feast. Each is important for us to examine. The father tells us why he wants to have a feast. The servant in the street tells the elder brother why there is a banquet. And the elder brother has his opinion. The father has gone out to meet his younger son and is escorting him back into the village. Reconciliation has been assured and he says, "Let s have a feast and celebrate!" Why? "Well, because this son of mine was dead and is alive; he was lost and is found." The father does not say that the son was lost and has come home. He does not say that he had left and now returned. Instead, he says, "He was lost and is found." So who found him? The father did! Where? At the edge of the village. The son was still dead and lost at the edge of the village. The father had to go out with a costly demonstration of unexpected love to find and to resurrect his son from the dead. The

7 banquet is a celebration of the success of finding and resurrecting the dead and lost child. The father is celebrating his own work in his young son. And what of the servant? What does he say when the elder brother asks? He says to the elder, "Your brother has come and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back in good health." But better, perhaps, would be to translate it as he has his son back in peace. The word used here is a common word used for "peace" throughout the Greek Old Testament. The word means good health but it means so much more. The father is not just celebrating that his rebellious son has returned safely. No, he rejoices that reconciliation has been achieved, reconciliation between the child and himself, and between the child and the village. The servant confirms the father s interpretation. The banquet is a celebration for the father s success at reconciliation and peace, not just that the lost son found his own way home. The father has received his son, a sinner and is eating with him. This was the charge of the Pharisees against Jesus. This is the confirmation of the servant. Both the father and the servant testify that in the story the father is a symbol of Jesus. And what of this banquet? What does it all mean? What does the father do, when he has received and kissed his son? He calls his servants and commands them; he orders them into action. The servants are there with the father. They have run down the street after him. That must have been quite a scene, don t you think? The father running, his servants running after him! The father commands his servants to dress the son as they would a king. The young swine-herder is not told to take a shower and get changed. No. The servants are to dress him. The servants are told to respect this son and to receive him in peace. They are to give him the best robe: the father s own, undoubtedly. The boy had taken all that he had and squandered it. He has no garments, just rags, filthy rags. Now his rags are exchanged for robes. The best robes. Those who come to the feast must see that he is dressed in the robes of his father. And in Isaiah 61:10 we hear of robes. "He has clothed me with garments of salvation; he has arrayed me in a robe of righteousness." Think of Matthew 22 where a man dared to enter the wedding banquet without the robes supplied by the king. It did not go well with him. But most of all, think of Zechariah s vision in the third chapter of his prophecy. Zechariah sees Joshua the high priest in dirty clothes. The angels are commanded to remove the dirty clothes and put on clean clothes and so remove his sin. By this, God takes his guilt away. The father Jesus then has servants dress the sinner in his own robes of righteousness. Freely given, unasked for, garments of salvation. Moreover, he gives him shoes for his bare feet. Only slaves go barefoot. The father the Lord Jesus dresses the sinners with whom he desires to eat with the signs of freedom, the freedom of the children of God. He does not want hired servants, but guests dressed in his robes. He does not want slaves, but

8 guests with shoes. He gives them a ring. A ring was a sign of authority and honour: of royalty. The children of God are to be at the feast, the banquet table, robed in righteousness, wearing a ring of royalty, with the footwear of freedom. And he puts on the great banquet. A banquet for a hundred or more. The boy is to be reconciled to the whole community. The joy is to be shared and celebrated with the grandest banquet imaginable. What response is there to this from the son? Does the younger son say, "But father, I am not worthy to be your son. I like my plan better. Hear me out. I want to work my way back in"? No, he accepts grace. Pure grace. Grace wins the day. He knows now that he cannot make it up to the father. And now the father and his younger son can really have a celebration. Because grace has triumphed over sin and over works. Peace has come! Ah yes! The lost is found. The dead is made alive. Found by grace. Alive by grace. The lad had hoped to come home to confess and compensate. The lad who had planned to be a servant and a slave is overwhelmed and conquered by grace and so, though yet unworthy, becomes a son again. The two rejoice together, the father with his child! Nevertheless, there is still a dark side to this parable. For how does that elder son interpret the banquet. What does he think of it all? For we left him outside in the darkness. Outside in the darkness of his bitter hardened heart. The father hearing that his elder son is outside goes out to meet him. He goes out, not to rebuke him, nor to summon him, nor to challenge him, but to appeal to him. The father goes out to conciliate, to beseech his son. To stand beside his son and entreat him to share in his celebration. If the father wants a slaving servant, he need not go out, for that is what he has in his son. He could simply scold him, beat him, and carry on. But no, he wants a son, not a rebel without a cause. And what does that elder son say when his father invites him in to share in his joy of triumphant grace, when he asks his son to reconsider his hurtful hateful hubris and to set aside his wonton insolence and arrogance because of his excessive pride? What does he say? "You killed the fattened calf for him!" This is the exact opposite of what the father said he did or what the servant told him. It is the opposite of the purpose of the banquet. The father s banquet is one celebrating his own grace. But the elder s heart is full of envy, pride, bitterness, sarcasm, anger, resentment, hate, stinginess, self-centeredness. And in all this he thinks that he is defending honour: his and his father s. He who is so near is so far. The father answers his son, in love. The father bypasses the omission of a title: his elder son does not address him as father. He ignores the bitterness: "this son of yours." He passes over the jealousy, the anger. The father comes with grace and speaks to his son with gentleness and love. He speaks to his son, addressing him with a word of love. He does not address his son with a formal word for son, but a loving one. An affectionate one. He begins to speak to him by saying, "My dear child." He reaches out to the elder as he did the younger. He embraced and kissed the younger, but the elder will not have it. So the father embraces and loves in his way of speaking: "My dear child." These words come out of a wounded heart, a suffering one. The father desires to have both sons, both children within the house. Thus, in love, that knows not weariness, he was entreating his son. He continued to plead with him, but his son insults him with his bitter

9 accusation. "You love him more than you love me." And the father reminds the elder that it is fitting to make merry and be glad, it is fitting to rejoice when lost sinners are found, when dead children come to life. Moreover, as for the bitter complaint of slavery coming from that elder son, the father simply says, "You are heir. All of this is yours! You are with me always. What more do you want?" With this, the father removes the possibility that he loves the younger more. The father comes with unreserved, unlimited love for both his sons. No master would come out in love, with words of love and entreaty to a slave, and yet the elder complains of slavery and that he cannot take his inheritance and do what he wants with it. Here he is like his younger brother. He too wants his inheritance to spend it with his friends. "You never so much as gave me a young goat that I might party with my friends." His desire is to be as his younger brother was. He knows not grace. He knows not love. He knows not joy. Though the elder sees his father as a master for whom he slaved, though he does not call him "father" and even though he speaks of the younger as that "son of yours", even so the father speaks gently to his "dear child" about his "brother." The father will not let the family dissolve in bitterness. He seeks the young and old, it matters not. In this parable, the Lord Jesus is teaching us of two types of people. Those who are lawless without the law and those who are lawless within the law. Both rebel. Both break the father s heart. Both end up far away: one in a distant land, physically: one distant, spiritually, in his father s house. Both are near: one in the street, one in the court yard. To both, he shows unexpected grace and love. Both think of themselves as slaves, when what the father wants is sons. Moreover, the father does not make them to be slaves; he makes them to be sons. In self-humiliation, he seeks the lost. In waiting watchfulness, he finds those distant, and brings them near. In wonderful grace, he brings to life that which was dead. He proclaims peace to those near and to those far. He invites his children to the joy of knowing grace in Christ. Did the elder hear his voice? Was he found? Did he come to life again? We do not know. Do you hear his voice entreating you? Do you see in Jesus, the father waiting for you? Do you hear in the preaching of the gospel, the grace of God coming to you? Do you see him seeking you, in love? Have you heard his invitation to joy, when lost sinners are found? It is important to note that God s love is a love that initiates; it is never a response. That is precisely what makes it unconditional. If God s love were conditional then we would have to do something to earn or merit it. We would have to somehow appease His wrath and cleanse ourselves of our sin before God would be able to love us. But that is not the biblical message. The biblical message the gospel is that God, motivated by love moved unconditionally to save His people from their sin. This is how God showed His love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. (1 John 4:9-10)

10 From St. Faustina s Diary When I went for adoration, I heard these words: Tell aching mankind to snuggle close to My merciful Heart, and I will fill it with peace I am Love and Mercy itself. When a soul approaches Me with trust, I fill it with such an abundance of graces that it cannot contain them within itself, but radiates them to other souls. -Diary 1074 From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace Look to God that you may be radiant with joy May the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, just as we abound in love for you. John 1:16; Psalm 34:5; 1 Thessalonians 3:12 The last hour abounds with mercy for us. Let no one doubt concerning the goodness of God; even if a person s sins were as dark as night, God s mercy is stronger than our misery. One thing alone is necessary: that the sinner set ajar the door of his heart, be it ever so little, to let in a ray of God s merciful grace.then the mercy of God begins to exert itself, and, without any co-operation from the soul, God grants it final grace. If this too is spurned, God will leave the soul in this self-chosen disposition for eternity The soul knows that this, for her, is final grace and, should it show even a flicker of good will,the mercy of God will accomplish the rest. -Diary 1507, 1486 Be earnest, therefore, and repent. Listen! I am standing at the door, knocking; if you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to you and eat with you, and you with me. Revelation 3:19-20 God s mercy sometimes touches the sinner at the last moment in a wondrous and mysterious way. Outwardly, it seems as if everything were lost, but it is not so. The soul, illumined by a ray of God s powerful final grace, turns to God in the last moment with such a power of love that, in an instant, it receives from God forgiveness of sin and punishment, while outwardly it shows no sign either of repentance or of contrition Although a person is at the point of death, the merciful God gives the soul that interior vivid moment, so that if the soul is willing, it has the possibility of returning to God. But sometimes, the obduracy in souls is so great that consciously they choose hell; they [thus] make useless all the prayers that other souls offer to God for them and even the efforts of God Himself. Diary 1698 Take care, brothers and sisters, that none of you may have an evil, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts. Hebrews 3:12-13, 15

11 SANCTUARY LIGHT WEEK OF INTENTION OFFERED BY FEBRUARY 1 ST +SOULS OF PARENTS ANNIE & HARRY HUMINICKI DOREEN MUSICK FEBRUARY 8 TH +SOULS OF SISTERS CHRISTINE MARY & PEARL DOREEN MUSICK FEBRUARY 15 TH +SOULS OF BROTHERS PAUL WALTER & NICHOLAS DOREEN MUSICK FEBRUARY 22 ND +SOUL OF J.R. ALLARD THERESA ALLARD MARCH 1 ST +SOUL OF LARRY FEDORCHUK PHYLLIS FEDORCHUK & FAMILY MARCH 8 TH +SOULS OF THEODORE & MARIE LUTZ ROSE SWIDINSKY MARCH 15 TH +SOULS OF CATHERINE & DMYTRO MANDZIE FAMILY MARCH 22 ND +SOUL OF EUGENE KOLOCHUK (20 YEARS) BETTY KOLOCHUK & FAMILY MARCH 29 TH +SOUL OF ALEX BUGERA VICKI BUGERA & FAMILY APRIL 5 TH +SOUL OF DARLENE BUGERA VICKI BUGERA AND FAMILY APRIL 12 TH +SOUL OF NICK KURYK ANNE LAMOTHE APRIL 19 TH +SOUL OF MICHAEL TANCHAK ANNE TANCHAK & FAMILY APRIL 26 TH +SOULS OF PARENTS WILLIAM & MARY MELNYK SAM & SYLVIA SZWALUK & FAMILY +SOULS OF PARENTS JOHN & ROSE SZWALUK SAM & SYLVIA SZWALUK & FAMILY MAY 3 RD +SOUL OF JOHN SWIDINSKY ROSE SWIDINSKY MAY 10 TH FOR ALL MOTHERS LIVING AND DECEASED ANNE LAMOTHE MAY 17 TH +SOUL OF PARENT JUNE MORANT BILL BRENDA & MEGAN MORANT MAY 24 TH +SOULS OF MIKE & JEAN NECHWEDIUK MARTIN & LEONA NECHWEDIUK MAY 31 ST HEALTH OF SAM & SYLVIA MARTYNIUK ANONYMOUS JUNE 7 TH +SOULS OF MARY MARYNIUK & METRO STRILKIWSKI ROSE & JOHN WASYLIW JUNE 14 TH +SOUL OF NICHOLAS TURKO MARY TURKO JUNE 21 ST +SOUL OF AUDREY SKURA MARY TURKO JUNE 28 TH AVAILABLE JULY 5 TH HEALTH OF ANNA LABAY ANDY & LINDA LABAY JULY 12 TH JULY 19 TH AVAILABLE AVAILABLE JULY 26 TH +SOUL OF EMILY STOYANSKY ANGELA & CATHY STOYANSKY A Sanctuary Light burns eternally to indicate the presence of Jesus in the Holy Eucharist in the Tabernacle. It is a marvelous thing that we can actually be in His presence!

12 LITURGIES & INTENTIONS INTENTION OFFERED BY February 1 st 10:00 am +Soul of Darlene Bugera Vicki Bugera Health & Blessings Vicki Bugera +Souls of Dmytro, Ivanka, Mykhaylo, Mariya Cathy Stoyansky Olana Nataliya, Dmytro, Olga, Ivan, Paraskoviya February 2 nd 8:30 am +Soul of Helen Piskor Albert Wispianski February 3 rd 8:30 am +Soul of Josephine Hafichuk Vicky & Tony Stastook February 4 th 8:30 am +Soul of Larry Fedorchuk Father Walter February 5 th 6:45 pm Health & Birthday Blessings Sophia Bill & Lesia Boyczuk February 6 th 8:30 am +Soul of Peter Yaskiw Father Walter February 8 th 10:00 am Faithful Celebration of Light February 9 th 8:30 am Souls of Stanley & Emily Stoyansky & family Cathy & Angela Stoyansky February 10 th 8:30 am +Soul of Josephine Hafichuk Dorothy Labay February 11 th 7:00 pm +Souls of Fred & Stella Tkach Father Walter February 12 th 8:30 am +Soul of Tony Lamothe Anne Lamothe February 13 th 8:30 am +Soul of Michael Paly Oksana Paly & family February 14 th 11:00 am Children s Divine Liturgy February 15 th 10:00 am Health of Father Walter Noelle Richardson +Souls of Darlene & Alex Bugera +Soul of Stefan Vicki Bugera Bill & Lesia Boyczuk PLEASE REMEMBER THOSE WHO NEED OUR PRAYERS Oh God our Father we pray You restore to physical health, those who are weakened with illness. Give peace of mind to those troubled with worry and comfort those discouraged with problems. Help them find their inner strength, a faith and trust in you and a love for one another to guide them through any health challenges or troubles they may face. Amen. Please pray for the health of Jack Lysak. Please pray for the health of Harvey Lysack. Please pray for the health of Fran Chobotar. Please pray for the health of Paulette Elkon. Please pray for the health of Tillie Zyla. Please pray for the health of Linda Goral. Please pray for the health of Terry Prychitko. Please pray for the health of Ann Armour.

13 If anyone wishes to receive the Sacrament of Confession or Holy Communion at home or in the hospital or nursing home please contact the parish office at Knights of Columbus We are now into February and the start of the Lenten season in preparation for Easter. We have two functions planned for this month with a pancake breakfast on February 15, 2015 after Divine Liturgy. The January perogy supper was another successful event. The next perogy supper is planned for Friday February 4:00. All from our parish and their friends are invited to come and enjoy a supper and an opportunity to visit. To our brother knights our next council meeting is February 5, 2015 with divine 6:45. Submitted by Grand Knight Andrew Labay UCWLC Thank you to all the league members that attended our annual meeting January 21, Special thanks to Sonia Wawryk, Past President, for her leadership and dedication to the ladies league this past year. New President: Rose Olynyk. First Vice President is still vacant. Upon filling that position a complete slate of officers will be submitted to the bulletin for publication. February 11, 2015 is our membership meeting. We invite ladies of the parish to attend. Our guest speaker will be Sophie Manulak UCWLC National President. Liturgy at 7:00pm. Meeting to follow. Palm Sunday Tea March 29, We would appreciate monetary donations or donations of new articles for the silent auction. For more information, contact Jean Derhak. Submitted by Rose Olynyk, President CHURCH CLEANERS FOR FEBRUARY Iris Sawchuk, Helen & Bill Pasieka TACZA COUNTERS FOR FEBRUARY Rose Olynyk Linda Gardner

14 THE HAPPIEST OF BIRTHDAYS TO: ELIZABETH HOTEL who will celebrate on February 3 rd BRENDA MORANT who will celebrate on February 3 rd DOROTHY LABAY who will celebrate on February 5 th TASHA PRYCHITKO who will celebrate on February 6th MNOHAYA-MNOHAYA LITA! GOD GRANT YOU ALL MANY HAPPY YEARS! New Senior's Exam... you only need 4 correct out of 10 questions to pass. 1) How long did the Hundred Years' War last? 2) Which country makes Panama hats? 3) From which animal do we get cat gut? 4) In which month do Russians celebrate the OctoberRevolution? 5) What is a camel's hair brush made of? 6) The Canary Islands in the Pacific are named after what animal? 7) What was King George VI's first name? 8) What colour is a purple finch? 9) Where are Chinese gooseberries from? 10) What is the colour of the black box in a commercial airplane? Remember, you need only 4 correct answers to pass. Check your answers on the next page...

15 ANSWERS TO THE QUIZ 1) How long did the Hundred Years War last? 116 years 2) Which country makes Panama hats? Ecuador 3) From which animal do we get cat gut? Sheep and Horses 4) In which month do Russians celebrate the October Revolution? November 5) What is a camel's hair brush made of? Squirrel fur 6) The Canary Islands in the Pacific are named after what animal? Dogs 7) What was King George VI's first name? Albert 8 ) What colour is a purple finch? Crimson 9) Where are Chinese gooseberries from? New Zealand 10) What is the color of the black box in a commercial airplane? Orange (of course) What do you mean, you failed? COMMUNITY CALENDAR HOMAGE TO MANITOBA S CATHOLIC WOMEN RELIGIOUS Did you know that nearly 50 Catholic Women Religious congregations have been of service to Manitobans since 1844? Do you have a wonderful testimonial to share about a sister that you know or congregation? In the Catholic Health Association of Manitoba is leading a project entitled Legacy of Care, Courage and Compassion to render homage, commemorate and celebrate these humble and courageous pioneering women. Manitoba s communities have been blessed by the work accomplished by the devoted Catholic women religious. While surmounting numerous obstacles and challenges to respond to the needs of the oppressed, poor, sick, underprivileged, and uneducated, the Sisters have contributed greatly to the foundation of Manitoba s health, education, and social service systems, as well as played an integral role in our parishes and communities. We invite you to take part in this historic moment by: *submitting a testimonial (maximum 250 words) * participating at special events *making a donation to help fund a commemorative monument to honour the Sisters. Please mail your charitable donation to: Catholic Health Association of Manitoba, N5067, 431 Tache Avenue, Winnipeg R2H 2A6 Visit for more details or contact Julie Turenne-Maynard at r consultjtm@mymts.net Please refer to the poster located in the nave for more information. Assisted Suicide, Euthanasia, Palliative Care Winnipeg Life's Vision Presents their 2015 Annual Luncheon With Guest Speaker - Dr. Larry Rados, MD MP Steven Fletcher has introduced two private members' bills that support physician-assisted suicide for all competent adults over the age of 18 years. This issue will be brought forward before the 2015 federal election. If you want to be better educated on this topic join us on: Saturday, February 7, 2015 at Holy Eucharist Parish Centre 460 Munroe Ave. (corner of Munroe and Watt). Doors open at 11 am. Speaker at 11:30. Tickets are $20.00 each and can be purchased by contacting Life's Vision Manitoba at or lifesvision@shaw.ca

16 Covering or uncovering the truth? Media reporting on the Holodomor. Speakers: Jaroslaw Balan, Canadian Institute for Ukrainian Studies, University of Alberta and Dr. Jeremy Maron, CMHR researcher-curator February 4th, :00 to 8:30 pm Canadian Museum for Human Rights Bonnie & John Buhler Hall Media coverage has the power to break silence around genocide and mass atrocity, but can also help cover up the truth. Join us for a free public event focused on the role of journalists (including those in Canada) who covered the Ukrainian Holodomor famine-genocide in the 1930s and how these human rights issues continue today. The event includes a screening of the CMHR film, Covering the Holodomor: Memory Eternal,a panel discussion, and the first Canadian showing of a new travelling exhibit from the national Holodomor Memorial Museum in Ukraine, courtesy of Ukrainian Canadian Congress - Manitoba Provincial Council. Presented by the Canadian Museum for Human Rights and the Ukrainian Canadian Congress- Manitoba Provincial Council, Holodomor Awareness and Education Committee. With special thanks to Ukraine's National Museum, "The Memorial in Commemoration of Famines' Victims in Ukraine". UR Youth. > A screening of the Movie The Triumph Saturday, February 28, 2015 Free 233 Scotia Street (Chancery) At 7pm To register, contact: (204) Tamara youth@archeparchy.ca Table for Two - Feb. 14, 2015 For young married and engaged couples. Celebrate a meaningful Valentine's Day with a three course meal, quiet conversation and a special presentation with Nancy and Ted Wood (members of the Chemin Neuf Community and directors of St. Charles Retreat Centre). 6pm at St. Joseph's Ukrainian Catholic Church Hall. Cost is $40/couple. Reserve your table by Feb. 6th! Contact Michelle at rymcssr@gmail.com or call St. Josaphat Ukrainian Catholic Church Invites you to their Unusual > Hat and Tie Dance Saturday, February 7, 2015 Parish Hall 590 > Alverstone St, Wpg. Doors Open at 7:00 p.m. Dancing starts at 8:00 > p.m. Music provided by The Female Beat Admission $15.00 (includes > Lunch) Tickets: Gail at or Patricia at > Wearing of hat/tie optional Prizes "The Holy Family Home Auxiliary would like to invite the ladies of the community to a wonderful evening together at our Annual Ladies' Fundraising Dinner and Elimination Draw - "Sisters of the Round Table", to be held February 6, 2015 at Holy Eucharist Parish Centre, 460 Munroe Ave. E. Tickets for the event are $70,00 and may be obtained by calling Lydia Kandla at Proceeds dedicated to the Expansion and Renovation of the HFH Residents' Chapel for their spiritual comfort and wellbeing during their stay.

17 Introducing CommonWord a new Christian bookstore in Winnipeg, with a difference! We're excited to announce our opening at 2299 Grant Avenue in the Tuxedo/Charleswood communities. Perhaps you have seen the pedestrian bridge extend across Grant or have watched the glass building go up? We welcome you to come experience our beautiful sunlit environment yourself! Grab a coffee from our folio café, and come to browse. As a bookstore, we of course sell Christian fiction, children s picture books, Bibles, inspirational titles, greeting cards all at competitive prices. We ll also special order in items we don t currently have in stock. In addition, we retail local artwork and Ten Thousand Villages products, including fair-trade coffee, crafts and novelty items. But there is a difference! For a small annual fee ($30), we make available thousands of additional curated resources for loan both in print and DVD: worship items, adult small group studies, family materials, devotional pieces, church leadership resources, youth ministry library, First Nations materials, non-english titles and much more. Because budgets are tight or church interests are diverse, we know it s good to sometimes preview items first. Buy or borrow. We think it s a great concept for churches in Winnipeg! But there s more! We also know that acquiring resources conveniently and immediately is often critical, so we also offer thousands of free electronic resources online at Please also find us on Facebook. Most especially, we want to invite you to our Open House next Saturday: CommonWord - Winnipeg's newest Christian Bookstore and Resource Centre Titles to Buy, borrow or download Please join us for our Grand Opening Celebration, Saturday, February 7 from 10:00 a.m. 3:00 p.m. There will be food, prizes, special offers, and live music Our regular hours: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday 9:00 a.m. 5:00 p.m. Thursday 9:00 a.m. 8:00 p.m. Saturday 10:00 a.m. 3:00 p.m. There is ample parking on the west side of the building. We look forward to serving the wider ecumenical Christian community in Winnipeg! Arlyn Friesen Epp, Resources Anita Neufeld, Retail DEFENDERS OF UKRAINE SAVE A LIFE BUY A LIFESAVING GIFT $100 Many Ukrainian patriots are in the line of fire without bulletproof vests or life saving aid. 60% of combat deaths result from catastrophic blood loss. The solution The improved first aid kit and combat lifesavers training will increase a patriot s chance of surviving critical wounds. Right equipment and training saves lives The organization Patriot Defense in Kyiv is dedicated to supplying the IFAKS and providing training for Ukrainian soldiers in their use. Patriot Defense has been vetted by the Ukrainian World Congress which has agreed to help raise funds for this endeavor. Your gift of any amount can save lives. Send cheques to Ukrainian Canadian Congress Manitoba Provincial Council 777 Pritchard Ave., Winnipeg, MB R2X 0E8

18 Immaculate Heart of Mary School will be hosting their Annual Tea on Sunday, February 1, at 650 Flora Avenue, between the hours of 1:30 and 4:00 P.M.. Tea Theme: 'Honouring Our Youth' The Tea will be officially opened by...alex Pankiw, UCY President & Dayna Konopelny, UCY Vice President An invitation is extended to all... come and visit the school! While attending the Tea, enjoy the Bake Room and Raffles. January ~ February 2015 ~ March Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Knights of Columbus 6:45 pm Celebration of Light UCWLC 7:00 pm Children s Divine Liturgy 11:00 15 Knights of Columbus Pancake Breakfast 16 First Day of Lent Perogy Supper 28 More Calendar: Mar, Apr, PDF Calendar