Dec. 3 – 26th Sunday after Pentecost. Tone 1

Forefeast of the Entry of the Most Holy Theotokos into the Temple. Ven. Gregory Decapolites (816). St. Proclus, archbishop of Constantinople (447). Martyr Dasius (303). Martyrs Eustace, Thespesius, and Anatolius of Nicaea (312). Hieromartyrs Nerses and Joseph; and John, Saverius, Isaac, and Hypatius, bishops of Persia; Martyrs Azades, Sasonius, Thecla, and Anna (343).

Eph. 5:8-19; Lk. 12:16-21;
Gal. 5:22-6:2 Lk. 6:17-23

Dec. 4 – The Entry of the Most Holy Theotokos into the Temple

Введення в Храм Пресвятої Владичиці нашої Богородиці і Вседіви Марії.

Heb. 9:1-7 ; Lk. 10:38-42; 11:27-28;

Dec. 10 – 27th Sunday after Pentecost. Tone 2

Great-martyr James the Persian (421). Ven. Palladius of Thessalonica (6th-7th c.). 17 Monk-martyrs in India (4th c.). Ven. Romanus the Wonderworker of Cilicia (5th c.).

Eph. 6:10-17 ; Lk. 13:10-17;

Апостол

З Посла́ння до Єфесян Свято́го Апо́стола Павла́ чита́ння (5:8-19)

Браття, ви були колись темрявою, а тепер – світло в Господі: робіть, як діти світла, бо плід Духа є у всякій благості, праведності та істині. Досліджуйте, що угодне Богові, і не беріть участі в безплідних ділах темряви, але і викривайте. Бо про те, що вони роблять таємно, соромно і говорити. Все ж те, що викривається, стає явним від світла, бо все, що стає явним, є світло. Тому сказано: встань, сплячий, і воскресни з мертвих, і освітить тебе Христос. Отже, глядіть, поступайте обережно, не як нерозумні, а як мудрі, цінуючи час, бо дні лукаві. Отже, не будьте нерозсудливі, а пізнавайте, що є воля Божа. І не впивайтесь вином, від якого буває розпуста; а наповняйтесь Духом, повчаючи самі себе псалмами та славословленнями і піснеспівами духовними, співаючи і прославляючи в серцях ваших Господа.

З Посла́ння до Галатів Свято́го Апо́стола Павла́ чита́ння (5:22-6:2)

Браття, плід же духа є: любов, радість, мир, довготерпіння, благість, милосердя, віра, лагідність, стриманість. На таких нема закону. Але ті, котрі Христові, плоть свою розп'яли з пристрастями й похотями. Якщо ми живемо духом, то за духом повинні й діяти. Не будемо марнославні, один одного дратувати, один одному заздрити. Браття! якщо і впаде людина в якийсь гріх, ви, духовні, виправляйте такого в дусі лагідності, пильнуючи кожний себе, щоб і ти не був спокушений. Носіть тягарі один одного і так здійсните закон Христовий.

Євангеліє

Від Луки 12:16-21

 І сказав їм притчу: в одного багатого чоловіка добре вродила нива; і міркував він в собі: що мені робити? нема куди мені зібрати плодів моїх. І сказав: ось що зроблю: зруйную житниці мої та збудую більші, і зберу туди весь хліб мій і все добро моє, і скажу душі моїй: душа! багато маєш добра, що лежить у тебе на багато років: спочивай, їж, пий, веселись. Але Бог сказав йому: нерозумний! цієї ночі душу твою візьмуть у тебе; кому ж дістанеться те, що ти заготовив? Так буває з тим, хто збирає скарби для себе, а не в Бога багатіє.

Від Луки 6:17-23

І, зійшовши з ними, став Він на рівному місці, і багато учнів Його і безліч народу з усієї Іудеї та Ієрусалима і приморських місць Тирських і Сидонських, що прийшли послухати Його і зцілитися від недугів своїх, також і ті, що страждали від нечистих духів; і зцілялися. І весь народ шукав, щоб доторкнутися до Нього, бо від Нього виходила сила і зціляла всіх. І Він, звівши очі Свої на учнів Своїх, говорив: Блаженні убогі духом, бо ваше є Царство Боже. Блаженні ті, що голодні нині, бо насититесь. Блаженні ті, що плачуть нині, бо втішитесь. Блаженні ви, коли зненавидять вас люди, і коли відлучать вас, і ганьбитимуть, і знеславлять ім'я ваше заради Сина Людського. Радійте в той день і веселіться, бо велика вам нагорода на небесах. Так робили з пророками батьки їхні.

Discourse On The Feast Of The Entry Of Our Most Pure Lady Theotokos Into The Holy Of Holies

by Saint Gregory Palamas, Archbishop of Thessalonica

If a tree is known by its fruit, and a good tree bears good fruit (Mt. 7:17; Luke 6:44), then is not the Mother of Goodness Itself, She who bore the Eternal Beauty, incomparably more excellent than every good, whether in this world or the world above? Therefore, the coeternal and identical Image of goodness, Preeternal, transcending all being, He Who is the preexisting and good Word of the Father, moved by His unutterable love for mankind and compassion for us, put on our image, that He might reclaim for Himself our nature which had been dragged down to uttermost Hades, so as to renew this corrupted nature and raise it to the heights of Heaven. For this purpose, He had to assume a flesh that was both new and ours, that He might refashion us from out of ourselves. Now He finds a Handmaiden perfectly suited to these needs, the supplier of Her own unsullied nature, the Ever-Virgin now hymned by us, and Whose miraculous Entrance into the Temple, into the Holy of Holies, we now celebrate. God predestined Her before the ages for the salvation and reclaiming of our kind. She was chosen, not just from the crowd, but from the ranks of the chosen of all ages, renowned for piety and understanding, and for their God-pleasing words and deeds.

In the beginning, there was one who rose up against us: the author of evil, the serpent, who dragged us into the abyss. Many reasons impelled him to rise up against us, and there are many ways by which he enslaved our nature: envy, rivalry, hatred, injustice, treachery, slyness, etc. In addition to all this, he also has within him the power of bringing death, which he himself engendered, being the first to fall away from true life.

The author of evil was jealous of Adam, when he saw him being led from earth to Heaven, from which he was justly cast down. Filled with envy, he pounced upon Adam with a terrible ferocity, and even wished to clothe him with the garb of death. Envy is not only the begetter of hatred, but also of murder, which this truly man-hating serpent brought about in us. For he wanted to be master over the earth-born for the ruin of that which was created in the image and likeness of God. Since he was not bold enough to make a face to face attack, he resorted to cunning and deceit. This truly terrible and malicious plotter pretended to be a friend and useful adviser by assuming the physical form of a serpent, and stealthily took their position. By his God-opposing advice, he instills in man his own death-bearing power, like a venomous poison.

If Adam had been sufficiently strong to keep the divine commandment, then he would have shown himself the vanquisher of his enemy, and withstood his deathly attack. But since he voluntarily gave in to sin, he was defeated and was made a sinner. Since he is the root of our race, he has produced us as death-bearing shoots. So, it was necessary for us, if he were to fight back against his defeat and to claim victory, to rid himself of the death-bearing venomous poison in his soul and body, and to absorb life, eternal and indestructible life.

It was necessary for us to have a new root for our race, a new Adam, not just one Who would be sinless and invincible, but one Who also would be able to forgive sins and set free from punishment those subject to it. And not only would He have life in Himself, but also the capacity to restore to life, so that He could grant to those who cleave to Him and are related to Him by race both life and the forgiveness of their sins, restoring to life not only those who came after Him, but also those who already had died before Him. Therefore, Saint Paul, that great trumpet of the Holy Spirit, exclaims, "the first man Adam was made a living soul, the last Adam was made a quickening spirit" (1 Cor. 15:45).

Except for God, there is no one who is without sin, or life-creating, or able to remit sin. Therefore, the new Adam must be not only Man, but also God. He is at the same time life, wisdom, truth, love, and mercy, and every other good thing, so that He might renew the old Adam and restore him to life through mercy, wisdom and righteousness. These are the opposites of the things which the author of evil used to bring about our aging and death.

As the slayer of mankind raised himself against us with envy and hatred, so the Source of life was lifted up [on the Cross] because of His immeasurable goodness and love for mankind. He intensely desired the salvation of His creature, i.e., that His creature would be restored by Himself. In contrast to this, the author of evil wanted to bring God's creature to ruin, and thereby put mankind under his own power, and tyrannically to afflict us. And just as he achieved the conquest and the fall of mankind by means of injustice and cunning, by deceit and his trickery, so has the Liberator brought about the defeat of the author of evil, and the restoration of His own creature with truth, justice and wisdom.

It was a deed of perfect justice that our nature, which was voluntarily enslaved and struck down, should again enter the struggle for victory and cast off its voluntary enslavement. Therefore, God deigned to receive our nature from us, hypostatically uniting with it in a marvelous way. But it was impossible to unite that Most High Nature, Whose purity is incomprehensible for human reason, to a sinful nature before it had been purified. Therefore, for the conception and birth of the Bestower of purity, a perfectly spotless and Most Pure Virgin was required.

Today we celebrate the memory of those things that contributed, if only once, to the Incarnation. He Who is God by nature, the Co-unoriginate and Coeternal Word and Son of the Transcendent Father, becomes the Son of Man, the Son of the Ever-Virgin. "Jesus Christ the same yesterday and today, and forever" (Heb. 13:8), immutable in His divinity and blameless in His humanity, He alone, as the Prophet Isaiah prophesied, "practiced no iniquity, nor deceit with His lips" (Is. 53: 9). He alone was not brought forth in iniquity, nor was He conceived in sin, in contrast to what the Prophet David says concerning himself and every other man (Ps. 50/51: 5). Even in what He assumes, He is perfectly pure and has no need to be cleansed Himself. But for our sake, He accepted purification, suffering, death and resurrection, that He might transmit them to us.

God is born of the spotless and Holy Virgin, or better to say, of the Most Pure and All-Holy Virgin. She is above every fleshly defilement, and even above every impure thought. Her conceiving resulted not from fleshly lust, but by the overshadowing of the Most Holy Spirit. Such desire being utterly alien to Her, it is through prayer and spiritual readiness that She declared to the angel: "Behold the handmaiden of the Lord; be it unto Me according to thy word" (Luke 1:38), and that She conceived and gave birth. So, in order to render the Virgin worthy of this sublime purpose, God marked this ever-virgin Daughter now praised by us, from before the ages, and from eternity, choosing Her from out of His elect.

Turn your attention then, to where this choice began. From the sons of Adam God chose the wondrous Seth, who showed himself a living heaven through his becoming behavior, and through the beauty of his virtues. That is why he was chosen, and from whom the Virgin would blossom as the divinely fitting chariot of God. She was needed to give birth and to summon the earth-born to heavenly sonship. For this reason also all the lineage of Seth were called "sons of God," because from this lineage a son of man would be born the Son of God. The name Seth signifies a rising or resurrection, or more specifically, it signifies the Lord, Who promises and gives immortal life to all who believe in Him.

And how precisely exact is this parallel! Seth was born of Eve, as she herself said, in place of Abel, whom Cain killed through jealousy (Gen. 4:25); and Christ, the Son of the Virgin, was born for us in place of Adam, whom the author of evil also killed through jealousy. But Seth did not resurrect Abel, since he was only a type of the resurrection. But our Lord Jesus Christ resurrected Adam, since He is the very Life and the Resurrection of the earth-born, for whose sake the descendents of Seth are granted divine adoption through hope, and are called the children of God. It was because of this hope that they were called sons of God, as is evident from the one who was first called so, the successor in the choice. This was Enos, the son of Seth, who as Moses wrote, first hoped to call on the Name of the Lord (Gen. 4:26).

In this manner, the choice of the future Mother of God, beginning with the very sons of Adam and proceeding through all the generations of time, through the Providence of God, passes to the Prophet-king David and the successors of his kingdom and lineage. When the chosen time had come, then from the house and posterity of David, Joachim and Anna are chosen by God. Though they were childless, they were by their virtuous life and good disposition the finest of all those descended from the line of David. In prayer they besought God to deliver them from their childlessness, and promised to dedicate their child to God from its infancy. By God Himself, the Mother of God was proclaimed and given to them as a child, so that from such virtuous parents the all-virtuous child would be raised. So in this manner, chastity joined with prayer came to fruition by producing the Mother of virginity, giving birth in the flesh to Him Who was born of God the Father before the ages.

Now, when Righteous Joachim and Anna saw that they had been granted their wish, and that the divine promise to them was realized in fact, then they on their part, as true lovers of God, hastened to fulfill their vow given to God as soon as the child had been weaned from milk. They have now led this truly sanctified child of God, now the Mother of God, this Virgin into the Temple of God. And She, being filled with Divine gifts even at such a tender age, ... She, rather than others, determined what was being done over Her. In Her manner She showed that She was not so much presented into the Temple, but that She Herself entered into the service of God of her own accord, as if she had wings, striving towards this sacred and divine love. She considered it desirable and fitting that she should enter into the Temple and dwell in the Holy of Holies.

Therefore, the High Priest, seeing that this child, more than anyone else, had divine grace within Her, wished to set Her within the Holy of Holies. He convinced everyone present to welcome this, since God had advanced it and approved it. Through His angel, God assisted the Virgin and sent Her mystical food, with which She was strengthened in nature, while in body She was brought to maturity and was made purer and more exalted than the angels, having the Heavenly spirits as servants. She was led into the Holy of Holies not just once, but was accepted by God to dwell there with Him during Her youth, so that through Her, the Heavenly Abodes might be opened and given for an eternal habitation to those who believe in Her miraculous birthgiving.

So it is, and this is why She, from the beginning of time, was chosen from among the chosen. She Who is manifest as the Holy of Holies, Who has a body even purer than the spirits purified by virtue, is capable of receiving ... the Hypostatic Word of the Unoriginate Father. Today the Ever-Virgin Mary, like a Treasure of God, is stored in the Holy of Holies, so that in due time, (as it later came to pass) She would serve for the enrichment of, and an ornament for, all the world. Therefore, Christ God also glorifies His Mother, both before, and also after His birth.

We who understand the salvation begun for our sake through the Most Holy Virgin, give Her thanks and praise according to our ability. And truly, if the grateful woman (of whom the Gospel tells us), after hearing the saving words of the Lord, blessed and thanked His Mother, raising her voice above the din of the crowd and saying to Christ, "Blessed is the womb that bore Thee, and the paps Thou hast sucked" (Luke 11:27), then we who have the words of eternal life written out for us, and not only the words, but also the miracles and the Passion, and the raising of our nature from death, and its ascent from earth to Heaven, and the promise of immortal life and unfailing salvation, then how shall we not unceasingly hymn and bless the Mother of the Author of our Salvation and the Giver of Life, celebrating Her conception and birth, and now Her Entry into the Holy of Holies?

Now, brethren, let us remove ourselves from earthly to celestial things. Let us change our path from the flesh to the spirit. Let us change our desire from temporal things to those that endure. Let us scorn fleshly delights, which serve as allurements for the soul and soon pass away. Let us desire spiritual gifts, which remain undiminished. Let us turn our reason and our attention from earthly concerns and raise them to the inaccessible places of Heaven, to the Holy of Holies, where the Mother of God now resides.

Therefore, in such manner our songs and prayers to Her will gain entry, and thus through her mediation, we shall be heirs of the everlasting blessings to come, through the grace and love for mankind of Him Who was born of Her for our sake, our Lord Jesus Christ, to Whom be glory, honor and worship, together with His Unoriginate Father and His Coeternal and Life-Creating Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Введення у храм Пречистої і Преблагословенної Владичиці нашої Богородиці і Вседіви Марії

Говорячи про свято Введення в храм Пресвятої Богородиці, варто згадати, що про нього не сказано в канонічних Євангеліях. Уперше про цю подію повідомляється в апокрифах – наприклад, у грецькому Протоєвангелії Якова, що датується II століттям. Важливо зазначити, що усне Передання Церкви, на підставі якого складалися апокрифічні тексти, є також частиною Божественного Одкровення.

Основою свята стала розповідь про те, як Пресвяту Діву Марію привели до храму Єрусалима праведні Іоаким і Анна.

У цього благочестивого подружжя довгий час не було дітей, і подружжя пообіцяло віддати дитя, якщо воно народиться, на служіння Богові. Благання Іоакима й Анни були почуті – після п'ятдесяти років спільного життя в них народилася дочка. Нарекли Її Марією. У перекладі з єврейської це ім'я означає "пані", "надія". У майбутньому Вона стане Пані та Надією всіх людей, які вірують у Христа…

По лінії батька Пресвята Богородиця походила з роду царя Давида, а по материнській лінії – з роду первосвященика Аарона. Так справдилися старозавітні передбачення про появу на світ Ісуса Христа, згідно з якими Спаситель мав одночасно стати нащадком і царського, і священицького родів.

Після того, як Марія з'явилася на світ, праведні Іоаким і Анна принесли подячні жертви і дали ще одну клятву – доки вони не приведуть свою доньку до храму Божого, Вона не ходитиме по землі…

Переказ свідчить: коли Марії виповнилося три роки, батько і мати підвели Її до храму. Щоб піднятися, Їй потрібно було подолати високі сходи в п'ятнадцять сходинок. Маленька Марія самостійно, без будь-чиєї підтримки, зійшла по них, і первосвященик Захарія (батько Іоанна Хрестителя) вийшов назустріч до Неї.

Марію ввели у святая святих. Це сталося з Божого благовоління, адже туди мав право входити тільки один первосвященик і лише один раз на рік. Марії ж було дозволено увійти туди, оскільки Вона мала стати Матір'ю Спасителя. У богослужбових текстах Діву Марію порівнюють з одухотвореним кивотом Божим.

Так Марія залишилася жити при храмі. Тут Вона трудилася і здобула освіту. Разом з іншими ученицями Вона вивчала Святе Письмо, а також навчалася прядіння і шиття, виготовляючи шати для священиків. Так тривало, поки Вона не досягла дванадцяти років.

Після певного терміну Марії належало вийти заміж. Але Вона висловила бажання зберегти непорочність перед Господом. Саме тоді й було вирішено, що в Марії буде опікун. Іоакима та Анни до того моменту вже не було в живих. Зрештою було кинуто особливий жереб, і Марія заручилася з теслею Йосипом, який був уже в похилому віці і належав до роду царя Давида.

Цим завершується розповідь про основну суть свята. Як же вийшло, що подію Введення в храм Пресвятої Богородиці занесено до числа великих дванадцяти свят християнської Церкви? Думка дослідників така, що виникнення цього свята безпосередньо пов'язане з часом царювання Юстиніана I. Саме за його наказом 543 року на місці перетвореної на руїни церкви в Єрусалимі було зведено величезний собор на честь Пресвятої Діви Марії. Його будівництвом було відзначено подію Введення в храм Богоматері. З VIII століття про свято Введення коротко згадується в окремих календарях, а патріарх Константинопольський Генріх I написав про нього дві бесіди. З цього випливає, що до VIII століття став формуватися звичай відзначати подію Введення в храм Пресвятої Богородиці. У XI столітті свято Введення стає відомим усім християнам Близького Сходу. Раз і назавжди в число великих дванадцяти свят воно увійшло вже після XIV століття.

Ukrainian Orthodox League Thanksgiving Project

November is the month we celebrate Thanksgiving and also the month we commemorate the victims of the Holodomor in Ukraine. The UOL National Executive Board has decided that our yearly recommended Thanksgiving Project will focus on bringing a greater awareness of the Holodomor while helping the hungry in our communities now and in the future. In our remembrance, we strive to combat hunger in the present.

Please donate non-perishable foods in the bin in the vestibule.  Each item will be labeled with a sticker that says:

In 1932, 10 million people perished in an artificial famine in

Ukraine. We pray no one ever goes hungry again.

#Holodomor #UkrainianGenocide #NeverForget

All donations will be given to Our Lady of Sorrows food pantry.  If you would like to write a check, please make it payable to OLS Food Pantry.  We will collect food and donations until Sunday Dec 16th. 

Let's remember the innocent victims of the Ukrainian Holodomor, honor their memory, and help those in need within our own community at this time of giving!

Wall Calendars 2024

The Wall Calendar 2024 are sponsored by Chopyak-Scheider Funeral Home this year again. Please take one so that you can be informed about the holidays, fasting days and fast-free days. Thank you Bill and Nikki!

Kitchen Sessions

Saturday, 12/2 8AM Rolls

Friday, 12/8 10AM - 12Noon Make Pirohy Balls

Saturday, 12/9 Pirohy Session 7:30AM Setup, 8AM - 12 Noon Pinching, Lunch After

Wednesday, 12/13 Holubtsi Session (NEW SESSION)

• 8:00am trim cabage
• 9:00am balls
• 9:30am roll the golden pigeons until 12 noon
• ALL WELCOME… WE NEED YOU… COME HAVE FUN!!

Saturday, 12/16 10AM - 12Noon Holubtsi/Pirohy Sale

Let's Help Ukraine!

St. John's Ukrainian Humanitarian Fund is accepting donations to help Ukrainians during war. Donations will go to provide food and other humanitarian needs.

To make donation online click here

We accept checks as well.

Please make the checks to St. John Ukrainian Humanitarian Fund

Mailing address:

1 Saint John's Parkway
Johnson City NY 13790
 

Cash is accepted in church

Pray for Ukraine!

Prayers for Ukraine are done during each service. To see the schedule click here.

Молитви за Україну проводяться під час кожної служби. За розкладом дивіться тут.

May God bless and protect Ukraine!

Happy Birthday

• December 03: Victoria Wasyliw
  December 03: Naveen Bhandari
  December 03: Mark Walling
  December 03: Isabelle Lepkowski
  December 05: Mary Ann Klish
  December 06: Dr. Mark Hatala

* If your or someone else's birthday is missing or incorrect please let Fr. Ivan know right away.

Please Pray for the Servants of God

Rose, Marlyn, Bob, Nadine,
John, Olga, Jane, Zenna, Douglas,
Melanie, Helen, William, Marion,
Mariann, Jean, Brian, Pipinos,
Fr. James, Scott, Andriy,
Nicholas, Anita

Upcoming Readings

Mon. Dec. 4 – 1 Tim. 5:1-10; Lk. 17:20-25;
Tue. Dec. 5 – 1 Tim. 5:11-21; Lk. 17:26-37;
Wed. Dec. 6 – 1 Tim. 5:22–6:11; Lk. 18:15-17, 26-30;
Thu. Dec. 7 – 1 Tim. 6:17-21; Lk. 18:31-34;
Fri. Dec. 8 – 2 Tim. 1:1-2, 8-18; Lk. 19:12-28;
Sat. Dec. 9 – Gal. 5:22–6:2; Lk. 10:19-21;