THE MEANING OF THE GREAT AND HOLY PASCHA

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IMG_20140418_105814526In order to truly enter into the joy of the great feast of Pascha, I believe that it is important to know something about this feast.

In our Eastern Church the truly most appropriate name for this feast is Pascha. The origins of the word “Easter” are not certain, but probably derive from Estre, an Anglo-Saxon goddess of spring. The German word Ostern has the same derivation. Our Church traditionally follows the Greek term that was used in the early Church: Pascha, which is derived from the Hebrew Pesach or Passover. Our own Ukrainian usage is either the Great Day or Velikden. I will attempt to share with my readers why the named Pascha is truly a more appropriate name.

The Great and Holy Week comes to an end at sunset on Great and Holy Saturday, as the Church prepares to celebrate her most ancient and preeminent festival, Pascha, the feast of feasts. The time of preparation will give way to a time of fulfillment. The glorious and resplendent light emanating from the empty Tomb will dispel the darkness. Christ, risen from the dead, cracks the fortress of death and takes “captivity captive” (Psalm 67:19). All the limitations of our createdness are torn asunder. Death is swallowed up in victory and life is liberated.

Pascha is the dawn of the new and unending day. The Resurrection truly constitutes the most radical and decisive deliverance of humankind. The Resurrection of Jesus Christ is the fundamental truth and absolute fact of the Christian faith. It is the central experience and the essential kerygma or preaching of the Church. It confirms the authenticity of Christ’s earthly life and vindicates His teaching. It seals all His redemptive work: His life, the model of a holy life; His compelling and unique teaching; His extraordinary works; and His awesome, life-creating death. Christ’s Resurrection is the guarantee of our salvation. Together with His Ascension it brings to perfection God’s union with us for all eternity.

The Resurrection made possible the miracle of the Church, which in every age and generation proclaims and affirms “God’s plan for the universe, the ultimate divinization of man and the created order.”

And what is God’s plan for the universe? That it should increasingly reflect His, God’s, love and glory. It is God’s plan that we humans, who are created in His image and given the potential to grow in His likeness as manifested in Jesus Christ, might freely and voluntarily return His love and offer Him praise. In order for us to become a reality, we had to be freed from those things that limit our growing in the likeness of Jesus. So, just as Yahweh, the God of Israel, freed the Jews bondage and captivity so that they might freely offer Him praise, so God, through the actions of Jesus, freed us from captivity to our natural tendencies and fears. So, in effect, Jesus brings about a NEW PASSOVER by freeing us from DEATH and the fear that we naturally have about death and gave us a model of a new way of living that can bring about the fullness of life. So the name Pascha conveys this idea of a NEW PASSOVER.

However, the Resurrection has not yet abolished the reality of death. But it has revealed its powerlessness. We continue to die. Our bodies decay and fall away. Thus, physical death does not destroy our life of communion with God. Rather, we move from death to life – from this world to God’s reign.

Our Church calls us to embrace the celebration of Pascha in the same manner as our Jewish brothers and sisters celebrate Passover. It must be a personal experience of being freed from the captivity of thinking only like human beings instead of thinking like children of God. We must also personally try to sense that we have been freed from the fear of death and that we have a way of living that will allow us to voluntarily return God’s love and offer Him the praise that He so very much deserves from us.

This all requires, however, that we take our faith seriously and embrace the teachings of Jesus Christ. It means that we should not attempt to water down the challenge that Jesus gave us, namely to love all other human beings, whether neighbor or enemy, as ourselves and to treat all others as Jesus treated the people that entered into His life. This means accepting the challenges of life as opportunities to grow in our union with God and take personal responsibility for our own thinking and behaviors.

Thank You

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easter1A BIG THANK YOU … is truly extended to each and every person who took the time to remember me at PASCHA. Please know your thoughtfulness is appreciated and cherished. Thank you for making me a part of your life. I pray that each of you may be blessed with health and happiness.

A WORD OF THANKS … is extended to all who generously donated for PASCHA flowers, allowing our worship space to be so beautifully decorated. Please know that your generosity has brought great joy to me and to many others.

A WORD OF GRATITUDE . . . is extended to all those who helped with the singing during this sacred time. Your efforts are truly appreciated. Singing is a way to become truly involved in our worship and to praise God.

A SPECIAL THANKS … is offered to any and all who helped in any way to make our Great and Holy Week Services prayerful.     Thank You!

MANY THANKS….. A big thank you is extended to all those who helped with the services, Steve, Len, Bob, those who sang and any others who were willing to help. Truly our worship is a community effort. Thank you.
Christ IS Risen!

A BIG THANK YOU …. Is extended to John & Janet Dicky for making Pussy Willows branches available last week and also to Olga Skrypek for continuing what her father Henry did for many years. We remember him in our prayers.   Remember, burn or bury any old branches you may have.
Χριστός ἀνέστη!

 

An Easter Tradition

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easter3All are reminded again that from PASCHA until Pentecost our tradition is 

TO STAND IN PRAYER

We even encouraged to stand in private prayer. Sitting is permitted when tired or elderly. It is not more pious to kneel! This tradition reminds us that we are the children of God and thus privileged, because we are His heirs, to stand in His presence.  

BRIGHT WEEK . . . is the eight days that follow PASCHA. The last day, St. Thomas’s Day, is the Anti-Pasch. Each day of this week is a celebration of PASCHA. During ordinary time, PASCHA is celebrated only every weekend. This tradition is a direct carryover of the Jewish Passover which is celebrated for eight days. During the period from PASCHA to Pentecost Sunday is counted as the first, not last, day of the week

The ARTOS . . . is the special loaf of bread we bless on PASCHA and then distribute on St. Thomas Day. This loaf reminds us that Christ, Who IS truly THE bread of life, is with us.             Христос Воскрес! 

 REMEMBER . . . Monday and Tuesday are “Splash” Days. Guys splash gals on Monday and on Tuesday the gals have their revenge. Silly? Perhaps, but a wonderful way to make our joy real.
Christ IS Risen!

CALLED TO HOLINESS

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brightweekAs we celebrate the glorious feast of Pascha, it dawns on me that the Call to Holiness is a call to be an authentic Christian, that is a person who embraces the truths of our faith as a guide and a blueprint for living our lives. God literally “recreated” all things when He became incarnate as a human. He revealed in a very unique way, according to our   beliefs, a truth about created reality: All beings and things have their existence from and in Him. He revealed through Pascha His unique connection to His creation, especially to humanity. Humankind finds its existence in and through Him and is sustained in existence because of Him.

It is the deep belief of our Church that all things have been impacted by the Resurrection of Christ. This speaks of the unique union (communion) that all things have with God. It is His understanding of how all things are joined that pervades the entire universe because the structure and essence of all things are present to His awareness and thought (to use human terms). Our God is not somewhere different than where we are. We are not separate from Him, albeit He gives us and all things our own separate identities.

All of this speaks to God’s great love for His creation, especially humankind. He loves us so very much that He gives us not only free will but also our own individuality. This is precisely how we are made in His image. He also gives us the potential to become unto His likeness as seen in the Person of Jesus, the Christ.

In order for us, however, to become unto His likeness, we may cooperate with Him and voluntarily commit ourselves to do all in our power to become like Jesus Christ. This means that we must take time to honestly assess our attitudes, ways of thinking and behaviors and make a judgment as to what we must do in order to bring them more into conformity with the attitudes, thinking and behavior of Jesus. While we can’t merit the fullness of life, this doesn’t mean that we don’t have to work at becoming like Christ.   Хрїстóсъ воскрéсе!

 

EASTER MESSAGE OF HIS BEATITUDE SVIATOSLAV

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Coat_of_arms_of_Sviatoslav_Shevchuk-webMost Reverend Archbishops and Bishops,
Very Reverend and Reverend Fathers
Venerable Brothers and Sisters, Dearly Beloved in Christ
of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church

Christ is Risen!

The first-born male from the virginal womb – Christ, who, as a man, has been called Lamb and unblemished, not having the stain of sin. He is our Pasch and, as true God, is called perfect.Paschal Canon, Ode 4, Second Hymn

Beloved in Christ!

Once again we gather in Ukraine and throughout the world to greet one another on the glorious feast of our Lord’s Resurrection: “Christ is risen!” This joyful greeting for us Christians is the beginning and end of our preaching, the core of our faith, the foundation of our hope, and fulfillment of our love. Although this is already the third time that we celebrate Christ’s Pasch in the context of a new way of the cross for the Ukrainian people—war and cruelty by the forces of evil—time and again this feast renews us in the joy and hope of God’s children, assured of God’s victory over diabolical treachery, mendacity, and malice.

The first-born male from the virginal womb – Christ, who, as a man, has been called Lamb

How mysterious is the depth of divine mercy to humankind! Our Lord “did not utterly turn away from His creature, which He made, nor did He forget the work of His hands” (see Anaphora of St. Basil the Great). At a critical moment in human history the Eternal God, Creator of the Universe, quietly, without great fanfare, entered into human history in an unheard of and unexpected manner. The Only-begotten Son of God became the first-born of the Virgin from Nazareth so that, as the only Holy and Pure One, without the stain of sin, He might offer Himself as a sacrifice for our salvation.

Does God truly require human sacrifice? Certainly not! It is we, created in the image and likeness of God, who need to offer our life to God, order our life according to His commandments, and acknowledge before God that everything we are belongs to Him. The only One who was capable of offering such a perfect sacrifice to God the Father was the God-man, Jesus Christ, the Immaculate Lamb, who, even though He was Innocent, offered Himself to God on behalf of all humankind, and thus opened for us the path to eternal life by His resurrection from the dead.

He is our Pascha and, as true God, is called perfect.

The Pasch-Passover of the Old Testament remembers a remarkable event, when the Almighty Lord liberated His chosen people from Egyptian bondage, and the angel of death “bypassed” every home, which was marked on its doorpost by the blood of the paschal lamb. That is, in fact, the first meaning of the Hebrew word for the feast, pesach, which conveys the image of divine punishment “passing over,” or “passing by.” Thus, when we sing that Christ is “our Pasch,” we magnify the One, through whom we have been given the possibility to avoid the consequences of our sins, provided we make a determined decision to leave the captivity of sin and passions, repent and follow His Gospel. For He has saved us by His own blood! “Know that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you” (1 Peter 1:18-20).

Not all are able to receive this message of salvation. To speak of the Christ-Lamb, crucified on the cross, in today’s world seems as problematic as it was in the times of the earliest Christians. This was St. Paul’s understanding when he wrote: “For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, ‘I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart’” (1 Corinthians 1:18-19). Even though Christ’s Gospel is being preached now for almost two thousand years, often it seems that the world, even one that calls itself “Christian,” still understands only the language of riches, affluence, power, weaponry, and might. Manifestations of the folly of the mighty of this world never disappear from the arena of history. They take on different forms: empires, reichs, unions, federations, led by individuals, who propose themselves instead of God, and impose on others their own depravation as a measure of truth.

However, in every generation there will also be those, who understand God’s ways, know how to be gentle lambs of God in the history of their people, who follow God’s gentleness, humility, meekness, spirit of sacrifice, who understand that not only do crosses and suffering pass, but that without them there is no resurrection. In our circumstances among such individuals are thousands of the best sons and daughters of our people, who sacrifice their lives for our freedom and independence. Precisely in the Risen Christ, our Unblemished Lamb, we come to understand the paschal value of their pure sacrifice, which leads us out of the house of captivity, the meaning of Ukraine’s suffering at the start of the new millennium.

Most often, it is in weakness and infirmity that God’s power and God’s wisdom is revealed. What is important is not to allow oneself to be tempted, or deceived, or discouraged in our fight, for that, against which we struggle, is merely a manifestation of the unclean spirit, who shakes, falls to the ground, foams at the mouth and convulses, for it knows that by the blood of the unblemished Paschal Lamb its end is near (see Mark 9:17-27). The Risen Christ, who through suffering and death carries us over to resurrection and eternal life, comes to us today showing us the wounds on His glorified body. As then he spoke to his frightened apostles, so today he says to us, his disciples: “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts?” (Luke 24:38).

How much have we already experienced the “impossible” made possible for those, who firmly kept their faith in the Risen Lord! Seventy years ago the evil one decided once again to crucify our people and drag our Church into the grave. However, to the surprise of the entire world, she rose and became stronger than at any time in her history. At the Lviv pseudo-sobor of 1946 the enemy attempted to forcibly separate us from unity with the successor to the apostle Peter. Today we are living witness to how the blood of the martyrs and confessors of our Church has forever sealed this Catholic unity and become a force of resilience and resurrection for Ukraine, a force for the unity of its people, and a catalyst for social renewal. Indeed, through such a witnessing of faith in the resurrection an authentic unification of the Churches of Ukraine is possible, a restoration of the unity of the Churches of Kyivan Christianity, which we have received as an inheritance from Prince Volodymyr, equal-to-the-apostles.

Beloved in Christ! The Risen Lord calls us to perfection. Indeed, He Himself is the only source of every perfection—our Saviour, who completes and makes precious and lasting the fruit of our efforts. If we are still far from perfection, if our state is not yet that of which we dream, we do not have reason to abandon our effort: to build, live and struggle for God and Ukraine, for Christ is our Pasch.

I greet all of you with today’s feast, or rather, with Christ’s spiritual victory this day over the power of the enemy and the realm of evil. Once again to all of you, in Ukraine and throughout the world, I send my heartfelt festive greeting, and sincerely wish you the blessings of the Resurrection of our Lord, a tasty sharing of our traditional blessed egg, and a Paschal joy that is full of light.

The grace of our Risen Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God the Father, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

Christ is risen! – Truly, He is risen!

 

+ SVIATOSLAV

Given in Kyiv

at the Patriarchal Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ,

March 20, 2016 A.D.

 

ВЕЛИКОДНЄ ПАСТИРСЬКЕ ПОСЛАННЯ УКРАЇНСЬКИХ КАТОЛИЦЬКИХ ЄРАРХІВ У США ДО СВЯЩЕНИКІВ, ЄРОМОНАХІВ ТА БРАТІВ, СЕСТЕР МОНАХИНЬ, СЕМІНАРИСТІВ ТА ДОРОГИХ ВІРНИХ

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ВЕЛИКОДНЄ ПАСТИРСЬКЕ ПОСЛАННЯ УКРАЇНСЬКИХ КАТОЛИЦЬКИХ ЄРАРХІВ У США ДО СВЯЩЕНИКІВ, ЄРОМОНАХІВ ТА БРАТІВ, СЕСТЕР МОНАХИНЬ, СЕМІНАРИСТІВ ТА ДОРОГИХ ВІРНИХ

holy-cross-justice-icon-of-the-resurrectionХристос Воскрес!     Воістину Воскрес!

Mовить до неї Ісус: “Маріє!” А та обернулася та до нього по-єврейському: “Раввуні!” – що у перекладі означає: “Учителю!”А Ісус їй каже: “Не стримуй Мене, не зійшов бо я ще до Отця мого, але йди до моїх братів, і повідай їм: Іду я до Отця мого й Отця вашого, до Бога мого й Бога вашого”. І пішла Марія, щоб звістити учням: “Бачила я Господа”, – та й що Він це їй повідав.  (Іван 20:16-20)

 

Сьогодні ми ділимося невимовною радістю Христового Воскресіння, яка наповнює наші душі! Сьогодні ділимося радістю учнів, які отримали добру новину від Марії Магдалини про Воскресіння Христа, якого вона побачила.

Пасхальна Радість починається з особистої зустрічі з Воскреслим Господом.  Що ж стало приводом, щоб сльози Марії Магдалини перемінилися у Великодню радість? Нічого іншого, лише зустріч з Христом, який з’явився Марії, але вона не впізнала Його відразу, а лише після того, як Він покликав її по імені, сказавши: “Маріє!” Вона оглянулася і її світ перемінився. Перед нею вже не стояв садівник, але Воскреслий Христос, живий та звільнений із кайданів смерті. Біля Марії вже не було мертвого каменя, але живий Спаситель, який кликав її вийти із темряви до чудового світла. Після зустрічі з Ним, Марія Магдалина виконує Господню Заповідь проголошувати новину про Воскресіння Його учням.

Подібну радість пережили учні по дорозі до Емаусу. Особиста зустріч з Воскреслим Господом дає їм відвагу та силу іти до учнів та розповісти їм про те, що сталося на їхньому шляху та, як вони пізнали Його на ламанні хліба.

У Пасхальний ранок ми святкуємо перемогу Христа над гріхом, злом та смертю. Це час, коли прощення, надія та нове життя народжуються із страждання та розпачу. Тому Великоднє Євангельське читання не є лише розповіддю про життя після смерті, але про цю зустріч Марії з Воскреслим Христом, який зустрічає також і нас. Він не лише  виступає, як світла постать, яку ми не впізнаємо, Ісус зустрічає нас, кличучи кожного по імені, відкриваючи наші очі, і запрошуючи нас побачити.

На Воскресній Утрені ми співаємо: “Раннім ранком линьмо і замість мира пісню принесім Владиці і побачимо Христа, Сонце правди, що всім життя освітлює “. (Воскресна Утреня, Пісня 5).
Воскреслий Христос хоче, щоб ми відчували радість при зустрічі з Ним, радість звільнення від гріхів, які спонукають нас до егоцентризму, та, живучи для Нього, а не для себе, відкривали благодать Христової жертвенної любові. Незалежно від того, що може відбуватися в нашому житті, ми відчуватимемо духовну радість через Божу любов і боговгодне життя у жертвенній любові.
Пасхальне Євангеліє є розповіддю про нове життя, яке приходить до нас. Христос не тільки воскрес із мертвих, але зустрічається з нами, кличучи кожного з нас по імені. Великдень – це зустріч та запрошення, щоб іти та розповідати про те, що ми бачили і чули. Христос живий, Він шукає нас і кличе кожного з нас по імені. Попри наші сумніви і побоювання, невдачі, зради та нанесені рани, які ми намагаємося загоїти, сьогодні є новий день, коли ми всі стаємо свідками Воскресіння Ісуса. Ми – покликані принести цей промінь світла Воскресіння у кожну людську ситуацію, як радісну, надаючи їй ще більшого світла, так і в сумну, надаючи їй спокій і надію”.

 

В цьому Році Божого Милосердя, Папа Франциск закликає нас “відкривати наші серця до тих, хто живе на периферії суспільства” і “постійно прагнути пізнавати численні шляхи зустрічі знаків ніжності, яку Бог пропонує цілому світові і, перш за все, тим, хто страждає, хто самотній і покинутий, позбавлений будь-якої надії на помилування та любов Отця.” (Misericordiae Vultus, Папа Франциск).
Ми знаємо, що бідним потрібна допомога, хворим – зцілення, пригнобленим – справедливість, сумним – потіха. Нам також відомо, що в духовному житті потрібно практикувати щоденну молитву, розважання та бути у сопричасті з іншими. Будучи людьми воскресіння, усвідомлюємо, що нашим покликанням є спілкування з іншими людьми на життєвому шляху та проголошення їм Доброї Новини про воскреслого Христа. Водночас споглядаючи на Боже Милосердя, ми повинні пам’ятати, що Ісус не тільки проповідував про милосердя, але чинив діла милосердя, допомагаючи бідним, втішаючи самотніх і знедолених, полегшуючи страждання терплячих та навчаючи невчених. Жодна людина не може ділитися тим, чого вона не має, тому кожен з нас повинен особисто пізнавати Христа з метою проповідувати про Нього кожній людині, яку зустрічаємо.
Сьогодні – час радості і оновленого євангельського духу, щоб благовістити іншим про воскреслого Христа. Наші парафіяльні спільноти повинні стати місцем зустрічі з живим Христом, який запрошує нас до цього. «Це день, що його сотворив Господь, возрадуємося і возвеселімся в ньому!» Покликанням кожного з нас є нести цю радість зустрічі з воскреслим Христом іншим. Чи ми зможемо ділитися цією особистою зустріччю з воскреслим Христом з нашими сім’ями, друзями, та з іншими людьми, яких ми зустрічаємо в нашому щоденному житті? Нехай ця радість перебуває у кожному з нас у цей Пасхальний ранок і випромінюється в нашому житті! Нехай Боже Милосердя освітлює наше життя та усі  наші  вчинки!

Наша щира молитва лине до Воскреслого і живого Господа про мир і благодать для вас усіх, ваших близьких та для всіх наших братів і сестер у світі!

+Високопреосвященний Стефан Сорока
Митрополит Української Католицької Церкви у США
Архиєпископ Філадельфійський для Укpаїнців

+Преосвященний Річард Семінак
Єпископ Чіказької єпархії святого Миколая

+Преосвященний Павло Хомницький, ЧСВВ
Єпископ Стемфордської єпархії

+Преосвященний Богдан Данило    (автор)
Єпископ Пармської єпархії святого Йосафата

+Преосвященний Іван Бура|
пископ-Помічник Філадельфійський

Великдень, 2016

Reflections on the Scriptural Readings for this Weekend — 20160320

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palmsundayThe readings appointed to be read this weekend come from Paul’s Letter to the Philippians and John’s Gospel. In Paul’s letter he exhorts us to “Rejoice in the Lord” and then exhorts his readers: “Present your needs to God in every form of prayer and in petitions” that are full of gratitude because “God’s own peace, which is beyond all understanding, will stand guard over” your hearts and minds. What a truly wonderful sentiment as we enter into the Great and Holy Week.

The week that we now enter is a week unlike any others in the year. We are called again to relive with Jesus His death and glorious resurrection. What is very obvious in Paul’s words, I think, is that if we turn our attention to being with the Lord the result will be peace and joy.

The Gospel we hear this weekend begins with Jesus going to the home of Martha, Mary and Lazarus, the friend He raised from the dead. The story recounts these things: Mary anoints Jesus’ feet with oil, in preparation for His burial; Judas pretends to be concerned about the poor; a crowd comes to see the risen Lazarus; and the chief priests plan to kill Jesus because too many people seem to be following Him, especially because He raised Lazarus from the dead.

After recounting these things, the Gospel story immediately turns to Jesus’ Entrance into Jerusalem. It is in the midst of all this love and hate that Jesus boldly goes into the city to confront His future. He had been warned about the opposition of the chief priests and He had a premonition of what might happen. He had been very   outspoken about the hypocrisy of those who were the leaders of the religion of the people and it was   obvious that they were upset because people were following Him. Even the disciples are described as thinking that the chief priests would attempt to quiet Jesus. This does not deter Jesus and He enters Jerusalem as a humble man with joy and peace in His heart.

What is very important in both of these readings is that it is only when humans voluntarily approach life with peace and joy in their hearts can they come to a true understanding of life. We will always be confronted with love and hate. It is all a matter of how we respond to the actions of others. We must remember that others do not control how we respond to their actions. We, and only we, control how we respond to the events of life. Let us attempt to imitate Christ.

Understanding Our Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church — 20160320

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Plaschanitsa

Plaschanitsa

The happenings of Great and Good Friday are proclaimed in our Church not only by word but also by dramatic action. It is one of the most beautiful   services of our worship cycle. One of the prominent symbols of Good Friday is the Plaschanitsa (Slavonic) or Epitaphion (Greek). It is a large rectangular piece of cloth on which is painted or embroidered the Body of the dead Christ. The

occupies an integral part of the Good Friday Vespers service. It speaks eloquently of God’s absolute love. It is considered by some to be a vestige of the winding sheet in which our Lord’s body was wrapped when it was laid in the tomb.

The origin of the Plaschanitsa, which we use on Good Friday, is intriguing but vague. It is of comparatively recent date. It was unknown to the Eastern Church for about fifteen hundred years.

Two things I believe are important to note. First, when the Plaschanitsa is removed from the grave, it is placed on the Throne (Table or Altar) and the Eucharistic Liturgy is celebrated on it for 40 days, until the Feast of the Ascension. This conveys the understanding of Christ being physically present to the first Christian community for the 40 days after His resurrection.

The second important thing to note is that a smaller version of this same Plaschanitsa is always on the Throne and it must be present when the Divine Liturgy is celebrated. The relics of some saints, contained in a small wax disc, are sown into it. This replicates the fact that the early Church celebrated the Divine Liturgy in the catacombs upon the tombs of saints. This smaller version of the Plaschanitsa is called the Antimension. This is used instead of the Catholic altar stone which contains relics of saints and is cemented into the altar. During war times, all Catholic and Orthodox military chaplains use such an Antimension when they celebrate Mass or the Divine Liturgy in the field. It is quaintly called by the Roman Church the Greek Corporal.

Up to the sixteenth century, church books don’t mention our tradition of placing the Plaschanitsa in a grave and having people venerate it. One of the earliest typicons (a book that tells clergy how to celebrate services) says that during the procession with the shroud, the priest carries the shroud on his back, with a portion on his head.

The burial service, which is a part of Great and Good Friday Vespers, is, perhaps, one of the services that we are encouraged to attend during the Great and Holy Week. Being a part of the burial of Christ prepares us, in a very special way, to celebrate His Resurrection. It also reminds us that human death is but a transition to a different way of living. It is truly one of the most beautiful of all of our services during the year.

Gaining a Deeper Understanding of the New Testament — 20160320

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the_four_evangelistsHopefully some of my readers will have found the information I have been sharing in the article interesting. I’ve been sharing information about the similarities and differences that exist in the three Synoptic Gospels. This is intended to help all of us to be more informed Christians.

In the last issue, I shared one last theory about the Synoptic Gospels, namely the theory of Multiple Documents being the Basis for the Synoptics. This theory consists in supposing a rather mixed set of documents as the origins of the Synoptics. The author of this theory suggested that the real missionary life of the early Christian Church could   account for this form, for these various documents would serve as memory aids to preachers and teachers. From these the men involved in this work would draw according to various purposes and the needs of their hearers. These documents would then have built up into miniature collections. Later on the Synoptics gathered these together.

The modern interpreters of this theory stress not so much the written sources but rather the fragmentary tradition, whether oral or written, that evolved according to historical needs. At this late date it would truly be impossible to unravel the accretions from the nucleus.

The Multiple-Document Theory, with some variations, has found several modern proponents. At the origin of the Gospel material there was a standardization of the materials in Aramaic, followed by many partial traditions. All this was put into Greek at an early date. Oral tradition would be expanded and modified by it. These particular traditions issue in the canonical Gospels. No other kind of documentary source is posited.

The theory combines oral tradition and a single written Gospel flowing from multiple documents. Each of these is insufficient to explain the Synoptic Problem. The agreements among the Synoptics seem to require a literary process and not an oral process; the agreements cannot be reduced to a single document. Yet this theory does take into account both oral and written traditions. Perhaps it has not yet been sufficiently worked out. Taking the insights of the other theories and working on more of the minutiae of this theory might produce a closer approximation to the true background of the Synoptics.

You can see that scholars have labored over the fact that the three Synoptic Gospels have definite       similarities and differences. The question is why? They’re not history!

Learning Our Faith From the Greek Fathers of the Church — 20160320

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john-chrysostomIn this article I have been considering St. John Chrysostom’s ideas about the Transfiguration of Jesus. I would like to now share some further thoughts just about the Transfiguration which may, or may not, be connected to St. John since I feel that this feast is of particular importance to Eastern   Christian spirituality.

Relatively speaking, the transfiguration is a theme that is relatively neglected in Western Christianity. In our Church and Eastern Christianity, however, it has been kept more lively, at a theological and liturgical level. Historically, in 1456 Pope Callistus III ordered its celebration on August 6th as thanksgiving for   victory over the Turks – an irony, if we connect the transfiguration with the call to suffering or self-denying discipleship in the passages which precede the accounts of it in the Synoptic Gospels. But this feast actually goes further back that this in Western Church history, predating the separation of Western and Eastern communions in the eleventh century. Still, the subject will strike some as better adapted for consideration by the more mystical mentality of the Eastern Church than the more rational Western one.

It probably comes as a surprise to many to discover that the accounts of the transfiguration of Jesus are central to the Synoptic Gospels. At the half-way junction in both Matthew and Mark, we come to Peter’s confession of Christ at Caesarea Philippi, from which point Jesus begins to explain to his disciples that He must suffer and die. The story from there on moves to its climax in the death and resurrection of Jesus. But as the narrative resumes its course, after the teaching which follows the prediction of the passion, we have the story of the transfiguration. In Luke’s Gospel, the account is earlier than in the other two, in relation to the quantity of his material, but it follows structurally in the same sequence: Peter’s confession; prediction of death and resurrection; teaching; and transfiguration. It is also located at the same significant juncture as it is in Matthew and Mark in relation to the overall account of the Gospel for, at Luke 9:51 (why not look it up), shortly after the transfiguration, we read that the time approaches for Jesus ‘to be taken up into heaven’ and so he ‘resolutely sets out for Jerusalem’. The end is already in sight.

The Eastern Church, looking at how the Gospels have presented this event in the life of Jesus, have looked to the ‘message’ of the transfiguration as important for our spirituality.