WEEKLY SCHEDULE
Sunday, January 20 – 35th Sunday after Pentecost
9:30 AM Parishioners of St. Mary’s
Monday, January 21 – Maximus the Confessor, Venerable
8:30 AM Liturgical Hour
Tuesday, January 22 – Timothy, Apostle & Anastasius, Martyr
8:30 AM Acathist to the Theotokos
Wednesday, January 23 – Clement of Ancyra, Martyr
Thursday, January 24 – Xenia, Venerable
Friday, January 25 - Gregory the Theologian, Bishop
8:30 AM Liturgical Hour
Saturday, January 26 - Xenophon & Mary, Venerables
8:30 AM +Delores & +Ed Schroeder
Sunday, January 27 – 36th Sunday after Pentecost
9:30 AM Parishioners of St. Mary’s
Cantor: Steve Petach, Reader: Mike Mina, Coffee Social: Nancy & Mark Sumandra
11:00 AM ECF Classes
PRAYER REQUESTS
Please remember the following people in your prayers: Estella Biedenbender, Ken & John Bosak, Julie Carlin, Andrea Castaña, Fletes Family: Alicia, Frankie, Layla & Veronica, Victoria Flores, Holly Garlow, Michelle Grana, William Harkness, Virginia Harrington, Michael Hefferon, Rob Hooper, Rev. Ed Jaskula, C.R., Chris Johnson, Patricia Kurczak, Irene Lehman, Elizabeth & John Mallas, Dylan Mancia, Toni Martin, Marg Mauro, Juan Gabriel Martinez, Pedro Medina, Mina family: Mila, Diana, Rev. John & Mike, Shannon O’Neill, Sylvia & Ted Pasnak, Tanya Petach, Diane Romano, Rev. Frank Rog, C.R., John Smith, Robert Stamer, Leanne Steuer, Nancy Sumandra, Mary Washko, Dina & Matthew Wiggins, Carmen Zambrano, Lana Zimmerman, Patrick Zimmerman, Fr. Chris Zugger and all those who serve in the Armed Forces.
WEEKLY DEPOSIT
Collection: $1,440.00; Candles: $48.00; Coffee Social: $18.00; Holy Day: $30.00; Church Improvement: $105.00; Initial Offering: $30.00: Christmas: $5,000.00
TOTAL: $6,671.00 / ATTENDANCE: 42
UPCOMING
- February 2nd: Solemnity of the Encounter of our Lord with Simeon, Divine Liturgy at 9:30 AM
- February 19th, 20th & 21st: Parish Enhancement Workshops at St. Stephen’s Cathedral, Phoenix, AZ; topics Financial Management, Safe Environment & Evangelization.
ALL SOULS SATURDAY
Following the Byzantine Catholic tradition, five Saturdays are set aside for the remembrance of the departed members of our families and of our friends. In 2019, the first All Souls Saturday is February 23rd. Using the envelope provided in your packet or on a sheet of paper, please submit the names of those you which to have remembered at the Divine Liturgy on these five Saturdays. Only write the first names of the individuals to be commemorated; if the list of names is the same as last year, simply write “same as last year,” or write “add the following name (s) to my list.” Return your requests to the parish office by mail or by placing them in the collection basket. Deadline for returns is Sunday, February 17th.
EVIL, IN THE WORLD?
There is great evil in the world: crime and violence, drug and alcohol abuse, abortion, social unrest, materialism, etc. But, we must be careful not to give evil too much stature, William Langford said: “But all the wickedness in the world that man might work or think is no more to the mercy of God than a live coal dropped into the vastness of the sea.” In other words, there is no evil so great, no situation so bad, no frustration and depression so deep – that the mercy and compassion of God cannot prevail. How simple the imagery, how easy it is to lose sight of its message.
That was the message that Jesus’ disciples needed to hear when, in today’s gospel reading (Luke 18: 18-27). Jesus demanded their total loyalty and faith, and they worried about their unworthiness and failures (Luke 18: 26) and Jesus replies (Luke 18: 27). That was the image St. Paul understood when, in writing to Timothy, he recounted that even he, the greatest of sinners, one who hunted down Christians, was now used by God as a sign of his long-suffering patience. The egotistical and violent rabbi [Paul] becomes Christianity’ strong confessor. Man’s impossibility becomes God’s possibility.
Whatever we have named “impossible’ in our lives, Christ’s promise is that God will have his way with us. God will do his work in us. God will actually make a miracle for us and fill our lives with “possibles” if we believe He can and will do it. If we surrender all our ego’s attempts to control our lives. If we learn to tames our passions and deprive them of their rule, if we make a daily effort to hand ourselves over to God in prayer, to keep the rule of fasting, and to participate in the Divine Liturgy – we open the way for God to turn the impossible into the possible.
The Lord’s words are pure. He is a shield to those who trust him.
Psalm 10: 10
