Pastor - St. Mary Church, Corry, Pa.

ST. MARY'SCell -(814) 490-9110

TwenTy-eighT Sunday afTer PenTecoST Sunday Before The naTiViTy of chriST! January 1, 2017

THE MEANING OF THE NATIVITY OF CHRIST

In one of the Church's services commemorating the Nativity of our Lord, we hear a certain refrain sung over and over again. It it: "God is with us!" This is the meaning of the word 'Emmanuel." This expression provides us with a capsule definition of Christmas. The feastday of Christmas means that

God Himself has come to earth to dwell among men. It means that God has taken upon Himself human flesh and becomes man. The origin of the exclamation "God is with us," or 'Emmanuel" is a unique story. It was first used by the great Prophet Isaiah who lived some 750 years before the birth of Jesus. The Book of Isaiah in the Old Testament speaks eloquently about the forthcoming Saviour. In 7:14 we have this crystal clear prophecy: "Therefore the Lord Himself shall give you a sign: Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Emmanuel." The greatest act of humility was made that night, nearly two thousand years ago, when the Eternal God, the Creator, came to earth in the form of a Babe. The One whom the heavens could not contain was wrapped in swaddling clothes, as a helpless newborn. Our Lord humbled Himself and became man. But of course, it is not enough for us to simply proclaim "God is with us!" We must act upon it. This simple act must color our life -- our every breath, our every day, and every encounter. Let the spirit of Christmas -- the spirit of humility, love, kindness & faith sink deeply into our souls during this sacred season, and then let it linger there always. Let it be clear to one and all that God is with us and we rejoice in that reality. Come, then, let us obssrve the Feast! For this day the ancient slavery is ended, the devil confounded, the demons take to flight, the power of death is broken, paradise is unlocked, the curse is taken away, sin is removed from us, error driven out, truth has been brought back, the speech of kindliness diffused, and spreads on every side, a heavenly way of life has been implanted on the earth, angels communicate with men without fear, and men now hold speech with angels. (St. John Chrysostom)

Spiritual thoughts about our Mothers who have fallen asleep and will not be with us this Christmas:Y Your mother is always with you. She's the whisper of the leavesas you walk down the street.Y She's the smell of certain foods at Christmas you remember. The flowers you pick, the fragrance of life itself. She's the cool hand on your brow when you're not feeling well. She's your breath in the air on a cold winter's day.Y She is the sound of the rain that lulls you to sleep, the colors of a rainbow.Y She is Christmas morning.Y Your mother lives inside your laughter. She's the place you came from, your first home, and she's the map you follow with every stepyou take. Y She's your first love, your first friend, even your first enemy but nothing on earth can separate you ... not time, not space, not even death.Y Merry Christmas Mom! We miss you, but you are with God and God is with us! God is with us! S'nami Boh!

CHRIST IS BORN! GLORIFY HIM! May the newborn Christ Child bless all the faithfulmembers of St. Mary Church (Corry) and St. Nicholas Church (Erie) for their dedication in attending often theDivine Liturgy, for hearing the Word of God and forbeing spiritually nourished through the Sacraments ofHoly Confession and Holy Communion and for theirkind acts of charity and love for one another.

During the season of Christmas, the Church forbids us to fast be-cause of the joyous nature of Christ's Birth. There is NO FASTING from January 7 until January 17 (Meat can be eaten on Friday). The next fasting date is Epiphany Eve, January 18, a day of Strict Fast!

As we celebrate the Birth of Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, let us fill His house with songs of praise and glory. We welcome every visitor and we are happy that you are present. May the Joy and Peace of our Lord's Birth be yours and your loved ones. CHRIST IS BORN!

CHRISTOS RAZDAJETSJA.! SLAVITE JEHO!

Please Note: January 6th & January 18th are days of Strict Fast! On

Christmas Eve and Epiphany Eve, All Faithful should abstain from Meat, Milk and Dairy Products. The day should be spent in prayer and fasting. Also, we should strive to attend Vigil Eve Services at St. Nicholas Orthodox Church in Erie, Pa.

To all the members of our "Church Family" who are in Nursing Homes, Hospitals or ill at home and are unable to be with us this Christmas morning to attend the Divine Liturgy, we want you to know that we truly miss and love you and are praying for your speedy

recovery so that you may once again be with your loved ones. May your family be able to visit with you to celebrate this Holy Feastday. May the New-born Christ Child grant you his healing power so that you may join us soon, in prayer, to glorify His Holy Name. Christ Is Born!

THE JORDAN: THE BEGINNING OF THE GOSPEL

The Feast Day of Theophany marks the day when out Lord stepped out

of thirty years of obscurity to reveal Him-self as the Son of God, and to embark upon a divine mission that would end three years later with His Crucifixion and Resurrec-tion. This was the "starting point" for all of the parables, the healings and the mir-acles that would form the living Gospel of Jesus Christ. Saint Cyril of Jerusalem writes: "The beginning of the world -- water: the beginning of the Gospel -- the Jordan." When Christ came for-ward to be baptized in this ancient river's waters, the mystery of the Holy Trinity was revealed to the world. As the troparion for the Feast teaches us: ... the voice of the Father bore witness to You, calling You His Beloved Son, and the Spirit in the form of a dove confirmed to truthfulness of His Word." It is no wonder that the Feast of Theophany is also called the "Feast of Illumination," for it was on this special day that mankind was enlightened by this mysterious event. The Feast Day of Theophany reminds us that Christ came to take the sins of the world upon Himself. Just as He "died" the immersion in the Jordan) and "rose" again

(coming out of the waters of the Jordan), so, too, must we "die" to our old, sinful ways and "Rise" again, cleansed, renewed and reborn. Indeed, on this blessed day, our Savior points out the way to our salvation. On this blessed day, the Church also reminds us of the importance and significance of our own baptism. We are taught that our salvation and cleansing from sin is only possible through the grace of the Holy Spirit, which comes down upon us in the sacrament of Baptism. St. Paul tells us that "As many as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ." (Galatians 3:27) Indeed, Baptism offers us the means of shedding our old self and taking on a new life as a follower of our Lord. Through baptism, we become "dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 6:11) Yes, we are cleansed, renewed and "born again" at our baptism! Baptism involves a promise. Through our Godparents, we promised to renounce Satan and his works and to embrace a life of service to Christ. Baptism also involves a great commitment. It is no coincidence that the Gospel Lesson read during this solemn service contains the Lord's Great Commission to His Apostles; "Go and teach all nations." These words are a reminder to us that each of us is a disciple and mission-ary. In our own way, we too are called upon to carry Christ's message out to those who have not heard it.

JANUARY CALENDAR OF FEASTDAYS 2017 January 7 - Nativity of our Lord. Divine Liturgy at St. Mary, Corry, PA will be served at 10:00 a.m.

January 8 - Synaxis of Theotokos.

Sunday after the Nativity of our Lord Commemoration of the Holy Righteous Ones: Joseph the Betrothed, David the King, and James, the Brother of the Lord January 9 - Proto-Martyr and Archdeacon Stephen

January 14 - Circumcision of our Lord, St. Basil the Great and Julian New Year. January 15 - Sunday Before Theophany

January 18 - Theophany Eve - Day of Strict Fast.

January 19 - Theophany - Baptism of Our Lord..

January 20 - Synaxis of St. John the Baptist January 22 - 31st Sunday after Pentecost. Divine Liturgy will be served at St. Mary Church at 11:00 a.m. January 29 - Zacchaeus Sunday 32nd Sunday after Pentecost

February 5 - Sunday of the Publican and the Pharisee - Triodion Begins Divine Liturgy at will be served at St. Mary Church at 11:00 a.m.

Note: Sunday, January 22, 2017: A Panachida will be served for the departed soul of deceased in the Yurcan family: mother Mrs. Aniela, father Wasyl, sister Mary and brothers John and Walter Yurcan which was offered by son and brother George Yurcan. In memory of the 31st anniver-sary of his mother's death - January 1.

IS THIS YOU?

Late one December,, an elementary school princi-pal said to his teachers: "Let's all write our New

Year's Resolutions about how we can be better teach-ers, and I'll put them on the staff bulletin board. In that way, we can be mutually supportive in our efforts to keep those resolutions.." The teachers agreed, and when the resolutions were posted, they all crowded around the bulletin board to read them. One of the young teachers in the group suddenly went into a fit of anger. She said, "He didn't put up my resolution. It was one of the first ones in. He doesn't care about me. That just shows what it's like around here." On and on she ranted and raved. The principal, who over-heard this from his office was mortified. He hadn't meant to exclude her resolution. Quickly rummag-ing through the papers on his desk, he found it and immediately went to the bulletin board and tacked it up. The resolution read: "I resolve not to let little things upset me anymore." Resolution, but no commitment!

JANUARY - 2017 9 - Mr. Ray Sparks 30 - Mr. Kevin Mizak 30 - Mrs. Kathleen Mizak

ANOTHER YEARI always get mixed feelings Every year at this time;They come as I reflect On the days I've left behind.

It seems like just yesterday That New Year's Day was here;But here we are again Beginning another New Year.

365 days were given me With special opportunities galore;One by one they have gone Never to be restored.

Time is a gift from God Allotted to every man and woman;It is mine to use And do the best I can.

It is not in the past That I'll seek to stay;It is in the future Which begins with today.

Two Babes iN A manger

In 1994, two Americans answered an invitation from the Russian Department of Education to teach morals and ethics (based on biblical principles) in the public schools. They were invited to teach at

prisons, businesses, the fire and police departments and a large orphanage. About 100 boys and girls who had been abandoned, abused, and left in the care of a government-run program were in the orphanage. They relate the following story in their own words: It was nearing the holiday season, 1994, time for our orphans to hear for the first time, the traditional

story of Christmas. We told them about Mary and Joseph arriving in Bethlehem. Finding no room in the inn, the couple went to a stable, where the baby Jesus was born and placed in a manger. Throughout the story, the children and orphanage staff sat in amazement as they listened. Some sat on the edges of their stools, trying to grasp every word. Completing the story, we gave the children three small pieces of cardboard to make a crude manger. Each child was given a small paper square, cut from yellow napkins I had brought with me. No colored paper was available in the city. Following instructions, the children tore the paper and carefully laid strips in the manger for straw. Small squares of flannel, cut from

a worn-out nightgown an American lady was throwing away as she left Russia, were used for the baby's blan-ket. A doll-like baby was cut from tan felt we had brought from the United States. The orphans were busy assembling their manger as I walked among them to see if they needed any help. All went well until I got to one table where little Misha sat. He looked to be about 6 years old and had finished his project. As I looked at the little boy's manger, I was startled to see not one, but two babies in the manger. Quickly, I called for the translator to ask the lad why there were two babies in the manger. Crossing his arms in front of him and looking at this completed manger scene, the child began to repeat the story very seriously. For such a young boy, who had only heard the Christmas story once, he related the happenings accurately-until he came to the part where Mary put the baby Jesus in the manger. Then, Misha started to ad-lib. He made up his own ending to the story as he said, "And when Maria laid the baby in the manger, Jesus looked at me and asked me if I had a place to stay. I told him I have no mama and I have no papa, so I don't have any place to stay. Then Jesus told me I could stay with him. But I told him, I couldn't because I didn't have any place to stay. Then Jesus told me I could stay with him. But I told him I couldn't, because I didn't have a gift to give him like everybody else did. But I wanted to stay with Jesus so much, so I thought about what I had that maybe I could use for a gift. I thought maybe if I kept him warm, that would be a good gift. So I asked Jesus,, "If I keep you warm, will that be a good enough gift?" And Jesus told me, "If you keep me warm, that will be the best gift anybody ever gave me. "So I got into the manger, and then Jesus looked at me and he told me I could stay with him --- for always." As little Misha finished his story, his eyes brimmed full of tears that splashed down his little cheeks. Put-ting his hand over his face, his head dropped to the table and his shoulders shook as he sobbed and sobbed. The little orphan had found someone who would never abandon nor abuse him, someone who would stay with him -- FOR ALWAYS. I'VE LEARNED THAT IT'S NOT WHAT YOU HAVE IN YOUR LIFE, BUT WHO YOU HAVE IN YOUR LIFE THAT COUNTS.

THEOPHANY The BleSSing of our homeS

Following the Feast of Theophany, the blessing given to water is car-

ried to the homes of the faithful. By His baptism in the Jordan, Christ touched our lives and our whole world, and re-vealed His loving desire to make all things holy. At His baptism, the Holy Trinity was revealed to mankind -- the Father spoke, the Son was made known, and the Spirit descended in the form of a dove, a sign of peace for forgiveness to all people. This is the blessing that is carried to our homes, a sign that our lives are precious to the Lord, that we are immersed in His love, and that the whole world is now filled with His love.

Saint Basil the Great was born in 220 A.D. in Cae-sarea. His devout parents imparted the love of God to all of their children with such success

that each of them would, one day, become saints of the Church! While yet unbaptized, Basil spent fifteen years studying in Athens. He excelled in all of his studies, but theology was truly his "first love." He was baptized in the Jordan, entered the priesthood and was consecrated Bishop of Caesarea in 370 A.D. The title, "Great" certainly applies to Saint Basil. He was a great liturgist compiling a liturgy that bears his name and is still served 10 times a year in the Orthodox Church. He was a great monastic, establishing and setting down an "order" for monks to follow in their daily lives. He was a great planner and developer, creating charitable in-stitutions such as hospitals, orphanages and homes for the elderly -- institutions that were unheard of prior to his time. All of this was accomplished in a relatively brief life of only 49 years. Saint Basil is rightly described as a great champion of Orthodoxy, a great torch of moral purity and a great pillar of the Church. His feast day is celebrated on (January 1/14) and along with Gregory the Theologian and John Chrysostom, he is remembered on the Feast Day of the Three Hierarchs as well (January 30/February 12)"Your teaching has spread over the whole world, for it has accepted your words that gave a divine explanation of doc-trine. You have made clear the nature of things and set a rule of life for men. Holy Father and Kingly Priest, intercede with Christ God that he may save our souls" Troparion

The Circumcision of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ

On the eighth day after His Nativity, our Lord Jesus Christ was circumcised in accordance with the Old Testament Law. All male infants underwent circumcision as a sign of God's Covenant with the holy Forefather Abraham and his descendants (Gen. 17:10-14, Lev. 12:3)

After this ritual the Divine Infant was given the name Jesus, as the Archangel Gabriel declared on the day of the Annunciation to the Most Holy Theotokos (Luke 1:31-33, 2:21). The Fathers of the Church explain

that the Lord, the Creator of the Law, underwent circumcision in order to give people an example of how faithfully the divine ordinances ought to be fulfilled. The Lord was circumcised so that later no one would doubt that He had truly assumed human flesh, and that His Incarnation was merely an illusion, as certain (Docetists) taught. In the New Testament, the ritual of circumcision gave way to the Mystery of Baptism, which it prefigured (Col. 2:11-12). Accounts of the Feast of the Circum-

cision of the Lord continue in the Eastern Church right up through the fourth century. The Canon of the Feast was written by St. Stephen of the St. Sava Monastery (October 28 and July 13). In addition to circumcision, which the Lord accepted as a sign of God's Covenant with mankind, He also received the Name Jesus (Savior) on the eighth day after His Nativity as an indication of His service, the work of the salvation of the world (Mt. 1:21; Mark 9:38-39, 16:17; Luke 10:17; Acts 3:6, 16; Phil 2:9-10). These two events, the Lord's Circumcision and Naming, remind Christians that they have entered into a New Covenant with God and "are circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ" (Col. 2:11). The very name "Christian" is a sign of mankind's entrance into a New Covenant with GodTroparion ot the Circumcision: Merciful Lord seated on high on a fiery throne together with your Eternal Father and your Divine Spirit: You condescended to be born on earth of your human Mother all-pure; also, to be circumcized as a man on the eighth day. Glory to your most righteous will! Glory to your plan of redemption! Glory to your con-descension, O Christ who alone are the Lover of Mankind! Feastday celebrated on January 14, Jullian Calendar.