JULY 16: CONFESSION – 8:30 AM, DIVINE LITURGY – 9:00 AM (LIVE-STREAMED), DIVINE LITURGY – 11:00 AM.
PROPERS: 07-16-23_Sunday_Council_Fathers_DL
Parishes live-streaming in the Diocese can be found here: https://www.eparchyofpassaic.com/directory
There are 2 Gospel readings on this Sunday. The first Gospel Reading is Matthew 9:27-35, in which Two Blind Men are Healed. Today’s Gospel reading speaks of truths that are of great importance to our everyday lives. It speaks of the love of God for us and our love for God as well as that God never leaves us without His merciful assistance. Two blind men, cry out: “Have mercy on us, Jesus!” They are very persistent. They know and believe in the power of the Lord Jesus Christ without any doubt whatsoever. They plead: “Heal us!” The Lord asks them: “Do you believe in Me? Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They reply: “Yes, Lord, of course we believe!” Then He touches their eyes and they are opened – the blind men recover their sight. We all resemble these two blind men not only in our spiritual blindness, but our bodily ailments, which torment us as did theirs. We ask the Lord to stop our suffering and for the return of our health and the joy of life, which we have somehow lost. But we do not always resemble the blind men in their faith in the Lord and in His power. Let us believe Him and be faithful, as the two blind men believed Him.
The 2nd Gospel Reading is John 17:1-13, Jesus Prays for Himself and for His Disciples, in which “through Jesus’ resurrection and ascension He returns to the heavenly glory that God prepared for him in love, and Jesus prays that his followers will one day join him in the Father’s presence to share in this glory and love.”
On this Sunday, the Church venerates the Holy Fathers of the Ecumenical Councils because Christ has established them as “lights upon the earth,” guiding us to the true Faith. “Adorned with the robe of truth,” the doctrine of the Fathers, based upon the preaching of the Apostles, has established one faith for the Church. The Ecumenical Councils, are the highest authority in the Church. Such Councils, guided by the grace of the Holy Spirit, and accepted by the Church, are infallible.
