APR 23: CONFESSION – 08:30 AM, DIVINE LITURGY – 09:00 AM (LIVE-STREAMED); ANNUAL PASCHA EGG HUNT – 10:15 AM; DIVINE LITURGY – 11:00 AM.
PROPERS: PS3_Sunday_Myrrhbearers_DL
Parishes live-streaming in the Diocese can be found here: https://www.eparchyofpassaic.com/livestream
GOD WITH US ON-LINE: SUNDAY OF THE MYRRHBEARING WOMEN CATECHETICAL RESOURCES (from 2022) – https://godwithusonline.org/reflections/the-sunday-of-the-myrrhbearing-women-ruthenian/
There are two Gospel Readings today. The first is Mark 15: 43-16:8 which describes how the women disciples of our Lord came to the tomb to anoint his body with myrrh-oils but found the tomb empty. As the woman wondered what this meant, angels appeared proclaiming that Christ had risen from the dead. We commemorate these brave myrrh-bearer women. Brave because they were with Jesus in His death and now, after death they are still with Him. As faithful apprentices they were following their Lord beyond death.
The second Gospel Reading is John 15:17-18.2, in which Jesus is addressing the Apostles (minus Judas). Though we see world hatred, most important is loving one another and bearing witness to God. Jesus initially states: “This I command you, to love one another.” As Christ lived humbly and showed love to others, He expects the same from His followers. He as their “vine” and they the “branches.” Thus He says: “As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.”
On April 23rd we commemorate Saint George. He was a soldier in the Roman army & is venerated as a Christian martyr. On 24 Feb AD 303, Emperor Diocletian issued an edict that every Christian army soldier be arrested and every other soldier offers a sacrifice to the Roman gods. St. George objected, and claimed to the Emperor himself a Christian. Diocletian attempted to convert George by offering land, money and slaves if he made a sacrifice to the Roman gods, but George never accepted. Therefore Emperor had him tortured and executed. Before the execution George gave his wealth to the poor. He is immortalized as Saint George and the Dragon and is one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers and prominent military saint. In iconography he is depicted as a slaying a dragon (representing Satan) with often the image of the young maiden (wife of Diocletian, Alexandra) looking on from a distance.
