Église ukrainienne
orthodoxe de
Saint-Marie la Protectrice

ХРИСТОС ВОСКРЕС! ВОІСТИНУ ВОСКРЕС!

CHRIST IS RISEN! TRULY HE IS RISEN!

LE CHRIST EST RESSUSCITÉ! EN VERITÉ IL EST RESSUSCITÉ!

АНТИПАСХА. НЕДІЛЯ 2-ГА ПО ПАСЦІ, АПОСТОЛА ФОМИ. Мчч. Агафопода диякона, Феодула читця і тих, що з ними (близько 303). Прп. Пуплія Єгипетського (ІV ). Прпп. Феони, Симеона і Форвина (ІV). Прп. Марка Афінського (400). Прп. Платона, спов. Студійського (814). Прп. Феодори Солунської (892). На Утрені: Єв. 1-ше: Мт. 28:16-20. На Літургії: Діянь 5:12-20; Ів. 20:19-31.

Сьогодні: по Літургії - Спільне Свячене на нашій залі. Буде програма з виступами нашої молоді, як також доповідь д-ра Олександра Мельника на тему “Бальон, м’ячик і сірена”. ЗАПРОШУЄМО!

ANTI-PASCHA. SECOND SUNDAY OF PASCHA, OF ST. THOMAS. Martyrs Agathopodes the deacon, Theodulus the reader and those with them (c. 303). Matins: G1: Mt. 28:16-20. Liturgy: Acts. 5:12-20; Jn. 20:19-31.

Today after Liturgy we shall have our “Sviachene” Paschal meal. There will be a small program offered by our youth as well as a talk by Dr. Alexander Melnyk on the topic “A Ballon, a Ball and a Siren”. Please come downstairs!

ПОРЯДОК БОГОСЛУЖЕНЬ

Сьогодні: 9:00 ран. Утреня; 10:00 ран. Літургія та Панахида за спочилих. отім Спільне Свячене на нашій залі.

22-го квітня, Четвер: 1:00 по пол. Панахида по Варварі Радченко (10-та р.).

24-го квітня, Субота: 5:00 по пол. Вечірня.

25-го квітня, Неділя 3-тя по Пасці, Свв. Жон Мироносиць: 9:00 ран. Утреня; 10:00 ран. Літургія.

1-го травня, Субота: 5:00 по пол. Вечірня.

2-го травня, Неділя 4-та по Пасці, про Розслабленого: 9:00 ран. Утреня; 10:00 ран. Літургія.

Увага: в неділю 9-го травня – Храмове Свято в Громаді Св.Юрія, яке очолить Владика Юрій.

ORDER OF SERVICES

Today: 9:00 a.m. Matins; 10:00 a.m. Liturgy with a Panakhyda for the reposed followed by the “Sviachene” Paschal meal.

Thursday, April 22: 1:00 p.m. Panakhyda for Varvara Radchenko (10^th ann. of repose).

Saturday, April 24: 5:00 p.m. Vespers.

Third Sunday of Pascha, Sunday of the Myrrh-bearing Women, April 25: 9:00 a.m. Matins; 10:00 a.m. Liturgy.

Saturday, May 1: 5:00 p.m. Vespers.

Fourth Sunday of Pascha, Sunday of the Paralytic, May 2: 9:00 a.m. Matins; 10:00 a.m. Liturgy.

Sunday, May 9 – Patronal Feast Day of St. George’s Parish in Lachine presided by Vladyka Yurij!

УВАГА: У неділі 9 і 16 травня Літургія відправиться о 9:00 ран. (без Утрені) тому що в 11:00 ран. о. Ігор має відправити Обідницю у Катері Св. Софії.

NOTE: On the Sundays of May 9 and 16 Liturgy will take place at 9:00 a.m. (no Matins) since Fr. Ihor must celebrate a Noonday Service at St. Sophie Cathedral at 11:00 a.m.

Молимось за недужих парафіян: Протоєреїв Юрія Бриґідира та Захарія Ревка; Марію Валах, Ніну Замоздру, Григорія Киричка, Анну Романову, Петра Сарнавського, Марію Треба, Василя Черняковича та Николу Харка.

Рідна школа Митрополита Іларіона Тел.: 637-8597. Навчання продовжується в суботу 24-го квітня у Пластовій домівці, 3355 Dandurand.

Metropolitan Ilarion Ukrainian School Lessons continue on Saturday, April 24, at 9:00 a.m. in the Plast Building, 3355 Dandurand. Tel.: 637-8597.

The Healing of Doubt

The name of today’s Sunday “Anti-Pascha” sounds a little strange. It sounds as though something were opposed to Pascha. It is also called “The Second Sunday of Pascha” – as though there had been a Sunday in between. Very strange indeed! What is going on?

In a way we have entered into another state of being, another experience of time which is more than linear. We do not celebrate the Lord’s life, and the life of His Church simply as historical dates, things of the past. We celebrate them as though we were participating in a contemporary reality. For indeed the Risen Christ is among us! He has walked through the doors we locked and invites the doubter to touch His wounds and be no longer unbelieving but believing.

We recall the agony of Thomas. He had not been with the other disciples when the Lord appeared to them last Sunday. Something had prevented him. For a week, while the other disciples rejoiced in their experience of having been with the Risen Lord Thomas had known pain and sadness because he could not share in their joy. Not because he did not want to! Oh no, he loved the Lord! He had even said when Jesus had shown Himself determined to go to Jerusalem even though the disciples warned Him that His life would be in danger there: “Let us go up and die with Him”. Thomas was convinced that the other disciples were in illusion. His conviction made him very sad indeed, but he was not going to settle for an easy “believism”. He simply could not.

Then on the next Sunday (the Sunday opposite to Pascha – further down the trail of time) his special miracle arrives. This time he is present when the beloved Guest enters – through the locked doors! And that Guest is not angry with him for doubting. No He graciously removes - heals – his doubt with the words: “Be no longer unbelieving, but believe!” He does indeed offer to let Thomas touch His wounds, as Thomas had said his doubt required, but the Gospel account does not say that Thomas does so. Instead in relief, in joy, in faith he cries out: “My Lord and my God!”

His week of crucifixion by doubt has brought him – and the community of believers with him – further than anyone had dreamed possible: a door has opened to a marvelous insight which the Church embraces for all time! It is as though time has indeed been telescoped, as by some sort of warp (a faith warp if you will) and we see that the Risen One is not only our Beloved Teacher and Friend Who has been wonderfully and unexpectedly restored to us. He is more! He is the Almighty Himself manifest irrevocably as one of us – God and Human in Him are one and the same!

It is strange and unsettling – and also wonderful!!! How could it be that the One Who made Heaven and earth, Who sustains it and rules over it, could have gone through such pain, could be so very present to us? How could we, full of doubt, ignorance and sinful thoughts and habits, as we are, survive such a meeting? Why are we not consumed as other sinners have been when they encountered the Living Lord? Why is His presence joy and gladness to us instead of pain and punishment?

It is because we have found at last that what we had heard and hardly dared to believe is indeed TRUE: His attitude towards us is not one of anger and indignation – He LOVES us! He has united with us. He has united us to Him. Having passed through the portals of death into Life Eternal, He brings us and all humanity with Him!

Thank you, Thomas! Thank you for not settling for easy “believism”! Thank you for the faith in your doubt! Now we, too, can be among the blessed who have not seen, yet believe. We, too, can come to terms with our doubts – not denying them, but facing them – confident that we are not rejected, not shut out because of them.

“Anti-Pascha” turns out to be Pascha again, only more so. It is the Second Sunday of Pascha, not the First Sunday after Pascha. There is no Sunday after Pascha! Every Sunday is now Pascha for us! The Day, the eternal Day of the Resurrection. Christ is risen and the demons are fallen….. Let us joyfully cry out with Thomas, our brother: “My Lord and my God!”