Église ukrainienne
orthodoxe de
Saint-Marie la Protectrice

Неділя 4-та Великого посту. Прп. Іоана Ліствичника. Голос 7-ий. Прп. Феофілакта спов., єп. Нікомідійського (842-845). Сщмч. Феодорита, пресвітера Антіохійського (361-363). Прп. Дометія (363). Прпп. Лазаря (1391) і Афанасія (ХV) Мурманських, Оленецьких. Ікони Божої Матері «Знамення» Курської (1898). Літургія Св. Василія Великого. На Утрені: Єв. 7-ме: Ів. 20:1-10. На Літургії: ряд. Євр. 6:13-20; Мк. 9:17-31; прп.: Єф. 5:9-19; Мт. 4:25-5:12.

Fourth Sunday of the Great Fast. St. John of the Ladder. Tone 7. St. Theophylactus, Bp. of Nicomedia (842-845). Apostle Hermas of the Seventy. Kursk Root Icon of the Mother of God. Liturgy of St. Basil the Great. Matins: G7: Jn. 20:11-18. Liturgy: Heb 6:13-20; Mk. 9:17-31; Ven.: Eph. 5:9-19; Mt. 4:25-5:12.

ПОРЯДОК БОГОСЛУЖЕНЬ

Сьогодні: 9:00 ран. Утреня; 10:00 ран. Літургія. Потім буде Панахида за всіх спочилих парафіян і родичів їх і Поминки у нас на залі. Теж поминатимемо новопереставленого в Казахстані Геннадія, двоюрідного брата прихожанки Галини Клочкової. 5:00 по пол. Пасія в Соборі Успіння Пресвятої Богородиці в Оттаві. Духовну бесіду проведе о. Євген Рудич. 7:00 веч. Вечірня в Сербській Церкві Пресв. Тройці, 340 Melville (Westmount). Проповідь на тему «Любов» (в англійській або французькій мові) виголосить о. Даниїл Ґібаґа (священик румунський).

24-го березня, Середа: 5:00 по пол. Поклони.

26-го березня, П’ятниця: 9:30 ран. Літургія Раніше Освячених Дарів.

27-го березня, Акафисна Субота – Похвала Пресвятої Богородиці: 9:30 ран. Літургія. 5:00 по пол. замість Вечірні Пасія у нашому Храмі. Духовну бесіду проведе о. Євген Рудич.

28-го березня, Неділя 5-та Великого посту, Прп. Марії Єгипецької: 9:00 ран. Утреня; 10:00 ран. Літургія. 7:00 веч. Вечірня в Грецькій Церкві Свв. Архангелів, 11801, av. Elie-Blanchard (Nouveau Bordeaux). Проповідь на тему «Милосеря» (в англійській мові) виголосить о. Іван Ткачук.

2-го квітня, П’ятниця: 9:30 ран. Літургія Раніше Освячених Дарів.

3-го квітня, Лазарева Субота: 9:00 ран. Літургія у Катедрі Св. Софії – говіння молоді наших парафій. У нас тоді Відправи не буде. 5:00 по пол. Вечірня – у нас.

4-го квітня, Неділя 6-та. Вербна. Вхід Господній в Єрусалим: 9:00 ран. Утреня – посвячення лози; 10:00 ран. Літургія.

ORDER OF SERVICES

Today: 9:00 a.m. Matins; 10:00 a.m. Liturgy. Followed by a Panakhyda for all our reposed and a Memorial Lunch in the hall. We shall also pray for newly-reposed (in Kazakhstan) Gennadi, cousin of Galina Klochkova, friend of the Parish, as well as for his family. 5:00 p.m. Lenten Service “Pasiya” in the Sobor of the Dormition (Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Cathedral) in Ottawa. Spiritual address by Fr. Gene Ruditch. 7:00 p.m. Vespers in the Serbian Orthodox Church of the Holy Trinity, 340 Melville (Westmount). Sermon on “Love” (in English or French) by Fr. Daniel Guibaga.

Wednesday, March 24: 5:00 p.m. The Great Canon of St. Andrew of Crete.

Friday, March 26: 9:30 a.m. Liturgy of Pre-sanctified Gifts.

Akathist Saturday, March 27 – Praise of the Most Holy Theotokos: 9:30 a.m. Liturgy. 5:00 p.m. instead of Vespers – the Lenten Service “Pasiya” in this Temple. Spiritual address by Fr. Gene Ruditch.

Sunday, March 28, Fifth Sunday of the Great Fast. St. Mary of Egypt: 9:00 a.m. Matins; 10:00 a.m. Liturgy. 7:00 p.m. Vespers in the Greek Church of the Holy Archangels, 11801, av. Elie-Blanchard (Nouveau Bordeaux). Sermon on “Charity” (in English) by Fr. John Tkachuk.

Friday, April 2: 9:30 a.m. Liturgy of Pre-sanctified Gifts.

Lazarus’ Saturday, April 3: 9:00 a.m. Liturgy in St. Sophie Cathedral – Confession and Communion for the youth of our Parishes. No Liturgy in this Temple. 5:00 p.m. Vespers – in this Temple.

PALM SUNDAY. THE ENTRY OF THE LORD INTO JERUSALEM: 9:00 a.m. Matins – blessing of the willows; 10:00 a.m. Liturgy.

Молимось за недужих парафіян: Протоєреїв Юрія Бриґідира та Захарія Ревка; Марію Валах, Олександра Мазуркевича, Меланію Момот, Анну Романову, Петра Сарнавського, Марусю Авраменко-Сіґрам, Марію Треба та Василя Черняковича.

Рідна школа Митрополита Іларіона продовжує науку в суботу 27-го березня у Пластовій Домівці о год. 9-ій ранку. Тел.: 637-8597.

Metropolitan Ilarion Ukrainian School continues its lessons on Saturday, March 27, at 9:00 a.m. Tel.: 637-8597.

Рідна Школа Митрополита Іларіона поставить Свято Тараса Шевченка в нашій Громаді в неділю 28-го ц.м. по Літургії.

Metropolitan Ilarion Ukrainian School will present a Taras Shevchenko Concert in our Parish on Sunday, March 28, after Liturgy.

SOME THOUGHTS ON ”THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST”

Archpriest Ihor G. Kutash

I went to see the film with some trepidation since I had heard about the horrible brutality of which the media spoke. I was certainly not expecting to literally see Holy Scripture on film.  I knew it would be another retelling of the Story from the point of view of the film’s producers.

And indeed at times I had to cover my eyes and cringe in my seat.  I am sure that if I had been present at the actual scene it would have been infinitely worse than the film portrayed. What the film did was make sure that the viewers saw the sufferings endured by our Lord as clearly as they could convey them. If this troubles people – well it should, I think. Just as the sufferings of any person on this planet should.

But there was a difference here. It was particularly well-conveyed by the moment where Jesus tells His mother who has rushed up to Him through the crowd as He lay fallen beneath the weight of the Cross (which He embraced!): “See, Mother, I am making all things new!"!  It underscored the fact that, even from a strictly human point of view, a most wonderful thing was happening.  A Man, entirely innocent of any crime, is being brutally abused and instead of responding to it in a way that would call at least for justification and exoneration if not bloody vengeance on the part of those who esteem Him, He prays for and forgives the evildoers.  And inspires others to do the same!  Why this example, even if on did not believe that Jesus is God incarnate, has the power to transform those who hear of and see it!

And the violence is interspersed by inserts of Jesus preaching the Sermon on the Mount and presiding at the Last (Orthodox say ”Mystical”) Supper. The peace and warmth of those moments is highlighted by the horror and cruelty of the seemingly never-ending abuse of our Lord. They also underscore His integrity. It is one thing to say and think warm and kind thoughts when things are pleasant – it is quite another to hold firm to this course in the furnace of adversity. Our Lord held firm to the very end.

I have heard many adverse comments about the film before and after seeing it. The most common one was that it seems to lay the blame for the crucifixion upon the Jews. I personally did not see any particular emphasis on this. The Roman Governor, Pilate, was as much to blame – even though he tried to absolve himself of the guilt by washing his hands. The Roman soldiers were generally most sadistic – alas, not an uncommon trait among humans of any ethnic origin, who lose touch with the fact that anything you do to anyone besides yourself you actually do to yourself. Mel Gibson is reported to have responded to this charge something like this: “Who’s to blame? Me, first of all!” Echoing the words of St. Paul who called himself “the first of sinners”.

But those who look for folks to blame overlook the most important meaning of the Passion – and you clearly hear Christ’s words in the film: “No one takes My life from Me - I give it Myself”! The Passion is the greatest love story ever told – or filmed. And the wonderful thing is that it is completely true! It is God incarnate offering Himself for His beloved creation – accepting the horrors and stings of cruelty, brutality and death wrought by sin and becoming the Way through these things to peace and love and life that cannot be extinguished or even stained by them.

The love story ends in the film (it never ends in reality!) with Jesus’ resurrection which I found to be treated with marvelous taste and imagination – no fanfare (although I love the fanfare involved in the celebration of the Resurrection) – just the grave-clothes gently falling in on themselves since there is no longer any Body for them to contain and Jesus, His body unmarked by the cruelty of the scourging, with only the holes made by the nails in His hands, walking out of the tomb.

To sum up: a great film, requiring some reserves to get through the scenes of the violence. Something to be thankful for. Another wake-up call for humanity. And very timely.