Just a few things:

1. Great Vespers this Saturday at 5:00 p.m. Divine Liturgy this Sunday. Confessions and the reading of the Hours is at 9:30 a.m. Divine Liturgy at 10:00 a.m.

2. Upcoming schedule of services:
January 15 – Divine Liturgy – 10:00 a.m.
January 18 – Theophany, Great Blessing of Water – 6:30 p.m.
January 29 – Divine Liturgy – 10:00 a.m.

Those wishing to have their homes blessed by Fr. Evan please be advised that I will be starting to bless homes starting January 24th.

3. Metropolitan’s Levee. January 15th. Holy Trinity Cathedral. 4:00 p.m. moleben. 5:00 reception. All are invited.

4. Our deepest condolences to Subdeacon Dennis and his family on the falling asleep in the Lord of his father. May his memory be eternal.

5. In the 1996 summer Olympics in Atlanta, the U.S. women’s softball team lost only one game, and it was a game they should have won. Here’s why.

In the fifth inning, with the score tied 0-0, U.S. player Dani Tyler clubbed a home run over the fence. She took her home run trot around the bases, and when she reached home, amid the excitement and congratulations and high-fives from her teammates, she failed to tag home plate. When she reached the dugout, the opposing team of Australians tagged home, and the umpire at first base agreed that she had stepped right over the plate.

Tyler returned to third base, where she was stranded. The score remained 0-0 until the end of regulation play.

The U.S. scored a run in the top half of the tenth inning. Then in the bottom of the inning, one strike away from defeat, an Australian player hit a two-run homer to with the game for the Australians. The loss was an emotional blow to the American team and especially to Dani Tyler. “I just can’t believe I missed it, ” she said after the game. “I didn’t know anything about it until I was in the dugout.”

This Sunday’s epistle lesson is from St. Paul’s second letter to Timothy. 4:5-8. Verse 7 is probably the one many of us have heard at one point or another. 7. I have fought the good fight. I have completed the race. I have kept the faith.

It is easy for us to feel that if we have started well, the job is done. Many of my home rennovation projects are a testament to that. I actually have a tool belt. It has two things in it. Band-aids and the business card of my local contractor.

We tend to believe that if we knock the ball over the fence the rest will take care of itself. It is the same in our spiritual lives. We always start out with good intentions. “I am going to attend bible study.” “I am going to attend Great Vespers.” “I am going to make sure my kids are there every Sunday for church school.” “I am going to make confession a regular part of my spiritual life.” “I am going to fast more, pray more, tithe more, etc.” “I am going to take a position on the executive.” We start out strong, but as time goes on we realize that it is not a spiritual sprint. It is a marathon.

There is a reason St. Paul uses the phrase “I have fought the good fight”. It is because it is just that: a fight. It is a constant struggle. Satan will through every distraction, every obstacle possible in our way and the biggest one will be our ego. Our delusional belief that if we start out with the best of intentions, then the job is complete. God does not want just good intentions. Good intentions are worthless without the good works, without the actual commitment. God bless you all in your race.

This week’s question:
What kind of prayer, according to James’ letter, will make a sick person better?

Answer to last week’s question:
What were the three gifts the Wise Men gave to Jesus? Gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

See you in church,

Fr. Evan

Just a few things:

1.  Great Vespers at 5:00 p.m.

2. Divine Liturgy this Sunday:  9:30 a.m. hearing of Confessions and the reading of the Hours.  Divine Liturgy: 10: a.m.

3. Fundraising: Mom’s pantry products.  Order deadline date is March 13th.  Holy Cross makes about 40% commission off of the sales.  So talk to your friends, your families, your neighbors.

Do you fast? Give me proof of it by your works. If you see a poor man, take pity on him. If you see a friend being honored, do not envy him. Do not let only your mouth fast, but also the eye, and the feet, and the hands and all the members of our bodies. Let the hands fast, by being free of avarice. Let the feet fast, by ceasing to run after sin. Let the eyes fast, by disciplining them not to glare at that which is sinful. Let the ears by not listening to evil talk and gossip. Let the mouth fast from foul words and unjust criticism. For what good is it if we abstain from birds and fishes, but bite and devour our brothers?
- Homily III:8 On the Statutes

The Way of the Cross – Feb 27, 2011

Just a few things:

1.  Great Vespers at 5:00 p.m.

2. Divine Liturgy this Sunday:  9:30 a.m. hearing of Confessions and the reading of the Hours.  Divine Liturgy: 10: a.m.

3. Fundraising: Mom’s pantry products.  Order forms will be available this Sunday.  Order deadline date is March 6th.  Holy Cross makes about 40% commission off of the sales.  So talk to your friends, your families, your neighbors.

Holy Trinity Cathedral is hosting a video presentation on the saints.  Each session will begin with a video of Orthodox priests and iconographers discussing the lives and significance of incredible saints. This will be followed by a discussion and fellowship.

Monday, January 31 – 7:00 pm

Monday, February  7 – 7:00 pm

Monday, February 21 – 7:00 pm

Location: Holy Trinity Cathedral Auditorium
5.   On February 13th is the beginning of the Lenten Triodion.  Our journey to Holy Pascha, the glorious resurrection of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ begins.  It begins with the Sunday of the Publican and the Pharisee.  It is a Sunday that tells us that the journey to that Feast of Feasts begins with what is probably the most difficult of tasks:  learning to be humble, learning to shed our self-righteous delusions.

That being said, I wish to share a story with you:

In September 1994 the Associated Press reported on a demonstration by Indian farmers in New Dehli, India.  They were protesting the government of India’s plans to import three million tons of Dutch dung to be used for farm fertilizer.

Why? asked Indian farmers.  There is no shortage of cows in India.  And dung from Indian cows would not be tainted by pesticides.

So in protest, about 100 Indian farmers rolled six ox-carts piled high with top-quality, home-grown dung right up to Parliament.  Presumably they got the legislators’ attention.

Our dung is better than their dung. That is a claim that resembles the pride of the self-righteous person: I am more righteous than they are.

“The seventh virtue is humility and the humility of wisdom.  Humility of heart without labor saves the old, sick, humble, poor, uneducated man.  For its sake all sins are forgiven.  It leads up a man from the very pit of sin.  Through humility of wisdom all the nets of the enemy and his plans are destroyed, and it enroots the spiritual life and preserves it from fall.” St. Pasius Velichkovsky

Answer to last week’s question:

Who is the only disciple whose is recorded in the pages of the Bible?

The Way of the Cross the Cross – February 13, 2011

Just a few things:

1. Vespers at 5:00 p.m. this Saturday.

2. Divine Liturgy: Hearing of confessions and the reading of the hours at 9:30 a.m. Divine Liturgy at 10:00 a.m.

3. Thank you all that came out for Fr. Michael’s farewell barbecue. Fr. Michael will be making his way back to Australia next week. Please keep him in your prayers. It was a joy and a blessing to have him visit our mission and pray with us and hear his words of encouragement for us.

4. Mother’s Day is fast approaching. In honor of that, Holy Cross will be collecting baby layette items for new mothers in need for the Thelma Wynne Project located in Winnipeg. The Thelma Wynne Project has been in existence in one way or another for over 50 years. For much of that time it has been located within St. Matthew’s church building. Dedicated women from Anglican churches in the city make or collect items and then prepare layettes for newborns. The layettes are distributed through social agencies in the city to new mothers who need them. The project has evolved somewhat over the years but originally was started by Thelma Wynne after whom it is named. The items are to be new and include: diapers, blankets, sleepers, caps, booties, baby soap, lotions, etc. Holy Cross will be collecting these items for the month of May until May 30. You can bring your donation to Holy Cross on Sundays or you can contact either Fr. Evan or Sylvia Kitzul at 256-8370 and we can arrange a pick up.

5. On the Sundays that follow Holy Pascha we have our Provody or Graveside services. On these Sundays, the priest will go out to the cemeteries, do a Panakhyda/Litia service during which the deceased members of that congregation, of that cemetery are commemorated. Growing up, I always had mixed feelings about it. It meant that the service would go longer, that we would have to drive to the cemetery, it would be hot, and I would just want to go home. But then my baba would give me a plastic bag and I would make my way with my sister and we would go and get “goodies” from the different memorial offerings: cookies, candies, fruit. It was almost like…Orthodox trick or treating.

As I have “matured” (I know, I couldn’t even write that with a straight face), and have had
the opportunity to serve these services, I have a real deep appreciation for the spiritual and emotional importance of these services.

The Holy Orthodox Church teaches that our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit. We believe in the bodily resurrection of the body. We are against cremation.

If anyone wants to know how we, as Orthodox Christians, are to understand death, the value of the body, all one has to do is attend the services of Great Friday, the commemoration of our Lord and Savior’s death. Christ’s body is taken down from the Cross with great care, His body is wrapped in linen, anointed with tears, placed in a new tomb.

The Orthodox Church has unequivocally taught since Christ’s crucifixion that the proper way to treat the dead is a reverent burying of the body in the ground, in the context of a proper funeral and prayers for those who have fallen asleep in the Lord. We are called to be imitators of Christ, to live as Christ did, and that includes His death as well. We follow the template that Christ established with His own death.

And like the myrrh-bearing women who came to the tomb to anoint Christ’s body, to pay respect to one whom they loved, we too return to the cemeteries and pay respect. We pray for those who no longer can pray for themselves. That is true love. That is how we honor those who have passed away. That is how we keep their memory alive, keep on loving them. We pray for them and ask our Lord and Saviour to grant them peace.

Graveside services are a communal event. It should be attended by all the members of a parish regardless if you have a deceased family member resting in the cemetery or not. We join with those who have lost someone dear to them and by our presence and our prayers we pay respect and testify to the victory of Christ over death.

Answer to last week’s question:
True or false: In Chapter 9 of John’s Gospel, Jesus says He is the light of the world? True. John 9:5

This week’s question:
What sin was Jesus condemning in His parable about the Pharisee and the tax-collector?

See you in church.

In Christ,

Fr. Evan

The Way of the Cross – April 25, 2005

1. Great Vespers at 5:00 p.m. this Saturday. We are back. Woo-hoo! There will be a special choir rehersal at 3:00 for specific parts of the Holy Week services. At 4:00 there will be a general choir rehersal for everyone interested in learning some of the basic melodies for the Holy Week services. Make sense? I hope so because I have a head cold and things are a bit fuzzy for me right now.

2. Divine Liturgy at 10:00 a.m. with the hearing of confessions and the reading of the Hours at 9:30 a.m. Please be advised that we will be blessing the pussy willows at the beginning of the service so that you may hold them during the liturgy, and espeically during the reading of the Gospel, “13. So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, shouting, “Hosanna! How blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord, the King of Israel!”, we can all wave our pussy willows and proclaim with joy the entry of our Lord King into His city.

3. Just a reminder of the schedule of services:
Holy Wednesday, (March 31) – Holy Unction at 7:00 p.m. at All-Saints in Transcona
Holy Thursday, (April 1) – Reading of the 12 Gospels at 6:00 p.m. at Holy Cross
Holy Friday, (April 2) – Shroud Service at 3:00 p.m. at Holy Cross
Holy Saturday, (April 3) – Vesperal Liturgy at 11:00 a.m. at Holy Cross
Holy Pascha, (April 4) – Paschal Matins at 5:15 a.m., Divine Liturgy to follow. We will be breaking the fast together in the multi-purpose room in the basement at St. Andrew’s College so you are invited to stay.

4. Holy Cross has a new webpage/blog set up. Thanks to the hard work of Bob Kaminsky, we have revamped our web-page. Now you can be up to date on everything that is happening in the wonderful world of Holy Cross, and let’s be honest, your lives were just a little bit empty not knowing, right? No? You were doing okay? I don’t believe you. You are all just putting on a brave face. You can check out the new site at www.holycrosswpg.ca

Anyhoo, we have revamped the site. You can now check out pictures of some of the activities Holy Cross has been involved with. You can catch up on missed bulletins. Heck, you can now collect them all, maybe get them bound in a book, put it on the shelf. If you ask nicely I will even autograph it for you. No, no one is asking? Anyone? did I mention that the site is www.holycrosswpg.ca?

Check it out. We would love to hear from you. If your own parish has a webpage let us know so that we can post a link to it. Let us know what is going on in your parish, in your part of the world. www.holycrosswpg.ca

5. Came across an interview that I wanted to share a portion of with you. The interview is with Ed Dobson, who is the subject of the book, “The Year of Living Like Jesus”. The book records his journey of eating kosher, attending synagogue, observing the Sabbath, celebrating feasts and festivals, and trying to think and act like Jesus Christ. (sounds like he was trying to be, oh I don’t know, say…Orthodox?)

One of the quotes from the interview that struck me as really interesting is this one: “When I pastored at Calvary Church (Grand Rapids, MI), we canceled all programs for a year – all youth activities, outreaches, Christmas and Easter programs, everything. We only had Sunday and Wednesday services. We read the Bible, shared the faith, and invested in relationships. We lost hundreds of members who were attached to the programs.”

One of the big things a priest will be asked is, “How active is your parish?” Do you have a Sunday School program, Bible Study, Catechism Classes, an active women’s group/sisterhood, an active men’s group? Do you have youth programs? Do you have an outreach program? And if the priest says no then the priest is seen as a failure. That the church is dying. And here we have a pastor that cancelled all of that and got down to what is the basic fundametal activity for a Christian: Worship and glory of God.

In my humble and sinful opinion I think the success of a church is not in the financial success of the perogie dinners it puts on, it is not in number of members in the women’s organization, it is not even in the number of paid members.

The true measure of the life a church, its health, is on that Sunday morning, or at the various other opportunities that we are called to come together and worship and give glory to God and whether or not the faithful come to that. You will have many that will say, “I do my part. I express my devotion to the church in the kitchen, in the meetings, etc.” They are sadly, attached to the programs…and not the church.

Pastor Ed Dobson tried to reverse that trend in his church. He spent a year eating kosher. For Orthodox Christians, the equivalent is following our fasting guidelins. He attended synagogue. For Orthodox Christians, the equivalent is attending the Divine Liturgy. He observed the Sabbath and celebrated feasts and festivals. For Orthodox Christians the equivalent is actually making an effort to participate in the liturgical calendar of our Holy Church. He cancelled the programs and told his flock that it was time to get down to basics.

It is time for all of us to get attached to our Church again it is time for us to get to the basics again. To make the worship and glory of God the reason for attending and allowing the joy and spiritual fulfillment that comes from it, then, and only then, inspire everything else we do in God’s name.

Answer to last week’s question:
Who did Jesus say would be remembered whenever the gospel was preached throughout the world? The woman who poured expensive perfume on Jesus’ head.

This week’s question:
What are the final words of Jesus, as recorded in the Book of Acts?

See you in church!

In Christ,

Fr. Evan

The Way of the Cross – March 28, 2010

Just a few things:

1. Great Vespers are at St. Ivan Suchavsky U.O.C.C, (939 Main St.), 5:00 p.m.

2. Divine Liturgy: Hearing of confessions and reading of the Hours at 9:30 p.m.

3. Passia Service: St. Ivan Suchavsky, 6:00 p.m.

4. Perogy sales: 512 dozen sold – $2066.50 raised. Thank you to everyone that helped out, placed orders, made deliveries, donated potatoes, flour or in my case, stayed far away from the pinching process.

5. Something about this Sunday’s Gospel lesson caught my eye. 35. In the morning, while it was still very dark, Jesus got up and went to a deserted place and prayed there. 36. Simon and his companions searched diligently for him. 37. When they found him, they told him, “Everyone’s looking for you.” Mark 10:35-37

The disciples go looking for Jesus and when they find Him, they say, “Everyone’s looking for you.” A lot of times, when we are faced with trouble, adversity, pain, we will ask “Where is God?” That somehow, God is hiding from us, that He is playing the best game of hide and seek.

The truth is, God does not hide. God is ever present. The best example of this is our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, the Son of God, Second Person of the Holy Trinity, God incarnate. Present, real, tangible. God “out in the open.”

This lenten journey is a journey of discovery. We hopefully take the time to stop being distracted by everything around us and look for Christ. Through prayer, through confession, through fasting, giving of alms, we will find Christ at the heart of every one of those spiritual actions.

If someone asks you, “Where is Christ?” tell them He is not hiding. He is there in your prayers. He is there in your fasting, in your confessions, in everything that we do, Christ is there. The challenge is to open our eyes, to ignore the distractions around us. That is what Great Lent and the spiritual life of the Church is all about. Every prayer, confession, time of fasting, church service, the writings of the Church Fathers, the lives of the saints, all these things are meant to be “eye-opening” moments. All these things should leave us wide-eyed and amazed.

Answer to last week’s question:
True or false? In Chapter 6 of the Gospel of John, Jesus is depicted as the water of life.
False. Jesus is depicted as the bread of life.

This week’s question:
Who did Jesus say would be remembered whenever the gospel was preached throughout the world?

See you in church!

The Way of the Cross – March 21, 2010
In Christ,

Fr. Evan