Year: 2017

Jan
28
2017
By Fr. Michael Winn

Fasting and Abstinence Rules Prescribed for the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church | 2015

Christian Life
Definitions Abstinence means that we do not eat a certain type of food or any other foods that have that as an ingredient. Fasting means that we eat less food. A general rule is that for a day of fast, the amount of food of the main meal is less than the other two meals combined. Those exempt from fasting and abstinence are: Children under the age of 14 Adults over the age of 60 those who are gravely ill pregnant women post-partum mothers breast-feeding mothers travellers (if travel time exceeds 8 hours) those engaged in heavy labour those who…
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Jan
27
2017
By Fr. Michael Bombak

John 10:9-16 What’s My Motivation?

Faith, , ,
Christ is Born! "What's my motivation?" I remember this becoming a half joke among my drama friends back in High School. As an actor struggles to play a character, and to really understand that character from "the inside out," they would continually ask themselves why that character would be doing what they were doing in the scene. What emotion was driving that line? What intention was behind them doing a certain action. In our reading today, Our Lord outlines what His motivation is. He is the Good Shepherd, the one who is motivated through love of the sheep. He is…
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Jan
26
2017
By Fr. Michael Bombak

Mark 11:27-33- The Truth!? You Can’t Handle the Truth!

Faith, , ,
Christ is Born! Remember when you were younger and there was something you didn't understand and so you brought it to your parents who realized how long it would take to try to answer the question, and how you wouldn't get it anyway, and so they said "we'll tell you when you're older." You may have not been ready to understand the truth because of your age, but at least you were interested in knowing the truth. This is the difference between a child asking, someone who will honestly not understand, and the chief priests and scribes to which Jesus is…
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Jan
25
2017
By Fr. Michael Bombak

Mark 11:23-26- Mind Your Manners

Faith, ,
Christ is Born! I have heard it said, that when you ask the Lord to move a mountain, don't be surprised if He hands you a shovel. Whatever the method of moving mountains, we need faith to see it through. In today's reading our Lord reminds us of His amazing power, as well as the awesome gift of faith through prayer. And yet we know that faith, which is necessary for our discipleship, can be a very difficult to find at times. The classic example of this is often seen in the cry of the father to Christ "Lord, I…
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Jan
24
2017
By Fr. Michael Bombak

Mark 11:11-23- I Don’t Give a Fig!

Faith, , ,
Christ is Born! Bible quiz- What type of leaves did Adam and Eve sew together to make themselves clothes in the garden of Eden? That's right, fig leaves! We actually see fig trees in many places in Scripture. The fig tree came to be recognized as a symbol of national wealth and prosperity for God's people in the Old Testament. With this in mind, and only in the context of Our Lord's triumphant entry into Jerusalem and His cleansing of the temple, can we understand what is being conveyed when Christ does not find any fruit on the tree, and…
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Jan
23
2017
By Fr. Michael Winn
Blessed Martyrs of Pratulin

Blessed Martyrs of Pratulin

Christian Life, Faith
Today is the anniversary of the massacre of thirteen peasant men and boys who died defending a little Greek Catholic church in what is now Poland. They gathered, with their families and neighbors, to prevent the Russian Imperial government from imposing an Orthodox priest into their parish. This took place when the Tsar destroyed the last Greek Catholic eparchy in the empire, Chelm, in 1873 – 1875. Deportations had already begun of clergy and lay leaders who were sent off in long columns on foot to Siberia. Read more at Father Christopher Zugger  
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Jan
23
2017
By Fr. Michael Bombak

Mark 10:46-52- You Gotta Want It

Faith, ,
Christ is Born! It's always very disheartening to see a person who has been incredibly gifted with natural ability- whether in music, sports, intelligence etc.- but lacking the drive to do anything with it. This is often noticed especially with teachers who recognize wonderful gifts among their students but are at a loss as to motivate them to develop them. Bartimaeus on the other hand is a different kind of guy. He's living in Jericho, the capital of godlessness, and he's blind. He hears our Lord coming through and shouts out to Him. When he is silenced he shouts all…
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Jan
20
2017
By Fr. Michael Bombak
Mark 10:23-32- Who Can be Saved?

Mark 10:23-32- Who Can be Saved?

Faith,
Christ is Born! Often times, depending on the Christian you are talking to, a lot of fuss and worry is made about "if you are being saved or not." In fact, with door to door evangelists "are you saved?" is often the first question which they will ask. The short answer for an orthodox Christian is "I am saved, I am being saved and I will be saved." Salvation is an on-going process. Some of it depends on us and some of it does not. Our Lord makes it very clear that salvation is impossible for human beings on their…
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