Fr. Roman Planchak

Apr

03

2015

Singing in the Midst of the Flames

LiturgyDivine Liturgy, Holy Week, Liturgical Year, Old Testament, Scipture

Source: Eparchy of Newton One of the last books in the Old Testament – and perhaps the most intriguing – is the Book of Daniel. Written in the second century bc, it tells the adventures of the godly Jewish nobles Daniel and his companions Ananiah, Azariah and Mishael who were taken captive by the Babylonians four hundred years before. Given new names – Belteshazzar, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego – and trained for service in the Babylonian court, they were imprisoned for not worshipping the gods of their pagan masters but vindicated by the power of the true God, the God…

Mar

31

2015

By Fr. Roman Planchak

The Seal on Our Repentance

Featured Articles, LiturgyMystery of Holy Unction

Source: Eparchy of Newton During the forty days of the Great Fast the Church urges us to ascetic effort as a preparation for the observances of Holy Week and Pascha. We know that, by His death and resurrection, Christ has achieved the restoration of our human nature in Himself and has enabled us to share in His victory over sin and death by baptism. Like Adam in the resurrection icon, Christ has taken us by the hand to draw us from the pit of spiritual death. But we know that, like Adam, our feet are still in the grave. It…

Mar

31

2015

By Fr. Roman Planchak

Christ in Prophetic Song

Faith, Featured ArticlesMatins, Old Testament

Source: Eparchy of Newton When the Risen Christ joined the disciples on the road to Emmaus, the Gospel says that, “beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself” (Luke 24:27). Where and how did Moses and the prophets speak of Jesus, whom the biblical teachers of His day did not recognize? The Church Fathers described the references to Christ in the Old Testament as a typology. A Biblical “type” is a person or event which points beyond its original meaning to something greater to come. The human author –…

Mar

21

2015

By Fr. Roman Planchak

Hail, O Star Manifesting the Sun!

LiturgyAkathist, Theotokos

Source: Eparchy of Newton – When is a Lenten service not a Lenten service? A – When it is the Akathist to the Theotokos. In Byzantine Churches of the Greek or “Southern” tradition it is customary to serve Compline with the Akathist to the Theotokos on the Friday evenings during the Great Fast. Due to the pressures of the work and school week this is often the only Lenten weekday service many parishioners attend. In fact this is not an actual Lenten service, such as Great Compline or the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts. Rather it is a weekend service,…

Mar

07

2015

By Fr. Roman Planchak

“See, See That I am God”

Faith, Featured ArticlesGreat Lent, Matins, Old Testament

Source: Eparchy of Newton PEOPLE FAMILIAR WITH the Church’s morning service (Matins or Orthros) would recognize the term “Ninth Ode.” It refers to the Biblical canticle of the Theotokos which begins, “My soul magnifies the Lord…” (cf., Luke 1:46-55) sung at this service. This hymn expresses the joyful gratitude of the holy Virgin at the incarnation of Christ in her womb. Calling this canticle the “Ninth Ode” raises a question. Where are the other eight? We rarely, if ever, hear of them. There are nine Biblical canticles which at one time were sung at Matins/Orthros. With the development of the…

Feb

24

2015

By Fr. Roman Planchak

Christ, the Living Bread

Christian LifeFasting, Great Lent, Presanctified Liturgy

“THE DISCIPLES OF JOHAN and of the Pharisees were fasting. Then they came and said to [Jesus], ‘Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but Your disciples do not fast?’ And Jesus said to them, ‘Can the friends of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them they cannot fast. But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast in those days’” (Mark 2:18-20). This exchange, recorded in all three synoptic Gospels, established a principle which…

Feb

11

2015

By Fr. Roman Planchak

Living with Christ Great Lent at Home

Christian Life, Featured Articles, Liturgy

From the Eparchy of Newton. Resource for Great Lent at Home: Great-Lent-at-Home-Complete-w-Cover. PDF, 556KB, 28 pages)

Feb

11

2015

By Fr. Roman Planchak

Consecrate a Fast

Christian Life, Featured Articles

BEFORE THERE WERE FREEZERS and refrigerators, preparing for the Great Fast involved cleaning out any meat or dairy products on hand. In parts of Europe meats would be cured for consumption after Pascha. Many Greeks observe what has been called “Roasted Thursday” – the Thursday in Meatfare week when all meats would be cooked to be eaten by the weekend. Many Slavs observe maslenitsa, the Slavic version of carnival, using remaining dairy products to make blini and other rich pastries for Cheesefare week. Another aspect of preparing for the Great Fast – which has nothing to do with food –…

Feb

08

2015

By Fr. Roman Planchak

Instructions for Lent From Our Lord Jesus: Pray, Fast and Give Alms

Christian Life, Featured ArticlesAlms Giving, Fasting, Great Lent, Prayer

Matthew 6: 1-21, NKJV 1* "Beware of practicing your piety before men in order to be seen by them; for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. 2 "Thus, when you give alms, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by men. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 3 But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4* so that your alms may be in secret;…

Feb

08

2015

By Fr. Roman Planchak

Lenten Prayer

Featured Articles, PrayerGreat Lent, Prayer

The Prayer of St. Ephrem O Lord and Master of my life, keep from me the spirit of indifference and despair, lust of power, and idle chatter. (Prostration) Instead, bestow on me, your servant, the spirit of wholeness of being, humility, patience, and love. (Prostration) Yes, O Lord and King, grant me the grace to be aware of my sins and not judge my brothers and sisters; for You are blessed, for ever and ever and. Amen. (Prostration) The Lenten Prayer of St Ephrem the Syrian, by Protopresbyter Alexander Schmemann Of all lenten hymns and prayers, one short prayer can…