Saturday, Oct. 10 – Eulampius & Eulampia
5:00 PM Mission Divine Liturgy at St. Raphael’s
Sunday, Oct. 11 – Sunday of the Fathers of the 7th Ecumenical
8:00 AM Matins
9:30 AM Divine Liturgy
Monday, Oct. 12 – Probus and Others, Martyrs
8:30 AM Morning Prayer
Wednesday, Oct. 14 – Paraskevia, Venerable
8:30 AM Morning Prayer
6:30 PM Divine Liturgy
7:30 PM Firepit Social
Saturday, Oct. 17 – Hosea, Prophet
5:00 PM Mission Divine Liturgy at St. Raphael’s
Sunday, Oct. 18 – 21st Sunday After Pentecost
8:00 AM Matins
9:30 AM Divine Liturgy
St. Mary’s: Sundays 8:45 AM or by appointment St. Raphael’s: Saturdays 4:15 PM or by appointment
(Please resubmit or submit names to admin@ByzantineLA.com)
The Carlin Family, Michael Hefferon, Shirley Kunze, Diana Mina, Michael Mina, Peter Mina, Fr. John Mina, Charlene Niemi, Lana Zimmerman, Patrick Zimmerman, Shannon O’Neill, Fern Bonowicz, +Anne Petach, Jenny Roman, Nicolese Salazar, and All the sick and suffering of St. Mary’s
Collection: $2,526.00; Mission: $1,440.38; Online: $1,716.00; Improvments: $300.00; Holydays: $150.00; Candles: $65.05; Property Rental: $200.00; Parish Socials: $16.25;
Building Fund: $30.00;
Total: $6,443.68 / Attendance – PSM: 67 SRM: 97
Today we remember the Fathers of Nicaea II, or the Seventh Ecumenical Council in 787. Called to gather at the site of the first council, which had determined who Christ was, these Fathers had to grapple with the heresy of iconoclasm. The location was an appropriate choice, for the iconoclasts were close to denying the human nature of the divine person, Jesus Christ. His humanity and divinity had been affirmed at Nicaea back in 325.
The key declaration of this council is still true for iconoclasts of our time:
“As the sacred and life-giving cross is everywhere set up as a symbol, so also should the images of Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary, the holy angels, as well as those of the saints and other pious and holy men be embodied in the manufacture of sacred vessels, tapestries, vestments, etc., and exhibited on the walls of churches, in the homes, and in all conspicuous places, by the roadside and everywhere, to be revered by all who might see them. For the more they are contemplated, the more they move to fervent memory of their prototypes. Therefore, it is proper to accord to them a fervent and reverent adoration, not, however, the veritable worship which, according to our faith, belongs to the Divine Being alone — for the honor accorded to the image passes over to its prototype, and whoever adores the image adores in it the reality of what is there represented.”
Because Jesus is a human being, like us in every way except sin, he can give us a model of how to live a full human life. This is why the goal of the first seven ecumenical councils was to define who Jesus the Messiah (Greek, Christ, “the anointed one”) is so that we could imitate him. The main message of the councils was that Jesus is truly God, the Son and Word of God, and that he is truly a human being, as the Council of Chalcedon (451) said, “one in essence with the Father and one in essence with us.” The Seventh Council was the high point and conclusion of this process, and said that we could depict Christ in icons, because he had taken human form and that in some way we come to the Father, as Jesus taught Phillip, “whoever has seen me has seen the Father (John 14:9).” As he is a human being, we, in our human nature, can imitate him, as he taught, “whoever would be my disciple must take up his cross and follow me (Mark 8:34).” In this way, since Jesus is the express image of the Father, (Hebrews 1:2) by imitating him we can be, as he commanded, “perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect (Matthew 5:48).”
(from EPHX.org)
“God has visited his people!” When Jesus shows his compassion by raising the dead, the people around him experience the presence of God in their midst. As the Body of Christ, we can all do so when we show love, compassion and holiness in our lives. God is seeking to build his Church with the faithful who serve him as priests, deacons, subdeacons, monks and nuns to continue to visit His people. If he may be calling you, contact the Vocations Office at 602-861-9778 or email: vocations@ephx.org
Saturday, October 10 –
