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“Much will be required of the person entrusted with much, and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more.” – Luke 12:48

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Hope everyone had a blessed Sunday from our family

Hope everyone had a blessed Sunday from our family to yours!!!

Happy Memorial Day from Nativity Byzantine Catholi

Happy Memorial Day from Nativity Byzantine Catholic Church in East Brunswick NJ!
#memorialday #memorialdayweekend #memorialday🇺🇸 #godblessamerica

Bright Monday April 13, 2020 Acts 1:12-17 & 21-26

Bright Monday April 13, 2020
Acts 1:12-17 & 21-26
Jn 1:18-28

He was not the light, but was to give testimony of the light. [9] That was the true light, which enlighteneth every man that cometh into this world. [10] He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. [11] He came unto his own, and his own received him not. [12] But as many as received him, he gave them power to be made the sons of God, to them that believe in his name.

Resurrection of Our Lord Pascha April 12, 2020 Act

Resurrection of Our Lord Pascha April 12, 2020
Acts 1:1-8

Jn 1:1-17

The Gospel of Saint John [1] In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. [2] The same was in the beginning with God. [3] All things were made by him: and without him was made nothing that was made. [4] In him was life, and the life was the light of men. [5] And the light shineth in darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. [6] There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. [7] This man came for a witness, to give testimony of the light, that all men might believe through him. [8] He was not the light, but was to give testimony of the light. [9] That was the true light, which enlighteneth every man that cometh into this world. [10] He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.

Great and Holy Friday April 10, 2020 Is 52:13-54:1

Great and Holy Friday April 10, 2020
Is 52:13-54:1; 1 Cor 1:18-2:2;
Mt 27:1-38; Lk 23:39-44;
Mt 27:39-54;
Jn 19:31-37;
Mt 27:55-61

And after they had mocked him, they took off the cloak from him, and put on him his own garments, and led him away to crucify him. [32] And going out, they found a man of Cyrene, named Simon: him they forced to take up his cross. [33] And they came to the place that is called Golgotha, which is the place of Calvary. [34] And they gave him wine to drink mingled with gall. And when he had tasted, he would not drink. [35] And after they had crucified him, they divided his garments, casting lots; that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying: They divided my garments among them; and upon my vesture they cast lots.

Holy Thursday April 9, 2020 Is 50:4-11; 1 Cor 11:2

Holy Thursday April 9, 2020
Is 50:4-11; 1 Cor 11:23-32
Mt 26:2-20; Jn 13:3-17;
Mt 26:31; Lk 22:43-45;
Mt 26:40-27:2

Gospel of Saint Mathew

Chapter 26
You know that after two days shall be the pasch: and the Son of man shall be delivered up to be crucified. 3 Then were gathered together the chief priests and ancients of the people, into the court of the high priest, who was called Caiphas: 4 And they consulted together that by subtilty they might apprehend Jesus and put him to death. 5 But they said: Not on the festival day, lest perhaps there should be a tumult among the people. 6 And when Jesus was in Bethania, in the house of Simon the leper, 7 There came to him a woman having an alabaster box of precious ointment and poured it on his head as he was at table. 8 And the disciples seeing it had indignation, saying: To what purpose is this waste? 9 For this might have been sold for much and given to the poor. 10 And Jesus knowing it, said to them: Why do you trouble this woman? For she hath wrought a good work upon me. 11 For the poor you have always with you: but me you have not always. 12 For she in pouring this ointment on my body hath done it for my burial. 13 Amen I say to you, wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, that also which she hath done shall be told for a memory of her. 14 Then went one of the twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, to the chief priests. 15 And said to them: What will you give me, and I will deliver him unto you? But they appointed him thirty pieces of silver. 16 And from thenceforth he sought opportunity to betray him. 17 And on the first day of the Azymes, the disciples came to Jesus, saying: Where wilt thou that we prepare for thee to eat the pasch? 18 But Jesus said: Go ye into the city to a certain man and say to him: The master saith, My time is near at hand. With thee I make the pasch with my disciples. 19 And the disciples did as Jesus appointed to them: and they prepared the pasch. 20 But when it was evening, he sat down with his twelve disciples.
Cont:
Then Jesus saith to them: All you shall be scandalized in me this night. For it is written: I will strike the shepherd: and the sheep of the flock

Holy Wednesday April 8, 2020 Ex 2:11-22; Job 2:1-1

Holy Wednesday April 8, 2020
Ex 2:11-22; Job 2:1-10
Mt 26:6-16

And when Jesus was in Bethania, in the house of Simon the leper, 7 There came to him a woman having an alabaster box of precious ointment and poured it on his head as he was at table. 8 And the disciples seeing it had indignation, saying: To what purpose is this waste? 9 For this might have been sold for much and given to the poor. 10 And Jesus knowing it, said to them: Why do you trouble this woman? For she hath wrought a good work upon me. 11 For the poor you have always with you: but me you have not always. 12 For she in pouring this ointment on my body hath done it for my burial. 13 Amen I say to you, wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, that also which she hath done shall be told for a memory of her. 14 Then went one of the twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, to the chief priests. 15 And said to them: What will you give me, and I will deliver him unto you? But they appointed him thirty pieces of silver. 16 And from thenceforth he sought opportunity to betray him.

Holy Tuesday April 7, 2020 Ex 2:5-10; Job 1:13-22;

Holy Tuesday April 7, 2020
Ex 2:5-10; Job 1:13-22;
Mt 24:36-26:2

The Parable of the Ten Bridesmaids
25 “Then the kingdom of heaven shall be compared to ten maidens who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom.[c] 2 Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. 3 For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them; 4 but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. 5 As the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. 6 But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ 7 Then all those maidens rose and trimmed their lamps. 8 And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9 But the wise replied, ‘Perhaps there will not be enough for us and for you; go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.’ 10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast; and the door was shut. 11 Afterward the other maidens came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ 12 But he replied, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ 13 Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.

Holy Monday April 6, 2020 Ex 1:1-20; Job 1:1-12 Mt

Holy Monday April 6, 2020
Ex 1:1-20; Job 1:1-12
Mt 24:3-35

3 As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will this be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the close of the age?” 4 And Jesus answered them, “Take heed that no one leads you astray. 5 For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray. 6 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars; see that you are not alarmed; for this must take place, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places: 8 all this is but the beginning of the birth-pangs.
9 “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation, and put you to death; and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake. 10 And then many will fall away, and betray one another, and hate one another. 11 And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. 12 And because wickedness is multiplied, most men’s love will grow cold. 13 But he who endures to the end will be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, as a testimony to all nations; and then the end will come.
15 “So when you see the desolating sacrilege spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), 16 then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains; 17 let him who is on the housetop not go down to take what is in his house; 18 and let him who is in the field not turn back to take his mantle. 19 And alas for those who are with child and for those who give suck in those days! 20 Pray that your flight may not be in winter or on a sabbath. 21 For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be. 22 And if those days had not been shortened, no human being would be saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened. 23 Then if any one says to you, ‘Lo, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. 24 For false Christs and false prophets will arise and show great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possibl

Happy Palm Sunday! As the Prophet Zechariah said:

Happy Palm Sunday!
As the Prophet Zechariah said: “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Sion, shout for joy, O daughter of Jerusalem: BEHOLD THY KING will come to thee, the just and saviour: he is poor, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt, the foal of an ass.” The prophecy was fulfilled hundreds of years later as we read in The Gospel of Saint John: “And on the next day, a great multitude that was come to the festival day, when they had heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, Took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried: Hosanna, blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord, the king of Israel. And Jesus found a young ass, and sat upon it, as it is written: Fear not, daughter of Sion: behold, thy king cometh, sitting on an ass's colt. These things his disciples did not know at the first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things were written of him, and that they had done these things to him.” Make way for the King today and always in your life.
God grant you many years.
Blessings,

Palm Sunday April 5, 2020 Palm (Flowery) Sunday -

Palm Sunday April 5, 2020
Palm (Flowery) Sunday - Feast of the Entry into Jerusalem

According to Byzantine Catholic Tradition, the Great Forty Days Fast ends on the Friday before Palm Sunday. The following day, Saturday, celebrates the Raising of Lazarus as a prelude to the triumphal entry of Christ into Jerusalem. For many, the miracle of Lazarus was convincing proof of Christ's Divinity. The public celebration in Jerusalem was not only for Jesus, but also to see Lazarus, whom He had raised.

From ancient times, palm branches were symbols of victory and triumph, and were used by Romans in celebration of both military as well as civic and sporting events. Thus, when Jesus arrived the people took branches of palms and went out to greet him. In the New Testament, palm branches became a symbol of martyrdom, meaning victory over death.

The Feast of Palm Sunday dates back to at least the third century, having been celebrated first in Jerusalem and quickly spreading to all of the churches in the East, reaching Constantinople by the fifth century. It was also known as Flowery Sunday, since in and near Constantinople spring flowers (lilac, olive, or elder) were distributed to the faithful. Between the sixth and seventh centuries the feast spread to the western church. In the West, the palms are kept for an entire year, then burned, with the ashes spread on the foreheads of the faithful on Ash Wednesday as a sign of penance.

In many countries of Europe the Feast is known as Willow Sunday or Pussy Willow Sunday. Since palms do not grow in northern climates and may not be available, pussy willows, being the first flower to blossom in Spring, were often distributed. Depending on local customs, churches today may distribute palms, pussy willows, spring flowers, or a combination.

Saturday of Lazarus April 4, 2020 Heb 12:28-13:8 J

Saturday of Lazarus April 4, 2020
Heb 12:28-13:8
Jn 11:1-45

Now a certain man was ill, Laz′arus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. It was Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Laz′arus was ill. So the sisters sent to him, saying, “Lord, he whom you love is ill.” But when Jesus heard it he said, “This illness is not unto death; it is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified by means of it.” Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Laz′arus. So when he heard that he was ill, he stayed two days longer[a] in the place where he was. Then after this he said to the disciples, “Let us go into Judea again.” The disciples said to him, “Rabbi, the Jews were but now seeking to stone you, and are you going there again?” Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any one walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. But if any one walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.” Thus he spoke, and then he said to them, “Our friend Laz′arus has fallen asleep, but I go to awake him out of sleep.” The disciples said to him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover.” Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that he meant taking rest in sleep Then Jesus told them plainly, “Laz′arus is dead; and for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.” Thomas, called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.” Now when Jesus came, he found that Laz′arus had already been in the tomb four days. Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles[c] off, and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them concerning their brother. When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, while Mary sat in the house. Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. And even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.” Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” Jesus said to

St. Nicetas Venerable-Confessor April 3 Under the

St. Nicetas Venerable-Confessor April 3
Under the upbringing of his grandmother, St. Nicetas grew as a pious youth, eventually joining the Mydicia monastery. The igumen of this monastery was Saint Nicephorus. Nicetas grew so virtuous in his monastic habit that his fame attracted many to the monastery who wanted achieve salvation. The saint was chosen as igumen of the monastery upon St. Nicephorus' death.

The iconoclast heresy was gaining power when Nicetas became head of the monastery, and its oppressive practices were only increasing. Nicetas was granted the gift of wonderworking at this time. After Emperor Leo the Armenian (r. 813-820) tried to convert monastery leaders to heresy, Nicetas stood strong in opposition. As a result, the igumen was imprisoned. He was then tricked into a false communion by the iconoclasts, in which afterward he repented the deed and only stood stronger against the heretics. He was imprisoned for another six years for defended the veneration of icons.

In 824, St. Nicetas reposed in the Lord. He was buried at the monastery and his relics became a source of healing.

St. Titus Thursday, April 2 Our venerable father,

St. Titus
Thursday, April 2

Our venerable father, Titus, wonderworker.
Little is known of this Saint except that he took up the monastic life from his youth, became the abbot of a monastery, and reposed in peace.

SS. Amphianus and Edesius, Martyrs, half-brothers. Amphianus, a youth arrested for his Christianity, reproached his idolatrous judge, was partially burned at the stake and thrown into the sea at Caesarea, to die, A.D. 305, in the reign of Maximian, Emperor.
After a while they freed Saint Edesius and sent him to Alexandria. There he boldly denounced the governor Hierokles for his extreme cruelty towards Christians. Saint Edesius was tortured and then drowned.

St. Mary of Egypt April 1, 2020 Our venerable moth

St. Mary of Egypt April 1, 2020
Our venerable mother, Mary of Egypt, lived in infamy at Alexandria for 17 years, was converted at the threshold of the Holy Sepulchre at Jerusalem. She retired into the desert of the River Jordon, did penance for 47 years. She died about A.D. 421.

Hypatius, Bishop of Gangra, was bishop of the city

Hypatius, Bishop of Gangra, was bishop of the city of Gangra in Paphlagonia (Asia Minor). In the year 325 he participated in the First Ecumenical Council at Nicea, at which the heresy of Arius was anathematized.

When Saint Hypatius was returning in 326 from Constantinople to Gangra, followers of the schismatics Novatus and Felicissimus fell upon him in a desolate place. The heretics ran him through with swords and spears, and threw him into a swamp. Like the Protomartyr Stephen, Saint Hypatius prayed for his murderers.

An Arian woman struck the saint on the head with a stone, killing him. The murderers hid his body in a cave, where a Christian who kept straw there found his body. Recognizing the bishop’s body, he hastened to the city to report this, and the inhabitants of Gangra piously buried their beloved archpastor.

After his death, the relics of Saint Hypatius were famous for numerous miracles, particularly for casting out demons and for healing the sick.

Martyr Mark, Bishop of Arethusa, suffered for his

Martyr Mark, Bishop of Arethusa, suffered for his faith in Christ under the emperor Julian the Apostate (361-363). By order of the emperor Constantine (May 21), Saint Mark had once destroyed a pagan temple and built a Christian church.

When Julian came to the throne, he persecuted Christians and tried to restore paganism. Some citizens of Arethusa renounced Christianity and became pagans. Then Saint Mark’s enemies decided to take revenge on him. The old bishop hid himself from the persecutors at first, but then gave himself up when he learned that the pagans had tortured many people in their search for him.

The holy Elder was led through the city and given over to torture. They tore out his hair, slashed his body, dragged him along the street, dumped him in a swamp, tied him up, and cut him with knives.

The pagans demanded that the holy bishop pay them a large sum of money to rebuild the pagan temple, and he refused to do so. The persecutors invented several new torments: they squeezed the Elder in a foot-press, and they cut off his ears with linen cords. Finally, they smeared the holy martyr’s body with honey and grease, then hung him up in a basket in the hot mid-day sun to be eaten by bees, wasps, and hornets. Saint Mark did not seem to notice the pain, and this irritated the tormentor all the more.

The pagans kept lowering the price he had to pay for their temple, but Saint Mark refused to give them a single coin. Admiring him for his courage and endurance, the pagans stopped asking him for money and set him free. Many of them returned to Christ after hearing his talks.

"One day, however, she met a group of young men he

"One day, however, she met a group of young men heading toward the sea to sail to Jerusalem for the veneration of the Holy Cross. Mary went along for the ride, seducing the men as they traveled for the fun of it. But when the group reached Jerusalem and actually went towards the church, Mary was prohibited from entering by an unseen force. After three such attempts, she remained outside on the church patio, where she looked up and saw an icon of the Theotokos. She began to weep and prayed with all her might that the Theotokos might allow her to see the True Cross; afterwards, she promised, she would renounce her worldly desires and go wherever the Theotokos may lead her. After this heart-felt conversion at the doors of the church, she fled into the desert to live as an ascetic."

This is 6am EST Watch live here: https://www.faceb

This is 6am EST
Watch live here: https://www.facebook.com/vaticannews/

Synaxis of the Archangel Gabriel March 26, 2020 Sy

Synaxis of the Archangel Gabriel March 26, 2020
Synaxis of the Archangel Gabriel. His chief ministry to mankind was his appearing to the Theotokos to tell her that she was chosen Mother of the Messias. St. Gabriel was the Angel sent to Zachary also, to announce the conception of St. John the Baptist. (Confer July 13.)
#archangel #archangelgabriel #church #christian #catholic #theotókos

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