Weekly Update 07/07/2020 – Fr. Cyril Gorgy

Beloved Holy Resurrection Church family,

Wishing you a blessed feast of the Apostles this Sunday. I miss you and am praying that you are well and safe.

In person church services are limited to only Eucharistic Liturgies, while others services are conducted virtually.  The Wednesday Divine Liturgy is from 7-9am.  Those in attendance are expected to follow the Guidelines such as wearing a mask and staying six feet away from other households etc.  Saturday’s Vespers and bible study are currently on hold. 

If you are an HRC parishioner and would like to attend a Sunday Divine Liturgy,  please fill out this google form, and you will be notified of a date and time to attend.  Please submit a new request for each time you want to attend.  All Divine Liturgies will be Live streamed on HRC YouTube channel (HRC Media Page). 

If you were in direct contact with anyone that tested positive for COVID-19, please do not sign up or come to the church services, whether with symptoms or not, until you are tested negative.  If you tested positive for COVID-19, please do not sign up or come to the church services until you are tested negative for two consecutive tests, regardless of the time it takes to be tested negative twice. 

Last Sunday’s Gospel taught us to (Luke 6:27) Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who spitefully use you.  This can only be achieved by God’s grace. As an Orthodox Christian, we should expect persecution and opposition as Christ forewarned us.  The natural response is to hate, retaliate, and seek revenge.  We need to always remember that hatred in the heart is like poison that slowly destroys our senses and our emotions.  When facing opposition we don’t retaliate or quarrel.  We pray for those who oppose our morality and faith.  And from the teaching of St. Maximus the Confessor, “But I say to you, the Lord says, ‘love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, pray for those who persecute you.’ Why did He command these things? So that He might free you from hatred, sadness, anger and grudges, and might grant you the greatest possession of all, perfect love, which is impossible to possess except by the one who loves all equally in imitation of God.” 

May our Risen Lord support and protect you, and your family by the power of His Holy Resurrection.  Missing you very much. 

For His Glory,

Fr. Cyril