St. Mary's Ukrainian Catholic Church - Selected Sunday Sermons

Selected Scripture Readings

Sept. 04, 2022 - 13th Sunday after Pentecost

EPISTLE: 1 Corinthians (16: 13 - 24)

Brothers and Sisters! Be on your guard, stand firm in the faith, and act like men. In a word, be strong. Do everything with love. You know that the household of Stephanas is the first fruits of Achaia and is devoted to the service of the saints. I urge you to serve under such men and under everyone who cooperates and toils with them. I was very happy at the arrival of Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus, because they made up for your absence. They have refreshed my spirit as they did yours. You should recognize the worth of such men. The churches of Asia send you greetings. Aquila and Prisca, together with the assembly that meets in their house, send you cordial greetings in the Lord. All the brothers greet you. Greet one another with a holy kiss. It is I, Paul, who send you this greeting in my own hand. If anyone does not love the Lord, let a curse be upon him. O Lord, Come! The favour of the Lord Jesus be with you. My love to all of you in Christ Jesus.

GOSPEL: Matthew (21: 33 -42)

At that time the Lord told this parable: “There was a property owner who planted a vineyard, put a hedge around it, dug out a vat, and erected a tower. Then he leased it out to tenant farmers and went on a journey. When vintage time arrived he dispatched his slaves to the tenants to obtain his share of the grapes. The tenants responded by seizing the slaves. They beat one, killed another, and stoned a third. A second time he dispatched even more slaves than before, but they treated them the same way. Finally he sent his son to them thinking, ‘They will respect my son.’ When they saw the son, the tenants said to one another, ‘Here is the one who will inherit everything. Let us kill him and then we shall have his inheritance!’ With that they seized him, dragged him outside the vineyard, and killed him. What do you suppose the owner of the vineyard will do to those tenants when he comes?” They replied, “He will bring the wicked crowd to a bad end and lease his vineyard out to others who will see to it that he has grapes at vintage time.” Jesus said to them, “Did you never read in the Scriptures, ‘The stone which the builders rejected has become the keystone of the structure. It was the Lord who did this and we find it marvelous to behold?’ “

Sept. 08, 2022 - Nativity of BVM

EPISTLE: Philippians (2: 5 - 11)

Brothers and Sisters! Your attitude must be that of Christ: Though he was in the form of God, he did not deem equality with God something to be grasped at. Rather, he emptied himself and took the form of a slave, being born in the likeness of men. He was known to be of human estate, and it was thus that he humbled himself, obediently accepting even death, death on a cross! Because of this, God highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name above every other name, so that at Jesus’ name every knee must bend in the heavens, on the earth, and under the earth, and every tongue proclaim to the glory of God the Father: ‘Jesus Christ is Lord!

GOSPEL: Luke (10: 38-42; 11:27-28)

At that time Jesus entered a village where a woman named Martha welcomed him to her home. She had a sister named Mary, who seated herself at the Lord’s feet and listened to his words. Martha, who was busy with all the details of hospitality, came to him and said, “Lord, are you not concerned that my sister has left me to do the household tasks all alone? Tell her to help me.” The Lord in reply said to her: “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and upset about many things; one thing only is required. Mary has chosen the better portion and she shall not be deprived of it.” While he was saying this a woman from the crowd called out, “Blest is the womb that bore you and the breasts that nursed you!” “Rather,” he replied, “blest are they who hear the word of God and keep it.”

Sept. 11 , 2022 - Sunday before Exaltation

EPISTLE: Galatians (6: 11 - 18)

Brothers and Sisters! See, I write to you in my own large handwriting! Those who are trying to force you to be circumcised are making a play for human approval --- with an eye to escaping persecution for the cross of Christ. The very ones who accept circumcision do not follow the law themselves. They want you to be circumcised only that they may boast about your bodily observance. May I never boast of anything but the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ! Through it, the world has been crucified to me and I to the world. It means nothing whether one is circumcised or not. All that matters is that one is created anew. Peace and mercy on all who follow this rule of life, and on the Israel of God. Henceforth, let no man trouble me, for I bear the brand marks of Jesus in my body. Brothers, may the favour of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.

GOSPEL: John (3: 13 - 17)

The Lord said, "No one has gone to heaven except the One who came down from there -- the Son of Man who is in heaven. Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that all who believe may have eternal life in him. Yes, God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him may not die but may have eternal life. God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.”

Sept. 14, 2022 - Exaltation of Holy Cross

EPISTLE: 2 Peter (1: 10 - 19)

Brothers and Sisters! The message of the cross is complete absurdity to those who are headed for ruin, but to us who are experiencing salvation it is the power of God. Scripture says, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and thwart the cleverness of the clever.” Where is the wise man to be found? Where the scribe? Where is the master of worldly argument? Has not God turned the wisdom of this world into folly? Since in God’s wisdom the world did not come to know him through “wisdom,” it pleased God to save those who believe through the absurdity of the preaching of the gospel. Yes, Jews demand “signs” and Greeks look for “wisdom,” but we preach Christ crucified --- a stumbling block to the Jews and an absurdity to Gentiles; but to those who are called, Jews and Greeks alike, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.

GOSPEL: John (19: 6-11; 13-20; 30-35)

At that time, after the high priests and elders decided to put Jesus to death, they led him to Pilate saying, “Take him! Take him! Crucify him! Crucify him!” Pilate said, “Take him and crucify him yourselves; I find no case against him.” “We have our law,” the Jews responded, “and according to that law he must die because he made himself God’s Son.” When Pilate heard this kind of talk, he was more afraid than ever. Going back into the praetorium, he said to Jesus, “Where do you come from?” Jesus would not give him any answer. “Do you refuse to speak to me?” Pilate asked him “Do you not know that I have the power to release you and the power to crucify you?” Jesus answered: “You would have no power over me whatever unless, it were given you from above. That is why he who handed me over to you is guilty of the greater sin.” Hearing these words, Pilate then brought Jesus outside and took a seat on a judge's bench at the place called the Stone Pavement -- Gabbatha in Hebrew. (It was the Preparation Day for Passover, and the hour was about noon.) He said to the Jews, “Look at your king!” At this they shouted, “Away with him! Away with him! Crucify him!” “What!” Pilate exclaimed, “Shall I crucify your king?” The chief priests replied, “We have no king but Caesar.” In the end, Pilate handed Jesus over to be crucified. Jesus was led away, and carrying the cross by himself, went out to what is called the Place of the Skull (in Hebrew, Golgotha). There they crucified him, and two others with him, one on either side. Jesus in the middle. Pilate had an inscription placed on the cross which read ‘Jesus the Nazorean, the King of the Jews.’ This inscription, in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek, was read by many of the Jews, since the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city. Near the cross of Jesus there stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. Seeing his mother there with the disciple whom he loved, Jesus said to his mother, “Woman, there is your son.” In turn he said to the disciple, “There is your mother.” From that hour onward, the disciple took her into his care. After that, Jesus realizing that everything was now finished, bowed his head, and delivered over his spirit. Since it was the Preparation Day the Jews did not want to have the bodies left on the cross during the sabbath, for that sabbath was a solemn feast day. They asked Pilate that the legs be broken and the bodies be taken away. Accordingly, the soldiers came and broke the legs of the men crucified with Jesus, first of the one, then of the other. When they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. One of the soldiers thrust a lance into his side, and immediately blood and water flowed out. This testimony has been given by an eyewitness, and his testimony is true.