Slovenska župnija sv. Gregorija Velikega | St. Gregory the Great Slovenian Church 5/56 Številka - Number / Leto - Year 2. 2. 2020 Jezusovo DAROVANJE SVEČNICA Presentation of the Lord Fr. Drago Gačnik, sdb župnik - pastor Naslov - Address 125 Centennial Pkwy N. Hamilton, ON L8E 1H8 Phone: 905-561-5971 Cell: 905-520-2014 E-mail gregory_sdb@ stgregoryhamilton.ca Web page www.carantha.com Hall rentals Cell: 905-518-6159 E-mail hallrental@ stgregoryhamilton.ca Bogu posvečeno življenje Danes obhajamo praznik Jezusovega darovanja v templju ali svečnico. S tem praznikom je povezano tudi redovništvo in Bogu posvečeno življenje v Cerkvi. Papež Janez Pavel II. (1978-2005) je želel, da bi na praznik Jezusovega darovanja v templju Cerkev praznovala poseben dan posvečenega življenja, ki je bil prvič 2. februarja 1997. Darovanje Božjega Sina, ki ga simbolizira njegova predstavitev v templju, je vzor vsake posvečene osebe, ki svoje življenje posveti Gospodu. Namen tega dneva je trojen. Predvsem je zahvala Gospodu za dar posvečenega življenja. Na drugem mestu naj bi Božje ljudstvo bolj spoznalo in cenilo posvečeno življenje. Ta dan vabi vse, ki so svoje življenje posvetili evangeliju, da bi slavili čudovita dela, ki jih v njih izvršuje Gospod. Redovnice in redovniki s svojim življenjem po evangeliju predstavljajo zgled za vse, še posebej v času, ki kliče k novi evangelizaciji in poglobitvi osebne vere. Prvotno ime praznika je bilo Marijino očiščevanje, kajti po Mojzesovi postavi je morala vsaka mati, ki je rodila sina, štirideseti dan po porodu priti v tempelj, tam darovati in se tako »očistiti«. Temu predpisu se je podredila tudi Marija. Jezusa je spočela in rodila deviško, zato je obred očiščevanja ni obvezoval, vendar se mu je podvrgla. Kakor v vsem, se je tudi v tem pokazala za Gospodovo deklo in izpolnila Božjo postavo. Spomin na ta dogodek je prva Cerkev v Jeruzalemu obhajala že ob koncu 4. stoletja. Praznovanje je bilo zelo slovesno: obsegalo je procesijo, pridigo in mašo, sprva pa še ni imelo posebnega imena. Ko se je praznovanje širilo, je ime dobilo po srečanju s starčkom Simeonom in Ano v jeruzalemskem templju. V ljudskem praznovanju je stopilo v ospredje proslavljanje Kristusa, ki ga je Simeon v svojem hvalospevu imenoval »luč v razsvetljenje poganov«. Na besede starčka Simeona se sklicuje starodavni bogoslužni običaj blagoslavlja-nja sveč, ki se razvije v procesijo s svečami. O tem obredu poroča znamenita VESTNI K 2020 | romarica Silvija v svojem spisu s konca 4. stoletja, ki se nanaša na Jeruzalem. - Presentation of the Lord Po obredu blagoslavljanja sveč »je praznik znan kot svečnica oziroma praznik luči. Hrepenenje po svetlobi je med prvobitnimi značilnostmi človeške narave,« piše slovenski etnograf Niko Kuret (19061995). Cerkev, ki je na ta dan uvedla blagoslov sveč in obhod z gorečimi svečami, je upoštevala človeško naravo in starodavno izročilo; šego je povzdignila v svet nadnarave, v cerkven obred: v njem je »luč« prispodoba Mesija, ki »razsvetljuje človeštvo«, mu razodeva smisel sveta in življenja. Bogu posvečeno življenje je poleg službenega duhovništva in laiškega stanu stan vernikov, ki je v Cerkvi navzoč vse od njenih začetkov. Gre za stalno obliko življenja, v kateri verniki po delovanju Svetega Duha izraziteje hodijo za Kristusom. Takšna oblika življenja postane »posvečena« po izpovedi posebnih zaobljub, ki zajemajo evangeljske svete čistosti (odpoved življenju v družini oziroma poročenosti), uboštva (nenavezanosti na minljivo) in pokorščine predstojnikom. Redovni ustanovitelji in ustanoviteljice so v zgodovini Cerkve odgovarjali na določene verske, družbene, socialne ali vzgojne izzive časa. Redovne skupnosti na prvo mesto postavljajo duhovno življenje in si prizadevajo, da se v življenju molitev in delo medsebojno prežemata in podpirata. Dejavnosti redovnikov in redovnic so zelo raznolike, od oznanjevanja evangelija in vzgoje do skrbi za uboge. Kogar Bog pokliče, mu more v svobodi in ljubezni na klic svobodno odgovoriti. S tem izbere Kristusov način življenja, hodi za njim, z njim vse deli in se mu v ljubečem srečevanju pusti preoblikovati. Redovniki živijo v samostanski skupnosti. Delajo lahko v samostanu, na posameznih področjih življenja Cerkve ali pa opravljajo delo v svetu. Vsak red ima posebno poslanstvo (karizmo). Response: The Lord of hosts, he is king of glory! First Reading Malachi 3:1-4 Malachi prepares the way for today's feast: the Lord will enter his Temple. Second Reading Hebrews 2:14-18 Jesus has come to confront the powers of evil. Gospel Luke 2:22-40 Joseph and Mary fulfil the requirements of the Law and present Jesus in the Temple. It provides an opportunity for two aged people who have remained attentive to God to speak prophetically about this child as the salvation of all the nations. "My eyes have seen the salvation which you have prepared for all the nations to see, a light to enlighten the pagans and the glory of your people Israel." c_, TSSSQJ <& cxiioo Illustration Ritual celebrations, marking significant moments on life's journey, form part of every society's traditions. The birth of a child is naturally a cause for rejoicing and celebration. For us, as Christians, the ritual of baptising infants has provided us with the perfect setting for such a celebration of new life and it remains an important event for many people, even though other religious practices may no longer be a priority in their everyday lives. Interestingly, as our society becomes more secular and less religious, we are told that "naming ceremonies" are becoming popular: it seems that people instinctively need some kind of ceremony to precede the party. 46 I VESTNI K 2020 In the Jewish tradition the birth of a child always provided an opportunity for the community to recall their history and God's interaction in redeeming them from their slavery in Egypt. In the case of a firstborn male, a ritual sacrifice was called for and St Luke tells us that the parents of Jesus faithfully fulfilled their duty in this regard, albeit it is clear that they were poor because they offered the basic sacrifice of two small birds. Gospel Teaching In some traditions today marks the end of Christmastide: indeed the continental custom of leaving the crib in the church until this feast day is becoming more widespread. The first two chapters of Luke's Gospel are effectively a Gospel within a Gospel. They are made up of the infancy narratives, which provide us with the good news that God has become incarnate, but by including the prophetic voices of Simeon and Anna they also introduce us to the passion and resurrection. The Church reinforces the message of today's feast by using the prophet Malachi to help us see the significance of Jesus entering the Temple, and the letter to the Hebrews prepares our minds for the ultimate sacrifice, culminating in the passion and death which is the destiny of this child. In due course we will hear Jesus inviting us to bridge the gap between his people's history and the importance of the Temple because the new Temple will not be a building but himself. Application One way in which today's feast of the Presentation of the Lord can come alive for us personally and as a community of faith is to focus on Simeon and Anna, aged people who apparently just happened to be in the right place at the right time. Simeon is the exemplar of someone who has learnt to be patient, living in the hope that God will fulfil the ancient promises. Likewise, Anna just happens to pass by at the key moment, but presumably, like Simeon, she had been prompted by the Spirit. They seize the opportunity to proclaim the truth and they point us in the direction of God's saving presence among us. St John will tell us that Jesus promised the gift of the Spirit to the Church, the Spirit who would lead us to all truth. Like Simeon and Anna we can learn to be patient and attentive and wait for the promptings of the Spirit. We live in the wake of the first coming of Christ and continue to wait for his second coming. Meanwhile, there is surely enough going on in our lives and the world around us for us to be able to recognise that, in the midst of all the pain and confusion, God continues to make God's presence felt. Simeon's prophecy speaks of the Christ child as "a light to enlighten the pagans and the glory of your people Israel". The theme of light has always been at the heart of today's feast, which is why from time immemorial Christians have celebrated it by processing with candles; hence its other title, Candlemas. At our baptism either we or our parents and godparents were entrusted with a candle and the hope that we would: "keep the flame of faith alive". What better way for us to celebrate this feast than by reflecting on the fact that Jesus not only declared himself to be the light of the world but reminded us, his followers, that we too are to be the light of world? This does not require anything dramatic. It will be sufficient if you and I can, like Simeon and Anna, be attentive to the promptings of the Spirit, recognising the signs of God's abiding presence and gently pointing these out to others. VESTNIK 2020 | 47 3. Februar - god škofa in mučenca sv. Blaža._ Legenda, ki se opira na zgodovinsko jedro opisuje, da je bil sv. Blaž najprej zdravnik nato pa škof v mestu Sebaste v Armeniji. Živel je med 3. in 4. stoletjem, mučeniške smrti pa naj bi najverjetneje umrl leta 316; v času, ko je cesar Licinij začel preganjati kristjane, so prijeli tudi Blaža. Peljali so ga pred sodnika. Nasproti mu je prihitela vdova s svojim edinim sinom ter jokaje prosila svetnika, naj ji reši dragega edinca gotove smrti, saj je požrl ribjo kost in se je skoraj zadušil. Sv. Blaž je pomolil, mladeniča blagoslovil in ozdravljenega vrnil srečni materi. Sam je šel naprej v trpljenje in mučeniško smrt. V povezavi s tem čudežem Cerkev vsako leto podeljuje Blažev blagoslov. Škof, duhovnik ali diakon slovesno blagoslovi sveči za blagoslov, ju med seboj poveže v obliki križa ter ju približa grlu vsakega vernika, ki želi prejeti blagoslov. Blažev blagoslov je eden od mnogih blagoslovov, ki jih deli Cerkev ob različnih priložnostih za različne namene. Blagoslov je zakramental, to je sveto znamenje, ki posnema zakrament in označuje predvsem duhovne učinke, ki jih verniki prejmejo po priprošnji Cerkve. Pri podeljevanju blagoslovov Cerkev navadno uporablja blagoslovljeno vodo, ki nas spominja na krst, zakrament očiščenja in prerojenja v moči Kristusove smrti in poveliča-nja. Tudi sveče, ki jih duhovnik uporablja pri Blaževem blagoslovu, simbolizirajo luč in zmago svetlobe nad temo, dobrega nad hudim. MtWWI HIST0 -h % A6M Annual General Meeting VozGOOC^ Everyone is welcome! 1 Saturday, February 8, 2020 9:30 AM Registration with meeting to follow Recreation Room, Dom Lipa 58 Neilson Drive, Mobicoke, OM M9C 1V7 Join us to hear committee reports, meet board members, volunteers and to share in the success of our achievements in the past year. Refreshments will be served. FOLLOW US! @cshszgodovina http://www.slovenianhistorical.ca @cshszgodovina 48 I VESTNI K 2020 .st. č^regorij the č\rtat CWL Afu^ucal parish "B-azaar DONATIONS: to the pemA-y .sale rabie ofi^ew or crafted í-ten^s dr. -for the chi-tcti-eia-'s centre will loe graciously received Saturday w-erw-iw-g Feb 29 MK5t> ¿¡OOÏS.S: will be accepted early suw-elay moirw-íivg Muri PIEASE JOIN US FOR AN AFTERNOON OF FUN WITH FAMILY AN? FRIENPS! Sum Mar 1,2020 WE 100K FORWARD T0Y0URSUF IswiA- Mar i E>oor£ opeiA-5lt íi:00 aw,i vXArtv .Acri.vi.ty "ei^tre ■peci-vo .stmdel Wrofe J Noodles _tKTiMrD wim Teafflé Lottery pei^iA-y saU At the Door Adult $25 A imtv^CTT ' Child 5.10, m arch VESTNIK 2020 | 49 30 I VESTNI K 2020 há kri Slovensko kulturno Društvo "Sava" Slovenian Association Sava Club Prešernov Dan - Prešeren's Day Celebration SUNDAY, February 9th 2020, MASS at 12:00 DINNER to follow CULTURAL PROGRAM at 2:00 FAMOUS POLKA MAESTRE tony jalovec DINNER $20.00, YOUTH $10.00, CHILDREN < 12 FREE Sava Club, 50 Scheifele Place, Breslau Reservation required by February 4th, 2020 For tickets please call Angela 519-579-8620 or Theresa 519-884-6194 VESTNIK 2020 | 51 Mardi G ri )S 20201 ¿ai r&AQl isn