Gospels to consider before committing to Lent

The Gospel passages read in Church on the four Sundays before Lent are not chosen randomly. Each contains lessons that prepare us for the Great Fast.

Zacchaeus Sunday (Luke 19: 1-10)
 Zacchaeus, a tax collector and widely despised thief, climbed a sycamore tree (considered “unclean”) to better see the Lord. Jesus did not shun this sinner, but called out to him, saying He’d visit him. We learn that like a physician who heals the ill, Jesus has come to heal all sinners.

Sunday of the Publican and Pharisee (Luke 18: 10-14)
Jesus’ parable tells of two men praying in a temple: one is self-praising; the other humbly asks: “God, be merciful to me, a sinner!”  Jesus says that the latter went home justified. We learn that we must approach spiritual struggles during Lent with humility.

Sunday of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32)
Jesus tells the parable of a wealthy landowner’s son who leaves home and squanders his inheritance. When he returns destitute but contrite, the father joyfully welcomes him, causing resentment in the dutiful brother. The father explains that a celebration is warranted for “your brother, was dead, and is alive again.” We learn that God, like a loving parent, is merciful and forgiving, that reconciliation with Him is a gift. We should not judge others, but rejoice when a sinner returns to His fold.

Sunday of the Last Judgment (Matthew 25:31-36) 
Matthew’s Gospel tells us that although Jesus came quietly
at his Nativity, at the Second Coming “He will come from heaven with supernatural wonders and manifest brightness.” We are reminded that the goal during the Great Fast, and ultimately our lives, is to prepare for the Judgment, to repent, to rid ourselves of vices and to cultivate virtues.

After hearing these Gospels in Church, ask what they might be saying to you on a personal level. Their lessons on forgiveness and repentance can guide and strengthen you as you undertake the sacrifices, actions and special disciplines during your Lenten journey.

Jesus is the reason for the Christmas season

The Christmas season is rife with commercialism. Ads urge us to buy expensive gifts, radios blare out songs about reindeer and movies feature a jolly fat fellow who lives in the North Pole. Social gatherings, with much carousing and merry-making, abound. Unfortunately, there are often only scant traces of the true meaning of the holiday, the celebration of the birth of Christ, our Saviour.

As Christians who want to avoid the trappings of the "holiday season" we may yearn to retreat and simply observe the religious holiday. But, better yet, we can help keep Christ at the centre of Christmas by actively working to penetrate through the commercialism. Here are some suggested ways to do that:

Gifts: Give gifts to children on St. Nicholas Day and spend Christmas morning at church. Choose modest gifts and cards with a religious theme for family and friends.

Charity: Give to the needy, and teach children to do so too. Remember those who are alone and in need of love. Invite them to join in the Christmas celebrations with your family.

Music and Entertainment: Sing and listen to koliady (Christmas carols) on your music-listening devices. Meditate and ponder over the words and their theological message about the incarnation, Jesus' birth when God becomes man in the birth of Jesus.  Consider taking time to attend a Nativity Play or concert of sacred music.

Decorations: Place an icon of the Nativity in your prayer corner or a prominent place in your home and display a Nativity scene.

Socializing: Remember to greet people with a hearty "Merry Christmas!" or "Chrystos Razhdaetsya! (Christ is Born!)"

“It is Christmas every time you let God love others through you. Yes, it is Christmas every time you smile at your brother and offer him your hand. --Blessed Teresa of Calcutta

Singing carols is more than making music

Koliady (Christmas carols) are a form of prayer. By caroling we worship and praise God and also learn about our faith.

In Ukraine, academics, monks and poets wrote koliady that helped to teach people about the Nativity.

Carols of other countries have an educational role too. For instance, the English carol Good King Wenceslas has catechetical lessons that are fitting for the Christmas season.  

The carol tells of a good king who, on the “Feast of Stephen,” goes with his helper on a cold wintry night to bring food and firewood to a poor peasant.

St. Stephen’s Day is celebrated by Western Christians on Dec. 26. (The origin of the “Boxing Day” holiday.) In the Byzantine rite, St. Stephen is venerated on Dec. 27/Jan. 9.

St. Stephen’s name comes from the Greek “Stephanos”, meaning “crown.”  He is called the Protomartyr as he was the first martyr of the New Testament. An eloquent speaker, he was tried for blasphemy, tortured and stoned to death in 34-35 AD. While on trial, he saw both God the Father and the Son.

The popular English carol is about another saint, Saint Wenceslaus I (907-935).   One of his biographers, in 1119, wrote:  “Every night from his noble bed, with bare feet…he went around to God’s churches and gave alms generously to widows, orphans, those in prison and afflicted by every difficulty.”

Like St. Nicholas about whom we sing the much-loved Ukrainian carol, “O Khto, khto Mykolaja liubyt,”, St. Wenceslaus offers us a noble example of Christian love and charity.

Stay informed to strengthen Christian voice

Did you know that more Christians are being persecuted for their faith in our times than ever before? Surprising but true.

It is our duty to oppose such injustice as Jesus taught us to stand up for the oppressed. The doctrine of the Catholic Church on social teaching also encourages us to commit ourselves to furthering the common good. To do so, we need to stay informed.

The mass media rarely covers religious news, but other sources exist. The Religious Information Service of Ukraine (RISU) provides news on all denominations in Ukraine. In Canada, Progress Ukrainian Catholic News, published by the Ukr. Cath. Eparchy of Winnipeg contains articles on religious topics and church affairs in Canada, Ukraine, and beyond. Logos, a journal published by the Sheptytsky Institute in Ottawa, offers an academic approach on issues in Eastern Christianity. The print and online editions of Catholic Insight keep readers informed on bioethical and educational issues. LifeSite News offers daily reports on the same. Convivium, is a new current affairs magazine focused on religion in politics.

Holy Apostles Institute is a new online catechetical formation offering in the Byzantine Catholic tradition.

TV and radio listeners can find informative programs on EWTN, the global Catholic network, and Salt and Light TV. Ancient Faith Radio provides online audio programs and podcasts on Orthodox Christianity around the world.

By staying informed we can defend and promote our faith and strengthen the Christian voice in all spheres of our life, be it personal, professional, educational or political.

Archangel Michael protects God’s people

In many Ukrainian Catholic Churches there is an icon of an angel holding a sword. That is Archangel Michael, the chief commander of God’s army of loyal angels, who won the battle against the rebellious angels led by Satan.

The feast day of Archangel Michael and the rest of the “bodiless powers of Heaven,” falls on Nov. 8/21.  God created the visible earthly world and also the unseen one, which is the realm of Archangel Michael (often referred to as “St. Michael”), his fellow archangels and the other ranks of angels, such as the seraphim and the cherubim. In the Old and New Testaments, Archangel Michael’s main roles include: fighting Satan; bringing souls to judgement; rescuing good souls from evil, especially at the hour of death; and protecting God’s people.

Early Christians regarded him as a healer, believing he generated a medicinal spring near Colossae in modern-day Turkey, and he is said to have miraculously saved a monastery from ruin. In the Middle Ages, he was venerated as the patron of knights and chivalric orders and in many Western countries his feast, Michaelmas Day, was strictly observed.

Archangel Michael is also the patron saint of police officers, soldiers, Germany, Brussels and Kyiv. In Kyiv, St. Michael's Golden-Domed Monastery, built in the 1100s, sits on the banks of the Dnipro River, reminding Ukrainians of the historic connection between the archangel and their nation.

Groundbreaking publication can help us live the faith

This summer, I was in Ukraine for the launch of Chrystos Nasha Pascha (Christ Our Passover), a book that’s making a major impact in the Ukrainian Catholic Church (UCC).

The publication of this book is groundbreaking. It is the first catechism commissioned by our Synod of Bishops, and signed by our Patriarch. Unlike earlier catechisms which were basically translations of Roman Catholic books, Chrystos Nasha Pascha is uniquely our own and brings us, in Patriarch Sviatoslav’s words, “to the highest level of teaching.” This work clearly conveys our Church’s distinctive identity and provides a much-needed resource for clergy and laity alike.

The book’s content (rooted in Scripture and writings of the Church Fathers) is divided into three parts: The Faith, Prayer and Life of the Church. Topics covered include liturgical practices, the Holy Sacraments, icons, the “Domestic Church” and personal prayer. Addressing the challenge of living our faith in a secular society, the Catechism provides much needed instruction on dealing with contemporary moral issues and the role of the Christian individual in society.

At the book launch in Lviv there was much excitement as authors of the Catechism and members of the Patriarchal Catechetical Commission, headed by Bishop Peter Stasiuk, presented Chrystos Nasha Pascha to the gathered bishops, priests and catechists.

As we begin the second year of Soul Food, our eparchial bulletin and blog, I am very pleased to share this news about this valuable new resource. Our editorial team will be turning to it in the coming months as we continue our mission of providing informative content on living our faith in modern times.

Chrystos Nasha Pascha has been published in Ukrainian with an English translation underway. The Ukrainian edition is available at The Basilian Press in Toronto (phone: 416-234-1212).


Iryna Galadza is Director of the Toronto Eparchy Catechetical Resource Centre, a teacher, mother, grandmother, and wife of Mitred Archpriest Roman Galadza, pastor of St. Elias Church, in Brampton, Ontario.

Fall feast celebrates victory of the Cross

The Elevation of the Holy Cross, commemorating the discovery of Christ’s Cross by St. Helen, is celebrated on Sept. 14/27.

Legend says that St. Helen found three crosses near Jerusalem, underneath a beautiful and fragrant basil plant. Jesus’ Cross was identified when a deceased man, whose funeral procession passed by the cross, was resurrected. A portion of the Cross was placed in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, built on the site.

To mark this Holy Day we fast (no meat, fish or dairy), even if it falls on a Sunday. The weekend before, special Epistle and Gospel passages are read during the Divine Liturgy.

Traditionally, there is an all-night Vigil on the Eve of the Feast. A cross, adorned with basil leaves and flowers, is placed on the Altar. During morning services, the priest raises the cross above his head and makes the sign of the cross as the congregants chant Kyrie eleison (Lord have mercy). Then, all sing: “Before Thy Cross, we bow in worship O Master, and Thy Holy Resurrection we glorify,”

For Christians, the Cross is both a reminder of Jesus’ sacrifice for our sins and a powerful symbol of the victorious Resurrection over death. Therefore, as we begin the fall season and look ahead to the various duties or “crosses” that we might be called to bear – whether taking care of elderly parents or ensuring children’s catechism lessons are learned – let us accept them with Christian joy and enthusiasm.