Every year, the celebration of St. Nicholas’ feast day (Dec. 6th) seems more glorious than any preceding year (and we have been doing this for a while). This is all for good reason, as the Lord has blessed our parish with such a loving intercessor in His Holy Bishop Nicholas. Indeed it is through the prayers of St. Nicholas that the Lord’s saving grace and mercy has been declared. It is through his prayers, that the joy of being loved by the Lord has been imparted; and by his  prayers that the beauty of the Lord’s radiance and splendour has been manifested. What is truly wonderful, is that our parish faithful have been active participants in these blessings, rather than passive recipients.

The Vespers, feast and Liturgy for St. Nicholas that we celebrated just a  few days ago, was indeed the offering of our best talents and gifts. For it was a witness of the Lord’s saving grace and mercy – serving the Lord, in serving each other. It was a witness of the joy of being loved by the Lord – in the laughing and enthusiasm with friends and strangers alike. It was a witness of the Lord’s radiance and splendour – in the beautiful music, and glow of a candlelit Church. What is more glorious than this? Well if we listen to what  St. Paul has to say, there is indeed something more glorious than all of this, as he states  “earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way”. (1 Cor. 12:31).

This “more excellent way” that St. Paul offers, is that of boundless  “love” that is not finite or limited; for the more one realises they are loved, the more one can love; and the more one can love, the more one realises that they are loved. 

St. Nicholas’ revelation of God’s saving love for our parish, and our parish’s service, rejoicing, and radiating of these blessings, is the context  for that “more excellent way”  stretching even into the Kingdom of Heaven from the here and now of our little parish! 

In all of this, I truly Thank God for all those who worked to prepare, facilitate and participate in this blessed  feast- from the amazing singing reading and directing, stunning and shining brass and Church, the Litya loaves, the serving, the sermon and kind words; the hospitality, amazing food and clean up; the bags of treasure (treats) that Santa himself gave out! Truly I can think of no better time to begin a “more excellent way” .

Most Holy Bishop Nicholas, pray for us in this all!

Serving with us for our parish feast (Left to Right) Dn. Ioann Boiskho (Holy Trinity Sobor, Winnipeg) Pr. Stephen Sharman, Dn. Gregory Wiebe, Archpriest Serhii Kashyrets, Dn. John Shantz, Archpriest Gregory Scratch, Priest Matthew Beynon (Holy Trinity Sobor, Winnipeg) Priest Yuri Hladio – who gave the sermon (St. Maria of Paris- Hamilton ON)