Author: stmichaelbyzcampbell

My dear Parishioners and Friends of St. Michael’s:

           This year, our Great Fast journey begins two days after Valentine’s Day (better finish all the chocolate today if you’re giving up chocolate).  Did you ever notice that the word LENT is in VaLENTine?  

I like to think this is more than just a coincidence.  Fundamentally, Lent is about love. Lent begins with a spirit of forgiveness.  We are called to enter into the Great Fast more than just letting go of sweets and goodies, but letting go of hurts and anger.  This is extremely difficult.   So, we have the next 7 weeks to work on the things we need to let go of by doing lots of praying, fasting, and almsgiving.  

Prayer as love:  Prayer is not so much about making our voices heard, and trying to make something I want happen, but more about opening our hearts to the Love who is all around us, is quietly speaking to our hearts, and is constantly pursuing a relationship with us. Please have a good attitude when it comes to prayer this Lent. 

Fasting as love:  Fasting from meat, dairy, desserts, drinks, goodies, swearing, scrolling on our devices, etc. all are ways to say to God that, “I love you God more than these things.”   Fasting helps us focus more to love God than things. Plus, fasting is not only physically healthy but helps the soul grow in virtues.   Please have a good attitude when it comes to fasting this Lent. 

Almsgiving as love:  “As often as you do it for my brothers and sisters, you do it for me.”  These are the words of Jesus reminding how important charitable works are, especially if we are to get into heaven.   Charity makes us put off selfishness and our own ego.  Please have a good attitude when it comes to almsgiving this Lent. 

For some, the next 7 weeks will drag and for others, will go quickly.  Don’t miss this spiritual and beneficial opportunity this Lenten season to grow in love.  Lent is not meant to be easy.  It is challenging because we have to change our ways, schedules, and habits.   And I think that God is so much worth more, than holding on to those ways, schedules, and habits.  

           I will pray for all of you this Great Fast, and ask for forgiveness of my wrongs in any way towards you. 

From Our Pastor & Dean

My Dear St. Michael Parish Family:

            When we look at a lot of Nativity scenes, we often see the baby Jesus with his arms wide open.   Jesus is really holding his hands out to the entire world.  I like to call this gesture Jesus’ first sermon as He says in an unmistakable way: “I love you.”   He came into the world with his arms outstretched in the manger and left the earthly world with his arms outstretched on the cross, saying the same, “ I love you.”       Jesus is God’s love made visible for us.  God is not a tyrant or a slave driver or a master; God is a loving father.   We are His children.  But still the message seems not to get through to us.   Weekly church attendance is not merely what it should be, and we so often turn to others and worldly things instead of turning to God and His Church. 

           I think we forgot just how much Jesus loves us because we allow ourselves to get distracted.  Life is full of activities, opportunities, and things we say yes to because we feel guilty. When we have a spare moment, instead of praying we switch on the TV, computer, or pick up the phone we just had in our hands a minute ago. The Inn had no room to welcome Jesus because it was too full – just like our lives. The humble stable had space for Almighty God. Sometimes we don’t begin to realize the meaning of life until our own lives start to stink like a stable. Sometimes we have to be emptied of everything else before we begin to discover that only God’s love really matters. 

The Baby born in Bethlehem really does reveal the secret of life: “I love you.” The Church seems to have a lot of strange teachings, and they seem strange to us because they only make sense if the Christmas story is true. Why does the Church insist that we pray daily? To stay friends with the One who loves us. Why does the Church say we have to come to Divine Liturgy every Sunday? To be fed by the One who loves us. Why does the Church have Confession? So we can come back to God’s love when we have failed. Why do we keep celebrating Christmas after Christmas Day? Because we love God so much, and are so excited to welcome His Son.

This Christmas and all throughout 2026 and the years after that, let us say “I love you” back to Jesus by being good church attendees, practicing our faith daily, and taking interest in the “Good News” instead of being distracted by the daily bad news.  

Merry Christmas,

Your Pastor and Protopresbyter