“For as the body is one, and has many members, so also is Christ” (1 Cor. 12:12).
The Feast of the Resurrection of Christ is not just the culmination of the church year. It is the beginning of a new history, the breath of new life, the testimony that death has been overcome. And the Holy itself, as a parish celebration at the parish of St. Joseph, becomes a bridge between the liturgical triumph of the church and the living pulse of the parish community.
On this day, when the Risen Christ comes out to meet humanity, His Church is not silent. She sings. She prays. She unites. She lives. And every heart that believes becomes part of this Easter.
The consecration at St. Joseph's Parish is a sign that the Church breathes. That it is a living body that has not only a heart, but also many other organs - communities, ministries, talents, souls that work and pray together.
This year, the Holy Mass began with the most important thing – the Divine Liturgy, where in the Eucharist we met the Risen One not symbolically, but truly. And then this meeting continued at the festive table and on stage – in words, songs, dances, children's laughter, and sincere prayers.
It was not a concert. It was the breath of the parish, praising Life. It was the eyes of children, in which Heavenly joy was reflected. It was the hands of mothers, holding the parish with prayer. It was the voices of men, who became a support not only in the home, but also in the Church. It was generations, holding together – like a living icon of a resurrected Ukraine.
All this took place under the prayer and blessing of our parish priest, Father Mykola Buryadnik, and his co-workers, Father Andriy Delisandra, Father Bogdan Nalisnyk, Father Protodeacon Mark Krutyak, and the assistant fathers. Symbolically and profoundly, they distributed consecrated Easter eggs to the parishioners, as a sign that Christ gives us not only blessings, but also life, which breaks the darkness.
Speaking to the community, Father Mykola said:
“The sacred is not just a festive meal. It is our spiritual celebration, an Easter testimony of parish unity, where each soul makes its small but priceless contribution to the great mosaic of the Resurrection.”
And also emphasized:
“Our parish is like a living river, filled with thousands of drops: schools of Ukrainian studies and Ukrainian dance, choral communities, youth movements, prayer brotherhoods and sisterhoods.
And together we are one Body of Christ.”
And in the moment of greatest spiritual silence that fell after these words, it was said:
“For what is Easter if not a call to renew one’s heart? What is Resurrection if not a call to true life – in love, in sacrifice, in hope, in forgiveness?”
At a time when Ukraine is drenched in blood, we celebrate not superficial joy, but the profound victory of Life over death. Because Easter is not an escape from pain. It is a response to it. Christ rose not only for the apostles. He rose for all those who today seek light in the night. And so we sang. We prayed. We danced. We listened. Children, youth, elders – all were part of one body called the Church.
Every community of our parish, every family, every minister joined this mosaic. Some through song. Some through cooking. Some through the silence of prayer. And some simply through presence. And this presence was prayer.
The presence of the defenders of Ukraine in our festive gathering – soldiers who are in the United States for treatment, rehabilitation or prosthetics – was especially and deeply moving. Their presence is a silent but powerful testimony of sacrificial love. They came not as guests, but as heroes who live among us, carrying the cross of war and faith. We looked into their eyes and saw not only pain but also dignity there. And together with them we prayed for peace, for healing, for victory – both earthly and eternal.
Sacred is gratitude. It is when we remember those who came before us. Those who built the church. Those who are not in sight, but serve every day. It is gratitude to those who work in the shadows, who keep the parish in daily work and care. It is prayer for our older parishioners, for our children, for all who carry the Church forward.
It was a time when it was not the performances that were important, but the inner mood:
– hope that will win;
– faith growing in the heart of a child;
– the love that sews together the wounded parts of the body of the Church;
– Ukraine, which stands with the Cross in its heart, and not just with a flag in its hands.
Easter is a victory. But the Holy is when this victory becomes a family one. When the parish is like a family. And in this family there are no extras. There are only our own.
In conclusion, Father Mykola said:
“Do not be afraid! I have overcome the world!” (John 16:33)
And added:
“May each community of our parish feel its mission: to be not a spectator, but a living bearer of the light of the Resurrection – where there is pain, where there is despair, where there is so little hope.”
The sacred is Easter, continued in brotherhood.
The sacred is when not walls, but hearts create a temple.
Christ is Risen! – Truly He is Risen!
