Saint Philip’s Fast Pastoral of the Ukrainian Catholic Hierarchy in the US 2023

“Behold, I am about to do something new!vNow it already springs forth; do you not see it? (Is. 43:19)

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

We are commencing the Fast of St. Philip, embarking on a journey that culminates in the contemplation of an indescribable mystery – God’s condescension to humanity. It is at the Nativity of Our Lord that God draws near to us, for “In the union of the divine and human, ‘the incorporeal one takes on flesh, the Word becomes approachable, the invisible one is seen, the impalpable one is touched, the one beyond time enters time, the Son of God becomes the Son of Man.’” (Christ Our Pascha, §179). In this divine event, God not only reveals His name but also makes Himself visible, inviting us to recognize Him.

For the second consecutive year, we, Ukrainians in the US, find ourselves preparing for Christmas amidst a full-scale war with the Russian aggressor. Our Ukrainian soil is soaked in the blood of heroes, and our cities and villages under occupation are shrouded under the black pall of the “Russian world.” We continually pose questions to each other and to God: “How much longer will this endure? Why, O God, does this war persist?”

Let us consider the circumstances in which our Lord came to the world. Humanity, perpetually anxious and born in fear, anticipated the coming of the Messiah, each person harboring their own expectations of His identity. Who among them recognized Him as the “something new [that] springs forth,” as prophesied by the Prophet Isaiah? (Is. 43:19) The initial witnesses to the choir of angels were humble shepherds, for “Many are the high and exalted, but God reveals his mysteries to the humble.” (Sir. 3:19)

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God (Matt. 5:8). Pure in heart shepherds became the symbol of those who were capable to see God. However, the path to purity of heart is arduous, demanding profound introspection. We often find ourselves dissatisfied with our circumstances. This war, while manifestly physical and visible, also has deep spiritual ramifications. We yearn for change, for someone to rise against injustice and corruption, yet we tend to overlook that the journey begins within ourselves, with our heart.

“Behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” (2 Cor. 6:2) The day of salvation marks the inception of our inner journey. The Apostle Paul calls us to bear witness, to be people of hope who endure “in steadfast perseverance; in afflictions, hardships, and distress.” As we embark on the path to the Nativity, we strive to “open wide our hearts” (2 Cor. 6:13).

The time is opportune for us to begin. Our first task is the transformation of our hearts. When we delve into the lives of the saints, we often marvel at how they found spiritual equilibrium amidst sorrow, mastering themselves and receiving the strength of Christ, “who by faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and obtained promises. They closed the mouths of lions, quenched raging fires, and escaped the edge of the sword. Their weakness was turned into strength…” (Heb. 11:33-34) Today, our front-line defenders demonstrate that heroes are not born but are instead forged through daily toil and self-sacrifice, proving their unwavering commitment to our homeland.

As we commence this journey to the Nativity, we invite you to fathom the depths of this mystery. A single child altered the course of human history with His birth. The tapestry of human history is interwoven with the thread of Jesus Christ. We are also capable and called to change our personal stories and big history. When we gather in the Name of Jesus Christ, each one of us can contribute with the gifts bestowed upon us by the Lord, thereby effecting change in the world around us.

A Prayer for the Nativity Fast

Lord Jesus, You have come so many times to us and found no resting place; forgive us for our overcrowded lives, our vain haste, and our preoccupation with self. Come again, O Lord, and though our hearts are a jumble of voices and our minds overlaid with many fears, find a place however humble, where You can begin to work Your wonder as You create peace and joy within us. If in some hidden corner, in some out-of-the-way spot, we can clear away the clutter and shut out the noise and darkness, come be born again in us, and we shall kneel in perfect peace with the wisest and humblest of men.

Help us to enter into this Christmas Fast with humility yet with You. And, finally, Lord, give us Christmas from within that we may share it from without, on all sides, all around us, wherever there is need. God help us, every one, to share the blessings of Jesus in Whose name we keep Christmas holy. Amen.

(From: Daily Meditations & Prayer for the Christmas Advent Fast and Epiphany by Presbytera Emily Harakas and Father Anthony Coniaris)

Philip’s Fast (Pylypivka)

All Christian churches prepare for the feast of the birth of Christ by some sort of period of penance. The Western church calls this the period of Advent, connected with the Latin word for “come,” since we are waiting for Christ to come into our lives. We may be celebrating an event in the past, the birth of Jesus, the first coming of God into our world, but we are also celebrating the present, God coming into our own lives and into the world of today, and the future expectation of Christ’s second coming, when he will come in glory to judge tote world in righteousness.

The Roman Church once began the Christmas preparation on St. Martin’s Day, Nov. 11, which gave forty days until the winter solstice on Dec. 21, and the church of Milan in Italy still has a forty-day preparation beginning on Nov. 15.

Traditionally, the Byzantine Church also begins its Christmas preparation on Nov. 15. Since this follows the feast of St. Philip the Apostle, it is called the Philip’s Fast. There is a legend about St. Philip, that when he was about to be martyred, he delayed his entrance into heaven by forty days in order to do penance for the sake of his persecutors. This is certainly only a legend, since Philip was not connected with the pre-Christmas fast until the ninth century, but it does point out one aspect of fasting – it is an act of charity for others. Some contemporary groups have expressed this by introducing the custom of setting aside the money they save by fasting to buy food for the poor. St. Philip is the apostle who leads us to Christ. When Jesus called him to be a disciple, his first action was to go and tell Nathaniel. When Nathaniel questioned him about Jesus, Philip replied, “Come and see” (Jn 1:46). Later in the Gospel, some Greeks (Gentiles, representing all nations) wanted “to see Jesus” (Jn 12:21), and it is Philip and Andrew that lead them to Christ. At the Last Supper, it is Philip that asks the question, “Master, show us the Father,” and Jesus replies, “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father” (Jn 14:8¬9). In the face of Jesus our Lord, we are able to see the love of the Father for us. The holy Apostle Philip, therefore, leads us to Christmas, to see for the first time the face of God, who came into the world to break down the barriers between humanity and God (Eph. 2:14).

Today, all churches have also mitigated the period of penance before Christmas. The Western church continues to celebrate Advent very solemnly, but now as a joyful time of expectation for the coming Messiah. The world expends much energy in the celebration of Christmas, and the commercial preparation continues to grow longer and longer, in the hopes that we will spend more and more money on gifts for one another. The church hopes that we will give some of our time and energy to preparing ourselves spiritually for Christmas. There are today many groups and movements that want to curb the commercialization of Christmas, for either religious or political reasons. A spiritual question The celebration of Christmas is a spiritual question. We do not want to empty Christmas of the genuine joy that goes with the feast. Christmas can be a wonderful feast with beautiful carols and a renewed community feeling called “the spirit of Christmas.” On the other hand, intemperate partying and greed can become evil and smother the spiritual meaning of the feast – God has become human that we might become godlike. St. Paul was to observe, “For you know the gracious act of our Lord Jesus Christ, that for your sake he became poor although he was rich, so that by his poverty you might become rich” (2 Cor 8:9). Here, “becoming rich” does not mean the acquisition of lots of money and possessions, but to become like God, which is worth more than “thousands in gold and silver” (Ps 118:72). The giving of gifts has a Christian meaning. When Jesus was born, the wise men came from the East bringing him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. When we give gifts to one another, we are acting out the principle that Christ taught us, “whatever you do for the least of my brothers or sisters, you do for me” (Mt 25:40:45). Unfortunately, we sometimes use the giving of gifts to use and manipulate one another. The celebration of Christmas is truly a spiritual issue. We must say no to the false values of materialism, of consumerism and of greed. We must accept the gift of Christ, given to us by the Father, who “so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life” (Jn 3:16).

The Nativity Fast Calendar 2019

The Advent/Nativity Fast journey has begun! See how this journey unfolds on a daily basis by walking this calendar to Christmas. Follow the Nativity calendar with your spouse  and children as daily an Advent discipline! 

Join the many of us who do this every year and prosper your soul in the effort. You won’t be the same. Begin today!!!

The attached Nativity Fast Calendar a beautiful thing to follow.