A Fisherman’s Journey Through the Ten Commandments
The Fourth Commandment
“Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the
land the Lord your God gives you.” (Ex 20:12)
Christ is born! Glorify Him!
Христос Рождається! Славімо Його!
Season on the Ice
Winter deepens, and Alberta’s lakes lie silent beneath their frozen armor. Yet
the fisherman knows — beneath that icy surface, life still flows. This year,
with abundant snow and floodwaters, patience and observation are
essential: some trucks have already broken through under the ice, ending at
the bottom of the lake. Be cautious; respect the stillness.
Each trip begins with preparation, not for control, but to meet life hidden
below — a reminder that God’s grace moves even when unseen. As the
waters lie beneath the ice, so too beneath Bethlehem’s quiet night, divine
life stirred — the Word became flesh, Emmanuel, God with us.
At Theophany (January 6 / Eve, January 5 – Щéдрий вéчір), the Church
blesses water as a sign of renewal and divine presence. In many Ukrainian
and Eastern Christian communities, the faithful carve a cross into frozen
lakes and draw holy water to bless homes, reminding us that God’s blessing
reaches every corner of creation.
Family and Faith
This month recalls our roots and the sacred call to honor parents. Through
them, we first learn love, obedience, and belonging — the first domestic
Church. Family is the shoreline of the soul: it gives direction, memory, and a
sense of purpose. To cherish it is to find bearings in the storms of life; to
neglect it is to drift.
Christ Himself was obedient to Mary and Joseph, showing that holiness
begins in humility and service. Family life, with all its joys and struggles,
becomes the first altar where love is tested and refined. Each gesture of
patience, forgiveness, or care is a quiet “cast” into the depths of God’s
mercy.
When Christ sanctified the waters of the Jordan, He renewed creation —
and through baptism, He renews our homes and hearts. Every family,
however small or imperfect, can reflect the Holy Family of Nazareth.
Beneath winter’s stillness, grace flows; beneath labor, God’s love sustains.
Daily and Weekly Practice
Jan 30 – Feast of the Three Hierarchs: Saints Basil, Gregory, and
John remind us that true learning begins at home, and reverence for
parents nurtures reverence for God.
Closing Reflection
Honoring parents and maintaining family bonds steady us amid life’s cold
seasons. In their love, we glimpse God’s care — steadfast, protective, and
guiding. Every home can become Bethlehem, every table a domestic
church, and every family a living reflection of God’s love.
Please pray for me, as I pray for you. We are in the same boat, walking
carefully, trusting the Master Fisher, and honoring His gift of family.
Christ is born! Glorify Him!
Христос Рождається! Славімо Його!
By Fr. Slavko Dumeč, State Chaplain
Vivat Jesus!
Begin and end each day with the Sign of the Cross, remembering
baptism and the waters sanctified by Christ.
As you clear snow or prepare your ice holes, pray the Jesus Prayer
quietly — keeping your heart warm with grace.
Keep a small bottle of blessed Theophany water at home; drink a drop
each morning or bless your family.
Offer prayers for your parents — living and deceased — whose love
shaped your faith and vocation.
Approach Confession this month, breaking the ice of fear or
indifference, allowing God’s mercy to renew your soul.
Season’s Feasts and Highlights
Jan 1 – Circumcision and Naming of Our Lord; Feast of St. Basil
the Great: Christ receives His Holy Name — Jesus, “God saves.” Saint
Basil teaches the balance of wisdom, discipline, and charity that
strengthens family and faith.
Jan 5 – Theophany Eve (Богоявленський Святвечір): Families
gather for the twelve-dish supper, preparing for the blessing of waters.
Jan 6 – Theophany (Богоявлення): Christ is baptized in the Jordan;
through the waters, creation is renewed, and homes are sanctified.
Jan 23 – Solemn Mass of Installation of the Eighth Archbishop of
Edmonton, The Most Reverend Stephen Andrew Hero: St. Joseph’s
Metropolitan Cathedral-Basilica, 7:00 p.m. Families and the faithful are
invited to witness and pray for our new shepherd.
The Season’s Feasts
Dec 6 – St. Nicholas: The Saint whose generous heart prefigures Christ’s love for us.
Dec 9 – Feast of the Concep on of the Blessed Virgin Mary (UGCC tradi on): Observed one day
later than in the Roman calendar; a reminder of the richness of liturgical diversity within the
universal Church and Mary’s prepara on for the Incarna on.
Dec 24 – Christmas Eve: A day of strict fas ng for Ukrainian Catholics, preparing our hearts to
welcome Christ, the true Bread of Life.
Dec 25 – Na vity of Christ: Christ comes into the world; our manger becomes our sanctuary, our
hearts His dwelling place.
Dec 26 – Synaxis of the Blessed Virgin Mary: We honor Mary, who treasured every Word of God
in her heart.
Dec 27 – St. Stephen, First Martyr: A witness to the faith, reminding us to live God’s
commandments in word and deed.Prac ces for the Season
Daily:
Begin and end each day with the Sign of the Cross, invoking the Holy Trinity with deliberate
reverence.
Pray the Jesus Prayer while moving, drilling, or jigging. Each repe on a spiritual “cast” of trust
into God’s mercy.
Reflect silently before speaking or ac ng, le ng reverence shape your words and choices.
Approach Confession to restore your soul, making it a fi ng dwelling for Christ.
Unite fas ng, prayer, and charity during the Na vity Fast (Nov 15–Dec 24, also called St. Philip’s
Fast in popular devo on).
Weekly / Special Focus:
A end Sunday Divine Liturgy fully and ac vely; the Lord’s Day is the heart of the week.
Meditate on Scripture passages about Christ’s Incarna on, the Blessed Virgin, or the early
martyrs.
Observe and reflect on the feast of the week, allowing each celebraprepara on.
on to deepen your spiritual
Ice-Fishing as Spiritual Metaphor:
Walk carefully on the ice as you would walk in grace, approaching the Sacraments with
reverence.
Each drill hole and jig is like a prayer or act of faith; inten onal, pa ent, and trus ng in God’s
providence.
December marks the start of the ice-fishing season, different from November: no boat, no
cas ng, but drilling and jigging; like pa ent, deliberate spiritual effort.
Closing Reflec on
The lakes are frozen, the air crisp, and the earth wai ng for the light of Christ. Just as fishermen respect
the ice, measure each step, and drill with care, so we approach the Lord’s Day and the Eucharist. Christ
comes to dwell in us, transforming ordinary space into holy ground. May our hearts become living
mangers, our words gentle nets, and our ac ons casts of love into the deep.
Please pray for me, as I pray for you. We are in the same boat, walking carefully, trus ng the Master
Fisher, and awai ng the Christ Child together.
Fr. Slavko Dumeč, State Chaplain
Vivat Jesus!
