The Great Fast (Lent) invites believers to slow down, turn to God, and allow God’s grace to reshape their lives. This year, the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Edmonton is offering a special opportunity to do just that through a three-part Lenten series, “God Speaks from the Cross.” This series will be held at St. Basil’s Cultural Centre in Edmonton and will also be accessible online.
By delving into and praying with the seven sayings of Jesus from the Cross, the series will help us enter the heart of the Passion: the place where Christ reveals the depths of his love and the fullness of our salvation.
Listening to Christ in Great Lent
In the Byzantine tradition, the Great Fast is a season of repentance, fasting, prayer, and almsgiving that prepares us for the celebration of Great and Holy Pascha. It is a journey with Christ—from the desert to Jerusalem, from the upper room to Golgotha and the empty tomb.
The Lenten series “God Speaks from the Cross” is meant to accompany this journey. Rather than adding “one more event” to a busy calendar, the evenings are designed as a quiet space to hear the Lord’s voice, reflect on Scripture, and allow Christ’s words from the Cross to speak personally into our lives today.
When and Where
- Dates: Thursdays, March 12, 19, and 26
- Time: 7:00–8:30 p.m.
- Location: St. Basil’s Cultural Centre, 10819–71 Avenue, Edmonton
- Format: In person and via Zoom (please, use the event link: https://tinyurl.com/Lenten26)
- Cost/Registration: No fee and no registration required; all are welcome to attend one, two, or all three evenings.
- We will have bilingual clergy and team members present who can assist Ukrainian‑speaking participants with clarification, and translation of key points, or questions, so that everyone can fully take part in the evenings.
Each evening will include common prayer, a focused lecture, and time for questions, discussion and personal reflection. Participants are encouraged to bring their Bibles and, if they wish, a notebook for personal thoughts and prayer intentions.
Seven Sayings, Three Evenings
The series is structured around the traditional “Seven Last Words” of Christ, grouped across three evenings.
March 12 – Mercy and Promise – Speaker: Fr. Julian Bilyj
Fr. Julian will open the series with two sayings that reveal the Lord’s mercy and His promise of salvation:
- “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.”
- “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”
These meditations will look at forgiveness in the face of injustice, the call to conversion, and the hope offered to every person, no matter how far they feel from God.
March 19 – Compassion and Suffering – Speaker: Fr. Orion Weibe
The second evening focuses on Christ’s deep compassion and his cry of abandonment:
- “Woman, here is your son… here is your mother.”
- “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
Fr. Orion will explore how Jesus entrusts us to the loving care of His Mother and how His prayer from the Cross, rooted in Psalm 22, speaks to our own experiences of loneliness, pain, and unanswered questions. Participants will be invited to see that even in moments that feel like absence, God is mysteriously at work.
March 26 – Thirst, Fulfilment, and Surrender – Speaker: Fr. Gabriel Haber
The final evening contemplates the closing words of the Lord:
- “I am thirsty.”
- “It is finished.”
- “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.”
Fr. Gabriel will reflect on Christ’s thirst for souls and justice, the completion of His saving mission, and the total trust with which He hands His spirit over to the Father. These reflections will highlight what it means for us to persevere in faith, even when life feels dry or unfinished.
Why This Series Matters
For many, the Great Fast can easily become only a change of diet or a busy list of services. “God Speaks from the Cross” invites us to go beyond routine toward personal encounter. By spending time with Jesus’ words, participants are encouraged to:
- Rediscover God’s mercy and the healing power of forgiveness.
- Bring their own suffering, doubts, and fears to Christ.
- Learn to pray with Scripture in a deeper, more contemplative way.
- Strengthen their relationship with the Mother of God and the Church.
- Prepare more consciously for the solemn days of Holy Week and the joy of Pascha.
The series is also a way for parishes and families to walk together. Those attending in person will gather at St. Basil’s Cultural Centre in Edmonton, while others may join online from parishes or homes throughout Alberta and beyond. In this way, faithful throughout the world are invited to stand spiritually at the foot of the Cross, united in prayer.
An Open Invitation
Open to everyone – come to one evening or all three. There is no cost to attend and no registration required. Whether you are a regular churchgoer, someone returning after a time away, or simply searching for meaning, you are warmly invited.
If you are not able to attend in person, then we invite you to join on Zoom: use the event link: https://tinyurl.com/Lenten26
For more information: Bernadette Mandrusiak – bernadette.mandrusiak@eeparchy.com, 780‑424‑5496. As we journey through the Great Fast (Lent), may these evenings help us to hear again the voice of the Lord who, even from the Cross, continues to speak words of mercy, hope, and love to each one of us.