Time to Close out the Moveable Festal Season of the Year!

To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven: A time [a]to be born, And a time to die; A time to plant, And a time to pluck what is planted;  A time to kill, And a time to heal; A time to break down, And a time to build up; A time to weep, And a time to laugh; A time to mourn, And a time to dance; A time to cast away stones, And a time to gather stones; A time to embrace, And a time to refrain from embracing; A time to gain, And a time to lose; A time to keep, And a time to throw away; A time to tear, And a time to sew; A time to keep silence, And a time to speak; A time to love, And a time to hate; A time of war, And a time of peace. Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 (NKJV)

Dearest Spiritual ‘Ohana,

As of Sunday, June 7, 2026, we complete the Moveable Festal Season of the year with the celebration of All Saints, one week following the celebration of Holy Pentecost, which celebrates the Coming/the Promise of the Holy Spirit.

When our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ instituted the Holy Eucharist, in the Upper Room, before His Disciples, He prepared them for His departure from among them, as He would be brought to trial, crucified on the Cross, would be resurrected from the Dead, remain with them after His Resurrection 40 days until His Ascension into Heaven to sit at the Right Hand of the Father. He completed His Purpose and Mission in taking on human flesh through His Incarnation, reopening the Gates of Paradise through all He accomplished here on earth. There came a time when the Lord had to leave the earth and rejoin our Heavenly Father in Paradise, seated at the Father’s Right Hand. The Disciples feared and wondered what they would do without Him. But the Lord promised them and us included, “I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you.”

The Lord promised the Disciples, and the future generations of humankind, that the Helper, the Holy Spirit, would be with us to fill us with the Lord’s Promise and Love that He would be with us throughout the Ages. Even though the Lord was taken from the Disciples and us, He did not leave us as orphans. Through the Holy Spirit, we know that God is with us and that “Christ is in our midst.” The Holy Spirit, being the most Mysterious Person of the Holy Trinity, allows the Presence of Christ to be present in all places without boundaries and barriers. We are given the assurance that the Holy Spirit guides, directs us, and fills us with Christ’s Presence.

Upon exiting the Moveable Festal Season of the Year, now we return to the Immovable Season of the Year with the fixed Celebrations of the Lord’s Church. The Moveable Festal Season has been meticulously calculated around the Moon Phases surrounding the Spring Equinox where the measure of daylight is equal to the nighttime darkness. This is how the calculation of Holy Pascha, the Resurrection have been determined by the Holy Fathers of the Church since the 4th Century and throughout the Ages.

The quote I included from Ecclesiastes is taken from the Old Testament of the Bible, part of the wisdom literature. It’s known for its deep, sometimes challenging reflections on life, meaning, and the human experience. The passage of time is an opportunity for us human beings to pursue and fulfill our purpose which is to endlessly and infinitely know the Mysteries of God and to commune with Him. This is what we as Orthodox Christian call “Theosis,” which is a continuous process to unwrap and grasp the Mystery of God and to forever get to know Him more and more. Time is a Gift from God to help us maneuver through the dynamics of our challenges and tribulations and make them opportunities to grow in our relationship with Him.

I wish all of you a wonderful Summer!

Congratulations to all our Graduates in 2026, whether it be from High School, College, Graduate School, Doctoral Studies, etc.! Best wishes for brightest futures!

With Love in Christ,

+Fr. Alexander