From December 12 to 14, the Parish of Our Lady of Zarvanytsia in Seattle, Washington, held its pre-Christmas retreat entitled “God Is With Us, Understand, O Nations.” The spiritual reflections were led by Fr. Myroslav Dumych, pastor of St. John the Baptist Parish in Detroit and rector of the Missionary Institute of the Eparchy of St. Nicholas in Chicago.
The retreat program included the Holy Mystery of Reconciliation, communal praying of the Rosary with Christmas reflections, Divine Liturgies, and spiritual talks. In his reflections, the retreat leader emphasized the importance of family unity, prayer for peace and for those who defend life and freedom, and the need to keep Christ at the center of the celebration of Christmas.
Special attention was given to the meaning of Christian symbols—the manger, the altar, and the cross—as well as to the profound theological significance of the Proskomedia as part of the Divine Liturgy.
The pre-Christmas retreat became an important opportunity for the spiritual renewal of the parish community and for preparing the faithful to welcome the Nativity of Christ.
