As the second Saturday of Great and Holy Lent dawned, the faithful of Houck Michael Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Rhode Island gathered with great anticipation to welcome His Eminence Archbishop Daniel. Under the spiritual leadership of the Very Reverend Fr. Borislav Kroner, the community received the archpastoral visit with reverence and joy, embracing the opportunity for a day of spiritual renewal and reflection. With the blessing of His Eminence Metropolitan Antony, Archbishop Daniel traveled to the state of Rhode Island to strengthen and uplift the faithful on their Lenten journey, reminding them that this sacred season is not merely a time of fasting but a call to a complete transformation of the heart.

In his reflection, Archbishop Daniel spoke of the deeper significance of the Lenten fast, urging the faithful not to reduce this holy season to a mere abstention from food. "Fasting is crucial," he emphasized, "but it is one of the least things we can accomplish." Instead, he encouraged the faithful to embrace the true essence of Great Lent—acts of charity, inner repentance, and a change of heart towards the world around us. Lent is not simply about what we refrain from but what we offer: our love, our humility, and our willingness to draw closer to Christ through both spiritual discipline and acts of mercy.

On the second Sunday of Great Lent, which the Church dedicates to St. Gregory Palamas, Archbishop Daniel presided over the Archpastoral Divine Liturgy, concelebrating with Fr. Borislav Kroner and Fr. David Chidzhokie of St. Sophia Ukrainian Orthodox Theological Seminary. The sacred service was further enriched by the prayerful chanting of the parish choir, while Archdeacon Vasyl led the petitions, fervently praying for peace in Ukraine and for the well-being of the United States of America.

Following the Gospel reading, Archbishop Daniel delivered a soul-stirring homily centered on the Gospel passage of the healing of the paralytic. He posed a challenging yet necessary question: "When we come to worship in our churches, we call one another 'brothers and sisters in Christ.' But how often does this become an empty phrase, lacking true meaning in our lives?"

The Archbishop pointed to the friends of the paralytic as a model of true Christian brotherhood. They did not stand idly by, watching their friend suffer, nor did they let obstacles deter them. Instead, they took action - lifting their friend, carrying him onto the roof, and lowering him before Christ. It was not the paralytic’s faith alone that moved the Lord, but the faith of his friends.

"Who truly acted as a brother to the paralytic?" the Archbishop asked. "Was it the crowd, who gathered to hear Christ but ignored the suffering man? Or was it the few who sacrificed their own closeness to the Lord to bring their friend to healing?"

True brotherhood, he explained, is more than a title - it is an active commitment to love and sacrifice. It is not enough to stand side by side in church; we must stand for one another in life. Before we can claim to be brothers and sisters in Christ, we must first strive to be true friends - friends who lift each other up, who care for one another’s burdens, and who, like the friends of the paralytic, are willing to go to great lengths to bring each other closer to Christ.

The Divine Liturgy culminated in the offering of the Most Holy Eucharist, where numerous parishioners approached the Holy Chalice, uniting themselves with Christ in the sacred mystery of His Body and Blood. This moment of communion was a powerful testament to the true essence of the Church - a family not defined by words alone, but by a shared faith and love that binds us together in Christ.

Following the Liturgy, Archbishop Daniel presented the cross for veneration, offering each parishioner a prayer card in commemoration of his visit. The parish community then gathered for a fellowship luncheon, where the Archbishop had the opportunity to personally speak with the faithful, offering words of encouragement, spiritual guidance, and his archpastoral blessing.

As the day drew to a close, the Archbishop bid farewell to the parishioners, Fr. Borislav Kroner, and his wife Isabella, before departing with the seminarian for the spiritual center of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA in South Bound Brook, New Jersey. 

Archbishop Daniel’s visit to the faithful of Rhode Island was more than an occasion of celebration - it was a call to action. The message was clear: Great Lent is not just about fasting, but about renewal, about opening our hearts to Christ, and about truly living as brothers and sisters in the Lord.

May we take up the challenge given to us by the Archbishop. May we not be like the crowd that watched from a distance but take after the example of the paralytic’s friends. Let us carry each other’s burdens, lift one another up, and work tirelessly to bring all those around us closer to Christ.

For indeed, as the proverb says: A friend in need is a friend indeed.