# Mission Days 2026 – Thursday, May 14

- Link: https://nweparchy.ca/2026/05/decade-of-mission-2026-thursday-may-14/
- Published: 2026-05-14T21:52:46-07:00
- Author: Website

Our Church begins the Decade of Mission 2026, a special time of prayer, reflection,
and spiritual renewal leading us from the Feast of the Ascension of Our Lord to 
the Feast of Pentecost.

This year, the Decade of Mission is dedicated to the Ukrainian family, which continues
to suffer deeply from the consequences of war, separation, pain, and uncertainty.
Throughout these days, we will pray for the preservation and renewal of our families,
so that our homes may become true “domestic churches,” filled with God’s peace and
love.

This initiative has been especially blessed and encouraged by

Bishop Michael Kwiatkowski,

who invited all faithful of the Eparchy to unite in daily prayer and reflection 
during these Mission Days.

Bishop Michael especially encourages all faithful to:

• take part in this spiritual journey,

• gather together in family prayer,

• reflect on the Word of God,

• and share these materials with relatives, friends, and fellow parishioners.

Each day until Pentecost, a different priest of our Eparchy will guide us through
a daily reflection, prayer service, or Moleben connected to the Gospel reading of
the day.

We will also send daily messages and video reflections throughout the Decade of 
Mission.

**📺 Please find today’s video reflection below:**

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Thursday, May 14 — Feast of the Ascension

“Peace Be With You: Hope for the Ukrainian Family”

Luke 24:36–53

Reflection by Fr. Mykhailo Ozorovych

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May this Decade of Mission become a blessed time of healing, reconciliation, and
renewal for our families, our parish, our Church, and Ukraine.

May the Holy Spirit renew our families, strengthen our faith, and fill our hearts
with God’s peace.

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**Thursday, May 14 (Feast of the Ascension)**

**“Peace Be With You: Hope for the Ukrainian Family”
Luke 24:36–53 — Fr. Mykhailo
Ozorovych

On this day of the Ascension of the Lord, the Gospel tells us how the risen Christ
stands among His disciples and says to them: “Peace be with you!” This is not merely
an ordinary greeting. In the biblical sense, peace (_shalom_) means fullness of 
life, reconciliation with God, and inner wholeness. At that moment, however, the
disciples are filled with fear, confusion, and guilt after the Passion of Christ.
Therefore, Jesus first seeks to embrace them with His peace.

It is important to note that Christ brings this peace with the wounds in His hands
and feet. He does not hide the marks of His suffering after the Resurrection, although
He could have appeared without them. The Lord keeps them as a sign that true peace
is always connected with sacrifice. Thus, the peace Christ brings is not the absence
of difficulties or pain, but the fruit of love that has passed through the Cross
and proved stronger than death.

These words resonate deeply today, as in the fifth year of full-scale war the Ukrainian
people bear the heavy burden of loss, pain, and uncertainty. These wounds have especially
affected the Ukrainian family. Sadly, we are witnessing one of the highest divorce
rates since Ukraine’s independence, and a demographic crisis of alarming proportions,
with deaths nearly three times exceeding births. War not only takes lives—it exhausts
relationships and destroys family bonds.

That is why the theme of the family is central in the life of our Church today. 
This was evident in last year’s Synod of Bishops of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic
Church in Rome, whose main theme was “Pastoral Care of Families in Time of War.”
Today, one of the most important tasks for both the Church and our nation is the
preservation of the Ukrainian family. Our families, marked by many wounds, need 
the Church’s support more than ever to receive the peace with which Christ came 
to His disciples.

In time of war, it is especially important that our families are not left alone 
with their pain, crises, and fears. The Church is called to be present—to support,
to listen, to heal, to help restore unity, and to teach that love which is not destroyed
even in the midst of trials. For this reason, this year’s Decade of Mission is dedicated
to family life. From today until the Feast of Pentecost, we will reflect day by 
day on passages from the Gospel of John in the light of married and family life.
Together we will seek answers to important questions: how to preserve love in times
of trial, how to learn unity, forgiveness, sacrifice, and mutual support, and how
to build a family centered on God.

May this time become an opportunity not only for deeper reflection, but also for
the renewal of our family relationships, shared prayer, and the rediscovery of God’s
beautiful plan for marriage and family. For it is through strong, loving, and faithful
families that the Lord will build a bright future for the Church and for Ukraine.

**Missionary Tasks:**

**1. Personal level:
Commit during the Decade of Mission to attend the principal
services of your parish in order to properly prepare for the Feast of Pentecost.

**2. Parish level:
Propose to your parish priest a concrete form of support for 
families: a common prayer gathering or a small support group for couples experiencing
difficulties.
3. Missionary level:
This week, take a concrete step toward a family
or person experiencing crisis or who