Archbishop Makarios of Australia: “To progress in the spiritual life, we must strive both spiritually and physically”
On the Fourth Sunday of Lent,3 April 2022, His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia visited and presided over at the Church of the Resurrection in the suburb of Kogarah, Sydney, accompanied by Their Graces Bishop Elpidios of Kyanea, Archiepiscopal Vicar of Perth and Bishop Christodoulos of Magnesia, Hierarchical Proistamenos of the Parish of Kogerah.
In a crowded church, His Eminence Archbishop Makarios spoke about the virtues of faith, prayer and fasting, analysing the Gospel passage of the day which describes the miracle of the healing of the demon-possessed young man by Jesus Christ.
His Eminence first explained to the congregation that miracles are not performed in a magical way, but in an existential way: “Both he who expects healing and he who heals must have immediate existential unity with Christ, who is the source of miracles.
And a necessary condition for every miracle, is faith “. As he pointed out, selfishness and selfishness undermine and open the window of faith from the human soul, and a necessary presupposition for every miracle, is faith”.
As His Eminence pointed out, egoticism and selfishness undermine and throw away this faith from the human soul.
Furthermore, the Archbishop referred to the instruction that Christ gave to his disciples about prayer and fasting, clarifying on this occasion that sins are not distinguished in spiritual and physical terms, but all sins are psychosomatic, that is, that in every fall the whole human being participates.
For this reason, he stressed that “in order to get rid of sins and progress in our spiritual life, we must strive both spiritually and physically.”
Furthermore, His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia made special mention of Saint John of Sinai, who is honored by our Church on the Fourth Sunday of Great and Holy Lent, and especially for his book, “Klimax – The ladder”, where the virtues that can lead us to God are presented as steps.
His Eminence focused and analysed before the faithful the first and the last step of “The Ladder”. The first, as he explained, refers to “renouncement”, ie the virtue that allows man to deny his desires, passions and will, that is, all those that keep him attached to earthly things and do not allow him to walk towards the Kingdom of Heaven.
At the top of “The ladder” is the virtue of love – not philosophical or emotional love, as presented by the modern world – but sacrificial love, as taught by Christ during Great and Holy Week.
“Not the love of words, but the love of deeds, the love without recompense and without selfishness”, underlined His Eminence.
“Sacrificial and crucified love,” he added, urging the congregation to seek this virtue on Golgotha, under the Cross of Christ.
In closing, the Archbishop emphasised that our struggle for the spiritual life must be constant, pointing out that rest and procrastination are works and success of the devil.
For this reason, along with his wishes for a “Good Resurrection”, addressed the faithful with a request, leaving the church to try to apply in their lives and daily life everything they heard about faith, prayer and fasting.
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