Archbishop Makarios of Australia: “We should only judge others when we are sure that we love them”
On Thursday, 26 December 2024, His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia visited the celebrating Parish of Saint Stephanos, in the suburb of Hurlstone Park, Sydney, and officiated at the Great Vespers in memory of its patron, Saint Stephanos the Protomartyr and Archdeacon.
During the Service, His Eminence spoke about the life and martyrdom of the honoured Saint, having recalled in the introduction the deepest and most essential meaning of the celebration of Christmas, which is the understanding that Christ came into the world “to teach us not to fear and to conquer death.” “We also see this in Saint Stephanos,” he pointed out, “who opened the way to martyrdom and was the first to shed his blood for Christ and our holy Church.” “By his example,” he continued, “he showed all of us that Christ is not a lie, His teaching is not a philosophy, and the Gospel is not an ordinary book, like all the other books that have been written in human history. All of this is one great truth! For this very truth he was martyred.”
Focusing, moreover, on the last moments of Saint Stephanos’ earthly life, from his arrest and defence to his death by stoning, the Archbishop emphasised the courage with which he defended the truth before the Jews, but also the great love he possessed and his forgiving spirit, as reflected in his plea: “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.”
“As he was heading toward his end,” His Eminence observed, “he did not hesitate to bear witness to the truth to the Jews, to rebuke them, and, indeed, to rebuke them severely.” He pointed out, however, that the Saint’s rebuke and condemnation were aimed at the salvation of his persecutors, hence before he died, he prayed that what they did would not be imputed to them as a sin.
Taking as an example the life of Saint Stephanos the Protomartyr, the Archbishop urged “We should only judge others when we are sure that we love them; let us judge them not to condemn him, but to save them.” “This will be a very good beginning for our own salvation,” he added, “because it will help us to know ourselves better. Because the person who is preoccupied with others does not have time to be preoccupied with themself and see their own weaknesses, in order to be able to correct them.”
In conclusion, His Eminence addressed his paternal wishes to Archimandrite Stephanos Tinikashvili, who was present at the Feast Day vespers, for his name day, while he also commemorated Elder Stephanos, the Former Abbot of the Holy Monastery of Panagia Pantanassa in Mangrove, who also was celebrating his name day, offering heartfelt wishes and words of gratitude for his contribution to the Church.
