October 20, 2019 · 12:11 pm

Divine Enlightenment

~ Words of the Church Fathers ~

Those who withdraw themselves from Christ are deprived of divine enlightenment, for like fools they forsake sun-drenched places so as to retire to the shade. Hence, it is natural for them to be cold and fall spiritually ill. God has endowed us all with gifts, but not all of us utilize them for the salvation of our souls and the salvation of our fellow men. Instead, most of us, most of the time, use them to the detriment of others and ourselves.

St Paisios of Mount Athos

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October 13, 2019 · 12:52 pm

Preparing soil – Sermon on the Fourth Sunday of Luke

Sunday Sermon on the Fourth Sunday of Luke, Luke 8: 5-15

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, One God.

We live in a world obsessed with outcomes.
Winning – regardless of the methods, regardless of the means – counts. Nothing else.
In nearly every area of our lives – our athletics, our politics, our business – winning is the criteria by which people are assessed.
A person is either successful, by winning, or a loser.
I don’t think that was always the case. It was not that long ago when people of good character were winners. People who played by the rules were winners.

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October 13, 2019 · 12:44 pm

Seek first the Kingdom of God

~ Words of the Church Fathers ~

God loves His creation, His image, and provides the things which man needs. If one does not believe this and struggles by himself to acquire these earthly gifts, he will suffer.


But even if God does not provide some of these earthly, material things, a person who is leading a spiritual life will not worry about it.

If we seek first the Kingdom of God and this is our only concern, all the other things will be given to us, as well. Will God abandon His creation? The manna which God provided for the Israelites in the desert would spoil if they kept it for the next day. (Cf. Ex 16:19-20.) God arranged things this way so that the people would have confidence in His divine providence. We have not yet understood the words of Jesus.

Saint Paisios of Mt Athos, “Seek first the Kingdom of God” (Cf. Mt 6:33)

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October 6, 2019 · 9:25 pm

Sunday Sermon on the Third Sunday of Luke

Luke 7: 11-16

O Lord, Do you know my pain?
In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and Of the Holy Spirit, Amen
O Lord, Do you know my pain?
O Lord, Do you see my struggle?
I am lost in the world; will you find me and bring me home?

Gifts are something we do not deserve, but rather are given to us because of love. Divine Love, the Love of God sees all that we are, all that we will be, and what will become of us. One mystery of life is that the divine patience and love of God gives us true freedom, and choice, even though God knows already what is to come.

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October 6, 2019 · 9:15 pm

If God had not been incarnate upon earth…

~ Words of the Church Fathers ~

If God had not been incarnate upon earth, if He had not made us godly, if He had not taught us in His Own person how to live, what to hope for and expect, if He had not pointed out to us another perfect and eternal life, if He had not suffered and died and risen from the dead—then we should still have had some reason to live, as we all now live—that is to mostly lead a carnal, earthly life.

But, now, we ought to meditate upon higher things, and count all earthly things but dung, for, everything earthly is nothing, in comparison with heavenly things.

Meanwhile, the Devil, the father of lies, in spite of the Savior’s teaching and His spirit, teaches us to attach ourselves to earthly goods, and forcibly nails our sensual heart to them.

The heart naturally seeks happiness—and the Devil gives a false direction to this tendency, and allures it by earthly happiness, that is—by riches, honors, splendor of dress, furniture, silver, equipages, gardens and various amusements.

St John of Kronstadt, My Life in Christ

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August 11, 2019 · 4:13 pm

Visit of His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia

Our Parish was honoured to welcome His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia to our Church on Wednesday 7 August 2019. His Eminence presided at the Paraklesis to the Theotokos, and met many members of our Parish.

Images: Zark Photography
(To view image gallery, click on an image)

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August 10, 2019 · 6:25 pm

In Praise of The Theotokos!

Some seven hundred years ago, St. Gregory Palamas delivered a beautiful and inspiring homily regarding the Dormition of the Mother of God and Ever Virgin Mary. Below are some excerpts:

…There is also nothing dearer or more necessary for me than to expound with due honor in church the wonders of the ever-virgin Mother of God…If “precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints” (Ps. 116:15) and “the memory of the just is praised” (Prov. 10:7 LXX), how much more fitting is it for us to celebrate with highest honors the memory of the ever virgin Mother of God, the Holy of Holies, through whom the saints receive their hallowing?

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August 8, 2019 · 5:53 pm

THE MOST HOLY THEOTOKOS

~ Words of the Church Fathers ~

The Most Holy Mother of God prays for us ceaselessly. She is always visiting us. Whenever we turn to her in our heart, she is there. After the Lord, she is the greatest protection for mankind. How many churches there are in the world that are dedicated to the Most Holy Mother of God! How many healing springs where people are cured of their ailments have sprung up in places where the Most Holy Theotokos appeared and blessed those springs to heal both the sick and the healthy! She is constantly, by our side, and all too often we forget her.
Elder Thaddeus of Vitovnica, Homily on the Dormition of the Theotokos

Do not be irritated either with those who sin or those who offend; do not have a passion for noticing every sin in your neighbour, and for judging him, as we are in the habit of doing. Everyone shall give an answer to God for himself. Everyone has a conscience; everyone hears God’s Word, and knows God’s Will either from books or from conversation with other people.

Especially do not look with evil intention upon the sins of your elders, which do not regard you; “to his own master he standeth or falleth.” Correct your own sins, amend your own life.
St John of Kronstadt

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August 8, 2019 · 5:49 pm

How to Become a Living Relic

SIXTH SUNDAY OF MATTHEW, Matthew 9: 1-8

In 2015, I went to liturgy in an Orthodox parish in Rome that meets in a vacant Catholic church. After the service, the priest showed me the bones of early Christian martyrs kept there in a cabinet. Rome was the capital city of an empire that put so many to death for their faith in Christ and their refusal to worship the emperor and other false gods. Whether in great cathedrals or humble parish churches, the relics of saints are never far away in such a place. They are tangible signs of holiness.

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August 8, 2019 · 5:43 pm

Opening the Eyes of our Souls to the Brilliant Light of Christ

Holy Transfiguration of Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ – August 6

Have you ever noticed how we often use our ability to see as an image for our ability to understand? We say “as you can see” when we mean “as you can understand.” And we say that people are blind to the truth in order to express that they do not know the truth. There is a deep connection between seeing and knowing.

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