“Today, most people say: “We can live without God”. But this is not true,” — Bishop Mykola Bychok during the sermon on the feast of the Entrance of the Blessed Virgin Mary into the Temple
On Sunday, December 4, on the feast of the Entrance of the Blessed Virgin Mary into the Temple in the Cathedral of Ss. Peter and Paul, Melbourne, during the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy, children solemnly began the Mystery of Holy Communion. On this special holiday, the parish family gathered to support and congratulate the children with prayer.
Bishop Mykola Bychok, Eparch of Melbourne, during the sermon, gathered the children around him and told them about the 3 parts of the church — the entrance, the place for faithful, and the Altar — and what each of the parts means. The bishop compared the temple to a home, emphasizing to the children that God himself lives here, and always welcomes everyone. The Bishop and the children also reflected on an important event in their lives — the Sacraments of First Confession and solemn Holy Communion, encouraging young boys and girls to receive the living God into their hearts as often as possible.
Afterward, the Bishop of Melbourne addressed the parents, godparents, and relatives of the children with a pastoral message, saying: “Today is a special day also because today we celebrate the Entrance of the Blessed Virgin Mary into the Temple. What place does the temple occupy in our lives?
In the Gospel of Luke, we hear a man asking Jesus: “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” And then he himself answers: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself”. “We come to church,” explained the bishop, “in order to enrich our love for God and also in order to be able to love our neighbor on our life’s journey.” And then he continued: “Today is a special day because your children have moved to a new stage of spiritual life, realizing responsibility for their own actions and distinguishing between good and evil. Yesterday, they consciously began the Holy Mystery of Confession for the first time, and today they solemnly accepted God into their hearts.”
Bishop Mykola also emphasized that it is essential for God to be in our hearts, in our homes, and at the place of our work and noted that very often in today’s realities most people reject their Creator, not wanting to have anything to do with the church, saying: “We can live without God.” “But this is not true!” — emphasized the bishop of Melbourne, — because God created this world out of love for man.
Bishop Mykola also emphasized that it is essential for God to be in our hearts, in our homes, and at the place of our work and noted that very often in today’s realities, most people reject their Creator, not wanting to have anything to do with the church: “Today, most people say: ‘We can live without God.’ But this is not true! , — the Bishop of Melbourne emphasized, — because God created this world out of love for man. And that is why the words from the Gospel of Luke: ‘Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?’ are very important for us because our life does not end with the Divine Liturgy and Holy Communion. It continues when we leave the church, we do everyday things, we work, and, especially, when we build relationships with God and our neighbors.”
In conclusion, the bishop said: “May today, following the example of your children, who through the Sacrament of Confession have properly prepared to receive God, each of us also participates in the Eucharist with a pure soul, and may the example of the parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary, who brought Her to the temple, be to you, dear parents, for example, so that together with your children you come to the temple, guiding them on the path of goodness, holiness, love for God and neighbor. Amen.”
The celebration of the solemn Holy Communion ended in the parish hall of Patriarch Joseph the Blind, where a delicious lunch and sweets awaited the children.
