Bishop of Corfu, Mr. Nektarios: Christ reveals the lack of faith to the elite which distinguishes them from the common people
His Eminence the Bishop of Corfu, Paxos and the Diapontian Islands, Mr. Nektarios, did the Divine Liturgy at the Metropolitan Church of the Most Holy Theotokos Spilaiotissis in Corfu on the evening of Sunday, June 7, 2020.
Addressing the faithful, Mr. Nektarios spoke on the occasion of the word of Christ that whoever believes in Him will receive the grace of the rivers of the Holy Spirit as living water. Humans will receive a prayer in their life, comfort in the grace of the Holy Spirit. Faith is a prerequisite. The people, hearing these words, accepted Christ. But the rulers, the elite of that time, rejected him and criticized the people. They interpreted the origin of Christ as the origin of Bethlehem, and they thought he was born in Galilee. But Christ was born in Bethlehem. However, the elite of that time insisted on misinterpretation. The only one who objected was the secret disciple of Christ, Nicodemus, who asked the religious leaders not to condemn anyone before they heard him. But they did not agree.
Christ is our light. In order to approach him, one must walk with faith and love, in order to be able to receive the knowledge of the truth through the Holy Spirit in the life of the Church. Everything is given to us by the Holy Spirit. It illuminates every darkness. It gives us the strength to endure the darkness of every age, especially the denial of the face of Christ by every elite.
But Christ is a point of contention. And it remains. He divides people into those who recognize him and believe him and those who fight him, even if they have heard his teaching.
But Christ also reveals the infidelity of the ruling society, the elite of every power, and that is why the people mainly believe in Him. The elite of every age deifies itself and dominates the people and the people.
In the reorganizations of our times and society, when the attempt is made to alter the faith and devotion of our people to God, let us not be afraid but let us keep Christ as light, through the presence of the Holy Spirit and our participation in the Church, whose birthday we celebrate on Pentecost.
