Bishop of Corfu, Mr. Nektarios: In the era of boasting, our Saints are our pillars
On Sunday morning, December 15, 2019, his Eminence, the Bishop of Corfu, Paxoi and Diapontian Islands, Mr. Nektarios did the Divine LIturgy in the celebrating church of Saint Eleftherios.
Addressing the large crowd, Mr. Nektarios, used the gospel reading of the day that is the parable of the great dinner, and emphasized that at the invitation of Christ’s host, in the mystery of thanksgiving that is dinner, we are all invited. But we need to understand the invitation, as Saint Eleutherius did, and not to deny it like the parables of the parable. The Saint has loved God since his childhood. This was helped by his mother, who, though widowed alone, gained strength from faith and linked her son to Christ. The bishop of Rome found that Saint Eleftherios was a “baby boy” and ordained him bishop of Illyricum at the age of sixteen. People were attracted to his speech, his action, his turn. This struggle upset the powerful of the world at that time and the saint was led to martyrdom.
Christians were slandered at that time, as in our times. The world considered that the great and the wise did not need God. The same is true today, and that is why the Church is being marginalized in many ways. But the Saint remained faithful to God and for this reason lives in the age and remains our model.
Today we are living in a time of sorrow, a time of pride and resentment, in search of scandal. At this time we need props and examples, which are the saints of our faith, especially the witnesses. Saint Eleutherios, though young, was aware of the truth and of Christ. That is why he did not follow the sleepy life that many young people, especially in our time, live because they think they will live forever, but remain faithful until death.
Mr. Nektarios closed his mind by stating that today we have God’s invitations to participate in the life of the Church, the mystery of divine thanksgiving, that is, to become saints. Holiness is a rising state in the life of our Church. The Church produces us saints, and in our times. We are called to claim holiness. Christians are the saints of God and we are called upon to receive this gift of holiness, to worship the born Christ, to follow the life of the saints, and to be our hope in Christ!
