Archbishop Makarios of Australia to the youth: ‘Christ is the answer to the world’s confusion’
On Tuesday, 10 March, His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia had the joy of meeting and speaking with the young men and women who participate in the GO Youth Initiative of the Holy Archdiocese in New South Wales. On the occasion of the beginning of the new year of activities of the Orthodox Youth, His Eminence celebrated the Service of the Blessing of the Waters (Agiasmos) at the Church of the Resurrection of Christ, in the suburb of Kogarah in Sydney, accompanied by His Grace Bishop Christodoulos of Magnesia, Chief Secretary of the Holy Eparchial Synod, and by clergy of the city of Sydney.
After the conclusion of the service, he delivered an inspired address, responding to the anxieties and concerns of young people in a period of escalating unrest and intense uncertainty. “Every day we become witnesses of conflicts, violence, injustice, and pain in many parts of the planet,” he observed at the beginning and continued: “Wars continue, societies are divided, and many people experience loneliness, uncertainty, and fear. For many young people, this reality raises deep and difficult questions. Why is there so much pain? Why does the world seem so broken? And where is God in all this?”
“It is precisely in such moments,” the Archbishop pointed out, “that the search for God becomes not only important but also necessary. Moments of crisis in the world can become opportunities for deeper reflection within ourselves.” “The message of the Gospel,” he added, “is that God did not abandon humanity in this broken state. With His infinite love, He Himself entered into our reality. With the Incarnation of Christ, God became man. He entered into the very sufferings, confusion, and pain that we experience. He came in order to heal the human person from within.”
Developing his thoughts further, His Eminence observed that “the world often speaks about peace as something external: the end of battles, the resolution of disputes, the absence of war or conflict.” “But the peace that Christ offers is much deeper,” he emphasised, “because Christ Himself is peace. We see this clearly in the lives of the saints who, in the midst of persecutions, hardships, and sufferings, experienced an inner peace that came not from ideal external conditions but from their living communion with Christ. And this is the peace that you are called to discover.”
Encouraging the young people to continue developing their relationship with Christ, supporting one another and participating in the life of the Church, Archbishop Makarios concluded by stressing that “the answer to the confusion of the world is not found in ideologies or human systems. The answer is found in a Person. The answer is Christ Himself. If Christ lives in our hearts, then even in a world full of uncertainty we can live with hope. Even when there is suffering, we can carry within us the light of the Resurrection. Therefore, seek Him through prayer. Encounter Him in the sacraments of the Church. Allow His presence to transform the way you see yourself, others, and the world. If you do this, you will discover that faith is not merely a tradition inherited from the past, but a living experience that fills the human heart with joy, peace, and purpose.”
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