23rd Sunday after Pentacost, The Gadarene Demoniac

Today, we see the power of God. We see how by His word he casts out demons. We see these demons are really quite powerless. We see how they fear Jesus. We something that should make us concerned as well. We so should not become like these people, with a sort of unbelieving brutishness.
There is a message in this story. The story is essentially about sin. It is easy to hide our sins, even from ourselves. The real issue is to have the strength of character to be able to have the acknowledge our own sinfulness. At least, then we will be able to tell ouselves and God the truth. What we as sinful people need to be saved is for God will show us what is truly wrong with us. Let us be under no illusion. God will show us the way. We only have to ask.

Right Rev. Olexander Kenez

22nd Sunday after Pentecost

This is the Sunday of Zacheus.
The lesson here is a very clear one. The people who were successful were simply celebrating their material success. This in itself is perfectly alright. However, they should have been aware of the needs of their neighbour as well. They forgot this.
When the rich man died he wanted to help his brothers, but could not.
The lesson is, never ever forget the virtue of generosity.
Even if you are not rich, but simply middle class, remember to be generous.
Right Rev. Olexander Kenez

Fifth Sunday after Pentacost

Today's Gospel is a simple one. The theme is about having the courage to be a person willing to make a commitment. Our Christianity is not something that we simply wear as a fashion item whenever we please, it must be a part of us.

fourth Sunday after Pentacost

Today's Gospel is an answer to a fundamental question of Christianity. Essentially, the question that the centurion answers us is the issue of faith. Often we try to explain to God what is and is not correct. The real issue is that we have to ask ourselves the question, what would we do in the place of the centurion. Would we have his humility, faith and trust? Perhaps or perhaps not, but non the less it is a question that we must ask ourselves if we want to be Christian.

Right Rev. Olexander Kenez

The Sunday of the man born blind

The first point to be noted in this weeks Gospel is the fact that Jesus is very emphatic that the blindness is not because of sin, not the blind man's, nor anybody else's. People thought that situations like this were due to sin. Jesus says no they are not, the explanation is very simple, and purely physiological.
Secondly, towards the end of the Gospel, Jesus tells the man, whoi He is. The blind man says to Christ, "And who is the Son of God?" and Christ answers, "You have seen Him and He is speaking to you". This is an important quote, as it defines the person of Jesus Christ.

The way Jesus acts is a model for us as well. Here we see a man to whom no one showed mercy. The Son God, stoped and met his need. Because this man had not found another man to show mercy, to show compassion, to show concern, he was simply very grateful.

There are other people in this incident as well. They pharisees, they were just interested in judging and preserving power. The parents wanted to avoid the issue totally, by looking away. Where would we stand here?

Let us think on this. When we choose love and do as Jesus did, we become closer to becoming an icon of Christ. We were made in the image of God, sin takes us away from this, when make a choice to be peace bringers, we become closer to becoming saints, and after all this is the reason for our life.

Right Rev. Olexander Kenez

The Sunday of the Samaritan woman

Jesus discusses His identity here. He tells us how he is both God and Man. His humanity simply wanted a drink of water, while His hdivinity told the apostles that He had to do the will of the Father, and that He Himself was the font of life.

This is the first Sunday after Mid-Pentecost, the feast that stands half-way between Easter and Pentecost. When Paska came, truth was revealed - that Christ is both God and man. He was crucified and rose from the dead. However, these truths, remain abstract until at Pentecost when we see their inner meaning, their implications for our daily life. The descent of the Holy Spirit, brings these truths to life. Thus the Church reads to us the words that, "the hour is coming when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit."

So long as we recognise Jesus coming into our life as did the Samaritan woman, we will be saved. Salvation is for everybody, no matter what their history is.

Right Rev. Olexander Kenez

The Sunday of the Paralytic

This Sunday has an important message. The whole concept of illness and sin.
Is there a relationship between sin and illness. There can be. We see many people suffering because of alcoholism or drug abuse. This isa illness as a result of personal sin. We see people who suffer because they have had to work in environments that are unsafe and perhaps filled with poison. The sin is the employer's. He has a duty of care.

War is not a heroic or exciting thing. The reality is that it is simply dangerous and people die in wars. Inevitably war brings immense suffering. The sin here is the responsibility of old men who sent young men to do the fighting, and incident's the dying. There was a joke in the German army during the WW2, that the people who got their medals behind the lines, should wear them on their backs. The poor soldier on the front lines is doomed to suffer because those older than him cannot find peace.

However, most suffering is involuntary and not as a result of sin. Usually it is the result of the general sin that is in the world, the consequence of the Fall of Adam. This is part of our general human condition and this can happen to anyone.

Christ tells us in today's gospel, that if we have faith we can be healed from physical and spiritual infirmaty.

It is our responsibility as Christians to constantly pray for violence to cease being a part of the reality of our lives. War and violence are not a consequence of the Grace of God. They are a consequence of sin. Let us pray today that the Grace of God rules the daily life of the world and not violence, which is a consequence of sin.
Right Rev. Olexander Kenez

The Sunday of the Myrrh Bearing Women

On Easter Sunday, we greeted the resurrection of Christ, with the paschal hymn, "Christ is Risen". On Thomas Sunday, we went to the cemeteries and brought this greeting to the dead.

Today we do something radical. Today we recognize, not only the sick and suffering, but we recognise the carers of the sick and the suffering. Today's epistle talks about the institution of the deaconate. The gospel talks about the myrrh bearing women. Both of these groups were people who looked after the poor and the suffering. What does this tell us? The early church recognised the importance of this ministery, both those who suffer and those who care for the suffering. This is the first group of people after the deceased that the church went to to bring the good news of the resurrection to. Social consciousness is fundamental to being Christian. When one person suffers, we all suffer. If we are truly a community of believers, we must take this seriously. We must recognise that to help the poor and needy is bring God to those that suffer.

Today's message is then, let us encourage the suffering by visiting them. However, let us also serve, those who serve the sick. Indeed, let us serve the sick and the suffering ourselves, as today's Epistle and Gospel tell us this is truly the will of God.
Right Rev. Olexander Kenez

Thomas Sunday

"Because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen, yet believed!" has a very important message for all of us.

Jesus uses the doubt that Thomas had in order to teach us that we did not need to actually have been in the room with the Apostles to have faith. When we hear the merssage of Christ, we can be spiritually moved to follow Him, and trust in His promise that all men will be raised on the day of judgment, to either the eternal joy of being reunited with God or the torment of being without Him.

St. Peter heard and understood, as he writes to his people (I Peter 1:8): "You did not see Him, yet you loved Him; and still without seeing Him you are filled with a joy so glorious that it cannot be described, because you believe; and you are sure of the end to which your faith looks forward, that is, the salvation of your souls." This point relatesto us.

It is the custom in our parishes to go to the cemetery on this day to pray, light candles, and to sing "Christ is Risen!" to deceased family members. This is a very important and holy practice.
May God Bless you
Right Rev Olexander Kenez