Hierarchical Divine Liturgy in Oshawa

and priestly ordination

On the 4th Sunday after the Resurrection of the Savior - of the healing of the paralytic from Bethesda – His Grace Ioan Casian, the Romanian Orthodox Bishop of Canada, celebrated the Divine Liturgy at St. Stephen the Great and St. Nectarios Parish in Oshawa, Ontario, surrounded by other members of clergy that included: Rev. Fr. Petre Busuioc, diocesan inspector, Rev. Fr. Trajko Boskovic and Deacons Marian Costinel Iacobut and Sergiu Concu.

During the Divine Liturgy, Deacon Marian Costinel Iacobut was ordained a priest on behalf of St. Stephen the Great and St. Nectarios Parish.

In the sermon delivered at the end of the Divine Liturgy, the hierarch said:

  “The physical suffering of the paralytic was also amplified by a spiritual suffering because he did not have much hope of being the first to reach the water after the angel's descent. However, all this also denotes a great patience: for so many years he hoped that he would be able to reach the water and be cured. The Savior Jesus Christ knowing all these things said to him: Get up, take up your bed and walk! Interestingly, his healing does not bring joy to those who see what has happened, who see that a man's health has been restored, that the manifestation of the image and likeness of God has been restored in the person of the healed person, but consternation that this thing, this healing, was done on Saturday, the day of rest in Old Testament. But this is precisely the day when we must work spiritually. The Savior Himself does this spiritually on the Old Testament Lord’s Day. He set the example for our way in which we must understand and do things right in the spirit of God.

Good must be done every day because it is God's work. To the extent that you manage to pay attention to the one next to you, to help him or her to regain the health or to ease the suffering and in this way giving spiritual rest in a suffering that he or she has, by this you give rest to the person’ soul and you are doing something pleasing to God.

Sunday, the day of rest in the New Testament, is the most important because we must give it to God. Just as we prepare for an exam for hours, days or months and everything we accumulate will be decisive for the exam itself and what will follow it, so also in spiritual life: everything we work on spiritually, by word, deed, prayer, through communion with the Holy Mysteries, prepare us for encountering God and spending time with Him. Resting on Sunday does not exclude working spiritually. To do good, to look for those in trouble and suffering next to us, to pay attention to the lonely, who have no one, all these are spiritual works of the virtues that must be accomplished every day and, even more so, on the day of Sunday. This means to be vertical in attitude and in faith in life.”

At the same time, referring to the priestly ordination of Deacon Marian Costinel Iacobut, the hierarch said that "this is a step forward in fulfilling the saving work of the Church. By establishing new missions and parishes, we want to move forward both as a Diocese and as a nation, Romanian and universal Orthodox culture, and faith in these lands. With each new ordained member of clergy, we hope to carry forward the right faith, and we hope that each newly ordained one succeeds in planting faith, hope, love for God and the Church in the souls of those whom he will shepherd."

Next, Fr. Petre Busuioc, parish priest, thanked those present and invited them to be generous in helping the church and the community. This involves a lot of effort, dedication, and sacrifice. Without these nothing can be built.

This Sunday's service also ended the events dedicated to the 6th anniversary of the enthronement of His Grace Ioan Casian as the Romanian Orthodox Bishop of Canada.

At the end, those present participated in a fraternal agape organized by the parish.

(notes by Nun Ana)