His Grace Bishop Ioan Casian: Holiness Is Not the Attribute of a Privileged Category,

but a Universal Calling

On the feast day of the Synaxis of the Holy Archangels Michael and Gabriel, His Grace Bishop Ioan Casian served the Divine Liturgy among the faithful of the Resurrection of the Lord Parish in Hamilton, on the occasion of celebrating the parish’s second patronal feast.

The concelebrating clergy included Fr. Călin Toderiță, parish priest, and Fr. Lucian Pușcariu.

Representing the Consulate of Romania in Toronto, Mrs. Oana-Raluca Gherghe, Consul General, and Mr. Florentin-Titov Gherghe, Consul, took part in the event.

In his homily delivered at the end of the Divine Liturgy, the hierarch emphasized the importance of celebrating the Holy Archangels “those who, in our tradition, are remembered as helpers of God, servants who fulfill His will and who support not only the work of the Church, but also the life of the entire world.”

The hierarch went on to speak about the importance of obedience and the universality of the call to holiness:

“The Gospel reminds us of the words of the Savior: ‘He who hears you hears Me; he who rejects you rejects Me; and he who rejects Me rejects Him who sent Me.’ Through these words, Christ shows that the mission entrusted to the Apostles is a holy one — that of sharing with the whole world the work of salvation.

It is the work of the priesthood, which is not founded on human power, but on the grace of God. Clergy, through the mystery of ordination, receive this grace of service; but even the baptized, without being ordained, partake in the sanctifying work through Baptism. We see simple people who perform miracles, who fulfill God’s works, and to whom He grants special gifts.

A sign of the authenticity of holiness is humility: the holy person never speaks about himself, but about God, recognizing that He is the One who works through people.

The true providential Ruler of the world is God, who sends the grace of the Holy Spirit and brings His will to fulfillment — whether through a bishop, a priest, a deacon, or a simple faithful believer. Therefore, we say that holiness is not the attribute of a privileged category, but a universal calling. Anyone can become a saint, according to one’s faith and effort, by opening their heart to God.

The Savior Jesus Christ, the Son of God, came into the world to make visible the invisible work of the Father and of the Holy Trinity, taking flesh from the Virgin Mary. He, the One who cannot be contained, became contained, to reveal to us divine love.

The signs of His work are the people He sends into the world: the Apostles, the preachers of the Gospel, the ministers of the Mysteries — all those who proclaim the coming of the Kingdom of Heaven. Through them, His work continues through the ages, until the end of time.

The Gospel emphasizes this mysterious connection between the obedience of the Son to the Father and the obedience of the disciples to Christ. Just as the Son came into the world in obedience, so too the disciples go on mission in obedience to His command. Those who listen to this word receive salvation; those who reject it turn away from God and from the source of life.

The disciples return full of joy from their mission, for they see that even the demons submit in the name of Christ. This shows that their work was not a human one, but the work of the Son of God. But the Savior teaches them that true joy should not come from victory over evil spirits, but from the fact that ‘your names are written in heaven.’

Through Baptism, our name becomes inscribed in the Kingdom of Heaven, for we are baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit — in the death and resurrection of Christ. Thus we have the promise of salvation, which we fulfill through faith and good deeds.”

Speaking about the work of the heavenly hosts, the hierarch added:

“The history of salvation is full of these angelic manifestations, through which we see that God continually works for mankind — through His grace and through His heavenly servants. The angels are beings created to serve and obey God; and those who did not obey fell and became demons.

Therefore, we must not forget that God continues to work in the world not only through direct grace, but also through the work of these Heavenly Powers — Archangels, Angels, Dominions, Authorities, and Powers. They watch over us and guide us on the path toward salvation.

The Tradition of the Church tells us that each person has a guardian angel. Even if we do not see him, he inspires our prayer, urges us to do good, and whispers the word of God in our hearts.”

At the end, His Grace Bishop Ioan Casian awarded distinctions on the occasion of the Centennial Year of the Romanian Patriarchate as follows: the Centennial Medal to the two priests, the Centennial Cross to the two consuls present at the celebration, and Centennial badges to the members of the parish council.

The celebration concluded with a traditional meal prepared by the ladies of the community, during which the “Doina” and “Doina Jr.” folk ensembles delighted those present with Romanian folk dances and traditions.

(notes by Nun Ana Bulgariu)