Holy Hierarch Nektarios celebrated in Oshawa parish

On the 24th Sunday after Pentecost, His Grace Bishop Ioan Casian celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Parish of St. Stephen the Great and St. Nectarios in Oshawa, Ontario, on the occasion of the parish’s second patronal feast.

Serving together with the Bishop of Canada was Fr. Petruță Busuioc, administrative vicar and parish priest of the church.

At the end of the Divine Liturgy, in his homily, the hierarch spoke to the faithful about the universality of the saints, starting from the example of St. Nectarios:

“The saints, although they lived in a specific cultural and geographical context, have a universal vocation through the embodiment of virtues that reflect the endless work of God’s grace. They were born and lived among particular peoples, spoke particular languages, and belonged to specific jurisdictions. Yet we find them as protectors in all Churches, everywhere, because they are felt as being close to people — quick to help those in need. In fact, the work of the saints is the visible work of the invisible God, the tangible image of His mercy and power in the world.”

The hierarch then referred to the Gospel passage read during the Divine Liturgy:

“Today’s Gospel tells the story of one of the three resurrections performed by the Savior — that of the daughter of Jairus, the ruler of the synagogue. The other two are the resurrection of the widow’s son in Nain and, of course, the best known, the resurrection of Lazarus on the fourth day.

Through these miracles, the Church shows us that Christ is the Lord of life and death. No one can raise the dead except the Giver of life. We may, of course, through medical means, resuscitate a stopped heart, but to restore the soul to the body is a divine work, beyond human power. The soul, unlike the body, is not received from our parents but is a direct gift from God. Therefore, only God can reunite body and soul — as will happen fully at the end of time, when all will rise.

Today’s Gospel reveals how Christ, through His miracle, bears witness that He is the Messiah, the Son of God, the One who created the world and who has power over life itself. This miracle clearly shows the divine power of Christ. He does not pray, as the prophets of the Old Testament did, but commands.

Elijah and Elisha, for example, also raised children from the dead, but not through their own power; they first prayed to God, showing that they were not the source of life.

Christ, however, speaks with authority: ‘Lazarus, come forth!’ — ‘Little girl, arise!’ His word itself becomes action. This reveals His true identity: the Son of God, the Giver of life.

That is why every Sunday, when we recite the Creed, we confess: ‘I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, of one essence with the Father, through whom all things were made.’”

Commenting on the Epistle to the Ephesians, the Bishop spoke about the work of the Holy Trinity in the Church and about the true Church as the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit:

“Saint Paul, in his Epistle to the Ephesians, reminds us that our life — our new existence — is given to us through Christ, who brings us near to God the Father, in the Holy Spirit. The work of salvation is, therefore, the work of the Holy Trinity: the Father, through the Son, in the Holy Spirit.

In the saints we see the living fruits of this divine work. Their bodies become bearers of light, reflections of divine glory. The Church lives through this work of God. Without the presence of the Holy Spirit, there is no true Church — only a human association, no matter how well organized it may be.

The mystery of the Church lies precisely in the indwelling of God among His people. We experience this presence at every Divine Liturgy, when in the bread and wine that are transformed, the Body and Blood of Christ are made visible for us. Through them, we become, as the Apostle says, ‘fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God.’

The saints are not only figures of the past but people of our own time — living icons through whom God shows that we, too, can become saints through ascetic effort, faith, and His grace. That is why we confess that the Church is built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself as the cornerstone.

Everything we live as the Church — prayer, Liturgy, communion — has this one purpose: that all of us, united in Christ, may become the dwelling place of God in the Holy Spirit.”

At the end of the service, His Grace Bishop Ioan Casian awarded the Centennial Medal to Fr. Petruță Busuioc, as well as Centennial badges and certificates of merit to several members of the parish who, through their dedication and sacrifice, have supported the parish’s works, projects, and activities throughout the year.

The celebration concluded with a traditional meal organized by Presbytera Alina Busuioc, together with the ladies of the parish community.

(notes by Nun Ana Bulgariu)