The Faith of the Apostles - The Living Foundation of the Church – Homily by His Grace Bishop Ioan Casian at the Parish in Oshawa

On the Feast of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, the faithful of Saint Stephen the Great and Saint Nectarios Romanian Orthodox Parish in Oshawa, Ontario, had the joy of participating in the Divine Liturgy celebrated in the presence of His Grace Bishop Ioan Casian.

Concelebrating with the hierarch were Fr. Petre Busuioc, Administrative Vicar, Fr. Viorel Țencaliuc, Dean of Ontario, and Fr. Lucian Azoiței.

At the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, His Grace Bishop Ioan Casian delivered a homily reflecting on the apostolic nature of the Church, the role of the Holy Apostles in transmitting the Christian faith, and the calling of every believer to remain united with Christ.

Beginning with the significance of the Apostles' Fast, the hierarch explained that the Church's fasting seasons are not merely external traditions but periods through which the Church leads the faithful toward a deeper understanding of life in God: "The Church teaches us that there are realities we must mark and integrate into our spiritual lives, because they are part of our journey toward transformation and salvation."

The bishop emphasized that true fasting embraces the whole person, uniting abstinence with prayer, charity, and inner renewal: "Fasting is not merely a dietary discipline; it is also a discipline of prayer, charity, and drawing closer to God."

A central theme of the homily was the Church's identity as Apostolic, one of the four marks confessed in the Nicene Creed. The hierarch explained that apostolicity means preserving the living continuity with the witness of those who personally knew Christ.

"We cannot depart from the message handed down by the Holy Apostles, because they are the ones who saw our Lord Jesus Christ in the flesh. Their direct witness is the foundation of the Church's unity and continuity, because the Christian faith is not simply an idea but the experience of a living reality transmitted from generation to generation—the real encounter with the Person of Christ."

Referring to the Second Epistle to the Corinthians, His Grace Bishop Ioan Casian pointed to two essential pillars of the apostolic faith: the Holy Eucharist and the confession of the Holy Trinity.

"These are indispensable elements of the Church's life. Without them, a community may become simply an association of people who gather, pray, and organize activities. The Church remains the Church because she preserves her apostolic foundation: the faith handed down by the Apostles and participation in the life of God through the Holy Mysteries.

Through the Holy Eucharist we receive Christ Himself—His Body and Blood under the forms of bread and wine—and through the confession of the Holy Trinity we proclaim that God is one in essence and three in Persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit."

Reflecting on the life of Saint Paul, the Romanian hierarch highlighted God's transforming work in the Apostle's life, recalling how a persecutor of Christians became one of the greatest preachers of the Gospel.

Interpreting the Gospel reading, in which Christ asks His disciples, "Who do you say that I am?", the bishop explained that Saint Peter's answer is the confession upon which the entire Church is founded:

"You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." The hierarch noted that this confession is not merely Saint Peter's historical response but the very faith continually proclaimed by the Church.

"Saint Peter confessed this on behalf of all the Apostles, and the Church, from generation to generation, continues to proclaim the same confession: Christ is the Son of the living God. By this confession we acknowledge the divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ. He is the Son of God, the second Person of the Holy Trinity, through whom salvation has been given to us and through whom the gates of the Kingdom of Heaven have been opened. This is the central confession upon which the existence of the Church rests. More than two thousand years later, it remains the very confession that we ourselves continue to proclaim."

Commenting on Christ's words, "Upon this rock I will build My Church," His Grace Bishop Ioan Casian explained that the true foundation of the Church is faith in Christ's divinity: "Upon this rock—that is, upon the rock of faith, upon the truth that our Lord Jesus Christ is the Son of God—the Church is built."

Another important part of the homily focused on the Holy Eucharist as the very heart of the Church's life. Referring to Saint Paul's words, "For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you," His Grace Bishop Ioan Casian emphasized that the Eucharist is the gift entrusted by Christ to His Church and faithfully handed down through the Apostles: "The word transmitted to us by the Apostles is not their own; it is what they themselves received from our Lord Jesus Christ."

Speaking about the work of the Holy Spirit during the Divine Liturgy, the bishop reminded the faithful that the transformation of the Eucharistic Gifts is God's own work: "It is the grace of the Holy Spirit that transforms these Gifts."

In conclusion, His Grace Bishop Ioan Casian encouraged the faithful to read the writings of the Holy Apostles, for they preserve the living teaching of Christ and continue to form believers in the life of faith:

"It is important to read their writings because through them we come to understand who the Holy Apostles were and, above all, who our Lord Jesus Christ is. Most of these writings have come to us through Saint Paul, who was highly educated in the Law and the Scriptures. The other Apostles—Peter, Andrew, James, John, and the rest—were simpler men, many of them fishermen. Yet their simplicity was never an obstacle to God's work, because they received the grace of the Holy Spirit and became proclaimers of the Gospel throughout the world.

Through their writings they help us understand the faith, come to know Christ, and learn how we are called to live as God's people. That is why it is important to read these sacred texts. They form us, educate us in the faith, and reveal both who Christ is and how we are called to follow the path He has set before us."

The Feast of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul thus became for the parish community in Oshawa an occasion for spiritual renewal and a renewed commitment to preserve, live, and faithfully hand on the apostolic faith received in the Church.

(contribution by Nun Ana Bulgariu)