“Learn from Christ” was the central message from Archbishop Makarios of Australia to 400 Orthodox youth from New South Wales during the Youth Conference held in Sydney on Saturday, September 21. The conference was hosted at the Parish of Saint Euphemia in Bankstown and featured notable speakers, including Bishop Christodoulos of Magnesia, the Chancellor of the Holy Archdiocese, Archimandrite Christoforos Krikelis, clergy from Sydney, and Associate Dean of the School of Theology, Professor Philip Kariatlis, among others.
In his keynote address, Archbishop Makarios presented the Gospel verse, “Learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:29).
He urged the youth to place Christ at the center of their hearts and minds, and to learn from Christ’s gentleness and humility.
According to the Archbishop, this is the path to finding the deep sense of peace seen in people of faith, such as our devout grandparents, but often missing in modern society.
“No matter how many vacations we take, how much money we have, or how high we climb in our careers,” he said, “nothing gives us true rest except having Christ and a gentle, humble heart.”
He continued, reflecting on how one achieves this peace that “Christ didn’t say to learn gentleness and humility by reading about it or attending relaxation classes. He said, ‘Learn from me.’ He is the answer. Think about someone we love, like our best friend. We feel at ease knowing they are with us, that they stand by us. We rest in their presence, which fills us with joy. This is what Christ offers us. He wants us to rest in Him, and we do this by inviting Him into everything we do.”
In another part of his speech, Archbishop Makarios focused on the “fruits of the Holy Spirit”, as outlined by Apostle Paul in his letter to the Galatians: “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control”.
“When we seek answers outside of God, an emptiness remains deep within us. When we turn to worldly pleasures, our hearts are not comforted. The emptiness remains, and it cannot be filled.”
As he wrapped up his address, the Archbishop referred to the significant milestone of the 100th anniversary of the Holy Archdiocese of Australia.
He urged the youth to stay close to the Church and to work together in unity during the next century to spread the eternal truth of Christ and help save as many souls as possible in the fifth continent.
He also encouraged the young audience to wholeheartedly participate in the upcoming reception of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and the events in honour, so they may receive the blessing of the Patriarch and gain spiritual strength for the challenges ahead, both personally and collectively.
