Ukrainian Catholic ChurchAustralia, New Zealand and Oceania
Homily by Bishop Mykola Bychok on the Second Day of the Pilgrimage in Canberra
June 9, 2024
“In the middle of the busy Australian life, we made an important decision — we came to the national pilgrimage. In this way, we show ourselves and others who is our priority today — our Lord Jesus Christ and His Most Holy Mother.” Bishop Mykola Bychok during the second day of the Eparchial Pilgrimage in Canberra.
Beloved in Christ,
About two weeks ago, I had the opportunity to attend the funeral of Mr. Damian Noseda, an Australian by birth, a good friend of our Church and Ukraine. A few months ago, we met and talked about humanitarian aid to Ukrainians. It was then that he invited me to his funeral, as he felt that he did not have long to live. My answer to him was unequivocal: “You are still alive, now is not the time to talk about it…”. And then at the funeral I hear the same Gospel that was read today: “Do not worry about your life, what you will eat and what you will drink… Seek first the Kingdom of God and His justice, and all these things will be added to you” (Mt. 6, 25; 33). These words, I can say were the motto of his life, since it was this passage from the Gospel that he chose for his funeral. He understood what priority it was necessary to put in life as a solid foundation: the Kingdom of God above all.
In the middle of the busy Australian life, we also made an important decision — we came to the national pilgrimage. In this way, we show ourselves and others who is our priority today — our Lord Jesus Christ and His Most Holy Mother. I sincerely thank all of you for this testimony of faith, with which you enrich each other and sacrifice yourselves to God. Remember that the Lord first sacrificed himself and gave his earthly life so that we could have eternal life with him.
Human life is full of priorities that we set before ourselves as a guide in one or another period of our life. Of course, priorities can be radically different for children, young people, or people of the older generation. However, every believer should have the main priority in life: to reach the kingdom of God. There is nothing more important in life than seeking God’s Kingdom. Amidst the noise of this world, we often forget what we ask the Lord for every day in the prayer “Our Father”, saying: “Let your kingdom come”.
The Kingdom of God comes when a person finds his King and Lord in this world. For us Christians, entering the Lord’s Kingdom begins with the Mystery of Holy Baptism. When a person who accepts baptism, the priest asks: “Do you believe in Him?” — and the one who is preparing to be born into the Kingdom of Christ answers: “I believe in Him as King and God!” Therefore, baptism is not just the first holy mystery that begins the spiritual life of each of us; it is the crucial moment of accepting Christ as one’s Lord and Savior, plunging into His death and rising with His Resurrection, a person utters the words of loyalty to his King and God.
The Kingdom of God is not something in the distant future — it is today, which depends on me already and now. What do I fill this world with? Perhaps I fill the world with a human kingdom that brings anger, rage, unrest, war, etc. Or is it possible that I fill this world with the kingdom of God, which brings peace, faith, hope, love and other virtues. The Evangelist Matthew says, “The kingdom of God is among you” (Mt. 17, 21).
This year’s pilgrimage is held under the slogan of the prayer: “Holy Mother of God, save us.” Mary, being a simple girl, becomes the Mother of God and makes possible the salvation of the world, which comes from her son and our Savior — Jesus Christ. Through her life, the Most Holy Mother of God showed the image of the Kingdom of Heaven, which manifested itself in a special way in her service to her neighbours.
The first event that describes the service of the Mother of God is the visit to her relative Elizabeth (Lk. 1, 39–56). Mary, who is pregnant herself, sets off on a long journey to, on the one hand, share with Elizabeth the news she received from the angel at the time of the Annunciation; and on the other hand — to serve Elizabeth, who is also pregnant.
The second event that describes the ministry of Mary is the wedding in Cana of Galilee (Jn. 2, 1–11). We know that this was the first miracle of Jesus Christ, where there was no wine at the wedding. The first to notice this was Mary, who addresses her Son with just two words: “They have no wine.” How important is the ability to see and feel the need in a certain situation; and later — to give a helping hand. Mary is an example for all of us.
“Kingdom of God” in service is not a privilege for some and a punishment for others. Service is the ability to show God your love for your neighbour. Service, like holiness, is our daily choice, whether you are a bishop, priest, nurse, engineer, etc… Service is the simple fulfillment of our daily duties. Service is the ability to see what help a neighbour needs already and now, following the example of the Holy Mother of God. It is about this “Kingdom of God” that we ask God in the daily “Our Father” prayer.
With this pilgrimage, we conclude the celebration of 250 years since the coronation of the icon of the Pochaiv Mother of God, which took place on the 8th of September 1773, on the feast of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos. We believe that just as then, the Holy Mother of God did not leave the Ukrainian nation from the danger of foreign invasion, so now she will also cover the faithful people with her veil. We ask the Mother of God to intercede also for the Australian nation, for our families, for children and youth, for the growth of Christian values and for the grace to be a good Christian.
Let us pray today to the Mother of God of Pochaiv with the words of the prayer: Undaunted patroness of Christians, O steadfast intermediary with the Creator, turn not away from the supplicant voices of sinners, but in your kindness come to help us who cry out to you in faith. Be quick to intercede, make haste to plead, for you are even the patroness of those who honour you, O Mother of God. Amen.
