Bishop Mykola Bychok visited with a pastoral visit the faithful of Noble Park in Australia

Reflecting on the Word of God, the bishop emphasized: “In the Gospel we find only three cases of resurrection: the resurrection of the daughter of Jairus; the resurrection of Lazarus and today – the resurrection of the widow’s son from Nain. In all these cases, the Lord foreshadowed His Resurrection. But every Resurrection is preceded by death. And today Christ meets the funeral procession and despair. The evangelist Luke emphasizes this despair in the person of a widow. She was left at the mercy of the people, because there is no one who could protect her. This woman lost her breadwinner, her husband, and now her only son. Death took everything from her and it’s like the victory of death. But she meets God, who says two words to her: “Don’t cry”!

Continuing his reflections on the Sunday Gospel, the Bishop said: “The key that reveals to us the whole essence of the Gospel is the Resurrection. It is important for us Christians to remember that death is not the end. Blessed Mykolay Charnetsky, the patron saint of your community, is a clear evidence of this. God is the giver of life and calls each of us to the resurrection. He invites us to rise from sin, fear, hopelessness, and despair. Our Lord is a God of Mercy, and He wants us to live as people of the resurrection.”

At the end of the Divine Liturgy, Bishop Mykola sincerely thanked the faithful for their presence, common prayer and welcome, assuring the Noble Park community that he remembers them in his daily prayers. Afterwards there was a warm meeting with the parishioners, where everyone was able to communicate with the bishop and share valuable experiences of spiritual life in emigration.