“I would like to stress to all of you that the most important ladder in the course of your lives is the Ladder that leads us to Heaven”, stressed Archbishop Elpidophoros o America at the Cathedral School Commencement and Stepping Up Ceremony.
Archbishop Elpidoforos emphasized to the students that the most important lesson of life is Love, adding that “all the lessons taught revolve around love, as the planets revolve around the sun”.
After congratulating the children on their graduation, the Archbishop then reminded of the inauguration of the Greek Orthodox Church of Agios Nikolaos at the World Trade Center (July 4) as well as the Clergy Assembly in Time Square.
You can read the homily of Archbishop of America
O Lord Jesus Christ our God – You are the Teacher of Teachers, and the Master of Masters. We ask You to bless our Cathedral School and all who learn and teach in it.
Bless, as well, the parents and all the families – the Cathedral Board and the Board of the School, so that everyone may learn together from you, the Wisdom and Power of God, who is glorified with Your Everlasting Father, and Your Co-Eternal Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Once again, we gather to congratulate our children and advance them on another rung of life’s ladder. I like this image of the ladder, because it calls to mind the Heavenly Ladder that our Lord Jesus Christ spoke of to His Disciples when He said:
“Amen, amen, I say to you! From this moment on, you will behold the sky opening wide, and the angels of God ascend and descend upon the Son of Man!”
I would like to stress to all of you that the most important ladder in the course of your lives is the Ladder that leads us to Heaven. And that Ladder is none other than our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, suspended upon the Cross, in the ultimate and supreme act of love.
For if you learn love – how to love and why to love – you have learned the greatest lesson of all. Your life will be healthy, prosperous and happy.
Here at The Cathedral School, we teach many things, but the greatest of these is love.[2] All the lessons that you learn here must revolve around love, the way the planets revolve around the sun.
I am so proud of all of you today: the students, teachers, and your loving and supportive families. Because this Cathedral is a loving family, a secure environment where every person – old and young alike – can feel like their potential is appreciated and valued.
Therefore, I extend my heartfelt congratulations and archpastoral blessings upon all the young people and the entire family of our Archdiocesan Cathedral of the Holy Trinity.
You have completed the course of another year, and I pray that your summer will be a fun and restful one. We all need to relax and take stock of our lives.
Finally, let me remind everyone that in the next two weeks, we have some extraordinary events taking place right here in New York City.
On our Nation’s Holiday – the Fourth of July – we will consecrate the Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and National Shrine at the World Trade Center. The rebuilding of Saint Nicholas has been eagerly anticipated for twenty years, and we are finally at our goal. The adornment of the Shrine will continue after the consecration, and we look forward to the renewed life of the parish later this year.
After that, we will have our centennial Clergy-Laity Congress right in Times Square. This will be a wonderful opportunity to appreciate the legacy of the past, experience the renewal of the present, and envision the unity of the future. I hope that everyone will take some time to visit the Congress and enjoy the fellowship.
May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God the Father, and the communion of the Holy Spirit always be with you all.
Amen.
