On November 8, Archbishop Makarios of Australia presided over the Divine Liturgy at the Church of Saint Michael the Archangel in the suburb of Crows Nest, Sydney. The Archbishop urged the faithful to hear the voice of their conscience, which is the voice of their guardian angel.
In his sermon, as reported by vema.com.au, the Archbishop briefly referred to the great feast of the day, focusing on the phrase “Let us attend; let us stand aright before our Creator!”, which the Archangel Michael exclaimed during the synaxis of the Bodiless and Heavenly Angelic Orders.
For people, who have the freedom to choose between good and evil, just as the Angels had, this phrase, the Archbishop explained, is the voice of their conscience. He added that the voice of conscience, according to the Church Fathers, was the voice of the “guardian angel” that each of us has. “When we have a tendency towards evil, then the Angel comes and speaks in our hearts,” stressed the Archbishop, pointing out that the voice that prevents us from violating the will of God is nothing but the words of the Archangel Michael “Let us attend; let us stand aright before our Creator,” which we hear every time during the Divine Liturgy.
Finally, the Archbishop asked the faithful to listen to the voice of their Angel. “Listen to the voice of your conscience and do not stray from the will of God, and all that you do will always be revered and blessed,” he said. “Because, only in this way,” he added, “we will be able to see the Kingdom of Heaven from this life.”
Finally, Archbishop Makarios thanked the priest in charge of the Church, Fr. Ioannis Daskalakis, and Fr. Anastasios Bozikis for their warm welcome while expressing the belief that this parish, although small, has a dynamic and vibrant presence, as well as that it will have a very remarkable future.
It is noted that after the Divine Liturgy, a procession of the holy icon of the Archangel Michael was held around the church.