On Tuesday, March 10, Archbishop Makarios of Australia had the opportunity to meet and engage with young people participating in the GO Youth initiative of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia in New South Wales.
On the occasion of the beginning of the new year of activities for Orthodox Youth, the Archbishop celebrated the Blessing of the Waters service at the Church of the Resurrection of Christ in Kogarah, a suburb of Sydney. He was joined by Bishop Christodoulos of Magnesia, Chief Secretary of the Holy Eparchial Synod, along with clergy from across the city of Sydney.
Following the service, Archbishop Makarios delivered an inspiring address, responding to the concerns and questions that many young people face in a time marked by global unrest and uncertainty.
“Every day we witness conflicts, violence, injustice, and suffering in many parts of the world,” the Archbishop observed. “Wars continue, societies are divided, and many people experience loneliness, uncertainty, and fear. For many young people, this reality raises deep and difficult questions: Why is there so much suffering? Why does the world seem so broken? And where is God in all of this?”
The Archbishop emphasized that moments of crisis often lead people to a deeper search for meaning and faith. “It is precisely in such moments,” he said, “that the search for God becomes not only important, but necessary. Times of crisis in the world can become opportunities for deeper reflection within ourselves.”
He reminded the young people that the Christian message offers hope, pointing to the mystery of the Incarnation. “The message of the Gospel is that God has not abandoned humanity in its brokenness,” he explained. “Out of His infinite love, He entered into our reality. Through the Incarnation of Christ, God became human. He entered into the very suffering, confusion, and pain that we experience. He came to heal the human person from within.”
Archbishop Makarios also spoke about the deeper meaning of peace, distinguishing it from the purely external understanding often discussed in society today. “The world often speaks about peace as something external — the end of battles, the resolution of conflicts, the absence of war,” he said. “But the peace that Christ offers is much deeper, because Christ Himself is peace.”
He pointed to the example of the saints, who experienced inner peace even in the midst of persecution and hardship. “In their lives we see a peace that does not depend on ideal external conditions, but on living communion with Christ. This is the peace that you are called to discover,” he told the young participants.
Encouraging the youth to continue nurturing their relationship with Christ and supporting one another within the life of the Church, the Archbishop concluded with a powerful message: “The answer to the confusion of the world is not found in ideologies or human systems. The answer is Christ Himself.”
“If Christ lives in our hearts,” he added, “then even in a world full of uncertainty we can live with hope. Even when there is suffering, we can carry within us the light of the Resurrection.”
He urged the young people to seek Christ through prayer, encounter Him in the sacraments of the Church, and allow His presence to transform the way they see themselves, others, and the world. “If you do this,” Archbishop Makarios concluded, “you will discover that faith is not simply a tradition inherited from the past, but a living experience that fills the human heart with joy, peace, and purpose.”
