BOSTON – His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America made his first archpastoral visit to the Holy Trinity parish in Bridgeport, Connecticut where he was enthusiastically welcomed by the priest, the parish council, the children, and the congregants.

Archbishop Elpidophoros in his sermon among other things he said:

“My Beloved Christians of this wonderful Holy Trinity Parish, I am so very glad to join with you today in the worship of the Holy Trinity, for Whom your parish is named and by Whom we are all saved. We gather in spirit and in body today at this Divine Liturgy, for the First Sunday of Saint Luke, in the cycle of Readings from the Holy Gospel.

The congregation at the Holy Trinity nave of Bridgeport, CT during the Divine Liturgy officiated by His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America. (Photo by GOA/DIMITRIOS PANAGOS)

“One of the most remarkable things about this reading is that it speaks of a teaching – indeed a sermon – of the Lord, of which it records not one word! You would think that if there were a teaching of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Evangelist would make sure the message was recorded. But this is not the case here. All it says is that the Lord asked Simon Peter for the temporary use of one of his fishing boats, so that He could speak to the crowds that had followed Him to the shoreline of the Sea of Galilee. What the Lord said on that day is passed over in silence. This might seem odd, and it is indeed a rare event in Scripture. But there is a deeper purpose at work here.”

Children of the parish of the Holy Trinity of Bridgeport, CT are welcoming Archbishop Elpidophoros with flowers. (Photo by GOA/DIMITRIOS PANAGOS)

The Archbishop continued, “the real teaching is not in the words that we do not hear, but in the Lord’s challenge to take action – to move from mere consideration of words to a genuine response to the meaning of those words. Not much different from our experience right here, right now. It is one thing to listen to the teachings of our Lord: His commandment to love one another, to even love our enemies, to do good to everyone, to lend and be generous, to forgive without being asked. It is another thing altogether, to put those words into practice.”