Australia’s Romanian Bishop has issued an Easter Encyclical – ‘We are called to respond to God’s love by following Christ’.
Bishop Mihail, who heads the Romanian Orthodox Diocese of Australia and New Zealand, noted in his Easter encyclical that “we are called to respond to God’s love by following His Son Jesus Christ. Just as Christ’s humility was complete, so too the discipleship we humans must go through must be to the end, calling at all times for his help in our lives, in our spiritual work.”
Bishop Mihail urged that when we try to do God’s will, “we should put aside selfishness or vain glory, and leave the worldly cares that separate man from God, in order to give our lives to God, concentrating on the spiritual work to walk in faith on the path shown to us by Christ, so that we may acquire the Kingdom of Heaven.”
“Let us stand aright, let us attend how we spend our lives, following Christ who rose from the dead. Let us not worry about passing things: food, drink, expensive clothes, and riches. Neither be partakers of feasts and parties in drunkenness and sinful revelry.”
“Let no one boast, despising the poor and needy, and let him who is tempted subdue the lust of vain glory by humility and Christian mercy.”
In his pastoral letter, Bishop Mihail stressed the need to support the elderly who “need help from those close to them, the young, children and grandchildren. With the elderly, we must be patient and understanding; for them, we must pray and protect them, showing them understanding and Christian love.”
The Romanian Bishop of Australia and New Zealand concluded his pastoral letter for Holy Pascha by urging the faithful “to offer prayers of praise and thanksgiving to the Lord God and to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ, who rose from the dead for our salvation.”
Photography courtesy of the Basilica.ro Files Source: basilica.ro
ACNC Guidelines on Advocacy and the Referendum (see https://www.acnc.gov.au/tools/guides/charities-campaigning-and-advocacy)
A summary of advice from the Australian Charities and Not-For-Profits Commission which provides clarification on charity activities in the lead-up to the planned Referendum in 2023.
Introduction
Charities may want to contribute to conversations taking place about the Australian Government’s planned referendum on an Indigenous Voice to Parliament. They can make a valuable contribution. It is important to remember that a charity may only conduct activities that further its charitable purposes according to its Constitution.
‘Advocacy’ and ‘campaigning’ are terms that in everyday use can have very broad meanings. For the purposes of this guidance these terms have particular meanings.
When the ACNC talks about ‘advocacy‘ and ‘campaigning‘ it means activities which are aimed at securing or opposing any change to a law, policy or practice in the Commonwealth, a state or territory, or another country. Such activities can include:
involvement in the development of public policy
promotion of, or opposition to, particular laws, policies, practices or decisions of governments, and
awareness-raising.
In the minds of the public, ‘advocacy’ can sometimes include political party activity. This is not included in the ACNC’s use of this phrase, as registered charities cannot have a purpose of promoting or opposing a particular political party or candidate.
‘Campaigning’ in this guidance is used by the ACNC to mean activities undertaken to educate the public, raise public awareness, change public behaviour and/or mobilise public support. It can include ensuring that existing laws, policies or decisions are either maintained or changed.
What is okay
Advocacy and campaigning can be a legitimate and effective way of furthering the charitable purposes of a charity. However, it is important that charities do not cross the line into having a disqualifying political purpose and that they maintain independence from party politics.
A charity’s policy position on a matter of concern may be similar to, or align with that of, a particular political party. In such a situation it is okay for the charity to continue to campaign on that issue, provided that this does not amount to the charity having a purpose of promoting or opposing a particular political party or candidate.
It would also be prudent for members of a charity’s governing body to consider the independence of their charity and any potential effects of particular campaigning activities on the charity’s reputation, including online activities through social media. Public perception is important and members of a charity’s governing body should be aware of the perception of any advocacy or campaigning.
In the lead-up to an election (or, in this case, the Referendum) there are increased risks that, in the minds of the public, charity advocacy or campaigning can be associated with a particular political party.
Charities can, and often do, engage in advocacy activities and some charities might want to advocate for a particular outcome on the referendum.
If a charity plans to undertake advocacy activities, it must be able to demonstrate why it considers its advocacy furthers its charitable purposes.
In the case of the planned referendum, some charities may just want to make a statement of support for the ‘yes’ or ‘no’ case. An example of this would be a message of support in the charity’s email signature block. This statement would not jeopardise their registration with the ACNC.
It’s okay for a charity to:
have a purpose of advancing public debate – including promoting or opposing a change in law – where this furthers or aids another charitable purpose
have a purpose to promote or oppose a change to a law, policy or practice in the Commonwealth, a state or territory or another country where this furthers or aids another charitable purpose.
How the advocacy is conducted
The charities’ Responsible People and senior workers (paid or volunteer) should be clear about how their charity will advocate; the type of thing that can be said and done in the name of their charity, and set boundaries.
It’s important that advocacy is lawful, respectful, and fair as this helps ensure the charity (and its Responsible People) meet their obligations under the ACNC’s Governance Standards.
The ACNC encourages charities to support workers (paid or volunteer) who want to express their views on the referendum, to make it clear they are sharing their personal views and not those of the charity.
Summary A charity can campaign if it is satisfied that:
what it is doing is advancing its charitable purpose
its governing document (its constitution or rules) does not prevent the activity
it does not have a purpose of advancing a particular political party or candidate or campaigning against a particular party or candidate
This summary is not legal advice and if you have doubts about any particular situation involving your charity, you can seek specific advice from the ACNC or seek independent legal advice.
This year, the holy festivals of Passover (Pesach), Ramadan and Easter overlap. The Jewish, Christian and Muslim faiths are regarded as Abrahamic religions due to their shared worship of God (referred to as Yahweh in Hebrew and as Allah in Arabic) as revealed to Abraham.
Passover (Pesach in Hebrew) is celebrated from the evening of Wednesday April 5th until the evening of Wednesday April 12th. Passover commemorates the ancient Biblical story of the Israelites fleeing the wicked Pharaoh of Egypt, who had kept them in bondage and misery and only agreed to free them after God sent ten plagues to the land. Passover derives its name from what happened in the tenth of the plagues God sent to Egypt. It involved the killing of the firstborn son in every home – including the Pharoah’s own child. God told the Israelites that each family should sacrifice a lamb and with its blood, mark their front door with its blood. As a result, God ‘passed over’ the homes of the Jews and they were spared. The most famous tradition at Passover is not to eat leavened bread (‘chametz’) for eight days, recalling the fact that the Israelites left Egypt in such haste that their bread had no time to rise.
Ramadan continues for a month, from the evening of Wednesday Mar 22nd to the evening of Friday April 21st (dates relate to sighting of the moon). Ramadan is believed to be the month that the Holy Qur’an was revealed to the Prophet Mohammed and, as such, it is a sacred time. During this time, observant Muslims will abstain from eating, drinking, smoking and sexual relations from sunrise to sunset. It is a period of great introspection, spiritual discipline and communal prayer. The fast each day is broken in the evening with Iftar meals. In recent years, many Muslim communities have been reaching out to non-muslims offering invitations to join these celebratory communal meals.
Easter begins with Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem (Palm Sunday) on April 2nd, followed by the events leading up to the Last Supper, the crucifixion of Jesus (‘Good Friday’) and the resurrection of Jesus (Easter Sunday). The Easter celebrations happen on Sunday April 9th, and Sunday April 16th for Orthodox churches.
There have been wonderful gestures of goodwill shared between Jewish, Christian and Muslim people this week, recognising the significance of the three holy festivals being celebrated at this time.
At the same time it is heartbreaking to see the news from Israel and the occupied territories, and the violence relating to the raids on the Al-Aqsa mosque compound (also known as the Temple Mount) in the Old City of Jerusalem that has been venerated as a holy site in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam for thousands of years.
It is a significant site for Muslims who believe the al-Aqsa mosque compound is the location where the Prophet Muhammad ascended to Heaven. Jews also revere it as the site of two Biblical temples, the second of which was destroyed in Roman times. It is also a significant site for Christians who trace their sacred story through both the Jewish and Christian Scriptures.
Israeli police forces stormed Al-Aqsa Mosque during Ramadan evening prayers on two consecutive nights this week, firing rubber bullets and stun grenades at hundreds of Palestinian worshippers. [Note: The interweaving of politics, nationalism and religion in Israel/Palestine is of course complex, and contested].
The two raids have drawn heavy criticism from various leaders and organisations across the world with the United Nations Security Council set to meet for a closed-door session to discuss the raids on Palestinian worshippers in the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound.
Fears of further confrontations in the coming days are now heightened, particularly if Israeli officials make a visit, or if Israeli police allow Jewish activists to pray at the sensitive site, breaking fragile, decades-old rules which apply there. The important last 10 days of Ramadan begin on Tuesday and leads into Laylat al-Qadr, the Night of Power. It is the Islamic calendar’s holiest eve which recalls that during the night Angel Jibril revealed the Holy Qur’an’s first verses to the Prophet Muhammad. Historically, Israel as an occupying force prevented Jewish extremists from entering during these 10 days. But with the current government there are concerns that they will allow it.
In this time of Holy Festivals, and unrest and uncertainty, we pray for peace and an end to conflict.
“Then justice will dwell in the land and righteousness abide in the fruitful field. The effect of righteousness will be peace and the result of righteousness, quietness and trust forever.” – Isaiah 32:16-17
O God of life and love and peace, We witness the violence and injustice in your Holy Land And our hearts break.
Our hearts break for all Palestinians – For the victims of violent attacks from Israelis For those who have endured decades of occupation and oppression For those whose homes and olive orchards have been demolished For those who languish in Israeli prisons and in the “open air prison” of Gaza For those without nearly enough water and electricity and medical care For those who are refugees, long displaced from their homes.
Our hearts break for the Jewish people of Israel – For the victims of violent attacks from Palestinians For those who live with fear and insecurity For those who re-live the trauma of the Holocaust over and over.
Our hearts break for the wider world – For those who are indifferent to the pain and suffering in your Holy Land For those who distort or turn their eyes from truth For those who fail to see the humanity of all your children.
Heal us all, O God. Heal the broken and comfort the sorrowful. Give hope to the hopeless and courage to the fearful. Strengthen the peacemakers and reconcilers. Confront those who practice injustice and commit violence.
We especially pray – That weapons of war be laid down That walls of separation and the machinery of occupation be dismantled
That prisoners be released That demonizing of “the other” cease That political leaders seek the good of all people in Palestine and Israel.
We pray also for ourselves – That our eyes will be opened to the ways in which our beliefs and actions have contributed to injustice and to violence.
O God, whose heart breaks for the world, May your justice dwell in the land May your righteousness abide in fruitful fields May the effect of righteousness be quietness and trust forever May the effect of justice be peace – enduring peace. Amen
Three years ago, many of us were in lockdown for Easter. Many churches were closed. In a mirror of the Gospel stories, if two women had gone to the church early in the morning, around sunrise, they would have found it empty.
Perhaps they would have seen a bright white page of paper beside the door, bearing the message: “He is not here: for he has been raised. Go! He goes ahead of you …”
Being unable to access Church buildings that Easter was hard and yet we get more perspective when we consider the 500 churches and religious sites that have been destroyed in Ukraine over the last year. We grieve.
The gospel story of Easter is hard. Jesus died, and neither God nor humans stopped it. We grieve.
We grieve the day of Jesus’ agony and death, to which he went with steadfast faith and integrity, never bowing to retribution or violence; trusting God.
We grieve the silence that meets us after death; the silence of the Saturday. The time when the bombs have stopped and the floods have abated is, firstly, an awful time of silence.
Sunday does not take that all away. And yet, there is a sunrise which alerts us to new presence, a new hope, for all who follow the faithfulness of Jesus.
Unconfined to a tomb or a building, he is raised, and goes ahead of us.
In Matthew’s gospel, we hear of Jesus going ahead to Galilee, where he commissions the disciples to keep on going with mission and ministry in his name. He repeats the promise which is woven through all of Matthew’s gospel: I am with you always, to the end of the age.
Through it all, you are loved; through it all, you are accompanied; through it all, you are invited to follow the way of Jesus as agents of hope and light and faith in the world; and whenever two or three are gathered in my name, Jesus says, I am there.
There is a certain clarity about Easter, notwithstanding some of the mystery. There is clarity about sin and violence and death, but through Easter we bear witness that God brings something new. The women are invited to “come and see” that he’s not in the tomb, and to bear witness to his life-made-new. We are called to bear witness to his hope and life, beyond the pain of Good Friday, and to receive and respond to his hope of life-made-new.
May that hope and life flow through us all, to the glory to God.
In his Easter message this year, Archbishop Peter A Comensoli draws our attention to three important things that flow from the resurrection. Like Mary in the garden, we are recognised by the risen Christ, who knows us intimately; we are invited to share in his healing peace; and we are sent out in his name, so that we might share these gifts with others, living ‘each day illumined by his resurrection, as the reason for our hope’.
Transcript:
Easter 2023: ‘Recognised, healed and sent’
Friends,
Three things flow from the resurrection of Jesus Christ; three things that matter. In his resurrection, Jesus recognises us personally; he invites us to peace; and he sends us out.
The very first word Jesus spoke following his resurrection was a name: Mary. He saw his friend, and although she could not yet recognise him, he called her by name.
Similarly, Jesus personally recognised his friends, to whom he appeared. There was something intimate, and tender, and hospitable about the risen Lord. He draws us into his own resurrected life.
Jesus, in his resurrection, also offered an invitation to peace. ‘Peace be with you’ was his first—and repeated—declaration. It was an invitation to a share in his forgiveness, and to be healed. Jesus reconciled all creation to himself on the cross; now, he offers us a share in his healing peace.
Finally, through his resurrection, Jesus sends forth his friends. Jesus charged his followers to share the Good News of redemption, and our life in his.
Mary: Go and tell the others.
Peter: Go and feed my sheep.
Friends: Go and make disciples.
Jesus gave out this task so that the gift of his death and resurrection would not be only for the few.
These same three things from Jesus’ resurrection—his recognising, his inviting, his sending—all belong to us now; they are ours to share in.
The risen Jesus recognises each of us personally by name.
The risen Jesus invites each of us to share in his healing gift of peace.
The risen Jesus sends each of us out in his name, with the gift of life.
He says to us, ‘Follow me,’ that we might live each day illumined by his resurrection, as the reason for our hope.
So, may our lives be filled with the energy, joy and youthfulness of the risen Jesus, knowing that, in him, I am recognised, I am healed, and I am sent.
Archbishop Philip Freier (Archdiocese of Melbourne) 2023 Easter message is online.
Easter celebrates the most profound event in human history, the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It tells the story of salvation and how the death of the Son of God, Jesus the Messiah, is of immediate and lasting significance to all humankind. Its meaning not only transforms history but transcends it. Those who love Jesus live in both the now and the not yet. The now has been transformed into one of love, joy and hope, while the not yet is the perfect fulfilment of God’s promises and of fellowship with him which awaits us. That is why the Easter message is as relevant today as ever.
We need Easter more than ever by Dr Rob Nyhuis National Chair, Churches of Christ Council in Australia
The Gospel has taken a pounding in recent years from those rightly indignant at the excesses and abuses of some Christian leaders over past decades. Decline, though, just means a bigger mission field and a larger target to hit with a message needed more than ever before.
We can remind ourselves this Easter, too, that flawed messengers don’t invalidate the message.
Faith is attested by archaeological proof of the Bible, by prophecies fulfilled in Christ hundreds of years after being written and circulated, by the positive observations of hostile witnesses in the first century, by the willing deaths of early Christians, and by the transformed lives of many today. Christianity cannot be verified beyond all doubt, but it can be verified beyond reasonable doubt.
This Easter, Christians Australia-wide have an opportunity to live out their faith with pride. Maybe fewer people are Christians today than ever before, but a great many are Christians still. This Winter, the number of monthly churchgoers will still well exceed the attendances at AFL, NRL, A League, and Super Rugby games combined. This reminds us we can still confidently honour Jesus.
After all, people are still coming to faith, worshipping weekly, and proving themselves inquisitive. Recent research shows that four in ten are open to spiritual conversations, a number rising to 50% for younger Australians, and 38% of Aussies are open to being invited to church, 73% by a close contact!
When society rejects religion in the workplace, Christians still connect outside of hours and continue to pray for their colleagues more fervently. When sceptics laugh at the notion of a miraculous Creator, Christians offer a living God more plausible than a causeless universe. When people intimidate with caustic questions or disparaging remarks, Christians respond with dignity and love.
This Easter, we once again proclaim Jesus who is alive. He died to repair our broken relationship with God by taking the punishment for sin (no matter how small) upon himself. His resurrection broke sin’s hold and triumphed over death. Through this, we come back to God, and he grants us access to eternal life. That brings hope, healing, restoration, and grace. More people need him than ever before, so the messsage is therefore also needed more than ever before. Jesus has not been tried and found wanting, even if forms of religion or some of its representatives have been.
Surely, the Good News about Christ is worth celebrating this Easter, but it is also worth proclaiming with conviction and passion by those who have already embraced it and therefore know of its transforming power.
In this year’s UCA Easter message, President Rev Sharon Hollis has invited three Uniting Church women ministers to reflect on what it means to have new life in Christ, sharing in their own languages.
The Uniting Church celebrates cultural and linguistic diversity as God’s gracious gift to the human family. On any Sunday, around 45 languages, 15 of which are languages of our First Peoples, are used across our congregations. The UCA continues on a journey to fully realise what it means to be a multicultural church, living faith and life cross-culturally.
Please do not share on social media until Easter Sunday.
Rev Heeyoung Lim from Leighmoor Uniting Church reflects in Korean on the Easter journey moving from the empty tomb to receiving the risen Christ with hope in the new life God has promised.
“It also means a daily commitment to following Jesus, seeking and enlarging the kingdom of God in my life, being a Jesus’ disciple and making His disciples.”
Speaking in Indonesian, Rev Kharis Abadani, Mulgrave Uniting Church, says living in Christ means living with the transforming power of Christ and to see God’s work in us.
“Living in Christ means living in the power of Christ’s resurrection in our lives. It means that we can also experience resurrection in our own lives.”
Rev Juliette Maua’i, St Stephen’s Uniting Church Williamstown, recalls a famous Samoan saying, “O Uo i aso uma, ae Uso i aso vale”, which means “there will be friends for each day, but it will be siblings (or kinsfolk) in days of adversity”.
Speaking in Samoan, she says, “For me then, when I ponder in terms of the way of Christ, life in Christ, this Samoan proverb assures us that it is Christ with us in each day, and it is Christ assuredly in our days of adversity!”
The President’s message is a reminder that the gift of resurrection life is the hope that we have in the transforming power of Christ and the assurance of new life in our own lives and in our world.
Transcript of President’s Easter Message 2023
PRESIDENT
In the death and resurrection of Jesus is a call from God to new life in Christ.
It is a call from despair to hope, from evil to goodness, from sorrow to joy. Heeyoung speaks of the joy of life in Christ.
HEEYOUNG
What Life in Christ means to me is rising and moving forward again from the hurting world, looking at the crucified and resurrected Lord.
It also means a daily commitment to following Jesus, seeking and enlarging the kingdom of God in my life, being a Jesus’ disciple and making His disciples, doing a beautiful thing to Jesus and others, taking my eyes off the empty tomb and placing them on the Lord, opening my heart to receive the risen Christ with hope in the new life God promised, constant pursuit of spiritual growth and transformation that God leads,and living my life in a way that honours and glorifies God.
PRESIDENT
We see this call in Mary Magdalene who goes to the tomb and finds it empty, weeping for all she has lost.
She speaks to the gardener who calls her name “Mary” and she is called from sorrow back to life by Jesus. Kharis speaks of the gift of resurrection life.
KHARIS
For me, living in Christ means living with the principles and teachings of Jesus, like the way Jesus reaches out and ministers to others.
Secondly, living in Christ also means living with the transforming power of Christ and to see God’s work in us.
Thirdly, living in Christ means living in the power of Christ’s resurrection in our lives. It means that we can also experience resurrection in our own lives.
This is good news for people who are lost for hope, those who are grieving for their future, for the loss of loved ones and the future of their relationships.
PRESIDENT
Juliet hears the assurance of Christ with us in a Samoan saying
JULIETTE
There is a Samoan proverb that goes like this “There will be friends for each day but it will be siblings (or kinsfolk) for the days of adversity.” For me then, when I ponder in terms of the Way of Christ,
Life in Christ, in terms of this Samoan proverb assures us that it is Christ with us in each day, and it is Christ assuredly in our days of adversity!
PRESIDENT
This Easter may you know life in Christ and may it bring you the blessings of joy, peace and hope. Happy Easter!
KHARIS
Happy Easter!
JULIETTE
Blessings indeed this Easter!
HEEYOUNG
Jesus is risen. Let us rejoice in the Lord together!
Rev John Gilmore is the President of the National Council of Churches in Australia. This is his Easter message.
‘He is Risen’
Who has the final word? It is a powerful position to be in, to have the final say. It indicates that there is someone whose authority or view trumps all others and can close the conversation.
In life it often seems like the final word is disappointment, suffering and disillusionment. We live with the realities of disaster, racial and gender violence, war mongering, disempowerment through the actions of others and personal disappointment.
International powerplays threaten peace and security while creating more and more refugees. At the same time the global economic complexity creates further anxiety and pressure at home. What can we say in the face of all these overwhelming realities?
We can say none of these have the final word. The Christian message at Easter is the final word; ‘life’. Jesus, God fully present, dies with no justice, torture, and cruelty. There is no compassion. Jesus is abandoned by the men who flee and attended to by the women who remain.
Three days later, the borrowed grave is empty, and the testimony of the women and men is a simple and wonderful statement, ‘He is Risen’.
Resurrection is the final word in Christian faith; Jesus lives. Two words and behind them a life transforming affirmation. The final word is life and resurrection. Bringing this perspective to our present realities may not alter them, however, it can change how we see and engage with them.
It is possible to ask, ‘what is the Resurrection perspective here?’ For example, in the clamour of opinions on the Indigenous Voice to Parliament, as we make our referendum decision, we can ask how a Resurrection perspective guides us. Do we wait until the moment when every question is resolved – or do we look forward in gracious trust and with fervent hope?
Christians are Resurrection people – this is the final word, and it is one of life.
Rev John Gilmore, President
National Council of Churches in Australia
Click here for the NCCA Church Leaders Easter Messages
Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani? that is, `My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’
The above verse from Matthew 27:46 is the cry of Jesus Christ on the cross moments before his brutal death. As a quotation from Psalm 22: 1, it could be Jesus declaring the Old Testament prophecy, or crying out in absolute anguish, or both. The point to consider here is that Jesus expresses the pain and suffering of his impending death.
“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” is the painful cry for many in the world today as they face a variety of sufferings in sickness, poverty, hunger, disasters, injustices, abuse and death. This is the cry of displaced people, refugees on the move, abused women and children, indigenous people, people with disabilities, the neglected, oppressed and downtrodden. Their plights are so unbearable that they often think that governments, friends, family and even God has abandoned them. In private and in public, in silence and aloud, they cry for help!
The world is in such a mess today as we reflect on the violence, conflicts, wars, corruption, political turmoil, economic injustices, climate emergency, and the list goes on. In such a context, some are prone to ask, “Where is God?” The thoughts of abandonment and despair are not far from our minds and hearts, even if it makes us uncomfortable to think like this.
Jesus gave up his last breath and died, but he rose again from the dead. In Christ is our hope and life. Our hope is not centred in some sentimental experience but in the deep realisation that hope, like faith and love, are eschatological gifts. Gifts that God gives us to overcome the present and to see the future in the midst of chaos, conflict and the feeling of being forsaken. Gifts that remind us that darkness, despair and death are not the end. Light, hope and life are within reach because the Risen Lord overcomes all things. The Apostle Paul tells us this most powerfully in Romans 8: 37-39 where he declares, “in all things we are more than conquerors through Christ who loved us”, therefore nothing “will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Thus, when we are tempted in the midst of brokenness, pain, suffering, wars and death to ask why God has forsaken us, let us stop and be assured that in Christ, the Father makes all things new! In the midst of trials, turmoil and tribulations let us be reminded that in the power of the resurrection God is present with us in all things, through all things and at all times.
This assurance then must, instead of making us feel forsaken, stir and steer us into becoming agents and instruments of hope and light to the world. It should give us the energy and desire to continue to work toward God`s justice, peace, reconciliation and unity, enabling a better world for all creation!
Whenever we are tempted to cry, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” let us know Emmanuel – God is with us forever!
Have a blessed and hope-filling Easter!
Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay General Secretary World Council of Churches
