On February 2, an important date for the Catholic Church, both the Feast of the Presentation of Christ in the Temple and the first anniversary of Monsignor Martin Kmetec’s “Devotional Life” and Blessing of the Archdiocese were celebrated at St. Polycarp’s Church.
While almost all the priests and nuns in Izmir participated in this magnificent ceremony, the Chancellor of the Archdiocese of Izmir (Private Secretary) Father Alessandro Amprino, the Deputy General Father Felianus Dogon and the Priest of the House of Virgin Mary Father Robert Bondea also accompanied the celebration.
In the beginning, the candle held by Monsignor Kmetec was lit at the entrance of the church and in this way the light was shared with all the participants. This ritual means that Christians are called bearers of light and are invited to share the light with others. The light of the procession reminds us of Christ Jesus, his duty to tell and share with others.
After the words from the Bible’s Book of Luke were read by Nicholas the Deacon, and in his sermon the Archbishop of Izmir Kmetec, first of all, by giving thanks in the name of the Church to God for the gift of life he gave to the participants, he invited them to think Jesus as the teacher, the absolute Master (Kirios), the poor, the obedient, and the example of chastity.
He then talked about the three main topics of Poverty, Obedience and Celibacy or the Vow of Virginity. Poverty first: “Many of the problems in church life are linked to human poverty. When we get stuck in our relationships, it’s a bit of a result of that situation. When we cannot live with anyone, forgiveness means a certain poverty of our being… This path we choose allows us to be free for the Lord and duty. This is our ultimate poverty. Thus we become the domain of God’s being and action.”
Obedience was the second issue: “Jesus enters the Temple of Jerusalem, obeying the Law of the Lord. He enters with those of His mother and father; physically, ideally with those of his people, Israel, not with his own feet like a high priest or a king who upholds his duty. It is Israel who brought Christ into the temple to purify Him and offer acceptable worship to God. As we enter the Holy Place, we consider Joseph’s devotion to God. It is the obedience of Mary who offers the child to the Lord.”
The final topic was the vow of celibacy and celibacy: “The happiness that every man desires is basically the pursuit of life. Even if we don’t realize it. Two people who get married find their happiness as they find the future of their life. For them, joining as a couple means God’s second plan, to have future generations. To survive in the future in human history through their descendants. We are well aware of the importance of ancestry to Semitic biblical thought.”
Then he told a story that touched him deeply: A French priest spent 50 years in Sri Lanka, where his duty was to help the very poor people living in poor conditions around him. One day he received a large amount of charity money. This priest was seen by Monsignor Martin as he fell on his knees in front of Tabernacle – the crypt in the church where the consecrated bread is kept – and raised his arms to heaven, thanking the Lord for this unexpected help. “Now is the time to give thanks to our Lord. We were able to offer him this life because he sought us, let us thank him for his love, for the faith, for the Church, with which he accompanied us. Let us renew our love for Christ, let Him be at the center of our human life today and always.” He finished his sermon with these words.
At the end of the service, Father Felian, Deputy General, took the floor and said that he wished to offer Monsignor Martin his warmest wishes on the occasion of the first anniversary of his episcopal appointment, with the sentiments of both the priests and nuns, the deacons, the dedicated men and women, and all the holy People of God living in the local church. “We invoke the gift of the Holy Spirit to support him at every moment of his ministry. Thanks to his pastoral care, the Church entrusted to him may continue to boldly undertake authentic synodal and solidarity paths to bring the unfailing joy of the Gospel to all. From the bottom of our hearts, we thank you for your prompt and generous service, your patience, and your simple and prompt style.”
The Feast of the Presentation of Christ in the Temple was also celebrated on the evening of February 2, both in Izmir St. John’s Cathedral and in Alsancak Rosario Church. (SAT-7 TURK/İZMİR-Nathalie Ritzmann)
