Event by Agape on the theme “God’s Love as the Healing of Our Existence” with speaker Fr. Livyos (October 2021)

This event took place at the Thessaloniki Concert Hall on Monday, October 11, 2021, with theologian and musicologist Mr. Elias Liamis as the emcee. Our main speaker, Father Charalambos Papadopoulos (Fr. Livyos), explored the theme “God’s Love as the Healing of Our Existence.”

Father Livyos emphasized that the Church Fathers, in their examination of human existence’s depths, concluded that a profound wound exists within humanity—one that constantly bleeds and requires urgent healing.

The first dimension of this wound is mortality, the finite nature of human life, introduced with the Fall and the rupture of humanity’s unity with God, the Creator. Human beings, as created, are inherently mutable and thus susceptible to change and decay. They do not possess life in and of themselves; therefore, without connection to the source of life and stability—the Creator, the causal principle of all—humans are bound to die.

The second dimension of the wound, beyond mortality, is deficiency: a persistent sense of lack, leaving humans unsatisfied and feeling emptiness even after fulfilling their deepest desires.

The third dimension, alongside mortality and deficiency, is inner contradiction—the realization of our weak will, which causes us to desire the good yet end up doing the wrong, acting against our genuine intentions. Healing for this wound unfolds gradually as we come to realize we are not mere accidents of existence but rather a loving expression of God, who brought us into being out of love.

This wound heals through an act of love and freedom when we activate a loving will to reconnect with our Creator, who revealed His love for us once more through Christ’s sacrifice on our behalf. Repentance and prayer facilitate healing, as do focusing on the good and engaging in spiritual practices that guide us toward love for God and our fellow humans. We learn to live amid our challenges, struggles, fears, and anxieties as we support one another and gradually realize that God loves us, seeks us, desires to embrace us, accepts us, and heals our wounds as we trust in Him and offer Him praise.

Due to pandemic restrictions, in-person attendance at the event was limited, so a live broadcast was also arranged, which thousands of viewers followed with great interest.

You can watch the lecture (in Greek) on Magdalena’s youtube channel.