At the close of the Divine Liturgy on September 14th, 2025, following the celebration of the Feast of the Elevation of the Precious and Life-Giving Cross, Fr. Michael Matsko offered a heartfelt reflection to our parish family. His words spoke directly to the grief, anxiety, and searching of heart that weighed heavily on us after the tragic death of Charlie Kirk earlier in the week.

Gratitude for Pastoral Care
Fr. Michael began by expressing gratitude to Fr. Stephen for his pastoral care in recent days. He acknowledged how Fr. Stephen had been a true spiritual father to the community, comforting us in grief, speaking words of hope, and guiding us toward Christ even in the midst of turmoil. This acknowledgment reminded us that the role of the priest is not only to preach but to shepherd—to stand alongside the faithful in suffering, bearing the Cross with them.

Charlie Kirk’s Witness
Turning to the life and death of Charlie Kirk, Fr. Michael addressed the complex emotions surrounding his passing. He reminded us that while some may disagree with Charlie’s words, tone, or approach, the deeper truth is that Charlie sought to live out the Christian faith as best as he could. He bore the name of Christ and desired to stand for the truth of the Gospel in a world that often resists it.

Charlie’s death, Fr. Michael explained, was not meaningless. It was a witness. Just as the Cross itself shows us that the world often responds to truth with violence, so too does the blood of the faithful become a testimony to the reality of Christ. Martyrdom is never an accident. In the mystery of God’s providence, it becomes a proclamation that life in Christ is stronger than death.

The Cross as the World’s Response to Truth
The reflection drew us back to the meaning of the Feast we had just celebrated. The Elevation of the Cross proclaims that the Cross is both a sign of the world’s hatred and of Christ’s victory. Evil lashes out when confronted with the light of the Gospel. The crucifixion of Jesus Christ was the ultimate display of humanity’s rejection of truth, yet it became the very means of salvation.

Fr. Michael reminded us that the same paradox is at work in the martyrdom of the saints. When the faithful bear witness to Christ and are met with violence, the world believes it has silenced them. Yet in reality, their testimony becomes louder. Their blood waters the faith. Their suffering becomes a seed of resurrection. Charlie’s death, tragic as it is, is not defeat but participation in the Cross that conquers death.

The Danger of False Voices
With pastoral urgency, Fr. Michael also cautioned us against being misled by voices, even from within the Church, that distort or compromise the Gospel. In times of tragedy, confusion often arises. Some may attempt to use such moments to sow division, to offer watered-down teachings, or to shift the foundation of faith from Christ to human opinion.

But as Fr. Michael insisted, our faith is not built on personalities, movements, or trends. It is built on the fullness of the Church—the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church that has stood firm for two thousand years. This “Church universal” is the Body of Christ, guided by the Holy Spirit, and it is in this Church that the fullness of the truth resides.

Fixing Our Eyes on Christ
In moments of sorrow and confusion, the temptation is to fix our eyes on the tragedy, on the injustice, or on the human personalities involved. But Fr. Michael called us back to the Cross itself. The Cross represents both the violence of the world and the victory of Christ. When we look to the Cross, we see that evil’s power is temporary, but Christ’s triumph is eternal.

To fix our eyes on Christ is to remember that He is the Truth—not an idea, not an opinion, not a movement, but a Person. As He Himself said, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life” (John 14:6). If our gaze remains on Him, we will not be shaken by the storms of the world.

Martyrdom in Our Time
Fr. Michael’s words also reminded us that martyrdom is not confined to the pages of ancient history. The blood of martyrs continues to be shed in our own day, sometimes in faraway lands, sometimes closer to home. To call Charlie’s death a martyrdom is not to canonize him prematurely but to recognize that his death, borne in witness to Christ, reflects the same pattern we see in the saints.

Martyrdom reveals that the Cross is not simply an event long ago but a reality that continues in the life of the Church. Every generation faces its own martyrs. Every age is reminded that the world resists truth, but truth cannot be silenced.

The Cross as Victory
The heart of the reflection was this: the Cross is not defeat but victory. When we venerate the Cross, we proclaim that suffering, violence, and death do not have the final word. The final word belongs to Christ, who trampled down death by death and rose victorious. The Cross, once an instrument of shame, has become the banner of life.

Charlie’s death, then, is seen in the light of the Cross. Though the world may view it as senseless or tragic, the Church proclaims that it participates in the mystery of Christ’s victory. It is a witness that evil may wound but cannot overcome.

Our Response
Fr. Michael concluded by calling us to respond not with despair or anger but with deeper faith. To honor the memory of Charlie, and of all martyrs, is to take up the Cross ourselves. It is to live with courage, to speak truth with love, to resist compromise, and to cling to Christ above all else.

He urged us to make the Cross the center of our lives—not just as a symbol on the wall but as the pattern of our daily discipleship. Every act of forgiveness, every word of truth spoken in love, every sacrifice made for Christ’s sake is a way of bearing the Cross and sharing in its victory.

Conclusion
On September 14th, 2025, at the close of Liturgy, Fr. Michael Matsko spoke words that helped frame our grief within the mystery of the Cross. He reminded us to give thanks for faithful shepherds like Fr. Stephen, to see Charlie Kirk’s death not as meaningless but as witness, to beware of false voices that distort the Gospel, and above all, to fix our eyes on Christ who is the Truth.

The Cross reveals the world’s violence, but more importantly, it reveals Christ’s victory. Evil may lash out, but it cannot overcome the truth of the Gospel. Charlie’s death, tragic as it is, stands as a martyrdom for Jesus Christ. And we, holding fast to the Cross, trust that it is through this very instrument of suffering that we are given victory, hope, and eternal life.