In the Church, the Lord gives people everything they need for life and salvation in Heaven said His Beatitude Onuphry, Metropolitan of Kiev and All Ukraine, in his sermon during the Divine Liturgy at St. Seraphim of Sarov Church yesterday, on the commemoration day of the Venerable Seraphim of Sarov, reports the Information and Educational Department of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
“In the Church, the Lord gives people everything they need for a prosperous earthly life and for salvation in Heaven. In the Church, a person is baptized, anointed, married, ordained into the priesthood, and participates in the Sacraments of Confession and Communion, and thus receives that God’s power that we need so that we can safely pass through earthly existence and achieve eternal salvation,” said His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry.
The Primate of the UOC reminded those present that the Lord Himself created the Church. The Church embraces Heaven and Earth.
“The Heavenly Church consists of earthly saints and angels, and the earthly Church consists of us: those who believe in Christ crucified and risen here on earth. Regardless of what nationality, what color a person’s skin is, what social status one has, or where one lives, all believers in Christ crucified and risen are united in a large, strong family, which is called the Church of Christ, the Head of which is Christ Himself ,” said His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry.
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“The Law of God keeps a person intact in difficult life circumstances. This Law reveals God to man, shows him what God is like. With this Law, we preserve the purity of our faith, because in order to enter the Kingdom of Heaven, we must correctly cognize God. Not just knowing that God exists, but knowing Him. Otherwise, a person to whom the gates of the Kingdom of God are opened will not be able to enter them,” said the metropolitan.
As the Primate noted, people often strive to change the Law of God and spiritual rules for the sake of life’s comfort. However, this does not bring benefit either in this life or in the future.
“Benefits are given to man from God. Those who are able to receive the blessings from God, who live according to the Divine Laws, who preserve the purity of the Holy Faith, are also capable of eternal salvation,” said His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry.
The Venerable Seraphim of Sarov is a vivid image of a saint who showed how one can live according to the commandments and please God, the metropolitan continued. Not everyone, of course, can take upon themselves such a spiritual feat as St. Seraphim – to be a monk, to go to the desert, to pray on a stone for 1000 days and nights, but everyone can and must humble themselves, not condemn their neighbors, not steal, not betray each other, and have patience.
“The holy people became God’s saints not because they did not eat, drink or sleep for a long time, but because they submitted themselves to the will of God and thanked Him for everything that the Lord sent them. Instead of human malice and hatred, they paid with love. This made the saints holy,” said His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry.
Photo: news.church.ua
During the service, fervent prayers were offered for an end to the coronavirus pandemic, for the health of doctors and patients.
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