The Lord gives people gifts that oblige us to humble ourselves, and not to be proud said His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry of Kiev and All Ukraine in his sermon during the Divine Liturgy in the Church of the Venerable Anthony and Theodosius of the Caves of the Holy Dormition Kiev-Pechersk Lavra on November 14, 2021, the 21st Sunday after Pentecost, reports the Information and Educational Department of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
Explaining the Gospel story of the Savior’s healing of the demon-possessed person in Gadarene (Luke 8: 26-39), the Primate of the UOC noted that this story teaches us to cultivate humility and eradicate pride. He said that with pride we cherish insolence and cowardice in ourselves. Moreover, if we indulge our pride and do not live according to the commandments, we go towards the demons, not God.
“We must teach ourselves humility. Because pride is such a flaw that makes a person cocky and a coward. If we see a cowardly person who is trembling when a mouse runs by, know that this person is proud,” said His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry.
The archpastor urged the faithful to eradicate pride, “Because pride is a lie that subjugates a person to evil attachments and kills him or her. Whereas humility is the truth. It is a feeling that conquers a person to the will of God.”
The metropolitan advised the believers to work on improving themselves all the time and humble themselves before God.
“If you have thoughts like “I am smart, I am beautiful, I am talented”, you shouldn’t believe them, but say that God is strong, and I am dust and ashes, I am only as strong as God has given me strength. Therefore, the gifts that the Lord gives us oblige us to humble ourselves and not to be proud. We must love God above all else,” concluded His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry.
During the Divine Liturgy, fervent prayers were offered for the end of the harmful pandemic, for the health of doctors and the sick.
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