From the Head of the UGCC: Due to the unprecedented terrorism of the Russian attacker, even the light in our homes becomes a luxury
We can defeat evil only when we are not evil and when we can be spiritually and morally more durable than the attacker. The Father and Head of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church, His Beatitude Sviatoslav, said in his sermon to the faithful on the 19th Sunday after Pentecost.
Pondering on God’s love, the preacher noted that the words about God’s love for us are good news for all of us, because the Lord sees our malice, our sin. And He is ready to save us from ourselves.
“A strange spiritual paradox, — the preacher convinces — but in turn, whoever believes in God, who believes in God’s saving love, is called to grow towards it. So he, who grows up from only human categories of thinking, only in his ability to love, rises to the divine.”
“That power of God’s love became the power of victory of the early Church over its persecutors. The force that changed is changing and will continue to change the world,” emphasized His Beatitude Sviatoslav.
“Every day we mourn new and new victims of this land. Even having light in our homes is becoming a luxury today due to the unprecedented terrorism of this attacker, who violates all international humanitarian rules, even the laws, and customs of war”, mentioned His Beatitude Sviatoslav.
We ask today: God, how to act as Christians during the war? How can we love our enemies when they methodically, systematically, brutally kill us every day?
“But perhaps it is precisely in that part of the Gospel about the all-conquering love of God that today Christ wants to give us the secret, the key to our victory over the Russian criminal and attacker. Because it is this Gospel that reveals to us secrets that are unattainable only to the human mind, and the mystery of victory is this: evil can be defeated when we do not succumb to its logic, its slavery,” said the Head of the Church.
According to the Primate, today’s Gospel gives us not just sound advice but strength to win.
“We see that the war drags on. We get tired. Where do we get the internal resource and the inner strength to endure? Christ gives us the answer today: Abide in God’s love. Carry within you the love that God has placed in your heart, then that divine love for you will restore all your strength, turn your pain into wisdom and make us resistant to evil. Do not give in to the intimidation of the enemy. Let us not give in to his attempt to enslave our minds, hearts, and will with hatred. Moreover, let us defeat that enemy out of love for himself, limiting his ability to commit crimes. This is a strange paradox of defensive, defensive war.”
The UGCC Department for Information
