From the Head of the UGCC: God, when necessary, even shatter our lives to multiply them and so that no one lacks anything
We see, when we are in solidarity, when we share what we have, when first of all we give into the hands of God what is ours, and thus understand that we have nothing of our own, and everything that is ours becomes God’s, then nothing is lacking for anyone. The Father and Head of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church, His Beatitude Sviatoslav, said during his homily to the faithful on the eighth Sunday after Pentecost.
According to the preacher, today’s event, described by the evangelist Matthew, reveals to us God, who is present among people, our Savior Jesus Christ, as the source of human sustenance and life.
“The gesture of breaking bread is the moment,” noted His Beatitude Sviatoslav, “when a source is open.” Breaking of bread becomes the moment of an effervescent life. Breaking of bread, which Christ will then perform at the Last Supper, saying to his disciples: “Take, eat, this is my Body.”
This gesture, the Patriarch continued, also shows where the opportunity to satisfy needs comes from, which are always greater than resources when we are ready to give even our little means into God’s hands when we allow Him to break the bread. And this even means sometimes “breaking” our mindset and worldview, “breaking” our life, from which the sparkle of eternal life will be lit.
What is the secret that Christ reveals to us today?
If you are to meet considerable needs with limited resources, try to limit the number of those who have access to them and make the necessary means of subsistence available only to a select few — then all are doomed, and no one will ever have enough.
But if you give to God what you have and allow Him to break a dead cycle of the elite, who has access to the means of existence: economic, political, financial, and in this way make it available to everyone, here, on this verge, an unusual flash will go off. This flash can be fully understood and accepted, only when we are partakers of the sacrament of the Body and Blood of our Savior.
“It is not a man who multiplies resources, but the Lord God. It is not in one’s own hands that one should hold back to serve someone, but one should give it into God’s hands. Because He takes care of spiritual and physical needs of His children,” the Primate emphasized.
In his opinion, we have been experiencing the moment of the multiplication of the loaves in Ukraine for almost six months. We lack everything to stand up to our unjust aggressor.
“Today we ask: ‘Lord, You see the thirsty and hungry in Ukraine. You see those who suffer from war. God, be among us! We place everything in Your hands: our resources, human and material, all others, ourselves, and each other. When necessary, even shatter our lives to multiply it and make Your presence here, among us, in the body of our people, a life-giving one,’ asked His Beatitude Sviatoslav.
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