The Head of the UGCC on Thomas Sunday: May every mother feel the touch of the resurrected Savior
On May 12, on Thomas Sunday and Mother’s Day, during a sermon at the Patriarchal Cathedral, the Father and Head of the UGCC compared the experience of the disciples who met Christ after the Resurrection with the experience of the Ukrainian people enduring the tragedy of war. He also extended greetings to all mothers, especially those who today feel the pain of wounded motherhood because of the war.
Today’s Gospel tells of the disciples’ encounter with their risen Teacher. Christ came to them through the locked door, saying, “Peace be with you.” According to His Beatitude Sviatoslav, the word “peace” spoken by the resurrected Christ signifies the fullness of life.
Referring to the Apostle Thomas’s special encounter with the resurrected Savior and his conversion, the Primate pointed out that today, many Ukrainians are experiencing loss and rediscovery, despair followed by great joy.
“Many people lose faith in God after experiencing direct violence, witnessing the enemy destroy their homes and occupy their towns and villages before their very eyes. Today, tens of thousands of Ukrainians cry out: ‘God, where are You?’ Perhaps they lament over their lives, shattered by this war, just as Jeremiah lamented over the destruction of Jerusalem, saying: ‘Turn us to you, Lord, and we will return.’”
His Beatitude Sviatoslav remarked that regaining faith and meeting the risen Christ is the path to true peace and healing. He urged the faithful not to lose hope and seek strength in prayer and the sacraments of the Church.
“Lord, may we encounter You alive among us,” said the Head of the UGCC. “Speak to us with the words ‘Peace be with you,’ as today the Ukrainian land is so thirsty for this peace.”
Traditionally, the second Sunday in May is Mother’s Day in Ukraine. On this special holiday, the Primate extended his greetings to all Ukrainian mothers, acknowledging the pain and suffering brought on by the war.
“May every mother feel the touch of the resurrected Savior,” the Head of the Church wished, “may the fullness of life that mother and father are called to pass on to their children as the breath of the resurrected Savior through the power and work of the Holy Spirit be the joy of our mothers.”
At the end of the sermon, His Beatitude Sviatoslav addressed the children who solemnly received Holy Communion in the Patriarchal Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ in Kyiv. He thanked them for preparing for this special moment and encouraged them to cherish their faith and to continue growing in it.
“Let these children be an example and an inspiration for all of us to experience a personal encounter with the risen Christ in the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist,” urged the Head of the UGCC.
The UGCC Department for Information
