Head of the UGCC: Those are tired of the war who constantly think how to save their own skin

Monday, 30 September 2019, 16:32

One who protects not the people, not Ukraine, but his own comfort zone, feels tired. During the war, those who want to save their skin constantly feel threatened because they have no source of comfort, life, and well-being inside themselves. The Father and Head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church said this during his sermon to the faithful at the Patriarchal Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ.

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“As we communicate with those who are fighting at the front today, with volunteers who give their time, their energy to help others, we will see a strange thing: these people are not tired. On the contrary, they seem to show us that one who is able to give away everything can win. Therefore, the Cross is a sign of Christian victory. It is impossible to overcome evil, sin, lie, if you are unable to sacrifice your own well-being, your own comfort zone and give your life for true freedom, for the good of another person,” said the Primate.

The preacher noted that today's Sunday in the liturgical year is called the Sunday after the Exaltation. The day before yesterday the Church celebrated the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy and Life-giving Cross. And this Sunday, the Church in particular draws the spiritual attention of her children to the sacrament of the Living Cross of the Lord.

And why is the Cross the most important religious symbol for Christians? What does it mean for us to worship the Holy and Life-giving Cross? The Lord Himself through the Word of His Gospel answers this spiritual question today.

The cross in the Roman Empire was an instrument by which a person’s dignity, hope, life could be taken away from. But at the moment when our Savior Jesus Christ gave Himself to be crucified on the cross, at the moment when God allowed man to take away this human life from Him, the cross became the tree of life.

"Our God gives us more than man can take away from us. There, on the cross, our Savior has revealed to us the secret of man's victory over evil, over the devil, and over death. And the secret is that God loves you more than the world can hate you. God wants more to give you than the world can take away from you. And you can truly be resurrected when you give everything, even your own life. Because the source of your life is God. You live because God loves you. This is the secret of the sacrament of the Cross of the Lord,” said the Head of the Church.

“How much we hear today: the world is tired of Ukrainian problems. Even at times our politicians warn us: the people of Ukraine are tired of the war…That is why today, for all those who are tired, the Church of Christ proclaims the good news: worship the Holy and Life-giving Cross - and it will liven you up. Believe in the God who can and wants to give you more than you can give to your neighbor, to give for your people, for your motherland,” said His Beatitude Sviatoslav.

Department of Information of the UGCC