UOC hierarch: Any spiritual feat is not a sprint, but a life-long marathon

Metropolitan Mitrofan of Gorlovk and Slaviansk. Photo: the Gorlovka Eparchy of the UOC

In the first week of the Great Lent, Metropolitan Mitrofan (Nikitin), the head of the Gorlovska-Slaviansk Eparchy of the UOJ, reminded the congregation that spirituality is a life-long feat.

"The fact that you have taken up this work is already significant because there are not many people who are able to do this," the bishop of Gorlovka said to the flock. “You stand in the temple, give time for prayer to God, fasting and spiritual feat. Of course, you want to get it even more and better, but always be grateful for what you have, and never be discouraged because something does not work out. Remember that the Great Lent and, in general, any spiritual feat, is not a sprint, but a marathon that you have to run for very long. God grant that each of us has the strength to be a Christian not only for a short time in the first week of the Lent but for the rest of our life."

According to the bishop, through fasting and prayer, one learns to be strong.

“What do we do in the temple when the canon is being read, when prayers are being offered, bows are being made, when we again began the feat of abstinence and fasting? We are learning to be strong. When we have to choose again what we are, we need strength to remain faithful to God,” the hierarch said.

Metropolitan Mitrofan called on believers to go down the path of repentance and correction without despondency, overcoming every sin with the help of spiritual power.

“Prayer transforms our human nature and gives us the ability to act properly in critical situations. Therefore, no matter how hard and difficult it may be, one has to find time and even sometimes force oneself to leave everything and go to the service: to pray, to stand before God, to ask him for strength and reasoning, help and blessing in order to live a single life with dignity,” said the bishop.

As reported earlier, according to the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill, the Great Lent is a shock therapy, necessary for a person to shake up their consciousness.

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