Primate of UOC: One needs to be a strong person to know God

His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry of Kyiv and All Ukraine, Primate of the UOC. Photo: news.church.ua

To know God, one needs to be a strong person, emphasized the Primate of the UOC, His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry of Kyiv and All Ukraine in his homily on the occasion of the Feast of St. Olga Equal-to-the-Apostles.

“Christianity is often viewed as the faith of weak people. Christians are associated with weak, ignorant, meek and mild people, while strong are those who are affluent, respected all over the world and have a lot of money, land, wealth, muscles. Wrong! Strong people are those who are able to know God, who have the courage to stop from sin,” the UOC Information and Education Department cited the Archpastor's words.

As an example, His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry told the story of a man who liked to steal but at some point this thief decided to stop sinning. Real power is manifested not in physical or moral superiority over someone, but in personal victory over oneself, the Primate added.

“Whoever forces themselves by the power of their own will to fulfill the complicated Sacred Divine Law, to humble themselves before God is strong and a true Christian,” the Archpastor stressed.

He exhorted believers to show courage, pray, endure and forgive offenders, as well as do good deeds in order to become like the Holy Princess Olga Equal-to-the-Apostles.

“When we exert ourselves to be better, then we will be at least a bit like the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Olga and we will be good, real Christians who humbled themselves, their pride, their inner passions, humbled themselves before God through the fulfillment of Divine Laws,” he said to the flock ... “This is humility that makes a person able to contain the grace of God, which makes a person blessed on earth and saved in heaven.”

On July 24, 2020, the Primate led the festive Divine Liturgy at the Cathedral of the Equal-to-the-Apostles Princess Olga.

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