Kiev, February 13, 2024
Photo: news.church.ua
His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry of Kiev and All Ukraine spoke about the importance of faith for receiving what we ask for in prayer and of gratitude for God’s blessings in homily this Sunday.
The primate of Orthodox Christians in Ukraine celebrated the Divine Liturgy in the Church of St. Agapit of the Caves in the Holy Dormition-Kiev Caves Lavra together with five other hierarchs of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
After the reading of the Gospel, Met. Onuphry offered a homily in which he explained that the blind man was healed by the Savior due to his faith. People can come to believe in God through the Scriptures and through the testimony of others. The blind man came to faith after hearing from others about how Christ is the Messiah Who heals human infirmities, the Ukrainian primate preached, reports the Information-Education Department of the UOC.
Then the blind man turned to God with prayer and the Lord healed him.
Everyone asks God for something, Met. Onuphry said. “Most of us ask for what we need to live today. The more perfect pray that God will forgive them their sins. And the even more perfect ask that God might have mercy on them.”
His Beatitude emphasized that the Lord responds to prayers in different ways, sometimes quickly, sometimes after many years, as was the case with the Righteous Sts. Joachim and Anna, who long asked for a child. The Lord answered their prayers after 50 years, giving them such a wonderful child who became the Mother of God, Met. Onuphry emphasized.
“When we receive some gift as a result of our prayers, we mustn’t forget to be grateful,” he stressed. “When we receive some grace from God, we must strengthen ourselves in following the Lord and glorifying Him even more. God glorifies such people even in this earthly life.”
His Beatitude also wished his flock God’s help to become stronger in faith and to lead a pious life adorned with prayer, fasting, and good deeds.
“When we do so, the Lord will heal our infirmities, will help us in everything we need in our earthly life. And most importantly, the Lord will grant us eternal salvation in Heaven in Christ Jesus our Lord,” said the Metropolitan.
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