"I call on the whole world to stand, to stand before the attacks of evil, to stand before the attacks..." says Head of the Catholic Church in Ukraine
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UGCC Head Catholic Archbishop Sviatoslav of Ukraine, in his daily message:
Glory to Jesus Christ!Dear ones in Christ, brothers and sisters! Today we have March 31, 2022, and Ukraine is experiencing, suffering, and is already the 36th day of this terrible war, the Patriotic War, which began with the invasion of Russian troops into the territory of our Motherland.
But Ukraine stands. Ukraine is fighting, although it is making great sacrifices to the throne of independence and freedom of its state, its people.
We can say that yesterday in particular was blessed by God. Our army is slowly liberating the cities and villages of our Motherland. Yesterday during the day we felt powerful explosions around Kyiv. But this night, thank God, passed quietly. Our army is pushing the enemy a little away from our capital. And we hope that with God's help we will be able to defend our Motherland. With God's help and with the support of the whole world.
Ukraine stands. But what does it mean to stand? What does it mean to endure the struggle?
We understand more and more deeply that this ability of the people to survive belongs to a certain spiritual level, a much deeper level of spiritual, moral struggle. We see how these rules of spiritual struggle are today the secret of the stability of the Ukrainian people.
We know very well that every Christian, by the power of the Holy Sacrament of Baptism, is already called to fight, to fight evil.
The Apostle Paul says that our struggle is not with flesh and blood, but with the principles, powers, forces of darkness of this world and these heavenly spaces. And he calls us to put on the helmet of salvation, the garment of faith, to take up the spiritual sword, which is the Word of God, which we can defeat all our enemies.
And the Christian tradition, in particular the Christian East, gives us examples of such an ascetic attitude. Among the monastic feat we saw some ascetics who were just an example of standing, among them pillars and bushes, which stood, despite the cold or heat, rain or snow, and by standing before God defeated the devil. Their example is extremely important for us in Ukraine today. Spiritual standing means the strength of the spirit, which makes it possible to be yourself, to be human in inhuman circumstances, as His Beatitude Lubomyr said. Not to be a weather vane who changes his moral, spiritual attitude, in accordance with certain benefits or social and political winds.
To endure and be oneself is one of the types of spiritual struggle. And today Ukraine stands. Everyone who leads this struggle feels that the overcoming enemy can only be resisted by the power of the grace of the Holy Spirit. And that is why we stand in prayer, in prayer and action. In doing good, in charity, to help those in need.
I call on the whole world to stand, to stand before the attacks of evil, to stand before the attacks of untruth, because every war is accompanied by a great lie. I urge everyone to stand with Ukraine.
May the Lord God bless us all! May he give victory over evil! May the Ukrainian army, the Ukrainian people, bless! May it give us the strength to endure that struggle against the unjust assailant, the devil and his servants!
God bless Ukraine!
The blessing of the Lord be upon you, with His grace and love for mankind, always now and forever and ever. Amen.
We can say that yesterday in particular was blessed by God. Our army is slowly liberating the cities and villages of our Motherland. Yesterday during the day we felt powerful explosions around Kyiv. But this night, thank God, passed quietly. Our army is pushing the enemy a little away from our capital. And we hope that with God's help we will be able to defend our Motherland. With God's help and with the support of the whole world.
Ukraine stands. But what does it mean to stand? What does it mean to endure the struggle?
We understand more and more deeply that this ability of the people to survive belongs to a certain spiritual level, a much deeper level of spiritual, moral struggle. We see how these rules of spiritual struggle are today the secret of the stability of the Ukrainian people.
We know very well that every Christian, by the power of the Holy Sacrament of Baptism, is already called to fight, to fight evil.
The Apostle Paul says that our struggle is not with flesh and blood, but with the principles, powers, forces of darkness of this world and these heavenly spaces. And he calls us to put on the helmet of salvation, the garment of faith, to take up the spiritual sword, which is the Word of God, which we can defeat all our enemies.
And the Christian tradition, in particular the Christian East, gives us examples of such an ascetic attitude. Among the monastic feat we saw some ascetics who were just an example of standing, among them pillars and bushes, which stood, despite the cold or heat, rain or snow, and by standing before God defeated the devil. Their example is extremely important for us in Ukraine today. Spiritual standing means the strength of the spirit, which makes it possible to be yourself, to be human in inhuman circumstances, as His Beatitude Lubomyr said. Not to be a weather vane who changes his moral, spiritual attitude, in accordance with certain benefits or social and political winds.
To endure and be oneself is one of the types of spiritual struggle. And today Ukraine stands. Everyone who leads this struggle feels that the overcoming enemy can only be resisted by the power of the grace of the Holy Spirit. And that is why we stand in prayer, in prayer and action. In doing good, in charity, to help those in need.
I call on the whole world to stand, to stand before the attacks of evil, to stand before the attacks of untruth, because every war is accompanied by a great lie. I urge everyone to stand with Ukraine.
May the Lord God bless us all! May he give victory over evil! May the Ukrainian army, the Ukrainian people, bless! May it give us the strength to endure that struggle against the unjust assailant, the devil and his servants!
God bless Ukraine!
The blessing of the Lord be upon you, with His grace and love for mankind, always now and forever and ever. Amen.
Source: UGCC Youtube Channel
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