Ukraine Archbishop says "People died again. Once again a tornado of destruction and annihilation swept through our Motherland."
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Glory to Jesus Christ!
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ!
Today is Saturday, June 25, 2022, and Ukraine is already experiencing the 122nd day of the great war, full-scale aggression, Russia's attack on our Motherland, on our Ukrainian people.
And again this morning we thank the Lord God and the Armed Forces of Ukraine for surviving this morning, we have the opportunity to see the morning light, the sun's rays and send our prayers to the Lord God.
The past day was also difficult for Ukraine. People died again. Once again a tornado of destruction and annihilation swept through our Motherland. There are heavy fighting, starting with Kharkiv region in the north and ending with Kherson region and Zaporizhia region in the south. Heavy fighting was fought, in particular, in our Ukrainian Luhansk region and in the north of Donetsk region, where large military forces were involved in the great military confrontation. The enemy is pouring fire over our land day and night. Again strikes of different types and strength were inflicted on Sumy Region, Kharkiv and Kharkiv Region. This morning we received sad news about missile strikes in Kyiv, Chernihiv and Zhytomyr regions.
But Ukraine stands. Ukraine is struggling. Ukraine is praying. Ukraine protects human dignity and human life.
In the midst of this sea of human malice and death that has spilled over into our homeland, I would like to reflect today on another fruit of the Holy Spirit, which may contrast with the reality that surrounds us every day. This fruit of the Holy Spirit in man is kindness.
Goodness is a sign of God himself. Our Lord God is good to man. We read in God's word many descriptions of God's action toward man as the highest goodness. God is goodness in himself. God sends rain and solar heat on the good and on the evil. He created the whole world with good and by his goodness saves man from sin and death. In fact, goodness as the fruit of the Holy Spirit is the most perfect reflection of God, the Creator and Savior, in human life, creation. This goodness reveals to us the goodness of man according to God's plan. Man carries in himself God's opinion of himself, God's word "Let it be so", by which He called us from non-existence to existence. However, by his kindness to us, the Lord God at the same time teaches us to discover the inner goodness that He has instilled in each person and to live and act in accordance with it. Man is called to be an icon of God's goodness in this world.
Our righteous Metropolitan Andrei Sheptytsky said that in times of war human kindness is more valuable than bread and butter, than clothes and warmth, because where a person preserves this inner goodness given by God and is able to show it in his actions, everything begins to be reborn, everything begins heal. Only a person who is the bearer of the good God present in him can be truly good towards himself and other people.
With this prayer for the fruit of goodness, as a consequence of human life in the Holy Spirit, I want to thank today all those who have the courage to be good in this evil world, full of hatred, murder and contempt for another person. My sincere thanks to our volunteers, social workers, and in particular to those who perform the church deaconry of serving those in need during the war, without asking another person where he comes from, what church he goes to, what language he speaks. Thank you to all those who have a good heart and with their kindness approach the suffering Christ, present in needy people, victims of this unjust war.
God, give us the courage to be witnesses and bearers of Your goodness! God, show your kindness to the Ukrainian people, to the sons and daughters of our land, who are victims of this evil and injustice borne by the enemy! God, by Your goodness I revive all of us, save us from sin and death!
The blessing of the Lord be upon you, with His grace and love of man, always, now, and always, and forever and ever. Amen.
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ!
Today is Saturday, June 25, 2022, and Ukraine is already experiencing the 122nd day of the great war, full-scale aggression, Russia's attack on our Motherland, on our Ukrainian people.
And again this morning we thank the Lord God and the Armed Forces of Ukraine for surviving this morning, we have the opportunity to see the morning light, the sun's rays and send our prayers to the Lord God.
The past day was also difficult for Ukraine. People died again. Once again a tornado of destruction and annihilation swept through our Motherland. There are heavy fighting, starting with Kharkiv region in the north and ending with Kherson region and Zaporizhia region in the south. Heavy fighting was fought, in particular, in our Ukrainian Luhansk region and in the north of Donetsk region, where large military forces were involved in the great military confrontation. The enemy is pouring fire over our land day and night. Again strikes of different types and strength were inflicted on Sumy Region, Kharkiv and Kharkiv Region. This morning we received sad news about missile strikes in Kyiv, Chernihiv and Zhytomyr regions.
But Ukraine stands. Ukraine is struggling. Ukraine is praying. Ukraine protects human dignity and human life.
In the midst of this sea of human malice and death that has spilled over into our homeland, I would like to reflect today on another fruit of the Holy Spirit, which may contrast with the reality that surrounds us every day. This fruit of the Holy Spirit in man is kindness.
Goodness is a sign of God himself. Our Lord God is good to man. We read in God's word many descriptions of God's action toward man as the highest goodness. God is goodness in himself. God sends rain and solar heat on the good and on the evil. He created the whole world with good and by his goodness saves man from sin and death. In fact, goodness as the fruit of the Holy Spirit is the most perfect reflection of God, the Creator and Savior, in human life, creation. This goodness reveals to us the goodness of man according to God's plan. Man carries in himself God's opinion of himself, God's word "Let it be so", by which He called us from non-existence to existence. However, by his kindness to us, the Lord God at the same time teaches us to discover the inner goodness that He has instilled in each person and to live and act in accordance with it. Man is called to be an icon of God's goodness in this world.
Our righteous Metropolitan Andrei Sheptytsky said that in times of war human kindness is more valuable than bread and butter, than clothes and warmth, because where a person preserves this inner goodness given by God and is able to show it in his actions, everything begins to be reborn, everything begins heal. Only a person who is the bearer of the good God present in him can be truly good towards himself and other people.
With this prayer for the fruit of goodness, as a consequence of human life in the Holy Spirit, I want to thank today all those who have the courage to be good in this evil world, full of hatred, murder and contempt for another person. My sincere thanks to our volunteers, social workers, and in particular to those who perform the church deaconry of serving those in need during the war, without asking another person where he comes from, what church he goes to, what language he speaks. Thank you to all those who have a good heart and with their kindness approach the suffering Christ, present in needy people, victims of this unjust war.
God, give us the courage to be witnesses and bearers of Your goodness! God, show your kindness to the Ukrainian people, to the sons and daughters of our land, who are victims of this evil and injustice borne by the enemy! God, by Your goodness I revive all of us, save us from sin and death!
The blessing of the Lord be upon you, with His grace and love of man, always, now, and always, and forever and ever. Amen.
Source: Official Youtube Channel of the UGCC Linked above
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