Metropolitan Anthony: Believers must develop immunity to tribulations

UOC Chancellor, Metropolitan Anthony (Pakanich) of Boryspil and Brovary. Photo: antoniy.com.ua

One should look at all the trials from afar and get hardened to them, the UOC Chancellor, Metropolitan Anthony (Pakanich) of Boryspil and Brovary, called on the flock. 

"Everything passes. These times will pass together with bizarre events. They will give way to others. Believers are required to develop immunity to trials for their self-preservation. One should look at everything that is happening from afar, without getting involved and without tormenting oneself and loved ones, calmly fulfill the necessary requirements but keep God in the heart,” Metropolitan Anthony was cited by the Orthodox Life portal.

When completely immersed in God, when God is a pillar of our lives, we will go through any dangers, and difficulties will not affect us in any way, the hierarch noted. This was the case with ascetics, hermits and saints, Met. Anthony added.

The hierarch recalled the importance of maintaining peace in the soul, even when rumors of increased danger are thick in the air. If there is no peace in the soul, then there will be no God, which means there will be no peace, no trust, no love. Current trials will make us freer if we surrender ourselves to Christ, upheld the UOC Chancellor.

“Politicians, psychologists, the media, doctors, well-known speakers, financiers try to dominate us, but we should not allow any of them to take hold of our soul. The soul belongs to God only. Voluntary surrender of oneself into the hands of God is the path to freedom,” Metropolitan Anthony reminded the flock.

He explained that true love contains a divine impulse. It makes one’s beloved act, strive for perfection and reach the maximum. The same law also applies to our relations with God, when a person allows Him to love himself and, thanks to this, is gradually freed from sins and transformed.

“He is therefore destined to happiness, joy, victory in any battles and circumstances. By His active and perfect love, God leads everyone to those horizons and peaks that only this person <...> can reach and embrace. Today the Lord has honored us with a great honor: to respond to His love. To respond with weak, imperfect, sick, uncertain human love, but the love that is turned to Him,” concluded Metropolitan Anthony.

Earlier, the UOC Chancellor took part in the “Easter. We are people” telethon from his cell, during which he told how, under quarantine conditions, the celebration of the Resurrection of Christ takes place on the territory of the monastery.

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