His Beatitude: The Lord gives people strength to overcome sin

His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry. Photo: UOC

On the feast day of the Circumcision of the Lord and the commemoration of Saint Basil the Great, His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry in his sermon spoke about the spiritual meaning of this church feast, reports the UOC Information and Educational Department.

According to the Primate, the Lord Jesus Christ, by accepting circumcision on the eighth day after the Nativity, fulfilled the law of the Old Testament, showing His perfect fullness and humility. The Old Testament ordinances, the hierarch noted, were only a shadow of the future blessings of the New Testament and prepared humanity for the coming of the Savior.

His Beatitude Onuphry explained that circumcision reminded man of the need to turn away from sin, but did not give the power to finally overcome it. "In the Old Testament, people had the strength to resist sin, but they could not defeat it," he emphasized.

In the New Testament, according to the Primate, the Lord granted people a different, higher power – the grace of the Holy Spirit. "And in the New Testament we not only turn away from sin, we overcome it by the power of the grace of the Holy Spirit, which our Savior the Lord Jesus Christ brought to earth," said Metropolitan Onuphry.

Separately, His Beatitude recalled the feat of Saint Basil the Great, who lived in the 4th century, when the Church, having received external freedom, faced severe internal trials – heresies and schisms. The Primate noted that Saint Basil was a courageous defender of the Orthodox faith during the spread of Arianism and was not afraid to oppose the powerful of this world.

According to Metropolitan Onuphry, Saint Basil combined firmness in confessing the truth with mercy, care for the poor and protection of the oppressed, showing an example of true Christian service.

In conclusion of his sermon, the Primate of the UOC congratulated the faithful on the New church year and wished all Christians God's help in spiritual struggle. "May the Lord, through the prayers of Saint Basil, help us fight against sin, cut it away from ourselves and overcome it by the grace of Christ," His Beatitude concluded.

As the UOJ wrote, His Beatitude led the Divine service in the Lavra on the feast of the Circumcision of the Lord.

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