UOC Primate: To live worthily is not to lose our humanity in times of trial

His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry. Photo: UOC

On the feast of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos, His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry performed the Great Consecration of the Transfiguration Cathedral and urged the faithful to preserve Christian love and their humanity through every trial.

In his sermon, the UOC Primate recalled the story of the holy and righteous Joachim and Anna, who remained childless for many years and endured reproach from those around them, but through fervent prayer and steadfast faith received an angelic message that a Daughter would be born to them.

Reflecting on the thorny path endured by the holy couple, His Beatitude explained to the faithful the true meaning of Christian conduct amid life’s hardships.

“To live worthily on earth means that amid sorrows, trials, and hardships, a person must not lose his humanity,” the UOC Primate stressed. “He must preserve within himself love for God and love for his neighbor, and nothing must be allowed to break that love.”

His Beatitude noted that the Most Holy Virgin became “the ladder joining heaven and earth” and urged the faithful to continually seek Her help.

“Today we consecrated this majestic church in honor of the Transfiguration of the Lord. And we pray that the Most Holy Virgin Mary will help us receive within ourselves the grace of the Holy Spirit, which transforms a person from darkness to light, from evil to good, and from one who is lost into one who is saved.”

Concluding his sermon, His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry prayed that through the intercessions of the Most Holy Theotokos, the Lord would bless all the faithful, grant peace to the land, and give them the strength to complete their earthly pilgrimage worthily and attain eternal salvation.

As the UOJ previously reported, the UOC Primate consecrated the Transfiguration Cathedral at the Pochaiv Lavra.

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