A priest is intermediary between God and people, – UOC Primate (VIDEO)

During the Sunday sermon in the city of Sarny, His Beatitude Onuphry, Metropolitan of Kiev and All Ukraine, told the faithful what exactly the Gospel story about the miracle in Capernaum should teach us.

"The Gospel tells the story of the miracle that the Lord performed in Capernaum," said the Metropolitan. “The Lord preached to people the mystery of Eternal Salvation. And once a relaxed man was brought to the Savior. The Lord, seeing his faith, said: "Son, your sins are forgiven you." Among the people who saw it all were the scribes – those who considered themselves profound connoisseurs of the Holy Law. And when they heard such words of Jesus, they condemned him. They said: "He blasphemes." The Savior understood their thoughts and turned to them, "Why do you think evil in your hearts? What is easier to say? "Are your sins forgiven you" or "get up and go"? It's easier to say about sins, because it's harder to check. This can be said both by a person who has power over it and who cannot do it. "Get up and go" contains a different action: everyone can immediately see whether these words have power or not. If they have, then the person will rise and go, if not, then the person will lie still. "But that you know that the Son of Man has the power to forgive people of their sins, I say: "Get up, take your bed and go home." And the ill man stood up. People who saw this miracle were surprised and glorified God, who gave such power to the Man."

Further in his sermon, His Beatitude Onuphry explained what exactly this episode should teach us. There are two main conclusions we need to infer from the above evangelical history.

"This sacred history teaches us that, first, if someone prays for us, then God helps us," said the Primate of the UOC. “This is a very big gift for us. After all, there are cases when, for example, a mother has an unlucky son or daughter who lives wrong. And the mother prays for them. And the Lord retains hope for their Salvation. When we pray, we ask God to make everything happen quickly and that request be immediately fulfilled. This does not happen. Prayer should be sincere and long. The weaker is the person for whom they pray, the longer should be the prayer.

The second thing we are taught by the evangelical history is that the Son of Man has the power to release people of their sins. It is this power that the Savior gave to his apostles. The apostles gave this power to their successors. And so this power has reached the present day and is preserved in the Holy Orthodox Church. This power is given to the priest, and the priest has the power to pray for people and is a mediator between God and people. Therefore, we must respect the priesthood. And when there are difficulties in life – we should turn to the priest and ask for his prayers. The priest's prayer has great power. But, of course, a person will soon get rid of illnesses and sorrows, if he is not inert, but he himself prays and asks the Lord."

In concluding his sermon, Vladyka wished everyone to remember the power of prayer:

"Dear brothers and sisters! So let us remember the power of prayer. Let us pray for each other, that we all live in peace. But this is possible only if a person tries to go to God. And then the Lord gives him such goodness to live his earthly life worthily and enter into Eternal Life."