Primate of the UOC: Using the Church to receive power – cynicism (VIDEO)

The use of the Church for the sake of satisfying one's own selfish ends is cynicism. This is what His Beatitude Metropolitan of Kiev and All Ukraine Onufry told in his sermon on the commemoration day of the Holy Prophet Elijah, reports the Information and Education Department of the UOC.

His Beatitude recalled the life of the holy glorious Prophet Elijah of God. He told how after the reign of Solomon the Jewish kingdom was divided into two parts. Israel remained faithful to the Lord, and the inhabitants of Judea continued to visit this country for prayer in the holy city of Jerusalem.

"And then, in order to preserve his kingdom, the ruler of Judea decided to introduce another religion. That is, "his own church", as it is fashionable to say today," said His Beatitude Metropolitan Onufry. King Jeroboam and his successor Ahab began planting paganism in Judea.

"At this time, God sends his prophet named Elijah to Israel to bring people to senses and return them to the true Creator of heaven and earth," said His Beatitude. "However, due to the fact that people did not hear and did not believe the words of the prophet, the Lord sent a punishment on them – a drought that lasted three and a half years. After this, Elijah denounced all pagan priests and false teachers. The Lord, thanks to his prayers, gave the Jews rain, and all the people began to confess true faith in the Living God.”

"When you read the life of the prophet Elijah, you see the history of modern times," the Primate noted and explained that there are people who want to preserve their power at the expense of the Church.

"To create my own church that would support me, and then I will be an eternal ruler – this is called cynicism," emphasized His Beatitude. He added that "one’s own Church does not exist. There is the Church of God, Christ. And from Christ it cannot be torn off just to be made one's own: it means to sit down instead of Christ at the head of the Church and manipulate it to sustain your position in power," said His Beatitude Metropolitan Onufry.

The Holy Prophet Elijah – one of the greatest prophets – was born in Fesvia Gilead in the tribe of Levi. For his fervent preaching of the Glory of God, the prophet Elijah was taken to Heaven alive in a chariot of fire. An icon-painting tradition depicts the prophet Elijah ascending in a chariot with fiery wheels, which is surrounded on all sides by flames and harnessed by four winged horses.