Metropolitan Onuphry: God never allows more suffering than we can bear
The UOC Primate used the Gospel account to explain the mystery of the devil's power over human beings.
On November 15, 2026, His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry of Kyiv and All Ukraine explained the meaning of the Gospel reading about the Gadarene demoniac in his sermon on the 24th Sunday after Pentecost, the UOC reports.
The Primate noted that this Gospel passage reveals the mystery of demonic possession. His Beatitude recalled the Church's teaching about the fall of the angels of light, who became enemies of God and humanity. "These demons are constantly fighting against God. And they are constantly trying to destroy human beings," Metropolitan Onuphry said.
His Beatitude explained that God sometimes allows the devil to approach a person and inflict great suffering. "A person possessed by a demon experiences the torments of hell here on earth," the Primate said.
He also emphasized that the devil can do nothing without God's permission. Therefore, all the temptations a person faces occur only because God allows them. However, "God never allows the devil to inflict more harm than a person can endure," His Beatitude stressed.
To illustrate the limitations of the fallen spirit's power, Metropolitan Onuphry compared the devil to a wild animal in a cage.
"The devil is like a wild animal in a cage. It cannot approach a person and bite or harm them. But through flattery and fear, it lures people closer. And when someone approaches the cage, the animal can wound or harm them," Metropolitan Onuphry said.
A person draws closer to the devil by breaking God's commandments and embracing falsehood.
"If a person lives according to God's law and strives to follow the sacred rules God has given for our benefit, the devil cannot come near them," the Primate explained.
In closing, Metropolitan Onuphry emphasized that God's laws are the laws of life and that human beings, being mortal, cannot establish alternative laws of life.
"Only He who is Life itself can establish the law of life," His Beatitude said, urging believers always to follow God's law, which leads to life rather than death.
As the UOJ previously reported, Metropolitan Onuphry congratulated Georgia on 1,700 years of Christianity.
