Truth, justice and peace longed for by Ukraine are the great banquet of the Heavenly Kingdom: Head of the UGCC
Today, Ukraine is turning its pain and groaning into prayer. We are now longing for truth, justice, and peace — all that the Lord wants to reveal to us as the banquet of the heavenly kingdom. Today, in our striving, we must first learn to strive for God, so that we can prepare ourselves and draw closer to His birth in the mystery of the Nativity of Christ. This was stated by the Father and Head of the UGCC, His Beatitude Sviatoslav, during a sermon at the Patriarchal Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ on the 28th Sunday after the Descent of the Holy Spirit (Sunday of the Forefathers).
“Today we hear the word about the banquet (Luke 14:16–24). This parable, which we read today in the Gospel of St. Luke, tells us about the Kingdom of Heaven. The host who has prepared the banquet is our Lord, the Creator and Savior, and all people of all times, nations, and cultures are invited to this banquet. We see how Luke draws us an image of God who prepares, invites, and even insists,” the preacher noted.
Why is this banquet so great?
“This banquet is great not only because of the number of invitees but because of the greatness of the One who calls and what He calls for. It is about the highest and greatest good that the Lord God wants to share with human beings. That highest good is the eternal Kingdom of Heaven.”
He is convinced that everyone must realize that we cannot withdraw from the invitation to eternity that God is opening to us today.
“How important it is for all of us to hear that invitation and understand its greatness, value, and place in our personal choice of life’s path,” the Primate is convinced.
“Today, with this parable of the invitees and the word about the deepest longing and groaning of man, we reveal to ourselves the history of humanity’s expectation of the coming of the Savior,” the Patriarch said.
Today is the Sunday of the Forefathers
The Head of the UGCC reminded us that this Sunday, which directly introduces us to the mystery of the Nativity of Christ, is called the Sunday of the Forefathers. Today, according to him, we remember the forefathers who strived for truth, justice, and truth in everything that this dinner, this banquet of the Kingdom, wants to give us.
What is your aspiration in life?
The preacher recalled Abraham, who aspired to a family and fruitfulness but received God himself in three angels who visited him. Abraham, he said, longed for righteousness and justice.
“St. Augustine tells us: ask yourself, what is your aspiration? Who do you truly seek in your life? For whatever your aspiration is, so is your true prayer. How important it is for us not to trivialize longings of the human heart, the One to whom the voice of our soul and conscience calls us,” added the Head of the UGCC.
“It is so important for us, who are preparing in prayer and fasting for the Nativity of Christ, to feel the depth of the longing and groaning of all humanity, which was waiting for the coming of the Savior to the earth, to join the deep prayer and groaning of the forefathers, who moved the history that is fulfilled in the Nativity of Christ with this aspiration and prayer,” the preacher said.
Why do we strive to return to the family of European nations?
His Beatitude Sviatoslav noted that we had heard about Ukraine’s invitation or, rather, about Ukraine’s return to the European family of nations the previous week.
“We should ask ourselves: why do we want to enter? Is it solely to meet our mundane, lowly pursuits and needs? If so, we may quickly become disappointed. If we strive for freedom, justice, and respect for the dignity of human life, then we choose the good road. But we need to realize that we will be able to comprehend all this only when we find the strength to respond to the invitation of our God and Savior to the banquet of the Heavenly Kingdom when we partake of His Body and Blood in the holy Sacrament of the Eucharist and become great in Christian righteousness and perfection. There is no peace, paradise, joy, justice, and truth without God,” said the Head of the UGCC.
O Lord, give us wisdom and strength to enter the banquet of your great Kingdom!
“We pray to You today: Lord, all our desires are before You; all the groaning of the Ukrainian people is now open to You. O Lord, come to us, be born in the body and blood of our people today on the feast of Your Nativity. As Patriarch Joseph called us, guide us to aspire to great things! Teach us not to squander our time on trivialities, and fleeting things. Give us wisdom and strength to enter the banquet of Your great Kingdom, which will have no end,” His Beatitude Sviatoslav asked God for Ukrainians.
The UGCC Department for Information
