UGCC Bishops Spend a Day of Spiritual Renewal Within the Synod
A day of spiritual renewal was held during the Synod of Bishops of the UGCC, which is currently taking place in Rome (Italy). Its leader was Fr. Robert Lyseyko, Protoarchimandrite of the Order of St. Basil the Great and this year’s preacher at the Synod.
The annual assembly of the Synod of Bishops is always marked by the Day of spiritual renewal when the bishops have the time to pause and devote more time to prayer. “We always need a moment to rest and reflect. Our present life is quite intense, and there is a large flow of information and events related to our emotions. We become much less reflective. Often, emotions push us to make decisions that are not well thought out, so moments of reflection and concentration are important when we can recognize the nature of the situation and make an appropriate decision. In particular, for us Christians, it is important that what we do is done in the light of our faith, according to the teachings of Jesus Christ. We are called not only to be guided by human reasoning but to make decisions and act in God’s truth. Therefore, this practice of pausing, during which we have the opportunity to reflect, to compare with the Gospel, to act in a gospel way, is essential,” Fr. Robert Lyseyko emphasizes in a comment to the press service of the Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops of the UGCC.
“During the Synod, in our reflections on the sermons or this Day of spiritual renewal, we raise important topics related to sin. We see the destruction and evil it brings. War is a tragedy, but it is also an opportunity to deepen and reflect on certain issues that do not affect us too much in our ordinary lives. We also need to understand why God allows such tragic events and trials to occur in human life. Because we always rely on God’s love, we do not understand how such suffering can be reconciled with the fact that a loving God does not miraculously act to stop this bloodshed. Reflecting on this, we strengthen our faith, purify it from superstitions and our fantasies, and recognize the true God,” the priest shares his thoughts.
Furthermore, according to him, forgiveness is another important topic that is interpreted differently today. “For me, a very striking example of this is the behavior of our soldiers with Russian prisoners. We are talking here about decent human attitudes, caring for their health and life, providing medical care, and meeting their needs for food and water. It also shows our people’s deep Christian roots, who act this way. At the same time, we see the abuse and humiliation of the prisoners by the Russians. Hence, this is how we can see what we have as a people who grew up in the Christian faith and formed a truly Christian culture and also to bring God’s truths to people wounded by war so that they act not based on human instinct, where the desire for revenge could prevail, but act as Christians even towards their enemy,” said Fr. Robert.
At the end of the conversation, Fr. Robert Lyseyko shared his thoughts on this year’s central theme of the Synod of Bishops of the UGCC, “Spiritual Support for Victims of War,” particularly the aspect of healing war wounds. “I believe that in the teachings of Jesus Christ, there is everything for seeing the true way of healing a person. It is love for God and neighbor. Sometimes, we touch upon these topics very briefly. But if we look at them, whether from a scientific psychological point of view or from human experience, we will notice that for a person to live a life of love and respect for his neighbor, he must first feel safe. And the healing of wounds, in my opinion, is to make all people who, precisely, have undergone various trials and atrocities feel that they are not abandoned, not alone, but that the Church, society, and the state are mindful of them, creating a sense of security in an environment full of love and care,” said the preacher.
Press service of the Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops of the UGCC
