His Beatitude: Not sinning benefits both the individual and the world

His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry and believers in Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra on June 9, 2024. Photo: news.church.ua

In his sermon at the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra on June 9, His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry reminded why it is so important to live by God's commandments and strive not to sin, reported by the Information and Education Department of the UOC.

"We often turn to God with various prayers in our lives. We pray for ourselves, for our sins, for success, for health, for many questions that we want to solve on earth. We pray for our relatives, for friends, for acquaintances, for people who are in trouble. Sometimes God hears us, sometimes we pray, but there is no answer," said the Primate of the UOC.

He pointed out that the reason for such "silence" from God is within the person themselves. According to him, a strong prayer is one that is based on love for God and on fulfilling His will.

He explained the benefits of obeying God's commandments to both the individual and the world.

"A person should always ask themselves: 'What does God say about this?' And not act as I want, or as someone else wants, but act as God wants," added the First Hierarch. "This is not an insult to anyone or contempt for anyone. When a person lives by God's commandments, they can receive many blessings from God. For the world, the fulfillment of God's law by a person is beneficial because it is said, if a person saves themselves, then thousands will be saved around such a person. If I perish, then no one will be saved around me."

As reported earlier, the Primate in the Lavra performed the last Liturgy of the Paschal period for the year.

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