The Head of the UGCC during the first week of Lent: Today Jesus Christ comes to us in the image of a Ukrainian soldier, a refugee, a wounded invalid

Today, Christ is our hope, the One who touches our hearts and says: “Step out of your comfort zone and defend your land, do everything you can in the place where you are, so that the Truth triumphs,” His Beatitude Sviatoslav, Father and Head of the UGCC, emphasized in his homily on the first Sunday of Lent.

“If you are a soldier – defend your country, if you are a teacher – teach children, if you are an entrepreneur – do everything possible so that your enterprise works and profits the state, creating jobs for people. If you are a physician – treat the injured. If you are a spiritual person – pray for your Ukraine,” pleaded the Head of the UGCC.

Listening to today’s words from Scripture: “God, where are You?” in our personal search for Him, today we also ask ourselves: “God, where are You?”  Today the Ukrainian people are asking where God is, when the enemy is killing Ukrainian children.  Where is God when Russian bombs and missiles rain down on us every night? Where is God when the enemy even bombarded the Sviatohirsk Lavra monastery in the Donetsk region? Where are You, God?”

“I think this is the deep cry of prayer of the Ukrainian people to Our Lord and Creator. In today’s Gospel we find the answer: He is here, among us – the Lord, our Savior, the Son of God and the King of Israel, the Son of God and the King Who establishes a new kingdom of peace among us.”

The Major Archbishop continues: “He is being crucified again by those spiritual leaders, who are justifying this war. He is being crucified again in the bodies of Ukrainian people by those who are killing this nation. He is being sold by those who are selling out Ukraine, trying to preserve their own interests and their own fig tree, for the comfort of another country which does not want to acknowledge us and thinks that they will secure peace in their own regions, drifting from the truth which is being revealed to all humanity.

“Christ is suffering today in the body of Ukraine, suffering as the Head of that Body, the Church of Christ,” says His Beatitude Sviatoslav.

“When you stood under the fig tree, I saw you…” 

The Head of the Church asks the faithful to understand that God sees us before addressing us. He sees us in our grief, He is near us. Thus, He gives us hope that we will see the heavens open and God’s angels rise up and descend on the Son of Man.

“May the heavens that open up be the victory of Ukraine over the enemy. May that open heaven be peace over Ukraine. May that open heaven be our peaceful sky, free of Russian bombs and missiles,” wished His Beatitude Sviatoslav, and prayed: “Oh, Jesus, be with us! Be the One in Whom we put our hope and our victory, because You are the Son of God. You are our King, Who we want to follow going forward.”

The UGCC Department of Information