SUNDAY MESSAGE (audio message)
BY HIS EMINENCE THE METROPOLITAN
KYTHIRA & ANTIKYTHIRA SERAPHIM
SUNDAY OF THE PRODIGAL
(16-02-2025)
WRITTEN DIVINE PROCLAMATION
Today, on the second Sunday of the Triduum, the Gospel passage of today's Holy Gospel, which we have heard, is the most wonderful concise revelation of the mystery of God, while last Sunday the meaning of the Gospel was crucial, simple and instructive in order to avoid the soul-killing passion of pride and to acquire through practice the virtue of humility.
Today's parable of the Prodigal reveals to us the immediate love of God, which presupposes personal humility before the Divine Majesty. And indeed, it has been justly called «Gospel of the Gospel» of God's paternal mercy and love.
The deeper meaning of parabolism is the house of our Father, the fatherly arms of God. Here God reveals to us that he is «Father of mercies and God of all prayer...».
The whole human tragedy lies in the fact that we live outside our heart, outside the Father's house. For all of us at some time come to the position of «younger son» and are separated from God for a shorter or longer period of time. If we belong to this category, we have the hope of return.
Our struggle is not easy, because we have inherited corruption and the law of sin has taken root in the members of our body. But where there is a willingness to repent, the way of return is also easy. God is always the loving Father, who sees us with longsuffering from afar and awaits us with open arms to bring us into the eternal feast of His Kingdom.
But the bad thing is, do we belong to the category of the «elder brother», that is, to the real debauchery, which appears as holiness, without the need for repentance? Yes! For the unconverted, who feel their own death, there is a Father who is waiting. There is always salvation. But those who persist in ignoring their depravity, who will wait for them? In answer to this great question, we quote for an answer the words of Athonite Father Tikhonos of Russia where it said: «I saw Heaven and Hell. Hell is full of «saints,» but saints who are proud. And Heaven is full of sinners, but sinners humble.». This is very important, that hell is full of «saints» who are proud. People who do good works, but never repent, because they have always been «good people». They never suspected that something was missing...
See for yourselves if we repent before God. If we cry in our prayer asking for God's mercy, God's forgiveness, then let us have hope. But, if we never hurt and do not weep and mourn, then it means that there is something that unfortunately weighs down our soul and does not allow it to function properly. Sincere repentance and return then.
π. Fr. Dem.
