Homily by Fr. Iurii Tychenok on the Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost

The concept of love is extremely multifaceted. We love to eat something delicious and go on an interesting trip or vacation. We love our work, various kinds of entertainment, comfortable things, family, God, and so on. Summing up all these things, we can say that love is what brings us pleasure, joy, happiness, and only positive emotions. To enjoy these feelings, we need to do a lot: cook, study, work, clean, save money, get up early to go to church… However, people do these things because they expect the desired, pleasant result.

The famous Swedish engineer, chemist, inventor, and businessman Alfred Nobel received about 300 patents, the most famous of which is dynamite. This explosive was developed to facilitate human labour in the mining industry, as well as in the construction of tunnels and roads. Later, people began to use dynamite as a weapon. This invention made Alfred wealthy. Nobel built about a hundred factories and plants, and his name was known to almost everyone. When his brother Ludvig died, newspapers mistakenly published reports of his death. The headlines called Nobel a “merchant of death” and a “bloody millionaire”. After rethinking his life, Alfred Nobel donated all his capital to a prise for discoveries in chemistry, physics, medicine, and literature and for the promotion of peace. The award is one of the most prestigious international awards, presented annually for outstanding scientific research, revolutionary inventions, or significant contributions to culture or the development of society. This award has become an incentive for many people to work.

Jesus Christ promises a great reward to those who love their enemies, do good to them, and give without expecting anything in return. It is especially difficult for us to understand these words in the context of the current war in Ukraine, where hundreds of heroes die every day, where every family mourns the deaths of relatives, friends, neighbours, and wonderful, innocent people. How can we love such despicable murderers? And no matter what reward we might be offered for this love, no one can force us to love. We must move towards this love, which Jesus encourages us to pursue in today’s reading, gradually, step by step. And our first step must be to strive to stop the war, alleviate the suffering of the innocent, and defend the vulnerable.

One such peacemaking initiative is the Patriarchal Foundation of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, “Mudra Sprava” (Wise Deed). Our Church not only provides financial assistance to victims of the war in Ukraine but also engages in the creation of visionary and meaningful projects, including education, psychological rehabilitation, and spiritual renewal. Therefore, each of our donations to this project is an act of mercy, a clear testimony that we care about human suffering and problems.

To love does not mean to tolerate, support, agree, or remain silent… Take, for example, raising children: every father and mother wants their children to be happy. Many modern parents believe that the best expression of love is to give their children a joyful childhood: to play, laugh, and allow children to do whatever they want. However, life experience shows that such children grow up to be very selfish, and later on, they find it difficult to cope with life. Parents who know this and truly love their children will not give their children the choice to go to church or school, insult other people, make fun of friends, cheat, or harm their health and psyche. Sometimes parents need to be stricter with their children and understand that this approach to parenting will be of great benefit to everyone and will be the first step in creating a good and just society and establishing peace in the world.

Amen!

See also

July 12 Homily by Fr. Iurii Tychenok on the Fifth Sunday after Pentecost March 22 Homily by Fr. Iurii Tychenok on the Third Sunday of the Great Lent: the Veneration of the Holy Cross January 13 The transfers of priests in the Melbourne Eparchy