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Homily by Fr. Iurii Tychenok on the Third Sunday of the Great Lent: the Veneration of the Holy Cross
March 22, 2025
Today on the tetrapod we see the Cross of the Lord decorated with fragrant flowers. This crucifixion has become a symbol of the sacrificial love of the Son of God. Jesus came into this world in order to fulfil the will of God the Father: to free our souls from eternal torment, to sanctify that world, and to return to us the lost Paradise.
Last Tuesday, at 5:57 p.m. Eastern Time, a group of astronauts from NASA (the National Aeronautics and Space Administration of the United States) returned to Earth after a 9-month stay in space. The capsule splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Tallahassee, Florida. The first thing the crew had to do was undergo a complete medical examination, because it turns out that when you spend a long time outside the Earth’s atmosphere, huge changes occur in the human body: muscles weaken and bones are destroyed, a person loses weight, vision, the speed and accuracy of mental abilities decrease, bacteria and microorganisms in the intestines change, change the skin of the body, the immune system decreases, and even a person’s DNA changes. It is in order to return to normal life on Earth that doctors encourage astronauts to exercise in outer space for at least 2.5 hours a day, take medication, and also suggest undergoing rehabilitation immediately upon returning to Earth.
We do not need to fly into outer space to see the changes that occur in the human body. It is enough for us to move to another city or country, where the climate and environment are different, change our home, work, lifestyle, diet, and surroundings… and we will be able to feel certain changes.
Even if this world in which we live is ideal for our body (on Earth we have everything we need for normal functioning and development), it is not the best environment for our soul, which is created for eternal life in a wonderful place, in paradise. Malice, lies, envy, pride, selfishness, revenge, and hatred cause great harm to a person created in the image and likeness of God. Living in such an environment, people often lose trust, love, and respect for their neighbours, for themselves, and for the Lord. The main goal of human life becomes our body: health, happiness, and various kinds of pleasure. Lost, among the problems of this world (home, work, money, career…), people forget about their true mission: to love God, to know God, and to serve God.
Today on the tetrapod we see the Cross of the Lord decorated with fragrant flowers. This crucifixion has become a symbol of the sacrificial love of the Son of God. Jesus came into this world in order to fulfil the will of God the Father: to free our souls from eternal torment, to sanctify that world, and to return to us the lost Paradise. It is for this that people crucified Him on the cross. In today’s Gospel, Jesus Christ tells us that in order to save our own souls, we must renounce ourselves and everything that attracts, frightens, angers, distracts, and worries us… and follow Jesus, doing as the Lord God and the Holy Church teach us.
Especially in this time of Great Lent, through prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, we must realise that our task is to attain eternal life with God and not temporary pleasure here on Earth.
Just as all relatives, friends, and work colleagues awaited the return of the astronauts from space, our Creator and Father, angels, saints, and our loved ones who have already passed that stage of life and pray for our happy mission here on Earth and our relocation to the lost Paradise. Amen!
