The film “The Resurrection of Christ

Patriarch Elijah’s message on the Feast of the Presentation of the Virgin Mary

We celebrate the feast of the Presentation of the Virgin Mary. The Word of God says: “Blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it.” Jesus said the same words at the end of the Sermon on the Mount which begins with the Beatitudes and ends with the parable of two men who built a house. One man built a house on the sand and the other on the rock. Those who hear the word of God but do not keep it build on the sand. Those who hear the word and put it into practice build on the rock. This reveals the essence of the way of our salvation.

Unfortunately, modern theological studies lead just to theorizing and rationalism. This all is a house on the sand – philosophizing instead of repentance, self-denial and the following of Christ.

7 November 2014

Lies kill: “Have a drink, don’t be afraid, it’s clean water!” But it was poison in fact!

The first woman, Eve, believed the spirit of lies and death spread to her and her offspring (Gen 3). The devil is the father of lies (Jn 8:44). He disguises himself as an angel of light (2Cor 11:14-15). The technique of lies, behind which is the spirit of the angel of light, is used today towards autogenocide of mankind. It has four stages:

+ Elijah
Patriarch of the Byzantine Catholic Patriarchate

Ukraine, 13 November 2014

Vatican Secretariat of State

Francis has called a meeting with pagan leaders to discuss the gender issue. What is gender ideology? It is amoral ideology which holds that a man has a right to declare himself to be a woman, and the whole public must accept it. He also has the “right” to undergo a sex-change operation. The term “gender” includes homosexuality and about 50 other forms of gender schizophrenia.

The Vatican and pagan leaders will say no clear words which would support human nature and sound mind but by means of pious phrases and psychological manipulation they will open the door to this spirit of immorality to penetrate into the Church. This is the aim of the gender meeting in the Vatican.

+ Elijah
Patriarch of the Byzantine Catholic Patriarchate

1) Perfect contrition (5 minutes)

(position – kneeling)

(One says:) “Ephphatha, be opened! I am self-willed. I am a hedonist. I am a critic.”

“A self-willed person does not seek the will of God in serious situations, does not rely on God, breaks the laws of God.” I realize a particular case of self-will and silently repeat: “I am self-willed, I am self-willed…” (1.5 minutes)

(Then one says:) “Hedonism may be physical – indulgence in eating, drinking, impure feelings, alcohol and drug abuse. Mental hedonism – addiction to television, rock music, internet, human praise…” I realize at least one concrete manifestation of my hedonism and silently repeat: “I am a hedonist, I am a hedonist…” (1.5 minutes)

(One says:) “I realize a particular situation when I rebelled against God or criticized my neighbours in thoughts or by words, when I regarded myself higher than all.”

Part 1

Before beginning this prayer, confess your sins before God and before yourself:

I am an egoist. When someone admonishes me for whatever error, I take offence. I avoid sound self-criticism. I criticize and condemn others; however, what I condemn I do myself. Whenever I do something good, it just increases my feeling of superiority. I see the speck in my neighbour’s eye, but I cannot see the log in my own eye. I am lazy to seek the truth and to endure suffering for its sake. I am a coward who betrayed the truth and my own conscience many times and, moreover, I set a bad example to many. I take offence, revenge, I am not willing to forgive others. I neglected parental duties in the upbringing of my children.

I do not read the Bible and the lives of saints, and I am not familiar with them. I do not bear in mind the ultimate reality, which is death, God’s judgment and eternity! God spoke to me through many events, and I am still deaf and blind – I have faced mortal danger several times at work, on the road. I poke into much useless information, but I do not seek to understand the meaning of life and eternity at all. Like a number in a herd I let myself be manipulated by the mass media which deform rather than form man. I admit neither the poisoned root nor fruit of rock music behind which is the spirit of cynicism, drugs, sexual licentiousness and satanic voodoo.

I do not want to go outside the herd, and so I am not willing to fight for truth and moral values. I am interested in all kinds of philosophies or psychologies, but I do not seek the true psychology and philosophy of the Gospel which is vital in life.

+ Elijah
Patriarch of the Byzantine Catholic Patriarchate

Reflection on Jn 14:26

But the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name,

He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.

“He will bring to your remembrance…” We can know the whole Scripture by heart, we can have a large amount of information like a computer, but that’s not essential. We need the right information at the right time, and this information may be much useful or it can even save life. We need to project it on the screen of our mind. This reviving in the spiritual sphere is the work of the Holy Spirit. Jesus said His words to the apostles but these words concern us too. His words are eternally true and binding both for the apostles and for us. These words are for life, eternal life. The Gospel of Christ is no human philosophy or human wisdom. The words of Jesus are the Spirit and life. They are simple and call for action. It is not enough to hear them and lead religious discussions. That’s too little. We need to actualize Jesus’ commandments. In conclusion of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus speaks the parable of two men who built a house. One man built a house on the sand and the other on the rock. The man who built his house on the sand heard the words but did not do them. The man who built his house on the rock heard the words and did them.

But the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will

teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.

+ Elijah
Patriarch of the Byzantine Catholic Patriarchate

Hear, O Israel! You shall love God! (Deut 6:4-5)

To love God means to lose my soul for His sake. There is no other way. By losing my soul and its spiritual powers, which are infected by original sin, I will keep it for eternal life.

Today the devil uses a system of lies and various promises to make people love their souls in a wrong way and ultimately give themselves wholly to him and perish forever. He promises money, career, pleasures, but this all is a deceit. There is salvation in no one else but Christ (cf. Acts 4:12). He loves me, He died for me on the cross. He lost His life for me and I am to lose my soul for Him – to give myself wholly to Him to save my soul.

Utter the holy name “Jehoshua” quietly and realize the presence of God – the whole Trinity – in you. Lengthen the vowel “a” by breath and realize that at this moment you consciously love God and lose your soul for His sake.