+ Elijah
Patriarch of the Byzantine Catholic Patriarchate

On Sunday, 6 July 2014, we will mark the first anniversary of the renewal of baptism in the Dnieper River in Kiev.

We vividly recall the canonization of John Milic of Kromeriz, Czech preacher of repentance and prophet, by Patriarch Elijah of the Byzantine Catholic Patriarchate during a solemn liturgy in front of the Church of St. Sophia in Kiev on the eve of the feast of nativity of St. John the Baptist. After the Divine Liturgy, we, the believers of the Ukrainian orthodox Greek Catholic Church (UO GCC), together with our bishops and Patriarch Elijah marched in procession with banners and placards, singing religious songs, from the Church of St. Sophia to the sculpture of St. Olga, St. Andrew and Slavonic apostles Sts. Cyril and Methodius. From there we went to the statue of St. Vladimir, where all of us – on behalf of ourselves and of the whole nation – renounced the devil and demonic forces. Then we confessed the faith and went down to the Dnieper.

+ Elijah
Patriarch of the Byzantine Catholic Patriarchate

Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.

In My Father’s house are many mansions;

if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.

In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you.

I go to prepare a place for you.

Chapter 14 captures deep truths concerning the mystery of the inner unity with Christ and the Heavenly Father. This mystery is also related to the Holy Spirit. Jesus uttered these truths on the evening before His death. He spoke about the faith in Him and about love which is made manifest in the keeping of His commandments. We are going to repeat the first two verses of chapter 14 for a period of two weeks.

In verse one, Jesus says: “Let not your heart be troubled…” These words also refer to you personally. Every day we face situations in which our heart is troubled; we feel tension and fear, see how evil and lies destroy the truth and good… It is a matter concerning our health, responsibility, financial problems, family problems, the war in the Eastern Ukraine…

Mary conceived by the Holy Spirit – what happened and what did she do?

The Word became flesh and Mary became the Mother of God. Mary immediately went to visit her relative Elizabeth. When she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth, something great happened: the Holy Spirit descended on Elizabeth. Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, and her baby likewise benefited greatly from that special visit. Zechariah also was filled with the Holy Spirit, which became manifest on the day of his son’s birth. Zechariah spoke a prophecy about his child (Lk 1:68-79). Mary remained in the house of Zechariah about three months. But she was not alone there. Jesus Christ, true God, dwelt in her. She had become the living ark, the living tabernacle. She was filled with the light of the Holy Spirit. Interestingly, the time had not yet come for the Holy Spirit to be poured out on the New-Testament Church – the Body of Christ – but all in the house of Zechariah already had the firstfruits of the Holy Spirit through Mary. Let us notice that here the Holy Spirit manifested Himself as the Spirit of prophecy (cf. 1Cor 12:10-11). Elizabeth prophesied, saying: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!” No one had told Elizabeth that Mary was pregnant. Moreover, she was pregnant for less than a week, and pregnancy is not recognized so early. However, Elizabeth did recognize it, not by her reason but the Holy Spirit revealed it to her. Elizabeth called Mary blessed because Mary believed that what the Lord had said to her would be fulfilled. But Mary had not yet told Elizabeth about it, she just greeted her. Elizabeth prophesied, Zechariah prophesied, and what about the child, John the Baptist? His spiritual benefit from the visit was obviously the greatest one. He became the greatest prophet. Jesus said about him some time later: “Among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist.” (Mt 11:11)

+ Elijah
Patriarch of the Byzantine Catholic Patriarchate

If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet,

you also ought to wash one another’s feet.

For I have given you an example,

that you should do as I have done to you.

“If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you.”

Chapters 13-17 of the Gospel of John record the words and acts of Jesus on the last evening of His earthly life. Jesus washed the apostles’ feet. Peter opposed resolutely but accepted it in the end. After washing their feet, Jesus said to the apostles: “Do you know what I have done to you? You call Me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am.” And then He says to them: “If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example…”

+ Elijah
Patriarch of the Byzantine Catholic Patriarchate

On the day of Pentecost, the Apostle Peter sets two conditions (Acts 2:38):

1) conversion

2) baptism

Many people have been baptized and confirmed. The Holy Spirit is with them but not in them. Why? Because they were not led to turn to God with all their hearts and to receive Jesus as their personal Lord and God and the only Saviour. As far as conversion is concerned, no one can be converted instead of you, be it your father, mother, godparents, priest or bishop. Conversion allows no substitute!

1) Read carefully the following verses from the New Testament:

2) Asking for the Holy Spirit

Lk 11:9-13: “So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” These are practical directions for us! And the result? “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!” (v.13)

This is perhaps the only clearly expressed petition which is said to be answered exactly the way we ask. The Scripture tells us to ask for the gift of the Holy Spirit.

We heard in the Gospel that Jesus cried out: “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” Jesus was speaking about the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive. Notice the words: “…whom those believing in Him would receive.” So the condition for the receiving of the Holy Spirit is to believe in Jesus.

“He who believes in Me, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.”

God’s Word uses the word believe twice: he who believes and those believing. So it confirms doubly that the condition for us to receive the Holy Spirit is to believe in Jesus: “He who believes in Me…”. The condition is to believe in Him and in His Word given to us.

Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour. Father, glorify Your name. Then a voice came from heaven, saying, “I have both glorified it and will glorify it again.”

In verses 24 and 25, Jesus speaks a parable of the grain of wheat, and then He speaks about losing or saving one’s soul for eternity. In verse 27, He speaks about His soul: “Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour’?” And Jesus Himself answers: “But for this purpose I came to this hour. Father, glorify Your name.” These words are an example for us too. In verse 26, Jesus says: “If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also.” Jesus did not use the word servant but slave (doulos), as seen in the original Greek version of the New Testament.

Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say?

‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour.

“Father, glorify Your name.” Then a voice came from heaven, saying,

“I have both glorified it and will glorify it again.”

+ Elijah
Patriarch of the Byzantine Catholic Patriarchate