In the Cathedral of St. George in Stockholm, on the Third Sunday of Matthew, June 21, 2026, the Divine Liturgy was celebrated by Metropolitan Cleopas of Sweden. The service was enriched by the hymnological tradition of the day, and at the conclusion of the liturgy, the Metropolitan addressed a spiritual homily to the faithful for their edification.
In his sermon, the Metropolitan expounded the Gospel reading from the Sermon on the Mount, emphasizing that Christ reveals “three great truths of the spiritual life,” namely the purity of mind and heart, undivided devotion to God, and trust in divine providence. As he characteristically noted, “The lamp of the body is the eye,” with the patristic interpretation referring to the mind as the inner light of the human person, which guides the whole life either toward light or darkness.
At the same time, he underlined the fundamental evangelical exhortation that “You cannot serve God and mammon,” explaining that every form of attachment that replaces God in the human heart leads to spiritual division. Also central in the sermon was the exhortation “Do not worry,” with the Metropolitan referring to trust in God’s providence as a source of inner freedom and peace, especially amid the challenges and anxieties of the modern age.
Find below the homily of Metropolitan Cleopas of Sweden and All Scandinavia
Dearly Beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
In the Gospel reading for the Third Sunday of Matthew, our Lord teaches us three fundamental truths of the spiritual life: purity of heart, complete devotion to God, and trust in His divine providence.
Christ begins by saying, “The lamp of the body is the eye.” The Holy Fathers interpret this “eye” as the spiritual eye of the soul, the mind and heart. When our inner vision is pure and enlightened by God’s grace, our whole life becomes filled with light. When it is darkened by sin, selfishness, and attachment to worldly things, we lose our spiritual direction.
The Lord then reminds us that “No one can serve two masters… You cannot serve God and mammon.” Mammon represents not only money, but anything that takes the place of God in our hearts. The Christian life calls us to place God above all earthly desires and ambitions.
The central message of the Gospel is Christ’s command: “Do not worry about your life.” The Lord does not condemn honest work or responsible planning. Rather, He warns against anxious and fearful concern that comes from a lack of faith.
By pointing to the birds of the air and the lilies of the field, Christ teaches us that God lovingly cares for all creation and will certainly care for those who trust in Him.
The Holy Fathers emphasize that anxiety often reveals a heart that has forgotten God’s providence. The greatest crisis of our age is not material poverty, but the loss of trust in God.
The Gospel concludes with one of the most important teachings of Christ: “Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.”
This means that our priority must be our relationship with God, through prayer, repentance, participation in the sacramental life of the Church, and love for our neighbors. When God becomes the center of our lives, everything else finds its proper place.
As Orthodox Christians, we are called to purify our hearts, free ourselves from the slavery of worldly attachments, and place our confidence in God’s loving care. In a world filled with uncertainty and fear, Christ offers us true peace through faith and trust in Him.
May we always seek first the Kingdom of God, trusting that our Heavenly Father knows our needs and will provide for us according to His holy will. Amen!
