Patriarch Porfirije of Serbia celebrated the Divine Liturgy on Sunday, July 19, at the Church of St. Demetrius in New Belgrade, on the feast of St. Sisoe the Great, during which he ordained Deacon Aleksandar Lukić to the holy priesthood.
A large congregation of faithful gathered at the church, whose construction began on the feast of St. Demetrius three decades ago and is now nearing completion under the supervision of Bishop Petar of Toplica.
In his homily on the Gospel reading from Matthew, Patriarch Porfirije stressed that the Gospel is the Word of God, and Christ Himself is the Word of God, proclaiming both the mystery of the Kingdom of Heaven and the way of life that leads to it.
He emphasized that Christ not only teaches and proclaims the Gospel but also heals both spiritual and physical illnesses.
“Christ preaches, teaches, and heals. Only when we behold Him in all these dimensions do we encounter the one unique Person of God the Logos, our Savior. If we isolate any one of these dimensions, we lose sight of the truth,” the Patriarch said.
Reflecting on the Gospel account of the healing of the two blind men and the demon-possessed mute, Patriarch Porfirije explained that Christ’s miracles are not performed for their own sake but reveal God’s saving work.
He noted that although the blind men could not see with their physical eyes, their spiritual sight remained clear.
“When the Lord asked them, ‘Do you believe that I am able to do this?’ they replied, ‘Yes, Lord.’ Their faith revealed that their spiritual eyes were open. In this way, they were ahead of countless people who can see physically but perceive nothing beyond outward appearances,” he said.
The Patriarch added that Christ also healed the demon-possessed man because, despite his weaknesses, he ultimately confessed his faith in the Lord.
Concluding his homily, Patriarch Porfirije underlined that faith is the foundation of the Christian life.
“If we have faith as a mustard seed, and if everything in our lives is founded on faith, then every obstacle, every trial, every temptation, and every illness will be healed through God’s love, His power, and His grace,” he said.
Concelebrating with the Patriarch were Bishop Petar of Toplica and clergy of the Serbian Orthodox Church, together with the newly ordained Fr. Aleksandar Lukić.
At the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, Patriarch Porfirije offered fatherly words of exhortation to the new priest, praying that God’s grace would strengthen him to serve faithfully at Christ’s holy altar, minister to the People of God, and advance in his own salvation.
Source: Serbian orthodox Church
