On August 31, 2025, the Feast of the Holy Apostle and Evangelist Luke, Serbian Patriarch Porfirije presided over the Divine Liturgy in the church dedicated to the great Apostle in Košutnjak.
After the reading of the Holy Gospel, Patriarch Porfirije addressed the faithful, saying: “Through the example of the Apostle Luke and all that he writes, as well as in this passage from his Gospel, the Lord Himself clearly tells us that He reveals the Truth—Truth with a capital T—He reveals Himself, and with that, the very meaning and mystery of life, of the world, and of all creation.
He reveals these things to the innocent, to those of pure heart, to those who live by faith—those who, through faith, have made the words of the Gospel and the commandments of God the rule and principle of their lives. These divine commandments are spoken in simple words—so simple that they are close, accessible, and understandable to every person. The word of God about not judging, being patient, merciful, avoiding malice and gossip, is clear and uncomplicated. It needs no special interpretation, no scholarly books or schools to understand it. What is required is trust in the word of Christ—to receive His word as something natural and essential to us, as something that allows us to grow in beauty and joy.
Faith in the word of Christ, and living by it as the rule of life, helps us understand that the only true path—though narrow and sometimes difficult—is the path of the Gospel. When we walk this path, we are already filled with joy here and now. It is the path that leads us into God’s embrace, and at the same time, it is the path on which we embrace one another, forgive one another, listen, and seek to understand one another. On this path, we learn that each person’s unique and different gift is precisely what allows us to give ourselves to one another and to rejoice in one another.”
Source: Patriarchate of Serbia
