Patriarch Porfirije of Serbia celebrated the Divine Liturgy yesterday at the Church of Saint Sava on Vračar, where he offered a heartfelt message on the occasion of the feast of Materice (Mothers’ Day), extending warm wishes to all mothers and all women.
Recalling the words of Saint Bishop Nikolaj Velimirović, the Patriarch reminded the faithful that a mother is “the being closest to God among all creation.” Addressing the congregation, he offered a prayerful greeting for the feast:
“Today, on Mothers’ Day, we first of all pray to God for mothers, that the Lord may give them the strength to bear the cross of motherhood, that their prayers may be multiplied, and that the prayers they offer for us may be fulfilled. Happy Mothers’ Day, and blessed be every mother and every woman!”
Reflecting on the Gospel passage read during the Divine Liturgy, Patriarch Porfirije emphasized the meaning of the words “Thy Kingdom come,” explaining that God’s love and the presence of His Kingdom must become the measure of human life.
“The words ‘Thy Kingdom come’ mean that God’s love, and God Himself—the bearer of the Kingdom of God and its presence in history—should be the measure of our thoughts, our words, and our deeds,” he said. “He should be the root, the beginning, and the end of everything we think, say, and do.”
The Patriarch underlined that such an understanding calls believers not to rely solely on themselves, but to trust in the power and grace of God, while at the same time doing all that lies within human responsibility.
“This awakens us to prayer and spiritual struggle, stirs us from laziness, and leads us to humility,” he noted. “In this awareness there is no despair or despondency, but rather what the Holy Fathers call ‘joyful sorrow.’ In it lie optimism and hope, because we do not place our hope in our own weakness, but in the power and love of God.”
Concluding his homily, Patriarch Porfirije stressed that God’s love extends to all people without distinction.
“All are called, brothers and sisters, and there is no difference among people. God loves everyone, and we are called to respond to that love and to pray for every living soul,” he said.
The celebration of Materice at the Church of Saint Sava was marked by prayer, gratitude, and a renewed emphasis on the spiritual dignity and blessing of motherhood and womanhood within the life of the Church.
