Patriarch Porfirije of Serbia celebrated the Divine Liturgy on May 8, feast day of the Holy Apostle and Evangelist Mark, at the Church of St. Mark in Belgrade, concelebrating with retired Bishop Georgije of Canada and numerous clergy and deacons.
In his homily after the Gospel reading, the Patriarch urged the faithful to become “people of faith, people of the Church,” following the example of St. Mark the Evangelist, who sacrificed his life for Christ and left behind the first written Gospel.
“We are all called to be apostles, humbly and modestly,” the Patriarch said.
He noted that every person carries within themselves a longing for life to have meaning, to be filled with joy, love, and goodness. However, true fulfillment, he stressed, can exist only if life has meaning, and that meaning does not depend on external circumstances or other people.
“There has never been a human being, from the beginning of the world until today, nor will there ever be one until the end of history, who can invent or create meaning on their own,” Patriarch Porfirije said, adding that no human activity can serve as the ultimate foundation of meaning.
He underlined that meaning is not determined by whether life unfolds without difficulties or suffering, but rather that true meaning must be eternal and unchanging.
“If we ourselves cannot create meaning or secure it, then meaning comes from God,” he said.
The Patriarch stressed that meaning comes in the person of the God-man Christ, who offers Himself as the fullness of life. Christ does not impose Himself on humanity, he explained, but each person is called to freely take a step toward Him.
“There is no question or problem without meaning, and nothing that cannot, for the glory of God, be overcome for our salvation,” he noted.
“It is a great joy when we gather in the church of God and celebrate the Resurrection of Christ, but it is also a great responsibility,” he said.
At the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, the festal offerings were blessed, followed by a cultural program presented by the inclusive choir “Ison” from Novi Sad, consisting of children with special needs, including many without parents.
Source: spc.rs
