Moscow, February 16, 2017
Photo: CNN
Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia has expressed concern about the methods of child rearing to which some Russian families resort. He offered his remarks after serving Liturgy on the feast of the Meeting of the Lord on Wednesday, which is also the Day of Orthodox Youth in Russia, reports Interfax-Religion.
“We know how sometimes parents teach their children pretty severely… And we know the children sometimes suffer from it,” the primate stated. “The Lord does nothing by force,” he continued, drawing a parallel between God’s behavior and man’s. “He does not raise his strength against us and does not lower His strength. He simply stretches forth His hand to us. But it’s not a tire iron and it’s not a construction crane, but a loving hand which supports us, touching us in the difficult moments of our lives.”
The Lord never violates our freedom, Patriarch Kirill continued: “God does not violate our freedom, and does not invade our life with that force with which human authorities sometimes invade.”
On this day the patriarch consecrated the Church of St. Seraphim of Sarov in Moscow here he served. He emphasized that churches are built to help bring people closer to God Who raises the fallen and transforms lives, giving them power to overcome any challenges.
