Source: Romanian Orthodox Church
November 9, 2015
Thousands of faithful gathered Thursday evening November 5 at the Patriarchal Cathedral in Bucharest to pray together with His Beatitude Daniel, Patriarch of Romania, for peace and unity in the Church and society, for those who passed to the Lord, and for the healing of those in hospitals after the tragic accident which took place the preceding week in Bucharest.
His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel addressed to the gathered faithful and to the entire Romanian people a paternal urge to cultivate and conserve peace:
“We have gathered here this evening in order to pray together, and we thank you for coming in such large numbers. Daily, during these 40 days, we especially pray at the Divine Liturgy, and remember those who passed to the Lord after the tragedy at Colectiv Club in Bucharest. At the same time we pray for those who continue to suffer on their hospital beds, for those who suffer due to deep wounds and burns. That is why we have remembered them this evening in our prayers. We renew our call for the consolation of the bereaved families who are mourning their loved ones, but also for the consolation and spiritual and material support of the families of all those who are in hospitals, and who are suffering very much. Thereby, we show our fraternal love both towards the departed, and also towards those who suffer in hospitals.
We need peace in our souls in order to think healthily, to make decisions wisely
This prayer of ours is love stronger than death, because it goes beyond the grave and unites in the love of the Most Holy Trinity all those who are merciful and help the suffering. We have also prayed to our Savior Jesus Christ, the Good Shepherd, the Head of the Church and her Protector, to grant us peace and blessing. Peace is the gift of God to mankind. This gift must be kept, cultivated and conserved. Peace is the state of harmony of both the soul and the body, the state of harmony among men. We need peace in our souls in order to think healthily, to make decisions wisely. We need peace in our families, especially today when we are confronted with many temptations and troubles. We need peace in every religious or civil community, in our society, but also in the entire world. In such times in which much violence and suffering exist, in times in which in some parts of the world war is unceasing where many people die innocently and many people flee their families, their homes and their countries, we need peace and fraternal support.
Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord
We need peace and unity in our country too. We need peace in the Church, in society, but we also need unity in order to do good one with another, and not one against another. Therefore, during these days, the Church wishes to be a servant, a factor of social peace, as stipulated in our legislation, but especially as our Savior Jesus Christ asks of us. That is why, by saying, ”Peace be to all!,” the servant priest shares the peace of Christ several times during the services. This peace is the grace of God which is present in man; it is the merciful and humble love of God Who is offered to the faithful and to those who pursue peace and harmony. St Paul the Apostle, in his Epistle to Hebrews, urges us saying: Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord (Hebrews 12:14). This commandment means also a pursuit of peace, and when we find it we must keep it, cultivate it and conserve it.
Sin brings enmity while prayer unites
During this period each of us needs to think how we can spiritually renew our life—our personal life, our community life, and our social life. If we seek renewal in the Holy Spirit then this renewal becomes the fruit of God’s blessing and of our good deeds. We must perform more good deeds, to pay more attention to our fellow men who are suffering, to the urgent needs of the many lonely people who are ill, in troubles or trials. Therefore, these prayers of ours are very useful, because sin separates, while prayer unites. Sin brings enmity, while prayer unites. Sin arouses hatred, while prayer brings kindness to the soul. At every minute and at every hour we need peace and unity, but especially in troubled times.
We pray to our Savior Jesus Christ, to the Theotokos and all the saints to protect us and offer us the peace and light of Christ, in order to further share them in our families and our society.”
