“Invite Christ into your dreams! Be certain that he will help. Jesus Christ has already conquered our greatest fear and given us himself as a limitless source of hope and life. On this day of our Lord’s Entry into Jerusalem, open to Him the full expanse of your heart. In receiving our Saviour into your personal life, follow his lead into that unknown ‘tomorrow’ which he himself will create for us, through his glorious and joyful Resurrection,” with such words His Beatitude Sviatoslav addressed the youth in his traditional annual pastoral on Palm Sunday.
The Primate assured young people that despite the circumstances, “the Church comes to you, wherever you may be: we hope that the voice which will be heard on screens of various sizes and formats, will resonate in your hearts, lift up and inspire each one of you.”
The Head of the church observed that fear has enveloped the world. One has the impression that today there isn’t a single young person who does not worry about the uncertainty that hangs over us.
Then the Primate encourages everyone that the entry into Jerusalem is the beginning of a new era. In his passion, death on the cross and Resurrection our Lord established a New Covenant with all humanity. In the Mystery of the Eucharist he clearly stated that the Blood of the New Covenant is poured our “for you and for many.” This is our security guarantee in unsure times.
The Primate recalled the history of Europe in the second millennium, which demonstrates that after dark times, human society transforms itself, opening a new age in the development of civilization. He assumes that we will be witnesses to such “tectonic movements” that will change the foundations of modern states, economic systems, and methods of organizing а common world community. He also emphasized that the future fate of country-states, systems, and all of global society will depend, above all, on whether the “global Jerusalem” of today will open its doors for God, who in Christ the Saviour brings “peace, wisdom and hope.” According to him, it is very important that young people take on as a foundation “authentic values that make a person human, and thus, as if with green branches, welcome the Saviour-Messiah.”
“Only then when the youth of today sing to him ‘Hosanna,’” writes the Head of the Church, “will this new world become a world of and for humanity, where a culture of life, not death, will be built—a world where human life, the value of which we have rediscovered in a time of epidemic, will become the cornerstone for democracy, international law, and new global economic relations.”
The Head of the Church assured the young people that in this new challenge “we need the assistance and support of a creative and inventive youth. You are the true experts! On behalf of our elderly today, the Church says to you: ‘Thank you, sincerely!’ Keep doing what you do and develop your service, taking due care for your own personal safety; direct your energy towards those who need it.”
His Beatitude Sviatoslav also called on to spend the time in lockdown listening to all the family stories, relating to one another, doing things together with our loved ones.
He emphasized that this epidemic is like a smack for an arrogant humanity—in order to separate the grain from the chaff and to become aware once again of what’s most important. This crisis is a test for mercy, an occasion for good and service. He assured young people that our Mother-Church will undergo these challenges together with them, embracing them and accompanying them and their loved ones with her ceaseless prayer.
“Today, more than ever, is the time for your boldest dreams: to tame the universe, to find a cure for cancer, to conquer epidemics, to build a just economic system, to protect the sick and helpless, to seek out alternate sources of energy, to construct means of transportation that don’t harm the planet, etc. Dare to dream! Dream big! Desire greatness!” addressed the young people his Beatitude Sviatoslav.
The UGCC Department for Information