On Sunday of the Veneration of the Cross, April 7, 2013, in Kyiv, in the Cathedral
of Transfiguration of the Lord of the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church
Canonical, the Holy Cross was carried out for veneration after the Holy Liturgy in
honor of the Annunciation of the Holy Lady.
This year the feast of the Annunciation, which is celebrated every year on April 7,
coincides with Sunday of the Veneration of the Holy Cross, which is celebrated on
the third Sunday of the Lent. This coincidence is deeply symbolical. The beginning
and the end came together in the mystical connection. The Divine conception of the
Savior and His physical death on the cross, the immeasurable sacrificial love of
Father to the man and the spiritual death through people's sins fall.
As time of the Lent and is time for heroic deeds, the symbol of which is a cross,
the veneration of the cross is spiritual help during the Lent and the reminder about
spiritual duty before God, Who humbly took His death on the cross, because of His
great Love to people for their salvation. And everyone, who believed in Him, became
the participant of His blessing gifts and heavenly blessing. That is why every
spiritual person carries the spiritual cross. God gives us the cross according to
our strength. If it seems to be too hard, then appeal to our Heavenly Father: "Oh
Lord, help me to carry my cross, help me spiritually and physically, give me the
will not to do sin, but to do good deeds". Then our personal cross connects with
Jesus' cross, gives us His power and strength, becomes the canal though which all
good things and gifts flow to us.
Jesus Christ said: "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up
his cross and follow me." To take up the God's cross means to accept all
circumstances of your life in the way they are, like the Most Holy Lady accepted the
good news from God about immaculate conception and gave her life in His Holy hands,
showing her full humbleness and complete trust to the Father. To take God's cross it
means not to blame and think too much about all troubles and trials, which appear to
us so difficult. It means thank God for every moment, for the great gift -life,
which gives us chance to follow the road of spiritual growing and to return to the
Heaven, to the Creator.
With reverential awe and love, the clergy and the faithful of the Ukrainian
Autocephalous Orthodox Church Canonical venerated the God's cross like the mystical
Orthodox symbol of faith, hope, confidence in God's boundless love and victory over
the death.
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