Patriarch of Romania during Agape Vespers: “Divine Peace is the harmony built in the human soul by the Holy Spirit”

www.basilica.ro– May 2016

The first gift offered by our Saviour Jesus Christ to His disciples after the Resurrection was the peace. On the morning of His Resurrection, He uttered to the myrrh-bearing women: Rejoice! Fear not! Peace and Joy are two divine gifts that ought to be received with gratitude; they ought to be pursued and cultivated. When man has no more peace in his soul and family, when there is no more peace in the society, everything is disturbed; everything is saddened and reaches confusion. Nevertheless, divine peace is the harmony built in the human soul by the Holy Spirit, which causes man to perceive himself in the love of God and of his neighbours, His Beatitude Romanian Patriarch Daniel said Sunday, 1 May 2016.

In the afternoon on the day of Pascha, His Beatitude Daniel, Patriarch of Romania, officiated the Agape Vespers, when the Gospel reading (John 20:19-25) was recited in twelve languages.

Together with the Head of the Romanian Orthodox Church also served Their Graces: Bishop Qais of Erzurum (Patriarchate of Antioch), Varlaam of Ploieşti, Assistant Bishop to the Romanian Patriarch, and Timotei of Prahova, Assistant Bishop to the Archdiocese of Bucharest.

“Forgiveness turns man towards a merciful and not possessive love, towards a humble and not arrogant love”

His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel said that man has to forgive his neighbor, according to the example of Jesus Christ:

Forgiveness of sins means absolution, release of a dark and burdening past of sinning, which generally represents deeds without love of God and fellow people. All sins are forms of a selfish and possessive existence, while forgiveness turns man towards a merciful and not possessive love, towards a humble and not arrogant love; a love that draws man closer to God and his neighbours and establishes communion. Forgiveness of sins was a great gift of the Resurrection of the Lord and this shows us that Christ was not risen for His own sake, but for the sake of the salvation of humans. By the forgiveness of sins, people start to sense the power of the Resurrection of their soul, out of the death caused by sins.

At the end, His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel wished the faithful blessed holidays, peace and joy.

Source: