The Second Service of the Groom/ Message of Archbishop Joan: Every person competes with himself and not with others

2026-04-06 20:01:00, Aktualitet CNA

The Second Service of the Groom/ Message of Archbishop Joan: Every person

The Second Service of the Bridegroom was held this afternoon at the Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ in Tirana. Archbishop Joan, during his sermon to the believers present, stated that the Second Service of the Bridegroom speaks of the second coming of Christ.

His Beatitude emphasized the importance of good deeds in a person's life and that they should be done in the name of God. The Archbishop also spoke about the talents that God has given to man, saying that they should not be wasted but should be doubled. Among other things, His Beatitude expressed that every person competes with himself and not with others.

“During Holy Week, the morning meal is served at dinner. On this day we have two important themes, the Parable of the Ten Virgins and the Second Service of the Bridegroom, which means that it speaks of the second coming of Christ, as the bridegroom of the Church. What does this Parable of the Ten Virgins mean? All the Fathers of the Church have preached about this Parable. The Virgins and the lamps show the soul of man, and the oil is the good deeds that people have done for others. If we do good deeds, we must do them in the name of Christ.

There are three wills in our soul: The will of God, which is the savior of our soul, our will, which cannot destroy us, and the third is the will of the evil one, which will try to prevent people from doing good deeds. The will of the evil one destroys. Our will can often seem good to the eye, but these good deeds, if they are not done for God and people, will not benefit us. Desire from pride is not a good deed. Not every seemingly good deed can be good.

Good work is what is done in the name of Christ. On the day of the Lord's coming, we will then be accepted by God. God has given each person a talent, some more, some less, for reasons known to Him. Every talent that God has given us must be doubled. When we waste it and do not use it, it is to our detriment. We are not in competition with other people. Let us not look at what others are doing. Each person competes with his own talent. Let us try to fill the oil of our lamp with the oil of joy with deeds towards other people. Not for our sake but for their sake", said Archbishop Joan. /CNA