Metropolitan Elias Auda of Beirut and its dependencies for the Greek Orthodox Church led the Divine Liturgy at St. George's Cathedral.
After the Gospel, he delivered a sermon in which he stated: "In these days, we hear about gatherings promoting homosexuality. Since we are speaking about the apostles and their mission to fish for people from the sea of sin and deviation, we assert that, while respecting human freedom, we believe that 'God is love' (1 John 4:8). Hence, every true love stems from God and can only be lived according to God's will and commandments. The love of God is reflected in the order of creation. The Book of Genesis declares that since the creation of Adam and Eve, humanity was created male and female: 'So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth"' (Genesis 1:27). The Bible clearly states that the male is the only complement to the female in love, marriage, and the blessed union for participation in the act of creation through procreation, and the female alone complements the male. 'For this reason, a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh' (Genesis 2:24). However, some seek in our societies to market deviant concepts of individual freedom and human rights. Groups import misguided beliefs and values regarding what they call 'the freedom to live homosexual practices' and other unhealthy trends, like gender change, which enslave the essence of human beings and their lives as a whole to the logic of deviant lust and sin. These inhuman tendencies strip humans of their dignity and worth as beings created in the image and likeness of God."
He added: "Homosexual behavior is not blessed by God but is expressly forbidden. In the Book of Leviticus, it states: 'Do not have sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman; that is detestable' (18:22). The Apostle Paul also clarifies: 'For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles. Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen. Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. In the same way, the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men and received in themselves the due penalty for their error. Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind so that they do what ought not to be done.' (Romans 1:21-27)."
He continued: "The physiological structure of male and female complements one another. 'Male and female he created them.' This is the best expression of God's intention in creation. Any other arrangement is a fall and deviation. A person's identity cannot be determined by sexual desires or bodily passions. What is required is to direct and regulate those desires within the moral and spiritual frameworks through which God's purposes can be realized. From this, the Apostle Paul emphasizes that marital union is a reflection of the relationship between Christ and the Church: 'Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself' (Ephesians 5:25-28).
The love in our faith can only be understood as the selfless love of Christ for humanity. True human love is self-emptying, sacrificing oneself for the other. True love is self-sacrifice, not indulgence of lust. 'Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?' (Matthew 16:25). Any form of sexual activity that does not involve self-giving and self-denial is impure and inevitably revolves around the self, thus is not pure. In this context, Saint Paul wrote: 'The body is not meant for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body' (1 Corinthians 6:13)."
He said: "If one wishes to live their life in Christ, they must align with God's will in everything. Just as the believer is called to overcome emotions or inclinations towards sexual activity outside of marriage, the homosexual person is also called to overcome their inclinations and any passion towards sexual activity outside the moral frameworks of marriage between a man and a woman. The struggle may be difficult, but by God's grace, all things are possible. Often, the cross we must bear is the struggle to overcome raging emotions. It is important that individuals have faith and spiritual commitment to do God's will and do their utmost to combat any harmful desires, aided by fasting, prayer, spiritual guidance, and the sacraments of the holy church. Believers are called to align their wills and actions with Christ's commandments. A person must overcome their inclinations in order to participate in the path of salvation. We condemn all campaigns, seminars, and activities that invite homosexuals to surrender to their passions. The Church fathers are clear about the dangers of exposing oneself to environments that lead one to sin. Because when passion prevails over reason, a person falls into a vicious cycle. Our love for others means approaching them in truth, not in flattery, calling them to repentance and doing what is right for their salvation, affirming what is good and sacred for their well-being and reconciliation with God's holy will."
He concluded: "Our call today is to hasten only towards Christ, for salvation is found in him, and there is no salvation in humans. Christ has no personal interest but grants humanity the freedom to accept or reject him by their own choice. His call 'Come, follow me' is directed not just to the disciples but to everyone who hears it, especially the sons of the church who have known the Lord Jesus, heard his teachings, and learned that his love is an unending spring. The decision is personal. Will I be merely a hearer of the word, or will I be among the doers who believe and act upon their faith? Our hope is that true faith and beneficial action prevail."
