On the Theme of the Race

Metropolitan

7 July, 2026

Glory be to the Father, to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, one God now and forevermore. May the name of our Lord Jesus Christ be blessed in and
through our lives, in the holy Church, and in the world, bringing glory and honour to His holy name now and always. Amen!

◆ Be Watchful

We are all in a race. And the race simply means it is not that easy. Anyone who gets ready for a marathon or a 100-meter hurdle or 200-meter sprint needs a lot of preparation. So much hard work goes into it. So much of a disciplined approach to achieve their goal. Despite such immense preparation, relentless hard work, and a disciplined approach, even the best fail.

So, when you talk about race, it allows no room for complacency. Victory in any sports or games demands intense involvement even in the smallest specificities. Only then can victory be assured.

And so is our Christian life. The Christian life is a delicate journey. As your older brother and Metropolitan Father in Christ, I urge you: do not fall into a state of relaxation or complacency. Never think, ‘I have arrived,’ or ‘I am good enough.’ The moment you do, Satan marks you, knowing he can manipulate you. Always remember that you are in a vulnerable position and that you can fail at any moment. And so, the Holy Scriptures says,

“So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall.” (1 Corinthians 10 : 12)

This sense of things becomes even more critical in positions of higher leadership. As someone who now shoulders the responsibility of leading our Church, people often ask if I am enjoying it. I am—because I know this calling is appointed by God—but it is certainly not easy. Even when everything seems to be going well, I find myself praying, ‘Lord, I do not know what tomorrow holds. Please help our Church, protect our people, and guide us to remain watchful.’ It requires constant watchfulness. So, we always embrace the burden of continually seeking God, understanding the intensity of our roles, and humbling ourselves in His presence.

In the spirit of our shared commitment to doing good work, I humbly ask that however good we are—I urge you to be humble enough to admit and acknowledge that we are on the verge of falling, if we are not careful and watchful. Remember, the devil is never sleeping. He is always on the lookout to trap us, prowling like a devouring lion. Temptations often arrive from unexpected directions; in ways that we never might have even thought. Let’s keep this in our mind and take the responsibility entrusted to us by the Lord and the Holy Church with utmost seriousness and reverence.

◆ Be Thankful

Furthermore, the Holy Scripture consistently calls us to, “Be thankful in all things.” Psalm 100 says in verse 4,

“Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.”

This Psalm calls us to a life of celebration in every situation. We celebrate the victory we already have in Christ Jesus. We do not begin from a premise of failure, doubt, or fear; rather, we start from a position of victory because we serve a victorious Saviour. Therefore, our lives should be patterned with thankfulness, gratitude, and joy. The ‘singing’ mentioned here is more than just a hymn—it rep-resents a vibrant outpouring of praise, worship, dancing, and exuberant joy. It is the opposite of anxiety and sobbing; it is a heart filled with gladness.

◆ Be Prayerful

If watchfulness calls us to guard ourselves, and thankfulness calls us to celebrate God’s goodness, then prayer is the very breath that sustains both.

I have been practising shorter, frequent sessions of prayer to ensure we continue to thrive and grow as true leaders of the Holy Church. I always say that leadership is not a title, a chair, a position, or a rank; it is certainly not dependent on salary, allowances, or the amount I draw. If you think in terms of material gain, that testifies that you are not serving God—this is where we actually fail. When materialism, money, personal convenience, comfort, and our own desires become the driving force, we are not serving God. We are, honestly, serving our own ambitions. The Apostle Paul describes them as people ‘serving their own stomachs.’

“For those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple.” (Romans 16:18)

“Whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame—who set their mind on earthly things.” (Philippians 3:19)

He warns that if we are not wise and careful, the enemy is right at the door, waiting to devour us and cause us to fall. This is a time to be truly grateful, watchful, and more prayerful.

Never underestimate the power of your personal, family, community, and parish prayers. Someone might logically argue, ‘I live in a small hut; why waste precious space on a prayer space or prayer altar when I barely have room for my household goods?’ That sounds rational, but if you decide, ‘I want Christ at the center of this home,’ you make a different choice. You decide that where you sleep, He sleeps; where you sit, He sits. By inviting Him into the center, you glorify Him and bring divine order into your home. This is the essence of living out your faith practically. When Christ is truly at the center, everything else finds its rightful place. I assure you, you will be victorious.

◆ Back to Basics

With 30 to 50—or even more—parish churches under your care, you are a leader of leaders. Priest over many priests—a large, diverse flock—requiring absolute focus. Such a role requires a life modelled on focused, relevant actions; defined by intentional actions—otherwise, it will not work. Come back, refocus, and do the first things.

In my mother tongue, we have a song about steadfast focus in the walk of faith: “If you are constantly looking ‘here and there,’ you will never move forward. So, let us not look or fix our eyes ‘here and there.'”

When we get frustrated, tense, or overwhelmed by challenging conversations or issues of Holy Faith, our immediate impulse is to react—to seek external validation, send frantic messages, and make endless phone calls to manage our emotions. Yet, this knee-jerk reaction only derails our focus and drains our energy. Instead of looking around, we must look within. True strength comes from calming the mind, embracing silence, and maintaining focus.

And one of the ways to do that is to silence yourself. Calm yourself. Silencing, calming, and bringing your life to stillness is another way of praying. Prayer is not making a lot of noise, saying your wants and list of things before God. It is just saying: ‘Lord, here I am. I am perplexed. I am frustrated. I don’t know the answer.’ No matter how loud or frustrating these emotions become, quiet your-self and calm down. Come before the Lord and ask, ‘Show me where I am holding back, where I am weak, and where I am failing.’ It may seem like a tiny thing, but as you consistently do this, that small defect is slowly removed. You will become healthier inside—in emotions, attitude, body, mind, soul, spirit, and service. These are small but foundational disciplines, the very art of spiritual life.

We are engaged in serious work, in genuine warfare, and as leaders, we are responsible for many people. If you and I fail even a little, that failure is magnified across all the areas where we are involved. Therefore, I ask that you take heed and guard these instructions—they are what I practise every single moment, and I continue to grow in them.

May God strengthen all of us. Almighty God is still on the throne. He is ruling. He is King of kings. He is in charge. Let’s hold on to Him and be the servants of the gospel, the light of the gospel to illuminate every corner of dark elements so that the holy church, the people of God, and our communities are built and established everywhere.

And thank you, all my Archbishops and Bishops and the Ministry Department leaders and everyone else, for your love toward the Holy Church and myself and for what you do. Thank you very much, and I love you. Please love me also and make a prayer for me before the throne of God.

✛ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen!

Moran Mor Dr Samuel Theophilus Metropolitan

Part of the teachings shared in the virtual gathering of Church Leaders