On November 28, the 23d Sunday after Pentecost, His Holiness Kirill, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, celebrated the Divine Liturgy in Christ the Savior Cathedral in Moscow. After the Liturgy, His Holiness addressed the faithful on account of the passage from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Ephesians, Ephesians 2:4-10.

"It is quite a short passage where in few words we encounter the crux of the Gospel of Christ, the crux of the Christian life: 'By grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we do them.'”

"Indeed, there is nothing we can do on this Earth – and there is so much good we can do on this Earth! – that lifts us into Heaven, that brings about salvation. Salvation is an act of God: 'By grace are ye saved.' Grace means gift — any gift ought to be received. Our faith is the reception of grace: 'By grace are ye saved through faith.' To reject faith, to reject God, is to refuse grace, to refuse salvation."

"Grace can be compared with the wind moving a vessel towards a destination. Man needs an instrument, that is, a sail, to receive the power of the graceful wind. Such a sail is our godly life, good deeds we do on this Earth: 'We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works,' continues the apostle in the very next verse!"

"Should you refuse to hoist the sail, no wind would help you navigate your ship: it would remain dead. 'Wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?' (James 2:20). Good works do not save us unless we receive God’s grace. God’s grace does not save us unless we receive it by good works. Thus, the whole mystery of salvation is revealed in one short passage of Holy Scripture."