Shio III: Entrusting ourselves to God and seeking his blessing is key to success

Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, Archbishop of Mtskheta-Tbilisi and Metropolitan of Pitsunda and Tskhum-Abkhazia Shio III said that people should seek God’s blessing for their work and endeavors through a God-fearing life and fervent prayer.

“Many of us make the mistake of thinking that we can achieve success through our own intelligence and energy alone. When a person entrusts themselves to God and asks for His blessing, this becomes the foundation of their success,” Patriarch Shio III said during a sermon at Holy Trinity Cathedral on the 19th Sunday after Pentecost.

In his sermon, the Patriarch reflected on the Gospel account of the miraculous catch of fish, in which the apostles Peter, James and John fished throughout the night without catching anything. However, after Jesus Christ blessed their efforts, they caught so many fish that their nets began to tear and their two boats were nearly sinking under the weight.

“This is often what happens in our lives: many of us work hard for a long time, sometimes for years, without achieving success, and they wonder why,” the Patriarch said.

He explained that people often forget to ask God for His blessing before beginning their work, entrusting their endeavors to His will and mercy and seeking His help.

“This is why we experience failures and setbacks. The Apostle James writes: ‘You desire and do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions’ (James 4:2-3),” he said.

The Patriarch cited Jesus Christ’s words in the Gospel of John: “Apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). He also referred to Psalm 127:1: “Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain; unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain.”

Shio III urged believers to seek God’s blessing in their daily lives and endeavors, noting that doing so does not require great effort.

“We should always strive to receive God’s blessing. It is not difficult to turn to the Lord, make the sign of the cross and say, ‘Lord, bless this work; bless me in this endeavor.’ If we have the opportunity to visit our spiritual father and receive his blessing, all the better. The success of our work and various undertakings depends greatly on this,” he said.

The Patriarch also discussed the reaction of the apostle Peter to the miraculous catch. According to the Gospel, Peter recognized his unworthiness to stand beside Christ and asked the Lord to depart from him. Jesus replied: “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people” (Luke 5:10).

Shio III explained that “catching people” means saving them from evil, the snares of the devil and sin, and guiding them toward Christ and the salvation of their souls. He said this mission continues today through Christ’s faithful servants, His word and His Church.

The Patriarch also highlighted another lesson from the Gospel: despite the abundance they had received, the apostles did not become attached to material wealth. Instead, they left their nets and followed Christ.

“This is also a great example for us. When we receive worldly blessings, we should not become captivated by them or make them the main purpose of our lives. We must not become attached to them in our hearts, but always remember the eternal, heavenly blessings,” he said.

Concluding his sermon, Shio III spoke of the eternal life promised to those who love God, including resurrection, incorruptibility of the body, communion with angels and everlasting joy in the presence of God.