THE EASTERN ORTHODOX THREAD (Page 43 of 47)
Remember your end, and you will not sin
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Don't be deceived regarding the knowledge of what will be after your death: what you sow here, you will reap there. After leaving here, no one can make progress. Here is the work, there the reward; here the struggle, there the crowns. St. Barsanuphius the Great Saints Holy Martyr Basiliscus the Soldier, of Comana (308) Holy Martyr Jovan (John) Vladimir, King of Serbia (1015) Commemoration of the Second Ecumenical Council (381) Holy Righteous Melchisedek, King of Salem Hieromartyrs Donatus, Bishop of Thmuis, the Priest Macarius, and the Deacon Theodore (ca. 316) Blessed James of Borovichi (Novgorod) (15th c.) New Hieromartyr Zachariah, Priest of Prusa (1802) New Monk-Martyr Paul of Mt. Athos, at Tripolis, the Peloponnese (1818) New Hieromartyr Maxim (Zhizhilenko), Bishop of Serpukhov (1931) Greek cal.: Martyr Sophia the Healer St. Marcellus Holy Martyr Codratus New Hieromartyr Michael Borissov, Archpriest (1942) Romans 1:28-2:9 28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; 29 being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, 30 backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; 32 who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them. 1 Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things. 2 But we know that the judgment of God is according to truth against those who practice such things. 3 And do you think this, O man, you who judge those practicing such things, and doing the same, that you will escape the judgment of God? 4 Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? 5 But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, 6 who "will render to each one according to his deeds": 7 eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality; 8 but to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness-indignation and wrath, 9 tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek; Note 1:29-32 While sexual immorality is not the only way man is given over to un- righteousness, it is often more destructive than other sins and thus receives specific attention here (see 1Co 6:12–20). Those who focus only on sexual sins fail to see that all sin separates man from God and leads to destruction. Covetousness is a sinful passion directly opposite the virtue of thankfulness -it is being unsatisfied with the blessings already received and having an insatiable desire for more. Murder also includes hatred towards another (Mt 5:21, 22). Whisperers are people who gossip. Inventors of evil things are those who cooperate with the devil to discover new forms of wickedness. Those who approve (v. 32) of sins such as homosexual behavior, greed, and rebellion against parents are as guilty as those who commit them. 2:1 Not only will the unrighteous experience God's judgment (1:18-32), so also will the self-righteous. Matthew 5:27-32 27 You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not commit adultery.' 28 But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. 31 Furthermore it has been said, 'Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.' 32 But I say to you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason except sexual immorality causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery. Note 5:27, 28 The issue here is not the God-given mutual attraction of men and women, but the selfish promptings of lust. Sin does not come out of nature, but out of the distortion of nature for self-indulgence. Thoughts that enter the mind involuntarily are not sins, but temptations. They become sins only when they are held and entertained. 5:29 This imagery is not to be taken literally, but refers to decisive action to avoid sin and to continue in purity. (See note for 18:8.) 18:8 The reference to mutilation is an illustration of decisive action to avoid sin and does not advocate literal amputation. This also refers to harmful relationships that must be severed for the salvation of all parties. 5:31, 32 In contrast to the easy access to divorce under the Mosaic Law, and because of the misuse of divorce in that day, Jesus repeatedly condemns divorce (19:8, 9) and emphasizes the eternal nature of marriage. The possibility of di- vorce on the grounds of sexual immorality shows that marriage can be destroyed by sin. While recognizing divorce as a serious sin, the Orthodox Church allows divorce and a second marriage as a concession to human weakness and as a corrective measure of compassion when a marriage has been broken. A third marriage is permitted only under specific, limited circumstances, and a fourth marriage is never permitted. REFLECTION How was Moses able to fast for forty days? How were the many Christian ascetics able to live a long life in extreme abstinence from food and drink? For the physical man who does not know about the spiritual life, this is impossible to believe. It is impossible even to prove it to him, for the understanding of it is achieved only by experience. When the torturers of St. Basiliscus detained him for three days without food and water, and when they did offer him food to eat, he refused, saying that he was not hungry. "I am," said he, "filled with immortal food and do not want to receive mortal food. You are fed by earthly bread, but the heavenly word of God feeds me; wine makes you happy, but the grace of the Holy Spirit makes me happy; meat satisfies you, but fasting satisfies me; physical power strengthens you, but the Cross of Christ strengthens me; gold makes you rich, but the love of Christ enriches me; clothing adorns you, but good works adorn me; you are made happy with laughter, but I am comforted by the Spirit through prayer." Behold this man, one of many, in whom the word of the Lord was confirmed: Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God (Matthew 4:4). HOMILY on the bodies of men as temples Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price (I Corinthians 6: 19-20). How is it, brethren, that our bodies became the temple of the Holy Spirit? Because we are bought with a price. The Lord Jesus bought us with His cares, labors, sufferings and death. Because of this price we were made worthy to become the temple of the Holy Spirit. But someone will say: "That price was paid a long time ago, and we live twenty centuries later!" It is all the same: the price was not paid for one time and for one generation, but rather for all times and for all generations from Adam to the Dreadful Judgment. And if billions and billions of human beings are born on earth, the price is paid for all of them. The price is so great and rich that, if all the sand in the sea were changed into men, the price would be sufficient. Brethren, from what moment do our bodies become the temple of the Holy Spirit? From the moment of our baptism. Although the price is paid for all men, only those who are baptized become the temple of the Holy Spirit. Brethren, what is the consequence of the Holy Spirit's taking up His abode in us? The consequence is this: that we are not our own any- more. When the Holy Spirit takes up His abode in our bodies, then He becomes the Master over us, and not we over our bodies or over our- selves. Then, brethren, we are the possession of God the Holy Spirit. Brethren, what did it mean at the Mystical Supper, when the Lord washed even the feet of Judas, and Judas received a piece of bread from the Lord, when the Scripture says: Satan entered into him (John 13:27). Oh, what dreadful words! Oh, what a horrible punishment for the traitor of God! Brethren, does this not mean that when we reject God, Who washes and feeds us, the Spirit of God departs from us and Satan settles in His place? Oh, what a harsh meaning! Oh, what a terrible reminder to all of us who are baptized! The Holy Spirit settled in us during our baptism and made us a temple for Himself. But the Holy Spirit does not dwell in us by force, but rather according to our good will. If we transgress against Him, He departs from us; Satan enters in His place, and our physical temple is transformed into a pigsty. O All-good Holy Spirit, do not leave us. Have mercy on us and forgive us. To Thee be glory and praise forever. Amen. |
The man who cries out against evil men but does not pray for them will never know the grace of God.
-St. Silouan the Athonite
-St. Silouan the Athonite
Remember your end, and you will not sin
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What is perfection in love? Love your enemies in such a way that you would desire to make them your brothers ... For so did He love, Who hanging on the Cross, said 'Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. (Luke 23:34) St. Augustine of Hippo Saints St. Michael the Confessor, Bishop of Synnada (826) Michael, a holy and learned hierarch, dedicated himself to the service of Christ from early childhood. Together with St. Theophylactus of Nicomedia, he lived a life of asceticism. At one time, during a period of drought, these two saints brought forth abundant rain on the earth through their prayers. Because of his ascetic and chaste life from his early youth, he was chosen and consecrated Bishop of Synnada by Patriarch Tarasius. He participated in the Seventh Ecumenical Council [Nicaea, 787]. At the emperor's request, he went to Caliph Harun-al-Rashid to conduct negotiations for peace. During the reign of the nefarious Leo the Armenian, Michael was removed from his episcopal throne because he venerated icons and was sent into exile. There, in misery and poverty but in faithfulness to Orthodoxy, he reposed in the year 818 and took up his habitation in the Kingdom of Christ the King. Venerable Martyr Michael "the Black-Robed," of St. Sabbas Monastery (9th c.) Venerable Euphrosyne, Princess and Abbess of Polotsk (1173) Holy Myrrh-Bearer Mary, Wife of Cleopas (1st c.) Hiero-Martyrs Epitacius, Bishop of Tuy (Spain), and Basil, Bishop of Braga (Portugal) (1st c.) St. Synesius, Bishop of Carpasia on Cyprus (5th c.) St. Damian (King Demetrius) of Gareji, Georgia (1157) Uncovering of the Relics (1164) of St. Leontius, Bishop and Wonderworker of Rostov (1070-1077) Uncovering of the Relics (1176-1212) of St. Abramius, Archimandrite, of Rostov (1173-1177) Synaxis of the Saints of Rostov and Yaroslavl St. loannicius I, Archbishop of Serbia (1270) St. Paisius, Abbot, of Galich (1460) Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos "Thou Art the Vineyard" Holy Martyr Salonas the Roman Holy Martyr Seleucius Romans 2:14-29 14 for when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves, 15 who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them) 16 in the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel. 17 Indeed you are called a Jew, and rest on the law, and make your boast in God, 18 and know His will, and approve the things that are excellent, being instructed out of the law, 19 and are confident that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, 20 an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, having the form of knowledge and truth in the law. 21 You, therefore, who teach another, do you not teach yourself? You who preach that a man should not steal, do you steal? 22 You who say, "Do not commit adultery," do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? 23 You who make your boast in the law, do you dishonor God through breaking the law? 24 For "the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you," as it is written. 25 For circumcision is indeed profitable if you keep the law; but if you are a breaker of the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision. 26 Therefore, if an uncircumcised man keeps the righteous requirements of the law, will not his uncircumcision be counted as circumcision? 27 And will not the physically uncircumcised, if he fulfills the law, judge you who, even with your written code and circumcision, are a transgressor of the law? 28 For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh; 29 but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God. Note 2:14-16 A Gentile is counted as a Jew-as one of God's people-when his con- science leads him to righteousness the way the law leads a virtuous Jew. The law written in their hearts (v. 15) refers to a person's conscience. Ве- cause man's conscience is God-given, it has the same power to lead a person to God as the law does. According to St. John Chrysostom, those who are able to follow their conscience to God are more virtuous than those with the law, for they do not have the advantage of concrete instructions yet still desire to please God (however, see 3:1, 2). 2:17-24 Many Jews relied on knowing the law for their righteousness, when in fact they did not obey it. Knowing the law does not make one a guide to the blind (v. 19); it is keeping the spirit and heart of the law that makes one a guide to others. 2:25-27 Circumcision is an outward sign of the law, valuable only when accompanied by interior conversion and love for God. Those who are uncir- cumcised but virtuous will judge the circumcised. 2:29 The name Jew comes from "Judah," which means "the Lord be praised." A true Jew is one who seeks praise... not from men but from God. The goal of the legalist is to have praise from men; the goal of the spiritual person is to please God. Matthew 5:33-41 33 Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform your oaths to the Lord. 34 But I say to you, do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is God's throne; 35 nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. 36 Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black. 37 But let your 'Yes' be 'Yes' and your 'No, 'No.' For whatever is more than these is from the evil one. 38 You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' 39 But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. 40 If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. 41 And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. Note 5:34–37 Trust cannot be secured by swearing an oath by things that are not in man's possession anyway, but only by simple integrity. 5:39–42 In contrast to the OT (Ex 21:24; Lv 24:20; Dt 19:21), Jesus warns us not to resist violence with more violence. Evil can only be overcome by good, which keeps us free from compromise with the devil and can bring our enemy under the yoke of God's love. A saint of the desert once found his hut being looted of its paltry possessions, and he knelt in the corner praying for the ban- dits. When they left, the monk realized they had not taken his walking stick. This monk pursued them for many days until he was able to give them the stick as well. Seeing his humility, the bandits returned everything to him and were converted to Jesus Christ. REFLECTION A spiritual man interprets all things and all natural phenomena in a spiritual and symbolic manner, and from everything he draws benefit for his soul. Once, the brethren came to St. John the Dwarf and began to tell him how a heavy rain had fallen and watered the palms, and how new branches had begun to sprout on the palms so that the monks would have enough material for their handiwork. St. John thought and said to the brethren: "In the same manner the Holy Spirit enters the hearts of the saints, so that they are renewed and put forth the branches of the fear of God." HOMILY on how we need not grieve the Spirit of God And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption (Ephesians 4:30). Brethren, "The Seal of the Gift of the Holy Spirit" is recited over all of us who are baptized by water and the Spirit. The Spirit of God is given to us not because of our merits-no one should ever think that -but according to the mercy of the Living God. Even in normal rela- tions between men, happy is he who gives a gift and happy also is he who receives the gift. Giving is joy on both sides. The greater the gift, the greater the joy. God rejoices when He gives the grace of His Holy Spirit; why then should men who receive it not rejoice? The needy one who receives usually rejoices more than the rich man who gives; why then should not miserable men rejoice who receive this enormous gift from the rich God? In what way do men grieve the Holy Spirit? The Apostle who commanded that we not grieve the Spirit of God immediately adds by what means the Spirit is grieved. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all mal- ice (Ephesians 4:31), says the Apostle. In other words, the Spirit of God is grieved by our every sin. Let every sin be put away from us, and the Spirit of God will be joyful and by Him we will rejoice. When we have an important guest in our home we endeavor to do everything that is well-pleasing for that guest. Can there be a greater guest than the Holy Spirit of God? Since He is our greatest and most desired Guest, we need to invest the utmost effort into pleasing Him. We know with what we please the Spirit of God -with the same thing with which we please Christ the Lord. The Lord said: If you love me, keep My commandments (John 14:15). Therefore, he who keeps the commandments of Christ has love toward the Son and toward the Holy Spirit. He who pleases the Son, keeping His commandments, also pleases the Father and the Holy Spirit. The Apostle especially recommends: Be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another (Ephesians 4:32). If we are kind, if we are tenderhearted, if we forgive one another, by this we please the Spirit of God Who is a Guest in our hearts. The Spirit of God then rejoices in us, and our entire being trembles from a certain inexpressible joy. O my brethren, let us take care that we not grieve our Most-high Guest, Who comes to us with the richest gifts. O God the Holy Spirit, forgive our negligence toward Thine Immor- tal Majesty and do not leave us empty and worthless without Thee. To Thee be glory and praise forever. Amen. |
The man who cries out against evil men but does not pray for them will never know the grace of God.
-St. Silouan the Athonite
-St. Silouan the Athonite
Remember your end, and you will not sin
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Remember your end, and you will not sin
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Hear my crying, O God give ear unto my prayer. From the ends of the earth will I call upon thee when my heart is in heaviness. O set me up upon the rock that is higher than I for thou hast been my hope, and a strong tower for me against the enemy Psalm 60/61:1-3 Saints The Venerable Simeon the Stylite of the Won- derful Mountain This wonderful saint was born in Antioch in the year 522 during the reign of Emperor Justin the Elder. His father perished in an earthquake and he was left alone with his mother Martha. At age six he withdrew to the desert to a spiritual father named John, under whose guidance he submitted himself to a life of austere fasting and prayerful asceticism, to the astonishment of all who saw him. Enduring horrible demonic temptations, he received great comfort and grace from the Lord and His angels. The Lord Christ appeared to him in the form of a hand- some youth. After this vision, a great love for Christ burned in Simeon's heart. He spent many years on a pillar praying to God and chanting Psalms. Under God's guidance, he withdrew to a mountain called "Wonderful" by the Lord Himself. Because of the name of this mountain, Simeon was surnamed "of the Wonderful Mountain." Because of his love for God, he was endowed with a rare gift of grace, by which he healed every infirmity, tamed wild beasts, beheld distant parts of the world, and saw into the hearts of men. He left his body and gazed at the heav- ens and conversed with angels; he frightened and cast out demons; he prophesied; at times he lived without sleep for thirty days; and at times he lived even longer without food, receiving nourishment from the hands of angels. The words of the Lord were completely fulfilled in him: He that believeth on Me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do (John 14:12). In the year of our Lord 596, in the seventy-fifth year of his life, St. Simeon presented himself to the Lord, to delight eternally in the vision of the face of God together with the angels. Holy Martyr Meletius Stratelates, Along with 1218 Soldiers and their Wives and Children Venerable Nicetas, the Stylite St. Vincent of Lerins (ca. 450) Nun-Martyr Martha, Abbess, of Monemvasia (990) Translation of the Relics (ca. 1067) of St. George of the Holy Mountain and Georgia (1065) St. Gregory, Archbishop of Novgorod (1193) Romans 1:7-12 7 To all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world. 9 For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of His Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers, 10 making request if, by some means, now at last I may find a way in the will of God to come to you. 11 For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift, so that you may be established- 12 that is, that I may be encouraged together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me. Note 1:7 Called to be saints refers to the present time; it is not something limited to the future. In the NT, all who are true Christians are saints even while they live (see note at 16:1, 2; see also Eph 1:1; 3:8; Php 1:1; Col 1:2; 2Th 1:10; Jude 3). From among all the saints, meaning those "set apart to God," the Church canonizes or glorifies certain exemplary saints as having lived such dedi- cated and faithful lives that they are worthy for us to follow and imitate (1Co 11:1). See note at Acts 9:32. 1:8-12 St. Paul shows a pastoral concern for the Roman Christians even though he was not the founder of the church at Rome. He thanks God for them (v. 8), prays always for them daily (v. 9), and longs to see them (v. 11). 1:11 Paul had not yet visited Rome when he wrote this letter. This epistle contains the core of apostolic doctrine essential for the foundation of a local community. For this reason, the Church reads Romans immediately follow- ing Pentecost, the season in which we celebrate the spread of the gospel from Jerusalem to the ends of the world. Matthew 5:42-48 42 Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away. 43 You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. 44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? 48 Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect. Note 5:44-47 Freed from hate, sadness, and anger, we are able to receive the greatest virtue: perfect love. The love of enemies is not merely an emotion, but includes decision and action. It is to treat and see our enemies as the closest members of our own family. (See 1Jn 4:7–21.) 5:48 The summary statement of all that has preceded. The Christian can indeed grow in the perfection of the Father (Eph 4:13; see also the article, "Deifica- tion," at 2Pt 1), which is shown by imitating His love and mercy (compare Lk 6:36). HYMN OF PRAISE Saint Simeon the Stylite of the Wonderful Mountain Glory to wonderful Simeon of the Wonderful Mountain; He was the glory of the Most-high Creator. Through prayer, fasting and all-night vigils He became a saint with mighty gifts, With powerful gifts of God's grace. The Lord rewarded his labors with grace, Powerful grace in deeds and in words- Grace which cures diseases and destroys demons; Grace by which he discerned every deed according to the truth, And saw into the mysteries of heaven and men. From his childhood years to end of his days, He was a beautiful and fragrant sacrifice. His heart was an altar of the Living God, A radiant sanctuary of the All-holy Spirit. His mind was powerfully raised up to the highest realms, Where all the objects of faith are seen with the eyes. His will was extended toward goodness, And mightily strengthened in God's law. What are all riches and kingdoms; what are they? Like a brief spark, they glow and are extinguished! Even the whole world, compared to a holy man-what is it? The world changes and perishes, and the saint remains. If the world does not produce a saint, it is a fig tree Without fruit and worth-a dead, barren tree! Glory to wonderful Simeon of the Wonderful Mountain; He was the glory of creation and the Creator. HOMILY on how the love of God is shed abroad in the hearts of men The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit which is given unto us (Romans 5:5). Love is joy, and love anoints the heart of man with joy. Brethren, love is power, and love anoints the heart of man with power. Love is peace, and love anoints the heart of man with peace. And from joy, power and peace is born courage, and love anoints the heart of man with courage. The love of God, like a fragrant oil, is poured out upon our hearts in no other way than by the Holy Spirit, the All-gentle and All-powerful Spirit. Though we are completely undeserving of it, the Spirit of God is poured out upon us: the love of God is shed in our hearts in the Mystery of Chrismation. However, in time we neglect this love and by sin we alienate ourselves from God and fall into the disease of spiritual paralysis. And the Holy Spirit, unwilling to abide in an im- pure vessel, distances Himself from our heart. When the Holy Spirit distances Himself from us, then joy, power, peace and courage like- wise depart from us immediately. We become sorrowful, weakened, disturbed and fearful. But the All-good Spirit of God only distances Himself from us; He does not abandon us completely. He does not abandon us, but rather offers us, as sick men, remedies through the Mystery of Repentance and the Mystery of Holy Communion. When we again cleanse ourselves through the Mysteries of Repentance and Communion, then He, the Holy Spirit of God, again abides in us, and the love of God is poured out upon our hearts. We fall, we rise, we fall, and we rise! When we fall, the Spirit of God stands by us and raises us, if we desire to be raised. And when we are raised, the Spirit of God stands within us all until, through our sinfulness and foolishness, we fall again. Thus, in this life we interchangeably become a fertile field and a wilderness, sons of repentance and prodigal sons, fullness and emptiness, light and darkness. O All-good Holy Spirit of God, do not depart from us, neither when we want Thee nor when we do not want Thee. Be with us all the time, until our death, and save us for life eternal. To Thee be glory and praise forever. Amen. |
The man who cries out against evil men but does not pray for them will never know the grace of God.
-St. Silouan the Athonite
-St. Silouan the Athonite
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Happy Feast of All Saints 🙏 This is one my favorite services. I like to ponder the Saints known only to God. We also were blessed to witness Baptism (of children) and Chrismation of an entire family at the end of Liturgy. The Chalice was brought back out and the family was served the Holy Gifts for the first time, which was very joyous to witness. |
Put not your trust in princes, in sons of men in whom there is no salvation.
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Put not your trust in princes, in sons of men in whom there is no salvation.
Remember your end, and you will not sin
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How mistaken are those people who seek happiness outside of themselves, in foreign lands and journeys, in riches and glory, in great possessions and pleasures, in diversions and vain things, which have a bitter end! In the same thing to construct the tower of happiness outside of ourselves as it is to build a house in a place that is consistently shaken by earthquakes. Happiness is found within ourselves, and blessed is the man who has understood this. Happiness is a pure heart, for such a heart becomes the throne of God. St. Nektarius of Aegina The Sunday of All Saints Honoring the friends of God with much reverence, the Prophet-King David says, "But to me, exceedingly honorable are Thy friends, O Lord" (Ps. 138:16). And the divine Apostle, recounting the achievements of the Saints, and setting forth their memorial as an example that we might turn away from earthly things and from sin, and emulate their patience and courage in the struggles for virtue, says, "Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every burden, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us" (Heb. 12:1). This commemoration began as the Sunday (Synaxis) of All Martyrs; to them were added all the ranks of Saints who bore witness (the meaning of "Martyr" in Greek) to Christ in manifold ways, even if occasion did not require the shedding of their blood. Therefore, guided by the teaching of the Divine Scriptures and Apostolic Tradition, we, the pious, honor all the Saints, the friends of God, for they are keepers of God's commandments, shining examples of virtue, and benefactors of mankind. Of course, we honor the known Saints, especially on their own day of the year, as is evident in the Menologion. But since many Saints are unknown, and their number has increased with time and will continue to increase until the end of time, the Church has appointed that once a year, a common commemoration be made of all the Saints. This is the Feast that we celebrate today. It is the harvest of the coming of the Holy Spirit into the world; it is the "much fruit" brought forth by that "Grain of wheat that fell into the earth and died" (John 12:24); it is the glorification of the Saints as "the foundation of the Church, the perfection of the Gospel, they who fulfilled in deed the sayings of the Saviour" (Sunday of All Saints, Doxasticon of Vespers). In this celebration, then, we reverently honor and call blessed all the Righteous, the Prophets, Apostles, Martyrs, Confessors, Shepherds, Teachers, and Holy Monastics, both men and women alike, known and unknown, who have been added to the choirs of the Saints and shall be added, from the time of Adam until the end of the world, who have been perfected in piety and have glorified God by their holy lives. All these, as well as the orders of the Angels, and especially our most holy Monastics, both men and women alike, known and unknown, who have been added to the choirs of the Saints and shall be added, from the time of Adam until the end of the world, who have been perfected in piety and have glorified God by their holy lives. All these, as well as the orders of the Angels, and especially our most holy Lady and Queen, the Ever-virgin Theotokos Mary, do we honor today, setting their life before us as an example of virtue and entreating them to intercede on our behalf with God, Whose grace and boundless mercy be with us all. Amen Third Finding of the Precious Head of St. John the Baptist In the eighth century, during the bitter violence of iconoclasm, the head of St. John was brought to Comana, St. John Chrysostom's place of exile. When iconoclasm ended in the year 850, during the time of Emperor Michael and the Patriarch Ignatius, the honorable head of St. John was translated to Constantinople and placed in the chapel of the imperial court. Hieromartyr Therapontus, Bishop of Cyprus (300-305) Holy Martyrs Pasicrates, Valentian, Julius and Others St. Bede Venerable, Hieromonk and Chronicler, of Wearmouth and Jarrow (735) St. Gennadius, Bishop of Astorga (ca. 936) St. Thaddeus, Archimandrite, of Svatogorsk Monastery (1758) Commemoration of the Reunion of Three Million Uniates with the Orthodox Church at Vilnius in 1831 St. Innocent (Borisov), Archbishop of Kherson (1857) Holy Martyr Celestine Venerable Olbian St. Dodo, Prince of Georgia (596) New Martyr Tavrion (Tolokontsev), Monk (1939) Matthew 28:16-20 (1st Matins Gospel) 16 Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them. 17 When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted. 18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Amen. Note 28:18 All authority has been given to Me: Christ declares that the authority that was His by nature in His divinity is now also possessed by His glorified human nature. This human nature has now trampled the final enemy-death (1Co 15:20-28). 28:19 This Great Commission-our Lord's final commandment given on earth-is to be lived out in the Church until He returns again. Making disciples cannot be done in the strength of man, but only in the power of God. The power of the Resurrection is not only for Jesus Himself, but is given to all believers for Christian life and mission. 28:20 Christ Himself is present in each believer and in the Church always, both personally and in the Holy Spirit, for neither can be separated from the other. To the end of the age does not by any means imply that we will be separated from Him at the end of the world. He is with us now, and forever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen. Hebrews 11:33-12:2 33 who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. 35 Women received their dead raised to life again. Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. 36 Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment. 37 They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented- 38 of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth. 39 And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, 40 God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us. 1 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Note 11:33—12:2 This passage is read on December 17, the Feast of the Prophet Daniel; on August 1, the Procession of the Cross; and on the first Sunday after Pentecost, called the Sunday of All Saints. 11:37 Sawn in two: Some traditions say that Isaiah was killed in this manner by Manasseh. (See the pseudepigraphal Martyrdom of Isaiah; see also 2Ch 24:20-22; Jer 33:20–23; 2Mc 6:18–31; Mt 23:29–36.) 11:38 Caves: See 2Mc 6:11; 10:6. 11:40 See 9:15. Christ's Incarnation and all that He accomplished for us in the flesh redeems the OT saints, who by faith participate in His Resurrection and His Kingdom. Matthew 10:32-33, 37-38; 19:27-30 32 Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. 33 But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven. 37 He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. 38 And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. 27 Then Peter answered and said to Him, "See, we have left all and followed You. Therefore what shall we have?" 28 So Jesus said to them, "Assuredly I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name's sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life. 30 But many who are first will be last, and the last first. Note 10:32, 33, 37, 38; 19:27–30 This passage is read on the first Sunday after Pentecost, called Sunday of All Saints. 10:35–39 See note at Lk 12:53. To carry his cross, a true disciple must be ready, if necessary, to sacrifice even family relationships. 19:28 Judging: See note at Lk 22:30. 22:30 "Christ judges by discerning the heart, and not by examining deeds. So also the apostles are being shaped to exercise spiritual judgment concerning faith, and in rebuking error with virtue" (AmbM). The apostles will judge not with earthly judgment, but by the witness of their own lives. Since God's kingdom begins with the Resurrection of Christ, the authority of judgment has already been given to the apostles and their suc- cessors in the journey of the Church on earth (Mt 16:19; Jn 20:23). 19:29 Christ is not commanding believers to divorce spouses and abandon children. According to St. John Chrysostom, this refers to keeping faith under persecution even if it means to lose one's family. It also means to accept that unbelieving family members may cut off ties because of the believer's faith (see 1Co 7:12-16). Believers are promised a hundredfold of houses and relatives not in an earthly sense, but in a spiritual sense-the fathers and mothers of the Church, our brothers and sisters in Christ, and houses of worship and fellowship. REFLECTION Some misguided men think more about the end of the world than about the end of their lives, even though it is obvious that, when the end of a man's life has come, the end of the world has come for him, too. A brother standing in the presence of St. Seraphim of Sarov was turning over in his mind how he was going to ask the saint about the end of the world. St. Seraphim discerned his thought and said to him: "My joy! You think highly of the wretched Seraphim. How could I know when the end of the world will be, and that great day when the Lord will judge the living and the dead and render to each one ac- cording to his deeds? No, no, this is impossible for me to know!" And if the saints could not know, how could sinners know? Why should we know that which the Savior Himself did not find beneficial to reveal to us? It is much better to think that our death will come sooner than the end of the world, rather than that the end of the world will come be- fore our death. HOMILY on the nearness of the Judge Behold, the Judge standeth before the door (James 5:9). In one day, brethren, you can gain all eternity. And in one day, brethren, you can lose all eternity. You are given thousands of days on earth to determine your own personal, eternal salvation or your own personal, eternal damnation. But blessed a hundredfold be the day in which you repent of all your unclean deeds, words and thoughts, and return to God crying out for mercy! That day will be worth more to you than a thousand other days. What kind of day is that blessed day? It is a day of self-condemnation. When that day dawns, the man who until then judged the entire world will at once look and see himself as the greatest stain on God's world. He will become ashamed before God, ashamed before every man, and ashamed before every created thing of God in the world. Shame will begin to burn him like fire. Then he will recognize and confess: Truly, I am the greatest blot in God's world! Truly, all men are better than I! Truly, all things are more pure than I! I am blacker than burned wood, and until now I thought I was white! I am uglier than the frogs, and until now I thought I was as beautiful as an angel! Lord, Lord, Lord, have mercy on me a sinner and wash from me the mud of sin, so that I can, as much as possible, begin to resemble Thy creation! Brother, do not wait, do not wait for that blessed day of repentance to come by itself. Seize firmly, brother, the first day that comes to meet you and say: "You are the blessed day on which I will purchase life eternal!" Do not wait, my brother, do not wait, for Behold, the Judge standeth before the door! That Judge is the Living Lord Who created you and has seen and numbered all of your transgressions up to now. In a day or two, He may call you to the judgment, where you will not have even a word of justification. Seize the day! Seize the day of repentance! Seize the day before death has seized you! Behold, the Judge standeth before the door! O Lord, awesome and just, prolong the days of the sinner until he repents. To Thee be glory and praise forever. Amen. |
The man who cries out against evil men but does not pray for them will never know the grace of God.
-St. Silouan the Athonite
-St. Silouan the Athonite
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Originally Posted By Kalahnikid: Happy Feast of All Saints 🙏 This is one my favorite services. I like to ponder the Saints known only to God. We also were blessed to witness Baptism (of children) and Chrismation of an entire family at the end of Liturgy. The Chalice was brought back out and the family was served the Holy Gifts for the first time, which was very joyous to witness. I actually like next Sunday better, All Saints of North America. |
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Originally Posted By Kalahnikid: Happy Feast of All Saints 🙏 This is one my favorite services. I like to ponder the Saints known only to God. We also were blessed to witness Baptism (of children) and Chrismation of an entire family at the end of Liturgy. The Chalice was brought back out and the family was served the Holy Gifts for the first time, which was very joyous to witness. I fought crying from joy the entire time. It was so beautiful! |
Our liberties we prize and our rights we will maintain.
Glory to Jesus Christ. Glory forever!
Glory to Jesus Christ. Glory forever!
Remember your end, and you will not sin
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Many rich and powerful men would pay dearly to see the Lord or His Most Pure Mother, but God does not appear in riches, but in the humble heart... Every one of the poorest men can be humbled and come to know God. One need neither money nor reputation to come to know God, but only humility. St. Silouan the Athonite Saints 2nd Week after Pentecost. Apostles' (Peter & Paul) Fast. By Monastic Charter: Strict Fast (Bread, Vegetables, Fruits.) Fish is allowed in our diocese except on Wednesday and Friday. The Holy Disciple Carpus The Holy Disciple Carpus (from the 70) - was a disciple and companion of the holy Apostle Paul. In the 2nd Epistle to Timothy, the apostle mentions the name Carpus, at the house of whom in Troias he left a phelon and books (2 Tim. 4: 13). Knowing Carpus as a man of virtue and possessing a mind of lofty purity, the Apostle Paul made him bishop of Thracian Bereia. The disciple Carpus went preaching the Gospel to the island of Crete. Here he encountered Saint Dionysios the Areopagite (Comm. 3 October). In his reminiscences Dionysios recounts about a miraculous vision to the disciple Carpus. The holy disciple Carpus died peacefully at Bereia (according to other histories he received a martyr's end during the persecution under the emperor Nero). Holy Apostle Alphaeus of the Seventy Alphaeus was the father of two apostles from among the Twelve: James, the son of Alphaeus, and Matthew the Evangelist. He ended his earthly life peacefully. Venerable John the Confessor, of Psycha on the Bosphorus (ca. 825) New Martyr Alexander of Thessalonica Holy Martyrs Abercius and Helen, Children of Apostle Alphaeus (1st c.) St. Augustine, Archbishop of Canterbury, Evangelizer of England (ca. 605) Uncovering of the Relics (1521) of St. Macarius, Founder of Kalyazin Monastery (Tver) (1483) New Martyr George the New, of Kratovo (Sofia) (1515) New Hiero-Martyrs Milan Banjac and Milan Golubovic, of Drvar, Serbia (1941-1945) Tabynsk Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos St. Synesius, bishop of Carpasia on Cyprus (5th c.) St. Innocent, bishop of Chersonnesus Romans 2:28-3:18 28 For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh; 29 but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God. 1 What advantage then has the Jew, or what is the profit of circumcision? 2 Much in every way! Chiefly because to them were committed the oracles of God. 3 For what if some did not believe? Will their unbelief make the faithfulness of God without effect? 4 Certainly not! Indeed, let God be true but every man a liar. As it is written:"That You may be justified in Your words, And may overcome when You are judged." 5 But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unjust who inflicts wrath? (I speak as a man.) 6 Certainly not! For then how will God judge the world? 7 For if the truth of God has increased through my lie to His glory, why am I also still judged as a sinner? 8 And why not say, "Let us do evil that good may come"?-as we are slanderously reported and as some affirm that we say. Their condemnation is just. Note 2:29 The name Jew comes from "Judah," which means "the Lord be praised." A true Jew is one who seeks praise... not from men but from God. The goal of the legalist is to have praise from men; the goal of the spiritual person is to please God. 3:1, 2 While the Gentiles can find God through their conscience (2:14-16, 25- 29), they are not better off than the Jews. The Jews have the advantage of the oracles of God (that is, the Law and the Prophets) to lead them all the more to God. The advantage to the Jew is pedagogical; they are taught more thor- oughly and more precisely about God. Nevertheless, this advantage does not make the Jew any more righteous than the Gentile, for all are under sin (vv.9,23). 3:4 Let God be true but every man a liar means God remains faithful to His word and to His creation, while man is continually unfaithful to God. 3:10–18 These quotations from the OT speak to the questions Paul asks in vv.1-9. Matthew 6:31-34; 7:9-11 31 Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?" 32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. 9 Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? 11 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him! Note 6:32 Because the Gentiles served pagan idols, they remained consumed by dependence on earthly things. Those who follow God can be freed from this dependence. 6:33 The kingdom of God is the central theme of Jesus' teaching, and His righteousness is the subject of the Sermon on the Mount. Calling us to be free from anxiety about earthly things, Jesus directs us to look to heaven, secure in the faith that God will provide needed earthly blessings. 7:7-11 The verbs ask, seek, and knock are present progressives: "be asking," "be seeking," "be knocking." Note the synergy: our effort is commanded, but never apart from the immediate help of God. We ask in prayer; seek by learning God's truth; and knock by doing God's will. 7:11 Man is called evil not to condemn the whole race, but to contrast the im- perfect goodness that is in people (that is, our goodness is mingled with sin) with the perfect goodness of God (see 19:16, 17). If imperfect and even wicked people can do some good, all the more will God work perfect good. HYMN OF PRAISE The Holy Apostles The holy apostles, a small company, Illumined the world with heavenly light. On the wings of the Spirit they covered the world, So that they could give these same wings to the world. To palaces, huts, and mountains they went; They sweated on the roads and crossed the seas. For them, each day meant a new battle and new suffering. Wrestling with the world, they battled without moaning. Each day was different, but their thoughts were the same: Their thoughts were on Christ and their vision on Christ. What sort of day it would be, was all the same- To spend the night either in a palace or a prison- They cared only to uphold Christ in themselves, And with Him to quickly cover the earth. Whatever dinner or supper they ate, was all the same; They cared only that the Faith would shine throughout the world. Honors or blows: to them it was all the same; They cared only that Christ would reign over the world. Winged angels hovered over them, And rejoiced in them as in their own brothers. Holy apostles, sons of God, Pillars of the Church on the foundation of Christ- Even now they labor and build up the Church, Although as suns they shine in heaven. REFLECTION We should not desire the death of a sinner but his repentance. Nothing so grieves the Lord, Who suffered on the Cross for sinners, than when we pray to Him for the death of a sinner, thereby to remove the sinner from our path. It happened that the Apostle Carpus lost his patience and began to pray that God would send down death upon two sinful men: one a pagan and the other an apostate from the Faith. Then the Lord Christ Himself appeared to Carpus and said: "Strike me; I am prepared to be crucified again for the salvation of mankind." St. Carpus related this event to St. Dionysius the Areopagite, who wrote it down as a lesson to all in the Church that prayers are needed for sin- ners to be saved and not for them to be destroyed, for the Lord is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance (II Peter 3:9). HOMILY on the grace of God My grace is sufficient for thee (II Corinthians 12:9). The Lord did not even spare His apostles from temptations. That is why He gave them grace! When Satan himself began to malign the Apostle Paul, Paul prayed to God that Satan would depart from him. To this the Lord replied: My grace is sufficient for thee! That is, if you need to withstand Satan, My grace is sufficient for your endurance. If you need to struggle against Satan, again My grace is sufficient for you. If you wish to defeat Satan, again My grace is sufficient for you. Grace is an all-inclusive weapon. Grace is stronger than all opposition, than all assaults, than all the powers of darkness. Grace is invincible and victorious. Brethren, that is why we should pray to the Lord to give us His All- powerful grace. Grace is God within us. Grace is the Kingdom of God within us. When the grace of God is within us, then day is within our souls. And day signifies light, knowledge and fearlessness. Brethren, here on earth we cannot implore a greater good from God than the grace of God. If we were to receive the entire universe as a gift, that gift would be less than the grace of God. O Most-abundant Lord, the inexhaustible source of omnipotent grace, sprinkle our hardened hearts with Thy grace, that we might weep before Thy most-great goodness and our horrendous ingrati- tude. To Thee be glory and praise forever. Amen. ------------------------------ Study notes are from The Orthodox Study Bible Lives of Saints are from the Orthodox Calendar app, and Orthoprax app. Scripture is from the Orthodox Calendar app (I think it is NKJV) Hymn of Praise, Reflection, Homily are from The Prologue of Ohrid |
The man who cries out against evil men but does not pray for them will never know the grace of God.
-St. Silouan the Athonite
-St. Silouan the Athonite
Remember your end, and you will not sin
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Having read Holy Scripture very carefully, you should also read the holy Fathers who interpret the Scriptures. You will receive no less delight from reading the Fathers than you do from the Scriptures. The Fathers develop the hidden meanings in Scripture and with their own writings help us to understand what we did not before. St. Nicodemos of the Holy Mountain Saints The PriestMartyr Therapontos, Bishop of Sardis suffered for Christ during the III Century (the city of Sardis, or Sarda, was situated in the Asia Minor district of Lydia). In fulfilling his priestly service, Saint Therapontos enlightened with the light of the Christian faith and baptised many of the pagan-Hellenes (Greeks). For this, he was brought to trial before the governor Julian and fearlessly declared himself a Christian bishop. They threw him into prison, where for a long time he languished with hunger and thirst, and then they gave him over to cruel tortures, but the torments did not break the saint's valiant confessing of faith. In chains they led off the saint to the city of Sinaion in Phrygia, and thence to Ancyra. In these cities they again tortured him. They took him to the River Astala, where they stretched him cross-form and bare upon the ground, fastened to four posts driven into the ground, and they beat him fiercely. After this torture, they took the passion-bearer of Christ off to the outskirts of the Satalia diocese, part of the Sardis metropolitanate, and here after long beatings Saint Therapontos ended with his martyr's deed. The dry posts, to which the saint had been tied, and having soaked up his blood, gave forth green shoots and grew into large trees, the leaves of which were found to have curative powers through which many people received graced healing. 1996-2001 by translator Fr. S. Janos. Holy Martyrs Theodora and Didymus the Soldier, of Alexandria (304) St. David of Garesja Holy Martyr Julius the Veteran, at Dorostolum in Moesia (ca. 302) St. Michael of Parekhi, Georgia (8th-9th c.) St. Basil of Khakhuli, Son of King Bagrat Ill of Georgia (11th c.) St. Therapont, Abbot, of Belozersk and Mozhaisk (1426) Translation of the Relics (1472) of Sts. Cyprian (1406), Photius (1431), and Jonah (1461), Metropolitans of Kiev St. Therapontus, Monk of Monza Monastery (Galich) (1597) Translation of the Relics (1667) of St. Nilus of Stolobny (1554) St. John the Russian, Confessor, whose Relics are on the Island of Euboea (1730) St. Lazarus the Clairvoyant, Hieroschemamonk of Pskov Caves Monastery (1824) Greek cal.: Hiero-Martyr Helladius, Bishop (6th-7th c.) Holy Martyrs Alypius, Eubiotus, Paul and his Sister Juliana Romans 4:4-12 4 Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt. 5 But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness, 6 just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works: 7 Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, And whose sins are covered; 8 Blessed is the man to whom the LORD shall not impute sin." 9 Does this blessedness then come upon the circumcised only, or upon the uncircumcised also? For we say that faith was accounted to Abraham for righteousness. 10 How then was it accounted? While he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? Not while circumcised, but while uncircumcised. 11 And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while still uncircumcised, that he might be the father of all those who believe, though they are uncircumcised, that righteousness might be imputed to them also, 12 and the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also walk in the steps of the faith which our father Abraham had while still uncircumcised. Note 4:6-8 Faith not only predated the law, it remained active during the time of the law. As revealed in Ps 31, David discovered what Abraham had known: being forgiven comes by God's mercy through repentance, faith, and humility, not by works of the law. 4:11, 12 Because Abraham was circumcised as a sign of God's covenant, he is father to all Jews. Yet Abraham was living by faith when he was 75, but was not circumcised until he was 99 (Gn 12:4; 17:24). During this time of being uncircumcised, he was still righteous before God by faith; thus he is also the father of uncircumcised believers, the Gentiles. Imputed (v. 11) means "reckoned" or "rendered." This term does not refer to a mere legal stand- ing, but indicates that God's righteousness is actually given to mankind by grace. This righteousness transforms the whole person, internally and externally. Those who say God's righteousness is merely an external declar- ation or fiat that does not really become ours experientially miss the point and fall short of the truth. God's righteousness is a gift that indeed becomes our own, leading us to godliness (see article, "Deification" at 2 Peter). Deification Deification is the ancient theological word used to describe the process by which a Christian becomes more like God. St. Peter speaks of this process when he writes, "As His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness...you may be partakers of the divine nature" (1:3, 4). What does it mean to partake of the divine nature, and how do we experience this? To give an answer, let us first address what deification is not, and then de- scribe what it is. What deification is not. When the Church calls us to pursue godliness, to be more like God, this does not mean that human beings become divine. We do not become like God in His nature. That would not only be heresy, it would be impossible. For we are human, always have been human, and always will be human. We cannot take on the nature of God. St. John of Damascus makes a remarkable observation. The word "God" in the Scriptures refers not to the divine nature or essence, for that is unknowable. "God" refers rather to the divine energies-the power and grace of God that we can perceive in this world. The Greek word for God, theos, comes from a verb meaning "run," "see," or "burn." These are energy words, so to speak, not es- sence words. In John 10:34, Jesus, quoting Psalm 81:6, repeats the passage, "You are gods." The fact that He was speaking to a group of hypocritical religious leaders who were accusing Him of blasphemy makes the meaning doubly clear: Jesus is not using "god" to refer to divine nature. We are gods in that we bear His image, not His nature. What deification is. Deification means we are to become more like God through His grace or divine energies. In creation, humans were made in the image and likeness of God (Gn 1:26) according to human nature. In other words, humanity by nature is an icon or image of deity: The divine image is in all humanity. Through sin, however, this image and likeness of God was marred, and we fell. When the Son of God assumed our humanity in the womb of the blessed Virgin Mary, the process of our being renewed in God's image and likeness was begun. Thus, those who are joined to Christ, through faith, in Holy Baptism begin a process of re-creation, being renewed in God's image and likeness. We become, as St. Peter writes, "partakers of the divine nature" (1:4). Because of the Incarnation of the Son of God, because the fullness of God has inhabited human flesh, being joined to Christ means that it is again possible to experience deification, the fulfillment of our human destiny. That is, through union with Christ, we become by grace what God is by nature-we "become children of God" (Jn 1:12). His deity interpenetrates our humanity. Historically, deification has often been illustrated by the example of a sword in the fire. A steel sword is thrust into a hot fire until the sword takes on a red glow. The energy of the fire interpenetrates the sword. The sword never be- comes fire, but it picks up the properties of fire. By application, the divine energies interpenetrate the human nature of Christ. When we are joined to Christ, our humanity is interpenetrated with the energies of God through Christ's glorified flesh. Nourished by the Body and Blood of Christ, we partake of the grace of God-His strength, His righteous- ness, His love-and are enabled to serve Him and glorify Him. Thus we, being human, are being deified. Matthew 7:15-21 15 Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? 17 Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them. 21 Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord, shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Note 7:15 Вecause they can easily deceive others, those who put on a show of virtue or religion are more dangerous than those who are evil outright. Thus, we must be all the more cautious among those who are outwardly virtuous. 7:19 John the Baptist made the same statement in 3:10. 7:21, 22 A threefold testimony of the deity of Christ: (1) He calls Himself Lord-which refers to the divine name "Yahweh" of the OT; (2) He speaks of the will of My Father, which He fully knows and shares; (3) as judge, Christ is revealed as God, for only God can execute true judgment. In that day refers to the final judgment. HOMILY on the grace of God revealed throughout the ages That in the ages to come He might shew the exceeding riches of his grace (Ephesians 2:7). With his prophetic gift, the Apostle Paul prophesied about the riches of grace which, throughout the ages, would be poured out on the generations of mankind. We who live nearly twenty centuries after the time of the Apostle can attest to that which the Apostle prophesied in ages past. Just as beehives are filled with valuable and honey-bearing bees, so all the centuries from Christ until today are re- plete with grace-filled men, virgins and women. Oh, how abundantly the richness of the grace of God manifested itself on countless souls who at first were sinful and later became holy! Oh, how abundantly the richness of the grace of God manifested itself on men and women who were at first weak and fearful and then heroically confessed Christ the Lord and joyfully suffered for Him! Oh, how abundantly the richness of the grace of God manifested itself through the centuries on the simple and illiterate who became truly wise men and spiritual generals of the faithful armies of Christ! Brethren, just think how much more hidden holiness, unrevealed sacrifices, unrecorded heroism, unsung virtues lay hidden in the depths of twenty centuries of Christianity! When all of that is made known, everything from past centuries and those yet to come till the end of time, then angels and men will be astonished before the unspeakable riches of the grace of God. Then the Apostle Paul himself will have to cry out: "Even though I was an apostle, nevertheless, my word was too weak to express all the immeasurable richness of the grace of God which, out of love for man, has appeared in the world!" O Most-holy Trinity, our man-loving God, lift up our hearts that we may continually glorify and praise the exceeding great richness of Thy grace. To Thee be glory and praise forever. Amen. |
The man who cries out against evil men but does not pray for them will never know the grace of God.
-St. Silouan the Athonite
-St. Silouan the Athonite
| Forgot to mention over the weekend. The intro to Orthodoxy course our lay catechist is doing had nearly 20 people for the first class Saturday (90 min before Vespers). Some were regular members who wanted a refresher or had never learned a lot, but at least half were non-Orthodox. |
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Originally Posted By Marie: Forgot to mention over the weekend. The intro to Orthodoxy course our lay catechist is doing had nearly 20 people for the first class Saturday (90 min before Vespers). Some were regular members who wanted a refresher or had never learned a lot, but at least half were non-Orthodox. Wonderful. 
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Put not your trust in princes, in sons of men in whom there is no salvation.
Remember your end, and you will not sin
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Originally Posted By Marie: Forgot to mention over the weekend. The intro to Orthodoxy course our lay catechist is doing had nearly 20 people for the first class Saturday (90 min before Vespers). Some were regular members who wanted a refresher or had never learned a lot, but at least half were non-Orthodox. |
The man who cries out against evil men but does not pray for them will never know the grace of God.
-St. Silouan the Athonite
-St. Silouan the Athonite
Remember your end, and you will not sin
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Originally Posted By Marie: Snip from flyer https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/279183/IMG_0430-3776198.jpg Originally Posted By Marie: Originally Posted By Anastasios: What kind of subjects are gone over? Snip from flyer https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/279183/IMG_0430-3776198.jpg |
The man who cries out against evil men but does not pray for them will never know the grace of God.
-St. Silouan the Athonite
-St. Silouan the Athonite
Remember your end, and you will not sin
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Architect renderings and construction progress. Attached File Attached File Attached File |
The man who cries out against evil men but does not pray for them will never know the grace of God.
-St. Silouan the Athonite
-St. Silouan the Athonite
Remember your end, and you will not sin
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Originally Posted By Anastasios: Architect renderings and construction progress. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/369185/719610028_18088990559625618_228467658590-3776316.JPGhttps://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/369185/719161185_18088990523625618_824218404043-3776319.JPGhttps://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/369185/719171789_18088990550625618_118870986466-3776317.JPG I would love to come out and inspect some concrete 
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Put not your trust in princes, in sons of men in whom there is no salvation.
Remember your end, and you will not sin
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The saints were people like all of us. Many of them came out of great sins, but by repentance they attained the Kingdom of Heaven. And everyone who comes there comes through repentance, which the merciful Lord has given us through His sufferings. St. Silouan the Athonite Saints Saint Nicetas, Confessor and Bishop of Chalcеdon He renounced the world in his youth and with- drew to a life of monastic asceticism. Shining like the sun with virtues, he was noticed by the heads of the Church and was elevated to the episcopal throne of Chalcedon. As a bishop, he was especially merciful toward the less fortunate, and he greatly concerned himself with the welfare of orphans, widows and the poor. When the evil Leo the Armenian rose up against the icons, Nicetas courageously stood up in their defense, denouncing the emperor and explaining their meaning. Consequently, he endured great humiliation, calumny and imprisonment. He was finally exiled for his confession of the Faith, and in labors and sufferings presented himself to the Lord to receive a wreath of glory in the Kingdom of God. Holy Martyr Heliconis of Thessalonica (244) St. Ignatius, Bishop and Wonderworker of Rostov (1288) Hieromartyr Eutychius, Bishop of Melitene (1stc.) Holy Martyrs Crescens, Paul, and Dioscorides, of Rome (326) St. Alexander, Bishop of Thessalonica (4th c.) St. Germanus, Bishop of Paris (576) Hieromartyr Helladius, Bishop (6th-7th c.) St. William, Monastic Founder, of Gellone (Gaul) (812) St. Gerontius, Metropolitan of Moscow (1489) St. Sophronius, Monk, of Bulgaria (1510) New Martyr Mitros (Demetrius) of Tripolitsa (1794) St. Helen (Manturova), Nun of Diveyevo (1832) New Hiero-Martyrs Macarius (Morzhov), Hieromonk of Zosima Hermitage (Smolensk), and Dionysius (Petushkov), Hieroschemamonk of the St. Nilus of Stolobny Hermitage (Tver) (1931) New Hiero-Confessor Rodion (Fyodorov), Archimandrite, of the Holy Trinity-St. Sergius Lavra (1933) New Confessor Heraclius (Motyakh), Schemamonk, of Turkistan (1937) Blessed Domnica (Likvinenko), Ascetic, of Kherson (1967) Greek cal.: Blessed Andrew, Fool-for-Christ, of Constantinople (911) New Hieromartyr Arsenius, metropolitan of Beree in Macedonia New Hieromartyr Basil Preobrajensky, Priest (1940) Romans 4:13-25 13 For the promise that he would be the heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. 14 For if those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise made of no effect, 15 because the law brings about wrath; for where there is no law there is no transgression. 16 Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace, so that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all 17 (as it is written, "I have made you a father of many nations") in the presence of Him whom he believed- God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did; 18 who, contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was spoken, "So shall your descendants be." 19 And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah's womb. 20 He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, 21 and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform. 22 And therefore "it was accounted to him for righteousness." 23 Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him, 24 but also for us. It shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, 25 who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification. Note 4:13-18 Righteousness does not come through genetic or ethnic ancestry. Though the law requires one to become a Jew, this law only brings about wrath (v. 15). Why? Its purpose is not to save, but to make man aware of his sin or transgressions. True righteousness is based on God's promise (v. 14) and is received by faith. The righteous are those who receive God's promise in faith and not those of the law (v. 14), that is, those who are merely phys- ical offspring of Abraham. The true descendants of Abraham are the be- lievers, for he is the father of all who believe, whether Jew or Gentile. 4:25 Jesus died for the forgiveness of our offenses. If He had been a sinner, the law would have condemned Him as it did everyone else. But He is and has perfect love, and He is without sin. Thus, He perfectly fulfilled both the letter and the heart of the law, and the offering of Himself on the Cross is our jus- tification (see note at 3:24, 5:1). 3:24 Being justified refers to an ongoing state of righteousness and not merely to a one-time event. This justification requires a redemption: a sacrificial offering capable of (1) setting us free from sin and death, and (2) uniting us eternally with righteousness and life. In the OT, this sacrificial offering was prefigured by blood sacrifices- the killing of physically perfect animals for the temporal remission of sins (see Heb 9). Under the new covenant, Christ is the sacrificial offering that once for all eternally frees us from sin and death (Heb 10:14) and by His grace unites us with righteousness and life. 5:1 Faith in Christ makes us justified, an ongoing state of communion with Him. Because of this ongoing communion, we have peace with God which is also ongoing. The Greek word pistis, here translated as faith, can also be rendered "faithfulness." Faith is more than the conviction that something is true (Jam 2:19). Genuine faithfulness is continuous loyalty and obedience to God. Such faithfulness justifies a person through God's grace. Matthew 7:21-23 21 Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?" 23 And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!' Note 7:21, 22 A threefold testimony of the deity of Christ: (1) He calls Himself Lord- which refers to the divine name "Yahweh" of the OT; (2) He speaks of the will of My Father, which He fully knows and shares; (3) as judge, Christ is revealed as God, for only God can execute true judgment. In that day refers to the final judgment. HOMILY on the power of the Mystery of Matrimony Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cling to his wife and they shall be one flesh (Genesis 2:24). It is God's will that the human race multiply. The means by which this is accomplished have been devised by God's artistry. It is God's mystery how man leaves his father and mother and clings to his wife. To leave your parents does not mean to abandon your parents but rather to become parents yourselves. When children become parents, they are no longer only children, they are also companions of their parents. When wedded sons learn of the mystery and pain of child- birth, they then respect their parents even more. The marital union can never free a man from having respect for and obedience toward his parents. The original commandment of God to honor one's par- ents must be fulfilled. But, according to the natural cycle of things, a man leaves his parents and becomes a parent himself; he becomes a founder of a new future while his parents depart, having completed their role in the world. However, the "leaving" of one's parents does not consist in this alone. By a certain incomprehensible mystery, man clings to his wife and detaches himself from his parents. St. Theodoretus writes: "Christ Himself left his Father on high and united Him- self to the Church." My brethren, matrimony is a great and miraculous mystery, one of the greatest mysteries of God's plan. A pure and honorable marriage overflows with sublimity. A pure and honorable marriage, in the fear of God, is a vessel of the grace of the Holy Spirit. Whoever disdains marriage disdains the Spirit of God. Whoever defiles marriage with impurity blasphemes against the Spirit of God. Whoever abstains from marriage for the sake of the Kingdom of God must, in a different manner, prepare himself as a vessel of the Holy Spirit and must make himself fruitful in the spiritual realm in order not to be cut down as the barren fig tree. O God, Holy Spirit Almighty, assist those who are married, that in purity, fear and mutual love they may be as the Church of God, in which Thou joyfully abidest and governest all things for good. To Thee be glory and praise forever. Amen. |
The man who cries out against evil men but does not pray for them will never know the grace of God.
-St. Silouan the Athonite
-St. Silouan the Athonite
Remember your end, and you will not sin
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Originally Posted By Kalahnikid: I would love to come out and inspect some concrete Originally Posted By Kalahnikid: Originally Posted By Anastasios: Architect renderings and construction progress. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/369185/719610028_18088990559625618_228467658590-3776316.JPGhttps://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/369185/719161185_18088990523625618_824218404043-3776319.JPGhttps://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/369185/719171789_18088990550625618_118870986466-3776317.JPG I would love to come out and inspect some concrete |
The man who cries out against evil men but does not pray for them will never know the grace of God.
-St. Silouan the Athonite
-St. Silouan the Athonite
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Originally Posted By Anastasios: You're a concrete inspector? It's not my main job but yeah a little, plus I teach the class to be a certified concrete inspector. Those that can, do. Those that can't, teach.
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Put not your trust in princes, in sons of men in whom there is no salvation.
Remember your end, and you will not sin
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Originally Posted By Kalahnikid: It's not my main job but yeah a little, plus I teach the class to be a certified concrete inspector. Those that can, do. Those that can't, teach. Originally Posted By Kalahnikid: Originally Posted By Anastasios: You're a concrete inspector? It's not my main job but yeah a little, plus I teach the class to be a certified concrete inspector. Those that can, do. Those that can't, teach. |
The man who cries out against evil men but does not pray for them will never know the grace of God.
-St. Silouan the Athonite
-St. Silouan the Athonite
Remember your end, and you will not sin
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When we teach children to be good, to be gentle, to be forgiving (all these are attributes of God), to be generous, to love their fellow men, to regard this present age as nothing, we instill virtue in their souls, and reveal the image of God within them. St. John Chrysostom Commemoration of the First Ecumenical Council (325) The commemoration and praise of the Holy Fathers of the First Ecumenical Council is held on the Sunday before Pentecost, the Seventh Sunday after Pascha. This Council was held in Nicaea in the year 325 during the reign of the saintly Emperor Constantine the Great. The Council was convened to eliminate the confusion that Arius, a priest of Alexandria, had created by his false teaching. He taught that Christ was created in time by God and that He is not the pre-eternal Son of God, equal in being with God the Father. Three hundred and eighteen Holy Fathers participated in this Council. The Council condemned the Arian teaching, and Arius was anathematized since he refused to repent. The Council finally confirmed the Symbol of Faith [the Creed], which was later augmented at the Second Ecumenical Council. Many distinguished saints were present at the First Ecumenical Council, among whom the following stood out: St. Nicholas of Myra in Lycia, St. Spyridon, St. Athanasius, St. Achilles, St. Paphnutius, St. James of Nisibis, Macarius of Jerusalem, Alexander of Alexandria, Eustathius of Antioch, Eusebius of Caesarea, Metrophanes of Constantinople, John of Persia, Aristarchus of Armenia, and many others from the East. From the West, the following were present: Hosius of Cordova, Theophilus the Goth, Cecilianus of Carthage, and others. The most important work of this Council was the confirmation of the Symbol of Faith. The Council also established the time of the celebration of Pascha and issued twenty various canons. Holy Virgin-Martyr Theodosia of Tyre (308) Venerable Virgin-Martyr Theodosia of Constantinople (730) St. Alexander, Archbishop of Alexandria (328) Saint John of Ustiug, Fool-for-Christ and Miracle-worker, and Mary (13th c.) Holy Martyr Nannus (or John) of Thessalonica Holy Martyr Andrew of Chios Fall of the City of Constantinople Martyrs Cyril, Child Carellus, Primolus, Phinodus, Venustus, Gissinus, Alexander, Tredentius, and Jocunda, at Caesarea in Cappadocia (253-259) Sts. John, Votus, and Felix, Hermits in the Pyrenees (ca. 750) New Hiero-Confessor Luke (Voino-Yasenetsky), Archbishop of Simferopol (1961) Uncovering of the Relics (2000) of St. Job (Joshua in Schema) of Anzersk Island (Solovki) (1720) New Hieromartyr Euthymius (Agritellis), Bishop of Zela (Pontus) (1921) Greek cal.: Hiero-Martyr Olbian, Bishop of Anaea, and His Disciples, in the Province of Asia in Asia Minor (284-303) Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos "Surety of Sinners," in Moscow (1848) Memory of the Two Unknown Martyrs Memory of our venerable Father Jeremiah the Anchorite Blessed Constantine XI, last Byzantine emperor, martyred by the Turks (1453) New Martyr Theodore, bishop of Vrshats in Serbia, martyred by the Turks (1594) New Hieromartyr John Preobrajensky, Archdeacon, and Martyr Andrew Trophimov (1938) Romans 5:10-16 10 For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. 11 And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation. 12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned- 13 (For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. 14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come. 15 But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man's offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many. 16 And the gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned. For the judgment which came from one offense resulted in condemnation, but the free gift which came from many offenses resulted in justification. Note 5:10 Those who accept and appropriate Christ's love are reconciled to God, being restored to peace and communion with Him. God has not ceased to be our Friend, for He is unchangeable. We are the ones who have changed and thus need changing. So while we were still rebellious enemies of God, God was working in His love to restore us. 5:12 For Adam and Eve, sin came first, and this led to death. This death then spread to all men. The rest of humanity inherits death, and then in our mortal state, we all sin. Thus, all mankind suffers the consequences of Adam's "original sin." However, the Orthodox Church rejects any teaching that would assign guilt to all mankind for Adam's sin. We indeed suffer the consequences of others' sins, but we carry guilt only for our own sins. 5:13 Until the law came, sin worked freely in the world. From Adam to Moses, people suffered from mortality and committed all manner of sin. They were accountable to God for their sin under natural law (1:18–21; 2:14-16). But without the written law, the seriousness of their sin often remained clouded. God gave the law to Moses to expose the magnitude of man's sin. 5:14 After Adam, our sin could not be said to be in the likeness of his sin, because only Adam's sin brought mortality to our race. Yet the law of sin and death reigned because man overwhelmingly continued to sin in rebel- lion against God. However, among both Jews and Gentiles, some kept the law of nature and the law of Moses on the basis of inner faith. Yet these still suffered the death that reigned over humanity. Adam is a type, a prefigur- ing or a foreshadowing of Christ as the head of humanity. As the first man, Adam caused death to reign in the human race. As the new and perfect Man, Christ brings eternal life to humanity. 5:15-17 Just as immortality is far superior to mortality, so also the grace of Christ exceeds the death we inherited from Adam. For by grace, not only is Adam's sin covered, but the sins of the whole world are covered as well. In other words, justification in Christ far exceeds condemnation through Adam (v. 16). As we all inherited Adam's mortality (v. 15), we shall all inherit Christ's immortality. This saving gift (v. 15) must be received through faith. Though all will be raised, some will be raised to eternal life while others will be raised to eternal judgment (Jn 5:28, 29). Matthew 8:23-27 23 Now when He got into a boat, His disciples followed Him. 24 And suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves. But He was asleер. 25 Then His disciples came to Him and awoke Him, saying, "Lord, save us! We are perishing!" 26 But He said to them, "Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?" Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. 27 So the men marveled, saying, "Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?" Note 8:23–27 The Lord's mastery over creation is another sign that He is the Messiah and is divine. Commands to the sea and waves (v. 24) can only be issued by God (Job 38:8–11; Ps 65:5, 6; 106:29). Jesus was asleep because, as a man, he needed rest. In His Incarnation, He assumed all the natural actions of the flesh, of which sleep is one. The image of Christ and His disciples in a boat is traditionally used to illustrate the Church. God both permits storms and delivers us through them, so that we can see His protection more clearly. Christ's rebuke of the storm is also an illustration of His calming the tempests in the human soul. HYMN OF PRAISE The Fall of the City of Constantinople Emperor Constantine XI Constantine the Emperor bravely defends Constantinople, And to God he quietly prays within himself: "O Most-high God, Who lookest down from heaven, Thou dost not allow injustice to defeat justice. Christians have greatly sinned against Thee, And have horridly trampled upon Thy laws. This battle is not without Thy permission; Because of men's sins, blood is shed. If it is Thy will that this city fall, Encourage my people not to surrender, That the Cross not be trampled upon and that they not go over to Islam. Rather, let them endure bondage, until freedom returns. Let them be servants, let them even be slaves; Let hatred and ridicule fall upon them; But let them endure with hope and repentance And with bitter sighing for former sins, Until they wash away and expiate all their sins, And until they completely return to Thee. If they have Thee, they will be rich; Thou wilt replace all plundered treasures. Constantinople on earth-may it be or not be; Thou didst establish a Constantinople in heaven, Where, with Thy servants, Thou gloriously reignest. Behold, I stand before this Constantinople. O Blessed One, have mercy on our sinful souls. When it is built anew, let the old one be razed!" REFLECTION Oh, how great was the fearlessness of the holy men and holy women! When we read about their lives, both shame and pride are awakened involuntarily in us: shame that we have lagged so far be- hind them, and pride that they are of our Christian race. Neither sickness, nor prison, nor exile, nor suffering, nor humiliation, nor the sword, nor the abyss, nor fire, nor the gallows were able to shake the exalted peace of their souls, firmly attached to Christ, the Helmsman of the universe and of human history. When Emperor Julian apostatized from the Faith and began to lay waste Christianity throughout the entire empire, St. Athanasius the Great quietly spoke of him to the faithful: "It is a small cloud; it will pass!" (Nibicula est, transibit). And indeed, that dark cloud quickly passed, and Christianity lowered its roots even deeper and spread its branches all the more throughout the world. The impotent rage of Julian against Christ passed after several years with Julian's cry in his death-rattle: "O Nazarene, Thou hast con- quered!" O sons of God, why should we be afraid of anything, when God our Father fears nothing? CONTEMPLATION Contemplate the grace of God the Holy Spirit in the Mystery of Marriage: 1. How grace gives a certain dignity to the manner of the procreat- ing of the human race; 2. How it makes matrimony honorable by comparing it to the union of Christ with the Church. HOMILY on the twofold Mystery of Marriage This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the Church (Ephesians 5:32). Great is the mystery when a man leaves his father and mother and cleaves to his wife. The Apostle himself, who was raised to the third heaven and who saw many mysteries of heaven, calls the phys- ical union of men and women in marriage on earth "a great mystery." It is the mystery of love and life, and only the mystery of Christ's union with His Church is greater. Christ is called the Bridegroom, and the Church is called the Bride. Christ loves His Church so much that, because of her, He left His Heavenly Father-remaining with Him, of course, in unity of essence and divinity, and descended to earth and bound Himself to His Church. He suffered for her so that, by His Blood, He might cleanse her from every sin and defilement, and make her worthy to be called His Bride. With His love He warms the Church, with His blood He feeds the Church, and by His Holy Spirit He causes the Church to live and sanctifies and adorns her. What a husband is to a wife, so Christ is to the Church. Man is the head of woman and Christ is the Head of the Church. A woman obeys her husband, and the Church obeys Christ. A husband loves his wife as he loves his own body, and Christ loves the Church as His own Body. A husband loves his wife as he loves himself, and a wife reveres her husband; so also Christ loves the Church as His own self, and the Church reveres Christ. Since no one hates his own flesh but rather warms and nourishes it, so also Christ warms and feeds the Church as His own Body. Every individual human soul is the bride of Christ the Bridegroom, and the assembly of all the faithful is the bride of Christ the Bridegroom. The relationship of a believing man toward Christ is the relationship of the entire Church toward Christ. Christ is the Head of that great Body which is called the Church, and which is in part visible and in part invisible. O my brethren, this is a great mystery! It is revealed to us accord- ing to the measure of our love for Christ and of our fear of Christ's judgment. O Lord, gentle Savior, cleanse us, save us and adorn our souls, that we may be worthy of that immortal and indescribable unity with Thee in time and in eternity. To Thee be glory and praise forever. Amen. |
The man who cries out against evil men but does not pray for them will never know the grace of God.
-St. Silouan the Athonite
-St. Silouan the Athonite
Remember your end, and you will not sin
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A child cries when his mother washes him, and those of little faith murmur at God when they are in trouble, which cleanses the soul like water cleanses the face. St. Symeon of Montenegro All Saints Day Through the Apostolic Constitutions (Book VIII, ch. 42), the Church of Christ has received the custom to make commemorations for the departed on the third, ninth, and fortieth days after their repose. Since many throughout the ages, because of an untimely death in a faraway place, or other adverse circumstances, have died without being deemed worthy of the appointed memorial services, the divine Fathers, being so moved in their love for man, have decreed that a common memorial be made this day for all pious Orthodox Christians who have reposed from all ages past, so that those who did not have particular memorial services may be included in this common one for all. Also, the Church of Christ teaches us that alms should be given to the poor by the departed one's kinsmen as a memorial for him. Besides this, since we make commemoration tomorrow of the Second Coming of Christ, and since the reposed have neither been judged, nor have received their complete recompense (Acts 17:31; II Peter 2:9; Heb. 11:39-40), the Church rightly commemorates the souls today, and trusting in the boundless mercy of God, she prays Him to have mercy on sinners. Furthermore, since the commemoration is for all the reposed together, it reminds each of us of his own death, and arouses us to repentance. The Venerable Isaac the Confessor During the reign of Emperor Valens, the Arians, with the emperor's assistance, vehemently persecuted the Orthodox. Hearing of this per- secution, Isaac, a hermit somewhere in the east, left the wilderness and came to Constantinople to encourage the faithful and denounce the heretics. At the same time, the Emperor Valens departed to the north with his army against the Goths, who had come down from the Danube toward Thrace. Isaac came before the emperor and said to him: "O Emperor, open the churches of the Orthodox, and God will bless your path." The emperor ignored the elder and proceeded on his way. The following day, Isaac ran out again before the emperor, and again he repeated his warning. The emperor almost heeded the elder, but a certain advisor of his, a follower of the Arian heresy, prevented him. Isaac ran out before the emperor on the third day, grabbed the emperor's horse by the reins, begged the emperor to grant freedom to the Church of God, and threatened him with divine retribution if he acted contrary to his petition. The enraged emperor ordered that the elder be thrown into a chasm of mud and thorns. However, three angels appeared and pulled the elder out of the chasm. On the fourth day Isaac came before the emperor and prophesied a terrible death for him if he did not grant freedom to the Orthodox: "I am speaking to you, O Emperor. You will lead the army against the barbarians, but you will not be able to endure their attack. You will flee from them, but you will be captured and burned alive." Thus it happened. The barbarians cut down the Greek army like grass, but the emperor, with his Arian advisor, fled and hid in a basket. The barbarians arrived at that place and, learning where the emperor was, surrounded the basket and set it afire. Both the emperor and his advisor were burned alive. Following this, Theodosius the Great was crowned emperor. Theodosius, who heard about the prophecy of Isaac and its fulfill- ment, summoned Isaac and prostrated himself before him. Since peace reigned in the Church and the Arians were exiled, Isaac wanted to return to his wilderness, but he was persuaded to remain in Con- stantinople. An aristocrat, Saturninus by name, built a monastery for the Elder Isaac, where he lived a life of asceticism until his death, working many miracles. The monastery overflowed with monks and became a great monastery. Before his death, Isaac appointed his dis- ciple Dalmatus as abbot, after whom this monastery was later named. The God-pleasing Elder Isaac entered into eternity in the year 383, to rejoice in the vision of the face of God. St. Macrina (4th c.), Grandmother of Sts. Macrina, Basil the Great, Naucratius, Peter of Sebaste, and Gregory of Nyssa St. Venantius of Gaul (374), Brother of St. Honoratus of Lerins St. Hubert, Bishop of Liege (727) St. James, Monk of Starotorzhok Monastery in Galich (Kostroma) (15th-16th c.) Memory of Holy Martyr Natalius Holy Martyrs Eusebius, Romanus, Meletius (Teletius) Charalampus, Christina and a Crowd of Martyrs Holy Martyr Euplus Romans 5:17-6:2 17 For if by the one man's offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.) 18 Therefore, as through one man's offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man's righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. 19 For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man's obedience many will be made righteous. 20 Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, 21 so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. 1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? Matthew 9:14-17 14 Then the disciples of John came to Him, saying, "Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but Your disciples do not fast?" 15 And Jesus said to them, "Can the friends of the bridegroom mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast. 16 No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; for the patch pulls away from the garment, and the tear is made worse. 17 Nor do they put new wine into old wineskins, or else the wineskins break, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But they put new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved. Note 9:14–17 The Jews typically fasted twice a week (Lk 18:12), on Monday and Thursday. In addition, public fasts were regularly observed or occasionally pro- claimed (2Ch 20:3; 1Ez 8:49, 50; Est 4:16; Joel 2:15), especially on the Day of Atonement (Lv 16:31-34) and in times of mourning (Zec 7:5; 8:19). But the Jews saw the day of the Messiah as a wedding feast-a time of joy and gladness. Jesus here proclaims that day, declaring Himself to be the Messiah/Bridegroom. For Christians, fasting is not gloomy but desirable, a bright sadness, for by fast- ing, they gain self-control and prepare themselves for the Wedding Feast. The old garment and old wineskins stand for the Old Covenant and the Law, viewed as imperfect and temporary; the new wineskins are the New Covenant and those in Christ. The new wine is the Holy Spirit dwelling within renewed people, who cannot be constrained by the old precepts of the Law. HOMILY on the Mystery of Ordination And when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them (Acts 6:6). By laying their hands on the chosen faithful, the apostles conse- crated bishops, priests and deacons. It is apparent from this that the Christian Faith is not only a teaching but also a power. It is not enough merely to know; it is also necessary to have power. It is not enough merely to be chosen by men; one must also be confirmed by God. If power were not necessary for the priestly vocation, neither would the laying on of hands be necessary; only teaching passed from mouth to ear would be needed. The laying on of hands, therefore, signifies the transfer of authority and the descent of power on the chosen one. The power is in the grace of God, Who strengthens man, sancti- fies and illumines him. Truly, the grace of God is that which teaches, leads, shepherds, and through the Sacraments strengthens the flock of Christ. A priest is the vessel of this inexpressible, awesome and all-sufficient power of grace. Blessed is that priest who understands what a precious treasury he has become! Blessed is he if the fear of God does not leave him day and night until his last breath! There is no greater honor on earth, no greater responsibility than the calling of the priesthood. By the laying on of hands by the bishop, the priest has come into contact with the heavenly and eternal source of grace and with the authority of the apostles. By this, the priest has become a companion in grace and a concelebrant with all the Orthodox priests from apostolic times until today, with the great hierarchs, with the countless number of saints, confessors, miracle-workers, ascetics and martyrs. He is gently adorned by their dignity, but he bears the bur- den of their merit, their example, and their reproach. O my brethren, great and most great is the ministry of a shepherd of Christ's rational flock. He is responsible to pray to God for all, and all the faithful are required to pray to God for him. O Lord, Supreme Hierarch, sustain the Orthodox priests in strength, in wisdom, in purity, in zeal, in meekness and in every apos- tolic virtue by the grace of Thy Holy Spirit. To Thee be glory and praise forever. Amen. |
The man who cries out against evil men but does not pray for them will never know the grace of God.
-St. Silouan the Athonite
-St. Silouan the Athonite
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https://uoj.news/history-and-culture/87343-the-redemption-of-frank-atwood?_0wwUxlFHmsCUtcNcw-yvWSYlNP-lCwFGcR_JWyqvw_aem_pSsRzolobBVYsanLaf4Pag I found this fascinating... On June 8, 2022, a Great-Schema monk named Ephraim was put to death by the State of Arizona. In the world, Ephraim was known as Frank Atwood. In 1987, he was convicted of kidnapping and murder of eight-year-old Vicki Lynne Hoskinson in Tucson. He insisted he was innocent until his dying day. To be sure, there were some irregularities about his conviction. For instance, the evidence used to convict him was entirely circumstantial. There was no physical evidence linking Atwood or his car to the crime. There was, however, considerable reason to believe that law enforcement “contaminated” the evidence (likely on purpose) to secure a conviction. Most importantly, multiple witnesses reported seeing Vicki alive with an unidentified woman at a local shopping mall in the evening of September 17, 1984—hours after the alleged abduction by Atwood. The exculpatory evidence pointing to a female suspect was withheld from court. Meanwhile, jury reports of coercion and the prejudicial introduction of Atwood’s prior California convictions for unrelated crimes likely tainted the proceedings in a high-profile child murder case. Crucially, despite Atwood’s many appeals, the State of Arizona never allowed this evidence to be presented in open court. Nevertheless, Frank Atwood was far from innocent. He had been in trouble with the law for most of his life—including charges of kidnapping and child molestation. At the time of his arrest for the murder of Hoskinson, he was out on parole for the sexual abuse of an 8-year-old boy. In the years he spent waiting for his execution, he also began to suffer from severe spinal deterioration that confined him to a wheelchair and caused him constant pain. Atwood seemed doomed to live out his final years in misery. Then, by chance, he picked up a copy of Metr. Hierotheos of Nafpaktos’s book "Orthodox Psychotherapy," a modern classic on healing the soul through the therapeutic tradition of the Church Fathers. Atwood then began reaching out to modern Orthodox elders, beginning with Metr. Athanasios of Limassol, then abbot of Machairas Monastery in Cyprus. He soon made contact with St. Anthony the Great Monastery in Florence, Arizona. In 2000, with the blessing of Elder Ephraim, Atwood was baptized by Elder Paisios. He was given the name Anthony. From that point onward, Atwood immersed himself in the life of the Church, right there on death row. He fasted, kept vigils, and studied the Scriptures and Church Fathers. He practiced the Jesus Prayer faithfully, eventually achieving prayer of the heart. Before his spinal condition rendered him wheelchair-bound, he would make 300 prostrations every day to Christ and 200 to the Theotokos. He produced hand-drawn icons and poetry reflecting his growing love for Christ. Elder Paisios, Metr. Hierotheos, and others noted the sincerity of his repentance—not merely for any specific crime, but for the totality of a life lived apart from God. Atwood’s story echoes the lives of the great repentant saints: the Apostle Paul, once a persecutor; St. Moses the Black, a violent brigand; or St. Dismas, the thief on the cross. His prison cell became a desert where he was able to work out his salvation with fear and trembling. His correspondence reveals a soul grappling earnestly with sin, bravely confronting his mortality, and seeking union with God. His sponsors and monastic community, including monks and nuns who witnessed his transfiguration, affirmed the authenticity of this change and swore to his innocence in the murder of poor Vicki Lynne. Yet, even amid appeals and public scrutiny, his focus remained on Christ, not self-justification. In a final email to Metr. Hierotheos, he wrote (among other, deeply moving things): After my deliberation hearing on May 24, the victim’s family passed by my cage and the girl’s uncle smiled and said, “Now you will finally get the needle in your arm.” I bent down and smiled. For 40 years this man despised me, and now he has the opportunity to curse me to my face. How good it must have felt! I was happy! I do not agree with his hatred, but I think I understand it, and I’m sorry that he needs to do this to feel better. On the eve of his execution, June 7, 2022, Atwood was tonsured a monk, receiving the Great Schema. He was given a new name, Ephraim. "He was an example like the Good Thief," Metr. Athanasios of Limassol stated. "Frank was a thief, Anthony became an Orthodox Christian and Ephraim became a monk. These are all examples of God's love and God's mercy." The following morning, June 8, he underwent lethal injection at the Arizona State Prison in Florence. A Greek Orthodox priest accompanied him into the chamber—the first such instance in state history—laying hands upon him in prayer. Witnesses described Atwood as calm and composed. He was so calm, in fact, that he helped the executioner to locate the vein where the fatal cocktail of drugs would be injected. Then he uttered his final words, “May God forgive us all.” |
Put not your trust in princes, in sons of men in whom there is no salvation.
Remember your end, and you will not sin
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If you become rich, consider whether or not you could worthily bear poverty. If you are happy, imagine how you could worthily meet unhappiness. When people praise you, think how you might worthily bear insult. And, all your life, think how you might worthily meet death. St. Nicholai Velimirovic Holy Apostle Hermas of the Seventy Hermas was one of the Seventy Apostles. He is mentioned in the Epistle of St. Paul to the Romans (Romans 16:14). Hermas was a Greek by birth but lived in Rome for a long time. He was a Bishop in Philipopoulis and ended his life as a martyr. He compiled a very instructive book called The Shepherd according to revelations from an angel of God. Hermas was a wealthy man, but because of his sins and the sins of his sons, he fell into extreme poverty. Once, while in prayer, a man appeared to him in white raiment with a staff in his hand and told him that he was an angel of repentance who had been sent to be with him until the end of his life. The angel gave him twelve commandments: 1. Believe in God; 2. Live in simplicity and innocence; do not speak evil; give alms to all who beg; 3. Love truth and avoid falsehood; 4. Preserve chastity in your thoughts; 5. Learn patience and generosity; 6. Know that a good and an evil spirit attend every man; 7. Fear God and fear not the devil; 8. Perform every good act and refrain from every evil deed; 9. Pray to God from the depth of your soul with faith that your prayer will be fulfilled; 10. Guard against melancholy, the sister of doubt and anger; 11. Test true and false prophecies; 12. Guard against every evil desire. Holy Martyr Hermias, at Comana (160) Holy Martyr Philosophus, at Alexandria (252) Martyr Marus the Magician (160), Converted on Witnessing the Martyrdom of St. Hermias St. Eustathius, Patriarch of Constantinople (1025) First Translation of the Relics (1591) of Hiero-Martyr Philip, Metropolitan of Moscow and All Russia (1569), to Solovki St. Philotheus, Metropolitan of Tobolsk (1727) New Hieromartyr Archpriest Philosophus Ornatsky, with His Sons Martyrs Nicholas and Boris, in St. Petersburg (1918) New Hiero-Martyrs Hierotheus (Afonin), Bishop of Nikolsk (1928), and Hieroschemamonk Seraphim (Nikolsky) (1923) Finding of the Relics (1960) of New Martyr Nicholas the Deacon, of Mytilene (1463) Five Martyrs of Ascalon Romans 3:19-26 19 Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. 20 Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin. 21 But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, 26 to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. Note 3:19 Since the law reveals sin, all the world is accountable before God by the very presence of the law. 3:20 The law cannot justify a person (that is, bring them into an ongoing state of communion with God) because that is not the purpose of the law, nor does it have that power. The purpose of the law is to reveal the knowledge of sin-that we have fallen from communion with God-in order to turn our hearts to repentance. 3:21, 22 The law may be kept by obedience (Lv 18:5) and by faith (Dt 30:14). Obedience without faith cannot bring anyone to righteousness. Yet faith, even apart from the law, can bring a person to righteousness, because Jesus Christ supersedes the law. 3:23 The ultimate purpose of man's existence is to attain the glory of God. Even if a person were to keep the whole law, he would still fall short of that glory, because he would still be bound by death. The glory of God is both eternal righteousness and eternal life. Jesus Christ alone lived in completed righteousness, and He alone was resurrected from the dead. Therefore, He alone is the fullness of the glory of God, and we receive that glory in Him (see Jn 14:6). 14:6 The way, the truth, and the life: The way we reach the Father is forever established in the Person and work of the Son. The Son is the truth because He is the unique revelation of the Father. Christ is the life who became Man so we might have life, and as He is our life, not even death can hinder us from coming to Him. Only in Christ can one come to know the Father, for only in Christ is the way of all truth and all life found. Matthew 7:1-8 1 Judge not, that you be not judged. 2 For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. 3 And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me remove the speck from your eye'; and look, a plank is in your own eye? 5 Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye. 6 Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces. 7 Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Note 7:2 We will be judged with our own level of judgment because we are guilty of the very things we judge in others (Rom 2:1). We ourselves have failed in repent- ance and in fleeing from sin. To pass judgment is to assume God's authority. The second part of this verse is found in Mk 4:24 and in Lk 6:38, each in a differ- ent context, as Jesus no doubt repeated this particular message many times. 7:6 Dogs and swine refer to heathen peoples (Php 3:2; Rev 22:15), but would also include Jews who do not practice virtue. According to the Fathers, dogs are those so immersed in evil that they show no hope of change, while swine are those who habitually live immoral and impure lives. The pearls are the inner mysteries of the Christian faith, including Christ's teachings (13:46) and the great sacraments. These holy things are restricted from the immoral and unre- pentant, not to protect the holy things themselves, for Christ needs no protec- tion. Rather, we protect the faithless people from the condemnation that would result from holding God's mysteries in contempt (see note on Lk 23:8, 9). 23:8, 9 Herod sees Jesus as a novelty. Christ's silence is an act of compassion, for revealing divine mysteries in the face of such blasphemy would have brought Herod even greater condemnation. St. Ambrose sees Herod as a figure representing all unrighteous people who, if they do not recognize Jesus as the Christ, will never understand His words nor recognize His miracles. HOMILY on the Mystery of Holy Unction ...And anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them (Mark 6:13). The holy apostles did this, and it is commanded that we do the same. The Apostle James writes to us: Is any sick among you? Let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him (James 5:14-15). One must not call anyone except the priests, the elders of the church. One must not anoint him in any other name except the name of the Lord, so that it will not appear to be witchcraft. No one will be able to raise him except the Lord Himself, neither can anyone forgive his sins except the One Lord. Why oil and not something else? Because it is commanded, and so that we may show obedience and faith. Why is it commanded that we be baptized with water, and chrismated with myrrh, and communi- cated with bread and wine? That is God's choice and God's prudence, and it is for us to believe and to obey. Various elements are used in the different Mysteries, but the grace of God is one as our Lord is one, and everything is from the Lord. Why does our Lord need material objects in order to pour out His grace upon us? The Lord does not need material objects, but we do; as long as we are material, we need them. Condescending to our weakness, the Lord uses matter. To the incor- poreal angels He gives grace in an incorporeal manner. Oil alone is ineffectual in itself, just as every other material is in- effectual in itself; but the grace of God is all-powerful. Through oil the Lord gives the grace of His Holy Spirit, and that grace heals the sick, raises the infirm, and restores sanity to the insane. O my brethren, how inexpressible is God's goodness! What did God not do for us? And what more could we possibly desire? He knew all of our needs beforehand, and He foresaw the cures in advance for all of them. He only seeks from us that we believe in Him and fulfill His prescriptions. Is it not insolent and shameful that we often conscien- tiously fulfill the prescriptions of physicians, mortal men like us, and neglect the prescriptions of the Immortal God? O All-good Lord, thaw our stony hearts by the power of Thy grace, so that before the hour of our death we may show the gratitude we owe Thee, O our All-good and our All-wise God! To Thee be glory and praise forever. Amen. |
The man who cries out against evil men but does not pray for them will never know the grace of God.
-St. Silouan the Athonite
-St. Silouan the Athonite
Remember your end, and you will not sin
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In all things that you find in the Holy Scriptures, seek out the purpose of the words, that you may enter into the depth of the thoughts of the saints and understand them with greater exactness. Do not approach the reading of the Divine Scriptures without prayer and asking the help of God. Consider prayer to be the key to the true understanding of that which is said in the Holy Scriptures. St. Isaac the Syrian The Holy Martyr Justin the Philosopher The Holy Martyr Justin the Philosopher was born at Sykhem - an ancient city of Samaria. Justin's parents, being Greeks, were pagan. From the time of his childhood the saint displayed profundity of mind, love for knowledge and a fervent devotion to the cognition of Truth. When he came of age he studied the various schools of Greek philosophy: the Stoics, the Peripatetics (Aristotelians), the Pythagoreans, the Platonists - and he concluded, that none of these pagan teachings revealed the way to the knowledge of the True God. Once, when he was strolling in a solitary place beyond the city and pondering about where to seek out the way to the knowledge of Truth, he met an old man, who in the ensuing conversation revealed to Justin the essential essence of the Christian teaching and advised him to seek out the solutions to all the questions of life in the books of Holy Scripture. "But before anything else, - said the holy elder, - pray diligently to God, so that He might open to thee the doors of Light. No one is able to comprehend Truth, unless it be given him in understanding by God Himself, Who revealeth it to each that seeketh Him in prayer and in love". In his 30th year of life Justin accepted holy Baptism (between the years 133 and 137). From this time Saint Justin devoted his talents and vast philosophical knowledge to preaching the Gospel among the pagans. He began to journey about throughout the Roman empire, everywhere sowing the seeds of the faith of salvation. "Whosoever is able to proclaim Truth and does not proclaim, that one will be condemned by God", he wrote. Justin opened up a school, where he preached Christian philosophy. Saint Justin subsequently defended the veracity and the salvificity of the Christian teaching, persuasively confuting pagan sophistry (thus, for example, in a debate with the Cynic philosopher Crescentius) and heretical distortions of Christianity (in particular, he spoke out against the teachings of the Gnostic, Marcian). In about the year 155, when the emperor Antoninus Pius (138-161) started a persecution against Christians, Saint Justin personally gave him an "Apologia" (Apology) in defense of Christians innocently condemned to execution - Ptolemy and Lucias, the name of a third remaining unknown. In the "Apologia" he demonstrated the falseness of the slander against Christians accused "unjustly for the mere name as loathsome and transgressive Christians". The "Apologia" made such a favourable effect upon the emperor, that he ceased with the persecution. Saint Justin journeyed with the decision of the emperor to Asia Minor, - where they were persecuting Christians with particular severity, and he himself distributed the joyous message about the imperial edict throughout the surrounding cities and countryside. At Ephesus occurred the debate of Saint Justin with the Rabbi Trypho. The Orthodox philosopher on the basis of the Old Testament prophetic writings demonstrated the truth of the Christian teaching of faith. Saint Justin gave an account of this debate in his work "Dialogue with Trypho the Jew". A second "Apologia" of Saint Justin was addressed to the Roman Senate. It was written in the year 161, soon after Marcus Aurelius (161-180) ascended the throne. Having returned to Italy, Saint Justin, like the Apostles, preached everywhere the Gospel and by his Divinely-inspired words he converted many to the Christian faith. When the saint arrived at Rome, the envious Crescentius - whom Justin always defeated in debate - brought against him many false accusations before the Roman court. Saint Justin was put under guard, subjected to torture and accepted a martyr's death (+ 166). In addition to the above-mentioned works, the following array of compositions belong to the holy martyr Justin the Philosopher: "Observations about the Soul", "Demonstration against the Hellenes", "Speech against the Hellenes". Saint John Damascene preserved a significant part of a non-surviving work of Saint Justin "About the Resurrection". The church historian Eusebios asserts, that by Saint Justin were written books entitled "The Singer", "Denunciation of all Existing Heresies" and "Against Marcian". The relics of Saint Justin the Philosopher rest in Rome. In the Russian Church the memory of the martyr is particularly glorified in temples of his name. 1996-2001 by translator Fr. S. Janos. Holy Martyrs Justin, Chariton, Charita, Euelpistus, Hierax, Paeon, Valerian (Liberianus) and Justus (166) Venerable Agapitus, Unmercenary Physician, of the Kiev Caves Holy Martyr Thespesius of Cappadocia (230) Holy Martyr Firmus of Magus (284-303) St. Mertius the Farmer, of Myra in Lycia (912) St. Dionysius of Glushitsa (Vologda), Monastic Founder (1437) Sts. Shio the New, David, Gabriel, and Paul, of Gareji, Georgia (1696-1700) St. Justin (Popovic), Archimandrite, of Chelije in Serbia (1979) New Martyr Onuphrius, archbishop of Kursk and Oboyan (1938), New Hieromartyrs Cyprian Nelidov, hieromonk (1934), Michael Markov (1938) and Basil Preobrajensky, priests (1940), and New Martyr Vera Samsonova (1940) Synaxis of Holy Martyrs of Chelm and Podlasie: Archpriests Basil Martysz, Paul Szwajko and his wife Joanna, the priests Nicholas Holc, Leo Korobczuk, Peter Ochryzko and Sergius Zakharzuk, the monk Ignatius Romans 2:10-16 (Epistle) 10 but glory, honor, and peace to everyone who works what is good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 11 For there is no partiality with God. 12 For as many as have sinned without law will also perish without law, and as many as have sinned in the law will be judged by the law 13 (for not the hearers of the law are just in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be justified; 14 for when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves, 15 who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them) 16 in the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel. Note 2:14-16 A Gentile is counted as a Jew-as one of God's people-when his con- science leads him to righteousness the way the law leads a virtuous Jew. The law written in their hearts (v. 15) refers to a person's conscience. Ве- cause man's conscience is God-given, it has the same power to lead a person to God as the law does. According to St. John Chrysostom, those who are able to follow their conscience to God are more virtuous than those with the law, for they do not have the advantage of concrete instructions yet still desire to please God (however, see 3:1, 2). Matthew 4:18-23 (Gospel) 18 And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. 19 Then He said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men." 20 They immediately left their nets and followed Him. 21 Going on from there, He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets. He called them, 22 and immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him. 23 And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people. Hebrews 11:33-12:2 (Epistle, Saints) 33 who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. 35 Women received their dead raised to life again. Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. 36 Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment. 37 They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented- 38 of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth. 39 And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, 40 God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us. 1 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Note 11:33—12:2 This passage is read on December 17, the Feast of the Prophet Daniel; on August 1, the Procession of the Cross; and on the first Sunday after Pentecost, called the Sunday of All Saints. 11:37 Sawn in two: Some traditions say that Isaiah was killed in this manner by Manasseh. (See the pseudepigraphal Martyrdom of Isaiah; see also 2Ch 24:20-22; Jer 33:20-23; 2Mc 6:18-31; Mt 23:29-36.) 11:38 Caves: See 2Mc 6:11; 10:6. 11:40 See 9:15. Christ's Incarnation and all that He accomplished for us in the flesh redeems the OT saints, who by faith participate in His Resurrection and His Kingdom. Matthew 4:25-5:12 (Gospel, Saints) 25 Great multitudes followed Him-from Galilee, and from Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond the Jordan. 1 And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him. 2 Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying: 3 Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted. 5 Blessed are the meek, For they shall inherit the earth. 6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled. 7 Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy. 8 Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God. 9 Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called sons of God. 10 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. 12 Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. Note 5:1, 2 In the OT, only a select few were chosen to hear God directly (see Ex 19:3- 13). Here, God Incarnate speaks to the multitudes face to face. The mountain is a place where divine action enters human history, the place where God re- veals Himself to man (17:1; Gn 22:2; Ex 3:1; 19:2; 3Kg 18:20). Seated is the traditional Jewish position for teaching with authority. Some early Christian preachers (for example, St. John Chrysostom) sat while the people stood. Mat- thew mentioning that Jesus opened his mouth emphasizes this teaching is "one-way," that Jesus has come to speak with authority (7:29), and the disciples are there not to discuss or debate, but to listen. 5:3 Blessed in this context indicates heavenly, spiritual exaltation rather than earthly happiness or prosperity. In Hebrew, "poor" means both (1) the materially poor and (2) the faithful among God's people. The poor in spirit are those who have the heart of the poor, the same attitude as the poor, and are totally dependent on God. 5:4 Those who mourn sorrow over the sufferings of this life (9:23), the sufferings of others (Jn 11:35), the state of the world (Lk 19:41), and their own sins (Lk 7:36-38). All of these are comforted by the power of God both in this world and in the age to come. Holy sorrow is part of repentance, conversion, and virtuous action, and is the firstfruit of infinite joy. It is to be distinguished from ungodly sorrow, a sadness that leads to despair (see 2Co 7:10). 5:5 Meekness is an attitude of being content with both honor and dishonor. It is an imitation of Christ, who said, "Learn from Me, for I am gentle [meek] and lowly in heart" (11:29). The meek are God-controlled and have mastery over their passions, especially anger. Meekness is not passive weakness, but strength directed and under control. The earth that the meek will inherit is not power or possession in this world, but the new earth, which is everlasting (Rev 21:1). 5:6 Those who hunger and thirst for righteousness see the presence of God and His Kingdom as the most important thing in life. They have a desperate craving for what is right before God, comparable to a starving person's craving for food (see 6:33). 5:7 Mercy is love set in motion, expressed in action. God's mercy in taking our sufferings on Himself in order to grant us His Kingdom sets us free from cap- tivity to the evil one. In view of God's mercy to all, we in turn are to be merciful to all. 5:8 "Pure" means unmixed with anything else. The pure in heart are completely devoted to the worship and service of God and accept no compromises. With the aid of the Holy Spirit, those who achieve purity practice all virtue, have no conscious evil in themselves, and live in temperance. This level of spirituality is attained by few, but all may strive for it. When the soul's only desire is God, and a person's will holds to this desire, then that person will indeed see God everywhere. 5:9 Being the source of peace, Christ found no price sufficient for peace other than shedding His own blood. In doing so, Christ reveals Himself to us as the Reconciler, the Prince of peace (Is 9:6; Eph 2:14–16). The Holy Spirit gives peace to those who imitate Christ. Thus, peacemakers share God's peace with those around them, imitating Christ's sacrificial love and participating in His work. By God's grace, peacemakers become sons of God themselves. 5:10 Children of God uphold truth, refuse to compromise with the ways of the world, and give themselves to no other (6:24, 33; see 1Co 6:19, 20). Like Jesus, these will be persecuted for righteousness' sake (see Jn 15:18–20). Christ's kingdom is the crown awaiting the righteous. 5:11, 12 Those who suffer persecution for Christ walk the road of the prophets, saints, and martyrs. The Greek for be exceedingly glad means to "leap exceed- ingly with joy." (See Acts 5:40, 41.) HOMILY on what is the beginning of wisdom The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 1:7). If someone knew the number of stars in the heavens and the names of the fish in the sea and the amount of grass in the field and the habits of the beasts in the forest, but did not have the fear of God, his knowledge would be as water in a sieve. And his knowledge would make him a greater coward in the face of death than the completely ignorant. If someone could guess all the thoughts of mankind and foretell the fate of mankind and reveal every secret that the earth conceals in its depths, but did not have the fear of God, his knowledge would be as milk poured into an unclean container, by which all the milk would be spoiled. And, in the hour of his death, his wisdom would not shine even as much as a piece of charcoal without a flame, but would make the night of his death even darker. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. How can he who has not begun aright finish aright? Whoever has started out on a wrong path from the beginning must turn back and take up the correct beginning, that is, he must set his feet on the right path. He who does not have fear of God cannot have love for God. What are we talking about? He who has no fear of God has no faith in God. The greatest as- cetics, those who mortified themselves and who lived a life of asceti- cism day and night for forty or fifty years, were filled with the fear of God until death, and these, the most sinless among mortals, cried out at their hour of death: "O God, have mercy on me a sinner!" The fear of God is the salt of all piety. If there is no such salt then all of our piety is insipid and lax. The fear of God girds the loins, girdles the stomach, makes the heart sober, restrains the mind, and flogs self- will. Where is repentance without the fear of God? Where is humility? Where is restraint? Where is chastity? Where is patience? Where is service and obedience? O my brethren, let us embrace this word as the holy truth: The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. O Lord Almighty, implant Thy fear in our hearts. To Thee be glory and praise forever. Amen. |
The man who cries out against evil men but does not pray for them will never know the grace of God.
-St. Silouan the Athonite
-St. Silouan the Athonite
Remember your end, and you will not sin
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Whoever has a spiritual gift and compassionate toward one who does not have it guards his gift through his compassion. But whoever is proud of his gift loses it through self-opinion. St. Mark the Ascetic Saint Nicephorus the Confessor, Patriarch of Constantinople Nicephorus was a nobleman of Constantinople. His father, Theodore, a high-ranking official of the imperial court, was wealthy and pious. Nicephorus served at the court for several years in the same profession as his father. Seeing all the vanity of the world, he withdrew to the shores of the Bosphorus and founded a monastery. The monastery was quickly filled with monks and he governed it; but he was not willing to receive the monastic tonsure, under the pretext that he was not worthy, even though in all things he served as a model to all. Before that,he had participated in the Seventh Ecumenical Council [Nicaea, 787] as a layman, at the wishes of the emperor and the patriarch, and the Council had benefitted greatly from his superior knowledge of Sacred Scripture. When Patriarch Tarasius died, Nicephorus was elected patriarch against his will. Immediately following his election in the year 806, he received the monastic tonsure and, in succession, all the ecclesiastical ranks. He was enthroned as patriarch in the Church of Hagia Sophia. This took place during the reign of Emperor Nicephorus, who immediately after that went to war against the Bulgarians and was slain. His son Stauracius reigned only two months and died. After him there ruled the good Emperor Michael, surnamed Rangabe, but he reigned for only two years, until he was overthrown by Leo the Armenian and exiled. When Leo was to be crowned, the patriarch sent him a book of the Orthodox Confession of Faith to sign (according to the custom of all Byzantine emperors, which was considered an oath that they would uphold and defend the true Faith). The emperor did not sign it but rather postponed signing it until after the coronation. When the patriarch crowned him, Leo refused to sign the book, and he quickly proved himself to be a her- etic, an iconoclast. The patriarch attempted to advise him and restore him to the true Faith, but in vain. The emperor forcibly banished Nicephorus to the island of Proconnesus, where he remained for thirteen years, enduring every kind of misery and privation, and he entered into eternity in the year 827. He governed the Church of Christ as patriarch for nine years. Holy New Martyr Constantine (1819) Holy Great-Martyr John the New of Suceava Hieromartyr Erasmus of Ohrid Hieromartyr Pothinus, Bishop of Lyons (ca. St. Marinus of Constantinople (ca. 930), Son of St. Mary the New, of Byzia St. Nicephorus, Bishop of Milet (11th c.) Right-Believing Prince Andrew of Nizhegorod (1365) New Martyr Demetrius of Philadelphia (1657) Uncovering of the Relics (1819) of St. Juliana, Princess of Vyazma (Novotorzhok) (1406) Greek cal.: Hiero-Martyr Erasmus, Bishop of Formia in Campania, and 20,000 Martyrs with him (303) St. Odo, Archbishop of Canterbury (959) Memory of the Thirty-Eight Holy Martyrs Memory of Devout Mother and Her Three Children Memory of the Ten Thousand Martyrs of Antioch Romans 7:1-13 1 Or do you not know, brethren (for I speak to those who know the law), that the law has dominion over man as long as he lives? 2 For the woman who has a husband is bound by the law to her husband as long as he lives. But if the husband dies, she is released from the law of her husband. 3 So then if, while her husband lives, she marries another man, she will be called an adulteress; but if her husband dies, she is free from that law, so that she is no adulteress, though she has married another man. 4 Therefore, my brethren, you also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you may be married to another-to Him who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God. 5 For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were aroused by the law were at work in our members to bear fruit to death. 6 But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter. 7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, I would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said, "You shall not covet." 8 But sin, taking opportunity by the commandment, produced in me all manner of evil desire. For apart from the law sin was dead. 9 I was alive once without the law, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died. 10 And the commandment, which was to bring life, I found to bring death. 11 For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it killed me. 12 Therefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good. 13 Has then what is good become death to me? Certainly not! But sin, that it might appear sin, was producing death in me through what is good, so that sin through the commandment might become exceedingly sinful. Note 7:1-4 Paul has affirmed that justification, our ongoing communion with God, comes by faith in Christ and not by following the works of the law. These verses use examples from the law to prove our ultimate need to be free from the law. Under the Law of Moses, only death releases a person from marriage (v. 2), while divorce does not (v. 3). Likewise, Christ's death brings about our death to the law so that we can be married to another, that is, to Christ (v. 4). 7:5, 6 Flesh here refers to unredeemed man under the power of sin and death. In this condition, sinful passions are awakened when man faces the demands of the law (see vv. 7-10). Aroused by is more properly translated "aroused through." The law merely brings to light our bondage to sin; it does not cause us to sin. Christian believers, on the other hand, live in a new mode of existence by the power of the Holy Spirit. As we have been liberated from the ways of the flesh, in our marriage to Christ (v. 4) we bear fruit to God. Letter (v. 6) refers to the Mosaic Law. 7:7–12 The law was intended to reveal the depth of humanity's sin so that we would turn to Christ in repentance and faith. The law also had the effect of increasing re- bellion and sin in many people. This is not because the law itself is bad, but because unredeemed humanity craves to do what is forbidden. Matthew 9:36-10:8 36 But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. 37 Then He said to His disciples, "The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. 38 Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest. 1 And when He had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease. 2 Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; 3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus; 4 Simon the Cananite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed Him. 5 These twelve Jesus sent out and commanded them, saying: "Do not go into the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter a city of the Samaritans. 6 But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7 And as you go, preach, saying, 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand.' 8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give. Note 9:36 Jesus does not condemn sinners, but sees them as lost sheep to be found and brought home. Compassion means "suffering with." The illustration of sheep having no shep- herd, drawn from the OT (Nm 27:17; 3Kg 22:17; Ezk 34:5), is an accusation against the Jewish leaders who, charged with the duty of shepherds, acted as wolves. 9:36;10:1-8 This passage is read on June 30, the Synaxis of the Twelve Apostles. 9:37, 38 The harvest suggests the abundance of those who are ready to accept the King- dom. Jesus is both the Sower and the Lord of the harvest. His disciples are sent not to sow, but to reap what He had sown by the prophets (see note at Jn 4:36-38). How many are sent to harvest is less important than with what power they go into the harvest (10:1). 10:1-4 Disciples (v. 1) and apostles (v. 2) are often used interchangeably for the twelve. Disciple means learner," and apostle means "one sent out." Jesus gave them power to perform miracles, while He performed them by His own power. The names of the Twelve are not the same in all lists, as many people had more than one name. The names here are given in pairs, suggesting who may have traveled together on this "first mis- sionary journey," as Mark reports they were sent out two by two (Mk 6:7). 10:1,5–8 This passage is read on days commemorating holy unmercenary healers. 10:5–10 The disciples' mission is like Christ's: to preach (v. 7) and to heal (v. 8). Note that Jesus sends them only to the Jews. Christ's earthly ministry was focused on the Jews (15:24) so that, after the Resurrection, the Jews could not blame the disciples for going "to uncircumcised men" (Acts 11:3). Jesus prepares them to be single-minded in their mission to preach and heal: (1) He reminds them that His power is free-a gift from God (v. 8); and (2) He instructs them to carry no money (v. 9) so that they could not be ac- cused of greed, and so they would learn dependence on God. HOMILY on how wisdom proclaims itself everywhere Wisdom cries aloud in the street, in the open squares she raises her voice; down the crowded ways she calls out, at the city gates she utters her words (Proverbs 1:20-21). The Wisdom of God is the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, through Whom every created thing was created. All that was created manifests its All-wise Creator, both that which is in the fields and that which is in the city. In the fields is pure and bright nature, while in the city is man with his trades and skills. The Wisdom of God cries out-and does not whisper-through all of nature and through all the beneficial trades and skills of man. She has covered all the fields; she has filled the entire city; she is above the earth and under the earth, in the starry firmament and in the depths of the seas. He who wants to hear her can hear her in every place; he who wants to learn from her and be delighted by her can be taught and delighted in every place; he who wants to be corrected and built up by her can be corrected and built up by her in every place. Thus the Wisdom of God is clear and evident in all created things in the world from its very beginning. But the Wisdom of God is clearer and more evident in the prophets and in other men of God who were made worthy to approach her outside created nature. Through their mouths, the Wisdom of God has been proclaimed in the fields, in the cities, on the streets of the cities, and at the doors of men. But the Wisdom of God is most audible and most clear in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. In the person of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Wisdom of God was manifested in the flesh and demonstrated to men in Its miraculous power and beauty. This Wisdom of God does not speak through things or through men, but speaks of Itself and from Itself alone, personally and directly. By His wisdom the Lord has filled the entire world through His Holy Church, so that it can be said that today, just as twenty centuries ago in Palestine, He cries out in the fields, on the streets, to the greatest throngs in the world, throughout the cities, and before all doors, through the servants of the Word. O my brethren, let us open the doors of our souls to the Wisdom of God, incarnate in the Lord Jesus Christ! O Lord Jesus, Wisdom and Power of God, open our souls and abide in them. To Thee be glory and praise forever. Amen. |
The man who cries out against evil men but does not pray for them will never know the grace of God.
-St. Silouan the Athonite
-St. Silouan the Athonite
Remember your end, and you will not sin
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Happiness can only be achieved by looking inward and learning to enjoy whatever life has and this requires transforming greed into gratitude. St. John Chrysostom The Holy Martyrs Lucillian, the Lads Claudius, Ipatius, Dionysius, and Paula the Virgin: Lucillian was a pagan priest during the time of the Roman emperor Aurelian (270-275). In his old age he became persuaded of the falseness of the pagan religion, and with all his heart he turned to the faith in Christ the Saviour, and was baptised. Under the influence of his preaching many a pagan was converted to Christianity. Then certain Jews, out of concern for his spreading faith in the Christ crucified by them, reported against Lucillian to the Nicomedia city- governor Sylvanus, who thereupon urged the elder to return to idol-worship. For his refusal, they smashed the jawbone of Saint Lucillian, beat him with canes and suspended him head downwards, and then they locked him away in prison. Here he met up with four lads that were confessors of Christianity - Claudius, Ipatius, Paul and Dionysius. Saint Lucillian urged them to stand firm in the faith, and to fear neither tortures nor death. After a certain while they brought them to trial and then thrown into a red-hot furnace, but suddenly rain poured down extinguishing the flames, and the martyrs remained unharmed. The governor sentenced them to death by execution, sending them off to Byzantium for carrying out the sentence. The holy lads were beheaded by the sword, and the holy Martyr Lucillian was nailed to a cross with quite many nails. Witness to the deed of the holy martyrs was the holy Virgin Paula, who had dedicated herself to the service of those suffering for the faith in Christ. She provided food to Christian prisoners, washed their wounds, brought medications and also buried the bodies of martyrs. After the death of Saint Lucillian and the four lads, she returned to Nicomedia and continued on with her holy service. The holy virgin was arrested and cast into a furnace, but by the power of God she remained unharmed. Then they sent her off to Byzantium, where the holy martyress was beheaded by the sword. 1996-2001 by translator Fr. S. Janos. Hieromartyr Lucian, Bishop, Maxianus, Priest, and Julian, Deacon and Martyrs Marcellinus and Saturninus, at Beauvais (Gaul) (ca. 290) Holy Martyr Dimitri (Demetrius), Crown Prince of Russia St. Achilles, Bishop of Alexandria (312) St. Hieria, Widow, of Mesopotamia (312) Monk-Martyr Barsabas, Abbot, of Ishtar, and Ten Companions, in Persia (342) St. Clotilde (Chlotilda), Queen of France (545) St. Kevin, Hermit and Abbot, of Glendalough (618) Monk-Martyr Isaac of Cordoba (851) St. Athanasius the Wonderworker, Hieromonk of Traiannou Monastery in Bithynia (ca. 933) New Hieromartyr Joseph, Metropolitan of Thessalonica (1821) New Hiero-Martyr Cyprian (Nelidov), Hieromonk, of Moscow (1934) Venerable Pappus Venerable Othal (327) Romans 7:14-8:2 14 For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin. 15 For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do. 16 If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good. 17 But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. 18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. 19 For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. 20 Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. 21 I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good. 22 For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. 23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. 24 O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 25 I thank God-through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin. 1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. Note 7:13–17 The passions driving us to sin get even stronger when we fight against them on our own, and the clarity of right and wrong found in the law in- creases the passions all the more. Only Christ's healing power can save us in this battle. 7:17 Man is not sinful by nature. The Orthodox Church rejects any teaching that man has a "sin nature" or that man's nature is depraved to the core. This passage clearly shows that sin is something distinct from our nature. Because we are created in the image of God (Gn 1:26), there is an indelible goodness in our nature that can never be undone. While we can become im- mersed in sin, we know that it is still not part of our nature, but a foreign force that dwells in us. Thus, sin is what we do, not what we are. See also v.20. 7:18-23 Paul clarifies the distinction between the will of the soul and the will of the flesh. Because the soul is reborn in baptism, it can strive to follow the law of God (v. 22). Yet our flesh remains corrupt in this world, and it often fights against our will to do good. 7:24 This question is answered in 8:1-4. The term body of death refers to our corrupted state in this world; it does not imply that the body is evil, for the body is good. In this world, however, it remains in need of final redemption. 7:25 The conclusion is far from hopeless, for the final blame is not to be found in man's nature, nor in the law, but in sin itself. 8:1 Repentant sinners will have no condemnation if they remain in Christ Jesus through faith and baptism and if they walk in the power of the Spirit. Matthew 10:9-15 9 Provide neither gold nor silver nor copper in your money belts, 10 nor bag for your journey, nor two tunics, nor sandals, nor staffs; for a worker is worthy of his food. 11 Now whatever city or town you enter, inquire who in it is worthy, and stay there till you go out. 12 And when you go into a household, greet it. 13 If the household is worthy, let your peace come upon it. But if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. 14 And whoever will not receive you nor hear your words, when you depart from that house or city, shake off the dust from your feet. 15 Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city! Note 10:12, 13 Christ commissions His servants to give a greeting of peace, the same peace that was proclaimed by the prophets (Is 52:7), that He would offer to the disciples (Jn 14:27; 20:19), and that would be revealed as a fruit of the Holy Spirit (Gal 5:22). To this day, Christ's peace is offered to the faithful in the Liturgy with the words, "Peace be to all." HOMILY on the peace of simpletons and the prosperity of fools For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them. (Proverbs 1:32). Does peace kill? Yes, godless peace kills. Does prosperity destroy? Yes, prosperity without God and contrary to the laws of God can des- troy. They are simpletons who seek such peace, and they who run after such prosperity are fools. For, in essence, they do not seek peace but rather the sword, and they are not running after prosperity but rather after destruction. What is the peace of simpletons, and what is the prosperity of fools? The peace of simpletons is physical peace, and the prosperity of fools is physical feasting. King Herod wanted such peace, and he was devoured by worms; Jezebel wanted such prosperity, and dogs consumed her. By what name would we call a man who, in deciding to build a house, thinks that he will set the roof in the air first and afterward erect walls and then lay the foundation of the house? We would call him a simpleton and a fool. Much the same are all those who are attempting to establish peace in the world without inward peace, and to establish outward prosperity for men without inward prosperity. The Christian Faith is the only one that builds from the foundation, and the foundation is Christ, a firm and indestructible rock. Thus the Christian Faith builds the peace and prosperity of men on Christ. A blessed and joyful inward peace is built on Christ the Lord, and on this peace outward peace is built. So also is true and lasting prosperity. It is still better to say that true peace and true prosperity are like a well- built house, and outward peace and prosperity are like the external adornments of the house. If the adornments fall, the house will stand; but if the house is destroyed, will the adornments then hang in the air? O my brethren, the Christian teaching is the only sensible teaching about peace and prosperity. All else is madness and foolishness. For how could the servants build a mansion on the estate of the Master without permission of the Master and without His help? O Lord, the source of eternal true peace and true prosperity, save us from the peace of simpletons and the prosperity of fools. To Thee be glory and praise forever. Amen. |
The man who cries out against evil men but does not pray for them will never know the grace of God.
-St. Silouan the Athonite
-St. Silouan the Athonite
Remember your end, and you will not sin
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It is better to choose a commendable war than peace which separates from God. The faith which I was taught by the Holy Fathers which I taught at all times without adjusting according to the times, this faith I will never stop teaching; I was born with it and I live by it. St. Gregory of Nazianzus Sainted Mitrophanes, Patriarch of Constantinople Sainted Mitrophanes, Patriarch of Constantinople, was a contemporary of Saint Constantine the Great (306-337). His father, Dometius, was by birth a brother of the Roman emperor Probus (276-282). Having reasoned out the falseness of the pagan religion, Dometius came to believe in Christ. During a time of terrible persecution of Christians at Rome, Saint Dometius set off to Byzantium with two of his sons, Probus and Mitrophanes, and began to be instructed in the law of the Lord by Bishop Titus, a man holy of life. Seeing the ardent desire of Dometius to labour for the Lord, Saint Titus ordained him presbyter. And after the death of Titus there was elevated upon the bishop's throne first Dometius (272-303), and thereafter his sons, Probus (303-315) and in 316 - Saint Mitrophanes. Upon a time having come to Byzantium, the emperor Constantine was delighted by the beauty and comfortable setting of the city. And having seen the holiness of life and sagacity of Saint Mitrophanes, the emperor took him back along to Rome. Soon Constantine the Great transferred the capital from Rome to Byzantium and he brought Saint Mitrophanes there. In the year 325 there was convened the First OEcumenical Council for resolving the Arian heresy. Constantine the Great had the holy fathers of the Council bestow upon Saint Mitrophanes the title of Patriarch. In such manner, the saint became the first Patriarch of Constantinople. Saint Mitrophanes was himself very old, and was not able to be present at the Council, and he sent in place of himself the khore- bishop (vicar bishop) Alexander. At the close of the Council the emperor together with the holy fathers visited with the ailing Patriarch. At the request of the emperor, the saint disclosed his choice of worthy successor to himself - Bishop Alexander, foretelling,that after Alexander there would be elevated upon the patriarchal throne Paul (at that time a reader), and to the Patriarch of Alexandria Alexander he foretold, that his successor would be the archdeacon Saint Athanasias. Saint Mitrophanes peacefully expired to God in the year 326, at age 117. His relics rest at Constantinople, in a church, erected in his memory. 1996-2001 by translator Fr. S. Janos. Holy Martyr Concordius of Spoleto, Italy (ca. 175) Holy Martyrs Frontasius, Severinus, Severian and Silanus, of Gaul (1st c.) Venerable Zosimas of Cilicia, Bishop of New Babylon (a city in Egypt) Hieromartyr Astius, Bishop of Dyrrachium in Macedonia (110) Sts. Martha and Mary, the Sisters of Lazarus St. Titus, Bishop of Byzantium (3rd c.) Hieromartyr Apotacius and Martyrs Zoticus, Atallus, Camasius, Philip, and 31 Others, Including Eutychius, Quirinus, Julia, Saturninus, Ninita, Fortunio, Gaddanus, and Amasus, beheaded at Noviodunum (Niculitel) St. Optatus, Bishop of Milevum in Numidia (376) St. Alonius of Scetis in Egypt (5th c.) St. Petroc, Abbot, in Cornwall (594) Monk-Martyr John, Abbot, of Monagria Monastery, Near Cyzicus (761) St. Sophia of Thrace (10th-11th c.) St. Methodius, Founder of Peshnosha Monastery (Moscow) (1392), Disciple of St. Sergius of Radonezh Sts. Eleazar and Nazarius, Wonderworkers, of Olonets (15th c.) New Hieromartyr Joanikije [loannicius], Metropolitan of Montenegro and the Littoral (1945) New Hieromartyr Peter Belaiev, Priest (1918) Romans 8:2-13 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: condemned sin in the flesh, 4 that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can b . 8 So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God. 9 But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. 10 And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. 12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors-not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. NOTE 8:3, 4 The law of Moses failed because of the weakness of human nature. The term sinful flesh does not imply our nature is inherently sinful, but that our flesh has become corrupt and given over to all manner of sin (see 7:17). Christ fulfilled both the law and human nature by becoming flesh Himself. Christ did not sin, for He came in the likeness of our sinfulness, but did not succumb to it. In doing so, He condemned sin itself, destroying its power over mankind. In Christ, human nature has final victory over sin. 8:5-8 The mind here is far more than intellectual capacity. It is the highest knowing faculty of the soul (Gr. nous), the spirit and understanding behind all we think and do. Thus, it follows that repentance literally means to have a "change of mind," a change not only of intellect but of all our being. To be carnally minded (v. 6) means to choose to have one's whole being captivated by sin. This decision against God puts us at enmity with Him (v. 7), and thus we have no lasting peace. To be spiritually minded means to accept liberation by the Spirit, so that one's whole being-body, mind, and soul-becomes directed by and is led to the Holy Spirit. 8:9 The Spirit of Christ declares the intimacy between the Son and the Holy Spirit. The Son becomes incarnate by the Holy Spirit (Mt 1:20) and in turn sends the Holy Spirit from the Father into the world (Jn 15:26; 16:7). 8:10 Though the body is dead (it is mortal) because of sin, the Holy Spirit gives new life, both now in this world and in the promised final resurrection. 8:13 The gift of new life requires the reception and cooperation of the believer through faith and obedience to God. We are His children (v. 14) as He leads us by the power of the Spirit. In this new life, the body becomes the follower, not the leader. In choosing the way of the Holy Spirit, we put to death sinful passions expressed through our thoughts, words, and deeds. Matthew 10:16-22 16 Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. 17 But beware of men, for they will deliver you up to councils and scourge you in their synagogues. 18 You will be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles. 19 But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you should speak. For it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak; 20 for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you. 21 Now brother will deliver up brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death. 22 And you will be hated by all for My name's sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved. NOTE 10:16 Jesus instructs the disciples to be wise as serpents so that they might not be unnecessarily wounded and that they might take all advantage in the spread of the gospel. He also tells them to be as harmless as doves so that they should not retaliate against those who do them wrong, and should be blameless in their witness of the gospel. 10:16-22 This passage is read on days commemorating holy martyrs and on August 1, the Feast of the Procession of the Cross. REFLECTION It is a horrible thing to kill a man. There are no words to describe the horror which lays hold of the murderer. While a man is preparing to kill another man, he thinks that killing a man is the same as killing an ox. When he carries out his preconceived crime, then, all at once, he realizes that he has declared war on heaven and earth, and that he has become exiled and cut off from both heaven and earth. The victim does not give him peace either day or night. A known criminal came to Zosimas on Sinai and begged him to tonsure him a monk. Zosimas clothed him in the monastic habit and sent him to the Monastery of the Venerable Dorotheus near Gaza, to lead a life of asceticism in the cenobium. After nine years the tonsured criminal returned to St. Zosimas, returned his monastic habit, and sought his secular clothes. To the question as to why he was doing this, the criminal replied that for nine years he had fervently prayed to God, fasted, kept vigil, and fulfilled all acts of obedience, and that he felt many of his sins had been forgiven, but that one of his sins tormented him continually. He had once killed an innocent child, and that child was appearing to him day and night and asking him: "Why did you kill me?" Because of this he had decided to leave and to turn himself in to the authorities, that they might execute him and thus repay blood for blood. Dress- ing in his former clothes, he went to the town of Diospolis, where he acknowledged his crime and was beheaded. Thus, by his blood, he washed away his bloody sin. HOMILY on trusting in the Lord and not in your own understanding Trust in the Lord with all thy heart; on thine own understanding rely not (Proverbs 3:5). If all the mountains moved toward you, would you be able to push them back with your hands? You would not. If the great darkness of all the mysteries in the heavens and on the earth rushed upon the small candle of your understanding, would you, with your under- standing, be able to illuminate the darkness? Even less! Do not rely on your understanding, for the greater portion of the perishable matter which you call intellect is nothing more than dead ashes. O man, do not rely on your understanding, for it is a road over which a mob rushes-a hungry, thirsty, motley and curious mob of sensual impressions. O man, trust in the Lord with all your heart. In Him is understand- ing without end and all-seeing. The Lord says: I am understanding; Mine is strength (Proverbs 8:14). He looks upon the paths on which your blood flows and on all the crossroads on which your thoughts wander. With compassion and love He offers Himself to you as a Leader, and you rely on your darkened and perishable understanding. Where was your understanding before your birth? Where was your understanding when your body was taking form, when your heart began to beat and flow with blood, when your eyes began to open, and when your voice began to issue from your throat? Whose understanding was all this while your mind was still sleeping as coal in a coal mine? Even from the time your understanding awoke, can you enumerate all the illusions that it has delivered to you, all the lies in which it has entangled you, all the dangers that it did not foresee? O my brother, trust only in the Lord with all your heart! He has rescued you numerous times from your own understanding, from its illusions and lies, and from the danger into which it has pushed you. Like a blind man compared to a man who can see, so is your understanding compared to the understanding of God. O blind one, trust in the Leader. O brother, trust only in the Lord with all your heart. O Lord, All-seeing, eternal and infallible understanding, deeper than the universe and more radiant than the sun, deliver us, even now, from the errors of our understanding. To Thee be glory and praise forever. Amen. |
The man who cries out against evil men but does not pray for them will never know the grace of God.
-St. Silouan the Athonite
-St. Silouan the Athonite
Remember your end, and you will not sin
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Truth is not a thought, not a word, not a relationship between things, not a law. Truth is a Person. It is a Being which exceeds all beings and gives life to all. If you seek truth with love and for the sake of love, she will reveal the light of His face to you inasmuch as you are able to bear it without being burned. St. Nikolai of Ohrid and Zhicha The PriestMartyr Dorotheos The PriestMartyr Dorotheos was bishop of the Phoenician city of Tyre, during the time of the persecution against Christians under the emperor Diocletian (284-305). Heeding the words of the Gospel (Mt. 10: 23), the saint withdrew from Tyre and hid away from the persecutors. He returned to Tyre during the reign of Saint Constantine the Great (306-337, Comm. 21 May), again occupying the bishop's throne he guided his flock for more than 50 years, and converted many of the pagans to Christianity. When the emperor Julian the Apostate (361-363) began openly to persecute Christians, Saint Dorotheos was already over 100 years old. He withdrew from Tyre to the Myzean city of Udum (present day Bulgarian Varna). Delegates of the emperor arrested him there. For his refusal to offer sacrifice to idols they began cruelly to torture the holy elder, and under torture he gave up his soul to the Lord (+ c. year 362, at age 107). To Saint Dorotheos is ascribed by some the compiling of a work, "The Synopsis", a collection of sayings, and including lives of the holy prophets and apostles. © 1996-2001 by translator Fr. S. Janos. Venerable Theodore the Hermit, of the Jordan (583) Venerable Anoubius, Confessor and Anchorite, of Scetis (5th c.) Blessed Igor Venerable Father Peter of Korisha (1275) Blessed Constantine, Metropolitan of Kiev (1159) Holy Martyrs Marcian, Nicander, Hyperechius, Apollonius, Leonides, Arius, Gorgias, Selenias, Irenaeus, and Pambo, of Egypt (250-252) St. Illidius (Allyre), Bishop of Clermont (Gaul) (385) St. Dorotheus of Thebes (ca. 395) Abba Dorotheus of Gaza (ca. 560-580) Hieromartyr Boniface (Wynfrith), Archbishop of Mainz and Enlightener of Germany, and those Martyred with him, Including St. Adalar, Bishop of Erfurt (754) Holy Martyr Sanctius (Sancho), Soldier, at Cordoba (851) St. Dorotheus, Abbot, at Chiliokama on the Black Sea (11th c.) St. Theodore Yaroslavich of Novgorod (1233), Brother of St. Alexander Nevsky Sts. Agapius and Nicodemus, Stewards of Vatopedi (14th c.) Uncovering of the Relics (1599) of Sts. Jonah (1561) and Bassian (1561), Monks, of Pertoma (Solovki) New Martyr Mark of Smyrna, on Chios (1801) Holy Martyr Christopher of Rome Holy Martyr Conon of Rome Romans 8:22-27 22 For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. 23 Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. 24 For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverancе. 26 Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. 27 Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. NOTE 8:24 Hope is more than wishful thinking, more than optimism. It is settled confidence concerning things to come. This hope is so sure that we can pаtiently endure suffering in anticipation of Christ's Kingdom. 8:26 Believers do not know how to pray effectively. The guidance of the Spirit in prayer aids in overcoming our weaknesses by teaching us how to pray and by interceding directly for us when our own prayers are inadequate. The Fathers identify three stages of prayer: (1) saying the words of prayers; (2)saying the words with meaning and concentration; (3) praying without the words, when one is so filled with the Holy Spirit that human words become inadequate, the highest form of prayer. Matthew 10:23-31 23 When they persecute you in this city, flee to another. For assuredly, I say to you, you will not have gone through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes. 24 A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. 25 It is enough for a disciple that he be like his teacher, and a servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more will they call those of his household! 26 Therefore do not fear them. For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known. 27 Whatever I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; and what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops. 28 And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father's will. 30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. NOTE 10:23 Persecution must not cause the disciple to quit, but simply to move for- ward in his mission. According to St. John Chrysostom, before the Son of Man comes is not a reference to the Second Coming, but merely means that before the disciples could visit all the cities in Palestine, Christ would rejoin them, thus more quickly ending the hostility they would encounter. 10:26 Them: persecutors of the disciples (see v. 17). Do not fear is repeated three times (vv. 26, 28, 31) to embolden the witness of the gospel in the face of adversity. Christian believers, then and today, must neither be intimidated by persecution nor fail in their mission to preach. 10:28 That there is no need to fear the killing of the soul shows the immortality of the human soul, which is ours by grace. Fear Him is a command to fear God (Pr 9:10; Lk 1:50; 23:40; Acts 10:2; Col 3:22; 1Pt 2:17), for only God has the power to judge the soul. Christians are instructed to resist the devil (Jam 4:7), but not to fear him. Hell is literally "Gehenna." In Jewish history, Gehenna (the Valley of Hin- nom) became a place of forbidden religious practices (2Ch 28:3; Jer 39:35). King Josiah put an end to these practices (4Kg 23:10). By Christ's time, the val- ley had become a garbage dump that smoldered ceaselessly. Because of these associations, Gehenna acquired the connotation of eternal punishment in the afterlife. HOMILY on the justification of almsgiving Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thy hand to do it (Proverbs 3:27). The Lord does not deny you that which you need; neither should you deny the man whom the Lord has sent to you in order to test your heart. If a beggar extends his hand to you for help once in your life, give to him and do not refuse. Remember how many years there are in your life and how many hours in a day and how many minutes in an hour-every minute of so many, many thousands of days you extend your hand to the Lord, and the Lord gives and does not refuse. Remember the mercy of God, and your lack of mercy will burn you as a live coal, and it will never give you any peace until you repent and soften your heart. Do not ever say: "These beggars annoy me!" So many millions of men live on earth, and all are beggars before the Lord; emperors as well as laborers, the wealthy as well as servants, all are beggars before the Lord. And the Lord never says: "These beggars annoy me!" O man, give thanks to God that someone seeks something good from you, be it material or spiritual! This means that you are a man of God's trust: God has entrusted some of His goods to you, for all goods belong to God. Show yourself worthy of this trust; show yourself worthy in lesser things so that you may be entrusted with greater things. O Lord most rich, soften our hearts and enlighten our understand- ing, that we may be merciful in the goods that Thou, the All-merciful, hast entrusted to us. To Thee be glory and praise forever. Amen. |
The man who cries out against evil men but does not pray for them will never know the grace of God.
-St. Silouan the Athonite
-St. Silouan the Athonite
Remember your end, and you will not sin
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The Lord wants us to love one another. Here is freedom: in love for God and neighbor. In this freedom, there is equality. In earthly orders, there may not be equality, but this is not important for the soul. Not everyone can be a king, not everyone a patriarch or a boss. But in any position it is possible to love God and to please Him, and only this is important. And whoever loves God more on earth will be in greater glory in His Kingdom. St. Silouan the Athonite The Monk Bessarion, Wonderworker of Egypt Bessarion was born and educated in Egypt. He dedicated himself to the spiritual life at an early age and "did not stain the spiritual garment in which he was clothed at Baptism." He visited St. Gerasimus by the Jordan and learned from St. Isidore of Pelusium. He subdued his body through extreme fasting and vigils but concealed his asceticism from men as much as possible. He once stood at prayer for forty days, neither eating nor sleeping. He wore one garment in both summer and winter. Hе possessed the great gift of miracle-working. He did not have a permanent dwelling place but lived in the mountains and forests until old age. He healed the sick and worked many other miracles for the benefit of the people and to the glory of God. He reposed peacefully in the year 466. Venerable Hilarion the New, Abbot, of the Dalmatian Monastery (845) Venerable Virgin-Martyrs Archelais, Thecla and Susanna, Beheaded in Salerno (293) St. Justus, Bishop of Alexandria (130) Martyrs Amandus, Amantius, Alexander, Lucius, Alexander, Alexandria, Donatus, and Peregrinus at Noviodunum (Niculitel) (320) St. Jarlath, First Bishop of Tuam, Founder of the Monastery of Cluain Fois (Ireland) (ca. 540) St. Claudius of Besancon, Gaul (699) St. Jonah, Bishop of Perm (1470) St. Paisius, Abbot, of Uglich (1504) St. Jonah, Founder of Klimets Monastery (Olonets) (1534) New Hiero-Confessor Raphael (Sheichenko), Hieromonk of Optina Monastery (1957) Venerable Attalus the Wonderworker Holy Martyr Gelasius Venerable Anoub the Wonderworker Romans 9:6-19 6 But it is not that the word of God has taken no effect. For they are not all Israel who are of Israel, 7 nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but, "In Isaac your seed shall be called." 8 That is, those who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God; but the children of the promise are counted as the seed. 9 For this is the word of promise: "At this time I will come and Sarah shall have a son." 10 And not only this, but when Rebecca also had conceived by one man, even by our father Isaac 11 (for the children not yet being born, nor having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works but of Him who calls), 12 it was said to her, "The older shall serve the younger." 13 As it is written, "Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated." 14 What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? Certainly not! 15 For He says to Moses, "I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion." 16 So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy. 17 For the Scripture says to the Pharaoh, "For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you, and that My name may be declared in all the earth." 18 Therefore He has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He hardens. 19 You will say to me then, "Why does He still find fault? For who has resisted His will?" NOTE 9:6-13 Jewish unbelief is illuminated by Paul's description of a twofold Israel: one spiritual and the other physical. God is faithful to all Israel, but the issue is this: Who is a true child of Abraham? It is not Abraham's children of the flesh (v. 8), his natural or biological off- spring, who are his true children. If this were the case, the children of Hagar (Gn 16:4, 15) and of Keturah (Gn 25:1-4) would be Israelites. Furthermore, not all those in Isaac's line are Israelites; otherwise Esau and the Edomites would be. Abraham's true children are the children of the promise (v. 8), that is, those who are in Isaac (v. 7), which means faithful believers. Because Isaac was miraculously conceived through God's promise, which Abraham believed (Gn 18:10-15; 21:1-7), it is those who continue in this faith who are Abraham's true offspring. 9:10-13 Вoth Jacob and Esau were born of Isaac and Rebecca, yet only Jacob is considered the seed of Abraham. Jacob's position is clearly not the result of mere human lineage, but is secured because he is the child of the promise. Both Jacob and Esau were called to salvation, for God loves all equally. Esau I have hated (v. 13): This does not mean God did not love Esau. Rather, God foresaw the wickedness Esau would choose and hated it. Likewise, God foresaw Jacob's faith and obedience and knew Jacob would serve His purposes. 9:14–18 At Mt. Sinai, some of the idolatrous Jews perished while others sur- vived (Ex 32; 33), though God does not explain why He made this distinc- tion. Likewise, Pharaoh opposed God, and thus God used his arrogance to accomplish the divine will. The actions of God's will are neither capricious nor vindictive, but are based in divine mercy and compassion. Even though mankind does not understand the basis of God's decisions (see Is 55:8, 9), we trust His grace and righteousness, upon which our salvation rests. Matthew 10:32-36; 11:1 32 Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. 33 But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven. 34 Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. did not come to bring peace but a sword. 35 For I have come to 'set a man against his father, а daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law'; 36 and 'a man's enemies will be those of his own household.' 1 Now it came to pass, when Jesus finished commanding His twelve disciples, that He departed from there to teach and to preach in their cities. NOTE 10:34 Just before His most violent death on the Cross, Christ promised peace to His disciples. But the existence of evil necessitates spiritual warfare. The earth to which Christ came was under the authority of Satan (Jn 12:31; 2Co 4:4). It is therefore essential that Christ wage war against the leader of vice with weap- ons of virtue (Eph 6:11-18). See also note at Lk 12:51. 12:51 There are two kinds of peace. False peace, to which Christ refers here, is a shallow harmony that results from ignoring issues of truth. Genuine peace is reconciliation to God through faith in Christ and surrender to truth. Genu- ine peace has division as a byproduct because not everyone wants truth. In the fallen world, divisions are necessary for truth to be manifest (see 1Co 11:18, 19). REFLECTION Malicious joy is a sordid garment which our spirit sometimes dons with great satisfaction. The very moment that you rejoice in the sinful fall of your brother, you too have fallen, to the joy of the devil, who with one hook has snared two fish. Brotherhood according to the flesh is a great bond, but brotherhood according to the spirit is even greater. When you are grieved by the sin of a brother according to the flesh, why then does the sin of a brother according to the spirit not grieve you? When you conceal the sin of a brother according to the flesh, why do you with malevolent joy proclaim the sin of your brother ac- cording to the spirit? Who are your brothers according to the spirit? All Christians-all those who receive with you from the one and the same Chalice the one and the same life. Oh, how great were the saints in their brotherly love! Oh, how far away from them was malicious joy! The following is said about St. Bessarion: On one occasion all the monks were gathered in church for prayer. The abbot approached a monk who had committed a sin and ordered him to leave the church. The monk started to leave and Bessarion followed him, saying: "I also am the same kind of sinner!" HOMILY on the guarding of the heart With closest custody, guard thy heart, for in it are the sources of life (Proverbs 4:23). In the heart is the will, in the heart is love, in the heart is under- standing, in the heart is the face of the All-holy and Divine Trinity. The heart is the home of the Father, the altar of the Son, and the workshop of the Holy Spirit. God wants the heart: My son, give me thy heart (Proverbs: 23:26). O my brethren, above all that is guarded, guard your heart! Let the mountains be overturned; let the seas dry up; let your friends abandon you; let your wealth fail you; let your body be consumed by worms; let the world pour upon you all the ridicule that it has-but be not afraid. Only guard your heart; guard it and affix it to the Lord; give it to the Lord. From the heart comes life; but from where does life in the heart come if there does not dwell in it the breath of the Lord and the Source of Life-the breath of God? A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things; and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things (Matthew 12:35). These are the words of the Lord, Who fills the treas- ury of your heart with His riches. Who is this "good man"? He who has the good treasure of the heart. Who is this "evil man"? He who has the evil treasure of the heart. For out of the heart [of an evil man] proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies (Matthew 15:19); and from the good heart proceed love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance (Galatians 5:22-23). Do you see how great a storehouse is the heart of man? Do you see all that can fit in the heart of man? O brother, God the Holy Spirit Himself, when it pleases Him, can fit in the heart of man. He not only can, but He will. He only waits for you to prepare your heart for Him, to turn it into a temple, for God the Holy Spirit will only dwell in a temple. Just as a serpent protects its head, so also you, son, guard your heart. Above everything that is guarded, son, guard your heart! For into the heart enters life and from it proceeds life, life from the Living God. O Life-giving Lord, help us to guard our heart for Thee, for Thee, the Lord! To Thee be glory and praise forever. Amen. |
The man who cries out against evil men but does not pray for them will never know the grace of God.
-St. Silouan the Athonite
-St. Silouan the Athonite
Remember your end, and you will not sin
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Whoever with fear of God corrects and directs a sinner gains virtue for himself, that of opposition to sin. But whoever insults a sinner with rancor and without good will falls, according to a spiritual law, into the same passion with the sinner. St. Mark the Ascetic Holy Martyr Theodotus of Ancyra (303) This martyr of Christ was secretly a Christian, and as such, he helped the Church and honorably buried the bodies of the holy martyrs. Thus, he buried the bodies of seven maidens who had suffered for Christ. When the pagans found out about him, they subjected him to torture and slew him. Holy Martyrs Cyriaca (Cyria), Valeria, and Marcia, of Caesarea in Palestine (304) Hieromartyr Marcellus, Pope of Rome (309) Hieromartyr Marcellinus, Pope of Rome (304) Venerable Daniel of Scetis in Egypt (420) Holy Martyrs Aesia and Susanna, Disciples of St. Pancratius of Taormina (1st c.) Virgin-Martyr Potamiaena, and with Her Martyrs Plutarch, Serenus, Heraclides, Heron, Herais, Marcella, and Basilides, of Alexandria (193-211) Holy Martyr Zenaida (Zenais) of Caesarea in Palestine Sts. Stephen and Anthimus of Constantinople, Priests, of the Fervent Ones (5th c.) St. Colman, Bishop of Dromore, Ireland (6th c.) St. Anthony (in Schema Abramius), Monk of Kozhaezersk Monastery (1634) St. Panagis (Paisius) Bassia, Priest, of Cephalonia (1888) New Hieromartyr Andronicus (Nikolsky), Archbishop of Perm (1918) Synaxis of the Saints of Ivanovo Greek cal.: Martyr Lycarion of Tanis (Hermopolis) in Egypt Holy Martyr Lycarion Holy Martyrs Tarasius and John Venerable Sebastiana the Wonderworker Romans 3:28-4:3 28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law. 29 Or is He the God of the Jews only? Is He not also the God of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also, 30 since there is one God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith. 31 Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law. 1 What then shall we say that Abraham our father has found according to the flesh? 2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. 3 For what does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness." NOTE 3:27–31 The law teaches us that: (1) Attaining righteousness through works alone is impossible (v. 27). (2) Righteousness is attained by faith and is a gift from God (vv. 27, 28). (3) God is impartial-Jews and Gentiles are justified on the same basis of ongoing faith in Jesus Christ (vv. 29, 30). There is "no difference" (JohnChr) between the terms by faith and through faith (v. 30). (4) By teaching justification by faith in Christ, Christians establish (or up- hold) the law (v. 31), because Christ Himself fulfills the law (Mt 5:17). 4:1-5 Even Abraham experienced righteousness in the sight of God through faith, and this completely apart from works of the law, for the law had not yet been given. If this holds true for the Jews' founding father, it is true for all Jews. Because Abraham responded in faith to God's promise (Gn 15), he was accounted righteous, or justified (see note at 3:24). Only through faith in God can the ungodly be justified (v. 5). Matthew 7:24-8:4 24 Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: 25 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: 27 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall. 28 And so it was, when Jesus had ended these sayings, that the people were astonished at His teaching, 29 for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. 1 When He had come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed Him. 2 And behold, a leper came and worshiped Him, saying, "Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean." 3 Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him, saying, "I am willing; be cleansed." Immediately his leprosy was cleansed. 4 And Jesus said to him, "See that you tell no one; but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, as a testimony to them." NOTE 7:24-27 See note on Lk 6:46-49. 6:46-49 Hearing the gospel alone is not enough, for salvation is based not on hearing alone, nor on faith alone, but also on doing the things spoken by Christ (see Jam 2:24). James 2:24 You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only. 8:1-4 The biblical law concerning leprosy is found in Lv 13; 14. Dt 24:8 describes the purification of lepers and leprous houses, which was a duty entrusted to the priests. Leprosy was considered a direct punishment for sins, and as lepers were unclean, they were not permitted to live in the community or to worship in synagogues or the temple. Touching the unclean was forbidden (Lv 7:21), yet Jesus touched the leper, showing His compassion, and showing that He is not subject to the Law but over it. To the clean, nothing is unclean. (See also note at Lk 5:14.) 5:14 Show yourself to the priest: Christ gives this command in order to con- vince the priests by a tangible miracle that He is superior to Moses (CyrAl). The priests hold Moses to be greater than Christ, yet Christ heals a leper im- mediately and with His own divine authority. However, when Miriam was struck with leprosy, Moses had to seek mercy from above, and still she was only healed after seven days (Nm 12:10-15). REFLECTION Within the saints there exists a very acute conscience. That which average people consider a minor sin, the saints consider to be a great transgression. It is said of Abba Daniel that on three occasions rob- bers captured him and took him into the forest. Fortunately, on two occasions he saved himself from slavery, but the third time, when he wanted to escape, he struck one of them with a stone, killed him, and fled. This murder weighed on his conscience as heavily as lead. Perplexed as to what he should do, he went to the Alexandrian patri- arch, Timothy, confessed to him and sought advice. The patriarch consoled him and released him from any penance. But his conscience still troubled him, and he went to the pope in Rome. The pope told him the same thing as had Patriarch Timothy. Still dissatisfied, Daniel visited in succession the other patriarchs, in Constantinople, Antioch and Jerusalem, confessing to all of them and seeking advice. But he remained unsatisfied. Then he returned to Alexandria and declared himself to the authorities as a murderer. The authorities arrested him. When the trial was held before the prince, Daniel related every- thing that had happened and begged to be killed in order to save his soul from eternal fire. The prince was amazed at all of this and said to him: "Go, Father, and pray to God for me, even if you kill seven more!" Dissatisfied with this, Daniel then decided to take a leprous man into his cell and serve him until his death, and when this one died, to take another. So he did, and thus he quieted his conscience. HOMILY on emulating the ant Go to the ant, O sluggard, study her ways and learn wisdom (Proverbs 6:6). It is the will of the Creator, Who sent us into this world, that we work as long as we are in this world. The Lord Jesus Himself com- mands: "Work; Watch!" He praises those who multiply their given tal- ents and condemns the slothful who bury their talents. He calls His time on earth service and says that He did not come to be served but to serve. He uses as an example His Heavenly Father and says: My Father worketh hitherto, and I work (John 5:17). He commands His disciples: "Work while you still have light." Oh, what a terrible shame for man when an ant, an irrational crea- ture, is used as an example of diligence. But when man does not know how to emulate the diligence of God, it is necessary to direct him at least to emulate the ant. An ant works all summer and prepares food for itself for winter. Brethren, do we also prepare winter stores that we will open and display after death? Oh, may we not come with empty hands before Him Who gives to us with full hands as long as we are in this life! Slothfulness is one of the deadly sins, for it deadens the soul in man. A slothful soul is a nest of vices; a slothful soul is a habitation of the devil. O Lord Almighty, Thou Who, at the same time, art all peace and all work, deliver us from destructive slothfulness and move us by Thy Holy Spirit toward all good works, for the sake of the salvation of our souls. To Thee be glory and praise forever. Amen |
The man who cries out against evil men but does not pray for them will never know the grace of God.
-St. Silouan the Athonite
-St. Silouan the Athonite
Remember your end, and you will not sin
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If God suffers in the flesh when He is made man, should we not rejoice when we suffer, for we have God to share our sufferings? This shared suffering confers the kingdom on us. For he spoke truly who said, 'If we suffer with Him, then we shall also be glorified with Him' (Rom. 8:17). St. Maximos the Confessor St. Ephraim, Patriarch of Antioch (546) During the reign of the Byzantine Emperor Anastasius, Ephraim was governor of the eastern regions. He was known to all for his great piety and charity, and because of this, he was greatly respected. When it was necessary to rebuild Antioch, which had been destroyed by earthquake and fire, the emperor assigned the governor Ephraim to direct this task. Ephraim fulfilled his duty with diligence and love. Among the ordinary stonecutters was a Bishop, who, for unknown reasons, had left his episcopal see and was working as a common laborer, and no one knew that he was a bishop. One day, he lay down to rest from the exhausting work with the other laborers and fell asleep. The governor, Ephraim, glanced at him and saw a fiery pillar rising from this man to the heavens. Amazed and frightened, Ephraim summoned this man and made him swear to tell him who he was. The man hesitated but finally acknowledged that he was a bishop and prophesied to Ephraim that he would shortly be consecrated Patriarch of Antioch. (The throne of the patriarchal see was vacant because the aged Patriarch Euphrasius had perished in the earthquake.) Indeed, Ephraim was elected and consecrated patriarch. Because of his goodness, purity, and zeal for Orthodoxy, God gave him the great gift of working miracles. One time, to convince a heretic that Orthodoxy is true, he placed his pallium in the fire and prayed to God. His pallium stayed in the fire for three hours and remained intact. Seeing this, the heretic was astonished and rejected his heresy. St. Ephraim reposed in peace in 546 and took up his habitation in the Kingdom of God. Venerable Zosimas of Phoenicia (Syria) (6th c.) Holy Great-Martyr Theodore Stratelates Holy Martyr Calliope, at Rome (ca. 250) Holy Martyrs Nicander and Marcian, at Dorostolum in Moesia (303) St. Naucratius, Brother of St. Basil the Great (4th c.) St. Melania the Elder, of Palladius' Lausiac History (410) St. Atre (Athre) of Nitria (Egypt) (5th c.) St. Medardus, Bishop of Noyon (Neth.) (560) St. Paul the Confessor, of Kaiuma Monastery in Constantinople (766) St. Theodore, Bishop of Rostov and Suzdal (1023) Uncovering of the Relics (1501) of Sts. Basil (1249) and Constantine (1257), Princes of Yaroslavl New Martyr Theophanes, at Constantinople(1588) New Hieromartyr Theodore, Priest, of Kvelta, Georgia (1609) Synaxis of the Church of the Cross at Mtskheta, Georgia Yaroslavl Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos (13th c.) Venerable Melania Holy Martyr Nicandrus Holy Martyr Mark Romans 5:1-10 1 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; 4 and perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. 6 For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. 10 For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. NOTE 5:1 Faith in Christ makes us justified, an ongoing state of communion with Him (see note at 3:24). 3:24 Being justified refers to an ongoing state of righteousness and not merely to a one-time event. This justification requires a redemption: a sacrificial offering capable of (1) setting us free from sin and death, and (2) uniting us eternally with righteousness and life. In the OT, this sacrificial offering was prefigured by blood sacrifices- the killing of physically perfect animals for the temporal remission of sins (see Heb 9). Under the new covenant, Christ is the sacrificial offering that once for all eternally frees us from sin and death (Heb 10:14) and by His grace unites us with righteousness and life. Because of this ongoing communion, we have peace with God which is also ongoing. The Greek word pistis, here translated as faith, can also be rendered "faithfulness." Faith is more than the conviction that something is true (Jam 2:19). Genuine faithfulness is continuous loyalty and obedience to God. Such faithfulness justifies a person through God's grace. 5:5 Christians ask, "How can I experience the love of God and pass it on to others?" St. Paul offers the answer here. 5:6 The ungodly are all of us. Because of sin, everyone stands in alienation from God, and we do not have the capacity to become righteous on our own. Because of God's love, Christ died for our sins to bring us the gift of righteousness. 5:10 Those who accept and appropriate Christ's love are reconciled to God, being re- stored to peace and communion with Him. God has not ceased to be our Friend, for He is unchangeable. We are the ones who have changed and thus need changing. So while we were still rebellious enemies of God, God was working in His love to restore us. Matthew 6:22-33 22 The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness! 24 No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. 25 Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? 28 So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; 29 and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat? or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. NOTE 6:22, 23 The mind (Gr. nous) is the spiritual eye of the soul; it illuminates the inner man and governs the will. Keeping the mind wholesome and pure is fundamental to the Christian life. 6:24 As slaves serving two masters, people attempt to maintain an attachment to both earthly and heavenly things. But this is impossible, since both demand full allegiance. Jesus calls mammon ("riches") a master not because wealth is evil by nature, but be- cause of the control it has over people. 6:25–27 Jesus is warning against anxiety, not against thoughtful planning. Our physical well-being is directly dependent on God, and only indirectly on food, drink, and clothing. Anxiety over earthly things demonstrates a lack of faith in God's care. 6:32 Because the Gentiles served pagan idols, they remained consumed by dependence on earthly things. Those who follow God can be freed from this dependence. 6:33 The kingdom of God is the central theme of Jesus' teaching, and His righteousness is the subject of the Sermon on the Mount. Calling us to be free from anxiety about earthly things, Jesus directs us to look to heaven, secure in the faith that God will pro- vide needed earthly blessings. HOMILY on the King of kings By Me kings reign and princes decree justice. By Me princes rule and nobles, even all the judges of the earth. I love them that love Me (Proverbs 8:15-17). Let not a king think that he rules by his wisdom and power, for he will be mocked by the weak and the foolish. Let not a ruler think that he establishes justice among the people by his own intelligence and will, for this would be foolishness, absurd even to children. Let not princes, rulers and judges think that they rule according to someone else's will and mercy, contrary to God's will and mercy, for all those who forget God will be fatally injured on the ice upon which they are sliding. I love them that love Me, says the Lord. The Lord speaks this, first of all, to the kings, princes and judges of mankind. For if they love the Lord, they are very dear to the Lord. If they love the Lord, the people whom they rule and judge will love Him also. And if the people love the Lord, they will love their kings, princes and judges. Inasmuch as a man is elevated by power and authority over people, so much closer to God should he be than the people over whom he is elevated. O my brethren, the Lord was crucified on the Cross for us, and by this Hе showed His love for us. He Who was crucified for us truly loves us more than he who merely rejoices with us at table. And yet when we have such love for our friends who make merry with us at table, how then should we not love Him Who, out of love for us, was crucified on the Cross? O Blessed Lord, open for us our spiritual sight, that we may see the entire immeasurable depth of Thy love and that we may be inflamed with love to- ward Thee! To Thee be glory and praise forever. Amen. |
The man who cries out against evil men but does not pray for them will never know the grace of God.
-St. Silouan the Athonite
-St. Silouan the Athonite
Remember your end, and you will not sin
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O Lord, bless Do not forsake prayer, for just as the body becomes weak when it is deprived of food, so also the soul when it is deprived of prayer draws nigh to weakness and noetic death. St. Gennadius of Constantinople Sainted Cyril, ArchBishop of Alexandria Cyril was of noble birth and a close relative of Theophilus, Patriarch of Alexandria, after whose death he was consecrated patriarch. During his lifetime, he led three bitter struggles: with the Novatianist heretics, with the heretic Nestorius, and with the Jews in Alexandria. The Novatianists originated from Rome and were named after Novatian, the presbyter, the leader of the heresy. They took pride in their virtues, walked about dressed in white garments, forbade second marriages, and held that prayers should not be said for those who had committed a mortal sin, nor should those who had once fallen away from the Church be received back into the Church, even if they bitterly repented. Cyril defeated them and drove them out of Alexandria together with their Bishop. The struggle with the Jews was more difficult and bloody. Since the time that Alexander the Great had founded the city, the Jews had been strong in Alexandria. Their hatred toward Christians was vicious and insane. They killed Christians by treachery, by poisoning, and by crucifying them on crosses. After a long and difficult struggle, Cyril succeeded, during the reign of Emperor Theodosius the Younger, in driving the Jews out of Alexandria. However, his struggle against Nestorius, the Patriarch of Constantinople, was resolved at the Third Ecumenical Council [Ephesus, 431]. Cyril himself presided at this Council and simultaneously represented Pope Celestine of Rome at the request of the latter, who was unable to attend the Council because of old age. Nestorius was condemned, anathematized, and banished by the emperor to the eastern boundary of the empire, where he died a horrible death (for worms consumed his tongue, by which he had blasphemed the Most-holy Theotokos, calling her Christotokos). After the completion of this struggle, Cyril lived in peace and zealously tended Christ's flock. He went to the Lord in the year 444. It is said that he composed the prayer "O Theotokos and Virgin, Rejoice." St. Cyril of White Lake Monastery (1427) Nun-Martyrs Thecla, Mariamne, Martha, Mary, and Enmatha, in Persia (346) Hieromartyr Alexander, Bishop of Prusa St. Columba of lona (597) St. Baithene, Abbot, of Tiree and lona (600) St. John of Shavta, Bishop of Gaenati (12th-13th c.) St. Alexander, Founder of the Kushta Monastery (Vologda) (1439) Righteous Cyril of Velsk, or Vazhe (Vologda) (15th c.) St. Raphael, Monk of Old Agapia Monastery (Moldavia) (1640-1645) St. Alexis Mechev, Archpriest, of Moscow (1923) Holy Martyrs Orestes, Diomedes and Rhodon Holy Martyr Ananias Venerable Cyrus Memory of the Three Virgin Martyrs from Chios Romans 9:18-33 18 Therefore He has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He hardens. 19 You will say to me then, "Why does He still find fault? For who has resisted His will?" 20 But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed say to him who formed it, "Why have you made me like this?" 21 Does not the potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel for honor and another for dishonor? 22 What if God, wanting to show His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, 23 and that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had prepared beforehand for glory, 24 even us whom He called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles? 25 As He says also in Hosea: "I will call them My people, who were not My people, And her beloved, who was not beloved." 26 And it shall come to pass in the place where it was said to them, 'You are not My people, There they shall be called sons of the living God." 27 Isaiah also cries out concerning Israel:"Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, The remnant will be saved. 28 For He will finish the work and cut it short in righteousness, Because the LORD will make a short work upon the earth." 29 And as Isaiah said before:"Unless the LORD of Sabaoth had left us a seed, We would have become like Sodom, And we would have been made like Gomorrah." 30 What shall we say then? That Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness of faith; 31 but Israel, pursuing the law of righteousness, has not attained to the law of righteousness. 32 Why? Because they did not seek it by faith, but as it were, by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumbling stone. 33 As it is written:"Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and rock of offense, And whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame." NOTE 9:19-21 Man can have no complaint against God's sovereignty any more than clay can question the potter about how he fashions it. When we recognize our standing before God, the objections vanish (see Job 38:1-42:6). It is not only impossible to answer questions of this kind (vv. 22–24), but it is pre- sumptuous to raise them (JohnChr). 9:22-24 After first instructing his hearers how presumptuous it is to question God's sovereign will (vv. 19–21), Paul nevertheless gives an answer. The proof that God's judgment is based in mercy is shown by how long He en- dured with much longsuffering those who were in rebellion against Him. In other words, God gave his enemies every benefit and every opportunity to repent, though they deserved none. In this way, His wrath is justified and the glory He grants believers is complete. Vessels of wrath are unbelieving Jews and rebellious foreign nations (see vv. 14–17). The vessels of mercy are believing Jews and Gentiles. 9:25-29 The OT prophets had foreseen God's sovereignty and man's salvation in several ways: (1) He makes the outcasts (Gentiles) to be His people and sons (vv. 25, 26); (2) He saves only a remnant of the Jews (vv. 27, 28); and (3) He forbears to utterly destroy the unbelieving Jews on account of the faithful remnant (v. 29). 9:30–33 The first answer to the question of Jewish unbelief was from God's standpoint: His sovereign will (vv. 6–29). Here, Paul gives the second part of the answer, which is man's free response: faith. The Gentiles who had been unconcerned with righteousness now attain it through faith in Christ. God mercifully overlooks their former unrighteousness because it was practiced in ignorance (Acts 17:30). By contrast, the Jews fail to attain even the right- eousness of the law, for they do not pursue the law by faith but by works (v. 32). Because they only saw the letter of the law, they missed both its spirit and its profession of Christ, the Lawgiver, who was to come. Because they saw the letter of the law as being greater than its fulfillment, Christ becomes their stumbling stone (v. 32). Matthew 11:2-15 2 And when John had heard in prison about the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples 3 and said to Him, "Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?" 4 Jesus answered and said to them, "Go and tell John the things which you hear and see: 5 The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them. 6 And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me. 7 As they departed, Jesus began to say to the multitudes concerning John: "What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? 8 But what did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft garments? Indeed, those who wear soft clothing are in kings' houses. 9 But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet. 10 For this is he of whom it is written: 'Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, Who will prepare Your way before You. 11 Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. 12 And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force. 13 For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. 14 And if you are willing to receive it, he is Elijah who is to come. 15 He who has ears to hear, let him hear! NOTE 11:2–15 This passage is read on February 24 and May 29, the two feasts com- memorating the Finding of the Head of John the Baptist. 11:3 According to the Church Fathers, John the Baptist asks this question in order to guide his own disciples to Jesus. Undoubtedly, John's own faith was also strengthened through Christ's response (vv. 4-6). 11:5 Isaiah predicted that these signs would accompany the coming of the Mes- siah (Is 61:1). Jesus performed these miracles in the presence of John's disciples (Lk 7:21) so they could see with their own eyes works that only the Messiah could do. 11:11 In terms of the OT Law, John the Baptist is the greatest prophet. The New Covenant is of such incomparable value that those who share in the New Covenant are greater than John was without it (see note at Lk 7:28). 11:12 Several interpretations have been given to the idea that the kingdom of heaven suffers violence. Some say that it refers to the Jewish opposition to the gospel. Others have said that it refers to the Kingdom breaking into the world "violently," that is, with great power and force. Still others have said that the Kingdom of heaven refers to Christ Himself, who has been incarnate since the days of John the Baptist, and who will suffer the violence of the Cross. Accord- ing to St. John Chrysostom, the violent who take the Kingdom by force are those who have such earnest desire for Christ that they let nothing stand be- tween themselves and faith in Him. 11:13, 14 John does not ascribe to himself the role of Elijah (Jn 1:21), but Jesus does. John fulfilled the mission of Elijah (Lk 1:17, 76) and his destiny was simi- lar. Yet John is honored over Elijah (v. 11) because John prepared the way for the advent of Christ Himself. REFLECTION We sin if we consider it our duty to hate those whom our rela- tives hate. This hatred is passed on to us like a family sickness. In adopting the love of our relatives, we also adopt their hatred. Some- times even great spiritual giants have succumbed to that weakness. Patriarch Theophilus disliked St. John Chrysostom and remained his bitter enemy even until death. St. Cyril, his kinsman and successor to the throne of Alexandria, inherited that hatred against the holy Chrysostom and, for a long time, bore this hatred within himself. In vain did St. Isidore of Pelusium advise Cyril to change his opinion about Chrysostom and to enter his name in the Diptych of the Saints, but Cyril could not change his ill will. Then the All-holy Theotokos, for whose glory and honor Cyril had fought so much against Nestorius, appeared to Cyril in a vision with a multitude of angels, and with them John Chrysostom in great glory. The Holy and All-pure one begged Chrysostom to forgive Cyril. Then Chrysostom approached Cyril and they embraced and kissed one another. This vision completely changed Cyril's feelings toward Chrysostom, and Cyril re- pented with shame because he had rashly hated him. That is why, to his death, Cyril did everything to glorify Chrysostom as a great saint of God. HOMILY on those who love death All they that hate Me love death (Proverbs 8:35). Thus speaks the Lord, the Creator of heaven and earth, through His prophet. He who hates the wisdom of God, hates God, and he who hates God-what else is there for him to love except death? Is not everything outside of the Lord death? The sun and stars, the seas and mountains, animals and plants- what is all of this except dead dust formed and enlivened by the power of God, the word of God, the wisdom of God? He who does not love God not only does not love God, but also does not love anything that is from God: neither the beauty of the stars, nor the order of the seas and mountains, nor the living power that is in animals and plant life. He who does not love God removes and distances God from nature. What else then is left? Only dead, formless, dark dust-only death. Even that dust is created by God, and the blasphemer of God must return that dust to God, and that which is left over he can love. What is left over? Only that which does not touch God, that is, death, sin and the devil. He who does not love God, in essence, loves death, sin and the devil. Every blasphemer of God is a toy of the devil, a fruit of sin, and a pawn of death. If we despise Thee, O Loving Lord, we do not have anyone or any- thing to love. For that which we love on earth we love because of Thee, and the ability to love is from Thee. Foolish is he who loves the rays and despises the sun, and who loves a drop of water and despises the spring. Inspire us with life-giving love for Thee, O our All-loving Lord. To Thee be glory and praise forever. Amen. |
The man who cries out against evil men but does not pray for them will never know the grace of God.
-St. Silouan the Athonite
-St. Silouan the Athonite
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https://www.ar15.com/forums/General/Chida66-and-wife-s-summer-trip-to-Bulgaria-now-in-Greece/5-2847811/?page=1 Couple pics in this thread from an arfcommer thats been to some Orthodox Churches in Bulgaria and Greece. 
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Put not your trust in princes, in sons of men in whom there is no salvation.
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Originally Posted By Genin: Any religion that brings you peace and doesn't say you have to kill people who have a different religion than yours can't be all bad. It's been the most welcoming I have ever been a part of. |
Our liberties we prize and our rights we will maintain.
Glory to Jesus Christ. Glory forever!
Glory to Jesus Christ. Glory forever!
Remember your end, and you will not sin
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Originally Posted By Kalahnikid: https://www.ar15.com/forums/General/Chida66-and-wife-s-summer-trip-to-Bulgaria-now-in-Greece/5-2847811/?page=1 Couple pics in this thread from an arfcommer thats been to some Orthodox Churches in Bulgaria and Greece. Oh, I have some good news about our parish. A second Priest is in the pipeline. We'll be doing 2 Liturgies a day. Starting when, I don't know, but it will happen. We'll also be getting our first Deacon, I think one of our readers, not sure. aaaaaaaaaand......18 new Catechumens God is sending believers non stop . Glory to God. |
The man who cries out against evil men but does not pray for them will never know the grace of God.
-St. Silouan the Athonite
-St. Silouan the Athonite
Remember your end, and you will not sin
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Remember your end, and you will not sin
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O Lord, bless Do not say: "I have sinned much, and therefore I am not bold enough to fall down before God." Do not despair. Simply do not increase your sins in despair and, with the help of the All-merciful One, you will not be put to shame. For He said, "he who comes to Me I will not cast out." (John. 6:37) And so, be bold and believe that He is pure and cleanses those who draw near to Him. St. Gennadius of Constantinople Hieromartyr Timothy, Bishop of Brussa (362) Because of Timothy's great spiritual purity, God granted him the gift of working miracles, and he cured all diseases and afflictions of the people. During the reign of the wicked Emperor Julian, who denied Christ, St. Timothy was cast into prison. Even in prison, the faithful visited him in order to listen to the wise instructions of their archpastor. Learning of this, Julian ordered the executioner to behead Timothy in prison in the year 362. His soul departed to Paradise, while his relics have remained miracle-working to help the people and to manifest the power of God. Holy Martyrs Alexander and Virgin-Martyr Antonina, at Crodamon (313) St. Bassian, Bishop of Lodi in Lombardy (409) St. Theophanes, Monk, and St. Pansemne, Former Harlot, of Antioch (363) St. Asterius, Bishop of Petra (4th c.) St. Canides, Monk, of Cappadocia (ca. 460) St. Silouan of the Far Caves in Kiev (13th-14th c.) Uncovering and Translation of the Relics (1609) of St. Basil, Bishop of Ryazan (1295) Blessed Cosmas, Fool-for-Christ, of Verkhoturye (1706) St. John, Metropolitan of Tobolsk and all Siberia (1715) Synaxis of the Saints of Ryazan and Siberia Holy Bishop Apollos St. Alexius, bishop of Bithynia Venerable Gerasim, abbot of the monastery of St. Symeon the Wonderworker of Mt. Admirable Memory of Holy Athonite New Martyrs (1821-23) Holy Martyr Neaniscus the Wise New Hieromartyrs Nicholas Dinariev and Basil Pobedonostsev, archpriests, martyr Paul Parfenov (1918), and hieromartyr Timothy Oulianov, priest (1940) Romans 10:11-11:2 11 For the Scripture says, "Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame." 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. 13 For "whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved." 14 How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? 15 And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!" 16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, "LORD, who has believed our report?" 17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. 18 But I say, have they not heard? Yes indeed:"Their sound has gone out to all the earth, And their words to the ends of the world." 19 But I say, did Israel not know? First Moses says:"I will provoke you to jealousy by those who are not a nation, I will move you to anger by a foolish nation." 20 But Isaiah is very bold and says:"I was found by those who did not seek Me; I was made manifest to those who did not ask for Me." 21 But to Israel he says: "All day long I have stretched out My hands To a disobedient and contrary people." 1 I say then, has God cast away His people? Certainly not! For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. 2 God has not cast away His people whom He foreknew. Or do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel, saying, NOTE 10:11-13 Belief and confession (vv. 9, 10) were both OT themes, Isaiah em- phasizing the faith of the heart (v. 11), and Joel emphasizing the confession of the mouth (v. 13). Both prophets teach that grace and faith are universally offered to all people. 10:14 21 From 9:1-10:13, Paul left the Jews with no excuse for rejecting the gospel. Paul insists that God fulfilled His part completely, giving the Jews extraordinary opportunities to come to faith. God sent His message throughout all creation; Israel heard but did not believe (vv. 16, 18, 21). Therefore, God turned to the Gentiles, who heard and believed (vv. 19, 20). The Jews demanded signs, yet God had given them the continual sign of ful- filled prophecy. Matthew 11:16-20 16 But to what shall I liken this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their companions, 17 and saying: 'We played the flute for you, And you did not dance; We mourned to you, And you did not lament.' 18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, 'He has a demon.' 19 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Look, a glutton and a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' But wisdom is justified by her children. 20 Then He began to rebuke the cities in which most of His mighty works had been done, because they did not repent: NOTE 11:16-19 A reference to a game played among Jewish children who would divide into two groups: those pretending to play musical instruments or singing, and the others responding in a manner opposite of what would have been expected. Christ draws a parallel to the Jewish leaders who responded wickedly both to John the Baptist as being too ascetic (v. 18) and to Christ as being too liberal in mercy and joy (v. 19). HOMILY on how that of which he is afraid befalls the sinner The fear of the wicked, it shall come upon him; but the desire of the righteous shall be granted (Proverbs 10:24). The wicked one fears imminent death, the thief fears the burglar, the murderer fears the sword, the proud one fears shame, the abductor fears hunger, the glutton fears sickness, and the slanderer fears the judgment of truth. That which the wicked one fears is what will befall him. The righteous one desires a pure conscience, good thoughts, peace,charity, love, truth, justice and meekness. God gives these to him even while he is here on earth. The righteous one desires the Kingdom of God, Paradise, the company of the angels and saints, and to reflect upon the face of God in life eternal. God gives all these to him when He calls him to Himself. Oh, how just is the Lord toward the wicked one and how benefi- cent He is toward the righteous one! That which the wicked one fears, the Lord permits to befall him; and that which the righteous one fears, the Lord removes from him. Of what is the righteous one afraid? Only sin. God removes sin from the righteous one and directs his feet on the path to virtue; and God protects the righteous one from evil spirits, the sowers of sin, and, by His grace, waters the seeds of virtues in his heart. All-seeing Lord, protect us from the paths of the wicked, from the gain of the wicked, and from the fear of the wicked! Help our wavering hearts to become steadfast in the desire only for that which is pleasing to Thee. For that which is pleasing to Thee will, in the end, conquer and reign, and everything else will be given over to decay and forgetfulness. |
The man who cries out against evil men but does not pray for them will never know the grace of God.
-St. Silouan the Athonite
-St. Silouan the Athonite
Remember your end, and you will not sin
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Originally Posted By Compass: I thought you could only do one communion per day? Any one priest can only be the celebrant of the Divine Liturgy once on any given day. If a parish has 2 priests, 2 Divine Liturgies may be served, ie one in the morning and one in the afternoon. This is where our parish is heading. Also, an Altar Table may be used only once a day. We will need another Altar. Deacons may serve the Eucharist to the faithful with a blessing from the celebrant. This will be a big help for us. Father has to serve 200+ faithful. That takes a lot of time! When a priest visits, there are 2 lines of faithful being served, and it goes A LOT faster. I hope this clears things up a little. I hope I got it right I'm open to correction. All the time. |
The man who cries out against evil men but does not pray for them will never know the grace of God.
-St. Silouan the Athonite
-St. Silouan the Athonite
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That makes sense! Thank you for the explanation. I am just a baby Orthodox, acting like a sponge. I told my priest the other day that I am a baby and he laughed at me and said "yes, that is why I am teaching you to drink milk". Went on to explain about Paul using milk vs meat in your spiritual growth. |
Our liberties we prize and our rights we will maintain.
Glory to Jesus Christ. Glory forever!
Glory to Jesus Christ. Glory forever!
Remember your end, and you will not sin
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Originally Posted By Compass: That makes sense! Thank you for the explanation. I am just a baby Orthodox, acting like a sponge. I told my priest the other day that I am a baby and he laughed at me and said "yes, that is why I am teaching you to drink milk". Went on to explain about Paul using milk vs meat in your spiritual growth. |
The man who cries out against evil men but does not pray for them will never know the grace of God.
-St. Silouan the Athonite
-St. Silouan the Athonite
Remember your end, and you will not sin
Joined:
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MT, USA
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There are people who, when they encounter inability to understand, do not ask the Lord. But one must immediately say, "Lord, I am a sinful man and I don't understand as I should. But give me understanding, merciful One, as to how I must proceed." And the merciful Lord then inspires them as to what to do and what not to do. St. Silouan the Athonite Holy Apostle Bartholomew Bartholomew was one of the Twelve Great Apostles. From all appearances, Bartholomew and Nathaniel are the same person. Together with the Apostle Philip and Philip's sister, the virgin Mariamna, and for a time with St. John the Theologian, Bartholomew preached the Gospel first throughout Asia, then in India, and finally in Armenia, where he died a martyr's death. In Hierapolis, these holy apostles, by prayer, caused the death of a giant serpent that the heathens kept in their temple and worshiped. In this same city, by prayer, they restored sight to Stachius, who had been blind for forty years. It was here that a mob rose against them and crucified Philip and Bartholomew. (Bartholomew was crucified upside down.) At this time, there occurred an earthquake in which the evil judges and many people perished. Believing that this was a punishment from God, many ran to remove the apostles from the crosses, but Philip was already dead, although Bartholomew was still alive. After this, Bartholomew went to India, where he preached and translated the Gospel of St. Matthew into the Indian language. Then, he entered Armenia, where he cured the king's daughter of insanity. But the envious brother of King Astyages seized God's apostle, crucified him on a cross, skinned him, and finally beheaded him in Armenian Albanopolis. Christians honorably buried his body in a lead coffin. Because many miracles occurred over his relics, the pagans took the coffin and cast it into the sea. But the water carried the coffin to the island of Lipara, where Bishop Agathon, through a revelation in a dream, met it and buried it in the church. St. Bartholomew, attired in a white garment, appeared in church to the Venerable Joseph the Hymnographer and blessed him with the Gospel, that he might be able to sing spiritual hymns, saying: "Let heavenly waters of wisdom flow from your tongue!" He also appeared to Emperor Anastasius (491-518) and told him he would protect the newly established town of Dara. Later, the relics of this great apostle were translated to Benevento and then to Rome. Great and awesome miracles have occurred over these relics. St. Barnabas the Apostle Barnabas was one of the Seventy Apostles. He was born in Cyprus to wealthy parents from the tribe of Levi and studied together with Saul under Gamaliel. At first, he was called Joseph, but the apostles called him Barnabas, "son of consolation," because he was exceptionally capable of comforting people's souls. After Saul's conversion, Barnabas was the first to introduce him to the apostles; Barnabas later preached the Gospel with Paul and Mark in Antioch and in other places. In all probability, he was the first to preach in Rome and Milan. He suffered on the island of Cyprus at the hands of the Jews, and he was buried by Mark beyond the western gate of the town of Salamis. On his chest, there was placed a copy of the Gospel of St. Matthew, which he had copied with his own hand. His grave remained unknown for several hundred years, but since many received healing from sickness at this place, it was called "the place of healing." In the time of Emperor Zeno and the Council of Chalcedon [451], the apostle appeared in a dream to Archbishop Anthemius of Cyprus on three successive nights and revealed to him the location of his grave. This appearance of the apostle occurred exactly at the time when Peter, the power-hungry Patriarch of Antioch, was seeking to bring the Church in Cyprus under the jurisdiction of the throne of Antioch. After the appearance and discovery of the miraculous relics of the Holy Apostle Barnabas, it was established that the Church in Cyprus, as an Apostolic Church, should always be independent. Thus, the autocephaly of the Church in Cyprus was established. Commemoration of Holy Icon of the Theotokos "Axion Estin," (It Is Truly Meet) and the Miracle That Occurred Before it During the Reign of Patriarch Nicholas Chrysoverges (983-996) St. Barnabas, Ascetic, of Vetluga (1445) Translation of the Relics (1572) of St. Ephraim, Founder of the Sts. Boris and Gleb Monastery (Novotorzhok) (1053) St. Arcadius, Monk, of Vyasma (ca. 1592) 222 Chinese New Martyrs of the Boxer Uprising, at Beijing and Other Places: Hieromartyr Metrophanes Chang (Chang Tzi-tzung), his Wife Tatiana, His Sons John and Isaiah, Isaiah's Fiance Maria, and Others (1900) Greek cal.: St. Barnabas of Basa Near Limasol on Cyprus Romans 11:2-12 2 God has not cast away His people whom He foreknew. Or do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel, saying, 3 LORD, they have killed Your prophets and torn down Your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life? 4 But what does the divine response say to him? "I have reserved for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal." 5 Even so then, at this present time there is a remnant according to the election of grace. 6 And if by grace, then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace. But if it is of works, it is no longer grace; otherwise work is no longer work. 7 What then? Israel has not obtained what it seeks; but the elect have obtained it, and the rest were blinded. 8 Just as it is written: "God has given them a spirit of stupor, Eyes that they should not see And ears that they should not hear, To this very day." 9 And David says: "Let their table become a snare and a trap, A stumbling block and a recompense to them. 10 Let their eyes be darkened, so that they do not see, And bow down their back always." 11 I say then, have they stumbled that they should fall? Certainly not! But through their fall, to provoke them to jealousy, salvation has come to the Gentiles. 12 Now if their fall is riches for the world, and their failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more their fullness! NOTE 11:1-10 Jewish unbelief in Christ raises the question of whether or not God cast away His people. The answer is, Certainly not! If He had done so, not one would have been saved. But Paul himself was being saved (v. 1), and there is a remnant (v. 5) of Jews who believed. Elijah prefigured this remnant when he thought that he alone followed God (vv. 2-4). As only a few heeded Elijah in his day, so only a few heed Jesus and His apostles. God's grace saves the willing. Israel is not willing, for she seeks (v. 7) righteousness on her own terms through works of the law and not through faith in Christ. God has given them a spirit of stupor (v. 8) as a result of their refusal to believe, not as the cause of it. 11:11 15 Though Israel has stumbled by her refusal to believe in Christ, it is not necessarily inevitable that she should fall permanently. The jealousy she feels toward the Gentiles has the potential to lead Israel to repentance and faith. Furthermore, Israel's fall has led to the conversion of the Gentiles, thus renewing the opportunity for Israel's own salvation. Matthew 11:20-26 20 Then He began to rebuke the cities in which most of His mighty works had been done, because they did not repent: 21 Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. 22 But I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for you. 23 And you, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to Hades; for if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. 24 But I say to you that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for you. 25 At that time Jesus answered and said, "I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes. 26 Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight. NOTE 11:20-24 It is a far greater sin to have seen Christ's works and rejected Him than never to have known Him at all. 11:25 Blessed Theophylact notes that God has hidden the mysteries from the wise of the world, not out of malice toward His creatures, but because of their own unworthiness; it was they who chose to trust their own fallen wisdom and judgment rather than God. Furthermore, it is out of love that God withholds this revelation from those who would scorn it so that they do not receive an even greater condemnation (see note for v. Lk 8:10). 8:10 Mysteries are not obscure intellectual concepts, but the presence of the Kingdom of God which cannot be defined. A person's unwillingness to understand Christ's parables is due to a rejection of His Kingdom. "If the blindness were natural, it would have been proper for God to open their eyes; but because it was a voluntary and self-chosen blindness, He does not overthrow their free will." Doing so would have been not only to "no advantage for them, but an even greater condemnation" (JohnChr). Acts 11:19-26, 29-30(Apostle) 19 Now those who were scattered after the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to no one but the Jews only. 20 But some of them were men from Cyprus and Cyrene, who, when they had come to Antioch, spoke to the Hellenists, preaching the Lord Jesus. 21 And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number believed and turned to the Lord. 22 Then news of these things came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent out Barnabas to go as far as Antioch. 23 When he came and had seen the grace of God, he was glad, and encouraged them all that with purpose of heart they should continue with the Lord. 24 For he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord. 25 Then Barnabas departed for Tarsus to seek Saul. 26 And when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. So it was that for a whole year they assembled with the church and taught a great many people. And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch. 29 Then the disciples, each according to his ability, determined to send relief to the brethren dwelling in Judea. 30 This they also did, and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul. NOTE 11:19-30 This passage is read on the fifth Sunday of Pascha, called the Sunday of the Samaritan Woman. 11:20 Hellenists here refers to actual Greeks, not to Hellenistic Jews (contrast 6:1). The Church in Antioch was instrumental in bringing numerous Gen- tiles to the Lord Jesus. 11:22 Two key truths are revealed in Barnabas being sent out to Antioch: (1)an apostle is sent, but does not work in isolation from the Church (v. 23); and (2) the church in Antioch needed the seal of apostolic authority to be inte- grated into the universal Church (see note at v. 13). 11:13 Call for Simon: The need to be received into the apostolic Church is indisputable. Even those who have direct revelations of Christ in the Holy Spirit are invariably directed to the apostolic Church (see also 9:6 18; 11:22). For it is in the Church that the unity and fullness of Christ are experienced, and the words of salvation (v. 14) are proclaimed without alteration. 11:25 In seeking help Barnabas reveals humility, a recognition of his own limi- tations, and his communion with and dependence on the other apostles. 11:26 Two key elements of early church practice included (1) the eucharistic assembly and (2) the teaching of the gospel. That the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch is more than just historical fact. It demon- strates that Christ's command to preach the gospel among the Gentiles was first fully realized in Antioch. "It was there for the first time that men were accounted worthy of that name" (JohnChr). Luke 10:16-21(Apostle) 16 He who hears you hears Me, he who rejects you rejects Me, and he who rejects Me rejects Him who sent Me. 17 Then the seventy returned with joy, saying, "Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name." 18 And He said to them, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you. 20 Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven. 21 In that hour Jesus rejoiced in the Spirit and said, "I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and revealed them to babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight. NOTE 10:16-21 This passage is read on April 25, the Feast of the Apostle Mark, and on November 8, the Commemoration of Holy Archangels. 10:18 I saw Satan fall describes an event that took place before the creation of the world. Five times Satan set his will against God (Is 14:12 15; see also Rev 12:7-12). 10:21 Babes: People of simple faith and open hearts (see 18:15-17). HYMN OF PRAISE "It is Truly Meet" A monk alone at night in church With fervent prayer dispelled the darkness from his soul. All at once another monk arrived-nothing unusual about him And, like an experienced chanter, began to sing. Then the first monk began: "More honorable ..." Glorifying the Mother of God, the Mother most glorious. About this hymn of praise, the miraculous guest spoke to him: "Among us," said he, "we sing this hymn differently. We do not begin as you do, But rather with 'It is truly meet,' venerable father!" And he recited the entire hymn "It Is Truly Meet." The first monk tried not to miss a word. "O my virtuous brother, now I breathe easier. Allow me to copy your hymn!" But he had no paper or even a pencil: The church is a place for prayer and not for writing! Then the midnight guest made the sign of the Cross over the church, And on a stone he began to write with his finger. He wrote on the stone as on soft wax; At this man the monk was amazed. "Who are you?" the monk asked the unusual guest. "My name is Gabriel. For you that should be enough." And straightway he disappeared. With great fear the monk Recognized the Archangel under the monastic robe. That which he wrote no one erased. With heavenly fragrance the church was filled. Glory to God |
The man who cries out against evil men but does not pray for them will never know the grace of God.
-St. Silouan the Athonite
-St. Silouan the Athonite
Remember your end, and you will not sin
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When we teach children to be good, to be gentle, to be forgiving (all these are attributes of God), to be generous, to love their fellow men, to regard this present age as nothing, we instill virtue in their souls, and reveal the image of God within them. St. John Chrystotom Saint Paphnutius, who led an ascetical life in the Thebaid desert in Egypt, has left us an account of Saint Onuphrius the Great and the Lives of other fourth century hermits: Timothy the Desert Dweller, the abbas Andrew, Charalampus, Theophilus, and others. Today we commemorate Saint Onuphrius the Great "...On the seventeenth day Saint Paphnutius reached a hilly place and sat down to rest. Here he caught sight of a man approaching him, who was covered from head to foot with white hair and girded his loins with leaves of desert plants. The sight of the Elder frightened Abba Paphnutius, and he jumped up and fled up the hill. The Elder sat down at the foot of the hill. Lifting his head, he saw Saint Paphnutius, and called him to come down. This was the great desert-dweller, Abba Onuphrius. At the request of Saint Paphnutius, he told him about himself. Saint Onuphrius had lived in complete isolation in the wilds of the wilderness for sixty years. In his youth he had been raised at the Eratus monastery near the city of Hermopolis. Having learned from the holy Fathers about the hardships and lofty life of the desert-dwellers, to whom the Lord sent help through His angels, Saint Onuphrius longed to imitate their exploits. He secretly left the monastery one night and saw a brilliant ray of light before him. Saint Onuphrius became frightened and decided to go back, but the voice of his Guardian Angel told him to go into the desert to serve the Lord. After walking six or seven miles, he saw a cave. At that moment the ray of light vanished. In the cave was an old man. Saint Onuphrius stayed with him to learn of his manner of life and his struggle with demonic temptations. When the Elder was convinced that Saint Onuphrius had been enlightened somewhat, he then led him to another cave and left him there alone to struggle for the Lord. The Elder visited him once a year, until he fell asleep in the Lord. At the request of Saint Paphnutius, Abba Onuphrius told him of his labors and ascetic feats, and of how the Lord had cared for him. Near the cave where he lived was a date-palm tree and a spring of pure water issued forth. Twelve different branches of the palm tree bore fruit each month in succession, and so the monk endured neither hunger nor thirst. The shade of the palm tree sheltered him from the noonday heat. An angel brought Holy Communion to the saint each Saturday and Sunday, and to the other desert-dwellers as well. The monks conversed until evening, when Abba Paphnutius noticed a loaf of white bread lying between them, and also a vessel of water. After eating, the Elders spent the night in prayer. After the singing of the morning hymns, Saint Paphnutius saw that the face of the venerable Onuphrius had become transformed, and that frightened him. Saint Onuphrius said, "God, Who is Merciful to all, has sent you to me so that you might bury my body. Today I shall finish my earthly course and depart to my Christ, to live forever in eternal rest." Saint Onuphrius then asked Abba Paphnutius to remember him to all the brethren, and to all Christians. Saint Paphnutius wanted to remain there after the death of Abba Onuphrius. However, the holy ascetic told him that it was not God's will for him to stay there; he was to return to his own monastery instead and tell everyone about the virtuous lives of the desert-dwellers. Having then blessed Abba Paphnutius and bid him farewell, Saint Onuphrius prayed with tears and sighs, and then he lay down upon the earth, uttering his final words, "Into Thy hands, my God, I commend my spirit," and died. Saint Paphnutius wept and tore off a portion of his garment, and with it covered the body of the great ascetic. He placed it in the crevice of a large rock, which was hollow like a grave, and covered it over with a multitude of small stones. Then he began to pray that the Lord would permit him to remain in that place until the end of his life. Suddenly, the cave fell in, the palm tree withered, and the spring of water dried up. Realising that he had not been given a blessing to remain, Saint Paphnutius set out on his return journey...." Venerable Peter the Athonite Venerable Timothy the Egyptian Hermit (4th c.) Venerable Bassian and Jonah, Monks, of Pertoma (Solovki) St. Amphianus, Bishop and Confessor, in Cilicia (ca. 310) St. Olympius, Bishop and Confessor, in Thrace (4th c.) Sts. John, Andrew, Heraclemon, and Theophilus, Hermits, of Egypt (4th c.) Virgin-Martyr Cunera of Rhenen (Neth.) (451) St. Julian of the Dagouta Church in Constantinople St. John the Soldier, of Egypt (6th-7th с.) St. John (Tornicus) of Mt. Athos and Georgia (998) St. Arsenius, Founder of Konevits Monastery (1447) St. Onuphrius, Founder of Malsk Monastery (Pskov) (1492) Sts. Onuphrius and Auxentius, Monks, of Vologda (1521) St. Stephen of Komel, Founder of Ozersk Monastery (Vologda) (1542) St. Onuphrius, Founder of Katrom Monastery (Vologda) (16th c.) First (1650) and Second (1909) Glorifications of St. Anna, Princess of Kashin (Euphrosyne in Monasticism) (1368) Uncovering of the Relics (1672) of St. John of Moscow, Fool-for-Christ (1589) Synaxis of the Saints of St. Onuphrius Monastery at Jablechna (Poland) Greek cal.: St. Triphyllius, Bishop of Leucosia (Nicosia) on Cyprus (370) Miracle-Working Icons of the Theotokos (14th c.) and St. Onuphrius (14th c.) at St. Onuphrius Monastery (Poland) Venerable Zeno New Martyr John, who was martyred at the hour of Vespers in Damascus Venerable Onuphrius of Preveza Greek cal.: St. Triphyllius, bishop of Leucosia [Nicosia] on Cyprus [370] Romans 11:13-24 13 For I speak to you Gentiles; inasmuch as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry, 14 if by any means I may provoke to jealousy those who are my flesh and save some of them. 15 For if their being cast away is the reconciling of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? 16 For if the firstfruit is holy, the lump is also holy; and if the root is holy, so are the branches. 17 And if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, and with them became a partaker of the root and fatness of the olive tree, 18 do not boast against the branches. But if you do boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you. 19 You will say then, "Branches were broken off that I might be grafted in." 20 Well said. Because of unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by faith. Do not be haughty, but fear. 21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, He may not spare you either. 22 Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off. 23 And they also, if they do not continue in unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. 24 For if you were cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and were grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, who are natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree? NOTE 11:11–15 Though Israel has stumbled by her refusal to believe in Christ, it is not necessarily inevitable that she should fall permanently. The jealousy she feels toward the Gentiles has the potential to lead Israel to repentance and faith. Furthermore, Israel's fall has led to the conversion of the Gentiles, thus renewing the opportunity for Israel's own salvation. 11:16-22 Paul addresses the Gentile believers, reminding them not to be puffed up against the Jews, for (1) Israel's heritage is holy (v. 16); (2) the Gentiles have been grafted in to an existing tree, and thus owe gratitude toward the Jews (vv. 17, 18); and (3) the Gentiles are just as much at risk of falling away from grace through unbelief as the Jews (vv. 20, 21). 11:24 The tree which is wild by nature refers to the pagan and godless ways of the Gentiles before their encounter with Christ. The cultivated olive tree refers to the nation of Israel, which had been prepared for Christ through the law, and the remnant of the Jews that believed in Him. Matthew 11:27-30 27 All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him. 28 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light. NOTE 11:27-30 This passage is read on days commemorating holy monks. 11:28–30 Jesus' yoke is submission to the Kingdom of God. A yoke could be seen as a sign of hardship, burdens, and responsibilities (3Kg 12:1-11; Jer 34:1–11; WSir 40:1), but in Christ, the yoke is easy, for the power of God works in each person. Furthermore, the reward is infinitely greater than any effort man puts forth. Gentle (v. 29) is literally "meek" (see note on 5:5). 5:5 Meekness is an attitude of being content with both honor and dishonor. It is an imitation of Christ, who said, "Learn from Me, for I am gentle [meek] and lowly in heart" (11:29). The meek are God-controlled and have mastery over their passions, especially anger. Meekness is not passive weakness, but strength directed and under control. The earth that the meek will inherit is not power or possession in this world, but the new earth, which is everlasting (Rev 21:1). REFLECTION Great and wonderful is the Mystery of Holy Communion. Even anchorites and hermits craved for nothing so much as to be given the possibility to receive Holy Communion. St. Mary of Egypt begged St. Zosimas to bring her the Holy Mysteries by the Jordan and commune her. Returning from visiting St. Onuphrius, the Venerable Paphnutius found a humble community of four young ascetics in the desert. When Paphnutius asked them whether and how they received Holy Communion, they replied that an angel of God visited them every Saturday and Sunday and gave them Holy Communion. Paphnutius remained until the following Saturday and was personally convinced. When Saturday dawned the entire community was filled with an in- describable, wonderful fragrance, and while they were at prayer, an angel of God in the form of a handsome young man, as bright as lightning, appeared with the All-pure Mysteries. Paphnutius became frightened and fell to the ground in fear. But they raised him up and brought him to the angel, so that he, along with them, received Com- munion from the hand of the angel. According to his own testimony, St. Onuphrius received Holy Communion from the hand of an angel, as did many other anchorites and hermits. Therefore, it is completely erroneous to think that solitaries and hermits did not receive Holy Communion. God, Who provided for their bodily nourishment, did not leave them without the life-giving nourishment of the Body and Blood of Christ the Lord. HOMILY on the palace and the hut The house of the wicked shall be overthrown but the hut of the righteous shall flourish (Proverbs 14:11). The palace of Herod lies in ruins, but the cave of the Child of Bethlehem remains. The crowns of the caesars have been lost, but the bones of the martyrs have been preserved. The palaces of the pagan kings have been transformed into piles of stone and dust, but the caves of the ascetics have grown into most beautiful churches. The golden idols have been scattered into nothing, but the chains of the Apostle Peter are preserved as a holy relic. The powerful Roman Em- pire is now only a tale of the dead, while the hut of Christianity, the Holy Church, is today the most powerful realm in the world. Where are the Jews, the murderers of God? They are dispersed throughout the world. Where are the powerful Romans? In the grave. Where is the power of bloody Nero? Where is the power of the evil Diocletian and the depraved Maximian? Where is the success of Julian the Apostate? Where are those high towers? They are where the Tower of Babel is- beneath dust and ashes, beneath shame and damnation. Go about your own city and inquire how many homes of the godless are excavated. How many huts of the righteous have grown into beautiful houses? Brethren, heaven and earth are founded on justice, on God's steadfast justice. That is why all the pagan creations are like arrogant bubbles, which burst and are trampled on by passersby. The palaces of the pharaohs and the Babylonians are like trampled bubbles, while the tent of the righteous Abraham flourishes and blossoms in eternity. O my brethren, how all-powerful and long lasting is justice, and how noisy and transient is injustice, like a storm on a summer's day! O Righteous Lord, how magnificent and consistent Thou art in the exercise of Thy justice! To Thee be glory and praise forever. Amen. |
The man who cries out against evil men but does not pray for them will never know the grace of God.
-St. Silouan the Athonite
-St. Silouan the Athonite
Remember your end, and you will not sin
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The man who cries out against evil men but does not pray for them will never know the grace of God.
-St. Silouan the Athonite
-St. Silouan the Athonite