July 2012 - Sacred Lessons

Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria & All Africa Archdiocese of Good Hope
All Glory, Honour and Wo rship to th e Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and fo rever, and unto the Ages of ages. Amen. Remembering also our Most Holy, Most Pure, Most Blessed and Glori ous Lady, Maria, Theotokos, yet Ever Vi rgin, together with all the Saints. And let us commit ourselve s and one another and our whole Life to Christ our God. Amen.
4th Sunday After Pentecost
Tone 3
1 July 2012
4th Sunday of St Matthew The Centurions Faith Feast of St Cosmas & St Damianos, Holy Unmercenary Physicians & Wonderworkers of Rome
Also the Feast of St John of Rila, (Translation of Relics) St Potitos of Naples St Peter of Constantinople St Angelina of Serbia St Leontios of Radauti
Resurrection Apolytikion
- TONE 3
Evfrenestho ta Ourania, agaliastho ta epigia, oti epiise Let the Heavens rejoice and let the earth be glad, for the
Kratos en Vrahioni Aftou O Kyrios. Epatise to Thanato ton Thanaton.Prototokos ton nekron egeneto. Ek kilias Adou errisato imas ke pareshe to kosmo to Mega Eleos.
Apolytikion of St Kosmas & St Damianos
TONE (8) PLAGAL 4
Lord has shown Strength with His Arm; He has trampled down Death by Death; He has become the First-born of the dead; from the womb of Hades He has delivered us, and to the world He has granted Great Mercy.
Agii
Anargiri ke Thavmatourgi, episkepsasthe tas asthenias imon. Dorean elavete dorean dote imin
Holy Unmercenaries and Workers of Miracles, visit upon

all our ailments and weaknesses, a Gift have you received, a Gift do give to us. Protector of the Christians Unashamable, Mediator to the Creator Immovable, despise not, the pleading voices of those in sin, but hasten O Good One, to the Aid of all of us, who in Faith cry out to Thee: speed up Thine Intercession, and present Thy Supplication, O Theotokos who always protects all those who honour Thee!
Kontakion of the Ever Blessed Theotokos
Prostasia ton Hristianon akateskhinte, mesitia pros ton O

Piitin ametathete, mi Paridis, amartolon deiseon fonas, alla profthason os agathi, is tin voithian imon, ton pistos kravgazonton Si: Tahinon is presvian, ke spefson is ikesian, i prostatevousa ai, Theotoke, ton Timonton Se.
Resurrection Gospel 4 : Luke 24:1 12

The Myrrhbearers Find The Tomb Empty
Prokeimenon
Sing praises to our God, sing praises to our King. Clap your hands, all you Nations!
The First Epistle of St Paul to the Corinthians 12 : 27 13 : 8
The Divine Gift of Love is the Most Superior of all Gifts
Brethren: You are the Body of Christ, and members individually. And God has appointed these in the Church: first Apostles, second Prophets, third Teachers, after that Miracles, then Gifts of Healings, Helps, Administrations, varieties of Tongues. Are all Apostles? Are all Prophets? Are all Teachers? Are all Workers of Miracles? Do all have Gifts of Healings? Do all speak with Tongues? Do all interpret? But earnestly desire the best Gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent Way: Although I speak with the tongues of men and of Angels, but have not Love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And although I have the Gift of Prophecy, and understand all Mysteries and all Knowledge, and although I have all Faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not Love, I am nothing! And although I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and although I give my body to be burnt, but have not Love, it profits me nothing. Love suffers long and is kind; Love does not envy; Love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the Truth; Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. But whether there are tongues they will cease; whether there is Knowledge it will vanish away... There was a hierarchy of Honour in the Church of the Understanding in all who practise it. And New Covenant as there is in the Holy Church today. Godliness towards God is the beginning of THE APOSTOLIC WORK THAT OF THE BISHOP SETS THE perception, but the ungodly despise PACE FOR ALL THE REST. Wisdom and Instruction.
WHEN THE OVERSIGHT IS IN ORDER, THE REST OF THE HOLY CHURCH IS FREE TO FUNCTION AT ITS OPTIMAL LEVEL.
But even with all the Divine Gifts in place and operative, there is something more excellent THE LOVE OF St
GOD AGAPE THE TRUE SIGN OF THE VERY PRESENCE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT! Basil the Great taught us that THERE ARE THREE REASONS ALL BIBLICAL AND ALL GOD-GIVEN FOR FOLLOWING OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST.
WISDOM BEGETS THE FEAR OF GOD IN SIMPLE PEOPLE THOSE WHO ARE BEGINNERS ON THE SPIRITUAL PATH TOWARDS ETERNAL LIFE IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD. This Holy Fear is THE BEGINNING OF WISDOM, GODLINESS TOWARDS GOD AND THE BEGINNING OF PERCEPTION.
For as Spiritual Beginners practise this Fear of God,

THEY GROW IN GOOD UNDERSTANDING WISDOM AND DIVINE VIRTUES. OF DIVINE
1. FEAR P R O V E R B S 1 : 7 : The Fear of God is the beginning of Wisdom. And there is Good
On the contrary, the ungodly are those who despise Divine Wisdom and Gods Instructions, for they claim to believe in God but they neither know
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St Kosmas & St Damianos, the Holy Unmercenaries of Rome
1 July 2012
1.
Gods Wisdom nor do they live a virtuous Life in Christ a Life of genuine Humility and Obedience. Consequently, they do not truly believe in the Lord our God. 2. OBEDIENCE A RECOGNITION THAT BECAUSE HE IS
OMNIPRESENT FOLLOW HIM. AND ALMIGHTY GOD WE MUST
GOD HAS GRANTED US FREE WILL TO CHOOSE
whether we want to live in His Divine Light and Love - or to surrender to the enslavement and ultimate devastation of the evil one who due to his obsessive hatred of all mankind - relentlessly tempts or lures us away from God and all good things.
ACTS
2 9 : ... Peter and the other Apostles
answered and said: We ought to obey God rather than men. While God commands our Obedience to governing authorities, OBEDIENCE TO GOD COMES FIRST before anything else in this earthly life!
WHEN THE TWO ARE IN CONFLICT FAITHFUL AND TRUE DISCIPLES OF CHRIST MUST FOLLOW GOD AND BE WILLING TO ACCEPT THE (TEMPORARY BUT OFTEN DEVASTATING) CONSEQUENCES such as Martyrdom.
(REFER ALSO LUKE 20:25 & ROMANS 13 : 1 7)
WHILE WE MUST ALWAYS AIM TO DO ALL THINGS OUT OF OUR LOVE OF GOD, WE ALSO MUST NEVER CEASE FEARING GOD AND OBEYING HIM i.e. we must always show
our deepest respect and Love of God through an eager and willing Obedience to all His Teachings and Commandments, according to which we will all eventually be Judged on the Final Day. Above everything else above all the other Divine Gifts St Paul emphasised THE SUPERIORITY OF DIVINE
LOVE - AGAPE - THAT HAS THE BEST RESULTS OF ALL OTHER DIVINE GIFTS outshining even Prophecy and
3. LOVE 1 J O H N 4 : 1 9 We Love God for He first Loved us! GOD HAS ALWAYS LOVED US UNCONDITIONALLY even though we are habitual sinners! So even before He began His magnificent Creation, we human beings who are intellectual beings together with His Heavenly Angels were provided for.
NOT ONLY WERE WE PUT IN CHARGE OF THIS WORLD AND ALL ITS CREATURES TO PROTECT AND TO TAKE CARE OF IT BUT AFTER OUR EXPULSION FROM PARADISE - GOD ALSO GRANTED US THE UNDERSTANDING, WISDOM, KNOWLEDGE AND MEANS WHEREBY WE ARE ABLE TO REGAIN OUR LOST LIKENESS TO GOD that we lost after
Faith, and which is far greater value than even the miraculous ability to remove mountains! Our Lord Jesus Christ urged us to give to the poor and even to lay down or offer our own lives for the sake of others yet even such SELFLESS ACTS, IF
DONE WITHOUT TRUE LOVE AGAPE WOULD BE OF NO BENEFIT WHATSOEVER ARE EMPTY GESTURES WITH NO SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS AT ALL!
St Paul clearly explains the actual meaning of Divine Love ending with the fact that the ONE THING THAT
LOVE CANNOT DO, IS TO FAIL!
Otherwise, LOVE MAKES EVERYTHING POSSIBLE FOR GOD

IS INDEED DIVINE LOVE ITSELF!! THE WONDERFUL GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT ARE ONLY TEMPORARY AND FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS PREPARATORY PERIOD WITH THE EXCEPTION OF AGAPE, WHICH WE CARRY THROUGH TO ETERNITY . Consequently, AGAPE IS THE MOST ESSENTIAL VIRTUE OF ALL to possess for it enables us to obtain Eternal
having fallen from Divine Grace through Spiritual Rebellion and Disobedience.
EVERY IMMORTAL SOUL IS BELOVED BY GOD WHO WANTS ONLY THE BEST OF EVERYTHING FOR US His Great
Mercy and Eternal Life in His Everlasting Kingdom of Love, Joy and Peace.
GOD NEVER STOPS LOVING US AND HE NEVER ABANDONS US.
Instead, whenever we wilfully sin, we distance ourselves from God and all His Goodness.
ONLY WHEN WE ACKNOWLEDGE AND CORRECT OUR ERRORS DO WE RETURN TO GODS PRESENCE to His warm and
protective embrace.
Life in Gods Heavenly Kingdom. Thus: THOSE WHO HAVE NO LOVE, HAVE NOTHING AT ALL for they shall not be Blessed with the Bliss and Peace of Eternal Life but rather be condemned to exile in Outer Darkness the Deep Abyss total alienation from God and all His Goodness according to their very own choices throughout their life!
The Holy Gospel According to St Matthew 8 : 5 13

The Faith of the Centurion
At that time, when our Lord Jesus had entered Capernaum, a Centurion went to Him, pleading with Him, saying; Lord, my servant is lying at home, paralysed and dreadfully tormented. And Jesus said to him: I will go and heal him. The Centurion answered: Lord, I am not worthy that Thou should come under my roof. So only speak a word, and my servant will be healed. For I, too, am a man under authority, having soldiers under me. And when I say to one: Go! he goes; and to another: Come! he comes; and to my servant: Do this, and he does it. When Jesus heard his words, he marvelled, and said to those who followed: Truly, I say to you: I have not found such great faith not even in Israel! And I say to you that many will come from East and West, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the Kingdom of Heaven, but the sons of the Kingdom will be cast out into Outer Darkness! There will be wailing and gnashing of the teeth! And Jesus said to the Centurion: Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you. And the Centurions servant was healed that same hour. A Roman Centurion (usually a Gentile or pagan) at the unbelief in His hometown of Nazareth commanded 100 men in a Roman Legion. and now, in this instance, He marvelled at the Our Lord Jesus is the Divine Saviour of all Centurions complete Faith in Him and His humanity and to Him there are no ethnic Divine Powers. distinctions or boundaries. By saying : ... many will come from East and Our Lords response to the concerned Centurion is West... our Lord Jesus nullified any ideas of regarded by many scholars as having been a ethnic superiority. question rather than a statement: Shall I go? but The rejected sons of the Kingdom include the whatever it was, the significant fact is that our Hebrews and others who deny Christ and those Saviour is always ready and willing to help who have been raised in His Holy Church but everyone, even this Roman Centurion a pagan or who do not Life in Faith those who do not Gentile whose house He was prepared to enter Live in Christ. although the Hebrews would never have even Christ reveals the reality and Truth of Eternal considered doing so! Death the horrific consequences of wilful Spiritual The Centurion expressed his unusual Faith in Christ by Rebellion against the Lord our God by describing addressing Him as Lord, and his confession: I the Eternal State of the Unrighteous Dead in am not worthy that Thou should come under Sheol (Hades) according to the Hebrew Tradition my roof, is frequently quoted in our Orthodox the Outer Darkness and the weeping and Christian Liturgical texts as an ideal expression of gnashing of teeth, which were common Humility. expressions used in the Holy Gospels of St Matthew Twice in all the Holy Gospels is has been noted that our and St Luke. Lord marvelled at something: He had marvelled
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1 July 2012
E n o c h 1 0 3 : 8 And into Outer Darkness and Chains and a burning Flame where there is grievous Judgement shall your spirits enter; Todays Gospel Lesson gives us A LIVING EXAMPLE OF (UNCONDITIONAL) LOVE (AGAPE) in the person of a pagan Roman soldier a centurion. His authority and social status as a Roman Centurion made him not only the master but also the owner of each Hebrew citizen. However, due to the love and compassion he had for his servant, he himself had become enslaved! Because of his love for his servant the deepest humility emerged from the heart of the pagan Centurion. Who and what did Christ mean to him? For the Roman pagan Centurion, our Lord Jesus Christ was merely a Hebrew Man who was under the authority his dominant control. He did not know Christ as the Messiah, he had only heard of him as being Someone Who could do Wonders with the sick and the suffering. He could have sent a messenger to order Christ to go to his house, yet he did not do so. Instead he went to Christ himself. And for whom did he seek the Help of Christ? Not for one of his family but for one of his servants. That powerful Centurion - a Roman citizen and officer asked a Hebrew Man for His Mercy. His words to Christ: Lord, my servant is lying at home, paralysed and dreadfully tormented. Expressed so much compassion and so much love for his suffering servant! And this love had been brought to Christ by a pagan-Centurion. Love and Humility - Light and hearty warmth - revealed the beginning of the Kingdom of God in the heart of that Roman Centurion. Our Lord responded immediately to his appeal: I will go and heal him. And then the true disposition of the Centurion is revealed when he says: Lord, I am not worthy that Thou should come under my roof... Being a truthful and honest man, he not only confesses his sinfulness, but he also shows respect towards the Hebrew customs that forbade their entry into pagan homes. Furthermore, HE ACKNOWLEDGED HIS CONFIDENCE AND TRUST IN THE EXTRAORDINARY HEALING POWERS OF ...only OUR LORD JESUS when he told Him: speak a word, and my servant will be healed... And the servant was indeed cured at that very moment THE DIVINE REWARD OF THE CENTURIONS VIRTUES OF LOVE, HUMILITY AND FAITH. The Centurion revealed something unexpected: the most important Christian Virtues: Faith that was very strong and unwavering indeed, Compassion and Love for someone who was not only unrelated to him, but who was also under his authority and control, and great Humility that compelled him to personally seek Christs Help. The Centurions servant was cured at that very moment because, as we have been taught, The Prayer of a Righteous person can do much! The Centurion was Righteous and our Lord heard his unselfish Prayers immediately. When our Lord does not seem to fulfill our Prayers quickly, this is not because He does not hear us for He not only hears and sees everything but He also knows our deepest inner being He knows our thoughts even before we can express them with words or deeds. Then why is He often slow to respond to our Supplications? Because we are possibly unrighteous at the time being proud, arrogant, sinful and selfish. Sometimes we have to improve our Spiritual State before we can enjoy and appreciate Gods Abundant and Great Mercy.
And the Great Judgement shall be for all the generations of the world. Woe to you, for you shall have no peace. Our Lord Loves those who are Repentant, Humble and Righteous and is always Most Merciful to contrite sinners. So if we want God to be Merciful to us if we want Him to fulfill our Prayers and Supplications - then we must willingly subject our free will with the Divine Will of God. The Centurion approached our Saviour with profound Faith, Love and Humility to seek Miraculous Healing for his servant. And even if our Lord Jesus Christ had explained to him that it was Gods Will for the servant to suffer for the sake of his immortal soul, it is quite possible that the Centurion would have departed in Obedience and Humility with the difficult but faithful acceptance of Thy Will be done!
PAIN AND SUFFERING IS AN ESSENTIAL PART OF THE HUMAN CONDITION AND OFTEN BRINGS US ALL THE MORE CLOSER TO GOD AND AN UNDERSTANDING OF OUR NEED FOR REPENTANCE AND FORGIVENESS THE SPIRITUAL FRUITS OF TRUE HUMILITY AND OBEDIENCE TO GOD IN ALL THINGS. IT ALSO TEACHES US TO DEPEND ON AND APPRECIATE GODS INFINITE LOVE, KINDNESS AND MERCY. FURTHERMORE, WE LEARN TO SELFLESSLY HELP, SUPPORT AND ENCOURAGE EACH OTHER THUS TAKING THE OPPORTUNITY FOR PERSONAL SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT AND ADVANCEMENT.
The Faith of the Centurion
We always expect God to grant us everything we desire but we do not always get them - not only because our Prayers lack True Faith and Humility, but especially due to the fact that we are not motivated by Unconditional Love - Agape WE ARE MORE OFTEN THAN NOT MOTIVATED AND COMPELLED BY ARROGANT SELF-LOVE and so our Prayers are usually self-serving - EVEN IF WE PRAY FOR OTHERS, WE OFTEN DO SO BECAUSE THEIR NEEDS
SOMEHOW INTERFERE WITH OUR LIFESTYLE AND EVEN ANNOY OR INCONVENIENCE US!
We beseech God to relieve us of our personal responsibilities and for that reason our Lord allows us to continue to struggle until we awake from our Spiritual Stupor and our Faith in Gods Great Mercy strengthens and compels us to genuinely Love and care for one another. ONLY THROUGH THE ACQUISITION OF THE TWO GREAT VIRTUES OF OBEDIENCE AND HUMILITY ARE WE ABLE TO RECEIVE GODS DIVINE GRACE AND MERCY. The image of this truly Faithful Centurion must be imprinted in our mind and heart i.e. we must understand that if we want God to grant us anything at all, we must, first of all, have the strength of Faith to accept the fact that our Lord not only hears us, but if He does not immediately respond to our Prayers, it possibly means that it is not according to His Divine Will at that time. Furthermore, we must strive for Humility and Obedience so that when we do Pray to God we are ready and able to accept our Lords All Wise and Loving Will constantly repent our sins.
INSTANT SELF-GRATIFICATION IS A DEADLY VICE THAT NEEDS TO BE ERADICATED FROM OUR HEARTS AND SOULS. IT IS AN IMMORAL, EGOCENTRIC AND NASTY HABIT THAT ALIENATES US FROM GOD AND OUR FELLOW MANKIND, WHICH DESTROYS MANY GOOD RELATIONSHIPS.
Instant self-gratification leads to obsession and despair because we are driven by greed and selfishness, which, if not immediately satisfied leads to major conflict and even despair. Consequently, if we really want our Lord to visit us, praise us, rejoice at our deeds, thoughts and words, we must acquire the same good Virtues that Faithful Centurion had possessed. Amen
ADAPTED & EDITED BY MP: 4TH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST THE HEALING OF THE CENTURIONS SERVANT - BY REVEREND FATHER G SERGEEV RUSSIAN ORTHODOX ARCHDIOCESE OF CANADA
http://www.orthodox-canada.com/the-fourth-sunday-after-pentecostthe-healing-of-the-centurions-servant/
1 July 2012
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M a y G o d G i v e y o u W i s d o m ! (PART 3) T h e R i g h t e o u s E l d e r , Ar c h i m a n d r i t e J o h n K r e s t i a n k i n o f P s k o v Ca v e s M o n a s t e r y On the Work of a Spiritual Father

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever! [HEBREWS 13;8] THE PATH TO SALVATION BEGINS FROM THE MOMENT WE IN ORDER TO REGAIN OUR LOST LIKENESS TO GOD, WE MUST PERPETUALLY STRUGGLE AGAINST THE DEMANDS OF OUR FLESH I.E. WE MUST STRUGGLE TO DEVELOP A TURN TO GOD WITH THE AWARENESS THAT WE ARE GOOD, STRONG SPIRITUAL LIFE OVER THE DEMANDS OF OUR PHYSICAL STATE. PERISHING, WHICH THEN COMPELS US TO SEARCH FOR OUR IMMORTAL SOULS SHOULD DOMINATE OR CONTROL THE SELFISH DESIRES AND OUR LORD AND SAVIOUR, which subsequently brings CLAMOURING DEMANDS OUR MORTAL FLESH, WHICH REQUIRES CONSCIOUS AND CONSTANT ATTENTION. many souls to His Holy Church. IN OTHER WORDS: WE MUST BECOME STRONGER SPIRITUAL BEINGS! THIS IS THE FIRST STUMBLING BLOCK that lies upon the WHEN THE WORD THE ABSOLUTE TRUTH OF GOD threshold of the Holy Church at the Source of Salvation FOR THOSE WHO HAVE ONLY JUST PENETRATES OUR HEART AND SOUL, AND TAKES ROOT THERE, WE ARE GRANTED INCREDIBLE COURAGE, AWAKENED TO SPIRITUAL LIFE IN CHRIST AND FOR THE STRENGTH AND POWER ESPECIALLY TO THE SELFSPIRITUAL FATHERS WHO RECEIVE THESE SPIRITUAL INFANTS - TO GUIDE, NURTURE AND TEACH THE TRUE SACRIFICING SOUL FOR THE ENDURANCE OF AND FAITH TO THEM. RESISTANCE TO TEMPTATIONS. OUR SPIRITUAL FATHERS GUIDANCE IS A SPIRITUAL THE SPIRITUAL CHILDS TASK is certainly also not easy and PRESENTS HIM OR HER WITH MANY DEMANDS THE SWORD THAT IS EMPOWERED BY DIVINE GRACE TO CUT MOST BASIC OF WHICH IS THE GENUINE DESIRE FOR OFF IMPURITY, which often causes PAIN AND TORMENT IN THE HEART OF THE INEXPERIENCED SPIRITUAL ETERNAL SALVATION. CHILD, and which REQUIRES HUMILITY, OBEDIENCE, Upon entering the Church and winged with new, SELF-DENIAL AND MUCH PATIENCE FROM US IN ORDER wonderful sensations, the newly-born Disciple of TO MAKE SPIRITUAL PROGRESS. Christ reaches with his or her consciousness SUCH SPIRITUAL STRUGGLES AND PERSONAL WEAKNESSES, straight for the Kingdom of Heaven to the Heights AND THE NEED FOR OUR CONSTANT LABOUR TO ENDURE of Mysteries that are hidden behind the AND TO HUMBLE OUR GREAT EGOTISM, BECOME AN impenetrable curtain of Divine Revelation. OBSTACLE TO SPIRITUAL PROGRESS FOR MOST PEOPLE At that moment THE SPIRITUAL FATHER AND HIS who are used to seeking mere temporary but SPIRITUAL CHILD ENTER INTO A UNIFIED SPIRITUAL instant self-gratification, entertainment and STRUGGLE AGAINST THE DARK POWERS THAT ARE pleasure. ALWAYS READY TO STRIKE THEIR FATAL BLOWS AND THE SALVIFIC CROSS THAT EVERYONE OF US SHOULD WITH THEIR DECEIT TO TURN THE NEW CONVERT FROM CONSCIOUSLY TAKE UP AND CARRY WITH LOVE THE THE PATH OF SALVATION. CROSS THAT IS THE ONLY MEANS WHEREBY WE CAN THE ENEMYS DECEPTIONS CEASELESSLY STALK ALL TEAR OURSELVES AWAY FROM EARTHLY ATTACHMENTS FAITHFUL AND STRUGGLING DISCIPLES OF CHRIST FOR AND PASSIONS IS CAST OFF LIKE AN UNBEARABLE THE REST OF THEIR LIFE baiting their deadly traps YOKE. with the dangerous sweetness of innumerable Outwardly bowing down before the Great Holy Cross of temptations, lies and illusions. Christ and His Passion and singing the praises of FOR THE NEW DISCIPLES OF CHRIST THIS INITIAL PERIOD the Wondrous Weapon of our Salvation, WE AFTER HOLY CONVERSION IS PARTICULARLY SKILFULLY AND INVENTIVELY SIDE-STEP OUR OWN DANGEROUS, because the fatal sweetness of PERSONAL SAVING CROSS, WHICH THEN RESULTS IN A selfishness still resonates within the nature of the HORRENDOUS PSEUDO-SPIRITUAL LIFE A PLAYING fleshly person and finds sympathy, attraction and WITH SPIRITUAL LIFE! response lurking deep within the soul. This dangerous game, by giving birth to A FALSE OUR SPIRITUAL FATHERS STRENGTH AND EXPERIENCE IN UNDERSTANDING OF SPIRITUALITY, HAS BEGUN TO SPIRITUAL STRUGGLES IS FOUNDED UPON PRAYER AND SWAMP THE WORLD WITH FALSE SPIRITUALITY. LOVE FOR HIS SPIRITUAL CHILDS SOUL, which has It is becoming ever more difficult for the Holy Church to come to desire its own Salvation. stand up against this modern catastrophe which, by THE SPIRITUAL CHILDS PROTECTION DEPENDS ON OUR responding to THE INNER INCLINATIONS OF PEOPLE, DEGREE OF TRUST IN OUR SPIRITUAL FATHER, IN THE LEADS THEM AWAY FROM THE SAVING GRACE OF THE CONSTANT AWARENESS OF OUR OWN SINFULNESS AND HOLY CROSS OF CHRIST AND EVERYTHING IT IMPLIES, MISTRUST OF SELF. AND TOWARDS A FRUITLESS SPIRITUALLY TODAYS CHILDREN OF THE HOLY CHURCH ARE of a UNPROFITABLE SEARCH FOR ONESELF, which has particular type BORN DURING THE TIME OF GENERAL grown out of control and misleads many souls away APOSTASY, THEY COME TO SPIRITUAL LIFE BEING from God! WEIGHED DOWN WITH MANY YEARS OF SINFUL LIFE, AND The Spiritual Difficulties and Stumbling Blocks along A PERVERTED COMPREHENSION OF GOOD AND EVIL. the Path of True Spiritual Life in Christ are The earthly reality they have always known takes up countless. arms against A NEW UNDERSTANDING OF HEAVENLY It is the Science of Sciences that have been taught to us TRUTH THAT BEGINS TO UNFOLD WITHIN THEIR SOUL by the Holy Gospels and ALL SITUATIONS AND BUT THESE TWO REALITIES ARE COMPLETELY DIFFERENT CIRCUMSTANCES OF LIFE PERMITTED BY OUR ALL IN THEIR ESSENCE AND ARE TOTALLY IRRECONCILABLE! KNOWING AND ALL WISE GOD FOR OUR PROPER On earth, HEAVENLY TRUTH IS NAILED TO THE CROSS. SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT AND PROGRESS. SPIRITUAL LIFE IS AN ACTIVE CONFLICT with earthly, false (... to be continued...) so-called reason, which has become the guide of ADAPTED & EDITED BY MP: LETTERS OF ARCHIMANDRITE JOHN modern society. KRESTIANKIN Having heard our Spiritual Fathers simple and accessible words of Spiritual Instruction and having THE BOOK, MAY GOD GIVE YOU WISDOM! THE LETTERS OF FR. heard the True Word of God, WE CAN ALL ONLY
ACCEPT ASSIMILATION AND UNDERSTANDING OF THIS
DIVINE TRUTH WHEN IT IS FULFILLED IN OUR OWN LIFE otherwise the Word of God would be distorted and profaned! ANOTHER STUMBLING BLOCK FOR NEW DISCIPLES OF CHRIST IS WHEN THE DIVINE TRUTH THAT THEY HAVE
BEEN TAUGHT REMAINS UNFULFILLED IN THEIR DAILY LIFE. FULFILMENT OR THE ACCOMPLISHMENT OF GODS DIVINE TRUTH - I.E. OUR LIFE IN CHRIST REQUIRES MUCH LABOUR, STRUGGLE AND EFFORT ON OUR PART ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO SELF-DENIAL AND SELFDISCIPLINE.
JOHN KRESTIANKIN IS AVAILABLE FROM: ST. XENIA SKETE PRESS - P. O. BOX 260 - WILDWOOD, CA 96076 - USA
e-mail: stxenia@earthlink.net
Abba Theodore of Pherme

A Brother came to Abba Theodore of Pherme and began to converse with him about things which he had never yet put into practice. So the Elder said to him, "You have not yet found a ship nor put your cargo aboard it, and before you have sailed, you have already arrived at the city. DO THE WORK FIRST; THEN YOU WILL HAVE THE SPEED YOU ARE MAKING NOW."
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All Glory, Honour and Wo rship to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and forever, and unto the Ages of ages. Amen. Remembering also our Most Holy, Most Pure, Most Blessed and Glorious Lady, Maria, Theotokos, yet Ever Virgin, together with all the Saints. And let us commit ourselves and one another and our whole Life to Christ our God. Am en.
5 J ul y 2 0 1 2
St Athanasios the Great of Holy Mount Athos- Founder of the Great Lavra & Coenobitic Monasticism
Also the Feast of Six Disciples of St Athanasios of Mount Athos St Sergios of Radonezh, Uncovering of his Holy Relics St Anna of Rome St Cyrilla of Cyrene, Libya St Lampados of Irenopolis St Cyprianos of Mouth Athos St Elizabeth, Grand Duchess & St Barbara the Nun of Russia - the Holy Icon of our Ever Blessed Lady Theotokos the Economissa or Stewardess
Apolytikion Of St Athanasios The Athonite TONE 3
Tin
en sarki Zoin sou kateplagisan, Angelon tagmata, pos meta somatos, pros aoratou simplokas, ehorisas aidime, ke katetravmatisas, ton demonon tas falangas. Othen Ahtanasie, O Hristos Se imipsato dorees plousies. Dio Pater Presveve, sothine tas psihas imon.
The
Order of Angels were astounded at Thy life in the flesh, and how bodily, into Unseen Warfare Thou ventured, O Ever Blessed, and wounded most severely the hordes of demons. Whence, O Athanasios, Christ rewarded Thee with Abundant Blessings. Therefore, O Father, Intercede so that our souls may be Saved!

Protector of the Christians Unashamable, Mediator to the Creator Immovable, despise not, the pleading voices of those in sin, but hasten O Good One, to the Aid of all of us, who in Faith cry out to Thee: speed up Thine Intercession, and present Thy Supplication, O Theotokos who always protects all those who honour Thee!
St Pauls Epistle to the Galatians 5 : 22 6 : 2

Eradicating The Passions And Doing Good To All Creation Especially Our Fellow Sinners Brethren: The Fruit of the Spirit is Love, Joy, Peace, Long-suffering, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christs have crucified their flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not become conceited provoking one another or envying one another. Brethren: if someone is overtaken in any trespass, you who are Spiritual must restore such a person in a spirit of Gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. Bear each others burdens, and so fulfil the Law of Christ. For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself! St Paul listed THE SPIRITUAL FRUITS (SPIRITUAL CONSEQUENCES, THE NEW COVENANT IS: RESULTS, REWARDS OR VIRTUES) THAT ARE GRANTED TO US BY THE A N E T E R N A L H O L Y C O V E N A N T it is HOLY SPIRIT WHO BY THE WILL OF GOD THE FATHER infinite. The New Covenant with God is AND THROUGH OUR SAVIOUR, JESUS CHRIST, ENABLES absolutely Perfect and It takes us into Eternity. US TO ATTAIN GREAT THINGS THAT ARE BEYOND OUR A B L O O D L E S S C O V E N A N T Christ offered OWN PUNY HUMAN POWER OR ABILITIES. Himself as the final, ultimate Blood Sacrifice that V The wonderful FRUITS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT ARE fulfilled all requirements and is everlasting. VIRTUES OR THE INDISPENSABLE QUALITIES There is no need to make any further Blood ESSENTIAL TO OUR SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT AND Sacrifices (which were only temporary anyway!) WELFARE - FOR THE CONTINUATION OF GOOD, for the forgiveness of our sins because now we HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS WITH GOD AND OUR have been granted THE HOLY MYSTERY OF FELLOW HUMAN BEINGS.
THE HOLY SPIRIT GRANTS US THESE VIRTUES FOR OUR LIFE OF SPIRITUAL STRUGGLE while we endure this difficult
preparatory period before Eternity .
THE ONLY VIRTUE WE NEED DURING AND AFTER THIS LIFE IS THAT OF DIVINE LOVE AGAPE WITHOUT WHICH WE CANNOT EXPECT TO PARTICIPATE IN THE ETERNAL LIFE OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD A PERPETUAL SPIRITUAL STATE OF PERFECT, DIVINE LOVE/AGAPE.
As Baptised Christians we are the adopted Children of God and rightful Heirs to His Eternal Kingdom. Therefore, we are Christs HIS FAITHFUL DISCIPLES
WHO CONSTANTLY LEARN FROM HIM AND FOLLOW HIS PERFECT EXAMPLE, having ...crucified (our) flesh
with its passions and desires... at our Baptism when we were Renewed and Regenerated, having committed ourselves to the New Covenant with God.
EUCHARIST THE MYSTICAL SUPPER OF CHRIST WHICH GRANTS US FORGIVENESS OF SINS A N D ETERNAL LIFE! A S P I R I T U A L C O V E N A N T God Incarnate God Himself has revealed and taught us THE TRUE PURPOSE OF THIS LIFE. This earthly existence is A SHORT PREPARATORY PERIOD DURING WHICH WE HAVE TO DEVELOP OUR SPIRITUAL STRENGTHS AND QUALITIES SO THAT WE MAY RETURN TO GOD FROM WHOM WE ORIGINATED. OUR PHYSICAL AND MENTAL STRUGGLES strengthen our souls, which ARE ENABLED, ASSISTED, GUIDED AND INSPIRED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT and this is how we ...walk in the Spirit... We must STRENGTHEN AND TRAIN OUR SOUL TO CONTROL THE DESIRES OF OUR FLESH that is how we must ...
live in the (Holy) Spirit...
St Athanasios of Mount Athos
5 July 2012
5.
In other words, we must DEVELOP AND MAINTAIN OUR

SPIRITUAL PROFICIENCY THROUGH CONSTANT SPIRITUAL STRUGGLE, WHICH IS GUIDED AND ASSISTED BY GOD, IN ORDER TO CONTROL OUR PERSONAL PHYSICAL WEAKNESSES THE DEMANDS OF THE FLESH - THAT THREATEN TO DOMINATE AND RULE US.
Consequently, SUCH TACTLESS AND CONCEITED ATTITUDES

ARE SPIRITUAL PRIDE RESULTING IN THE LOSS OF DIVINE GRACE AND CAUSING OUR OWN SPIRITUAL DEATH. WE ARE ALL JOURNEYING THROUGH THIS TEMPORARY, PREPARATORY LIFE TOGETHER AND WE ARE ALL SINNERS WHO ARE STRUGGLING TOWARDS THE SAME ULTIMATE DESTINATION ETERNITY WHETHER WE ARE BELIEVERS OR NOT!
THIS IS THE ESSENTIAL PROCESS WHEREBY WE STRIVE TO REGAIN OUR LOST LIKENESS TO GOD so that
we may return to His Eternal Kingdom of Love from whence our first ancestors, Adam and Eve, were banished due to their Disobedience to God. Furthermore, AS WE GAIN SPIRITUAL MATURITY, WE MUST
WITH DEEP HUMILITY AND LOVE FOR OUR FELLOW SINNERS - BESEECH GOD FOR HIS DIVINE GRACE AND WISDOM so that we can properly and successfully
Every human being has the same Sacred Task of helping, encouraging and supporting our fellow travellers.
AS BRETHREN IN CHRIST AND DISCIPLES OF CHRIST WE MUST ...bear each others burdens... BECAUSE, SOONER OR LATER, WE ALL BECOME A LITTLE FATIGUED OR WEAK OR DISCOURAGED BY THE OBSTACLES AND PROBLEMS THAT WE MUST ENDURE. SO THOSE WHO ARE STRONGER MUST NOT HESITATE TO HELP THE WEAK AND AILING FOR THIS IS ... fulfilling the Law of Christ ... WHICH IS THE ONLY SACRED PATH WHEREBY WE CAN BENEFICIALLY ACCOMPLISH OUR LIFES JOURNEY AND W H E R E B Y WE WILL BE JUDGED!
advise, encourage, support and assist those who are Spiritually Weak and Lost, as well as those who have fallen into a dangerous state of Spiritual Death.
THE CRUCIAL VIRTUES BY DIVINE GRACE OF HUMILITY AND LOVE, PREVENT US FROM BEING JUDGEMENTAL, ARROGANT, DISPARAGING OR INSENSITIVE towards our suffering and ailing
Brethren.

Rest in our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ
At that time, our Lord Jesus said: ... 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 Will to reveal Him. Come to Me, all you who labour and who are heavily laden, and I will give you rest. 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. For My Yoke is easy and My Burden is light. THE HOLY YOKE OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOUR, JESUS under the yoke of the King of Babylon to work for him, I shall leave it on its own land; and CHRIST, IS OUR WILLING AND EAGER SUBMISSION AND he shall work it for him and dwell in it. OBEDIENCE TO HIS DIVINE AND EVERLASTING KINGDOM W I S D O M O F S I R A C H 4 0 : 1 Hard work was created for OF LOVE, PEACE AND JOY. every man and a heavy yoke for the sons of Although the reference to a yoke might be seen as a Adam, from the day they come forth from their sign of difficulties or hardship, burdens and mothers womb, until the day they return to the responsibilities, OUR LIFE IN CHRIST I.E. HIS DIVINE mother of all. YOKE IS EASY AND UNBURDENSOM FOR THE POWER OF MEEKNESS IS AN ATTITUDE OF BEING CONTENT WITH BOTH GOD WORKS IN EACH FAITHFUL SOUL. HONOUR AND DISHONOUR. It is the ultimate imitation Furthermore, THE ETERNAL REWARD IS INFINITELY of Christ, Who said: Learn from Me, for I Am GREATER THAN ANY EFFORT ANYONE ELSE ON EARTH gentle (meek) and lowly in heart (humble). CAN OFFER. THOSE WHO ARE MEEK ARE GOD-CONTROLLED AND HAVE 3 K I N G S 1 2 : 1 1 1 : ...Thy Father made our yoke a MASTERY OVER THEIR PASSIONS, especially anger. heavy burden; but if you now lighten the MEEKNESS IS NOT PASSIVE WEAKNESS, BUT STRENGTH THAT harsh servitude and the burdensome yoke IS DIRECTED AND UNDER CONTROL. under which thy father placed us, then we will THE EARTH THAT THE MEEK WILL EVENTUALLY INHERIT IS serve thee... neither power nor possession in this world, but THE J E R E M I A H 3 4 : 1 1 1 Thus says the Lord: Make NEW EARTH, WHICH IS ETERNAL. (REVELATION 21:1) bonds and wooden yokes and put them on your neck, ... ...the Nation that brings its neck
St Athanasios &
our Ever Blessed Lady Theotokos

the Evil One. Then he asked Her how he could be sure that Her words were true. "Do you see this rock?" she asked, pointing to the side of the path. "Strike it with your staff in the Name of the Holy Trinity, and you will know who is speaking to you. Do not appoint a Steward at any time, for from this time forward, I shall be the Stewardess of your Monastery." St Athanasios did as he was told, and the rock split open and a stream of water began to flow out of the crack. When he turned to face the Blessed Lady and to beg Her forgiveness for his doubt, She had disappeared. Returning to the Monastery, St Athanasios found all the storerooms filled to capacity with food, wine, and oil. The construction work was soon completed, and the Lavra was filled with Monks once again, and to this day, there is no Steward but there is an Assistant Steward to Theotokos while the Economissa Icon rests in the narthex of the main church, which is venerated by pilgrims before entering the side Chapel with the tomb of St Athanasios. The spring still flows with its healing water.
The Economissa (or Stewardess) Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos depicts the Mother of God seated on a Throne, with Her Divine Son on her left knee. St Athanasios stands on her right, holding a model of the Great Lavra. On her left is St Michael of Synnada and two Angels hold a crown above her head. The Ever Blessed Theotokos has been the Holy Stewardess of Mount Athos ever since the tenth century when the Great Lavra was being built. St Athanasios had been deserted by his Monks because of a serious shortage of food and finances, so he had left the half-built Lavra, and began to walk toward Karyes, intending to ask for advice about whether or not to beg the Emperor for the funds needed to complete the construction of the Lavra. After about two hours, he suddenly beheld a most beautiful Lady standing before him, wearing a long blue veil, who spoke to him: "I know your sorrow, and I would like to help. Where are you going?" So St Athanasios explained everything that had happened, and She responded: "Have you deserted your Monastery for a morsel of bread? Go back! You will have everything you need in abundance - if you do not abandon your Monastery." "Who are you?" the astonished Saint inquired. "I am the Mother of your Lord," She replied. St Athanasios hesitated to believe Her, afraid of being deceived by
6.
St Athanasios of Mount Athos
5 July 2012
All Glory, Honou r and Worship to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and forever, and unto the Ages of ages. Amen. Remembering also our Most Holy, Most Pure, Most Blessed and Glorious Lady, Maria, Theotokos, yet Ever Virgin, together with all the Sai nts. And let us commit ourselves an d one another and our whole Life to Christ our God. Amen.
7 J ul y 2 0 1 2
St Kyriake the Great Virgin Martyr of Nicomedia
Also the Feast of St Thomas of Mount Maleon St Akakios of Sinai St Euphrosyne (Eudokia) the Grand Duchess of Moscow St Peregrinos, St Lucianos, St Pompeios, St Hesychios, St Papios, St Saturninos & St Germanos of Macedonia St Evangelikos of Tomis, Romania Translation of the Blachernae Icon of our Most Holy Lady Theotokos to Russia
Apolytikion Of Female Martyrs Tone 4
amnas Sou Iisou, krazi megali ti foni. Se Nimfie mou potho, ke Se zitousa athlo, ke sistavroume, ke sinthptome to Vaptismo Sou. Ke pasho dia Se, os Vasilefso sin Si, ke thnisko iper sou, ina ke ziso en Si. All os thisian amomomn, prosdehou tin meta pothou tithisan Si. Aftis presvies, os eleimon, Soson tas psihas imon.
my Lord Jesus, Thine Ewe-Lamb, with a loud voice calls out: Thou, my Groom, do I long for, and suffer all in search for Thee, and I am crucified and buried with Thee in Baptism; and I suffer for Thy Sake, inorder to reign with Thee, and give my life to Thee so that I may live with Thee; but accept as pure Sacrifice, the one who desired to give her life for Thee. Through her Intercessions, O Most Compassionate, Save our souls! Protector of the Christians Unashamable, Mediator to the Creator Immovable, despise not, the pleading voices of those in sin, but hasten O Good One, to the Aid of all of us, who in Faith cry out to Thee: speed up Thine Intercession, and present Thy Supplication, O Theotokos who always protects all those who honour Thee!

St Pauls Epistle to the Romans 8 : 14 21

Brethren: ... as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of Adoption by Whom we cry out: Abba! Father! The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are Children of God, and if Children, then Heirs Heirs of God and joint Heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be Glorified together. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the Glory that shall be revealed in us. For the earnest Expectation of Creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. For the Creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him Who subjected it in Hope; because the Creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the Glorious Liberty of the Children of God... AT OUR HOLY BAPTISM, WE BECOME THE ADOPTED CHILDREN OF GOD AND THUS MEMBERS OF GODS HOLY CHILDREN OF GOD AND THEREFORE CO-HEIRS WITH FAMILY HIS HOLY CHURCH. The expression joint Heirs with Christ reveals that OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST TO THE ETERNAL KINGDOM EVERYTHING OUR SAVIOUR IS BY MEANS OF HIS NATURE, OF ALMIGHTY GOD the same Kingdom He inherited GOD THE FATHER GRANTS TO US BY HIS DIVINE GRACE. when He ascended physically into Heaven, which is granted by Divine Grace. Note the contrast between sufferings and Glory: AS Whatever our Lord Jesus inherited by His own Divine CHRISTIANS WE HAVE GODS GLORY WITHIN US, Nature, we receive as a Divine Gift from God. ALTHOUGH HIS GLORY IS NOT FULLY REVEALED YET. (COLOSSIANS 3: 3 -4) Although our Adoption occurs at Holy Baptism, IT IS OUR In the Orthodox Church, the Holy Icon of the RESPONSIBILITY AND SPIRITUAL COMMITMENT TO Incarnation, the Blessed Virgin Mary holding the receive the Love of this Divine Adoption by Christ Child, is always situated on the left side of the continuing to LIVE IN FAITH BY ALWAYS LOOKING Royal Gates, while the Holy Icon of Christ Enthroned TOWARDS GOD AND THROUGH OUR CONSTANT is always situated to the right of the Royal Gates. REPENTANCE AND SPIRITUAL STRUGGLES. In this manner we proclaim that CHRIST HAS COME TO US The Experience of this Holy Adoption allows us to FIRST THROUGH HIS INCARNATION AND WILL COME address God with the intimate term Abba or AGAIN PHYSICALLY REAPPEAR IN ALL HIS GLORY AS Father. (SEE GALATIANS 4: 5-7) OUR ETERNAL RULER AND JUDGE. THE SPIRIT OF BONDAGE REFERS TO A RETURN TO THE We live every moment in a tense Spiritual Battle OLD COVENANT MOSAIC LAW. between our present and future Experience of Gods Old Covenant Israel feared God just like a slave would Heavenly Kingdom, which is marked by both fear a strict master but UNDER OUR NEW COVENANT sufferings and glory. WITH GOD WE ARE NO LONGER SLAVES BUT ADOPTED

Our Lord Jesus Christ receives all Repentant Sinners
At that time, as our Lord Jesus saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office, and He said to him: Follow Me! And he arose and followed Him. Now it happened, as Jesus sat at the table in the house, that behold, many Tax Collectors and sinners went and sat down with Him and His Disciples. And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to His Disciples, Why does your Teacher eat with Tax Collectors and sinners? Jesus hear what they had said and He said to them: Those who are well have no need of a Physician, but those who are sick do. But go and learn what this means: I desire Mercy and not sacrifice. For I did not come to call the Righteous but sinners to Repentance.
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7 July 2012
7.
ST MATTHEW WAS ALSO NAMED LEVI. [MARK 2:14] The Roman authorities had assigned specific areas to Hebrew Tax Collectors who were free to collect extra revenues for their own profit. THE APPARENT COLLABORATION OF THE TAX COLLECTORS OR PUBLICANS WITH THE ROMAN OCCUPIERS, THEIR
FRAUDULENT PRACTISES AND THEIR VARIOUS PERSONAL CORRUPTION CAUSED OTHER HEBREWS TO DESPISE THEM AS UNCLEAN SINNERS AND DECEIVERS WHO WERE NO BETTER THAN THEIR WORST ENEMY, THEREFORE, OBVIOUSLY, WHEN OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST AND HIS APOSTLES ENTERED THEIR HOMES AND EVEN PARTOOK OF MEALS WITH THEM AND EVEN ACCEPTED LEVI THE TAX COLLECTOR AS ONE OF THEM THE PHARISEES, SCRIBES AND MANY OTHER HEBREWS WERE DEEPLY OFFENDED AND HORRIFIED.
THIS IS NORMAL, SOCIAL PREJUDICE AND DISCRIMINATION THAT LEADS TO ISOLATION, SEGREGATION AND HATRED ALL VICES THAT ULTIMATELY LEAD TO OUR SPIRITUAL DESTRUCTION AND ETERNAL DEATH!
Yet our Lord Jesus Christs defence in simple: He goes wherever the need of the Divine Physician is greatest. I desire Mercy and not sacrifice does not mean a rejection of any type of sacrifice per se (as such) but rather explains that Mercy is of a higher priority than personal sacrifice. (HOSEA 6:6 & PSALM 50)
THIS IS THE UNCONDITIONAL, DIVINE LOVE THAT GOD HAS FOR ALL HUMANITY - AND WHICH, BY HIS OWN EXAMPLE, WE AS ORTHODOX CHRISTIANS, ARE EXPECTED TO HAVE FOR EACH OTHER AND EVEN MORE SO, FOR THOSE WHO ARE NORMALLY DESPISED AND REJECTED BY WORLDLY, FALLEN SOCIETY. MERCY, COMPASSION AND KINDNESS SIGNIFICANT, ESSENTIAL ASPECTS OF AGAPE LEAD TO SPIRITUAL GROWTH, PROSPERITY AND ETERNAL LIFE! OUR GREATEST JUDGEMENT CONCERNS OUR TREATMENT OF AND RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR FELLOW SINNERS. SINNERS
St Kyriake the Great Martyr of Nicomedia

St Kyriake was the only child of St Dorotheos and St Eusebia, who named her in honour of the Lords Day - Sunday, as she was born on that particular first day of the week. When she was adolescent, a wealthy Magistrate tried to betroth St Kyriake to his son because, not only was she so beautiful, but her parents were considerably wealthy, and the greedy Magistrate wanted to possess that wealth through her marriage to his son.
IN THOSE DAYS - AND EVEN NOW - IN MOST ETHNIC CULTURES, WHATEVER THE WOMAN BROUGHT TO A MARRIAGE BECAME THE PROPERTY OF THE HUSBAND AND HIS FAMILY! A WOMAN HAD NO RIGHTS AT ALL AND WAS POWERLESS TO VOICE EVEN HER OPINION! SHE WAS EXPECTED TO KEEP SILENT AND PRODUCE HEALTHY CHILDREN PREFERABLY BOYS TO CONTINUE AND INCREASE THE FAMILY LINEAGE.
The Magistrate went to her parents to request her hand in marriage expecting them to agree immediately. However, having educated their beloved daughter well and encouraging her to voice her ideas and opinions St Kyriake informed him that she had taken a Vow of Chastity and wished to remain a virgin - having dedicated herself to our Lord Jesus Christ. Needless to say, the pagan Magistrate was not only angered and insulted by her words, but being prevented from obtaining their earthly possessions, he maliciously and deliberately sought the destruction of St Kyriake and her parents by informing the God-hating Emperor Diocletian that they were Christians who openly mocked the pagan idols and stubbornly refused to offer any sacrifice to them. As expected, Diocletian sent soldiers to arrest the entire family and have them brought before him. He asked them why they would not honour the Roman gods that he himself honoured, and they bravely informed him that as the Roman gods were false and powerless idols made of stone by men, while our Lord Jesus Christ was the One True, Most Powerful and Living God Who made all things possible, they could only honour and worship Him. So the devout Christian family was taken away in shackles to the torturers who beat St Dorotheos until they were too exhausted to continue their brutality. Since neither flattery nor torment could persuade them to renounce Christ and worship the Roman gods, Emperor Diocletian sent St Dorotheos and St Eusebia to Melitene on the eastern border between Cappadocia and Armenia but he kept the young and beautiful maiden, St Kyriake, in Nicomedia to be interrogated by his cruel son-in-law and co-ruler, Maximian who urged her not to throw her life away, promising her great wealth and a good marriage to an Imperial relative if she would merely publically honour their pagan gods. Nevertheless, St Kyriake adamantly declared that she would never renounce Christ, nor did she desire any worldly riches that had no Spiritual Benefit at all. Enraged by her bold response to his self-serving promises and frightening threats, Emperor Maximian ordered her to be flogged to death but those torturers who were allotted to deliver such
cruelty became so exhausted, they had to be replaced three times before giving up. Shamed by his failure to overcome the will of such a young maiden, Emperor Maximian then sent St Kyriake to Hilarion, the Eparch of Bithynia, at Chalcedon, who he ordered to either convert St Kyriake to paganism, or to send her back to him for further punishment. Making the same diabolical promises and threats that Diocletian and Maximian had made before, Hilarion was no more successful than they were and St Kyriake even dared to challenge him to do his worst, because Christ would help her Triumph. St Kyriake was suspended by her hair for several hours, while soldiers burnt her body with torches but not only was she able to endure all they did to her, she also grew more courageous under torture and eventually the executioners gave up and threw her into a dark, stinking dungeon. That night our Lord Jesus Christ appeared to her and healed her wounds but when the shocked Hilarion saw her the next day, he immediately declared that she had been healed by the pagan gods because they pitied her. So he told her to go to the temple to give thanks to the gods. However, St Kyriake replied that it had been Christ our Almighty and Living God Who had healed her and then, to the astonishment but delight of the Eparch Hilarion - who thought that he had finally broken her will and triumphed over Christianity - she agreed to go to the temple. In the pagan temple, St Kyriake fervently prayed that God would destroy the soulless, powerless and manmade idols that were used to deceive and lead so many souls away from Almighty God and His Divine Truth. Suddenly, a great earthquake violently shook the ground, knocked down and shattered the marble statues into dust and everyone fled the temple in abject fear, leaving Hilarion behind who then, most foolishly and blatantly blasphemed God as the Destroyer of his beloved pagan idols, whereupon a bolt of lightning struck him and he died on the spot. The new Eparch, Apollonios, continued the merciless, unjustified torture of the young Virgin Martyr but, by the Grace of God, when St Kyriake was thrown into a raging fire, the flames were suddenly extinguished and when she was thrown amidst wild beasts to be torn asunder, they became meek an affectionate, licking her gently and lying down at her feet. So Apollonios sentenced her to death by the sword and as she was permitted time to pray, she asked God to receive her soul, and to remember all those who honoured the memory of her Martyrdom and as she ended her Prayer, Angels received her Sanctified soul before the executioner could cut off her head. Pious Christians retrieved her Holy Relics and buried them in a place of honour. May her memory be Eternal!
8.
(DONATIONS ARE MOST GRATEFULLY RECEIVED)
7 July 2012
All Glory, Honour and Worship to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and forever, and unto the Ages of ages. Amen. Remembering also our Most Holy, Most Pure, Most Blessed and Glorious Lady, Maria, Theotokos, yet Ever Virgin, together with all the Saints. And let us commit ourselves and one another and our whole Life to Christ our God. Amen.
5 t h S u n da y Af te r Pe n te c o st - T o ne 4 -
8 J ul y 2 0 1 2
5th Sunday of St Matthew The Gergesene Demonics

Also the Feast of St Prokopios the Great Holy Martyr of Caesrea, Palestine St Theophilos of Zihonis St Anastios of Janina St Epiktetos the Presbyter & St Asion of Halmyris, Bithynia St Procopios, Fool for Christ & Wonderworker of Ustiug, Vologda St Mirdat, King of Kartli, Georgia
R e s u r r e c t i o n A p o l y t i k i o n - TONE 4
To
fedron tis Anastaseos Kirigma ek tou Angelou Mathouse e tou Kyriou Mathitrie ke tin Progonikin apofasin aporipsase, tis Apostolis kafhomene elegon: Eskilefte O Thanatos, igerthi Hristos O Theos, doroumenos to kosmo to Mega Eleos!
When the Women Disciples of the Lord had learnt from

the Angels the Glad Tidings of the Resurrection, and had cast away the Condemnation of their Forefather, they spoke exultingly to the Apostles: Death is no more: Christ-God is Risen, granting to the world Great Mercy! Protector of the Christians Unashamable, Mediator to the Creator Immovable, despise not, the pleading voices of those in sin, but hasten O Good One, to the Aid of all of us, who in Faith cry out to Thee: speed up Thine Intercession, and present Thy Supplication, O Theotokos who always protects all those who honour Thee!

Gospel 5: Luke 24:12 35

Our Risen Lord Jesus Appears Along The Road To Emmaus
Prokeimenon O Lord, how manifold art Thy Works! Thou hast created them all in Wisdom! Bless the Lord, O my soul! The Epistle of St Paul to the Romans 10 : 1 10
Divine Righteousness Due To Faith
Brethren, my hearts desire and Prayer to God for Israel is that they may be Saved, for I bear them witness that they have zeal for God, but not according to Knowledge, for they, being ignorant of Gods Righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the Righteousness of God, because Christ is the end of the Law for Righteousness to everyone who believes. For Moses wrote about the Righteousness that is of the Law: The man who does those things shall live by them. But the Righteousness of Faith speaks in this manner: Do not say in your heart: Who will ascend into Heaven? (that is to bring Christ down from Above) or, Who will descend into the Abyss? (that is to bring Christ up from the dead.) But what does it say? The Word is near to you, in your mouth and in your heart, (that is: the Word of Faith which we preach); that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be Saved, for with the heart one believes unto Righteousness, and with the mouth Confession is made unto Salvation. St Paul wished nothing but good for Israel the Hebrew END OF THE OLD COVENANT LAW (of Preparation for Nation. His Coming!) However their zeal was not based on Divine Truth and The Way of the Old Covenant Law and the Way of the IF THEY HAD MERELY BEEN IGNORANT IN THEIR New Covenant Faith are contrasted by St Paul. REJECTION OF CHRIST, THEIR OFFENCE AGAINST While mere Obedience to the Old Covenant Law has GOD WOULD CERTAINLY HAVE BEEN FORGIVABLE. always failed, OUR NEW COVENANT FAITH IN CHRIST
TRAGICALLY, THE SIN OF THOSE WHO REJECTED CHRIST WAS DUE TO MORE THAN SIMPLE IGNORANCE, FOR IT WAS NOT DUE TO THEM NOT KNOWING CHRIST, BUT BECAUSE THEY WERE ARROGANTLY DETERMINED TO ESTABLISH THEIR OWN ERRONEOUS FORM OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, RATHER THAN TO SUBMIT TO DIVINE RIGHTEOUSNESS THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD.
b b b
They trusted only in themselves and their works and rejected the Way of Faith when it was presented to them by Christ the Messiah and God Incarnate Himself!
OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, THE WORD AND SON OF GOD, HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE WAY OF SALVATION ACCORDING TO BOTH HOLY COVENANTS WITH GOD THE OLD AND THE NEW COVENANTS. THE MOSAIC LAW OF THE OLD COVENANT PREPARED THE HEBREW NATION FOR THE COMING OF THE MESSIAH THE INCARNATED SON OF GOD WHO WAS THE FULFILMENT OF GODS RIGHTEOUSNESS AND THE
BRINGS US ALL ETERNAL SALVATION. TRUE FAITH NEVER DOUBTS BUT TRUSTS IMPLICITLY IN CHRIST OUR GOD. TRUE FAITH BRINGS US THE TRUE DISCIPLES OF CHRIST CLOSER TO GOD. TRUE FAITH TRANSFORMS US COMPLETELY BODY AND SOUL, WHICH INCLUDES OUR HEART AND MIND NOUS.
Verses 9 & 10: If you confess with your mouth... Confession is made unto Salvation, means that WHEN WE CONFESS AND BELIEVE IN CHRIST
JESUS, IT IS MORE THAN SIMPLY A MENTAL ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF DIVINE TRUTH. SUCH FAITHFUL BELIEF MEANS PLACING OUR ENTIRE TRUST AND CONFIDENCE IN OUR RESURRECTED LORD JESUS CHRIST AND LIVING WITH HIM AS OUR LORD AND SAVIOUR I.E. LIVING IN CHRIST OR LIFE IN CHRIST.
5 t h Sunday After Pentecost 5 t h of St Matthew Gergesene Demoniacs 8 July 2012
9.
ONLY BY GIVING OURSELVES WILLINGLY, EAGERLY, JOYFULLY AND COMPLETELY TO CHRIST DO WE PROVE OUR TRUE BELIEF UNTO RIGHTEOUSNESS.
Belief and Confession were both Old Testament themes: St Isaiah pointed out the Faith of the heart and St Joel emphasized the Confession of the
mouth. Both Holy Prophets of God taught that Divine Grace and True Faith in God are universally offered to all human beings.
The Holy Gospel According to St Matthew 8 : 28 9 : 1

The Healing of the Gergesene Demoniacs
At that time, when our Lord Jesus arrived at the other side, which was the country of the Gergesenes, two demonpossessed men met Him, having come out of the tombs and being so exceedingly fierce that no one could pass that way. Suddenly they cried out: What have we to do with Thee, Jesus, Thou Son of God? Hast Thou come here to torment us before the time? Now a good way off from them there was a herd of many swine feeding, so the demons begged Him: If Thou cast us out, permit us to go away into the herd of swine. So Jesus said to them: Go! And when they had come out of the two men, they entered the herd of swine but instantly the whole herd ran violently down the steep place into the sea and perished in the water. Then those who kept them fled; and they went into the city to report everything, including what had happened to the two demon-possessed men. And behold, the entire city went out to meet Jesus, and when they saw Him they begged Him to depart from their region. So Jesus got into a boat, crossed over, and went to His own city. OUR LORD JESUS CHRISTS CONTROL OVER ALL HIS AGAINST THE WILL OF GOD so they had to beg our CREATION IS ANOTHER SIGN OF HIS DIVINITY AND Lord Jesus to allow them to enter the herds of PROOF THAT HE IS THE TRUE MESSIAH. swine. THE DEMONS who had taken possession of the two Knowing what would happen next, which would be a wretched men of Gergesene (or Gadarene) great lesson to those who witnessed it, Christ IMMEDIATELY RECOGNISED OUR LORD JESUS AS THE permitted them to do so and the instant the WORD AND SON OF GOD. destructive demons entered the swine, the poor THEY KNEW GOD FROM THE TIME WHEN THEY WERE animals went berserk, stampeded right over the STILL HIS FAITHFUL ANGELS IN HEAVEN before the high cliffs and drowned in the sea below. terrible rebellion of Satan due to his devastating, arrogant sense of pride and disobedience to God and his subsequent expulsion from Heaven together with all those who had dared to rebel with him.
THEY ARE EXCRUCIATINGLY AWARE OF THE FACT THAT when the Final Day of Judgement comes, THEY WILL BE SENT TO THE TERRIBLE ABYSS, THE OUTER DARKNESS, THE ETERNAL CONDEMNATION OF ALIENATION FROM GOD AND EVERYTHING GOOD, WHERE THEY BELONG. ETERNAL HELL WILL BE SO HORRENDOUS THAT EVEN THE WICKED DEMONS FEAR IT. They also know that THEY MAY BE ABLE TO TEMPT US AND TO INTERFERE WITH US IN THEIR CONSTANT OBSESSIVE HATRED OF MANKIND, BUT THEY HAVE NO REAL POWER over anything unless it is permitted by CHRIST REVEALED HIS INCOMPARABLE VALUE OF ALL HUMAN BEINGS WHOSE ETERNAL SALVATION IS WORTH EVERY SACRIFICE!
The Immediate eradication of the wretched, forbidden herds clearly showed how GOD HAD PROTECTED HIS
BELOVED HUMAN BEINGS WHO WOULD OTHERWISE HAVE PERISHED UNDER SUCH LETHAL DEMONIC INFLUENCE. Furthermore, IT EMPHASISED THE ILLEGALITY OF THE SWINEHERDS, which Hebrews were forbidden to
keep or to eat. Another conspicuous but very sad aspect of this Miraculous Incident, was the fact that THE
GERGESENES WERE MORE CONCERNED WITH THE MATERIAL LOSS OF THEIR FORBIDDEN SWINEHERDS THAN OVERJOYED AT THE RESTORATION OF THE TWO MEN TO FULL SPIRITUAL HEALTH AND BEING FREED FROM THE INTIMIDATION SUCH FIERCE DEMONS. EVEN WHEN THEY CAME INTO THE VERY PRESENCE OF GOD, THEY REJECTED HIM IN PREFERENCE TO THEIR WORLDLY POSSESSIONS WHICH THEY DEEPLY RESENTED HAVING LOST SO THEY BEGGED HIM TO LEAVE THEIR REGION. b Many of us are the same as the Gergesenes: WE ARE MORE CONCERNED WITH OUR OWN TEMPORARY, WORTHLESS PLEASURES AND PERSONAL PROPERTY THAN DEVELOPING A CLOSER, STRONGER AND MORE INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD PREPARING OURSELVES FOR ETERNAL LIFE IN GODS HEAVENLY KINGDOM.
God according to His own Divine Plans for us.
b Although we may be subjected to their temptations, b

WE ONLY COMMIT SIN ACCORDING TO OUR FREE WILL OUR OWN CHOICE. Therefore, GOD ALLOWS US TO BE TEMPTED SO THAT WE MAY GROW SPIRITUALLY STRONGER THROUGH OUR CONSTANT RESISTANCE TO THE WICKED TEMPTATIONS AND DRAW EVER CLOSER TO GOD WHO WATCHES OVER US AND WHOSE LOVE PROTECTS US FROM HARM. SPIRITUAL WARFARE LASTS THROUGHOUT OUR LIFE AND WE DEPEND ON DIVINE GRACE FOR OUR SURVIVAL AND SPIRITUAL PROGRESS.
Everything is according to Divine Grace and Providence yet THE DEMONS SHOCKED WHEN, SEEING CHRIST APPROACHING, THEY THOUGHT THEIR CRUEL TORMENT OF PEOPLE was being terminated even before the Last Judgement.
ALTHOUGH THE MALICE OF THE DEMONS CAUSES SUCH FEAR AND SUFFERING THEY CAN DO NOTHING
Our Lord Jesus Christ had established Capernaum as His own city, from whence He and His Apostles would set out to spread His Divine Gospel of Love/Agape.
5th Sunday After Pentecost 5th Sunday of St Matthew The Healing of the Gergesene Demoniacs
Todays Sacred Gospel Lessons concerns THE CASTING
OUT OF INNUMERABLE DEMONS FROM TWO POSSESSED MEN, THEIR ENTRY INTO HERDS OF FORBIDDEN SWINE AND THE RESULTANT DESTRUCTION OF THOSE HERDS, FROM WHICH WE LEARN SEVERAL IMPORTANT TRUTHS. Firstly, we should note that THE GERGESENES WHO OWNED THE SWINE BROKE THE OLD COVENANT HEBREW LAW IN TWO SIGNIFICANT WAYS: NOT ONLY WAS IT FORBIDDEN FOR HEALTH REASONS TO EAT PORK, IT WAS ALSO SINFUL TO DISOBEY THE WILL OF ALMIGHTY GOD Who is far
their inherent wickedness, which they were unwilling to repent of and for that reason the Gergesenes urged our Lord Jesus Christ to depart from their region. Those unrepentant, self-serving sinners rejected the Son of God the Divine Word of God and Saviour of all mankind preferring to remain in Spiritual Darkness and Death! THAT WILFUL DISOBEDIENCE AND REJECTION OF GOD AND HIS INFINITE GOODNESS THAT REQUIRES SELFDISCIPLINE AND LOVE OF ONE ANOTHER, MAY PERHAPS EXPLAIN WHY THE TWO GERGESENE DEMONIACS HAD BEEN SO TERRIFYINGLY POSSESSED and were restricted
more wiser than we can ever hope to be. Christ was clearly Someone Who was extraordinarily Powerful and Knowledgeable. His very Presence pricked their conscience and made them aware of
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to the cemetery rather than being taken care of by compassionate family and friends. Therefore we learn that DISOBEDIENCE OF GOD LEADS TO MISFORTUNE. Secondly, it is clear from this Gospel Lesson as well as others that DEMONS CERTAINLY DO EXIST AND CAN TOTALLY POSSESS MEN, WOMEN AND CHILDREN. Sadly, all too often, we meet NAVE AND IGNORANT PEOPLE who regard themselves as Christians but WHO HAVE BEEN SO DECEIVED AND MISLED BY SATAN THAT THEY
VEHEMENTLY DENY THE EXISTENCE OF DEMONS AND MAINTAIN THAT NO THERE IS NO SUCH THING THAT CAN POSSIBLY ENTER INTO HUMAN BEINGS AND POSSESS THEM CONTROLLING THEIR WORDS, THOUGHTS AND ACTIONS.
Such misguided people have clearly neither read the Holy Gospel with Understanding nor do they have True Spiritual Experience of this life and of Eternity. In this context we will endeavour to explain the meaning of Spiritual Possession. Our Holy Church Fathers - many of whom we commemorate today have taught us through their own Inspired Knowledge and personal experience that that WE CANNOT SIMPLY BECOME POSSESSED OVERNIGHT. POSSESSION IS THE ULTIMATE STAGE IN A PROCESS. The first stage of demonic possession is WHEN WE BEGIN TO SURRENDER OUR FREE WILL AND ENTERTAIN DEMONS AND DEMONIC THOUGHTS in a habitual manner or even in idle curiosity! The second stage is WHEN DEMONS OBSESS US - we are almost unable to fight against demonic influence over us. DEMONIC THOUGHTS STALK US AND BECOME AN OBSESSION BLOCKING AND DESTROYING ALL OUR EFFORTS TO RETURN TO GOD through Prayers and Contemplation of all His Goodness and Love. The third stage is possession - when DEMONS ACTUALLY LIVE WITHIN US controlling, owning or possessing us completely as their own evil property while we slavishly do whatever they themselves have no power to do such as murder, suicide, destructive, cruel and life-destroying actions! DEMON POSSESSION IS WHEN WE HAVE TOTALLY SURRENDERED OUR FREE WILL when we have become enslaved by evil and can no longer resist nor have any desire to resist but only to partake of demonic activities by surrendering to the fatal temptations that drag us far into Spiritual Darkness and Death FAR AWAY FROM THE LOVING, HEALING LIGHT OF GOD. Therefore we learn that SATAN AND HIS DEMONIC POSSESSION ARE REALITIES and SPIRITUAL WARFARE CONTINUES UNTIL WE DRAW OUR LAST BREATH! Thirdly, in todays Gospel Lesson we notice THREE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE DEMONS. First of all, THEY DWELL IN TOMBS BECAUSE THEY ARE SPIRITUALLY DEAD. Also the DEVILS ARE VIOLENT UTTERLY ALIEN TO THE SPIRIT OF PEACE that is why they were exceeding fierce, so that no man might pass by that way. Finally, SATAN AND HIS DEMONS BELIEVE IN GOD THEY KNOW EVEN BETTER THAN US THAT HE MOST CERTAINLY DOES EXIST AND THAT HE CONTROLS EVERYTHING IN EXISTENCE THE VISIBLE AND INVISIBLE WORLD. This Truth should not surprise us - because SATAN AND HIS DEMONS ARE BODILESS, SPIRITUAL BEINGS - FALLEN ANGELS WHO WERE EXPELLED FROM HEAVEN AND ALL GODS GOODNESS DUE TO THEIR SELFISH REBELLION AGAINST DIVINE AUTHORITY AND LOVE so they no longer belong in Heaven nor on Gods beautiful earth but exist in limbo and await the Final Judgement of Christ, all the while trying to destroy mankind whom God Loves unconditionally! There are many types of spirituality, one of which is the spirituality of the demons. Unlike us human beings who are made foolish because we are deluded, misguided and blinded by bodily, material things, DEMONS SEE REALITY AS IT TRULY IS -
THEY ARE ABLE TO SEE AND UNDERSTAND THE SPIRITUAL BASIS OF ALL THINGS. THUS THEY CONFESS CHRIST AS HE REALLY IS: THE SON OF GOD. THEY HAVE NO ILLUSIONS THAT CHRIST MAY ONLY BE AN ORDINARY HUMAN BEING - ALBEIT A PROPHET A MAN WHO POSSESSED PROFOUND INTELLIGENCE, UNDERSTANDING AND WISDOM EXTRAORDINARY GIFTS. No! THEY KNOW ALL TOO WELL THAT HE IS INDEED WITHOUT ANY QUESTION OR DOUBT - THE ETERNAL, INCARNATE SON OF GOD WHO IS THE ALMIGHTY CREATOR AND JUDGE OF ALL CREATION! Satan and his fellow fallen angels of Death and Destruction know Spiritual Reality. ACCORDING TO ST SYMEON THE NEW THEOLOGIAN, THE DEVILS LACK ONLY ONE THING: LOVE. Indeed, according to him: Theology without Love is the theology of the demons. Therefore we learn that LOVE IS THE ABIDING CHARACTERISTIC OF GOD. Lastly, we learn from todays Gospel Lessons that ANIMALS MAY SOMETIMES REACT DIFFERENTLY THAN HUMAN BEINGS.
For what do the two men possessed by devils do? They survive even though forced to live in tombs the place of those who are no longer alive the Spiritually Dead amongst the physically dead. On the other hand, the entry of demons inside animals is enough to make them commit suicide to selfdestruct because they cannot withstand the presence of evil within them. Yet, ironically, very often we hear that some people have behave like animals, which is often untrue and unjust because most animals do not normally kill their own species. ANIMALS ARE EXTREMELY SENSITIVE TO THE PRESENCE OF
EVIL AND FEAR THE PRESENCE OF SUPERNATURAL
running away from them. This is because ANIMALS, HAVING NO ETERNAL, IMMORTAL SOULS, BELONG TO THE NATURAL WORLD AND INSTINCTIVELY FEAR THE SUPERNATURAL. On the contrary, mankind - consisting of both physical body and Immortal soul - belong partly to that temporary, natural, material world, and partly to the Eternal Spiritual World. Consequently we are influenced by the invisible spirits whether the invisible Spirits of God His Heavenly Angelic Hosts - or the spirits of Satans evil demonic rank. Without exception - WE ARE ALL SUBJECT TO SPIRITUAL INFLUENCES - to the spirit of evil or to the spirit of good. Only by the Divine Grace of God and constant personal effort Repentance-Confession and Spiritual Struggle that keeps us close to God and all His Goodness are we able to recognise or identify and thus resist the wicked temptations that lead us astray and into Spiritual Death. OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST TAUGHT US IN HIS PRAYER TO BESEECH GODS HELP: ... lead us not into temptation but deliver us from the Evil One... because He knew exactly how SATAN OBSESSIVELY AND PERPETUALLY WARS AGAINST ALL WEAK,
SPIRITUALLY INEXPERIENCED AND STRUGGLING HUMAN BEINGS.
DEMONS,
Through our Prayers and those of our Lady Theotokos as well as all the Saints, WE ARE ABLE TO ESCAPE FROM
THE DANGEROUS SPIRIT OF EVIL THAT CEASELESSLY THREATENS TO OVERWHELM US.
Otherwise, by neglecting our Spiritual Duties and Welfare, we too will find ourselves trying to survive in the tombs of the Spiritually Dead or worse, we will be exiled into Outer Darkness far from God and All His Goodness for all Eternity! UNLESS WE MAKE EVERY EFFORT POSSIBLE TO REMAIN IN THE PROTECTIVE AND LOVING PRESENCE OF ALMIGHTY GOD just as our Lord Jesus Christ and His Holy Apostles and Disciples have taught us throughout the ages - WE TOO WILL BE ENSLAVED BY DEVILS AND NO ONE WILL DARE TO COME CLOSE TO US! No one will
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come to rescue us and like the wretched, possessed herds of swine, WE WILL RUSH VIOLENTLY DOWN THE
STEEP AND SLIPPERY PATH OF WICKEDNESS TO OUR FINAL DEATH AND DESTRUCTION LOST AND ALIENATED FOREVER! by the Grace and Love of God, let us CLEAVE TO THE
So,
Fathers and Mothers throughout the ages, and especially from the God-Inspired Holy Gospels that show us the Heavenly Map - the straight and narrow Path of Righteousness that leads to Eternal Life in Gods Blissful Heavenly Kingdom of Love.
ADAPTED & EDITED BY MP: FIFTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST -5TH SUNDAY OF ST MATTHEW THE GERGESENE DEMONICS ORTHODOX ENGLAND ORTHODOX SERMONS OF ST FELIX & ST EDMUND ORTHODOX CHURCH, FELIXSTOWE, UK
HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD AND FAITHFULLY FOLLOW HIS TEACHINGS, which we have been taught through Christ, His Apostles and Disciples, our Holy Church
http://www.holytrinitymission.org/books/english/sermons_england. htm#_Toc55646567
M a y G o d G i v e y o u W i s d o m ! (PART 4) On the Work of a Spiritual Father & Faithful Disciples of Christ

THE SPIRITUAL CHILD NEEDS GREAT PATIENCE AND MUCH TIME IN ORDER TO UNDERSTAND HIS SPIRITUAL INFIRMITY AND BE AT PEACE WITH IT, AWARE THAT ONLY THE LORD NURTURES GOODNESS IN HIS SOUL NOT HE HIMSELF, NOR HIS SPIRITUAL FATHER. This is where the True Spiritual Life lies hidden in the depth of Humility. But THE PATH TO HUMILITY IS LONG AND EXTREMELY PAINFUL, especially in these pride-engulfed times. WHAT TACT AND LOVE, AND AGAIN PATIENCE, DOES THE SPIRITUAL FATHER NEED IN ORDER TO FINALLY SEE THE FRUIT OF HIS LIFE'S EFFORTS RIPEN IN HIS SPIRITUAL CHILDREN, in order not to let the Spiritual Child fall faint in Expectation and Hope? And how could it be otherwise, when THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN DOES NOT COME TO THE SOUL IN A NOTICEABLE WAY? SPIRITUAL FRUITS GROW AND RIPEN, AND THIS IS THE WORK OF AN ENTIRE LIFETIME. There is neither end nor limit. After all, OUR YEARNING AND LOVE IS FOR AN INFINITE, ALLPERFECT, AND ETERNAL GOD. Yes, the Great Work of a Priest continues and will continue to the end of time. But THE EXPERIENCE OF SPIRITUAL FATHERHOOD of ancient and even recent Holy Church Fathers CANNOT BE TRANSLATED TO THESE CURRENT TIMES. We believe without a doubt in God's Goodness, that just as He is now bringing Spiritual Sheep into His Pastures, however ill and wounded they may be, so also will He provide Spiritual Fathers, through whom His Spiritual Grace will heal their illnesses, and grant them Wisdom - filling the barren vessels ON THE PATH OF SALVATION WE ARE TEMPTED BY THE DEVIL FROM EIGHT SIDES: FROM THE FRONT, FROM BEHIND, FROM THE LEFT, FROM THE RIGHT, FROM ABOVE, FROM BELOW, FROM INSIDE, AND FROM THE OUTSIDE. 1. WE ARE TEMPTED F R O M BEHIND WHEN WE
CONTINUOUSLY REMEMBER THE SINS AND EVIL DEEDS WE HAVE COMMITTED IN THE PAST, recalling them
of their souls with a good spirit. People always want to see Spiritual Strength in their leaders, upon which they can lean or depend at any time. However, ALTHOUGH WE ARE EXPERIENCING A MOST TRAGIC
AGE THAT SEEMS TO SWEEP AWAY ALL HOPE IN ANYTHING HUMAN, IT SIMULTANEOUSLY POINTS US TOWARDS OUR SINGLE HOPE AND THE GREATEST SUPPORT FOR THE WORLD OUR LORD GOD ALONE.
OUR ANCIENT HOLY CHURCH FATHERS REALISED THIS WONDERFUL TRUTH THROUGH THEIR GREAT ASCETIC LABOURS WHEN THEY CONSCIOUSLY TOOK UPON
THEMSELVES THE BURDEN AND BITTERNESS OF SICKNESS AND SELF-DENIAL. IN OUR TIME THIS TRUTH IS GIVEN BY GOD WITHOUT OUR INTERVENTION, AND IT IS GIVEN OBVIOUSLY AND VISIBLY.
It is left to Spiritual Fathers and the Faithful Children of God only to UNDERSTAND THAT OUR STRENGTH IS NOT IN ASCETIC LABOURS, NOT IN LEARNEDNESS, BUT IN INFIRMITY, WHICH WE MUST ACCEPT AS SALVIFIC, MAKE PEACE WITH IT, COME TO LOVE IT, AND BRING IT CONSCIOUSLY BEFORE GOD, SO THAT IN OUR WEAKNESS THE GRACE AND POWER OF GOD MIGHT BEGIN TO WORK, AND CHRIST MIGHT BRING FORTH HIS IMAGE IN US.
ADAPTED & EDITED BY MP: MAY GOD GIVE YOU WISDOM! BY ARCHIMANDRITE JOHN (KRESTIANKIN)- HIERO-MONK OF THE HOLY DORMITION, PSKOV-CAVES MONASTERY,
THIS BOOK IS AVAILABLE FROM ST XENIA SKETE PRESS, PO BOX 260, WILDWOOD, CA 96076 USA email: stxenia@earthlink.net
http://www.pravoslavie.ru/english/7204.htm
Father Cleopa of Bulgaria On the Eight Means of Temptation (Part 1)

4. SATAN TEMPTS US TWO WAYS F R O M T H E R I G H T . The first is WHEN WE PERFORM GOOD DEEDS AND ACTIONS, BUT WITH A BAD OR MALICIOUS INTENT AND PURPOSE. If we do anything good but which is COMPELLED BY VAINGLORY, TO RECEIVE PRAISE, TO OBTAIN A POSITION, TO ACQUIRE FAME, OR IN ORDER TO ATTAIN SOME BENEFIT FOR ONESELF it follows that WE DO SO DUE TO VANITY, AVARICE, AND GREED. THE PERFORMANCE OF GOOD DEEDS FOR BAD PURPOSES IS SINFUL AND VAIN. The Holy Fathers liken such performances of good deeds (such as Fasting and Almsgiving) to A BODY WITHOUT A SOUL, inasmuch as THE PURPOSE FOR WHICH A DEED IS ACCOMPLISHED IS OUR SOUL, WHILE THE DEED ITSELF IS OUR BODY. Thus, the performance of GOOD DEEDS WITH AN UNGODLY
PURPOSE IS ESSENTIALLY A TEMPTATION DISGUISED AS GOOD.
anew in our mind, reshuffling them, engaging them, despairing because of them, and contemplating them sensually. Such a REMEMBRANCE OF HOW WE HAVE SINNED IN THE PAST IS A DEMONIC TEMPTATION. 2. WE ARE NORMALLY TEMPTED F R O M T H E F R O N T
THROUGH FEAR AT THE THOUGHT OF WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS: of what will happen to us or to the world; of
how much longer we will live; of whether we will have anything to eat; of whether there will be a war or any other kind of serious and frightful event to come; and, in general, by making all kinds of guesses, predictions, prophecies, and EVERYTHING ELSE THAT INDUCES FEAR OF THE FUTURE IN US. 3. WE ARE TEMPTED BY THE DEVIL F R O M
THE LEFT THROUGH THE CALL TO COMMIT OBVIOUS SINS AND TO BEHAVE AND ACT IN WAYS THAT ARE KNOWN TO BE SINFUL AND EVIL, but which people do nonetheless. This temptation is A DIRECT CALL TO SIN OPENLY AND CONSCIOUSLY.
The second demonic temptation from the right comes through VARIOUS APPARITIONS AND VISIONS, WHEN
ONE RECEIVES VISIONS OF THE DEVIL IN THE FORM OF GOD OR AN ANGEL OF GOD.
Trusting these evil spectres of Satan, or accepting these demonic phenomena is SPIRITUAL DELUSION OR SPIRITUAL DECEPTION PRELEST.
[...TO BE CONTINUED...]
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All Glory, Honour and Worship to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and forever, and unto the Ages of ages. Amen. Remembering also our Most Holy, Most Pure, Most Blessed and Glori ous Lady, Maria, Theotokos, yet Ever Virgin, together with all the Saints. And let us commit ourselves and one another and our whole Life to Christ our God. Amen.
11 Ju l y 2 0 1 2
St Euphemia the Great Martyr
Also the Feast of St Olga of Russia St Cindeos of Pamphylia St Nikodemos New Martyr of Albania St Barbara the Great Martyr, Translation of Holy Relics St Arkadios of Novotorsk
Festal Apolytkion St Euphemia
TONE 4
Lian
efranas, tous Orthodoxous, ke katiskhinas, tous kakodoxous, Effimia Hristou kalliparthene. This gar Tetartis Sinodou ekirosas, I Pateres kalos edogmatisan. Martis Endoxe, Hriston ton Theon iketeve, dorisasthe imin to Mega Eleos.
All the Orthodox, Thou greatly cheered, and Thou put to

shame the false believers, O fair Virgin of Christ, Euphemia. For Thou confirmed what the Fathers well Dogmatise, at the 4th Ecumenical Council. O Martyr Glorious, entreat Christ our God to grant to us His Great Mercy! Protector of the Christians Unashamable, Mediator to the Creator Immovable, despise not, the pleading voices of those in sin, but hasten O Good One, to the Aid of all of us, who in Faith cry out to Thee: speed up Thine Intercession, and present Thy Supplication, O Theotokos who always protects all those who honour Thee!

Matins Gospel According to St Mark 5 : 24 34

The Healing of St Veronica the Woman who bled for 12 years
At that time, there was a certain woman who had had a flow of blood for twelve years, and had suffered many things from many Physicians. She had spent all that she had and was not better, but rather, grew worse. When she heard that about Jesus, she went behind Him in the crowd and touched His garments. For she had thought: If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well. And immediately the source of her bleeding dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of the affliction. And Jesus instantly knowing in Himself that Power had gone out of Him, turned around in the crowd and asked: Who touched My clothes? and His Disciples said to Him: Thou see the multitude thronging Thee, and Thou ask: Who touched Me? And He looked around to see her who had done this thing. But the woman fearing and trembling knowing what had happened to her, went and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth. And He said to her: Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in Peace, and be healed of your affliction.
The Second Epistle of St Paul the Corinthians 6 : 1 10

The Marks of Apostleship
Brethren: we, then, as workers together with Him, also plead with you not to receive the Grace of God in vain. For He says: In an acceptable time I have heard you, and in the Day of Salvation I have helped you. Behold! Now is the accepted time! Behold! Now is the Day of Salvation! We give no offence in anything, that our Ministry many not be blamed. But in all things we commend ourselves as Ministers of God: in much Patience, in tribulations, in needs, in distresses, in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in sleeplessness, in Fastings, by Purity, by Knowledge, by Longsuffering, by Kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by sincere Love, by the Word of Truth, by the Power of God, by the Armour of Righteousness on the right hand and on the left, by honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report; as deceivers, and yet true; as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold we live; as chastened, and yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.
The Holy Gospel According to St Luke 7 : 36 50

The Forgiveness of a Sinful Woman
At that time, one of the Pharisees asked our Lord Jesus to eat with him. And He went to the Pharisees house, and sat down to eat. And behold! A woman in the city, who was a sinner when she knew that Jesus sat at the table in the Pharisees house, took an alabaster flask of fragrant oil, and stood at His Feet, behind Him, weeping; and she began to wash His Feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head; and she kissed His Feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil. Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he spoke to himself, saying: This Man if He were a Prophet would know who and what manner of woman this is who is touching Him, for she is a sinner! And Jesus answered and said to him: Simon, I have something to say to you. And he said: Teacher, say it. There was a certain creditor who had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other, fifty. And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both. Tell Me, therefore, which of them will love him more? and Simon answered and said: I suppose the one whom he forgave more. And Jesus said to him: You have rightly judged. Then Jesus turned to the woman and said to Simon: Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My Feet, but she has washed My Feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head. You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My Feet since the time I came in. You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My Feet with fragrant oil. Therefore, I say to you: her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.
[SPONSORED BY DIMIRI PAIZIS]
11 July 2012
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Father George Calciu - If I keep silent, Ill be no different from unbelievers

The following beautiful story is found in the Paterikon [A COLLECTION OF THE SAYINGS OF THE DESERT FATHERS] the devil taking the appearance of a man went to a very Holy Monk and asked him: Are you that MonkI heard off? This is him. The Monk replied. That Monk, the liar? the devil enquired. Yes, thats me. That wicked Monk? Yes. The greedy Monk?. Yes, indeed. The liar who teaches the Word of God, but does not live it? Yes , I am the one. That Monk, the heretic? No. Such, I am not! So that was how far he would go! He accepted everything that demeaned him, but WHEN HE WAS TEMPTED ON HERESY, HE STOOD FAST. THIS IS WHERE THE LIMIT OF TOLERANCE IS. WHEN THAT TOLERANCE GOES BEYOND GOD AND THE TRUTH OF OUR CHRISTIAN FAITH, IT BECOMES A BLASPHEMY TO OUR LORD AND OUR SOUL. The Holy Fathers had settled in Councils all aspects of Church Dogma that nowadays are trampled on. IN THE DECISIONS OF THE HOLY SYNODS MANY THINGS (HAPPENING TODAY), WERE FORESEEN - from heresies, Ecumenism, denying God, public fornication, accepting as Virtues vices and perversions, to the fact of being proud to declare yourself homosexual. THERES NO PASSION THAT THE HOLY COUNCILS HAVE NOT ANTICIPATED or spoken on, as they declared: ... those who do these things are heretics and lunatics who have departed from Faith and the Church... Even (some of) our Hierarchs have lost their sense of Christian dignity, which is incalculably greater than any human dignity. They place themselves under the attachment or helm of one or another powerful elite of the day. I was greatly distressed by that. I had not yet written to the Patriarch1 but I will write to him later; for in a discussion I had with His Beatitude, I said: Your Holiness, God gave me a Gift. He gave me the Gift of suffering and through it I became wiser. Perhaps not wise enough considering all that Ive been through2 but the Wisdom that God grants me gives me Strength to speak up this word for Christ, for the Church and my Nation; and now I have to Confess, for if I keep silent Ill be like everyone else (who does not Confess Christ)! BECAUSE TOLERANCE HAS A LIMIT - THAT IS NOT PUSHING BEYOND FAITH, OR GOD. Beyond that, there is no tolerance. MANY HIERARCHIES REMAIN SILENT, BECAUSE ...the time has come... when - IF YOU CONFESS THE TRUTH 3 YOU WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED in Europe - which is regarded as the ultimate Paradise! Will we not be accepted in Europe? Very good! Then know that WE WILL BE ACCEPTED IN HEAVEN WHERE GOD RECEIVES US!! I have often written against Ecumenism. I think I have said everything I could have about this ...heresy of our century... as the Greek Monks call it. I met many of the leaders of the Ecumenist Group and saw HOW THEY COMPROMISED THEIR SOUL FOR THE SAKE
OF POLITICS AND THEIR IRREPRESSIBLE DESIRE TO COMPROMISE OTHERS, EVEN ORTHODOX GROUPS THAT DEFEND THE PURITY OF FAITH.
SATAN IS CAUSING IN THE SOULS OF MONKS THROUGH THIS ECUMENISM, and I mean not only in the hearts of Monks from Romania, but THROUGHOUT THE ORTHODOX WORLD. THIS LEADS TO ANXIETIES AND FEAR, AND RAISES CONCERNS FOR PERSONAL SALVATION FROM WORLDLY DANGERS AT THE EXPENSE OF SANCTITY AND, THE BEGINNING OF MANY COMPROMISES THAT ONCE STARTED, NO-ONE KNOWS WHERE THEY WILL END What I wrote here, I wanted to express to the Hierarchs. However, I think that such a letter would be doomed to be forgotten due to lack of interest and may be a cause for anger. What remains for us is PRAYER FOR THE GUARDING OF MONASTERIES, FOR THE INNER PEACE OF THE MONKS AND FOR THE NON-DISTURBANCE OF ORTHODOX LIFE IN OUR COUNTRY AND THE WORLD.
ADAPTED & EDITED BY MP - LIVING WORDS ORTHODOX WORD BY FATHER GEORGE CALCIU -
The Church teaches that THE MYSTERY OF REPENTANCE IS THE MYSTERY WHEREBY WE SINNERS - HAVING DECIDED TO RENOUNCE THE SINFUL DIRECTION OF OUR WILL - TO RENOUNCE SIN WHEREBY WE HAVE HITHERTO LIVED - ASK GOD TO FORGIVE US OUR PAST SINS, TO DESTROY THE SINFUL ILL WILL WITHIN US, AND TO GRANT US THE STRENGTH TO LIVE HENCEFORTH ACCORDING TO CHRIST'S LAW. In another way, THE MYSTERY OF REPENTANCE IS THE PAIN
CAUSED BY THE AWARENESS OF DECAY BROUGHT INTO THE WORLD BY SIN, WITH THE SINNER WISHING AND PRAYING FOR THE REMISSION OF SINS COMMITTED AND PRAYING FOR LIBERATION, WITH GOD'S HELP, FROM THE FORCE OF SIN WITHIN US.
Mystery of Repentance
What is sin? According to the Teaching of the Church, SIN IS US WEAK

AND FLAWED HUMAN BEINGS PLACING OUR OWN WILL ABOVE THE WILL ALMIGHTY GOD AND ABOVE LOVE FOR GOD AND OUR FELLOW MEN because we regard
ourselves as being the centre of the universe- as the be-all and end-all! REPENTANCE IS THE RENUNCIATION OF THIS SOLIPSISTIC EGOCENTRISM; IT IS THE DESIRE TO ANNIHILATE SELFSEEKING, WITH GOD'S HELP. The Mystery of Repentance is AT ONE WITH CHRIST'S TEACHING OF LOVE AND LIFE for others, at one with Christ's Glad Tidings. The Mystery of Repentance--by PROMISING FORGIVENESS IN THE FUTURE--DOES NOT ENCOURAGE ANYONE TO NEGLECT HIS SALVATION IN THE PRESENT. A pious man may sin and tell himself I shall go to the Priest, get rid of my sin and sin again. But THAT KIND OF ATTITUDE TOWARD A HOLY MYSTERY IS BLASPHEMOUS. FORGIVENESS IS ENTIRELY CONDITIONAL ON THE COMPLETE TRANSFORMATION OF THE PENITENT'S LIFE AND PERSONAL RESOLVE TO LIVE HENCEFORTH ACCORDING TO THE LAW OF GOD. THOSE WHO APPROACH THE CONFESSIONAL WITHOUT THIS RESOLVE DEPRIVE THEMSELVES OF DIVINE GRACE AND THEIR SINS WILL NOT BE FORGIVEN. St. Ephraim of Syria says: There is no Repentance for those who bargain with Repentance, who hoping for Repentance remain in the state of sin. Repentance is of no avail to them. Those who mock are not pleasing to God... Even if the Mystery of Repentance could remit sins by the Authority of the Priest, THE PENITENT IS ALWAYS REQUIRED TO RENOUNCE SIN. The Mystery in no way encourages him to sin further. CONFESSION IS NOT A
CHAT IN WHICH THE SINNER TELLS HIS SINS AND IS WASHED CLEAN THROUGH THE TELLING. REPENTANCE IS A LIFE-LONG PROCESS thus WE ARE URGED NOT TO PUT OFF REPENTANCE AND SO PAVE THE WAY TO ETERNAL DAMNATION. FEW CAN TRULY REPENT ON THEIR DEATHBED, BECAUSE THE STATE OF MIND DURING THE FINAL MOMENTS IS NOT AT ALL CONDUCIVE. SINCERE CONFESSION AND REPENTANCE IS NOTHING LESS THAN THE TOTAL
Wherever I go, Monks are wondering with much pain and anxiety: Where are we going with this? And to what limit shall we accept Hierarchical compromise? Should we seek another jurisdiction? Shall we run towards the mountains, the forests and desert in order to be Saved and escape this Satanic temptation? Will we be hunted like the defenders of icons by the iconoclasts long ago? What I want to stress here is perhaps not the danger of Ecumenism in itself maybe things are not quite so serious as they may seem but THE DISTRESS THAT
1 2 (I.E. THE FORMER PATRIARCH OF ROMANIA, NOW WITH THE LORD),
FATHER GEORGE WAS REFERRING HERE TO HIS 21 YEARS OF SUFFERING IN THE COMMUNIST GULAG FOR HAVING CONFESSED THE CHRISTIAN FAITH 3 IN THE EUROPEAN UNION
TRANSFORMATION OF A PENITENT SOUL.

[ARCHPRIEST VICTOR POTAPOV - MARCH 1986]
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11 July 2012
All Glory, Honour and Wo rship to th e Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and foreve r, and unto the Ages of ages. Amen. Remembering also our Most Holy, Most Pure, Most Blessed and Glori ous Lady, Maria, Theotokos, yet Ever Vi rgin, together with all the Saints. And let us commit ourselve s and one another and our whole Life to Christ our God. Amen.
Tone (5) Plagal 1
15 July 2 0 1 2
6th Sunday of St Matthew The Light of the World Holy Church Fathers of the Fourth Ecumenical Council
Also the Feast of St Kyriakos & St Julitta of Tarsos St Basil of Rus, Enlightener of Russia & Equal to the Apostles St Abudimos of Tenedos
R e s u r r e c t i o n A p o l y t i k i o n - TONE (5) PLAGAL 1
Ek gis anatilasa, i tou Prodromou Kefali, aktinas aflisi, The Head of the Forerunner, having risen from the earth,
tis aftharsias pistis ton laseon; anothen sinathriszi, tin plithin ton Angelon, katothen singalite, ton anthropon ta geni, omofonon anapempse, Doxan Hristo to Theo.
Apolytikion Of The 4th Ecumenical Council
TONE (8) PLAGAL 4
sends out rays of Incorruption, for the Healing of the Faithful; in the Heavens it gathers the Choir of Angels, below are called together all people of all races, to send in a single voice: Glory to Christ our God!
Iperdedoxasmenos i Hriste O Theos imon, O fostiras epi

gis, tous Pateras imon themeliosas, ke di afton, pros tin alithinin pistin pantas imas odigisas, Poliefsplahne Doxa Si!
Supremely
praised art Thou, O Christ our God, Who established on earth, our Fathers as Luminaries; and through them, to the True Faith all of us Thou has Guided, O Most Compassionate One: Glory to Thee!

Gospel 6: Luke 24:35 - 53

Our Lord Jesus Appears To The Apostles & Ascends To Heaven
Prokeimenon
O Lord, how manifold art Thy Works! Thou hast created them all in Wisdom! Bless the Lord, O my soul!
St Pauls Epistle to St Titos 3 : 8 15
To Titos: a True Son in our common Faith: This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God, should be careful to maintain Good Works. These things are good and profitable to men. But avoid foolish disputes, genealogies, contentions, and strivings about the Law, for they are unprofitable and useless. Reject a divisive man after the first and second admonition, knowing that such a person is warped and sinning, being self-condemned. When I send Artemas to you, or Tychikos, be diligent to come to me at Nicopolis, for I have decided to spend the winter there. Send Zenas the Lawyer and Apollos on their Journey with haste, that they may lack nothing. And let our people also learn to maintain Good Works, to meet urgent needs, that they may not be unfruitful. All who are with me greet you. Greet those who Love us in the Faith. Grace be with you all. Amen. St Paul was painfully aware that WE ARE ALL AWAITING are being Transformed into the same Image THE CONSUMMATION OF THE AGE TO COME and he from glory to Glory just as the Spirit of our knew that WE ALREADY PARTICIPATE IN THE Lord.
ESCHATOLOGICAL4 COMMUNITY. HOLY BAPTISM AND CHRISMATION ARE THE BEGINNING OF OUR TRUE SPIRITUAL JOURNEY towards Eternal
THE
REFERENCE TO THE LORD IN THE NEW TESTAMENT, USUALLY REFERS TO OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST the Word and Son of God the Father,
Life in Gods Eternal Kingdom of Love, Peace and Joy.

THESE HOLY MYSTERIES GRANT US THE RITE OF PASSAGE TOWARDS A PROGRESSIVE LIFE OF RENEWAL IN CHRIST.
Who is also referred to as the Lord. (MATTHEW 11:25; 22:44 LUKE 1:32; 4:12 &18, 10:21 ACTS 3:22; 4:26 REVELATION 11:15; 21:22) The Holy Spirit is also referred to as Lord both in this instance and in our Creed of Faith the Nicene Creed: I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and Giver of Life... Since THE TERM LORD APPLIES TO ALL THREE PERSONS OF THE HOLY TRINITY, there might be a difference of opinion as to which of the three Divine Persons of the Holy Trinity the word Lord refers in this instance.
2 C o r i n t h i a n s 3 : 1 6 1 8 : ... when one turns to the Lord, the Veil is taken away. Now the Lord is Spirit; and where the Spirit of our Lord is, there is True Liberty. But we all - with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror, the Glory of our Lord
4 CONCERNING OUR IMMORTAL SOULS IN THEIR RELATION TO DEATH, JUDGEMENT, ETERNAL LIFE AND ETERNAL CONDEMNATION AND HELL.
(SPONSORED BY DIMITRI PAIZIS)
11 July 2012
15.
God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are in no way confused here for St Paul had in mind one Person or Another. The Son, for example, cannot be the Holy Spirit. V THE SPIRIT IS SPECIFICALLY THE HOLY SPIRIT not an impersonal Force although ELSEWHERE IN
THE NEW TESTAMENT THE TERM SPIRIT OCCASIONALLY REFERS TO THE SOUL, A REALM OR A MANNER OF EXISTENCE. this instance, St Paul described how ALMIGHTY GOD REIGNS IN OUR WORLD. It does not describe the
Darkness and sin so that WE ARE ABLE TO BEHOLD GOD, HAVE OPEN ACCESS TO HIM AT ALL TIMES, AND GROW EVER CLOSER TO HIM, THEREBY SLOWLY REGAINING OUR LOST SPIRITUAL (GODLY) LIKENESS. Having been created in Gods Image (and Likeness) WE ARE ABLE TO SEE HIS UNCREATED IMAGE God Incarnate our Lord Jesus Christ in two ways:
THROUGH THE SONS DEIFIED HUMANITY
(1 CORINTHIANS 13:12 & JAMES 1:23-35)
In
Eternal Relationship of the three separate and distinct Persons of the Holy Trinity: the Holy Spirit, for example, Proceeds from God the Father ALONE and not from God the Son.
PAUL TRANSFORMED THE OLD COVENANT UNDERSTANDING OF ONE GOD THE LORD GOD INTO THE NEW COVENANT TEACHING OF CHRISTS DIVINE REVELATION OF THE HOLY TRINITY IN ONE DIVINE GODHEAD THREE PERSONS EACH OF WHOM IS LORD DIVINE. Consequently, WHEN WE TURN TO THE LORD, WE TURN TO THE FATHER, THROUGH THE SON AND BY THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT AND EVEN WHEN WE PRAY ALTHOUGH WE MAY ADDRESS ONE OF THE TRINITY IN PERSON, IT ALWAYS INCLUDES THE OTHER TWO PERSONS OF THE HOLY TRINITY BECAUSE EVERYTHING IS IN PERFECT HARMONY AND UNITY OF THE HOLY TRINITY: BY THE WILL OF THE FATHER, THROUGH THE TEACHINGS AND REVELATIONS OF THE SON AND BY THE LIFE-GIVING ENABLING POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT! V THE WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT GRANTS US TRUE LIBERTY TRUE SPIRITUAL FREEDOM freeing us
ST
IN THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. As we grow closer to God and are able to truly behold Him, we become what we were created by God to be i.e. WE REGAIN OUR LOST HOLY LIKENESS. GOD IS INFINITE there are no limitations to Almighty God, SO THERE ARE NO LIMITS TO GROWING IN HIS IMAGE AND LIKENESS and the more we are Transformed into His Likeness, the more clearly we shall see God! A divisive person is one who picks and chooses from the whole - complete and Perfect Truth of God. A sect is a group of people who follow their own ideas and choices rather than being Obedient and Humble before God. They are isolated and independent of Gods Holy Tradition and such INCOMPLETE OR ERRONEOUS BELIEFS RESULT IN IMMORAL BEHAVIOUR AND A SELFIMPOSED SPIRITUAL DEATH AND ALIENATION FROM ALMIGHTY GOD Who never forces Himself on anyone
waiting ever so patiently for their return to His Divine Light through sincere Repentance.
from the constraints and shackles of Spiritual
The Holy Gospel According to St Matthew
5: 14 19
Disciples of Christ are the Light of the World At that time, our Lord Jesus said: You are the Light of the world. A city that is set upon a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it give light to all who are in the house. let your Light so shine before mankind, so that they may see your Good Works and Glorify your Father in Heaven. Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfil. For Truly, I say to you: until Heaven and earth pass away, not one jot nor one tittle will pass from the Law until it is fulfilled. Whoever, therefore, breaks one of the least of these Commandments, and teachers other so, shall be called least in the Kingdom of Heaven. ALMIGHTY GOD IS THE TRUE AND UNCREATED The Life was the Light of mankind... St John now LIGHT. introduces mankind as Sanctified Receivers of In the Old Testament LIGHT WAS SYMBOLIC OF ALMIGHTY the Divine Light of God, who, by living in GOD, HIS DIVINE LAW AND ISRAEL in contrast to all Christ, become Children of the Light of God. (JOHN 12:36 EPHESIANS 5:8 1 THESSALONIANS 5:5) other Nations. St Moses, our ancient Patriarch, saw the Divine I s a i a h 6 0 : 1 3 Shine, shine, O Jerusalem, for Light in the mysterious Burning Bush and your Light has come, and the Glory of the the whole Nation of Israel witnessed It at Lord has risen upon you. Behold: darkness the parting of the Red Sea. (EXODUS 3: 2 & 13 and gloom shall cover the earth upon the :21) Nations, but the Lord will shine on you and St Isaiah beheld the Divine Light of God in his His Glory shall be seen upon you. Kings shall Heavenly Vision. (ISAIAH 6: 1 5) come to your Light, and the Gentiles to your The three Apostles of Christ witnessed the Brightness... Divine Light of God at our Lords This is the Hymn that we sing during Holy Pascha in Transfiguration on Mount Tabor. (MATTHEW the Liturgical Services for, as St John of 17 : 1 5) Damascus expressed it: ... the whole Darkness refers to SPIRITUAL DARKNESS OR BLINDNESS Creation rejoices and exults, for Christ is DUE TO UNREPENTED SIN. It is both Spiritual Risen and Hades despoiled. Ignorance and Satanic opposition to the Divine P s a l m 1 1 8 : 1 0 5 - Thy Word is a Lamp to my feet Light and Truth of Almighty God. THOSE WHO HATE and a Light to my paths. TRUTH, PREFER IGNORANCE FOR THEMSELVES AND THEY STRIVE TO KEEP OTHERS IGNORANT AS WELL. In the New Testament, THE SON OF GOD IS LIGHT Comprehend means both understand and HE IS UNCREATED LIGHT OF UNCREATED LIGHT TRUE GOD OF TRUE GOD! overcome. Thus SPIRITUAL DARKNESS CAN NEVER OVERPOWER THE DIVINE LIGHT AND TRUTH OF OUR J o h n 1 : 4 9 ... In Him is Life, and the Life is LORD JESUS CHRIST, NOR CAN IT UNDERSTAND THE WAY the Light of mankind. And the Light shines in OF DIVINE LOVE. (AGAPE) the darkness, and the darkness did not John is a reference to ST JOHN THE BAPTIST AND comprehend It. There was a man sent from FORERUNNER TO CHRIST THE LAST AND GREATEST OF God, whose name was John. This man came ALL THE OLD COVENANT HOLY PROPHETS OF GOD, who as a Witness, to bear witness of the Light, that not only prepared the Hebrews on earth for the all through him might believe. He was not advent of Christ the True Messiah, but after his Holy that Light, but was sent to bear witness of Martyrdom, HE ALSO PREPARED THOSE WHO WERE that Light. That was the True Light, which IMPRISONED IN HADES. (AFTER CHRISTS DEATH AND HIS OWN gives Light to everyone coming into the DESCENT INTO HADES, OUR LORD JESUS SET THE RIGHTEOUS SOULS FREE TO REPOSE IN PARADISE UNTIL THE FINAL JUDGEMENT. THIS IS KNOWN AS THE world... HARROWING OF HADES.) V ONLY GOD HAS LIFE IN HIMSELF, THUS OUR Although OUR MOST MERCIFUL GOD HAS OFFERED HIS LORD JESUS CHRIST, BEING GOD, IS THE DIVINE LIGHT TO EVERY HUMAN BEING, the fallen world SOURCE OF LIFE, TOGETHER WITH THE and even many of His chosen people refuse to FATHER AND THE HOLY SPIRIT.
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6th After Pentecost 6th St Matthew L i g h t o f t h e W o r l d 1 5 J u l y 2 0 1 2
receive Him. Thus they can neither know nor recognise Him. THOSE WHO ACCEPT CHRIST OUR
SAVIOUR, ARE GRANTED HIS DIVINE LIGHT.
church is quickly illuminated by the soft, golden light a wonderful way of REMINDING US HOW G O D S
DIVINE LIGHT OF TRUTH AND LOVE SPREAD AND ENLIGHTENED THE ENTIRE WORLD FOREVER! CHRISTIAN VIRTUES HAVE BOTH A PERSONAL AND PUBLIC FUNCTION, for it can bring others to Glorify God and
After having heard the reading of the Holy Gospel and having received the Holy Eucharist in Divine Liturgy, we sing: We have seen the True Light! We have received the Heavenly Spirit! John 8: 12 Our Lord Jesus said: I Am the Light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the Light of Life. Our Lord used these words in the context of the great lamps that were lit at the conclusion of the Feast of Tabernacles in the Outer Court of the Temple in Jerusalem. Consequently, CHRIST DECLARES HIMSELF AS THE
FULFILMENT AND THE CELEBRATIONS OF LIGHT. DIVINE OBJECT OF ALL
to live in Christ forever.
OUR LORD JESUS FULFILLED THE LAW IN HIMSELF - IN HIS WORDS AND IN HIS ACTIONS BY PERFORMING GODS WILL IN ALL ITS FULLNESS, BY TRANSGRESSING NONE OF THE PRECEPTS OF THE LAW, BY DECLARING THE PERFECT FULFILMENT OF THE LAW, WHICH HE WAS ABOUT TO DELIVER TO THEM AND BY GRANTING RIGHTEOUSNESS THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF THE LAW TO US. HE ALSO FULFILLED THE PROPHECIES OF ALL THE HOLY PROPHETS OF GOD , by being and carrying
In Holy Scripture, God the Father is Light a Divine Attribute that He bestows upon His Faithful Flock.
(JOHN 1:4-9 & 1 JOHN 1:5 MATTHEW 5:14 - PHILIPPIANS 2:15)
Furthermore, OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST CONFIRMS HIS

CLAIM BY PERFORMING THE GREAT MIRACLE OF CREATING EYES FOR THE MAN WHO WAS BORN WITHOUT ANY EYES AT ALL. (JOHN 9 : 1-7 ESPECIALLY 9:5)
1 John 1 : 5 ... This is the message that we have heard from Him and declare to you: that God is Light and in Him is no darkness at all. For St John the Divine and Beloved Theologian and Apostle of Christ Light is DIVINE ENERGY , which manifested (revealed) Divine Truth i.e. TRUE TEACHING Virtue and Holiness i.e. TRUE BEHAVIOUR AND LIFESTYLE and Holy Communion with God in His Holy Church i.e.
out everything they had foretold centuries before. Our Lord Jesus often used the term Truly or Assuredly which means confirmed, or so be it Amen as a solemn affirmation or form of Oath. His use of this expression at the beginning of certain Divine Proclamations (rather than at the end) is unique and authoritative: He declares His Words affirmed before they are even spoken! A jot iota is the smallest letter in the Greek alphabet while a tittle is the smallest stroke in certain Hebrew letters. V Thus, WITHOUT EXCEPTION, THE ENTIRE LAW OF GOD IS
AFFIRMED AS THE SACRED FOUNDATION CHRISTS NEW COVENANT TEACHING. OF
TRUE SPIRITUALITY. THE STRONGEST OF ALL WEAPONS AGAINST SPIRITUAL DARKNESS AND SIN IS OUR LOVE FOR GOD, which is A STRONG, VIBRANT AND CLOSE RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM.
All is fulfilled is a reference to the Passion and Resurrection of our Lord and Saviour.
RIGHTEOUSNESS ACCORDING TO THE LAW IS A UNIFIED WHOLE.
Light is necessary for clear vision and for life itself. FAITH RELIES ON DIVINE LIGHT and Faithful Believers become sons of Light, who shine in a darkened and perverse world.
(JOHN 12:36 - 1 THESSALONIANS 5:5 PHILIPPIANS 2 : 15)
At Holy Pascha the Divine Liturgy begins with the Priest exiting the Holy Sanctuary and presenting a lit candle into the darkened church - inviting the congregation to Come and receive the Light that is never overtaken by night! whereupon, one by one, our candles are lit and the entire As the days get a little longer and more light shines all around us, LET US NEVER FORGET OUR TRUE LIGHT. The Light of Christ is blinding to those who have not seen it. One day a man went to a Priest and asked: Father how is your Ministry? The Priest replied: It is hard work, but the greatest Work anyone can do. Tell me my friend, how is your Ministry? The man responded: What are you talking about Father? ... you are a Chosen Race, a Royal Priesthood, a Holy Nation, and Gods own People, that you may declare the Wonderful Deeds of Him Who Called you out of darkness into His Marvelous Light. [ 1 PETER 2:9] This Scripture passage describes A ROYAL PRIESTHOOD WE ALL SHARE AND THE MINISTRY WE ARE ALL CALLED TO FULFIL. It sometimes seems an arduous task or even awkward to think of the Priesthood of all the Faithful. EVERYONE IN THE HOLY CHURCH OF CHRIST LAITY AND CLERGY - ARE CALLED TO FULFIL GODS HOLY MINISTRY. As our Lord clearly emphasised: You are the Light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hidden. No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lamp stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your Light shine before others, so that they may see your Good Works
The observance of all the least Commandments of God is to observe or keep or obey the whole Divine Law of God, while the violation of the least Commandment is considered by God to be the violation of the entire Divine Law of God! It could not be made more definitive or clear to us than this!!
The Light of the World

and give Glory to your Father in Heaven.
[MATTHEW 5:14-16]
How we do this is of crucial importance. FIRST AS CHRISTIANS, WE MUST ACT AS CHRIST HAS TAUGHT US TO ACT IN ALL SITUATIONS. WE MUST CONSTANTLY CARE FOR OUR OWN IMMORTAL SOUL, THROUGH PRAYER, FASTING AND RECEIVING THE HOLY MYSTERIES: Holy Unction, Holy Confession and Holy Eucharist through which we are granted so much by God. Then WE IN TURN MUST FREELY GIVE TO OTHERS WHO ARE MORE NEEDY AND DESTITUTE as our Lord Jesus cautioned us: "Take heed what you hear; the measure you give will be the measure you get, and still more will be given you. [MARK 4:24] AS GOD PROVIDES FOR US PHYSICALLY AND SPIRITUALLY, SO TOO, WE MUST PROVIDE FOR OTHERS especially the most excellent Spiritual Nourishment and Divine Truth we have received from God. THERE ARE INNUMERABLE WAYS TO FULFIL OUR SACRED MISSION AND TO SHARE THE LIGHT OF CHRIST. Visit or contact the elderly, the sick and the isolated and try to fulfil whatever they are in need of. Volunteer to assist in whatever way required within the Parish Church and the Community. Reach out to teach our Faith to those outside our Church especially those who have gone astray Help to bring people back to Orthodox Christianity.
17.
Think of something that you can do to serve Christ and fulfil your Sacred Calling. This is how we fulfil Gods Holy Ministry - WE CHOOSE TO COMMIT OURSELVES TO SOME WAY OF SERVING CHRIST BASED ON THE HOLY TALENTS HE HAS GRANTED US. And always keep in mind what our Lord Jesus said to each of us: "Take heed what you hear; the
measure you give will be the measure you get, and still more will be given you. [MARK 4:24] MAY THE LIGHT OF CHRIST YOU RECEIVE FROM GOD BE THE LIGHT THAT YOU SHINE ALWAYS TO GUIDE OTHERS in the Holy Ministry of the Royal Priesthood of Christ of which we are all chosen, Sanctified Members! In Christs Love, Father Ted Toppses
ADAPTED & EDITED BY MP: HTTP://WWW.HOLYTRINITYMAINE.ORG/INDEX.HTM
Eight Means of Temptation and the Struggle Against Them(Part 2) THROUGH EXTERNAL THINGS AND OCCASIONS - that 5. THE DEVIL TEMPTS US F R O M B E L O W WHEN WE ARE
CAPABLE OF PERFORMING GOOD DEEDS OR HOLY VIRTUES BUT ARE TOO LAZY TO DO SO; or WHEN WE KNOW THAT WE SHOULD MAKE GREATER EFFORT AND LABOUR IN ASCETIC STRUGGLES (in Virtues
is, through everything that enters from outside through our senses, which are the windows to our soul. THESE EXTERNAL THINGS ARE NOT EVIL IN AND OF THEMSELVES, BUT BY MEANS OF THEM OUR EMOTIONS
AND ACTIONS CAN BE TEMPTED AND INDUCED TO EVIL AND SIN.
and Good Deeds), and are capable of doing so,

BUT FAIL TO DO SO OUT OF LAZINESS OR BECAUSE WE MAKE EXCUSES FOR OUR LAZINESS.
We thereby spiritually reject these Virtues by doing much less than we could in fact do. 6. TEMPTATIONS F R O M A B O V E ALSO OCCUR IN TWO WAYS: the first is WHEN WE TAKE UPON OURSELVES ASCETIC STRUGGLES THAT EXCEED OUR STRENGTH, thereby recklessly straining ourselves. This happens, for instance, when we are sick yet maintain a Fast that is beyond our personal strength; or generally WHEN WE OVERDO ANY ASCETIC STRUGGLE THAT IS BEYOND OUR SPIRITUAL AND PHYSICAL CAPACITY. SUCH OBSTINACY LACKS HUMILITY AND IS UNREASONABLY PRESUMPTUOUS. Another temptation from above is WHEN WE STRIVE TO LEARN THE MYSTERIES OF HOLY SCRIPTURE (AND OF GODS MYSTERIES IN GENERAL), BUT DO NOT DO SO ACCORDING TO OUR SPIRITUAL MATURITY. That is, WHEN WE WANT TO PENETRATE THE MYSTERIES OF GOD IN HOLY SCRIPTURE (OR IN THE SAINTS, THE WORLD, AND LIFE IN GENERAL) IN ORDER LATER TO EXPLAIN AND TEACH THESE MYSTERIES TO OTHER PEOPLE WHEN WE ARE NOT SPIRITUALLY MATURE ENOUGH TO DO SO. As the Holy Fathers say - such a person wants to chew through a bone with baby teeth! St. Gregory of Nyssa speaks about this in his work, The Life of Moses, explaining that IT WAS FOR THIS REASON THAT GOD COMMANDED THE ISRAELITES, WHO WERE IMPERFECT, TO EAT ONLY THE MEAT (which is like milk for the teeth) FROM THE PASSOVER LAMB and, moreover, with bitter herbs and not to break into pieces or to eat the bones, but rather to burn them in fire. (CF. EXODUS 12: 8, 10, 46) This means that we, too, should INTERPRET ONLY THOSE MYSTERIES IN HOLY SCRIPTURE (AND IN OUR FAITH IN GOD GENERALLY) THAT CORRESPOND TO OUR SPIRITUAL MATURITY and to eat (absorb) them with bitter herbs, that is, with everything that life brings us (suffering, grief). WE SHOULD NOT BITE INTO THE MYSTERIES OF HOLY SCRIPTURE, DIVINE KNOWLEDGE, AND GODS PROVIDENCE, like so many hard bones, with our baby teeth; they are susceptible to fire only, that is, THEY BECOME CLEAR ONLY IN RIPE SPIRITUAL MATURITY AND IN EXPERIENCED SOULS THAT HAVE BEEN TESTED BY GRACE-FILLED DIVINE FIRE. 7. WE ARE TEMPTED F R O M W I T H I N BY THAT WHICH WE HAVE IN ONES HEART AND BY THAT WHICH PROCEEDS FROM THE HEART. The Lord Jesus Christ clearly stated that IT IS FROM WITHIN, FROM OUR HEART, THAT SINFUL AND IMPURE THOUGHTS, DESIRES, AND LUSTS PROCEED AND TEMPT US. (CF. MATTHEW 15:19) Temptations come not only from Satan and his demons, but also from human beings from their evil intentions, deceptions, lies, lusts, evil desires and inner habitual sin that proceeds from an unclean, merciless and unrepentant heart. 8. FINALLY, THE EIGHTH TYPE OF DEMONIC TEMPTATION ATTACKS US FROM THE OUTSIDE,
These, then, are the eight means whereby everyone is tempted - regardless of whether one lives in the world or in seclusion. (Having completed listing all eight means whereby we are tempted, Elder Cleopa briefly repeated them and then added the ways and means with which to combat each of these temptations.) Against each of these temptations we must fight by means of W A T C H F U L N E S S i.e. we must always be Spiritual Attentive, careful, and wakeful or alert. We must have unwavering alertness and vigilance of body and soul, Spiritual and physical sobriety and Discernment, constant attention to thoughts and actions - i.e. Spiritual Judgement. Furthermore, we must constantly pray, invoking the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ - that is, through U N C E A S I N G P R A Y E R - as our Holy Church Fathers put it: ...by Attention and Prayer.) THE CEASELESS BATTLE AGAINST ALL TEMPTATIONS AND PASSIONS CONSISTS OF GUARDING OUR MIND, SOUL, AND BODY FROM TEMPTATION this is our ASCETIC STRUGGLE, from our human point of view - while from the Divine aspect WE MUST CONTINUOUSLY AND PRAYERFULLY CALL UPON THE HELP OF OUR ALLMERCIFUL LORD JESUS CHRIST, which is the Unceasing and primary Prayer of the Hesychasts called the Jesus Prayer O LORD JESUS CHRIST, HAVE MERCY ON ME, A SINNER!
ADAPTED & EDITED BY MP : ORTHODOX WORD FATHER CLEOPA ON THE EIGHT SOURCES OF TEMPATION
http://www.pravmir.com/elder-cleopa-on-the-eight-sources-of-temptation
Et e r n a l W i s d o m o f o u r H o l y Ch u r c h F a t h e r s
ST MAXIMOS THE CONFESSOR "Just as the thought of fire does not warm the body, so Faith without Love does not actualize the Light of Spiritual Knowledge in the soul." ST SYMEON THE NEW THEOLOGIAN "In the Future Life the Christian is not examined if he has renounced the whole world for Christ's Love, or if he has distributed his riches to the poor or if he Fasted or kept Vigil or prayed, or if he wept and lamented for his sins, or if he has done any other good in this life, but he is examined attentively if he has any similitude with Christ, as a son does with his father." ST SERAPHIM OF SAROV "God is a Fire that warms and kindles the heart and inward parts. And so, if we feel in our hearts coldness, which is from the devil, for he is cold then let us call upon the Lord, and He will come and warm our hearts with perfect Love not only for Him, but for our neighbour as well. And from the Presence of Warmth the coldness of the hater of Good will be driven away."
18.
All Glory, Honour and Worship to th e Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and forever, and unto the Ages of ages. Amen. Remembering also our Most Holy, Most Pure, Most Blessed and Glori ous Lady, Maria, Theotokos, yet Ever Vi rgin, together with all the Saints. And let us commit ourselves and one another and our whole Life to Christ our God. Amen.
17 July 2 0 1 2 St Marina/Margarita- Great Martyr of Antioch

Also the Feast of the Holy Fathers of the First Six Ecumenical Councils St Irenarchos of Solovki St Lazaros of Mount Galerios St Leonid of Vologda St Andrei Rubliv, Iconographer St Veronika & St Speratos St Leonis of Ustenedumsk - St Kenelm, Price of Mercia
Apolytikion Of Female Martyrs
TONE 4
amnas Sou Iisou, krazi megali ti foni. Se Nimfie mou potho, ke Se zitousa athlo, ke sistavroume, ke sinthptome to Vaptismo Sou. Ke pasho dia Se, os Vasilefso sin Si, ke thnisko iper Sou, ina ke ziso en Si. All os thisian amomomn, prosdehou tin meta pothou tithisan Si. Aftis Presvies, os eleimon, Soson tas psihas imon.
my Lord Jesus, Thine Ewe-Lamb, with a loud voice calls out: Thou, my Groom, do I long for, and suffer all in search for Thee, and I am crucified and buried with Thee in Baptism; and I suffer for Thy Sake, in order to reign with Thee, and give my life to Thee so that I may live with Thee; but accept as Pure Sacrifice, the one who desired to give her life for Thee. Through her Intercessions, O Most Compassionate, Save our souls! still an infant Thou rejected Thy fathers idols, and trampled down the pride of the cruel tyrant Olyvrios; thus through thy Prayers Thou put the serpent in bondage, and the dragons proud head Thou completely crushed, O Great Martyr Marina; Intercede with Christ our God, that our souls may be Saved.
Apolytikion Of St Marina/Margarita
TONE
Tou
Patros Sou ek vrefous apestrafis ta idola, ke tou Olivriou tirannou tin oftin katepatisas, othen efhes sou ton ofin edesmefsas, ke tin kefalin tou drakontos epirmenin katethlasas, Megalomartis Marina; presveve Hristo to Theo Sothine tas psihas imon.
While

Piitin ametathete, mi Paridis, amartolon deiseon fonas, alla profthason os agathi, is tin voithian imon, ton pistos kravgazonton Si: Tahinon is Presvian, ke spefson is ikesian, i prostatevousa ai, Theotoke, ton Timonton Se.
The Epistle of St Paul to the Galatians 3 : 23 4 : 5

Our Adoption As Co-Heirs With Christ Through Our Faith And Holy Baptism
Brethren: before Faith came, we were kept under guard by the Law kept for the Faith that would afterward be revealed. Therefore, the Law as our Tutor to bring us to Christ so that we might be Justified by Faith. But after Faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor, for you are sons of God through Faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were Baptised into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek; there is neither slave nor free; there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus, and if you are Christs then you are Abrahams seed, and Heirs according to the Promise.
FAITH IN CHRIST IS ALSO FAITH OF CHRIST because TWO FAITHS ARE COOPERATING TOGETHER: first and foremost, THE FAITH OF CHRIST, and secondarily, THE FAITH IN CHRIST OF THOSE WHO BELIEVE. Although THE PEOPLE OF THE OLD COVENANT WITH GOD HAD COMPLETE FAITH IN GOD, THEY COULD NOT PARTICIPATE IN THE FAITH OF CHRIST FOR OUR SAVIOUR HAD NOT YET APPEARED TO THEM. THE HOLY TRINITY IS OMNIPRESENT - ever-present THERE HAS NEVER BEEN A TIME OR PLACE WHEN GOD THE FATHER, THE SON AND THE HOLY SPIRIT WAS NOT PRESENT! The only time we could actually SEE GOD was WHEN CHRIST THE WORD AND SON OF GOD BECAME MAN BECAME INCARNATE TOOK ON PHYSICAL MATTER A HUMAN BODY. THE PURPOSE OF OUR LIFE ON EARTH HAS ALWAYS BEEN A VITAL PREPARATORY PERIOD FOR ETERNITY. GUIDE US TOWARDS ETERNAL LIFE AND PROTECT US FROM FALLING INTO A STATE OF PERMANENT SPIRITUAL DEATH. THE TEN COMMANDMENTS OR MOSAIC LAW PREPARED THE HEBREW NATION FOR THE COMING OF GOD. WITH GODS NEW COVENANT, CHRIST REVEALED THE TRUE NATURE OF OUR MOST MERCIFUL, LOVING AND BENEVOLENT GOD TO US AND TAUGHT US THE WAY TO ETERNAL LIFE, which the ancient people of
IN PEACE UNTIL THE GENERAL RESURRECTION AND OUR FINAL JUDGEMENT. THOSE WHO STUBBORNLY REJECTED HIM, REMAIN IN HADES WHERE THEY SUFFER THE HIDEOUS FORETASTE OF THE VILENESS AND TORMENT OF ETERNAL ALIENATION FROM GOD, OUR FAITH IN CHRIST IS ONE OF PERSONAL COMMITMENT AND ALLEGIANCE TO HIM and through our Holy Baptism WE HAVE BECOME ADOPTED HEIRS OF GOD
Because Gods Love of us is infinite and absolute, He provided mankind with a set of TEN COMMANDMENTS OR LAWS THAT
TO BECOME CHRIST-LIKE TO IMITATE CHRIST HIMSELF AND THEREBY REGAIN OUR LOST LIKENESS TO GOD. ACCORDING TO OUR NEW COVENANT WITH ALMIGHTY GOD, there is no distinction between social status, ethnicity or gender because WE ARE ALL EQUAL IN THE SIGHT OF GOD!
Co-heirs with Christ to the Eternal Heavenly Kingdom of God. Not only have we been Baptised into Christianity into the Christian Faith, but WE HAVE VESTED OURSELVES WITH CHRIST we have put on Christ WE HAVE TAKEN ON OUR SACRED MISSION
SAVING FAITH AND BEING BAPTISED ARE INTERWOVEN we
AT THE HARROWING OF HADES AFTER HIS DEATH ON THE CROSS IN HIS HUMAN NATURE, CHRIST IN HIS DIVINE NATURE, SMASHED OPEN THE IMPRISONING DOORS OF HADES, and, having preached to the dead both the PARADISE TO THE FAITHFUL WHERE THEY COULD REPOSE
God only understood instinctively at first and then through the teachings of the Holy Prophets of God.
V V
cannot claim to have one without the other! For as many of you as were Baptised into Christ have put on Christ, is OUR ANCIENT BAPTISM HYMN that is chanted during the procession of the Newly Regenerated into the Assembly the Holy Church of Christ.
WE SHARE ONE HUMAN NATURE IN CHRIST. CHRISTS HOLY CHURCH, IF WE ARE GENUINELY TRYING TO IMITATE CHRIST WE MUST DO SO WITHOUT FAIL: He never discriminated against
Therefore, ASSESSING PEOPLE according to our own opinion, attitude, value, gender or ethnicity IS FORBIDDEN IN
wicked and the Righteous Ones He freed all humanity from the enslaving power of evil AND RE-OPENED
anyone so how dare we do so!
St Marina (St Margarita) The Great Martyr 17 July 2012
19
ANY
DISCRIMINATION, BIGOTRY, INTOLERANCE OR PREJUDICE WILL CAUSE US SERIOUS SPIRITUAL CONDEMNATION, WHICH UNLESS WE QUICKLY
CORRECT OURSELVES WITH SINCERE REPENTANCE WILL AFFECT OUR ETERNITY!
We are all one in nature and equal in dignity.
The Holy Gospel According To St Mark 5: 24 34

The Healing Of The Bleeding Woman On The Way To Jairus Dying Daughter
At that time our Lord Jesus went with Jairus, a ruler of the Synagogue, and a great multitude followed Him and thronged Him. Now a certain woman had a flow of blood for twelve years, and had suffered many things from many physicians. She had spent all that she had and was no better but rather grew worse. When she heard about Jesus, she went behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment, for she thought: If only I may touch His garment, I shall be made well. Immediately the source of her bleeding dried up and she felt in her body that she was healed of the affliction. And Jesus, immediately knowing in Himself that Power had gone out of Him, turned around in the crowd and asked: Who touched My garment? So His Disciples said to Him: Thou see the multitude thronging Thee and Thou ask Who touched Me? And He looked around to see her who had done so, but the woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what had happened to her, went and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth. So He said to her: Daughter, your Faith has made you well. Go in Peace, and be healed of your affliction.
AUTHORITY OVER LIFE AND DEATH IS BY THE WILL OF GOD ALONE and BEING OF THE SAME DIVINE ESSENCE AS GOD THE FATHER, OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST POSSESSES THAT SAME DIVINE AUTHORITY. THE HEALING OF THAT WOMAN, ST VERONICA, DEMONSTRATED OUR LORD JESUS POWER TO CLEANSE US FROM OUR SINS AND TO HEAL ALL OUR AFFLICTIONS THE SPIRITUAL AND THE PHYSICAL.
HER FAITHH IN HIM SO THAT OTHERS WOULD LEARN FROM HER AND GLORIFY GOD.
According to the Old Covenant Laws, any type of haemorrhaging caused ceremonial defilement, which imposed religious and social restrictions upon the sufferers for ANY CONTACT WITH BLOOD WAS STRICTLY
PROHIBITED AND AVOIDED AT ALL COSTS.
This wretched suffering woman regarded herself as being unclean and had followed all the requirements as a social outcast but SHE HAD REACHED SUCH A DEGREE OF MISERY
AND DESPERATION THAT SHE RISKED FURTHER SHAME AND HUMILIATION IN THE CONVICTION THAT ONLY CHRIST COULD HEAL HER.
ACKNOWLEDGE THE HEALED WOMAN AND TO TEACH BOTH HER AND ALL THOSE WHO WITNESSED IT HIS DIVINE TRUTH: First He granted her Good cheer because of THE PROOF AND CONSEQUENCES OF HER SINCERE FAITH. Then He corrected her thinking for SHE COULD NEITHER HIDE HER ACTIONS FROM HIM FROM GOD NOR WAS SHE EXCLUDED FROM HIM BECAUSE OF HER AFFLICTION. And finally, HE REVEALED HER FAITH PUBLICALLY SO THAT THE WITNESSES MIGHT FOLLOW HER GOOD EXAMPLE. CONSTANTLY SUFFERS AND IS SUBJECT TO DEATH, WHICH WAS SYMBOLISED BY HER HAEMORRHAGING. The Physicians who could not heal her symbolise THE VARIOUS RELIGIONS OF THE WORLD, AS WELL AS THE OLD COVENANT LAW, WHICH ARE UNABLE TO GRANT LIFE TO HUMANITY THEY CANNOT SAVE US ONLY GOD CAN SAVE OR REDEEM US! ONLY THROUGH OUR LORD AND SAVIOUR, JESUS CHRIST, ARE WE GENUINELY FREED FROM SUFFERING AND BONDAGE TO SIN!
Therefore He loudly enquired Who touched My garment? which astonished His Disciples since the large crowd shoved and pushed one another to get closer to Christ and many would have brushed against Him or certainly touched His garments. Although on His way to save the daughter of Jairus a ruler of the Synagogue OUR LORD JESUS TOOK HIS TIME TO
NEEDED! EVERYTHING THAT IS TOUCHED BY GOD BECOMES SANCTIFIED HOLY AND WILL PASS THAT SANCTIFICATION ONTO THE FAITHFUL. So THE INSTANT ST VERONICA SOFTLY TOUCHED THE ROBES OF CHRIST SHE WAS HEALED AND GOD KNEW HER SINCERE FAITH IN HIM. DIVINE ENERGY OR POWER WENT FROM CHRIST TO ST VERONICA AND HE WANTED HER TO OPENLY ACKNOWLEDGE
It was a risk that she was willing to take after all what more could she lose? People had already taken everything she had, but now GOD WOULD GRANT HER WHAT SHE REALLY
Our Holy Church Fathers believed that St Veronica symbolises human nature in general because ALL HUMANITY
A Wonderful Modern Day Miracle of St Marina of Antioch

In 2000 the Vassiliou family from Lemessos, Cyprus, was Blessed by the following Miracle. In Greece they became well known from the televised requests they made in order to find a bone marrow donor for their young son, Andrea, who suffered from leukaemia. Eventually, by the Grace of God a suitable donor was found and the family began preparing for their trip to Texas, USA where the bone marrow transplant was to be performed. They had constantly prayed and besought our Lord Jesus Christ to save their boy, and just before they left for the USA the parents heard of St Marina's Miracles, so they called the Monastery of St Marina on the island of Andros, Greece, to ask for her Blessings and Intercessory Prayers. The Abbot of her Monastery, Archimandrite Cyprianos, also prayed to St Marina, asking her to be with Andrea in the operating room and to help him - and comforted by Father Cyprianos' Blessings and with the assurance that St Marina would watch over them, the Vassiliou family travelled to the USA. After the necessary pre-operation tests that Andrea had to undergo, he was taken to the operating theatre but just before the operation, a woman went to speak to the Surgeon and told him that she was Andrea's Doctor and respectfully asked his permission to observe the bone marrow transplant. Their ensuing conversation assured the Surgeon that the strange woman certainly had great medical knowledge. Nevertheless, no visiting Doctors were permitted inside the operating theatres except those involved in such delicate procedures - but her gentle persistence convinced the Surgeon to make an exception on this occasion on condition that she left all her required credentials with the Administration Officers. The unknown doctor did as she was told and then entered the operating theatre with the Surgeon where she assisted him until the conclusion of a most successful bone marrow transplant. Having thanked the Doctor for her helpful assistance, the Surgeon exited the operating theatre and went to inform Andreas parents that all had gone very well, adding that he had not expected such a clever assistant from Greece. However, the astounded parents told him that they had not brought any Doctor with them. Andrea's Doctor had remained for a little while longer with the rest of the operating team and therefore, the Surgeon thought that she would probably still be around and he suggested that they find her and sort out the confusion. They searched to no avail as the 'woman Doctor from Greece' was nowhere to be found. The Vassiliou couple concluded that it must have been an unknown visiting Doctor from Greece or Cyprus who had decided to travel to the USA and assist with the delicate transplant. Wishing to express their gratitude to her, they enquired at the Administration Officers desk regarding her credentials, which she had written down before the operation, and to their utter amazement and shock they saw that she had simply written: "Marina from Andros." Tears of Thanksgiving and Joy filled their eyes as they recalled that the Abbot had promised to ask St Marina to accompany Andrea and to help him. Andrea was restored to full health and the Vassiliou family have maintained their Sacred Vow to attend Holy Services at St Marinas Monastery every year on her Feast Day. Divine Miracles performed through the Saints have never ceased to occur in the Eastern Orthodox Church - with all these Miracles, may our Lord Jesus Christ help us build and strengthen our Faith. [http://www.deathtotheworld.com/lot/lives/stmarina/stmarina.html]
20.
St Marina (St Margarita) The Great Martyr 17 July 2012
All Glory, Honour and Worship to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and forever, and unto the Ages of ages. Amen. Remembering also our Most Holy, Most Pure, Most Blessed and Glori ous Lady, Maria, Theotokos, yet Ever Virgin, together with all the Sai nts. And let us commit ourselves and one another and our whole Life to Christ our God. Amen.
20
July 2012
St Elias/Elijah the Tishbite & Holy Prophet of God

Also the Feast of St Abramios of Galich, a Disciple of St Sergios of Radonezh St Athanasios, Abbot of Brest-litovsk Monastery, Uncovering and Transfer of Holy Relics St Ilia Chavchavadze of Georgia - St Maria Skobtsova, Holy Martyr - St Salome the Georgian Martyr - St Demetrios Klepinine, Hieromartyr - St Alexei Medvedkov, Hieromartyr - the Holy Icon of the Ever Blessed Theotokos of the Chukhloma Monastery of Galich
Apolytikion Of St Elias The Tishbite & Holy Prophet Of God TONE 4
efsarkos Angelos, ton Profiton I Kripis, O defteros Prodromos tis Parousias Hristou, Ilias O Endoxos, anothen katapempsas, Elisseo tin Harin, nosous apodioki, ke leprous katharizi; dio ke tis timosin afton vrii iamata.
Kontakion Of St Elias The Tishbite & Holy Prophet Of God TONE 2
Angelic of body, Pillar of the Prophets and their Corner Stone, the Forerunner of the Second Coming of Christ, the Venerable and Glorious Elijah Thou sent Grace from on High to Elisha to dispel sicknesses and to purify lepers. Wherefore, he ever overflows with healing to those who honour him.
Profita
ke Proopta ton Megalourgion tou Theou, Ilia Megalinime, O to fthegmati sou stisas ta idatorrita nefi, presveve iper imon, pros ton Monon Filanthropon
Prophet and Foreseer of the Great Works of God, O Greatly Renowned Elias (Elijah), who by your word held back the clouds of rain, Intercede for us to the Only Loving One. Protector of the Christians unashamable, Mediator to the Creator Immovable, despise not, the pleading voices of those in sin, but hasten O Good One, to the aid of all of us, who in Faith cry out to Thee: hasten Thine Intercession, and present Thy Supplication, O Theotokos who always protects all who honour Thee!
Kontakion Of The Ever Blessed Theotokos

The Epistle of St James 5: 10 - 20

Encouragement To The Oppressed & Healing The Work Of Faith
My Brethren, take, as an example of suffering and patience the Prophets who spoke in the Name of the Lord. Indeed, we count them Blessed who endure. You have heard of the Endurance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord that the Lord is very Compassionate and Merciful. However, above all, my Brethren, do not swear either by Heaven or by earth, or with any other oath - and let your yes be yes, and your no be no, in case you fall into Judgement. Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sin Psalms. Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the Elders of the Church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with Oil in the Name of our Lord. And the Prayer of Faith will Save the sick, and our Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The effective, Fervent Prayer of a Righteous person avails much. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rail on the land for three years and six month. And he prayed again, and the Heave gave forth rain, and the earth produced its fruit. Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the Truth, and someone turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will Save a soul from Death and cover a multitude of sins. THE FAITHFUL HOLY PROPHETS WHO ARE CERTAINLY TRUE With these words, Christ our Saviour taught us how to
SAINTS OF GOD ARE OUR BEST MODELS OR EXAMPLES OF SUFFERING AND PATIENCE WHOM WE SHOULD STRIVE TO IMITATE. Consequently, ALL FAITHFUL CHRISTIANS OF THE NEW COVENANT HONOUR OR VENERATE THESE HOLY PROPHETS AS WELL AS ALL THE HOLY SAINTS AND MARTYRS, THEREBY ACKNOWLEDGING THEM AS BEING MOST BLESSED WITH THE DIVINE GRACE OF GOD. A polemic (A STRONG ARGUMENT) against A BAD CUSTOM OR HABIT STEMMING FROM BAD FAITH IS the common practice of SWEARING BY GOD OR SOMETHING THAT SIGNIFIES GOD AS THOUGH SWEARING PROVED TRUTHFULNESS! We may swear an oath when absolutely necessary but THE SOLUTION TO THE LACK OF TRUST IS GENUINE GOOD FAITH PROOF OF OUR PERSONAL INTEGRITY AND TRUTHFULNESS BETWEEN US AND GOD. M A T T H E W 5 : 3 3 3 7 : . . . you have heard that it was HONOUR OUR DIVINE ADOPTION AS HEIRS TO GODS ETERNAL KINGDOM AND AS HIS FAITHFUL DISCIPLES. TRUTH CANNOT BE SECURED BY SWEARING AN OATH BY THINGS THAT ARE NOT IN OUR POSSESSION anyway, but
only by simple integrity! Furthermore, in this Spiritually Dark and fallen world of the last days, PEOPLE SWEAR WITHOUT ANY
THOUGHT OR REGARD FOR THE TRUTH. BLASPHEMING THE LORD OUR GODS HOLY NAME ATTACHED TO A BLATANT LIE! KNOWN HABITUAL LIARS OATHS ARE USELESS AND FUTILE AND EACH TIME THEY SWEAR AN OATH, THEY CONDEMN THEMSELVES MORE AND MORE. b TRUST AND TRUTH ARE INSEPARABLE VIRTUES.
All too often, THEY COMMIT TWO SERIOUS SINS BY
said to those of old: You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform your Oaths to the Lord. But I say to you: do not swear at all: neither by Heaven , for it is Gods Throne; nor by the earth, for it is His Footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the City of the Great King. Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black. But let your yes be yes, and your No be no, for whatever is more than these is from the evil one.
Only through our constant preservation and practice of Trust and Truth will others be able to take us at our word. THE INSTANT THAT SACRED TRUST IS BROKEN, WE
LOOSE OUR INTEGRITY, OUR AUTHENTICITY AND OUR LEGITIMACY. THOSE WHO HABITUALLY LIE ARE MORE OFTEN THAN NOT ALSO HABITUAL THIEVES due to the fact that THEY LACK HONESTY AND ETHICS, AND THEY ALWAYS HAVE A READY EXCUSE TO JUSTIFY THEMSELVES! LYING AND THIEVING ARE THE NOXIOUS VICES OF SATAN AND MUST BE CORRECTED IMMEDIATELY AND MOST DETERMINEDLY through personal
discipline and True Repentance and Confession.
St Elias/Elijah the Tishbite & Holy Prophet of God
2 0 J u l y 2 0 1 2 21
THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR LYING OR STEALING, WHICH REVEALS A SPIRITUAL DARKNESS AND DEATH FROM WITHIN AND MAKE US MURDERERS OF GODS DIVINE TRUTH AND SLAVES OF THE EVIL ONE. Thus we must BE EVER WATCHFUL OVER THE STATE OF OUR WORDS, THOUGHTS AND DEEDS, ENSURING THAT WE QUICKLY CORRECT OUR ERRORS AND EMERGENT HABITS. St James instructed us to SEEK THE FERVENT PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH ELDERS (OR PRIESTS) FOR OUR SPIRITUAL AND PHYSICAL HEALING. b SALVATION DEALS WITH BOTH BODY AND SOUL our visible and invisible being. Thus HOLY UNCTION serves a double purpose HEALING AND THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS.
WELL AS (OF COURSE) HAVING KEPT THE GREAT LENTEN FAST.
Although some people allege that confessing our sins to God before a Priest is not Biblical, THE ANCIENT
CHRISTIAN CUSTOM WAS TO CONFESS THEIR SINS TRESPASSES - TO ONE ANOTHER.
The sins of the early Christians were confessed before the entire Congregation as an act of humble Repentance. But as the Holy Church grew, non-Christian i.e. the uninitiated or untaught - visitors who were unfamiliar with the Sanctity and Trust of public Confession often attended the Holy Services. Consequently, IT BECAME MORE PRACTICAL AND EFFICIENT
FOR REPENTANT SINNERS TO CONFESS THEIR SINS IN PRIVATE BEFORE A PRIEST - WHO REPRESENTS OUR FELLOW HUMANITY AGAINST WHOM WE CONSTANTLY TRESPASS - AND GOD. WHAT IS CERTAINLY NOT TAUGHT IN HOLY SCRIPTURE IS A PRIVATE CONFESSION ONLY TO GOD, WHICH REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE SIN TO THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY our fellow sinners. 1 J O H N 1 : 8 1 0 : If we say we have no sin, we
Priests are granted certain Divine Gifts for the Holy Ministry at their Ordination at the Laying On Of Hands. 1 T I M O T H Y 4 : 1 4 ...Do not neglect the Gift that is in you, which was given to you by Prophecy with the Laying On of the Hands of the Eldership. This referred to St Timothys ORDINATION INTO THE HOLY PRIESTHOOD OF CHRIST, which was conferred upon him by the Holy Apostles of Christ, exactly as it is still done today by the Bishops. b PRAYERS ARE COMBINED WITH OLIVE OIL, WHICH WAS
NOT ONLY THE PRIMARY MEDICINE OF ANCIENT TIMES, BUT ALSO SYMBOLISED THE PRESENCE AND ACTIVITY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN THE CHURCH OF CHRIST. So it is that THE SINGLE HOLY MYSTERY OF UNCTION EFFECTS A HEALING FOR OUR COMPLETE BEING PHYSICAL AND SPIRITUAL WELFARE AND HEALING THROUGH THE FORGIVENESS OF OUR SINS THAT ENSLAVE AND SICKEN US.
deceive ourselves, and the Truth is not in us. If we Confess our sins, He is faithful and Just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His Word is not in us! b
OUR FAITH IS REVEALED AND PROVED BY OUR ACTIONS
our words, our thoughts and our deeds which must produce Purity i.e. we must practise and live Truth, which validates our Relationship with God living every moment in Holiness and Righteousness. b
OUR FAITH COMPELS US TO SEEK FORGIVENESS AND SPIRITUAL CLEANSING FOR ALL OUR SINS great
The essential Elements of Holy Unction include a Priest, the Prayers of the Faith that Saves us, connected to the Work of Christ Himself, for our Lord will raise us all up, and the Holy Spirit manifested in the Blessed, Sanctified Olive Oil, as well as the RepentanceConfession of personal sins prior to the Anointing with Oil the Mystery of Holy Unction which explains why St James wrote: ... if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. In the Orthodox Church HOLY UNCTION IS GRANTED TO
ANYONE WHO IS SICK, WHETHER IN DANGER OF DYING OR NOT. And EVERY YEAR ON HOLY WEDNESDAY OF HOLY WEEK (BEFORE HOLY PASCHA), ALL FAITHFUL CHRISTIANS RECEIVE HOLY UNCTION HAVING PREPARED THEMSELVES CORRECTLY WITH PRAYERS, SPIRITUAL SELF-EXAMINATION AND REPENTANCE-CONFESSION AS
and small. Sin is our fallen, human condition but GOD HAS PROVIDED
US WITH A MEANS TO IMPROVE AND CORRECT OURSELVES THROUGH CONSTANT WATCHFULNESS AND REPENTANCE-CONFESSION, WHICH IS THE ESTABLISHED BASIS FOR SPIRITUAL GROWTH TOWARDS RIGHTEOUSNESS. So, THROUGH OUR LIFE IN CHRIST WE STRUGGLE DAILY TO FOLLOW HIM FAITHFULLY - LEARNING TO RECOGNISE AND RESIST THE ONSLAUGHT OF TEMPTATIONS - even
though we will continue to sin in varying degrees until we draw our last breath. SALVATION IN CHRIST IS A CONTINUOUS PROCESS and
AS LONG AS WE DO THE BEST WE CAN TO FULFIL THE WILL OF GOD, WE NEED NOT FEAR OUR FINAL JUDGEMENT as much as those who rebel and disobey
God at every opportunity.
The Holy Gospel According to St Luke 4 : 22 - 30

The Unbelief Of Nazareth
At that time, all bore witness to our Lord Jesus Christ, and marvelled at the Gracious Words that proceeded out of His Mouth. And they said: Is this not Josephs Son? He said to them: You will surely say this Proverb to Me: Physician, heal Thyself! Whatever we have heard done in Capernaum, do also here in Thy country. Then He said: Assuredly, I say to you: no Prophet is accepted in his own country. But I tell you truly, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the Heaven was shut up for three years and six months, and there was a great famine throughout all the land; but to none of them was Elijah sent except to Zarephath, in the region of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Elisha the Prophet, and none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian. So all those in the Synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath and rose up and thrust Him out of the city; and they led Him to the brow of the hill on which their city was built, so that they might throw Him down over the cliff. Then, passing through the midst of them, He went His way. What can I say to THOSE PEOPLE WHO, IN THE CHURCH, NEITHER STAND IN SILENCE, NOR JOIN IN THE SINGING,
BUT INSTEAD MEET ONE ANOTHER AND MIX OUR REASONABLE WORSHIP OF GOD WITH WORLDLY CHATTER? THEY DO NOT LISTEN TO THE DIVINELY INSPIRED WORDS, AND PREVENT OTHERS WHO WANT TO LISTEN FROM DOING SO.
St Gregory Palamas
'How long do you halt between two opinions?' as St Elijah the Tishbite would say. (I KINGS. 18:21). YOU WANT SIMULTANEOUSLY TO COME TOGETHER FOR PRAYER AND FOR WORLDLY, ILL-TIMED WORDS. OF COURSE YOU SUCCEED IN NEITHER PURPOSE, BECAUSE YOU DESTROY
THE ONE WITH THE OTHER, OR RATHER, THEY DESTROY EACH OTHER. How long before you stop talking idly in this place? YOU MAKE THIS HOUSE OF PRAYER INTO A PLACE OF BUSINESS OR IMPASSIONED SPEECH! (cf. LUKE. 19:46). In this Holy House the WORDS OF ETERNAL LIFE ARE BOTH SPOKEN AND HEARD, on the one hand by us, AS WE BESEECH GOD FOR ETERNAL LIFE WITH UNASHAMED HOPE, and on the other hand BY GOD, AS HE GRANTS ETERNAL LIFE TO THOSE WHO ASK WITH THEIR WHOLE HEART AND MIND. But HE WILL NOT GRANT IT TO THOSE WHO DO NOT EVEN APPLY THEIR WHOLE TONGUE, AS IT WERE, TO ASKING." (THE HOMILIES
VOL. 1; ST. TIKHON'S SEMINARY PRESS PGS. 111-112):
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St Elias/Elij ah t he Tishbite & Holy Prophet of God
20 July 2012
All Glory, Honour and Worship to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and forever, and unto the Ages of ages. Amen. Remembering also our Most Holy, Most Pure, Most Blessed and Glori ous Lady, Maria, Theotokos, yet Ever Virgin, together with all the Saints. And let us commit ourselves and one another and our whole Life to Christ our God. Amen.
8 t h S u n da y Af te r Pe n te c o st
T on e ( 6 ) Pl a g al 2
22 July 2 0 1 2
7 t h S u n d a y o f S t M a t t h e w 2 Blind Men & a Mute Demoniac

Also the Feast of St Mary Magdalene, Holy Myrrh-bearer & Equal to the Apostles St Markella of Chios St Cornelios of Pereyaslavl - St Phokas of Sinope, Translation of Holy Relics
Resurrection Apolytikion -
TONE (6) PLAGAL 2
Angelike
Dinamis epi to Mnima Sou ke i filassontes apenekrothisan. Ke istato Maria en to tafo, zitousa to ahranton Sou Soma. Eskilefsas ton Adin, mi pirasthis ip aftou. Ipintisas ti Partheno, Doroumenos tin Zoin. O Anastas ek to nekron, Kyrie, Doxa Si.
The
Apolytikion Of St Mary Of Magdala
TONE 1
Angelic Powers were in Thy Sepulchre, and the guards became as dead men, and Mary stood by the Tomb seeking Thy Most Pure Body. Thou led Hades captive, yet were not tempted thereby: Thou Who art the Bestower of Life came to meet the Woman. Glory to Thee, O Lord, Who Rose again from the dead!
Hristo
to di imas, ek Parthenou tehthenti, semni Magdalini, ikolouthis Maria, aftou ta dikeomata, ke tou nomou filattousa. Othen simeron, tin Panagian Sou mnimin, eortazontes, anevfimoumen Se Pisti ke potho gereromen.
The
Christ Who for us was born of a Virgin, O Noble Mary Magdalene Thou so faithfully followed, by keeping His Rules of Life, and the Laws that He set for all; thus today we who Thy Sacred Remembrance duly celebrate, do receive the Remission of our sins through thy Prayers.

Gospel 7: John 20:1 - 10

St Peter & St John Witness The Empty Tomb Of Our Risen Lord Jesus Christ
Prokeimenon
Save Thy People, O Lord, and Bless Thine Inheritance. I will appeal to Thee, O Lord our God.
The Epistle of St Paul to the Romans 15 : 1 7
Christian Unity for the Glory of God
Brethren: we who are strong ought to bear with the scruples of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please our neighbours for their good, leading to edification. For even Christ did not please Himself; but as it is written: The reproaches of those who reproached Thee fell on Me. For whatever things were written before, were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have Hope. Now may the God of Patience and Comfort grant you to be like-minded towards one another, according the Christ Jesus, that you may with one mind and one mouth Glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, receive one another just as Christ also received us to the Glory of God! "The word bear does not mean to put up with, but lovingly and joyfully identify themselves rather to CARRY TOGETHER. with those who are weaker. BY REMEMBERING OUR OWN SPIRITUAL STRUGGLES AND G a l a t i a n s 6 : 2 Bear one anothers burdens, and so WEAKNESSES, WE ARE ABLE TO ENCOURAGE, GUIDE, fulfil the Law of Christ. TEACH AND SUPPORT OTHERS who lag behind us or NOT ONLY MUST WE TOLERATE OR SHARE EACH OTHERS who go astray on this Journey towards Eternity. BURDENS BUT WE MUST ALSO CARRY OUR OWN BURDENS
BECAUSE BOTH OF THESE ARE ESSENTIAL TO OUR SPIRITUAL PROGRESS. Furthermore, as Disciples of Christ, WE ARE CALLED BY GOD TO INITIATE CARE-GIVING AND ACTS OF LOVE in His
Holy Church and especially in the darkened, sad world - as well as ENSURING THAT WE ARE NEVER NEEDLESS BURDENS TO OTHERS.
UNSELFISH, INDISCRIMINATE ACTS OF AGAPE HOLY LOVE ARE EXPRESSIONS OF OUR INNER BEING AND REVEAL A SMALL RETRIEVAL AND RESTORATION OF OUR LOST BLESSED LIKENESS TO GOD.
This is in imitation of our Lord Jesus Christ Who bore all our human weaknesses. This is essential for all faithful Disciples of Christ so that those who are strong in Faith
THE BOUNTY OF OUR HUMAN HOPE IS TO BE FOUND IN HOLY SCRIPTURE. THROUGH THE WITNESS OF THESE DIVINELY INSPIRED SACRED WRITINGS THAT WE LEARN OF THE PATIENCE not only of Israel and the Holy Church of Christ, but OF GOD. Similarly, it is THROUGH THE SACRED PROMISES, SPIRITUAL VICTORIES AND STRUGGLES that are recorded in Holy Scripture that WE FIND TRUE COMFORT, WHICH ENCOURAGES AND INSPIRES US TO CONTINUE OUR JOURNEY AND TO TOLERATE ALL DIFFICULTIES WITH HOPE AND THE ASSURANCE OF GODS INFINITE LOVE AND PROVIDENCE THAT MAKES EVERYTHING POSSIBLE AND ACCEPTABLE FOR US.
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7 t h Sunday After Pentecost 7 t h of St Matthew 2 Blind Men & a Demoniac 22 July 2012
23.
THOSE WHO SEEK DIVINE TRUTH GODS TRUTH - NOT MERELY OUR DISTORTED IDEAS OF TRUTH SHOULD OBTAIN A COPY OF THE ORTHODOX STUDY BIBLE, WHICH IS NOW AVAILABLE WITH BOTH OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS. THIS PUBLICATION CONSISTS OF THE COMPLETE SEPTUAGINT (I.E. IT INCLUDES ALL THE ORIGINAL HOLY BOOKS OF THE OLD COVENANT FROM WHICH OUR LORD OFTEN QUOTED AND WHICH PROPHESIED THE COMING OF CHRIST OUR LORD AND EVERYTHING THAT HE LATER FULFILLED) AS WELL AS EXCELLENT EXPLANATORY NOTES AND VARIOUS OTHER RELEVANT ARTICLES AND SUBJECTS. IT IS THE COMPLETE HOLY BIBLE THAT RELATES OUR SPIRITUAL HISTORY FROM THE BEGINNING TO THE END ESSENTIAL FOR EVERY CHRISTIAN FAMILY AND EVERY FAITHFUL, STRUGGLING DISCIPLE OF CHRIST.

Our Lord Jesus Heals Two Blind Men and a Demoniac
At that time, two blind men followed our Lord Jesus, crying out and saying: Son of David: have Mercy on us! And when He had gone into the house, the blind men went to Him. And Jesus asked them: Do you believe that I Am able to do this? They said to Him: Yes, Lord. And He touched their eyes, saying: According to your Faith, let it be to you. And their eyes were opened. And Jesus sternly warned them, saying: See that no one knows it. But when they had departed, they spread the news about Him in all that country. As they went out, behold! They brought Him a man who was mute and demon-possessed. And when the demon had been cast out, the mute spoke. And the multitudes marvelled, saying: It was never seen like this in Israel! And the Pharisees said: He casts out demons by the ruler of the demons! And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their Synagogues preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. According to St Isaiah, THE MESSIANIC AGE IS SIGNIFIED by the ruler of the demons, EXPOSES THE DEPTH OF THEIR SPIRITUAL BLINDNESS AND DEVIOUSNESS because it when ... the eyes of the blind shall be opened, is impossible to do so since Satan is obsessed with the ad the ears of the deaf shall hear. (ISAIAH 35:5) THESE MIRACULOUS HEALINGS ARE EXTRAORDINARY SIGNS consolidation of his evil powers rather than the THAT OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST IS TRULY THE LONG destruction of it.
AWAITED MESSIAH.
Furthermore, the fact that THE TWO BLIND MEN ADDRESSED

OUR SAVIOUR AS SON OF DAVID ALSO EXPRESSED THEIR FAITH IN THIS TRUTH THEY INSTINCTIVELY KNEW WITHOUT ANY DOUBT, THAT HE IS TRULY THE MESSIAH THE SAVIOUR OF OUR FALLEN WORLD. THE RIDICULOUS AND FALSE ACCUSATIONS OF THE SELFRIGHTEOUS PHARISEES that our Lord cast out demons
OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST CLEANSED LEPERS, RAISED THE DEAD AND REMITTED SINS BY THE DIVINE AND GOOD POWER OF THE HOLY TRINITY BY THE WILL OF THE FATHER, THROUGH THE SON AND ACTIVATED BY THE LIFE-GIVING HOLY SPIRIT!
The evil one and his demons are entirely incapable of doing anything that is so genuinely good, merciful, compassionate or kind.
7th Sunday After Pentecost The Tongue Asset or Curse?

... the Pharisees kept on saying: It is by the help of the prince of demons that He drives them out! (MATTHEW 9 : 27 35) However, St Matthew does describe the attitude and St John Chrysostom believed that NOTHING IS WORSE behaviour of the self-righteous Pharisees because THAN INGRATITUDE. although they could neither deny nor doubt the And indeed, dear Brethren, nothing annoys anyone so reality of these Miracles, they launched into vicious, much as the behaviour of an ungrateful person. blasphemous accusations - not only against Christ, When someone gives you even so small a thing as a but against the Holy Spirit as well! glass of water when you are thirsty, the rules of "He casts out the demons by the ruler of the demons." etiquette prescribe that you thank him. Previously they had accused our Saviour of violating the Even a simple person, who knows nothing of etiquette, Sacred Purpose of the Sabbath and had accused says Thank you out of common courtesy. Him of permitting His Disciples to eat without I shall never forget when I was a student in washing their hands. Constantinople and wished, after a day of shopping Another time they accused Him of eating with despised in the city, to get a ride back to my lodging on a Tax-Collectors (Publican) and various other types bus. Much to my embarrassment, I found that I had sinners. not one cent left in my pocket with which to pay the Nevertheless, this particular unfounded, seriously driver. Just as he was about to slam the door in my erroneous accusation was the worst of all because face, a stranger, a Turk, paid my fare for me. I there have always been (and still are) simple people SHALL NEVER FORGET THE FAVOUR OF THAT MODERNwho are all too ready to believe vicious lies and DAY "GOOD SAMARITAN." malicious slander about people. Today's Holy Gospel Lesson, however, does not deal In first-century Palestine a sure way of getting rid of or with material goods, which, regardless of their destroying ones enemies was to accuse them of value, remain lifeless matter. dealing with evil spirits. Rather, it relates the Healing by our Lord Jesus of three The ancient Philosopher and Moralist, Theocritos, was grievously afflicted people two blind men, and once asked which of the wild beasts he considered one deaf and dumb man. to be the worst. Both Divine Miracles are noteworthy - otherwise St He wisely replied that while in the hills there are lions Matthew would not have recorded them for us. and bears, in the cities there were the TaxSt John the Divine Theologian, Apostle and Evangelist Collectors as well as sycophants or collaborators emphasised the Truth: "There are many other (who were considered much more dangerous than things that Jesus did, which, if they were all the Publicans.) written down in detail, I do not suppose that It was for that same reason King David the Psalmist the world itself could hold the books that wrote: "The proud have forged a lie against me: would have to be written" (JOHN 21:25) but I will keep Thy Precepts with my whole But what about all those things that our Lord Jesus said heart." (PSALM 119:69). and did that were not recorded for us? Because the laity considered the Pharisees to be These became Holy Tradition, which is carefully important, wise and distinguished men, and preserved and passed on orally from one because the Pharisees were incapable of duplicating generation of Christians to another. any of the Divine Miracles of our Lord Jesus (and THE HOLY CHURCH OF CHRIST HAS BEEN AND REMAINS THE who among mortal men could?), THEY WERE DRIVEN GUARDIAN, THE JUDGE, AND THE TOUCHSTONE UPON BY FEAR AND ENVY TO ACCUSE HIM FALSELY BUT THEIR WHICH WAS DECIDED THE INTEGRITY AND GENUINENESS ACCUSATIONS WERE HIDEOUSLY BLASPHEMOUS: "The OF THAT WHICH HAS BECOME KNOWN AS HOLY ruler of the devils helps Him drive out the devils." TRADITION. St John Chrysostom pointed out that - not only were St Matthew did not describe for us the attitude or the such false accusations driven by envy they were behaviour of the blind, deaf, and dumb after their was utterly foolish and senseless because THE healing. HEALING MINISTRY OF CHRIST WAS NOT LIMITED TO We presume that they were extremely grateful to our MERELY CASTING OUT DEMONS: "... He CLEANSED Lord and Master - unlike the Nine Lepers mentioned lepers, RAISED the dead, CALMED the stormy by St Luke in his Holy Gospel. (LUKE 17)
24.
seas, FORGAVE sin, PROCLAIMED the Kingdom of Heaven, and much more." Dearly Beloved, such false accusers intoxicated by the deadly fumes of their terrible envy and hatred - do not know where to start nor where to stop. They open their mouths, and their toxic slander and calumny explodes forth - without any logic and without limit! Such fatal wickedness multiplies when slander becomes an organized "smear campaign," as we see in today's Gospel Lesson, when the Pharisees took their lies and deception to another level in their personal opposition to the very Incarnate Son of God! An Egyptian King once sent a dead animal to be used as sacrifice to the Philosopher, Pittokos, in order for him to determine which part of the dead animal was the most valuable, and which part was the least value. The astute Philosopher cut out the animal's tongue and returned it to the King with a short note: "This is both the most valuable and the most worthless part of the animal." The Philosopher obviously referred metaphorically to the human tongue. St James cautioned us: "The tongue is a little organ but can boast of great achievements The tongue is a fire, and takes its place
among the parts of our bodies as a world of evil; it soils the whole body and sets on fire the circle of man's nature, and itself is set on fire by Hell... It is an evil incapable of being quieted, full of deadly poison. With it we Bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse men who are made in God's Likeness. Out of the same mouth flow Blessing and cursing!" (JAMES
3:5-10).
GOD GAVE US OUR TONGUES TO USE FOR GOOD, NOT FOR FALSE ACCUSATIONS. Out of the whole Creation, MANKIND IS THE ONLY CREATURE THAT CAN SLANDER, CALUMNIATE AND LIE. Therefore God Commands us: "Thou shall not bear false witness against thy neighbor" (EXODUS 20:16). Let us always remember that WE DO NOT POSSESS A MONOPOLY ON VIRTUES; OUR NEIGHBOURS HAVE SOME, TOO. And let us NEVER FORGET these awesome words of our Lord: "I say unto you, that EVERY IDLE WORD THAT MEN SHALL SPEAK, THEY SHALL GIVE ACCOUNT THEREOF IN THE DAY OF JUDGEMENT. For BY THY WORDS THOU SHALL BE JUSTIFIED, AND BY THY WORDS THOU SHALL BE CONDEMNED!" (MATTHEW
12:36-37) EDITED & ADAPTED BY MP: ORTHODOX SERMONS BY REVEREND FATHER GEORGE DIMOPOULOS http://www.holytrinitymission.org/books/english/sermons_g_dimopoulos.htm
May God Grant You Wisdom
Letters of Father John (Krestiankin) (Part 1)
The following consists of various excerpts from Father Johns profound Letters to Nuns and Monks, and those who strive to live an Ascetic Life in Christ. This profound and Inspired Spiritual Wisdom can be applied to every one of us even though we are but wretched sinners who Struggle from moment to moment in this tragic, fallen world. Each priceless Spiritual Gem nurtures, encourages and guides our immortal soul, so that by the Grace of God we may grow stronger each day and thus be able to control the weakness and demands of our wilful, self-indulgent flesh. Y mp
Father John begins by encouraging the young Nuns and Monks to CONFESS SINCERELY AND REGULARLY to their Spiritual Father and to realise that their HOLY RENUNCIATION OF THE
WORLD MAY CAUSE A SENSE OF LONELINESS AND ABANDONMENT, WHICH IS AN ESSENTIAL PART OF SUCH A CALLING AND COMMITMENT. must STRIVE TO ACHIEVE THE VIRTUE OF PATIENCE FROM WHICH HUMILITY AND OBEDIENCE WILL SPRING FORTH for from these most beautiful Virtues
We
comes True Spiritual Life and not an imitation of it. THE LORD OUR GOD GRANTED US HIS GIFTS FOR FREE UNEARNED AND UNDESERVING; NOW HE WANTS TO SEE THE FRUITS OF OUR LOVE AND FAITHFULNESS OUR LABOURS OF LOVE. My Spiritual Father received the Gift of Unceasing Jesus Prayer and all the fullness of its Joy in his youth, and then the Lord took that Gift away from him. For the rest of his life Father Seraphim sought that Lost Drachma he laboured humbly and patiently, and the Lord finally returned that wonderful Gift to him just a few days before his death as proof that He had accepted Father Seraphims lifelong tears. We must always remember - never forget - and DO NOT ANGER GOD WITH INGRATITUDE AND IMPATIENCE! MONASTIC LIFE (AND LIFE IN CHRIST) IS LIFE-LONG LABOUR, and when and if God will grant us Consolation, is known only to Him. OUR SACRED DUTY IS TO PATIENTLY ENDURE AND HUMBLY HUMBLE OURSELVES. Father John addressed two young Nuns who had AN IMMATURE LACK OF SERIOUSNESS for one had remarked that FAITH BROUGHT HER NO JOY OR ANYTHING ELSE, while the other said that SHE WOULD LIKE TO LIVE LIKE AN UNBELIEVER... He said: Is this a Christian conversation? You have heard that ... the Kingdom of Heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force...
[MATTHEW 11:12]
OURSELVES MINUTE BY MINUTE INTO GODS CARE with the Prayer: As Thou Thyself Wills! NOT MERELY IN WORD, BUT IN DEED. [Thy Will, O Lord, not mine!] THE MOMENT WE WANT TO DO SOMETHING WITH AND BY OURSELVES IS THE MOMENT WHEN TRUE, SPIRITUAL, GRACE-FILLED LIFE IS STIFLED. NO TRUE FRUIT CAN COME OUT OF SUCH A SELFISH STATE, despite all possible efforts for, as our Lord Jesus Christ said: ... without Me you can do nothing... [JOHN 15:5] We must ACCEPT EVERYTHING THAT IS GIVEN TO US TO DO AS AN ASSIGNMENT FROM GOD HIMSELF, AND WE MUST DO IT AS DIVINE WORK. Then our thoughts will be with our Lord and we can learn this and so many other things - with Gods Help. Whether in a Monastery or in the world, we must NEVER SLACKEN OUR EFFORTS COMMITMENTS WITH CONTEMPLATION OF GOD. BUT FULFIL CONSTANT ALL OUR PRAYERFUL
Whoever strives for Monastic Life (or Life in Christ) needs first of all to test himself to see if he is really ready to bear the Labours and deprivations that he will have to bear, because WE PREVENT DIVINE GRACE FROM HELPING US BY OUR FAINTHEARTEDNESS OR LACK OF COURAGE OR COMMITMENT. The Holy Church is the first and most Lawful Educator of Christian souls; we must DELVE INTO THE ESSENCE OF DIVINE SERVICES, THEIR SPIRIT, MEANING AND SIGNIFICANCE because ... whoever has not the Church as Mother, has not God as Father! WE MUST TAKE EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN SOME SPECIAL SKILLS, FOR SUCH THINGS CAN BE USED FOR THE GLORIFICATION OF GOD, and thus our Lord Blesses them. The most important thing is to NEVER STIFLE THE SPIRIT OF FAITH, AND ALWAYS LABOUR FOR THE EDUCATION OF OUR INNER BEING.
(... TO BE CONTINUED...)
ADAPTED & EDITED BY MP: MAY GOD GRANT YOU WISDOM! BY FATHER JOHN (KRESTIANKIN) - PRAVOSLAVIE.RU http://www.pravoslavie.ru/english/7237.htm
In other words, NOTHING WORTHWHILE IS ACHIEVED WITHOUT LABOUR WITHOUT GREAT EFFORT - AND THE
WHOLE BASIS OF THIS CONSISTS OF COMMITTING
My Life in Christ St John of Kronstadt
25.
Once ordained a Priest and Pastor5, I SOON LEARNT THROUGH EXPERIENCE WITH WHOM I HAD ENTERED INTO COMBAT IN MY SPIRITUAL ARENA, NAMELY WITH THE POWERFUL, CUNNING, UNSLEEPING PRINCE OF THIS WORLD, who breathes evil and Perdition and the Fire of Hell, and with the sub-celestial spirits of evil .... This Battle with the strong and cunning invisible enemy plainly showed me HOW MANY INFIRMITIES, WEAKNESSES, AND SINFUL PASSIONS THERE WERE IN ME --HOW STRONG A HOLD THE PRINCE OF THIS WORLD HAD OVER ME - AND HOW I HAD TO STRUGGLE HARD WITH MYSELF, WITH MY SINFUL INCLINATIONS AND HABITS, AND CONQUER THEM, so as to be as far as possible invulnerable to the arrows of the enemy. The Spiritual Warfare began, and with it WATCHFULNESS OVER ONESELF, THE SHARPENING OF SPIRITUAL SIGHT, TEACHING ONESELF UNINTERRUPTED SECRET PRAYER AND THE INVOCATION OF THE ALLSAVING NAME OF CHRIST. In this Warfare I HAVE COME TO KNOW THE IMMENSITY OF GOD'S LONG-SUFFERING FOR US; for He alone knows all the infirmities of our fallen nature, which He mercifully took upon Himself, except for sin. (I
PETER2:22; ISAIAH 53:9; I JOHN 3:5; 4:10; HEBREWS 4:15),
We must believe that deeds follow the words, as the shadow follows the body, for THE WORD AND THE DEED OF THE LORD ARE INDIVISIBLE, for ...He commanded; and they were created. (PSALM 148:5). And you must likewise BELIEVE THAT THAT WHICH YOU SAY IN THE PRAYER, FOR WHICH YOU HAVE ASKED, WILL BE DONE. You have praised God, and God has received your praise. You have thanked God, and God has received your thanks as a Spiritual Fragrance. It is our misfortune that WE HAVE LITTLE FAITH, AND SEPARATE THE WORD FROM THE DEED, as the body from the soul, as the form from the contents, as the shadow from the bodySO THAT DURING PRAYER, AS IN LIFE, ...we are sensual, having not the Spirit... , AND THEREFORE OUR PRAYERS ARE FRUITLESS. (JUDE 1:19) At the end of your Morning and Evening Prayers in your home, call upon the Saints - Patriarchs, Prophets, Apostles, Hierarchs, Martyrs, Confessors, Holy Fathers, the Ascetics, the Unmercenaries - so that SEEING IN THEM THE REALIZATION OF EVERY VIRTUE,
YOU MAY YOURSELF BECOME THE IMITATOR OF EVERY VIRTUE. Learn from the Patriarchs childlike FAITH AND OBEDIENCE to the Lord; from the Prophets and
THEREFORE HE COMMANDED US TO FORGIVE 'SEVENTY TIMES SEVEN' the sins of those who have fallen into them; and HE HAS SURROUNDED AND CONTINUED TO SURROUND ME EVERY DAY WITH THE JOYS OF SALVATION from sin in Peace and expansion of the heart.
(MATTHEW 18:22)
The DIVINE MERCY, which I have experienced, AND THE PERPETUAL NEARNESS TO ME OF THE LORD CONFIRM ME IN THE HOPE OF MY ETERNAL SALVATION AND IN THAT OF THOSE WHO FOLLOW AND HEAR ME TO SALVATION, according to the word of the Scriptures, 'Behold I and the Children which God hath given me.'"
(HEBREWS 2)
St John of Kronstadts diary, My Life In Christ, has been called a Manual of Weapon Training for this Warfare which every Christian must fight in order to reach the Heavenly Homeland. In the following excerpts from this Diary may be seen not only the emphasis which St John placed on True Prayer as the greatest Weapon of every Christian and his deep understanding of the human soul, but also the very practical aspect of his Teaching which is of such value to Christians today.
SOMETIMES DURING A LENGTHY PRAYER ONLY A FEW MINUTES ARE REALLY PLEASING TO GOD, AND CONSTITUTE TRUE PRAYER, TRUE SERVICE TO HIM. The important aspect of Prayer is the nearness of the heart to God. BOTH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE PRAYER ARE ESSENTIAL IN ORDER FOR US TO LEAD A TRULY CHRISTIAN LIFE, AND SO THAT THE LIFE OF THE SPIRIT SHOULD NOT BECOME EXTINCT IN US. It is indispensable that we should ATTEND DIVINE SERVICE AT CHURCH WITH FAITH, ZEAL AND UNDERSTANDING, just as it is indispensable to provide a lamp with fuel or power if it is to burn and not to go out. THE SIN OF INATTENTION IS ONE TO WHICH WE ARE GREATLY SUBJECT; WE MUST NOT DISREGARD IT, BUT MUST REPENT OF IT. We give ourselves up to it not only at home, but in Church as well. Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have thee, that he may sift thee as wheat; but I have prayed for thee, that thy Faith fail not. THE CAUSES OF INATTENTION ARE THE DEVIL, AND OUR
MANIFOLD ATTACHMENT TO THE THINGS OF THIS WORLD; ITS REASON IS WANT OF FAITH; THE MEANS TO OVERCOME IT IS FERVENT PRAYER. When praying, we must BELIEVE IN THE POWER OF THE WORDS OF THE PRAYER, in such a manner as NOT TO SEPARATE THE WORDS FROM THE DEEDS THEY EXPRESS.
Apostles, the ZEAL FOR GOD'S GLORY AND FOR THE SALVATION OF THE SOULS of men; from the Hierarchs, Zeal to PREACH GOD'S WORD, and in general to ASSIST THROUGH THE SCRIPTURES, to the possible GLORIFICATION OF GOD'S NAME, to the STRENGTHENING 'OF FAITH, HOPE, AND LOVE AMONGST CHRISTIANS; from the Martyrs and Confessors, FIRMNESS OF FAITH AND PIETY before unbelieving and godless people; from the Ascetics, learn to CRUCIFY YOUR OWN FLESH, with its passions and desires, to PRAY AND THINK PIOUSLY; and from the Unmercenaries, learn NOT TO LOVE GAIN, AND TO GIVE GRATUITOUS HELP TO THE NEEDY. How can you worthily, with Faith and Love, receive the Body of Christ when you despise His Members or have no Compassion for them? ALL CHRISTIANS ARE MEMBERS OF CHRIST, AND ESPECIALLY THE POOR. LOVE HIS MEMBERS, HAVE COMPASSION for them, and the Master will plentifully bestow His rich Mercy upon you. And CAN ANY MERCY BE GREATER THAN that which our SAVIOUR bestows upon us in THE COMMUNION OF HIS MOST PURE BODY AND OF HIS MOST PURE BLOOD? Those who attend THE DIVINE LITURGY OF THE ORTHODOX CHURCH must bear in mind that its Purpose IS TO PREPARE US FOR THE JOYFUL SERVICE OF GOD IN HEAVEN; that in serving God with the body, it is still more necessary to SERVE GOD WITH THE SOUL AND A PURE HEART; that in hearing the Divine Liturgy we must LEARN TO SERVE GOD AS THOSE SAINTS SERVED HIM, WHOSE LIVES, AND WORKS OF FAITH, HOPE AND LOVE WE HEAR OF DURING THE LITURGY; that GOD SHOULD, ABOVE ALL, BE SERVED IN DEED AND TRUTH, and not only by words and the tongue. THE HOLY CHURCH OF CHRIST IS THE SURE WAY TO THE LIFE ETERNAL; WALK IN IT UNDEVIATINGLY, HOLD FAST TO IT, AND YOU WILL GAIN THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN; but if you turn aside at the crossroads of your own sophistry and unbelief, then you have only yourself to blame when you go astray and become lost. I Am the Way, the Truth, and the Life! (JOHN 14:6)
EDITED & ADAPTED BY MP: MY LIFE IN CHRIST BY ST JOHN OF KRONSTADT
http://www.pravoslavie.ru/english/42454.htm St Philotheos of Sinai "LET US CUT SIN OUT OF OUR HEART, AND WE WILL FIND WITHIN US THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN."
(THE PHILOKALIA VOL. 3 EDITED BY PALMER, SHERRARD AND WARE; FABER AND FABER PG. 30):
5 THE RUSSIAN ORTHODOX TERM PASTOR REFERS TO SPIRITUAL FATHER ONE WHO GUIDES, TEACHES AND HEARS CONFESSIONS
26.
All Glory, Honour and Worship to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and forever, and unto the Ages of ages. Amen. Remembering also our Most Holy, Most Pure, Most Blessed and Glori ous Lady, Maria, Theotokos, yet Ever Virgin, together with all the Sai nts. And let us commit ourselves and one another and our whole Life to Christ our God. Amen.
25 July 2012 Dormition of St Anna, the Righteous Mother of our Lady Theotokos Also the Feast of St Olympia, Deaconess of Constantinople St Eupraxia of Tabenna St Makarios, Abbot of Zheltovod & Unzha Monasteries the 165 Holy Fathers of the Fifth Ecumenical Council at Constantinople (553)
Apolytikion of the Dormition of St Anna the Righteous TONE 4
Zoin
tin kiisasan, ekioforisas, Aganin theomitora, theofron Anna; dio pros lixin Ouranion, entha efrenomenon, katikia en doxi, herousa nin metestis, tis timosi se patho, ptesmaton etoumeni ilasmon, aimakariste.
of the Holy Ancestors -
Thou
carried the very one who carried Life in Her Womb: the Pure Mother of God, O God-minded Anna; thus to a Heavenly Finish, where those who rejoice have their Dwelling in Glory, with Joy Thou has been Translated, seeking Forgiveness of errors, for those who eagerly honour Thee, O Ever Blessed One.
Kontakion
Progonon Hristou, tin mnimin eortasomen, tin touton

Pistos, etoumeni voithian, tou risthine apantas, apo psis thlipseos tous krazontas: O Theos genou meth imon, O toutous doxasas os indokisas.
The memory of Christs Forefathers let us celebrate, by

asking in Faith, for their assistance and their help, to deliver from every distress, all those who cry out: O God be with us Who Glorified them as it pleased Thee
St Pauls Epistle to the Galatians 4 : 22 27

The Difference between Slavery and Sonship
Brethren: It is written that Abraham had two sons: the one by a bondwoman - the other by a freewoman. But he who was of the bondwoman was born according to the flesh, and he of the freewoman through Promise, which things are symbolic. For these are the two Covenants: the one from Mount Sinai, which gives birth to bondage, which is Hagar for this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and corresponds to Jerusalem, which now is, and is in bondage with her children but the Jerusalem Above is free, which is the Mother of us all. For it is written: Rejoice, O Barren, you who do not bear! Break forth and shout, you who are not in labour! For the desolate has many more children than she who has a husband.
The Holy Gospel According to St Luke 8 : 16 - 21

We Must Take Care Of How We Hear Gods Divine & Perfect Truth
At that time, our Lord Jesus Christ said: No one, when he has lit a lamp, covers it with a vessel or puts it under a bed, but sets it on a lampstand so that those who enter may see the light. For nothing is secret that will not be revealed, nor anything hidden that will not be known and come to light. Therefore, take heed how you hear. For whoever has, to him more will be given; and whoever does not have, even what he seems to have will be taken from him. Then His Mother and Brothers went to Him, but could not approach Him because of the crowd. And He was told by some who said: Thy Mother and Thy Brothers are standing outside, wanting to see Thee. And He answered and said to them: My Mother and My Brothers are these who hear the Word of God and do it. This is another Teaching of our Lord and Saviour Who not in the company of His Relatives according to the addressed these words to His Faithful Disciples, urging flesh. For He had left them in order to devote Himself them to FOLLOW A STRICT WAY OF LIFE and teaching to His Spiritual Teaching. them to BE SERIOUS STRUGGLERS IN VIRTUE BECAUSE Nevertheless, His Family had gone to Him and in this THEY WOULD BE CLOSELY OBSERVED AND IMITATED BY SO example, we are taught that ANYONE WHO IS ENTRUSTED
MANY OTHERS.
Our Lord warns us most seriously that ALL THOSE WHO

TEACH AND PREACH HIS DIVINE TRUTH ARE SEEN AND HEARD BY EVERYONE SO THEY MUST BE GENUINE, SHINING ROLE MODELS.
WITH SERVING ALMIGHTY GOD MUST ALWAYS PUT GODS SERVICE BEFORE EVERYTHING ELSE INCLUDING OUR BELOVED FAMILY AND FRIENDS.
Furthermore, when Teachers and devout Disciples are examined by others some who genuinely seek Gods Truth but some who seek a reason for persecution of Christs Faithful nothing will be hidden because
GODS TRUTH DOES NOT NEED TO BE HIDDEN IN DARKNESS FOR IT SHINES FORTH LIKE HIS DIVINE LIGHT. V GOD IS TRULY THE LIGHT OF THE SPIRITUALLY DARKNED WORLD AND HIS TRUTH EXPOSES THE LIARS, THE FRAUDSTERS AND THE DECEIVERS. WE HONOUR GOD AND BRING HIM GLORY AND WORSHIP WHEN HIS TRUTH IS HELD UP FOR ALL TO SEE AND HEAR. Therefore, as Faithful Disciples of Christ, IF WE HAVE DILIGENCE AND ZEAL, WE WILL RECEIVE MUCH DIVINE GRACE FROM GOD.
When someone told Christ that His Family had arrived either wanting to listen to His Teaching or to discuss personal matters with Him, OUR LORD POINTED OUT
THAT HIS FAMILY WAS NOT RESTRICTED TO THE FEW WHO WERE INDEED RELATED TO HIM ACCORDING TO THE FLESH.
This should under no circumstances be taken as being insulting to either His Beloved Mother or to His Relatives. Instead our Lord emphasised that fact that HE HAD COME
TO SERVE ALL MANKIND AND TO MAKE EVERYONE MEMBERS OF HIS DIVINE FAMILY.
This is accomplished by our personal Adoption as Children of God and Co-heirs with Christ at our Holy Baptism. Another important point that our Lord made was that BY
MERELY LISTENING TO THE WORDS OF GOD WILL NOT SAVE ANYONE - and could actually become a Condemnation of us because only THOSE WHO HEARD THE DIVINE WORDS AND OBEYED THEM BY PUTTING THEM INTO PRACTISE IN THEIR DAILY LIVES, WOULD ATTAIN HIS DIVINE SALVATION AND ETERNAL LIFE. READING ALL THE HOLY SCRIPTURES THE TEACHINGS AND COMMANDMENTS OF GOD AND ALL THE DIVINELYINSPIRED WRITINGS AND TEACHINGS OF OUR HOLY CHURCH FATHERS - AND EVEN ENDLESSLY STUDYING
But those who have neither diligence nor zeal, by their own negligence, they will extinguish and lose even that Divine Grace that they appeared to have received from God. When the Ever Blessed Theotokos and the cousins of Christ the sons of St Joseph the Betrothed and his wife, Salome (the sister of St Anna) went to see our Lord, it was apparent from Christs Words that He was
Dormition of St Anna, Righteous Mother of our Lady Theotokos
2 5 J u l y 2 0 1 2 27.
THEOLOGY - WILL DO US ABSOLUTELY NO GOOD WHATSOEVER UNLESS WE OBEY GOD BY PUTTING INTO PRACTISE ALL HIS TEACHINGS WHETHER DIRECTLY
TAUGHT BY CHRIST HIMSELF OR BY HIS HOLY CHURCH FATHERS AND MOTHERS!
Dormition Falling Asleep of St Anna the Righteous

BELOVED BRETHREN: WHERE DOES THE FUTURE OF OUR CHURCH LIE? When we are dead and buried, what will the future of Orthodoxy be and who will bury us when we depart this life for the next? The simple answer to these questions lies in THE CHILDREN OF OUR CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY because they ARE THE FUTURE OF ORTHODOX CHRISTIANITY. Ultimately, THEY WILL BE THOSE WHO CONTINUE THE SACRED MINISTRY OF CHRIST ON EARTH who will continue the Holy Mission of the Holy Apostles carrying the torch of Orthodoxy in this land and preserving and protecting our most precious Spiritual Heritage. However, WE MUST REALISE THE SIGNIFICANT COMMITMENT AND IMPORTANT ROLE WE, OURSELVES, HAVE IN PRESERVING AND MAINTAINING THE HOLY CHURCH OF CHRIST: TO CAREFULLY NURTURE AND PROVIDE. God, the Author of Life, compels us to not only nurture and provide our Churchs future with the material necessities of this world, but WE ARE ALSO COMPELLED TO PROVIDE THAT WHICH IS ETERNAL. AS RESPONSIBLE CHRISTIANS WE MUST ENSURE THE SPIRITUAL WELLBEING OF OUR CHILDREN WE MUST ENSURE THEIR SPIRITUAL EDUCATION BECAUSE TO DO ORTHODOXY IN THIS PARISH CHURCH, IN THIS CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY, AND EVENTUALLY IN THE WORLD! One prime example of SOMEONE WHO ACCOMPLISHED THE ULTIMATE SPIRITUAL NURTURING OF A CHILD, IS ST ANNA, THE RIGHTEOUS MOTHER OF THE MOST HOLY THEOTOKOS - THE BLESSED GRANDMOTHER OF THE SAVIOUR OF THE WORLD. Today we celebrate the Dormition (Repose) of THE EARTHLY GRANDMOTHER OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST WHO WAS THE VESSEL OF THE VESSEL WHO MADE POSSIBLE OUR SALVATION AND OUR ENTRY INTO THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN. We honour AN EXTRAORDINARY WOMAN WHOSE PRIORITIES
CONCERNED RAISING HER DAUGHTER TO UNCONDITIONALLY LOVE GOD AND UNWAVERINGLY KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS - A DEVOTED PROVIDER WHO MODELLED HERSELF ON THE ULTIMATE PROVIDER OF ALL - our Loving Heavenly OTHERWISE IS TO BRING ABOUT THE DOWNFALL OF
in the Lord a short while after the Repose of her beloved husband, St Joachim. While it may seem sad for the Blessed Virgin to have lost both parents in quick succession, She was in fact living according to the Will and Great Plan of Almighty God. St Anna had ensured the most Spiritually Profitable education of her Daughter by first nurturing Her from birth, with Love of God and all His Goodness, followed by a more vast and profound Spiritual Education and Experience in the Holy Temple of Jerusalem, where She grew up surrounded by many wonderful Spiritual Mothers and Fathers. Consequently St Anna began the essential Preparation of the Way for the Coming of the long-awaited Messiah, and in her sincere Humility she never realised that she had also begun our Eternal Salvation the Salvation of the entire human race! WE MUST NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE INFINITE, GREAT AND MYSTERIOUS WAYS OF GODS DIVINE WORK - THE UNKNOWN INNUMERABLE WAYS WHEREBY GOD ACCORDING TO HIS DIVINE WILL MAKES ALL THINGS
POSSIBLE
Father. The Life of St Anna and her husband St Joachim was recorded by St James Adelphotheos 6 in The Protoevangelion of James (Iakovos) according to which St Anna and St Joachim lived in constant Prayer, Humility, Obedience to God and Moderation, yet they were not Blessed with children. In those days childless couples were erroneously regarded by the people as being cursed by God for secret sins, and therefore were of no social status. Greatly troubled by this, and fearing that they would die childless, THEY PERSEVERED IN THEIR CONSTANT PRAYER AND FASTING, UNTIL, TO THEIR GREAT JOY GOD BLESSED THEM WITH THE MIRACLE OF CONCEPTION AND IN DUE TIME THE HEALTHY BIRTH OF THEIR MOST BELOVED DAUGHTER, MARY, DESPITE THE FACT THAT ST ANNA WAS 58 YEARS OLD. Acknowledging the Divine Miracle in answer to their ceaseless Prayers, THE OVERJOYED PARENTS VOWED TO DEDICATE THEIR PRECIOUS CHILD SOLELY TO GOD. FROM THE VERY FIRST DAY OF HER LIFE, ST ANNA INSTRUCTED HER IN THE BASIC PRINCIPLES OF FAITH until AT 3 YEARS OF AGE the Blessed Panagia had been weaned. Then in a bitter-sweet procession of families with other young maidens who were to be dedicated to God at the Temple in Jerusalem, THE ELDERLY COUPLE ENTRUSTED HER TO THE CARE OF ST ANNAS BROTHER IN LAW, ST ZACHARIAS (the High Priest and Righteous Father of St John the Baptist). So the Panagia spent the years of her childhood until puberty within the confines of the Temple in Jerusalem. When the Ever Blessed Virgin Mary was 11 years old she was orphaned when St Anna (aged 69) reposed
ST ANNA IS KNOWN NOT ONLY AS THE PATRON SAINT OF CHILDLESS WOMEN, BUT SHE IS ALSO THE PATRON SAINT OF CHILDRENS RELIGIOUS EDUCATION - and what better Patron Saint than someone who knew her Priorities WHO KNEW HER SACRED DUTY WAS THE SPIRITUAL NOURISHMENT AND GROWTH OF HER CHILD - and who provided Spiritual Food for the little girl WHO WAS TO BECOME THE GREATEST WOMAN WHO EVER LIVED - the Mother of our God the Ever Blessed Theotokos. In todays Sacred Lesson, we hear of the Miracle that Christ performed with the feeding of the multitudes. We hear of the insensitivity of the Apostles who wished to send the crowds away to buy their own food. But OUR LORDS PRIORITY WAS TO KEEP THEM WITH HIM AND FOR THEM TO EXPERIENCE DIVINE PROVIDENCE. As Christ is God, it is only natural for Him to provide physical provisions for His Creation, as well as the provision of Spiritual Food. Therefore He performed this Miracle and multiplied the food out of Compassion for His creatures His beloved mankind. To use a contemporary contrast, we can equate the attitude of the Apostles, who did not want the enormous responsibility of feeding 5000 families, to that of MODERN-DAY INDIFFERENT PARENTS WHO TAKE NO RESPONSIBILITY AT ALL FOR THE SPIRITUAL EDUCATION AND WELFARE OF THEIR CHILDREN and who prefer to leave their Religious Education solely the Church. SADLY MANY PARENTS DISCOURAGE THEIR CHILDREN FROM SHOWING AN INTEREST IN THINGS RELIGIOUS and even discourage boys when they show an inclination towards the Priesthood, or when girls show an interest in Monasticism, and some even regard such children as religious fanatics. YEARS AGO, IT WAS A GREAT BLESSING ON A FAMILY IF THEIR CHILDREN WERE INCLINED TOWARDS A MONASTIC OR PRIESTLY LIFE, but unfortunately this modern secular world has clouded and distorted our vision and ANYTHING THAT IS RELIGIOUS IS ASSIGNED TO AN HOUR OR TWO ON SUNDAY MORNING ONLY AND THE RELIGIOUS EDUCATION OF CHILDREN IS ASSIGNED TO THE SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHERS, WITHOUT BEING APPLIED AT HOME IN THEIR DAILY AND FAMILY LIFE! Christ provides material and Spiritual Necessities but IT IS UP TO US TO WORK WITH HIM IN SYNERGY. ST ANNA IS A PERFECT MODEL OF THE PARENT WHO PROVIDED THE MATERIAL AND SPIRITUAL NECESSITIES OF LIFE FOR HER CHILD IN TOTAL COOPERATION WITH GOD, IN TOTAL SYNERGY. SHE ENCOURAGED HER CHILD. Let us imitate her to raise our children to become Faithful and True Christians. ENCOURAGE. PROVIDE. WORK WITH GOD, NOT AGAINST HIM FOR THE SAKE OF OUR CHILDREN, FOR THE SAKE OF OUR CHURCH, AND FOR THE SAKE OF ITS FUTURE AND OUR CHILDRENS FUTURE. Amen.
ADAPTED
& EDITED BY MP: (NICK BROWN -GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH OF SAINT GEORGE, BRISBANE QLD]
6 ST JAMES WAS THE ELDEST SON OF ST JOSEPH THE BETROTHED & HIS LATE WIFE, SALOME WHO WAS A SISTER OF ST ANNA. ALTHOUGH FIRST COUSIN TO THEOTOKOS, BY HEBREW LAW HE BECAME HER SON THROUGH HER PROTECTIVE BETROTHAL TO HIS FATHER. HE ADORED BOTH THEOTOKOS & CHRIST FOR WHOM HE WAS MARTYRED.
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Dormition of St Anna, Righteous Mother of our Lady Theot ok os
25 July 2012
All Glory, Honour and Worship to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and forever, and unto the Ages of ages. Amen. Remembering also our Most Holy, Most Pure, Most Blessed and Glorious Lady, Maria, Theotokos, yet Ever Virgin, together with all the Saints. And let us commit ourselves and one another and our whole Life to Christ our God. Amen.
26 July 2012 St Paraskevi the Great & Holy Martyr of Rome

Also the Feast of St Hermolaus, St Mermippos & St Hermocrates of Nicomedia St Gerontios of St Anna Skete, Mount Athos St Savva III of Serbia Holy Icon of our Ever Blessed Lady Theotokos of Embolon, Constantinople
Apolytikion of St Paraskevi of Rome TONE 1
Tin
spoudin Sou ti klisi katallilon, ergasameni feronime, tin omonimon sou pistin, is katikian keklirose, Paraskevi Athlifore; othen proheis iamata, ke Presvevis iper ton psihon imon.
Having worked with readiness befitting the Call, O One

Named After Readiness, Thou inherited as Dwelling, the Faith which is Thy namesake, Paraskevi the Great Victor; Wherefore Thou flow forth Healings and Intercede for the souls of all of us. Protection of the Christians unashamable, Mediation to the Creator Immovable, despise not, the pleading voices of those in sin, but hasten O Good One, to the aid of all of us, who in Faith cry out to Thee: hasten Thine Intercession, and present Thy Supplication, O Theotokos who always Protects all those who honour Thee!
Kontakion Of The Ever Blessed Theotokos

Piitin ametathete, mi Paridis, amartolon deiseon fonas, alla profthason os agathi, is tin voithian imon, ton pistos kravgazonton Si: Tahinon is presvian, ke spefson is ikesian, i prostatevousa ai, Theotoke, ton timonton se.
Koinonikon:
Is mnimosinon eonion este Dikeos.
Allilouia!
Sonship by Faith & Holy Baptism
The Epistle of St Paul to the Galatians 3: 23 4 : 5

Brethren: Before Faith came, we were kept under guard by the Law kept for the Faith, which would afterwards be revealed. Therefore the Law was our Tutor, bringing us to Christ, so that we might be Justified by Faith. But after Faith has come, we are no longer under a Tutor. For you are all sons of God through Faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were Baptised into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female, for you are all One in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christs then you are Abrahams seed, and Heirs according to the Promise.
The Holy Gospel According to St Mark 5: 24 34

The Haemorrhaging Woman
At that time, as our Lord Jesus went with Jairus, a great multitude followed Him and thronged Him. Now a certain woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years, and who had suffered many things from many Physicians, had spent all she possessed yet was no better but rather grew worse. So when she heard about Jesus, she went behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment, for she thought: If only I may touch His garment, I will be made well. And immediately the source of her bleeding dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her affliction. And Jesus immediately knowing in Himself that Power had gone out of Him turned around in the crowd and asked: Who touched My garment? And His Disciples said to Him: Thou see the multitude that throngs Thee, yet Thou ask Who touched Me? And He looked around to seek who had done so, and the woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what had happened to her, went and fell down before Him, and told Him the whole truth. And He said to her: Daughter, your Faith has made you well. Go in Peace, and be Healed of your affliction.
The Miracle of St Paraskevi in 1442 on the Island of Chios

St Athanasios of Paros recorded in the New Chiakon Leimonarion the following Miracle of St Paraskevi, which occurred in 1442 on the island of Chios and which is annually Commemorated on 14 October. A Hieromonk, Father Ambrose, was celebrating Vespers in honour of St Nazarios, St Gervasios, St Protasios and St Celsos in the Church of St Paraskevi on 14 October in Palaiokastro, in the village of Halandra. No one else was present in the church and at the end of the Service rain suddenly poured down in great roaring torrents - as if the sea was being poured over the island and this continued all night long. Father Ambrose was unable to leave the church to return to his cell and thinking that the island would be completely flooded by such a heavy cloudburst, he began to pray to God to Save his homeland and to soothe His Righteous Wrath. [St Athanasios interpreted that storm as a consequence of the aftermath of what had happened at the Council of Ferrara-Florence.] The Pious Hieromonk prayed for hours to the point where he was exhausted, so he rested against a stasidi and fell asleep. He dreamed he saw the roofless church at dawn, and in the heights he beheld a Cloud of Light within which stood the form of a beautiful, modest woman who was praying to God with her hands raised up. At the end of her Fervent Prayers, she turned towards Father Ambrose who was frozen by fear, and said: Ambrose, do not be afraid. I am the Righteous Martyr, Paraskevi. Your homeland is Saved.
St Paraskevi of Rome
26 July 2012
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Father Ambrose immediately awoke to find that the rain had indeed suddenly ceased and with great Joy he began the Matins Service. People from the lower village went up the hill to inform Father Ambrose that the storm had driven the sea right up to their part of the village up to the Church of Panagia Eleimonitria. So Father Ambrose told them about his wonderful Vision of St Paraskevi and her promise that the island would be saved. He then took her Holy Icon and they all proceeded to the flooded area of the island where the Holy Father led a Litany of Prayers. As the final Amen was said, the flood waters began to recede back into the sea and the people joyously Glorified Almighty God for His Divine
Miracle that He had performed through the Intercessory Prayers of St Paraskevi the Righteous Virgin Martyr. Since that day, the island of Chios has celebrated St Paraskevis Feast Day with great solemnity, primarily on 26 July but also on 14 October to Commemorate her great Miracle. To this very day, innumerable Prayers offered before her Miracle-Working Icon have been answered by God according to His Divine Will, due to St Paraskevis Compassionate Intercessory Prayers. May her Memory be Eternal!
Akathist to St Paraskevi the Great Virgin Martyr of Rome

As the Lords Grace-flowing Virgin, and His Fervent Apostle and Martyr, we praise Thee with triumphant Hymns, and we praise Thy memory most melodiously, sprinkling flowers and crying: Hail, Paraskevi, O beautiful Maiden. Hymns I offer Thee, O Beauty of Virgins, AO Chaste Paraskevi, O Martyr of Christ (3). For Thou Struggled boldly, and Thou Enlighten and shine with the rays of Wonders on those who hymn Thee, and we offer Thee Fervent Hymns: Hail, O Child of Pious Faithful! Hail, Dear Throne of God! Hail, Beautiful-Voiced Trumpet of Love! Hail, Pure Servant of the Virgin! Hail, for from Above Thou protect the Orthodox from blows! Hail, O Thou who cease the tears and groans of mortals! Hail, for Thou art the Protection of sight! Hail, for Thou rejoiced along the Monastic Path! Hail, for Thou deposed the boasting of the enemy! Hail, Thou who were Victorious through Christs Power! Hail, Divine Adornment of Rome! Hail, Speedy Healer of wounds! Hail, Paraskevi, O beautiful Maiden! Being the Root of the Divine Prayer of Thy parents, Agathon and Politia watered Thee with the Streams of Piety. And Thou, O Beautiful Maiden, flourished like a tree, as those who gave birth to Thee rejoiced in Thy Grace, and chanted to the Lord: Alleluia! Laughter and boldness, the Streams of Perdition, Came not near to Thy soul, O Godly Minded One, But Thou spoke with the Sacred Virgins, And spent Thy time studying the Scriptures Becoming for us an Example For those who Piously cry out: Hail, O Most Grace Endowed soul! Hail, our Most Beloved Righteous One! Hail, O Nourishment of Orthodox Asceticism! Hail, O Heroism and Worthy of the Calling! Hail, O Divine Seal of Sacred Missions! Hail, O Boast and Seal of Angelic Life! Hail, O Youth honoured by God! Hail, the Ceasing of idol worship! Hail, O Thou who takes the honour from false gods! Hail, O Joy of those who ever cry out: Hail, Paraskevi, O Beautiful Maiden! Thou were not at all conquered by the glories of this life, O Pure Christ Bearer, Paraskevi, But taking Hope in the Life Above Thou joyfully perceived the things of this life as refuse, And were enriched with Divine Things, And cried out fervently to God: Alleluia!
http://full-of-grace-and-truth.blogspot.com
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St Paraskevi of Rome
26 July 2012
All Glory, Honour and Worship to th e Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and foreve r, and unto the Ages of ages. Amen. Remembering also our Most Holy, Most Pure, Most Blessed and Glori ous Lady, Maria, Theotokos, yet Ever Virgin, together with all the Saints. And let us commit ourselves and one another and our whole Life to Christ our God. Amen.
27 July 2011 St Panteleimon Holy Unmercenary & Great Martyr

Also the Feast of St Nichlas Kochanov, Fool for Christ of Novgorod St Anthousa, Abbess & 90 Venerable Holy Sisters of Mantinea, Asia Minor - St Clement of Ochrid, Equal to the Apostles & Bishop of Greater Macedonia, together with St Naum, St Savva, St Gorazd and St Angelar
Apolytkion of St Panteleimon Tone 4
Atholofore
Agie ke iamatike Panteleimon, presveve to eleimoni Theo, ina ptesmaton afesin, paraskhi tes psihes imon.
O Holy Champion and Healer, Panteleimon, intercede

with our Merciful God, that He may grant to our souls, remission of our faults.
Kontakion of the Transfiguration 27 July 13 August
Epi
tou Orous Metemorfothis, ke os ehoroun i Mathite Sou, tin Doxan Sou Hriste O Theos etheasanto. Ina otan Se idosi Stavoumenon, to me Pathos noisosin ekousion to de kosmo kirixosin oti Si iparhis alithos, tou Patros to Apavgasma!
Upon
the Mount Thou were Transfigured, and Thy Disciples beheld Thy Glory, as far as they were able to do, O Christ our God; so that when they would see Thee Crucified, they would know that Thou Suffered willingly; and thus proclaim to all the world: Thou art truly the One Who is the Fathers Radiance!
Koinonikon:
Is Mnimosinon Eonion este Dikeos.
Allilouia!
Matins Gospel According to St Luke 21: 12 19

The Martyrdom & Persecution of Christs Faithful Apostles & Disciples
At that time our Lord Jesus said: ... before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the Synagogues and prisons. You will be brought before Kings and Rulers for My Names sake. But it will turn out for you as an occasion for Testimony. Therefore settle it in your heart not to meditate beforehand on what you will answer; for I will give you a mouth and Wisdom, which all your adversaries will not be able to contradict or resist. You will be betrayed even by parents and brethren, relatives and friends; and they will put some of you to death. And you will be hated by all for My Names sake. But not a hair of your head shall be lost. By your Patience possess your soul!
The Second Epistle of St Paul to St Timothy 2 : 1 10

Thanksgiving & The Power of God
Paul, an Apostle of Jesus Christ by the Will of God, according to the Promise of Life, which is in Christ Jesus. To Timothy, a beloved Son: Grace, Mercy and Peace from God the Father, and Christ Jesus, our Lord. I thank God Whom I serve with a pure conscience, as my Forefathers did, as without ceasing, I remember you in my Prayers night and day, greatly desiring to see you, being mindful of your tears, that I may be filled with Joy, when I call to remembrance the genuine Faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your Grandmother, Lois, and your mother, Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also. Therefore, I remind you to stir up the Gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of Power and of Love, and of a sound mind. Therefore, do not be ashamed of the Testimony of our Lord, nor of me, His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the Gospel according to the Power of God, Who has Saved us and Called us with a Holy Calling, not according to our works, but according to His own Purpose and Grace, which was granted to us in Christ Jesus before time began, but has now been revealed by the Appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, Who has abolished Death, and brought Life and Immortality to light through the Gospel.
The Holy Gospel According to St John 15 : 17 16 : 2

Union & Communion with our Lord Jesus Christ
At that time, our Lord Jesus said: ... these things I command you, that you Love one another. If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet - because you are not of the world for I chose you out of the world the world hates you. Remember what I taught you: A servant is not greater than his Master. If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My Word, they will keep yours also. But all these thing they will do to you for My Names sake, because they do not know Him Who sent Me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. He who hates Me also hates My Father. If I had not done the Works among them - which no one else did they would have no sin: but now they have seen and also hated both Me and My Father. Yet this happened so that the word might be fulfilled, which is written in their Law: They hated Me without a cause. But when the Helper comes Whom I shall sent to you from the Father the Spirit of Truth Who proceeds from the Father He will testify of Me. And you, too, will bear witness because you have been with Me from the beginning. These things I have spoken to you, that you should not be made to stumble. They will put you out of the Synagogues; yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service.
St Panteleimon the Great Unmercenary Physician & Holy Martyr -
27 July 2012
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Prayer to St Panteleimon the Great Unmercenary Physician & Holy Martyr

O Holy Great Martyr and Healer, St Panteleimon, Thou Imitator of Gods Mercy! Look down in Thy Loving Kindness and hearken unto us sinners, Who offer heartfelt Prayers before Thy Holy Icon. Intercede for us and beseech the Lord God, Before Whom Angels stand in Heaven Remission of our sins and transgressions. Heal the ills of body and soul of the Servants of God Whom we Commemorate, who are here present, And of all Orthodox Christians who seek Thy Help. For behold: we, who because of our sins are possessed by bitter ills And who have no Help nor Consolation, Yet flee to Thee for Refuge Since Thou hast been granted Grace to pray for us And to Heal every ailment and every disease. Grant, therefore, to all of us, by Thy Holy Prayers, Health and Strength of soul and body, A Good Growth in Faith and Devotion, And all this is needful unto this temporal life And unto our Eternal Salvation So that, having been granted Great and Rich Mercy through Thee, We may Glorify Thee and Him Who bestows all Good Things Our God Who is Wondrous in His Saints: the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen. ST PANTELEIMON IS ONE OF ORTHODOXY'S MOST BELOVED SAINTS AND IN OUR MODERN TIMES HAS BECOME THE COMPANION AND PROTECTOR OF MANY OF OUR CONTEMPORARY SAINTS. Other contemporary Saints for whom St Panteleimon played an important role are the Blessed Elder Paisios the Athonite and the recently reposed Elder Joseph of Vatopaidi Monastery, Mount Athos. On 2 March 1885 St Nicholas Planas was ordained a Priest. He always served at three churches: Saint Panteleimon's near Ilissus, Saint John the Hunter's and Prophet Elisseus' behind the Old Barracks. His first assignment was as a Parish Priest at St Panteleimon's Church in Neos Kosmos, Athens, but when he arrived the church was totally abandoned and so overgrown with weeds that shepherds grazed their flocks there. Father Nicholas immediately set to work and after much effort, restored the church for worship once again, and was the first to serve there after such a long period of neglect. The Parish of St Panteleimon consisted of thirteen families and during Father Nicholas term as Parish Priest, another Priest (who did not have his own Parish) visited and asked to concelebrate the Liturgy, whereupon St Nicholas, being pure of heart and good natured joyfully welcomed him. Sadly, however, the visiting Priest then made a pact with the Church Wardens who promptly dismissed St Nicholas, sending him to the Church of St John "the Hunter." That Parish was even smaller consisting of eight families! Although the Priest's salary was a piece of meat from the lamb of Meat-fare Sunday or Christmas it did not bother Father Nicholas at all as he believed that Fasting was the corner-stone of Virtue. It was enough that he had a little church where he could celebrate the Divine Liturgy. However, his sudden, unexplained dismissal from the Church of St Panteleimon caused him great Spiritual Sorrow, and one night, as he walked home from the Church of St John he wept. The place was deserted at that hour but suddenly he saw a fine young man who enquired: "Why do you weep, my Father?" St Nicholas replied: "I weep, my Child, because they chased me out of St Panteleimon's Church." And the young man said: "Don't be grieved, my Father. I am always with you." Father Nicholas, obviously puzzled by his words, asked him: "Who are you, my child?" And he said: I am Panteleimon who lives at Neos Kosmos, whereupon he disappeared from sight! St Nicholas Planas later described this Vision word for word to a daughter of his Synodia. Every year, on the Feast of St Panteleimon, he would go to the Church of St Panteleimon in Neo Kosmo and do a Vigil. One year, despite being far too sick and ignoring those who took care of him and who tried to persuade him to remain in bed, the compelling Love that Father Nicholas had for the Saint gave him the strength to get to the Church for his annual Vigil. That night, after the Vigil, he was utterly exhausted so he leant against the edge of the Holy Table. In the delirium of the fever he beheld St Panteleimon right in front of him. He was young and vigorous, and he offered him a small glass of medicine, telling him: 'Drink this, my Father, to become well.' Father Nicholas obediently received the glass from his hand and drank the medicine it contained - and he became completely well! The fever left him instantly! For a whole week I tasted the sweetness in my throat, he later revealed. Believing that it would be sinful and ungrateful of him not to mention what had just occurred, Father Nicholas went out through the Royal Gates and announced to those who were still there: 'My Children, I was very sick tonight, and a few moments ago St Panteleimon gave me medicine which I drank and which has made me completely well!' Everyone believed, knelt down and Glorified Almighty God and His Holy Martyr, St Panteleimon In 1923, one of St Nicholas Spiritual Children who was exceptionally beloved by the Elder - a gentleman full of health and vigor - suffered a rupture of the appendix, and lived only eight days more. During those few days, Father Nicholas brought Heaven down to earth with his unceasing and heartfelt Prayer that his beloved Child might live! One night when he went home, he was grief-stricken and told his family: "Elias is going to die; St John and St Panteleimon told me so." And truly, his beloved Spiritual Child departed this life - his beloved Spiritual Child whom he would so joyfully embrace every time he met him. Three months later the sister of Elias asked Father Nicholas about his Holy Vision and he said: "During the Liturgy, I saw St John and St Panteleimon who told me: 'We conveyed your request to our Master, Christ, Who has told us that he would die. It was a Higher Command so we bowed our heads, comforted.
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St Panteleimon the Great Unmercenary Physician & Holy Martyr -
27 July 2012
All Glory, Honour and Wo rship to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and forever, and unto the Ages of ages. Amen. Remembering also our Most Holy, Most Pure, Most Blessed and Glorious Lady, Maria, Theotokos, yet Ever Virgin, together with all the Saints. And let us commit ourselves and one another and our whole Life to Christ our God. Amen.
Tone (7) Varys-Grave
29 July 2 0 1 2
8th Sunday of St Matthew Feeding 5000 Families

Also the Feast of St Callinikos of Gangra St Constantine & St Cosmas of Pskov St Seraphima Virgin Martyr of Antioch St Theodota & her 3 Sons of Bithynia St Michael of Edessa St Boris Bogolep the Child Monk - St Eustathios of Mtskheta, Georgia St Bessarion of Smolyan St Roman of Kirzhachsk St Shushanik, Queen of Georgia
R e s u r r e c t i o n A p o l y t i k i o n - TONE (7) VARYS/GRAVE
Katelisas
to Stavro Sou ton thanaton. Ineoxas to listi ton Paradison. Ton Myroforon ton thrinon metevales ke tis sis Apostolis kirittin epetaxas, oti Anestis, Hriste O Theos, parehon to kosmo to Mega Eleos.
By
Thy Cross Thou destroyed Death; Thou opened Paradise to the Thief; Thou changed the funeral lament of the Myrrh-Bearers, and Commanded them to announce to Thine Apostles that Thou had Risen from the dead, O Christ our God, Who bestows on the world Great Mercy! the Mount Thou were Transfigured, and Thy Disciples beheld Thy Glory, as far as they were able to do, O Christ our God; so that when they would see Thee Crucified, they would know that Thou Suffered willingly; and thus proclaim to all the world: Thou art truly the One Who is the Fathers Radiance!
Kontakion of the Transfiguration 27 July 13 August
Epi
tou Orous Metemorfothis, ke os ehoroun i Mathite Sou, tin Doxan Sou Hriste O Theos etheasanto. Ina otan Se idosi Stavoumenon, to me Pathos noisosin ekousion to de kosmo kirixosin oti Si iparhis alithos, tou Patros to Apavgasma!
Upon
Gospel 8: John 20:11-18

Our Risen Lord Jesus Speaks To St Mary Magdalene
Prokeimenon
Offer to the Lord, O Sons of God, offer to the Lord Sacrifice and Praise!
The First Epistle of St Paul to the Corinthians 1 : 10 17
Brethren: I plead with you, by the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same Judgement. For it has been declared to me concerning you, my Brethren, by those of Chloes household, that there are contentions among you. Now I say this, that each of you says: I am of Paul, or: I am of Apollos, or: I am of Cephas, or: I am of Christ. Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you Baptised in the Name of Paul? I thank God that I Baptised none of you except Crispus and Gaius, lest anyone should say that I had Baptised in my own name. Yes, I also Baptised the household of Stephanas. Besides, I do not know whether I Baptised any other. For Christ did not send me to Baptise, but to Preach the Gospel, not with Wisdom of words, lest the Cross of Christ should be made of no effect. This was the first time that St Paul rebuked the Church His Holy Body of which we are the Corinthians, pleading with them in the Name of our members divided? And the answer to such Lord Jesus to PUT AWAY HUMAN DIVISIONS AND THUS queries or doubts is a resounding, loud NO! MAINTAIN THE LOVE (AGAPE) AND UNITY OF THE HOLY Anyone can leave the Holy Church of Christ but we CHURCH OF CHRIST. can NEVER divide it! St Chloe was a prominent Christian woman who hosted FACTIONALISM, however, causes great harm to the Holy the Corinthian Church in her home and who had Church of Christ since it SEEKS TO GIVE TO EITHER AN faithfully reported these dangerous contentions to APOSTLE OR A DISCIPLE OF CHRIST THE POSITION AND HOLY AUTHORITY THAT BELONGS TO OUR LORD JESUS St Paul. CHRIST ALONE! St Apollos was an educated Hebrew from Alexandria, At that time, many people regarded the Holy Apostles Egypt, who was mighty in the Scriptures. (ACTS 18:24) as mere teachers of Philosophy rather than Divinely He was originally a follower of the Baptism of John, Called and Inspired Teachers of Gods Absolute and was eventually TAUGHT MORE FULLY ABOUT Truth His Holy Gospel. CHRIST by St Priscilla and St Aquila at Ephesos. He later preached at Corinth, where some regarded him as a rival to St Paul although this most certainly was an unfounded and erroneous assumption. St Apollos became the first Bishop of Crete. (TITOS
3:13)
The Lord will grant Strength to His People.
FACTIOUS PEOPLE DO NOT ACCEPT TRUE WISDOM, WHICH IS BESTOWED ONLY BY GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT and
ST PAUL MADE IT QUITE CLEAR THAT HE AND ST APOLLOS WERE IN FACT HOLY PARTNERS IN APOSTOLIC WORK AND THAT ST APOLLOS WOULD NOT HAVE APPROVED OF THE FACTIONALISM OF THE MISGUIDED CORINTHIANS.
(1 CORINTHIANS 3: 4 6, 4:6 & 16:12)
St Paul put the rhetorical question to the Corinthians and to us Is Christ divided? or is His Holy
consequently they misrepresent the Holy Apostles of Christ as being rivals to each other instead of being fellow Holy Workers with our Lord Jesus Christ. St Crispus had been a ruler of the Synagogue at Corinth. He was converted to Christianity through the Inspired Preaching of St Paul and after he had been Baptised, he was succeeded by Sosthenes.
(ACTS 18:8 & 17)
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St Gaius was a resident of Corinth with whom St Paul stayed while he wrote his Epistle to the Romans. The Third Epistle of St John seems to have been addressed to that same Gaius. (ROMAN 16:23 & 3 JOHN 1) St Pauls denial does not degrade Holy Baptism at all, nor the Sacred Responsibilities of Godparenthood and those who have been Baptised he was simply emphasising that BAPTISING WAS NOT HIS PRIMARY
ROLE OR CALLING BECAUSE, AS A HOLY APOSTLE OF CHRIST, ST PAULS SACRED TASK WAS TO PREACH THE HOLY GOSPEL TO EVERYONE NOT ONLY TO THE HEBREW NATIONS TEACHING THOSE WHO SOUGHT GODS
PERFECT TRUTH TO ACCEPT THEREBY A LIFE IN CHRIST.
HOLY
BAPTISM
AND
Those who perform the Holy Mystery of Baptism are Gods Ordained Instruments so THE LOYALTY OF THE CONVERT MUST BE TO GOD ALONE and no one else at all! The expression: wisdom of words refers especially to philosophical thought and rhetorical devices.
SUCH HUMAN WISDOM BY ITSELF DOES NOT PROMOTE SALVATION NOR AN UNDERSTANDING OF HOW GOD WORKS in the world and what He wishes us to do.

The Miraculous Feeding of 5000 Families
At that time, when Jesus went out, He saw a great multitude; and He was moved with Compassion for them, and He healed their sick. When it was evening, His Disciples went to Him, saying: This is a deserted place, and the hour is already late. Send the multitude away, so that they may go into the villages and buy themselves food. And Jesus said to them: They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat. And they said to Him: We have here only five loaves and two fish. He said: Bring them to Me. Then He commanded the multitudes to sit down on the grass. And He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to Heaven, He Blessed and broke and gave the loaves to the Disciples; and the Disciples gave to the multitudes. So they all ate and were filled, and they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments that remained. Now those who had eaten were about five thousand men besides the women and children! Immediately Jesus made His Disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away. To this day when a census is taken or when counting This great Divine Miracle, which was recorded by all four Holy Evangelists, shows OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST masses of people ONLY MEN ARE COUNTED and FED A GREAT MULTITUDE OF HIS PEOPLE (5000 then the women and children are estimated FAMILIES!) just as HE HAD FED THE WANDERING relative to the number of men. So for every man ISRAELITES FOR 40 YEARS IN THE WILDERNESS before there are at least another two or three people! THUS THE MULTITUDE WHO WERE FED WITH THE CHILDS they entered the Promised Land. (EXODUS 16) FOOD PARCEL MUST HAVE BEEN CLOSE TO 20 000 Our Holy Church Fathers regard this Divine Event as AN SOULS! IMAGE OF THE HOLY EUCHARIST a concept made A Spiritual Interpretation of our Holy Church Fathers clear by St John the Beloved Apostle and teaches us that: Theologian in his Holy Gospel. (JOHN 6) 1. the five loaves indicate THE PENTATEUCH St Matthew mentioned ANOTHER DIVINE MIRACLE OF 4000 the five Holy Books of the Law according to FAMILIES FED WITH SEVEN LOAVES AND A FEW SMALL the Old Covenant Genesis Deuteronomy FISH. which are BROKEN OPEN IN CHRIST AND WHICH While certain modern scholars say that these two FEED THE UNIVERSE. different accounts are merely one and the same 2. The two fish" represent THE HOLY GOSPEL story, the True Witness and Testimony of the Holy AND THE EPISTLES OF THE NEW COVENANT the Gospel is quite clear that THEY ARE DEFINITELY TWO Divinely Inspired Teachings of the simple SEPARATE AND DISTINCT ACCOUNTS WITH CHRIST HIMSELF REFERRING TO BOTH OF THEM SEPARATELY. Fishermen of Christ. (MATTHEW 16: 8 10) 3. The gathering of the twelve baskets full of OUR LORD HAS BEEN FREQUENTLY recorded as having the fragments by the Holy Apostles shows been moved by Compassion by His Evangelists, that THE TEACHINGS THAT WE ARE UNABLE TO thereby showing us that HIS POWER AND AUTHORITY GRASP OR UNDERSTAND ARE NEVERTHELESS
IS EXTENDED TO ALL WHO SUFFER.
(MATTHEW 20:34; MARK 1:41& 6:34; LUKE 7:13)
An even more astonishing fact is that the five little loaves and two fish were offered to Christ by one of His youngest Disciples a little boy whose mother had packed FIVE SMALL ROLLS AND TWO SARDINES for her son to sustain himself even though all the Disciples had been instructed not to carry anything extra with them so that they would learn to depend on the Providence of God.
THIS LITTLE BOYS FAITH WAS HELD UP AS AN EXAMPLE TO ALL THE OTHERS the Faith of a child which carried
PRESERVED CAREFULLY AND REVERENTLY IN THE CONSCIOUSNESS OF THE HOLY CHURCH OF CHRIST FOR THOSE WHO ARE ABLE TO MAKE GOOD USE OF THEM.
Once again, our Lord Jesus Christ shows by His own Good Example that WE NEVER PARTAKE OF ANYTHING
UNLESS WE HAVE FIRST EXPRESSED OUR SINCERE GRATITUDE TO ALMIGHTY GOD FOR HIS GREAT MERCY AND INFINITE BLESSINGS.
him throughout his life towards his eventual Martyrdom. He was ST POLYCARP OF SMYRNA - a faithful Disciple of Christ since early childhood and later of St John the Divine Theologian and Apostle.
The terminology that is used points towards the Last Supper or the Mystical Supper of Christ, which leads us to a Eucharistic interpretation of this Divine Miracle. Just as His Faithful Disciples and Apostles distributed the food amongst the great multitude, so also does
OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST DISTRIBUTE HIS HOLY EUCHARIST TO HIS FAITHFUL FLOCK THROUGH THE HANDS OF HIS ORDAINED BISHOPS (OVERSEERS) AND PRIESTS (PRESBYTERS).
The Divine Providence of our Compassionate Lord God "And they ate, and were filled, and they took up of the fragments that remained twelve basketsful."
St Matthew began the fourteenth chapter of his Holy Gospel with one of the saddest historical Events of his era namely, the unjustified beheading of St John the Baptist. THOSE WHO COMMITTED THIS HEINOUS CRIME were not men of the streets, men of low birth, men of the ordinary way of life, but WERE OF THOSE WHO WERE
SUPPOSED TO BE RESPONSIBLE WATCHING OVER AND PROTECTING THE MORAL AND POLITICAL LAWS OF SOCIETY.
(MATTHEW 14:14-22).
Those who were directly guilty of murdering the greatest Holy Prophet of God were THE BLOODTHIRSTY, FOOLISH AND PARANOID KING HEROD AND HIS WICKED, UNLAWFUL MISTRESS, HERODIAS the wife of Herod's brother who was still alive. They had DARED TO KILL SUCH A POWERFUL AND GOOD HOLY MAN SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY HATED THE TRUTH THAT WAS SPOKEN BY THE COURAGEOUS BAPTIST AND FORERUNNER TO CHRIST. In other words, HEROD AND HERODIAS WERE SCANDALOUS AND HYPOCRITICAL IN THEIR SINFUL, DEBAUCHED
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ST JOHN WAS STEADFASTLY TEACHINGS OF REPENTANCE and continued to harass them by declaring, loudly and publicly: "It is not lawful for thee to have her! When the Holy Prophet was so unexpectedly beheaded,
ADULTERY WHILE TENACIOUS IN HIS THE ADULTEROUS PAIR THOUGHT THAT THEY HAD SILENCED THE VOICE THAT PERSISTED IN TELLING THE TRUTH, AND WHICH WAS DETERMINED TO PREACH GOD'S LAW, REPENTANCE AND SALVATION, DESPITE ALL THREATS AGAINST HIM.
However, although St Johns earthly voice might have been stopped, HIS TRUE TEACHING, CONDEMNATION OF SIN, AND PERSISTENT CALL TO REPENTANCE,
CONTINUES TO CENSURE THE BEHAVIOUR OF ALL SIMILARLY IMMORAL HUMANITY WHO ESPECIALLY THESE DAYS OPENLY FLAUNT THEIR DISGUSTING DEBAUCHERY, ADULTERY AND HYPOCRISY.
St John the Baptist was relentless - and still is - in his exhortations that EVERYONE ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO
HOLD INFLUENTIAL SOCIAL POSITIONS OF HONOUR AND RESPONSIBILITY - SHOULD LIVE EXEMPLARY LIVES, ACCORDING TO DIVINE LAW THAT GUIDES US ALONG THE PATH OF RIGHTEOUSNESS TOWARDS ETERNAL LIFE.
SPIRITUAL NECESSITIES, which are indeed of a greater priority! Christ was quite clear, if not forceful, about the fact that THE PEOPLE AT THAT MOMENT NEEDED SPIRITUAL GUIDANCE AND LEADERSHIP. OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST IS ALWAYS UNCOMPROMISING AS OUR MOST RESPONSIBLE AND DEVOTED PREACHER OF TRUTH AND JUSTICE. St John Chrysostom lyrically described the significance of the scene: "Although the place was a desert, He Who feeds the Universe is present. Although the day was over, Christ and His Truth are everpresent, never submitting to time or element, never yielding to mortality." It is remarkable how negative (but understandable) the Apostles' reactions were when they heard His Commandment: We have here only five loaves and two fish.7 In like manner, we, too, are often negative about the Divine Providence and Power of the Lord our God
OUR MORE IMPORTANT
WE ALWAYS HAVE A LITTLE, NIGGLING DOUBT WHETHER THINGS WILL WORK OUT FOR US. WE MUST LEARN TO TRUST DIVINE PROVIDENCE, WHICH IS WHAT CHRIST TRIED TO TEACH HIS APOSTLES BY FORBIDDING THEM TO CARRY ANYTHING EXTRA OTHER THAN THE BAREST OF NECESSITIES.
Thus, dear Brethren, we have before us a superior example of the Sacred Mission of the Prophet, of the Priest, of the man of principles. THE ROAD TO TRUTH IS A DIFFICULT ONE; SPEAKING TRUTH IS DANGEROUS AND UNPOPULAR. IT LOSES WOULD-BE FRIENDS, MAKES DIRE ENEMIES, AND DEMANDS THAT THE APOSTLE OF GOD'S WORDS BE WITHOUT ULTERIOR MOTIVES. VOTE-GETTING, PROFIT-MAKING, COMFORT, SELFAGREEMENTS, cannot be concerns, for they DO NOT
COME TO THOSE WHO HAVE THE COURAGE OF THEIR CONVICTIONS. Just as ST JOHN THE BAPTIST WAS EXECUTED FOR SPEAKING AND LIVING GODS PERFECT TRUTH - you too must THINK IN TERMS OF SUFFERING FOR CHRIST AND THE TRUTHS THAT HE PREACHED.
INSTEAD OF BEING POSITIVE AND OFFERING CHRIST THE FIVE LITTLE LOAVES AND TWO LITTLE FISHES FOR HIS BLESSING AND DISTRIBUTION no matter what their own doubts might have been (LIKE THE LITTLE BOY WHO GAVE
THEM HIS FOOD) THEY SHIED AWAY FROM THEIR COMMITMENT TO CHRIST AND RESPONSIBILITY TO THE GATHERED COMMUNITY.
Many of us refuse to get involved when the cry of the needy and destitute is heard and all too often WE
PREFER TO LEAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF TAKING CARE OF THEM TO OTHERS.
WHEN PEOPLE COMPLAIN THAT THE CHURCH OR THE COMMUNITY IS DUTYBOUND TO HELP OR CONTRIBUTE TOWARDS CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, WE MUST REALISE THAT W E A R E T H E C H U R C H W E A R E T H E C O M M U N I T Y !!
The Mission of a True Leader is to open new avenues to his followers, to BE EXEMPLARY IN WORD, THOUGHT AND PRACTICE - in short to BE A SHEPHERD OF HIGH STANDING - as were St Jonas, St Jeremiah, St Amos, St Isaiah, St Moses, St Ezekiel and many others mentioned in the Old Testament. The news of the atrocity the beheading of the one who went before Jesus Christ was conveyed to our Lord: "When Jesus heard this he withdrew by boat to a desert place apart." However, CHRIST DID NOT ESCAPE FROM THE MASS OF PEOPLE, men and women and children, who followed Him, being so eager to hear His Profound Words of Divine Truth. Again the words of the Prophet are fulfilled: "Rejoice O desert and be happy O Desert and flourish like a carnation." OUR LORDS PUBLIC MINISTRY REALLY BEGAN FROM THEN ONWARDS REVEALING DIVINE TRUTH AND TEACHING ABOUT THE KINGDOM OF GOD TO THE TRUTH-THIRSTY OR DEPRIVED MULTITUDES, who often were accompanied by other family members. Time passed all too quickly and as the long day was nearly over, OUR LORDS APOSTLES AND DISCIPLES
GREW ANXIOUS ABOUT SUCH A HUGE CROWD OF HUNGRY, THIRSTY AND TIRED PEOPLE. SO THEY URGED OUR LORD JESUS TO TELL THE PEOPLE TO GO OFF TO THE CITIES TO FIND SUITABLE FOOD AND DRINK with which to refresh themselves for the
We protest: "Why doesn't Rockefeller help the poor; he has more money than me!" We tend to build our costly little nests exclusively for ourselves ALWAYS FINDING THE MEANS TO INDULGE
AND GRATIFY OUR GREED AND SELFISHNESS BUT CHOOSE TO IGNORE THE NEEDS OF OTHERS especially
journey home, for they had gone a considerable distance from the towns and cities. HOWEVER, CHRIST REFUSED TO DO SO BECAUSE HE KNEW
THAT EVERYONE WOULD LEARN SOMETHING EXTREMELY
"the little children," about whom Christ so tenderly talks. We would rather not "get involved" for it might complicate or disrupt our lives and it will need our precious time that we would rather spend on ourselves. We prefer take care of our own family and friends and our own self-interests. ST JOHN THE BAPTIST WAS TOTALLY COMMITTED TO GOD'S SACRED, SALVIFIC MISSION, AND CHRIST OUR LORD AND SAVIOUR VOLUNTARILY CHOOSE THE INCONVENIENCE OF ADMINISTERING IN WHATEVER WAY REQUIRED TO THE GREAT MULTITUDE who hungered and thirsted for His Divine Truth as well as ordinary food and drink to keep them going even though He would possibly have preferred to have been left alone to mourn the loss of His Forerunner and Baptiser who was the greatest of all His Holy Prophets. While we prefer to indulge ourselves by feasting on exotic, expensive meals, others are starving and would be very grateful for the smallest crust of bread to stave off their gnawing hunger pangs. We prefer living in our comfortable homes while others are forced to live in utter squalor; we impulsively buy new, unnecessary clothing in which to hide our wretched, greedy souls, while others have barely enough ragged cast-offs with which to cover their naked and freezing bodies.
so He calmly said: "...they need not depart, you give them something to eat!" In similar fashion, dear Brethren, WE ARE ALL TOO OFTEN
CONCERNED ABOUT OUR PHYSICAL NEEDS INSTEAD OF
SIGNIFICANT FROM THE IMPENDING EXPERIENCE,
THE 5 LOAVES AND 2 FISH WERE IN FACT A CHILDS PACKED MEAL, WHICH CONSISTED OF 5 SMALL ROLLS AND 2 SARDINES! THUS THE MIRACLE IS EVEN GREATER THAN INITIALLY REALISED! THE LITTLE BOY OFFERED WHAT HE HAD WITH UTTER FAITH IN GODS ABILITIES TO FEED THE 5000 FAMILIES APPROXIMATELY 20 000 MEN, WOMEN AND CHILDREN!!
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WE WOULD RATHER WASTE OUR TIME watching foul movies, unprofitable television productions or playing endless, violent and mindless games THAN HELP THE SICK, THE NEEDY, AND THE DESTITUTE. WE LIKE TO CALL OURSELVES CHRISTIANS BUT HOW MANY OF US ACTUALLY LIVE, THINK OR SPEAK LIKE CHRIST? We are quick to point out the hypocrisy and wickedness of others, yet WE DO NOTHING ABOUT OUR OWN PERSONAL HYPOCRISY AND WICKEDNESS! Such words, thoughts and deeds are not at all Christlike and UNLESS WE TRULY CORRECT OUR ERRANT WAYS
AND MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO PROPERLY FOLLOW OUR
IT IS OUR PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY AND COMMITMENT TO OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, Whom we profess to Love so much, TO SHARE ALL WE HAVE RECEIVED SO ABUNDANTLY FROM GOD WITH OUR FELLOW SINNERS. THE RESPONSIBILITY OF AGAPE DIVINE LOVE - DOES NOT
ONLY INCLUDE OUR BELOVED FAMILY AND FRIENDS BUT OUR ENEMIES AS WELL, FOR WE ARE ALL CREATURES OF GOD WHO ARE MADE IN HIS DIVINE IMAGE AND LIKENESS and therefore WE ALL SHARE GODS ETERNAL GOODNESS AND LOVE.
LORD JESUS CHRIST, WE WILL NEVER MAKE ANY SPIRITUAL PROGRESS WHATSOEVER! Finally, my Brethren, as struggling Christians striving Disciples of Christ - WE MUST LEARN TO SHARE ALL OUR BLESSINGS with those who hunger, those who are naked, those who are cold, and those who are alone and needy in so many different ways. We must DISTRIBUTE AMONGS THE POOR THOSE THINGS THAT ARE STORED AWAY, IN CLOSETS, CELLARS OR ATTICS.
St John Chrysostom explained the beautiful, mystical meaning in the number twelve: "There were twelve baskets of left-overs in order that Judas should have one too." IF ONE WHO WAS TO BE SO PAINFULLY BETRAYED COULD CONSIDER HIS BETRAYER WITH SUCH LOVE, HOW CAN
WE POSSIBLY DARE TO REFUSE PHILANTHROPY AND GOODNESS TOWARDS ALL GOD'S CREATURES?
ADAPTED & EDITED BY MP: ORTHODOX SERMONS BY REVEREND GEORGE DIMOPOULOS
http://www.holytrinitymission.org/books/english/sermons_ g_dimopoulos.htm#_Toc44633658
The Eternal, Profound and Inspired Wisdom of our Holy Church Fathers & Mothers
St. Augustine "Our Lord reserved to Himself certain things which He would do in due time in a manner outside the course and order of nature, so that they would wonder and be astonished at seeing not great but unusual things, who are unmoved by things daily seen. For T H E G O V E R N M E N T O F T H E W O R L D I S A G R E A T E R M I R A C L E T H A N F E E D I N G F I V E T H O U S A N D F A M I L I E S F R O M F I V E wonders, S M A L L L O A V E S ; yet at the former no one wonders the latter astonishes all mankind: not as a greater Wonder, but as a rarer."
(THE NICENE AND POST-NICENE FATHERS: SERIES ONE, VOL. II; EERDMANS PG. 107):
Mother Maria Skobtsova

RENUNCIATION TEACHES US NOT ONLY THAT WE NOT
GREEDILY SEEK ADVANTAGES FOR OUR SOUL BUT THAT WE NOT BE STINGY, that we always BE EXTRAVAGANT IN OUR LOVE, that we ACHIEVE A SPIRITUAL NAKEDNESS, that our soul holds nothing back, THAT WE NOT HOLD BACK ANYTHING SACRED AND VALUABLE, WHICH WE WOULD NOT BE READY TO GIVE UP IN CHRIST'S NAME TO THOSE WHO NEED IT. SPIRITUAL RENUNCIATION IS THE WAY OF HOLY FOOLISHNESS, FOLLY IN CHRIST. It is the opposite of the wisdom of this age. IT IS THE BLESSEDNESS OF THOSE WHO ARE POOR IN SPIRIT. IT IS THE OUTER LIMIT OF LOVE ... GIVER like an unspent ruble but GROWS AND BECOMES STRONGER. He who gives receives back in
return; he who becomes poor becomes wealthier. ... In turning away from the exclusive focus upon Christ in A GENUINE ACT OF SELF-NEGATION AND LOVE, one offers himself to others...then one MEETS CHRIST HIMSELF FACE TO FACE IN THE ONE FOR WHOM HE
OFFERS HIMSELF AND IN THAT COMMUNION HE UNITES WITH CHRIST HIMSELF ... the Mystery of Union with man becomes THE MYSTERY OF UNION WITH GOD.
According to material laws ... if I give away a piece of bread, then I became poorer by one piece of bread ... (and by extension) if I give my Love, I have become impoverished by that amount of Love, and if I give up my soul then I become completely ruined and have nothing left to save ... ACCORDING TO THE LAW OF THE SPIRIT, EVERY SPIRITUAL TREASURE GIVEN AWAY NOT ONLY RETURNS TO THE
That which was given away returns. THE LOVE WHICH WAS EXPENDED NEVER DIMINISHES THE SOURCE OF THAT LOVE, BECAUSE THE SOURCE OF LOVE IN OUR HEART IS LOVE ITSELF - CHRIST ... Here we are speaking about A GENUINE EMPTYING OUT, in a partial imitation of how Christ emptied Himself by becoming Incarnate in humanity. We must likewise empty ourselves completely, BECOMING, SO TO SPEAK, INCARNATE IN ANOTHER HUMAN SOUL, OFFERING TO IT THE FULL MEASURE OF GOD'S IMAGE which is contained in ourselves. ["TYPES OF RELIGIOUS LIVES" ]
St. Seraphim of Sarov

"That I am a Monk and you are a layman is of no importance ... rather that W E A R E B O T H I N T H E L I G H T O F T H E H O L Y S P I R I T ... ACQUIRE PEACE, AND THOUSANDS AROUND YOU WILL BE SAVED."
St. Maximos the Confessor

"THE CAUSE OF ALL THINGS, THROUGH THE BEAUTY, GOODNESS AND PROFUSION OF (GODS) INTENSE LOVE FOR EVERYTHING, GOES OUT OF HIMSELF IN HIS PROVIDENTIAL CARE FOR THE WHOLE OF CREATION. By means of the Supraessential Power of Ecstasy, and spell-bound as it were by Goodness, Love and Longing, HE RELINQUISHES HIS UTTER TRANSCENDENCE IN ORDER TO DWELL IN ALL THINGS WHILE YET REMAINING WITHIN HIMSELF. Hence those skilled in Divine matters call Him a zealous and exemplary Lover because of the intensity of His Blessed Longing for all things and because HE ROUSES OTHERS TO IMITATE HIS OWN INTENSE DESIRE, REVEALING HIMSELF AS THEIR EXEMPLAR; FOR IN HIM WHAT IS DESIRABLE IS WORTHY OF EMULATION AND HE DESERVES TO BE IMITATED BY THE BEINGS UNDER HIS CARE." (THE PHILOKALIA VOL. 2; FABER AND FABER PG. 281):
St Gregory the Great "For the most part people weigh well how much they give; but HOW MUCH THEY SEIZE THEY NEGLECT TO CONSIDER. They CONSIDER count, as it were, their wage, but REFUSE TO CONSIDER THEIR DEFAULTS. Let them hear therefore what is written, "He THEIR
holes! that has gathered wages has put them into a bag with holes!" (HAGGAI. 1:6 - THE NICENE AND POST-NICENE FATHERS: SECOND SERIES VOL. XII;
EERDMANS PG. 48):
36.
8th After Pentecost8th St MatthewAfter TransfigurationFeeding 5000 Famili es29 July 2012

July 2012 - Sacred Lessons

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July 2012 - Sacred Lessons

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Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria & All Africa Archdiocese of Good Hope

4th Sunday After Pentecost

TONE (8) PLAGAL 4

Holy Unmercenaries and Workers of Miracles, visit upon

Kontakion of the Ever Blessed Theotokos

Prostasia ton Hristianon akateskhinte, mesitia pros ton O

Resurrection Gospel 4 : Luke 24:1 12

For as Spiritual Beginners practise this Fear of God,

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St Kosmas & St Damianos, the Holy Unmercenaries of Rome

GOD HAS GRANTED US FREE WILL TO CHOOSE

2 9 : ... Peter and the other Apostles

Otherwise, LOVE MAKES EVERYTHING POSSIBLE FOR GOD

The Holy Gospel According to St Matthew 8 : 5 13

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St Kosmas & St Damianos, the Holy Unmercenaries of Rome

The Faith of the Centurion

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St Kosmas & St Damianos, the Holy Unmercenaries of Rome

M a y G o d G i v e y o u W i s d o m ! (PART 3) T h e R i g h t e o u s E l d e r , Ar c h i m a n d r i t e J o h n K r e s t i a n k i n o f P s k o v Ca v e s M o n a s t e r y On the Work of a Spiritual Father

Abba Theodore of Pherme

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St Kosmas & St Damianos, the Holy Unmercenaries of Rome

Apolytikion Of St Athanasios The Athonite TONE 3

Kontakion of the Ever Blessed Theotokos

Prostasia ton Hristianon akateskhinte, mesitia pros ton O

St Pauls Epistle to the Galatians 5 : 22 6 : 2

preparatory period before Eternity .

live in the (Holy) Spirit...

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St Athanasios of Mount Athos

In other words, we must DEVELOP AND MAINTAIN OUR

Consequently, SUCH TACTLESS AND CONCEITED ATTITUDES

The Holy Gospel According to St Matthew 11 : 27 30

our Ever Blessed Lady Theotokos

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St Athanasios of Mount Athos

Kontakion of the Ever Blessed Theotokos

Prostasia ton Hristianon akateskhinte, mesitia pros ton O

St Pauls Epistle to the Romans 8 : 14 21

The Holy Gospel According to St Matthew 9 : 9 13

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St Kyriake the Great Virgin Martyr of Nicomedia

St Kyriake the Great Martyr of Nicomedia

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St Kyriake the Great Virgin Martyr of Nicomedia

5th Sunday of St Matthew The Gergesene Demonics

When the Women Disciples of the Lord had learnt from

Kontakion of the Ever Blessed Theotokos

Prostasia ton Hristianon akateskhinte, mesitia pros ton O

Gospel 5: Luke 24:12 35

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5 t h Sunday After Pentecost 5 t h of St Matthew Gergesene Demoniacs 8 July 2012

The Holy Gospel According to St Matthew 8 : 28 9 : 1

God according to His own Divine Plans for us.

b Although we may be subjected to their temptations, b

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5 t h Sunday After Pentecost 5 t h of St Matthew Gergesene Demoniacs 8 July 2012

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5 t h Sunday After Pentecost 5 t h of St Matthew Gergesene Demoniacs 8 July 2012

M a y G o d G i v e y o u W i s d o m ! (PART 4) On the Work of a Spiritual Father & Faithful Disciples of Christ

Father Cleopa of Bulgaria On the Eight Means of Temptation (Part 1)

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5 t h Sunday After Pentecost 5 t h of St Matthew Gergesene Demoniacs 8 July 2012