7 March 2013
The Paschal Homily of ST. Chrysostom (Read Each Year at Pascha)
Is there anyone who is a
devout lover of God? Let them enjoy this beautiful bright festival! Is there
anyone who is a grateful servant? Let them rejoice and enter into the joy of
their Lord!
Are there any weary with
fasting? Let them now receive their wages! If any have toiled from the first
hour, let them receive their due reward; If any have come after the third hour,
let him with gratitude join in the Feast! And he that arrived after the sixth
hour, let him not doubt; for he too shall sustain no loss. And if any delayed
until the ninth hour, let him not hesitate; but let him come too. And he who
arrived only at the eleventh hour, let him not be afraid by reason of his
delay.
For the Lord is gracious and receives the last even as the first. He
gives rest to him that comes at the eleventh hour, as well as to him that
toiled from the first. To this one He gives, and upon another He bestows. He
accepts the works as He greets the endeavor. The deed He honors and the
intention He commends.
Let us all enter into the joy of the Lord! First and last alike receive
your reward; rich and poor, rejoice together! Sober and slothful, celebrate the
day!
You that have kept the fast, and you that have not, rejoice today for
the Table is richly laden! Feast royally on it, the calf is a fatted one. Let
no one go away hungry. Partake, all, of the cup of faith. Enjoy all the riches
of His goodness!
Let no one grieve at his poverty, for the universal kingdom has been
revealed. Let no one mourn that he has fallen again and again; for forgiveness
has risen from the grave. Let no one fear death, for the Death of our Savior
has set us free.
He has destroyed it by enduring it.
He destroyed Hades when
He descended into it. He put it into an uproar even as it tasted of His flesh.
Isaiah foretold this when he said, "You, O Hell, have been troubled by
encountering Him below."
Hell was in an uproar because it was done away with. It was in an uproar
because it is mocked. It was in an uproar, for it is destroyed. It is in an
uproar, for it is annihilated. It is in an uproar, for it is now made captive.
Hell took a body, and discovered God. It took earth, and encountered Heaven. It
took what it saw, and was overcome by what it did not see.
O death, where is thy sting? O Hades, where is thy victory?
Christ is Risen, and you, O death, are annihilated! Christ is Risen, and
the evil ones are cast down! Christ is Risen, and the angels rejoice! Christ is
Risen, and life is liberated! Christ is Risen, and the tomb is emptied of its
dead; for Christ having risen from the dead, is become the first-fruits of
those who have fallen asleep.
To Him be Glory and Power forever and ever. Amen!
09 October 2012
On God’s Image and Likeness
On God’s Image and Likeness
Eternal Father, you said, "Let us make mankind in our image and
likeness." Thus, you were willing to share with us your Own greatness. You
gave us the intellect to share your truth. You gave us the wisdom to share your
goodness. And you gave us the free will to love that which is true and just.
Why did you dignify us? It was because you looked upon us and fell in love with
us. It was love which first prompted you to create us; and it was love which
caused you to share with us your truth and goodness. Yet your heart must break
when you see us turn against you. You must weep when you see us abusing our
intellect in pursuit of that which is false. You must cry with pain when we
distort our wisdom in order to justify evil. But you never desert us. Out of
the same love that caused you to create us, you have now sent your only Son to
save us. He is your perfect image and likeness, and so through Him we can be
restored to your image and likeness.
Saint
Catherine of Siena (1347-1380)
29 September 2012
On the Blessings of Daily Prayer
I routinely am blessed reading Weedon’s Blog several times and week and listening to The God Whisperers ans Issues Etc on the internet. For the past past week I am daily blessed with the daily prayers at Pray As You Go.
On the Blessings of Daily Prayer
I routinely am blessed reading Weedon’s Blog several times and week and listening to The God Whisperers ans Issues Etc on the internet. For the past past week I am daily blessed with the daily prayers at Pray As You Go.
26 August 2012
On Means of Grace
On Means of Grace
Church embraces also the Sacraments. To avoid that ambiguous and so often misused word of ecclesiastical Latin, we should say that Church embraces also Baptism, absolution, and the Lord’s Supper. However, one wants to name these things, whether one speaks of sacraments with the Latin Church or of mysteries with the Eastern Church, or whether one includes them with the Word in the collective term “means of grace,” one thing they all have in common : they have eschatological importance. The coming world is anticipated in them. They do not merely describe a divine, heavenly reality; they bestow right now a share in it. The forgiveness of sins, which we receive in Baptism and the absolution, is the anticipation of the acquittal in the Last Judgment. Our death and our resurrection to eternal life have begun already in our baptism (Roman 6:3-11). In the holy Supper Christ comes to us now and gives us a share in the “messianic” heavenly feast.
HERMAN SASSE, THIS IS MY BODY, P.358
29 July 2012
On Abba Agathon
It was said concerning Abba Agathon that some monks came to find him having heard tell of his great discernment. Wanting to see if he would lose his temper they said to him 'Aren't you that Agathon who is said to be a fornicator and a proud man?' 'Yes, it is very true,' he answered. They resumed, 'Aren't you that Agothon who is always talking nonsense?' 'I am." Again they said 'Aren't you Agothon the heretic?' But at that he replied 'I am not a heretic.' So they asked him, 'Tell us why you accepted everything we cast you, but repudiated this last insult.' He replied 'The first accusations I take to myself for that is good for my soul. But heresy is separation from God. Now I have no wish to be separated from God.' At this saying they were astonished at his discernment and returned, edified.
On Abba Agathon
It was said concerning Abba Agathon that some monks came to find him having heard tell of his great discernment. Wanting to see if he would lose his temper they said to him 'Aren't you that Agathon who is said to be a fornicator and a proud man?' 'Yes, it is very true,' he answered. They resumed, 'Aren't you that Agothon who is always talking nonsense?' 'I am." Again they said 'Aren't you Agothon the heretic?' But at that he replied 'I am not a heretic.' So they asked him, 'Tell us why you accepted everything we cast you, but repudiated this last insult.' He replied 'The first accusations I take to myself for that is good for my soul. But heresy is separation from God. Now I have no wish to be separated from God.' At this saying they were astonished at his discernment and returned, edified.
SAYINGS OF THE DESERT FATHERS, P.18
22 June 2012
On Incarnation
On Incarnation
The mystery of the Incarnation, in which God draws near to us, also shows us the incomparable dignity of every human life. In his loving plan, from the beginning of creation, God has entrusted to the family founded on matrimony the most lofty mission of being the fundamental cell of society and an authentic domestic church. With this certainty, you, dear husbands and wives, are called to be, especially for your children, a real and visible sign of the love of Christ for the Church.
HOMILY OF HIS HOLINESS BENEDICT XVI
Santiago de Cuba, March 26, 2012
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