2012 - OCTOBER - SACRED LESSONS

7/31/2019 2012 - OCTOBER - SACRED LESSONS

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Furthermore, St Paul could not tolerate her possessionand torment any longer.

NEITHER COULD HE ENDURE THE IMPURE PRAISES OFGODS

ENEMIES, WHICH ARE NEVER ACCEPTABLE AND ALWAYS

DANGEROUSLY DECEPTIVE because SATAN, being the

deadly inventor of lies and deceit, ALWAYS BAITS HIS

HOOKS WITH A MINISCULE DROP OFTRUTH but theinstant we accept that poisoned droplet, he capturesus and leads us away from God and His Divine, PureTruth.

Another aspect of this Sacred Lesson is that we must

NEVER FALL INTO THE EVIL ONES TRAP OF FORTUNE-

TELLING, HOROSCOPES OR SO-CALLED

PROPHECIES!

8 As Faithful Christians we must avoid anythingconcerning our future and rather CONCENTRATE

ON OUR SP IR ITUAL WELFARE ANDSP I RI TUAL PROGRESS THAT LEADS U STOWARDS GOD AND HIS ETERNAL KI NGDOM

OFDI V INE LOVE .

THE ACCUSERS of St Paul and St Silas the owners of the

slave girl - CARED NOTHING ABOUT RELIGION BUT

INSTEAD USED THE RELIGIOUS PREJUDICE OF THE MASSES

especially against Jews or Christians TO AVENGE

OR RETALIATE against the loss of their ill-gotten

financial profits.However, BEING UNJUSTLY PERSECUTED FOR CHRISTS SAKE

LED ST PAUL AND ST SILAS TO GREAT SPIRITUAL JOY

RATHER THAN MISERY OR SORROW.

ALL THOSE WHO WITNESSED THEIR MARTYRDOM WERE AMAZED

AND PROFOUNDLY IMPRESSED for - despite the publichumiliation of being stripped naked, beaten with rodsso many times, before being shackled in prison theHoly Apostles remained serenely Joyful singing and

praying to God AS THOUGH NOTHING BAD HAD OCCURRED

TO THEM!

HEARING THEIR WORDS OFPRAYER,PRAISE AND PSALMODY

AND WATCHING HOW THESE SAINTS CONDUCTED

THEMSELVES despite the unjustified malice of theiradversaries, the Jailer and the other prisoners were

SPIRITUALLY PREPARED for their own Conversion toDivine Truth later that night.

In addition, THE HOLY APOSTLES HAD NEITHER TAKEN

ADVANTAGE OF THE GREAT EARTHQUAKE THAT COULD HAVE

SET THEM FREE NOR ALLOWED THE FRIGHTENEDJAILER TO

TAKE HIS OWN LIFE.

Had any of the prisoners escaped especially St Paul andSt Silas the Jailer and his entire family would havesuffered terribly at the hands of the Roman authorities.

In his intense relief and gratitudeTHEJAILER REALISED THE

GREATMERCY OFALMIGHTYGOD AND WANTED ETERNAL

SALVATION FOR HIMSELF AND HIS ENTIRE FAMILY, havingheard and observed the Apostles throughout thepreceding hours.

Consequently,THE HOLYAPOSTLES BAPTISED THEIRJAILER

AS WELL AS HIS ENTIRE HOUSEHOLD, who all lived on thepremises and WHO HAD ALSO LISTENED CAREFULLY TO

THE WORDS OF THE HOLYAPOSTLES as they praised Godwith Hymns and Prayers, and spoke to the otherprisoners ABOUT CHRIST AND HIS WAY OF ETERNAL

SALVATION.Our Lord Jesus Christ had told His Holy Apostles to USE

EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO SPREAD GODSABSOLUTETRUTH,

GREATMERCY AND LOVE and not to worry about whatthey would say or do because HE ALWAYS GIVES US THE

RIGHT WORDS TO SPEAK AND DEEDS TO FULFIL ACCORDING

TO HIS LOVING,DIVINE WILL.

IT IS ENTIRELY UP TO US to make use of every opportunitythat arises to spread Gods Divine Love to others.

T h e H o l y G o s p e l A c c o r d i n g t o S t L u k e 6 : 4 6 7 : 1B ew ar e o f H y po c r i s y !

At that time, our Lord Jesus Christ said: ... why do you call Me: Lord Lord but not do the Things that I say?Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like: He is likea man building a House, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the Rock. And when the flood arose,

the stream beat vehemently against that House, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the Rock.

But he who heard and did nothing, is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation against which the stream beat vehemently, and immediately it fell down. And the ruin of that house wasgreat.

And when our Lord had concluded all His sayings in the hearing of the people, He entered Capernaum.

8 OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST WAS VERY CLEAR ABOUT THISPARTICULAR SACRED LESSON and on many

occasions He emphasisedTHE PROFOUND NECESSITY

OF NOT MERELY HEARING THE WORD OF GOD BUT

OBEYING EVERYTEACHING, EVERYCOMMANDMENT AND

EVERYDIVINE INSTRUCTION.

Obedience to the Divine Will of Almighty God requires theconjoined twin Virtue: Humility.

WITHOUT HUMI L I TY , WE CANNOT OBEYGOD AND WITHOUT OBEDIENCE TO GOD ,

WE HAVE NO HUMILITY AT ALL!

Consequently, hearing the Holy Gospel of Christ alone even knowing every Word chapter and verse! willnot benefit us at all unless we UNDERSTAND THE SPIRIT

OF THE HOLYGOSPEL AND ARE COMPELLED BY OUR LOVE

OF GOD AND ONE ANOTHER TO FULFIL EVERYTHING ASKED

OF US by our Loving and Compassionate Lord God.

JAMES 2 : 24 ... a man is Justified byWorks(Deeds) and not by Faith only...

JAMES 2:26: ... For as the body without thespirit is dead, so Faith without Works isdead also.

WE MUST BUILD OURLIFE IN CHRIST UPON HIM WHO IS OUR

DIVINE, UNSHAKABLE, UNCHANGEABLE ROCK because IF

OUR FAITH IS PROPERLY FOUNDED ON GOD HIMSELF,

NOTHING WILL CAUSE US TO FAIL OR COLLAPSE UNDER THE

PRESSURES OF WORLDLY CIRCUMSTANCES OR SITUATIONS.

S t D i o n y s i o s t h e A r e o p a g i t eSt Dionysios is one of the 70 lesser Apostles of Christ, who

came from a distinguished pagan family of Athens andhaving studied Philosophy in Athens, went to Egypt forfurther studies.

While in Egypt, our Lord Jesus Christ was Crucified and,the sun was suddenly darkened for three hours!

St Dionysios cried out Either God the Creator of the worldis Suffering, or this world is coming to an end!

He returned to Athens, married St Damaris and producedthree sons. He became a member of the highest courtamong the Greeks the Areopagos.

When St Paul preached in Athens, St Dionysios and his

entire household accepted Holy Baptism, and hebecame the Bishop of Athens.

St Dionysios accompanied St Paul on many of hisMissionary Journeys, met many of the other Holy

Apostles and, travelling to Jerusalem, to his great Joy,he also visited our Most Holy Theotokos, which hedescribed in one of his writings, and later he attendedHer Funeral

When St Paul was Martyred, St Dionysios went to Gaulaccompanied by St Rustikos, his Presbyter, and StEleftherios, his Deacon, to preach the Holy Gospelamong the barbarians. They endured much sufferingbut also many triumphs - through their Labours ofLove many pagans converted to Christianity.

St Dionysios built a small church in Paris where theycelebrated Divine Services until - at the age of 93 - he

was seized and martyred together with St Rustikos andSt Eleftherios.

Several writings of St Dionysios have survived to this day.May their Holy Memories be Eternal!


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T h e H o l y G o s p e l A c c o r d i n g t o S t J o h n 2 0 : 1 9 - 3 1The Appearance of our Resurrected Lord Jesus Christ to Ten of His Holy Apostles

At that time, on the same day, at evening being the first day of the week when the doors were shut where theDisciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus went and stood in the midst, and said to them : Peace be to

you!When He said this, He showed them His Hands and His Side. Then the Disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. And

Jesus said to them again: Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.And as He said this, Hebreathed upon them, and said to them: Receive the Holy Spirit! If you forgive the sins of any, they are

forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.Thomas called the Twin, one of the Twelve was not with them when Jesus came. The other Disciples therefore said

to him: We have seen the Lord! And he said to them: Unless I see in His Hands the print of the nails, and put myfinger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His Side, I will not believe!

After eight days His Disciples were again inside, and Thomas was with them. Jesus went in although the doors wereshut and stood in their midst and said: Peace be to you! Then He said to Thomas: Put your finger here

and look at My Hands; and put your hand here put it into My Side and do not be unbelieving, butbelieving!

And Thomas answered Him and said: My Lord and my God!

Jesus said to him: Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have notseen and yet believe!

And truly, Jesus did many other Signs in the presence of His Disciples, which are not written in this book, but these arewritten so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God and that believing, you may have Life in His

Name.

THE INCREDULITY OFSTTHOMAS IS described in our Hymns

as BLESSED FOR IT WAS not compelled by a resistance

to Truth, but rather coMPELLED BY HIS DESPERATE

DESIRE FORABSOLUTE DIVINE TRUTH ... doubt that

gave birth to Faith... when the Truth is revealed.In one of the Hymns, Christ says to St Thomas: ... your

doubt will teach My Passion and Resurrection to

all...which was affirmed when it ... brought thehearts of believers to Knowledge.

THE CONVERSION OF ST THOMAS INCREDULITY INTO

UNWAVERING FAITH INSTIGATED HIS HEARTFELT

CONFESSION of our Lord Jesus Christs Divinity - His

True Divine Identity My Lord and My God!

Peace be to youisTHEAPOSTOLIC GREETING that we hearrepeatedly throughout our Holy Services.

THE GREEK WORD FORHANDS AND WRISTS IS ONE AND THE

SAME.

In fact, CHRIST WAS NOT NAILED THROUGH THE PALMS OFHISHANDS BUT RATHER THROUGH THE SMALL GAP BETWEEN

THE BONES OF HIS WRISTS, thereby fulfilling theProphesy that NOT ONE OF HIS BONES WOULD BE

BROKEN.

The Roman executioners had worked out the mosteffective form of prolonging the agonising torture ofcrucifixion so the only way of securing the full weightof a body to the cross bar was to nail it through thewrists.

If the nails were put through the hands as popularlydepicted, the sheer weight of the body would rip themapart.

IT IS CLEARLY EVIDENT FROM THE BLOOD STAINS ON THE HOLY

SHROUD OF CHRIST THAT HE WAS DEFINITELY NAILED

THROUGH HIS WRISTS, which was also obvious from thecontraction of His Thumbs into His Palms for they arenot visible.

STTHOMAS DID NOT ACTUALLY TOUCH THE WOUNDS OF OURRESURRECTED LORD JESUS CHRIST HE HAD NO NEED

NOR DESIRE TO DO SO.Our Lord had nicknamed St Thomas Didymos or the

Twin because HE ALWAYS SOUGHT PROOF OR

CONFIRMATION concerning various things he was

regarded as being double-minded because HE LIKED

TO EXAMINE OR QUESTION MOST THINGS BEING DRIVEN

BY THE NEED TO KNOW THE ABSOLUTETRUTH not merely

anyones idea or perception of truth.Furthermore, OUR LORDS RESURRECTED BODY IS

TRANSFIGURED AND INCORRUPTIBLE, SO ONLY ACCORDING

TO HIS DIVINE WILL WERE HISAPOSTLES AND DISCIPLES

ABLE TO SEE HIM AND TO RECOGNISE HIM.

In other words, HIS RESURRECTED BODY IS INDEED HUMAN

BUTIT IS GLORIFIED IN EVERY RESPECT AND ILLUSTRATES

THE KIND OF BODY EVERY FAITHFUL BELIEVER WILL

RECEIVE AT OURGENERAL RESURRECTION. (KINDLY READ ST PAULS FIRST EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS

CONCERNING THIS MATTER.) (1CORINTHIANS 15:4249)When the Apostles dispersed throughout the world to

spread the Holy Gospel of Christ, STTHOMAS HAD

TRAVELLED ALL THE WAY TO INDIA.Three days before the Dormition of the Ever Blessed

Theotokos, at her request and by the Mysterious Graceof God, all the other Apostles and Disciples had beengathered together in Jerusalem to attend to her finalinstructions and to perform her Funeral.

However, STTHOMAS WAS CARRIED THERE ONLY THREE DAYS

AFTER HER BURIAL, AND UPSET AT HAVING MISSED HIS

OPPORTUNITY TO PAY HIS LAST RESPECTS, THEAPOSTLES,

WHO HAD KEPT A CONSTANTVIGIL OUTSIDE, OPENED THE

SEALED TOMB, ONLY TO DISCOVER THATHERSANCTIFIED

BODY WAS NO LONGER THERE where they had reverentlylaid it to rest It had disappeared.

Thus, ONCE MORE, ST THOMAS WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR

REVEALING THE DIVINETRUTH OFALMIGHTYGOD!

As our Lord said to St Thomas: ... because you haveseen... you have believed. Blessed are those whohave not seen... yet believe!

No one can make us believe anything for it is a profoundlypersonal matter of Faith.

Not only do we believe in God, but through our heartfeltFaith, WEKNOWGOD AND CAN JOYFULLY PROCLAIM: MY

LORD AND MY GOD!

S t T h o m a s o f t h e T w e l v e H o l y A p o s t l e s o f C h r i s tThrough the Incredulity of St Thomas in the Resurrection

of our Lord Jesus Christ, a new Proof was given of thatmost Wonderful and Saving Event.

After the Descent of the Holy Spirit, when the Apostles castlots to see where they would go to preach the HolyGospel to the people, St Thomas was sent off to India.

Although rather saddened to go so far away, our Lordappeared to him and encouraged him.

Through the Spiritual Labours of St Thomas, many souls

from aristocrats to the poorest of the poor convertedto the Christian Faith and many churches wereerected, and many Bishops and Priests were Ordained.

Three days after the Dormition of the Ever BlessedTheotokos, when St Thomas arrived too late to pay his

final respects and the tomb was opened at his request,the body of our Lady was no longer where they had soreverently laid it to rest, but had been carried toHeaven.

So it was that St Thomas once again revealed to us all theWondrous Glorification of the All Pure, Ever Virgin Mary just as he had once before unintentionallyconfirmed our Faith in the Glorious Resurrection of ourLord Jesus Christ.

St Thomas had Baptised a wife and a son of an IndianPrince, which had enraged him, and ultimately causedSt Thomas untimely death having been speared todeath by five of the Princes soldiers.


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S U N D A Y A F T E R P E N T E C O S T 3R D

O F S T L U K E T H E W I D O W O F N A I N 7 O C T O B E R 2 0 1 2 5.

G r e e k O r t h o d o x P a t r i a r c h a t e o f A l e x a n d r i a & A l l A f r i c a

A r c h d i o c e s e o f G o o d H o p e 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.

Rem em bering also our Mos t Ho ly , Mos t Pur e, Mos t Blesse d and Glor ious La dy , Ma ria, Theo toko s,ye t Ev er Vi rg in , toge ther wi th al l the Sa in ts . And le t us comm it oursel ve s and one anot her and ourwhole Life to Christ our God. Amen.

18 t h Sunday After Pentecost Tone1 7 October 2 0 1 2

3 r d S u n d a y o f S t L u k e - T h e W i d o w o f N a i nAlso the Feast of St Sergios & St Bacchos of Syria St Polychronios the Presbyter, St Juliana the

Presbytera & St Cesaria, the Deacon - St Sergios the Obedient of Kiev Near Caves Monastery

St Sergios the Abbot of Nurma, Disciple of St Sergios of Radonezh St Martinian of White Lake

St Julian the Presbyter & St Caesarios the Deacon of Terracina, Italy St Pelagia of Tarsos,

Cilicia 99 Hieromartyrs of Crete - St Joseph the Elder & Wonderworker of Khevi, 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 1

Tou lithou sfragisthentos ipo ton Ioudeon ke stratiotonfilassonton to ahranton Sou Soma, Anestis trimeros,Sotir, Doroumenos to kosmo tin Zoin. Dia touto eDinamis ton Ouranon evoon si Zoodota. Doxa tiAnastasi Sou, Hriste! Doxa ti Vasilia Sou! Doxa tiIkonomia Sou, mone Filanthrope!

While the stone was sealed by the Jews, and soldiersstood on guard over Thy Body undefiled, Thou roseon the Third Day, O Saviour, Who grants Life to theworld. For which cause the Heavenly Powers criedaloud to Thee: O Giver of Life: Glory to ThyResurrection, O Christ! Glory to Thy Kingdom! Gloryto Thy Providence, O Thou Who alone Lovesmankind!

F e s t a l K o n t a k i o n M a l e M a r t y r s

IMartyres Sou, Kyrie, en ti Athlisi afton, to Stefosekomisanto tis aftharsias, ek Sou tou Theou imon;ehontes tin eshin Sou, tous tirannous kathilon,ethrafsan ke demonon ta anishira thrasi; afton tesikesies Hriste, O Theos, Soson tas psihas imon.

Thy loyal Martyrs, O Lord, while contending for Thee, theCrown of Incorruption they earned for themselves,from Thee, the God of us all; for armed with ThyMight, they defeated the tyrants, and crushed alldemons and their powerless assumption. Throughtheir Intercessions, O Christ our God, we pray to Theeto Save our soul.

K o n t a ki o n o f t h e E ve r B l e ss e d T h e o to k o s

Prostasiaton Hristianon akateskhinte, mesitia pros tonPiitin ametathete, mi Paridis, amartolon deiseonfonas, alla profthason os agathi, is tin voithian imon,ton pistos kravgazonton Si: Tahinon is presvian, ke

spefson is ikesian, i prostatevousa ai, Theotoke, tonTimonton Se.

OProtector of the Christians Unashamable, Mediator tothe Creator Immovable, despise not, the pleadingvoices of those in sin, but hasten O Good One, to theAid of all of us, who in Faith cry out to Thee: speed up

Thine Intercession, and present Thy Supplication, OTheotokos who always protects all those who honourThee!

R e s u r r e c t i o n G o s p e l 7 J o h n 2 0 : 1 - 1 0S t P e t e r & S t J o h n W i t n e s s T h e E m p t y T o m b O f O u r R i s e n L o r d J e s u s C h r i s t

P r o k e i m e n o n

SSSSing Praises to our God! Sing praises to our King!CCCClap your hands, all ye Nations!

T h e S e c o n d E p i s t l e o f S t P a u l t o t h e C o r i n t h i a n s 9 : 6 1 1C h e e r f u l G i v i n g

Brethren: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. So leteach one give as he purposes in his heart not grudgingly or of necessity - for God Loves a Cheerful Giver. And Godis able to make all Grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have anabundance for every Good Work.

As it is written: He has dispersed abroad. He has given to the poor. His Righteousness endures forever

.Now may He Who supplies seed to the Sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the Seed you have sown and

increase the Fruits of your Righteousness, while you are Enriched in everything for all Liberality, which causes

Thanksgiving through us to God...

This Sacred Lesson is an essential part of ST PAULS

IMPORTANTTEACHING ON CHRISTIAN STEWARDSHIP

THE LOVE AND CARE OF ONE ANOTHER.

OURLORDJESUS CHRISTHIMSELF TOLD US CLEARLY THAT

THIS IS EXACTLY HOW HE WILL FINALLYJUDGE US.

WHAT WE SOW AND REAP WILL RESULT IN OUR

ETERNAL LIFE ORDEATH!

His metaphor does not concern the giving of money but

ratherTHE SOWING OFSACRED SEED, WHICH RESULTS

IN A GOOD HOLYHARVEST OFSPIRITUAL FRUIT.In other words: St Paul reminds us about what it means

TO BE ADISCIPLE OFCHRIST, which IS ALL ABOUT OURUNCONDITIONAL LOVE FORGOD AND EACH OTHER.

WHATEVER WE DO FORGOD AND EACH OTHER GOOD OR

BAD - WILL BE RETURNED TO US IN GREAT ABUNDANCE.

GOD BESTOWS HIS INFINITE BLESSINGS UPON THE GOOD

AND THE EVIL ALIKE and it is entirely our choice to dowhat we want to with such Blessings.

However, we must never lose sight of the fact that our

EVERY WORD, THOUGHT AND DEED AFFECTS HOW WE

WILL EXIST IN ETERNITY, which begins with theGeneral Resurrection and Final Judgement.

SO OUR FINAL DESTINATION DEPENDS ON THE CONDITION

AND CIRCUMSTANCES OF OUR RELATIONSHIPS WITH

GOD AND WITH ONE ANOTHER.God always grants us a little more than we actually

need, and OUR EXCESS BLESSINGS MUST THEN BE

JOYFULLY AND FREELY SHARED AMONGST OTHERS whoare less Blessed or privileged than us.

The Seeds that God grant us, is everything good thatbenefits us all now and forever.


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T h e H o l y G o s p e l A c c o r d i n g t o S t L u k e 7 : 1 1 1 6T h e G r e a t M er c y & L o v e o f G o d - T h e W i do w o f N a in

At that time, our Lord Jesus went into a city called Nain, and many of His Disciples went with Him, as well as a largecrowd. And when He arrived at the gate of the city, behold! A dead man was being carried out the only son of hismother and she was a widow. And a large crowd was with her.

When our Lord saw her, He had Compassion for her and said to her: Do not weep. And He went and touched the open

coffin, and those who carried him stood still. And He said: Young man, I say to you: arise! And he who wasdead sat up and began to speak. And Jesus presented him to his mother.

Then Fear came upon all those who were present, and they Glorified God, saying: A great Prophet has risen up amongus!and God has Visited His people!

THE RAISING OF THE WIDOWS SON AT NAIN IS ONE OFTHREE GREAT DIVINE MIRACLES OF OUR SAVIOUR,

JESUS CHRIST.

Each of the three Miracles depicted different stages ofDeath:

Jairus little daughter had just died. The Widow of Nains son had been dead for some

time and was about to be buried. St Lazaros had been dead for four days and had

already begun to decompose in his tomb.

THEY CONFIRM THE DIVINE PROMISE GIVEN TO STEZEKIEL,the Holy Prophet of God, that our Lord would oneday open the tombs or graves and raise the dead no matter how long they had been dead, for He istruly the Master of Life:

E z e k i e l 3 7 : 1 4 : ... the Hand of the Lord cameupon me, and took me by the Spirit of theLord, and set me in the midst of the plain,which was full of human bones. And He ledme round about them, and behold! There wasa great multitude of bones on the face of theplain. They were very dry. And He said to me:Son of Man: can these bones live?And Ianswered: O Lord, Thou know this. And Hesaid to me: Prophesy to these bones and

say to them: O dry bones, hear the Wordof the Lord: thus says the Lord to these

bones: Behold, I will bring the Spirit of

Life upon you. I will put muscles andflesh on you. I will cover you with skin

and put My Spirit into you. And you shall

live and know that I Am the Lord!

8 Although many people have exercised theirauthority over the living, ONLY THE SON OF

GOD ... has Power over the living and the

dead!(ORTHODOX FUNERAL SERVICE)AS THE INCARNATE ETERNAL SON OF GOD THE FATHER,

OURLORDJESUS CHRIST HAS DIVINE POWER THROUGH

HIS WORDS ALONE.

However, COMPELLED BYHIS LOVE AND COMPASSION FORTHE BEREFTWIDOW OFNAIN,HE TOUCHED THE OPEN

COFFIN and showed us thatANYTHING THAT COMES

INTO CONTACT WITH HIS BODY IS CHANGED FROM THE

MUNDANE (ORDINARY A DEAD MAN) INTO THE

EXTRAORDINARY SOMETHING VERY DIFFERENT in

this case, someone who was brought back fromDeath to Life and WHOSE LIFE WOULD NEVER BE THE

SAME AS BEFORE.

THIS PARTICULAR EVENT PREFIGURED OUR LORDS

CRUCIFIXION AND RESURRECTION for just as theWidow wept for the loss of her beloved and onlyson, so too would His Ever Blessed Mother weep forHim at that foot of His Cross yet later her tears ofsorrow would become tears of Great Joy at HisGlorious Resurrection.

Christ knew the exact circumstances that faced themourning Widow of Nain:

Without a close male relative to take care of her and toprotect her, all her property and possessions wouldhave been taken from her and she would have beencast out into the street to depend on the kindnessof strangers.

Perhaps this woman had much property andpossessions that was about to be seized and thatcould have been why there were so many peoplefollowing her to the cemetery.

Even to this day, widows and orphans are taken fulladvantage of and mistreated abominably by thewicked and merciless.

8 OURLORDJESUS CHRIST COMMANDED HIS DISCIPLESANDAPOSTLES TO TAKE CARE OF ALL WIDOWS AND

ORPHANS AND IT IS ONE OF OUR MOST SACRED

DUTIES TO FULFIL.Having witnessed such a marvellous Miracle, the people

were naturally rather shocked - and although mostof them Glorified and offered Prayers ofThanksgiving to Almighty God, there were otherswho plotted against our Lord Jesus Christ.

T h e R a i s i n g o f t h e S o n o f t h e W i d o w o f N a i nBeloved: todays Sacred Lesson occurred on the day

after our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, healed theservant (or some say, child) of the Faithful Centurion.

However, todays Divine Miracle is much morespectacular than the previous one when He healed

someone who was seriously ill - for ON THIS DAYHERAISED A MAN FROM THE DEAD A MAN WHO WAS ABOUT

TO BE BURIED!The day before our Lord Jesus Christ simply spoke to

the Centurion and the sick person, who was notpresent, was immediately healed.

Yet on this day, THE MOST MERCIFUL SON OF GOD

STRETCHED OUTHIS HAND AND TOUCHED THE BIER OF

THE DEAD MAN, AND CALLED HIM BACK TO LIFE!In the case of the Centurions beloved servant (or child)

our Lord was sought out especially by someone whohad utter Faith in His Great Power, yet on the

following day, OURLORDHIMSELFSOUGHT OUT THOSE

WHO NEEDED HIS DIVINEAID THE MOST.What compelled our Saviour to go to that particular

funeral procession?What was it about that particular dead man the only

begotten son of his weeping, bereft and widowedmother?

OURLORD AND GIVER OFLIFE WAS DRAWN TO THE IMAGERY

OFHIS OWN APPROACHING DEATH AND THE SORROW OF

HIS OWN WIDOWED MOTHER.

In that lifeless corpse He saw His own Suffering onbehalf of all suffering mankind.

HE SAW THE FUNERAL PROCESSION AS A ICON OF THE

PROGRESSION OF HUMANITY AWAY FROM THE SAVING AND

LIFE-GIVING CONFINES OF THE HEAVENLYCITY, AND OUR

HASTENING AWAY INTO THATFARCOUNTRY, WHICH IS ANETERNALTOMB.

Yet it was primarily His infinite Tenderness and concernfor this one distraught, heart-broken mother thatdemanded His attention THE COMPASSIONATE

ATTENTION OF THE ONE WHO IS INDEED OUR

RESURRECTION AND LIFE!

We can almost hear the beautiful Voice of OUR SWEET

LORD JESUS WHO NEVER FORGETS THOSE WHO WEEP

AND WHO NEVER NEGLECTS THOSE WHO GRIEVE.

Blessed are they who mourn, for they shall be

comforted. ( MATTHEW 5:4)

Compassionate and Merciful is the Lord; Long-suffering and plenteous in Mercy... (PSALM 102 : 8 LXX)

That is what caused the Son of God to approach the

funeral procession of the son of the Widow of Nain.He approached her because of His DEEP AND ABIDINGCOMPASSION, WHICH IS THE FRUIT OFLOVE.

IF WE POSSESS DEEPCOMPASSION, THEN WE TOO WILL HAVE

LOVE i.e. Agape unconditional, Absolute, DivineLove which is not of this fallen, sin-darkened world




O F S T L U K E T H E W I D O W O F N A I N 7 O C T O B E R 2 0 1 2 7.

and which has nothing in common with our weakhuman desires and flesh.

SUCH LOVE AGAPE IS GODS MOSTAMAZING LOVE

DIVINE LOVE!St John the Beloved Apostle, Evangelist and Theologian

said: We Love because (God) first Loved us. (1 JOHN4 :19)

Dearly Beloved: WE HAVE ALL BEEN SPIRITUALLY DEAD

TIME AND AGAIN.[SPIRITUAL DEATH IS A STATE OF UNREPENTED SIN, WHILE SPIRITUAL LIFE

IS A STATE OF REPENTANCE AND SPIRITUAL STRUGGLE FOR

PERFECTION.]

We often realise that WE ARE SPIRITUALLY DEAD, BUT

CHRIST IN HIS PROFOUND COMPASSION AND INFINITE

LOVE FOR US ALWAYS COMES TO US WITH HIS LIFE-

GIVING WORD AND HIS LIFE-GIVINGTOUCH: THE HOLY

SCRIPTURES AND HIS HOLYEUCHARIST.

Because of His own Death on the Cross, ... He hasgranted us Eternal Life and His Great Mercy!(SUNDAY MATINS HYMN)

The citizens of Nain rejoiced at such a great Miracle,which they had witnessed.

They also rejoiced because someone who was loved bythem had been returned to them and their tears ofsorrow were changed into tears of Joy andThanksgiving.

We must also REJOICE AT THE MIRACLE OF NEW LIFE,

WHICH CHRIST HAS GRANTED TO US i.e. THE HOLY

MYSTERIES OF REPENTANCE-CONFESSION AND HOLY

EUCHARIST, WHICH GRANTS US FORGIVENESS OF SINS

AND THUS ETERNAL LIFE.

And having joyfully received such great Gifts of DivineLove, Compassion and Mercy, WE MUST GENEROUSLY

SHARE ALL OURDIVINE BLESSINGS WITH OTHERS.

Freely you have received freely give! (MATTHEW 10:8)We must never hide the Glorious Light of Christ under a

bushel (basket), but instead we must put it on alampstand so that everyone can see it. (MATTHEW5:15)

Brethren: we must BECOME EMISSARIES OF OUR LORD

JESUS CHRIST for He told us that WE ARE HISWITNESSES IN THIS EARTHLY WORLD. (LUKE 24 : 48)

We are commanded: Let your Light so shine before

men, that they may see your Good Works andGlorify your Father, which is in Heaven. (MATTHEW5:16)

To Him be Glory, Honour, and Worship, together withHis Only Begotten Son, and Life-giving Spirit, nowand ever and unto Ages of Ages.

Amen

HTTP://GROUPS.YAHOO.COM/GROUP/ORTHODOX-

SERMONS/MESSAGE/128

M a y G o d G i v e Y o u W i s d o m ! G o d l y P e o p l e A r e D e p a r t i n g !

My dear little Children: How orphaned you have become and not only you, but we, too.

GODLY PEOPLE ARE DEPARTING for another world thosewho have witnessed by their lives that they are indeedGodly people and who are becoming more and morerare, WHILE THE WORLD BECOMES EMPTIER OF

GOODNESS.What the next generation has to say for itself is not yet

clear, but so far LIFE DOES NOT CONSOLE US WITH GOOD

EXPECTATIONS.

LIFE IS BECOMING FAR MORE DIFFICULT SPECIFICALLY DUE TOTHE FACT THAT THE WORLD IS FAST BECOMING BEREFT OF

GODLY PEOPLE.Hold fast to your Mothers commands. They are not empty

words but golden grains, which will send forth shootsinto Eternal Joy...

May her Prayers before God for you be now even morebold than during her l ifetime!

Gods Blessings to all of you.

LETTERS OF FATHER JOHN KRESTIANKIN

L i v i n g t h e O r t h o d o x W o r l d V i e w P a r t 1In past centuries e.g. 19th century Russia THE

ORTHODOX WORLD VIEW WAS AN IMPORTANT PART OF

ORTHODOX LIFE AND WAS SUPPORTED BY THE LIFE

AROUND IT.

There was no need even to speak of it as a separate thing WE LIVED ORTHODOXY IN HARMONY WITH THE ORTHODOX

SOCIETY AROUND US, AND WE HAD AN ORTHODOX WORLD

VIEW PROVIDED BY THE CHURCH AND SOCIETY.In many countries, Governments Confessed Orthodoxy; it

was the centre of public functions and the Rulerhimself was, historically, the first Orthodox laymanwith the great responsibility of being a good Christianexample to all his subjects.

EVERY CITY HAD ORTHODOX CHURCHES, AND MANY OF THEM

CONDUCTED HOLY SERVICES EVERY DAY MORNING AND

EVENING.There were Monasteries in all the great cities, in every

village and throughout the countryside; in deserts andin the wilderness.

In Russia there were more than 1000 officially organised

Monasteries, in addition to other more unofficialgroups.

MONASTICISM WAS AN ACCEPTED PART OF LIFE AND MOSTFAMILIES HAD RELATIVES WHO WERE MONKS ORNUNS, INADDITION TO ALL OTHER EXAMPLES OF ORTHODOX LIFEsuch as those who went from Monastery to Monasteryand Fools for Christ.

THE WHOLE WAY OFLIFE WAS PERMEATED WITH ORTHODOXYCENTRED AROUND MONASTICISM.

ORTHODOXTRADITIONS WERE INTERWOVEN WITH DAILY LIFE

AND MOST LITERATURE WAS ORTHODOX BASED.Daily survival was difficult for most people who had to

work extremely hard and life expectancy was not great death was a frequent reality all of which reinforcedthe Churchs Teaching on the reality and nearness ofthe other world.

LIVING AN ORTHODOX LIFE UNDER SUCH HEART-BREAKINGCIRCUMSTANCES WAS THE SAME AS HAVING AN ORTHODOXWORLD VIEW SO THERE WAS LITTLE NEED TO TALK OF IT.

On the other hand, today, all this has drastically changed.

ORTHODOX CHRISTIANITY AND LIFE IN CHRIST IS A LITTLE

ISLAND IN THE MIDST OF A WORLD THAT OPERATES ON

TOTALLY DIFFERENT PRINCIPLE AND EVERY DAY THESE

PRINCIPLES BECOME WORSE MAKING US MORE AND MORE

ALIENATED.Many people are tempted to divide their lives into two

sharply distinct categories: the daily life of work,worldly friends and business and Orthodoxy, whichwe observe on Sundays (for a very short time) andperhaps at other times during the week if we makethe effort to celebrate the Feasts and Fasts.

However, the world view of such people if we look closely

is oftenA STRANGE COMBINATION OFCHRISTIANVALUES

AND WORLDLY IDEAS, WHICH DO NOT REALLY MIX AT ALL.Therefore WE SHALL CONTEMPLATE HOW WE CAN BEGIN TO

MAKE OUR WORLD VIEW MORE UNITED MORE A COMPLETEORTHODOX WORLD VIEW.

ORTHODOXY IS LIFE.

IF WE DO NOTLIVE ORTHODOXY, WE SIMPLY ARE NOT

ORTHODOX CHRISTIANS no matter what formal

beliefs we might hold!Life in our contemporary world has become very artificial

very uncertain and very confusing.ORTHODOXY, TRULY, HAS ALIFE OF ITS OWN, BUT IS ALSO NOT

VERY FAR FROM THE LIFE OF THE WORLD THAT SURROUNDS

US, and therefore THE LIFE OF THE ORTHODOXCHRISTIAN EVEN WHEN BEING TRULY ORTHODOX CANNOT DO ANYTHING ELSE BUT REFLECT IT IN SOME

MANNER.A kind of uncertainty and confusion have also entered into

our Orthodox Life in our current era.So, we will try to look at contemporary life and at Orthodox

Life to see HOW BETTER WE MIGHT FULFIL OURCHRISTIAN OBLIGATIONS to lead an other-worldly Life -even in these rather terrible times - and to have ANORTHODOXCHRISTIAN VIEW OF THE WHOLE OF LIFE TODAYTHAT ENABLES US TO SURVIVE WITH OURTRUE FAITH

INTACT.ADAPTED & EDITED BY MP: A TALK DELIVERED BY HIEROMONK SERAPHIM (ROSE) AT ST

HERMAN PILGRIMAGE, AUGUST 1982, ST HERMAN OF ALASKA MONASTERY,

PLATINA, CALIFORNIA.

HTTP://WWW.PRAVOSLAVIE.RU/ENGLISH/7360.HTM




O F S T L U K E T H E W I D O W O F N A I N 7 O C T O B E R 2 0 1 2

P r o t o d e a c o n L e o n i d M i c k l e - C u l t i v a t e t h e Q u i e t L i g h t o f C h r i s tST SERAPHIM OF SAROV taught us to ... cultivate the

Quiet Light of Christ within you, and with it youwill Enlighten those around you.

At times, when contemplating the zeal that so manyApostles demonstrated in their Confession of the Faithbefore the world, I have wondered about thatTeaching.

We know that many are perishing, that many have eithernever even heard of the Orthodox Christian Church, orare unaware that the Holy Church is NOT an EthnicClubhouse but a Source of Living Water for everyone.

Why are we not told to advertise to go out with trumpets,drums, loudspeakers and bright lights in order tomake our Holy Church more visible to everyone?

GOD ALWAYS PROVIDES US WITH THE MOST WONDERFUL

ANSWERS IN MOST UNEXPECTED SETTINGS.Once, while on a long journey, I stopped at an information

centre to ask for the best route to my destination.The Clerk asked me whether I wanted the best or the

quickest route and then she pointed out that the bestway would add about an hour to the fourteen-hour

journey I could expect via the interstate, but, IFI HAD

THE TIME TO TAKE THE ALTERNATE ROUTE, I WOULD

CERTAINLY ENJOY THE SERENE BEAUTY OF THE

COUNTRYSIDE.

Thinking about my schedule, I chose the interstate, and Icertainly seemed to make excellent time until I waspulled over for speeding!

I saved less than an hour, lost a sizable percentage of mysalary as well as the opportunity to enjoy ourbeautiful country and had briefly been angry at thestate police officer for simply fulfilling his duties - forwhich I paid taxes!

Shortly thereafter, I stopped at a small church almosttwo hours before the Vigil Service was to begin and Imet the Priest who was trimming the wicks andreplenishing the oil in the lamps behind the Holy Altar.

He told me that he always arrived at the church well beforethe Holy Services in order to maintain all the oil lamps.

I asked him whether he had ever considered using candlesinstead of oil lamps and he smiled, and began to

explain:That certainly would be the quick way: I could enter

and light the candles without giving them a thought!Think how great a Lesson would be lost!

IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN AND LIGHT ALL THE LAMPS,IMUST

ARRANGE MY DAY SO THATICAN BE HERE EARLY.ThenIMUST CONCENTRATE on my task. IMUST SEE THAT

THERE IS AN AMPLE SUPPLY OF OIL, so that the lamps donot go out.

ICANNOT HURRY. IMUST CAREFULLY POUR EACH ONE, lestthe oil spills onto the Holy Altar or on to the HolyIcons.

IMUST TRIM AND ADJUST THE WICKS BEFORE LIGHTING THEM,

andTHEN OBSERVE THE FLAME to see if it is too low sothat any little breeze can blow it out. If it is too high,it will generate such heat that the glass will crack, orat least, will burn so quickly that the wick will turn toash and the flame will be extinguished.

SUCH AN APPARENTLY INSIGNIFICANT TASK, AND YET, IT ISDONE IN THE HOUSE OF GOD, AND FOR THE GLORY OF

GOD!IFICANNOT BE ATTENTIVE TO THE LITTLE TASKS THATGOD

PERMITS ME TO TAKE ON, HOW CANIHOPE TO PERSEVEREIN THE GREATER TASKS?

IFI CANNOT TAKE THE NECESSARY TIME AND MAKE THENECESSARY EFFORT TO PREPARE THESE LITTLE LAMPS, tosee that the flames remain lit but that they do notbecome destructive fire, HOW CANIHOPE TO DO THESAME WITH MY SOUL? How can I control my passions,

andHOW CANIINSTRUCT OTHERS to do the same?No, sometimes THE QUICK WAY THE EASY WAY IS NOT

THE BEST WAY. Glory to Thee, O Lord!Although I was struck by his words, to my shame, I felt a

little irritated too.I thought to myself : yes, that may well be the best way,

but he has the luxury of serving in a small countrychurch, with a small congregation that probably doesnot put great demands on his time.

He has the time he has no secular job from which torush to the church in time for Holy Services...

Suddenly I realised how irrational my thoughts were andHOW CUNNING AND PERSISTENT WAS THE ENEMY OF OUR

SALVATION!

WHEN CONFRONTED BY AN EVIDENT TRUTH, THE ENEMY

CHALLENGES IT BY BRINGING TO MIND EXTERNAL,

IRRELEVANT DETAILS, DIVERTING OUR ATTENTION AWAY

FROM THE LESSON.

ADAPTED & EDITED BY MP:CULTIVATE THAT QUIET LIGHT

HTTP://WWW.PRAVMIR.COM/CULTIVATE-THAT-QUIET-LIGHT/

T h e E t e r n a l , I n s p i r e d W i s d o m o f o u r H o l y C h u r c h F a t h e r s

S t A n t h o n y :While praying in his cell, a Voice spoke to St Anthony,

saying: Anthony, you have not yet reached themeasure of the Tanner who lives in Alexandria!

The Holy Elder immediately arose, took his stick andhurried into the city, and when he had located theTanner, he said to him: Tell me about your work, fortoday I have left the desert to come to see you.

The Tanner replied: I am not aware that I have done

anything good. When I get up in the morning, beforeI sit down to work, I tell myself that the whole of thiscity, small and great, will enter the Kingdom of Godbecause of their good deeds, while I alone will go

into Eternal Punishment because of my evildeeds. Every evening I repeat the same words tomyself and truly believe them in my heart.

When Blessed St Anthony heard this, he said: My son:you sit in your own house and work well, and youhave the Peace of the Kingdom of God, while I spendall my time in Solitude with no distractions, yet Ihave not come near the measure of such words!

S t M a k a r i o s :While Abba Makarios was praying in his cave in the desert,

a hyena suddenly appeared and began to lick his feet.

The she gently grasped the hem of his tunic, and drewhim towards he own cave.

He followed her, saying: I wonder what this animalwants me to do?And when she had led him to her

den, she went inside and brought out her little cubs,which had been born blind.

He prayed over them and then returned them to the hyenawith their sight healed.

She, in turn, by way of Thanksgiving, brought him a hugeskin of a wild ram and laid it at his feet. He smiled ather as if at a kind person, and accepting the skin, hespread it out beneath him.

S t A p o l l o :When Abba Apollo heard the singing of the Monks whowelcomed us, he greeted us according to the customthat all Monks follow: he first lay prostrate upon theground, then got up and kissed us, and havingbrought us in, he prayed for us. Then, after washingour feet with his own hands, he invited us to partake ofsome refreshment...

We could see that all his Monks were filled with Joy and anunearthly contentment, for none of them was gloomyor downcast.

If anyone appeared a little sad, Abba Apollo immediatelyasked him the reason and he would tell each of theMonks what was in the secret recesses of his heart.

Abba Apollo believed that ... those who are going toinherit the Kingdom of Heaven must not be

despondent about their Salvation... we who havebeen considered worthy of so great a Hope howshall we not rejoice without ceasing, since the

Apostle urged us to always ... pray without

ceasing, and in everything give thanks!



S U N D A Y A F T E R P E N T E C O S T 4T H

O F S T L U K E T H E S O W E R & T H E S E E D 1 4 O C T O B E R 2 0 1 2 9.


A r c h d i o c e s e o f G o o d H o p e All Glory, Honour and Worship to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and forever, andunto the Ages of ages. Amen.

Reme mb eri ng also our Mos t Ho ly , Most Pure , Mos t Blesse d and Glor ious La dy , Mar ia , The otok os , ye tEver Virgin, together with all the Saints. And let us commit ourselves and one another and our whole

Li fe to Christ our God . Am en .

19 th Sunday Af t e r Pen te cos t T o n e 2 14 October 2 0 1 2

4t h

S u n d a y o f S t L u k e T h e S o w e r & t h e S e e dThe Feast of the Holy Fathers of the 7

thEcumenical Council St Nazarios, St Gervasios, St Protasios

& St Celsios of Milan St Paraskeva of Serbia St Nicholas Sviatosha, Prince of Chernigov &

Wonderworker of Kiev Near Caves Monastery St Silvanos, Hieromartyr of Gaza

R e s u r r e c t i o n A p o l y t i k i o n - TON E 2

Ote katilthes pros ton Thanaton, i Zoi i Athanatos, toteton Adin enekrosas ti astrapi tis Theotitos. Ote deke tous tethneotas ek ton katahthonionanestisas, pase e Dinamis ton Epouranionekravgazon. Zoodota Hriste, O Theos imon, Doxa Si!

When Thou condescended to Death, O Life Immortal,Thou slayed Hades with the lightning flash of ThyDivinity. When also Thou raised up the dead from thesubterranean abodes, all the Powers of Heaven criedaloud: O Life-giver, Christ our God, Glory to Thee!


Prostasiaton Hristianon akateskhinte, mesitia pros tonPiitin ametathete, mi Paridis, amartolon deiseonfonas, alla profthason os agathi, is tin voithian imon,ton pistos kravgazonton Si: Tahinon is presvian, kespefson is ikesian, i prostatevousa ai, Theotoke, tonTimonton Se.

OProtector of the Christians Unashamable, Mediator tothe Creator Immovable, despise not, the pleadingvoices of those in sin, but hasten O Good One, to theAid of all of us, who in Faith cry out to Thee: speed upThine Intercession, and present Thy Supplication, OTheotokos who always protects all those who honourThee!

R e s u r r e c t i o n G o s p e l 8 : J o h n 2 0 : 1 1 1 8O u r R e s u r r e c t e d L o r d J e s u s C h r i s t S p e a k s t o S t M a r y M a g d a l e n e


Let Thy Mercy, O Lord, be upon us, as we have set our hope on Thee.

Rejoice in the Lord, O All Righteous people!

T h e E p i s t l e o f S t P a u l t o S t T i t o s 3 : 8 1 5R e m a i n i n g T r u e t o t h e F a i t hTo Titos a True Son in our Common Faith: It 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 tomankind. But avoid foolish disputes, genealogies, contentions, and strivings concerning the Law, for they areunprofitable and useless. Reject a divisive man after the first and second admonition, knowing that such a person iswarped and sinful, 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 winterthere. Send Zenas the Lawyer and Apollos on their Journey with haste, so that they may lack nothing. And let ourpeople also learn to maintain Good Works, to meet urgent needs, that they may not be unfruitful.

All those who are with me greet you. Greet those who Love us in the Faith.Grace be with you.Amen

St Paul was painfully aware thatWE ARE ALL AWAITING THE

CONSUMMATION OF THEAGE TO COME ETERNITY and

he knew that WE ALREADY PARTICIPATE IN THE

ESCHATOLOGICAL COMMUNITY i.e. those of us who areconcerned with our immortal soul in its relation toDeath, Judgement, Heaven and Hell.

HOLYBAPTISM AND CHRISMATION ARE ONLY THE BEGINNING

OF OUR PROGRESSIVE LIFE OFRENEWAL IN CHRIST.

2CORINTHIANS 3:1618 : ... when one turns to the Lord,the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is Spirit; andwhere the Spirit of the Lord is, there is Liberty. Butwe all with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirrorthe Glory of the Lord are being Transformed intothe same Image from glory to Glory just as by theSpirit of the Lord.

STPAUL TRANSFORMED THE OLD COVENANT UNDERSTANDING

OF ONE GOD, THE LORD, INTO OUR LORD JESUS NEW

COVENANTREVELATION OFONE GOD INTHREE PERSONS:

FATHER, SON AND HOLY SPIRIT EACH OF WHOM ISLORD.

So when we turn to the Lord our God, we turn not just toGod the Father, but also to God the Son and God theHoly Spirit.

THE DIVINE WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT BRINGS US TRUE

LIBERTYbecause God frees us from the shackles of sinand Death so that we are able to behold God and to

enjoy open and constant access to Him.HAVING BEEN CREATED IN GODS DIVINE IMAGE, WE ARE ABLE

TO SEE GODS UNCREATED IMAGE HIS WORD AND ONLY

BEGOTTEN SON OURLORDJESUS CHRIST Who is theGlory of the Lord in two aspects:

Through Christs Deified Humanity In the Power of the Holy Spirit

AS WE BEHOLD GOD INCARNATE OURLORDJESUS CHRIST

AND AS WE GROW CLOSER TO HIM THROUGH OUR

SPIRITUAL STRUGGLES, WE SLOWLY BECOME WHAT HE

CREATED US TO BE we regain our lost Divine Likeness.

GOD IS INFINITE SO GROWING IN HIS DIVINE IMAGE AND

GLORY HAS NO RESTRICTIONS OR LIMITATIONS EITHER!

IN ETERNITY WE SHALL SEE GOD MORE CLEARLY, AND WE

SHALL BE FOR EVERMORETRANSFORMED INTO HIS DIVINE

LIKENESS.No creature no Angel nor any human being can ever

become Divine because GOD ALONE IS ETERNALLY

DIVINE.We can just like our Ever Blessed Lady Theotokos and St

John the Baptist and Forerunner to Christ achieve a



S U N D A Y AP 4T H

O F S T L U K E T H E S O W E R & T H E S E E D 1 4 O C T O B E R 2 0 1 2

very high Spiritual Purity Holy Sainthood, Theosis orDeification through Absolute Humility and Obedienceto God in all things.

A divisive person is one who picks or chooses from thewhole, Pure Truth.

A Sect is a group of people who follow their own choices,ideas and beliefs utterly independent of any Holy orSacred Tradition.

Incomplete or erroneous beliefs result in immoral andungodly, unrighteous behaviour.

T h e H o l y G o s p e l A c c o r d i n g t o S t L u k e 8 : 5 1 5T h e S o w e r a n d t h e S e e d

At that time our Lord Jesus Christ said: A Sower went out to sow His Seed. And as He sowed, some fell by thewayside; and it was trampled down, and the birds of the air devoured it. Some fell on rock; and as soonas it sprang up, it withered away because it lacked moisture. And some fell among thorns, and the

thorns sprang up with it and choked it. But others fell on good ground, sprang up, and yielded a crop ahundredfold.When He had said these things, He exclaimed: He who has ears to hear, let him hear!Then His Disciples asked Him: What does this Parable mean?

And He said: To you it has been granted to know the Mysteries of the Kingdom of God, but to the rest it isgiven in Parables, so that Seeing, they may not see; and hearing, they may not understand.

Now the Parable means this: the Seed is the Word of God. Those by the wayside are the ones who hear then the devil comes and takes away the Word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be Saved.

And the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the Word with Joy; but these have noroot, for they believe for a while and in times of temptation, they fall away.

Now the ones that fell among thorns are those who when they have heard, go out and are choked withcares, riches and pleasures of life, and bring no Fruit to maturity.

But the Seed that fell on good ground are those who having heard the Word with a noble and good heart

keep it and bear Fruit with Patience.

AS THE SOWER IN THIS PARABLE, OURLORDJESUS CHRIST

FULFILS THE DIVINE PROPHECY RECORDED IN THE OLD

COVENANTBOOK OFISAIAH: I S A I A H 5 5 : 1 0 1 3 : ... as rain comes down, or

snow from Heaven, and does not returnuntil it saturates the earth, and brings forthand produces, and gives seed to the Sower,and bread for food, so shall My Word be,whatever proceeds from My Mouth. It shallnot return until it accomplishes whatever IWilled, and I shall prosper your ways and

My Commandments... and the Lord shall befor a Name and for an Everlasting Sign, andHe shall not fail.

MY WORD IS THE HOLY GOSPEL OF OUR LORD JESUS

CHRIST, WHICH ACCOMPLISHES GODS DIVINE WILL.Although there are times when the Preaching of the Holy

Gospel seems to bear no Fruit, GOD IS ALWAYS ATWORK whether or not we see visible Results.

While some people might believe that one ispermanently Saved at the very moment oneprofesses Faith in our Lord Jesus Christ adangerous and erroneous belief that is rejected by

Orthodox Teaching CHRISTHIMSELF IS VERY CLEAR

ON THIS SUBJECT for, as He teaches by means of

this significant Parable, IT IS POSSIBLE FOR ONE TO

BELIEVE FOR A WHILE AND THEN FALL AWAY DUE TO

VARIOUS CIRCUMSTANCES AND PERSONAL COMMITMENT

TO GOD.

OUR SPIRITUAL PREPARATION FOR ETERNAL LIFE IN THE

HEAVENLY KINGDOM OF GOD CANNOT BE ACHIEVED

WITHOUT A DETERMINED AND CONSTANT STRUGGLE both physically and spiritually.

WE ARE IN A PERMANENT STATE OF SPIRITUAL WARFAREagainst the evil one and his demons who nevercease their efforts against us to lead us astray andto destroy our Relationships with God and eachother.

THE HOLY MYSTERIES ARE NOT OBSCURE INTELLECTUAL

CONCEPTS OF MANKIND.

THE HOLY MYSTERIES ARE THE VERY PRESENCE OF THE

KINGDOM OFGOD, WHICH CANNOT BE DEFINED.

Ones unwillingness to understand Christs Parables isdue to a rejection of His Eternal Kingdom.

S T J O H N C H R Y S O S T O M commented: If the blindnesswere natural, it would have been proper for God toopen their eyes; butbecause it was a voluntary

and self-chosen blindness, He does notoverthrow their free will... for doing so wouldhave been not only to ... no advantage for them,but an even greater Condemnation...

UNLESS WE AS ORTHODOXCHRISTIANS CONTINUE TO

LEARN ALL THE DIFFERENT FACETS OF OUR BEAUTIFUL

FAITH AND PUT THEM INTO PRACTISE, WE TOO, SHALL

FALL AWAY FROM GODSTRUTH and become ensnaredin the evil ones deadly traps.

If all we had to do was to declare our belief in our Lord

Jesus Christ in order to receive Eternal Life, THEREWOULD BE NO NEED FOR THE HOLYCHURCH WITH ALL

ITS DIVINE MYSTERIES AND DIVINELY INSPIRED,TRUE

TEACHINGS AS WELL AS EVERYTHING ELSE THAT MAKES

UP OURLIFE IN CHRIST WHILE ON EARTH.We could then all simply Repose for there would be no

further purpose for our unique lifespans, which Godgrants each of us, knowing how much time we willneed to achieve our best Spiritual Condition.

IF IT WAS AS EASY AS THAT, DO YOU REALLY THINK THAT OUR

LORDJESUS CHRIST WOULD HAVE OFFERED HIMSELF AS

OUR ULTIMATE BLOOD SACRIFICE OR THAT ALL THE

SAINTS AND HOLY MARTYRS WOULD HAVE SUFFERED

UNNECESSARILY??

If it was as easy as that, OUR LORD JESUS WOULD NOT

HAVE SPENT THE THREE YEARS OFHIS PUBLIC MINISTRY

TRYING TO TEACH US EVERYTHING NECESSARY FOR

ETERNAL LIFE even returning to us in HisResurrected State to show us and to confirm HisTruth - and to give us His Final Commandmentsthat benefit and develop our Immortal Soul.

T h e S o w e r & t h e S e e dIn this Holy Parable of our Lord and Saviour, He created

four human typologies:1. The first type representsTHE CARELESS PERSON.The mystical author and Philosopher, Sir Kierkegaard,

called this type of person the wing man, or thetaster, for they flit from flower to flower, seeking theJoy of earthly life but ending their existence with

broken wings and being trapped in the dust.THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO REJECT GODS WORD AND WHO

ALLOW THEMSELVES TO BE DRAGGED INTO ALL SORTS OF

IDEOLOGICAL,GNOSTIC OR PHILOSOPHICAL IDEAS.

THEY HAVE NO SPIRITUAL FOUNDATION OR STABILITY and

they become buried under all the wrong teachings of

this world buried under the rubble of a collapsedwall on which is written all the false ideas of thepresent and the past.

LET US BE ATTENTIVE AND CONSIDER WHETHER WE ARE LIKE

THE EARTH UPON WHICH THE SEED FALLS YET PRODUCES

NO FRUIT.2. The second category is represented by those who

hear the Word of God, who receive it with Joy, yetAT THE SLIGHTEST HINT OF DIFFICULTY, ADVERSITY

OR TROUBLE, THEY ABANDON THEIR EFFORTS.

It takes one small mishap or disaster to occur orperhaps a greater or lesser degree of discrimination



S U N D A Y A F T E R P E N T E C O S T 4T H

O F S T L U K E T H E S O W E R & T H E S E E D 1 4 O C T O B E R 2 0 1 2 11.

or persecution, which is often very subtle andinsidious for them to GIVE UP THE STRUGGLE.

Contemporary discrimination and persecution mighteven possibly be, in many aspects, worse than theblatant dangers of Communism, for then we all knewwho was committing wickedness and who was doingGood Deeds.

NOW IT IS OFTEN DIFFICULT TO DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN

GOOD AND EVIL BECAUSE EVERYTHING HAS ITS GREY

AREAS THAT ARE NOT VERY CLEARLY DEFINED.

We identify with those who hear the Word of God, whoreceive it and who are Joyful until they are struckdown by tribulation - like the burning heat of thesun, which dries out the soil of their soul, and causesthe Divine Seed to perish.

During the religious persecution of the Communist era,those who were patriots had separated easily fromthe traitors.

Some had failed, some had compromised or committedevil deeds, while others had suffered, and if they hadnot been arrested, they silently resistedunderground constantly praising Almighty God forhelping them in such troubled times.

I often wondered HOW MANY PEOPLE REFUSED TO

COMPROMISE THEIRFAITH and I was deeply moved tosee how the Faithful Orthodox Christians raised their

arms to God, exclaiming aloud: Lord, have Mercy!while I read the Prayers for Forgiveness andmentioned every name so that our Lord God mighthear their Prayers and send them His Great Mercy.

I was impressed by such profound, unwavering Faith, the

like of which I have never seen in the West SUCH

SPONTANEOUS MANIFESTATIONS OF THE SOUL CRYING

OUT TO GOD.

Yet I was even more troubled when I saw that MANYPEOPLE HAD A DUAL PERSONALITY: in Church theybehaved as Faithful Christians, lighting candles,making the Sign of the Cross, and attending part ofor even the entire Holy Service.

BUT AFTER THEY DEPARTED FROM CHURCH, THEY BECAME

LIKE BEASTS: brother rose against brother, fightingfor a piece of land or certain possessions...

They deceived and hurt each other in many ways.SUCH PEOPLE SEEM TO HAVE A DUAL OR SPLIT SPIRIT.In Communism, that kind of duality was very different.

Many people listened to the Voice of Europe, andwent to Church, but in public they would declare thatthey did not believe and praised Ceausescu [PRESIDENTOF SERBIA] and other powerful Communist Partymembers.

Such behaviour was perpetuated for a very long time.

However,A NEW FORM OF DUALITY HAS DEVELOPED, WHICH

IS MORE DANGEROUS THAN BEFORE, BECAUSE PEOPLE

NO LONGER FEARGOD OR THE ETERNAL CONSEQUENCES

OF THEIR BEHAVIOUR.

Now, under the pressure of modernity, or under theinfluence of many erroneous theories or simplybecause it is convenient, PEOPLE DARE TO DENYGOD AND AS A RESULT THEY PRODUCE NO ETERNAL

SPIRITUAL FRUIT AT ALL.

LET US VERY CAREFULLY AND HONESTLY REFLECT WHETHER

OR NOT WE FALL INTO THIS TRAGIC CATEGORY orwhether we did so long ago.

3. A third category of people are THOSE WHO AREDOMINATED BY THEIR PASSIONS: fornication,drunkenness, greed, etc all those passions thatchoke our heart and soul with sinful, noxiousweeds, thorns and brambles.

And even if the Word of God touches us even if we turnback to Him with Love OUR PASSIONS, WHICH WE

HAVE INDULGED FOR SUCH A LONG TIME, HAVE BECOME

STRONGER THAN OUR OWN FREE WILL AND THEY ENSLAVE

AND DOMINATE US.

THIS IS DIRECTLY CAUSED BY EITHER NON-REPENTANCE OR

IF OURREPENTANCE-CONFESSION IS INSINCERE AND IS

NOT WELL-INTENTIONED.When our Repentance-Confession is merely a moment in

the Presence of God - WITHOUT US IMMERSING ORINVOLVING OUR HEART AND SOUL IN THE HOLYMYSTERY

WE DO NOT FULLY OR WORTHILY ACCEPT THE HEALING

SOURCE FOR OUR AILING SOUL because - although wemay have opened ourselves a little for a moment -

WE QUICKLY FORGET EVERYTHING AND RETURN TO OUR

SINFUL HABITS.

OUR UNREPENTED PASSIONS FLARE UP WITHIN US, STRONGER

THAN THE CALL TO CHRIST AND THEVIRTUES THATGOD

SOWS WITHIN OUR HEART AND SOUL.Consequently, we do not bring forth any Fruit and

WITHOUT FRUIT WE ARE DESTINED FOR ETERNAL

PUNISHMENT.Let us contemplate in what Spiritual State we are and

LET US MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO RECTIFY IT HERE AND

NOW!4. The fourth category of people are THOSE WHO

CERTAINLY HEAR THE WORD OF GOD AND WHO

CEASELESSLY MAKE EVERY EFFORT IN THEIR

SPIRITUAL STRUGGLES BY SERVING THE LORD OURGOD WITHJOY.

Such Faithful Disciples of Christ nurture their SpiritualSoil, so as TO UNDERSTAND AND COMMIT THEMSELVESTO THE WORD OFGOD.

THEY ATTEND ALL HOLYSERVICES AND PARTAKE REGULARLY

IN ALL THE NECESSARYHOLYMYSTERIES REPENTING,

CONFESSING AND COMMUNING WHILE ENDEAVOURING

ALWAYS TO DO GOOd to those around them, andbecoming True Lights in the sin-darkened world.

SOME PEOPLE MAYSTRUGGLE LESS THAN OTHERS FORGOD

HAS GRANTED EVERYONE SPECIFICTALENTS: to someHe has bestowed only one Talent, while on others Hehas bestowed more.

EVERYONE HAS RECEIVED SOMETHING SPECIAL FROM GODand EACH OF US MUST BRING FORTH FOR GOD A GIFT

THAT IS AT THE VERY LEAST - EQUAL TO THE DIVINE

GIFTS WE HAVE RECEIVED FROM HIM.No matter how much or how little God has bestowed

upon us, we must NURTURE IT AND INCREASE IT forthose who bear Fruit in this manner, have truly heardthe Word of God and are indeed Fruitful.

Finally: our Lord Jesus Christ commanded us: He who

has ears to hear let him hear!We must look around us and within ourselves, and

SINCERELY SEE WHAT AND WHERE WE ARE.If we have good intentions and we do not deceive

ourselves or others, we acknowledge exactly wherewe stand.

Then truly and joyfully, as our Saviour has said, we willbe among those who have properly heard and

understood His Divine Truth!And, STRIVING IN ALL ASPECTS TO ACHIEVE THE HOLY

VIRTUES OF WHICH OURLORD HAS TAUGHT US, WE WILL

BEGIN TO SERVE GOD WHOLE-HEARTEDLY AND

COMPLETELY and thus motivated, we will bring forthSacred, Eternal Fruit and even though it may seemsmall, we will constantly and faithfully make everyeffort for it!

ADAPTED & EDITED BY MP: TO SERVE CHRIST MEANS SUFFERING BY FATHER

GEORGE CALCIUHTTP://ORTHODOXWORD.WORDPRESS.COM/2010/10/20/THE-PARABLE-OF-THE-

SOWER-AND-THE-FOUR-HUMAN-TYPOLOGIES-BY-FR-GEORGE-CALCIU/

F a t h e r S e r a p h i m R o s e - L i v i n g t h e O r t h o d o x W o r l d V i e w P a r t 2Anyone who looks at our contemporary life from the

perspective of the normal life lived by people in earlier

times such as Russia, America or any West Europeancountry in the 19th century cannot help but be struckby the fact ofHOWABNORMAL LIFE HAS BECOME TODAY.

THE WHOLE CONCEPT OF AUTHORITY AND OBEDIENCE, OF

DECENCY AND POLITENESS, HAVE BEEN TURNED UPSIDE

DOWN except in a few isolated groups of people

usually Christians who try to preserve the so-calledold fashioned way of life.

OUR ABNORMAL LIFE TODAY CAN BE CHARACTERISED AS

SPOILEDANDPAMPERED.From infancy, todays children are treated, in general, like

little princes or princesses by the family: every whim,every demand, every desire is fulfilled.



S U N D A Y AP 4T H

O F S T L U K E T H E S O W E R & T H E S E E D 1 4 O C T O B E R 2 0 1 2

Children are surrounded by a vast variety of toys,amusements and indulgent comforts.

THEY ARE NEITHER TRAINED NOR DISCIPLINED - NOR ARE THEY

TAUGHT ANYCHRISTIAN PRINCIPLES ORVIRTUES BEING

LEFT TO DEVELOP WHICHEVER WAY THEIR SELFISH

DESIRES DRIVE THEM.

When they demand or refuse anything - I want...!Giveme...! or I wont..! THEIR EVER OBLIGING PARENTS

IGNORE THE RUDE, DEMANDING BEHAVIOUR AND OBEY THE

WILL OF THEIR CHILDREN ENABLING AND INCREASING

THEIR SELF-GRATIFICATION, SELF-INDULGENCE AND

SELFISH ARROGANCE.

Perhaps this does not happen all the time in every family,but IT HAPPENS OFTEN ENOUGH TO BE THE RULE OF

CONTEMPORARY CHILD-REARING, and even the best-intentioned parents do not entirely escape itsinfluence.

Even if parents try to raise their children strictly, theirneighbours are doing something else, so they takethat into consideration when disciplining theirchildren.

WHEN SUCH SPOILT CHILDREN BECOME ADULTS, THEY

NATURALLY SURROUND THEMSELVES WITH THE SAME KIND

OF THINGS THAT THEY WERE USED TO IN THEIR

CHILDHOOD: self-indulgent comforts, amusements,

and adult toys.

LIFE BECOMES A CONSTANT QUEST FOR FUN, which, by theway, is a word totally unheard of in any othervocabulary and certainly in 19th century Russiapeople would not have understood at all what thatword meant, nor would any other ethnic groups!

LIFE IS A CONSTANT SEARCH FORFUN, WHICH IS SO EMPTY OF

ANY SERIOUS MEANING especially popular televisionprogrammes, amusement parks and arcades,advertisements, movies, music... almost every aspectof our popular culture.

WE ARE FAST BECOMING A RACE OF MINDLESS HUMAN BEINGS

WHO ARE LOSING ALL CONTACT WITH NORMAL, HEALTHY

REALITY.

However, WE SELDOM THINK ABOUT OUR CONTEMPORARY

HUMAN CONDITION simply because we are living in such

an undisciplined, self-gratifying and indulgent society,

which we merely take for granted.Certain observers of contemporary society regard the

young people of today as being the ME GENERATION

and this era being THE AGE OF NARCISSISM,

characterised byA WORSHIP OF AND FASCINATION WITH

ONESELF THAT PREVENTS NORMAL LIFE FROM DEVELOPING

PROPERLY.

Others speak of THE PLASTIC UNIVERSE OR FANTASY

WORLD in which so many people exist today UNABLE

TO FACE OR TO COME TO TERMS WITH THE REALITY OF THE

WORLD AROUND THEM OR THE PROBLEMS WITHIN

THEMSELVES.

WHEN THE ME GENERATION TURNS TO RELIGION which

has been happening very frequently in the past severaldecades IS IT USUALLY TO A PLASTIC OR FANTASY

FORM OF RELIGION a religion of self-developmentwhere THE SELF REMAINS THE OBJECT OF WORSHIP, of

brain-washing and mind-control, of deified gurusand swamis, of a pursuit of UFOs and extra-terrestrialbeings, of abnormal spiritual states and emotions.

We will not go into all these manifestation, which areprobably familiar enough to most of us, except todiscuss later how these touch on the OrthodoxChristian Life.

It is important for us to realise, as we try to lead aChristian Life, thatTHE WORLD THAT HAS BEEN FORMEDBY OUR PAMPERED TIMES, MAKES DEMANDS ON OUR SOUL

whether in religion or in secular life, which are

totalitarian.This is easy enough to see in the mind-bending cults that

have received so much publicity in recent years, andwhich demand total allegiance to a self-made holyman.

But it is just as evident in secular life, where WE ARE

CONFRONTED NOT JUST BY AN INDIVIDUAL TEMPTATION

HERE OR THERE, BUT BY A CONSTANT STATE OF

TEMPTATION THAT ATTACKS US - in the background

music heard everywhere, in the public advertisementsand billboards, in the rock music, and IN THE HOME

ITSELF WHERE TELEVISION - AND/OR THE INTERNET - IS

THE SECRET RULER OF THE HOUSEHOLD, DICTATING

MODERN VALUES, OPINION, AND TASTES.

YOUNG, INEXPERIENCED AND IMMATURE PEOPLE EVEN VERY

YOUNG CHILDREN ARE SUBTLY BUT PROFOUNDLYAFFECTED AND SUBJECTIVE TO EVERYTHING THEY

EXPERIENCE THROUGH THE TELEVISION AND THE

INTERNET.

THE CONSTANT BOMBARDMENT OF THESE UNIVERSAL

TEMPTATIONS THAT ATTACK US ALL THESE DAYS IS QUITE

EVIDENT IN ITS SECULAR FORM, BUT IS USUALLY MORE

HIDDEN IN ITS RELIGIOUS FORMS is ... live for now...enjoy yourself... relax... be comfortable... dowhatever you want...

BEHIND SUCH SELF-INDULGENT MESSAGES ARE OTHER, MORE

SINISTER UNDERTONES, which were openly expressed in

atheist countries that were ahead of the free world inthis respect.

In our world today THERE ARE EVEN MORE MENACING

VARIETIES OF TEMPTATIONS THAT ATTACK OUR SOUL: ...

forget about God and any other life but the present...abandon the Fear of God and reverence for HolyThings... those who believe in God are oldfashioned... there is no God...

ANY OF THE HUGE, POPULARAMUSEMENTPARKS,ARCADES OR

CASINOS ARE SYMBOLIC OF OUR NEVER ENDING PURSUIT OF

CAREFREE, FUN-LOVING, SELF-WORSHIPPING

ENTERTAINMENT AND DISTRACTIONS - and we should

realise that behind their glittery facades and brightlights, there lurk other things that are considerablemore ominous that point in the direction towardswhich the Me Generation is really heading: theSpiritual Gulag the terrible Concentration-DeathCamps that already imprison so much of the worldspopulation!!

ADAPTED & EDITED BY MP:

HTTP://WWW.PRAVOSLAVIE.RU/ENGLISH/7361.HTM

T h e E t e r n a l , I n s p i r e d W i s d o m o f o u r H o l y C h u r c h F a t h e r sSome Monks went to see Abba Lucios and they said to

him: We do not work with our hands; we obey StPauls Commandment and pray without ceasing.

The Old Man said: Do you not eat or sleep? They said:Yes, we do. He said: Who prays for you while youare asleep? Forgive me, Brothers, but you do notpractice what you claim. I will show you how Ipray without ceasing, although I work with myhands.

With Gods Help, I collect a few palm leaves and sitdown and weave them, saying: Have mercy on me,O God, after Thy Great Goodness. According to the

multitude of Thy Mercies do away with myoffences.

Is this Prayer or not? the Elder asked them. Yes, itis, they replied.

Then he continued: When I have worked and prayed inmy heart all day, I make about sixteen pence. Twoof these I put outside my door and with the rest Ibuy food. And he who finds the two coins outsidethe door prays for me while I eat and sleep.

And so, by the Grace of God, I pray without ceasing.

HTTP://WWW.COPTIC.NET/ARTICLES/PARADISEOFDESERTFATHERS.TXT


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A r c h d i o c e s e o f G o o d H o p e All Glory, Honour and Worship to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and forever, andunto the Ages of ages. Amen.

Rem em bering also our Mos t Ho ly , Most Pure , Mos t Blesse d and Glor io us La dy , Mar ia , Theo toko s, ye tEver Virgin, together with all the Saints. And let us commit ourselves and one another and our whole Lifeto Christ our God. Amen.

20 t h S u nd a y A f t er P e n te c o st T o n e 3 2 1 O c t o b e r 2 0 1 2

6t h

S u n d a y o f S t L u k e T h e G a d a r e n e D e m o n i a cFeast of St Hilarion the Great of Palestine St Christodoulos of Patmos St Theodotis & St Socrates

St Hilarion of Meglin, Bulgaria, Translation of Holy Relics St Hilarion the Schemamonk of Kiev Caves

Monastery St Hilarion the Abbot of Gdov & Pskov Lake - St Theophilos & St James, Ascetics of

Omutch, Pskov St Dasios, St Gaios & St Zotikos of Nicomedia St Philotheos of Dionysiou

Monastery, Mount Athos - St Bessarion Sarai the Confessor of Romania St Sophronios the

Confessor of Ciorara, Romania St Oprea of Salistie, Romania St Hilarion of Kiev St Moses & St

John, Hieromartyrs of Bucharest

R e s u r r e c t i o n A p o l y t i k i o n ---- TONE 3

Evfrenestho ta Ourania, agaliastho ta epigia, oti epiiseKratos en Vrahioni Aftou O Kyrios. Epatise toThanato ton Thanaton.Prototokos ton nekronegeneto. Ek kilias Adou errisato imas ke pareshe tokosmo to Mega Eleos.

Let the Heavens rejoice and let the earth be glad, for theLord has shown Strength with His Arm; He hastrampled down Death by Death; He has become theFirst-born of the dead; from the womb of Hades Hehas delivered us, and to the world He has grantedGreat Mercy.

F e s t a l A p o l y t i k i o n S t H i l a r i o n t h e G r e a t o f P a l e s t i n e TON E (8 ) PL A G A L 4

Tes ton dakrion Sou roes, tis erimou to AgononEgeorgisas, ke tis ek vathou stenagmis, is ekatontous ponous ekarpoforisas. Ke gegonas Fostir, ti

Ikoumeni Lampon tis Thavmasin, HILARINOS Patirimon Osie. Presveve Hristo to Theo, Sothine taspsihas imon.

With rivers of Thy tears Thou made the desert bloom;and with Thy sighs from deep within; Thou made ThyLabours bear Fruits a hundredfold; and Thou becamea Star, illuminating the world by Thy Miracles, O

HILARION our devout Father: Intercede with Christ ourGod for the Salvation of our souls.


Prostasiaton Hristianon akateskhinte, mesitia pros tonPiitin ametathete, mi Paridis, amartolon deiseonfonas, alla profthason os agathi, is tin voithian imon,ton pistos kravgazonton Si: Tahinon is presvian, kespefson is ikesian, i prostatevousa ai, Theotoke, ton

Timonton Se.

OProtector of the Christians Unashamable, Mediator tothe Creator Immovable, despise not, the pleadingvoices of those in sin, but hasten O Good One, to theAid of all of us, who in Faith cry out to Thee: speed upThine Intercession, and present Thy Supplication, O

Theotokos who always protects all those who honourThee!

R e s u r r e c t i o n G o s p e l 9 J o h n 2 0 : 1 9 3 1Our Resurrected Lord Jesus Christ Bestows His Authority to Forgive upon His Holy Apostles


TTTThe Lord is my Strength and my Glory!

TTTThe Lord has punished me severely but he has not delivered me to Death!

T h e E p i s t l e o f S t P a u l t o t h e G a l a t i a n s 1 : 1 1 1 9S t P a u l s D i v i n e C a l l i n g t o G o d s S e r v i c e

Brethren: I make known to you that the Gospel that is preached by me is not according to mankind, for I neitherreceived it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the Revelation of Jesus Christ.

For you have heard of my former conduct in Judaism how I persecuted the Church of God beyond measure and tried todestroy It. And I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries in my own nation, being exceedingly

more zealous for the Traditions of my Fathers.Yet, when it pleased God, Who separated me from my mothers womb, and Called me through His Grace, to reveal His

Son in me, so that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not go up to Jerusalem to those who were Apostlesbefore me; but I went to Arabia, and returned again to Damascus.

Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas, and remained with him fifteen days. But I saw none of theother Apostles except James, the Lords Brother.

THE TRUE GOSPEL OF CHRIST IS TAUGHT BY HIS TRUE

APOSTLES and although many have declaredthemselves to His Apostles, we can differentiate HisTrue Apostles from those who are false:

TRUEAPOSTLES ARE CALLED BYGOD. TRUEAPOSTLES LEARN THE HOLYGOSPEL OFCHRIST BY

DIVINE REVELATION either directly from our LordJesus Christ as did His original Apostles, or fromHim after His Resurrection, as did St Paul, or bymeans of the Revelation of the True and FaithfulApostolic Tradition THROUGH THE INSPIRATION ANDUNDERSTANDING OFGOD THE HOLYSPIRIT.

TRUEAPOSTLES ARE CALLED TO HOLYSERVICE BYDIVINEGRACE not according to their works, abilities orproper credential or backgrounds.

TRUE APOSTLES ALWAYS BRING GLORY, HONOUR ANDWORSHIP EXCLUSIVELY TOALMIGHTYGOD never tothemselves!

TRUEAPOSTLES FORM ONE HOLYCHURCH GOVERNMENTholding the exact same Doctrine and Working byagreement reached in the Holy Church Councils.

TRUE APOSTLES ALWAYS STAND FIRM IN MATTERS OFCONSCIENCE yet are correctable when mistaken similar to when St Paul rebuked St Peter for hishypocritical ethnic elitism. (GALATIANS 2 : 11 14)

APOSTOLICTRADITION IS FIRMLY ROOTED IN THE DIVINEREVELATION OF OURLORDJESUS CHRISTWho taught

His Holy Apostles and Disciples directly andpersonally. And these Holy Men and Women

CAREFULLY PRESERVED HIS TEACHINGS AND

COMMANDMENTS AND PASSED THEM DOWN TO THE


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FOLLOWING GENERATIONS UNALTERED AND

CORRECT.Just as Christs Twelve Apostles were Called by our Lord

Jesus Himself, so was STPAUL who WAS CALLED ANDTAUGHT BY OURRESURRECTED LORDJESUS.

Just as His Twelve Apostles RECEIVED HIS HOLY GOSPEL

DIRECTLY FROM OURLORD, so did St Paul. (ACTS 9: 3 6 & 26:13 18)

Just as the Twelve Apostles STOOD TOGETHER AS ONE HOLY

CHURCH, so too did St Paul enter their UNITY IN

CONSENSUS AND MUTUAL SUBMISSION.

PEOPLE ARE CALLED BY GOD not according to theirformer conduct, good or bad, but BYHIS DIVINE

GRACE.STPAUL, whom God Called in His Great Mercy, RECEIVED

DIVINE GRACE THROUGH ST ANANIAS AND THE

SANCTIFIED WATER OFHOLYBAPTISM.(ACTS 9: 10 19)St Pauls expression ... separated me from my mothers

womb... was not a reference to his physical birth but

rather to GODS CALLING HIM TO APOSTOLIC MINISTRY

EVEN BEFORE HE WAS BORN. (PSALM 138:15-16 ISAIAH 49:1 -JEREMIAH 1:5 LUKE 1:35, 43-44 & 48)

As with St Paul, GODS INTENTIONS AND PURPOSE FOR US MAY

LIE HIDDEN FOR MANY YEARS BEFORE WE RECEIVE OUR

CALLING, WHICH WILL CHANGE OUR LIVES COMPLETELYfor

the better but only if we heed the Call and humblyobey our Lord by fulfilling whatever is required of usfor His Glory, Honour and Worship.

As a True Apostle of Christ, STPAUL SUBMITTED HIMSELF TO

THE HOLY CHURCH AND HERAPOSTLES rather thanelevating himself.

St Paul knew that his Encounter with Christ, his DivineInstruction in His Holy Gospel and His Call to

Apostleship were highly unusual, yet he knew HE

TAUGHT, BY DIVINE GRACE, THE EXACT SAME HOLY

GOSPEL AS THE OTHERHOLYAPOSTLES OFCHRIST.

IN ANY PRIVATE REVELATION AND CALLING, THE ONLY OTHER

WITNESS IS GOD HIMSELF, AND THE TRUTH OF OUR

CALLING IS EVIDENT FROM THE MANNER WE LABOUR inGods Spiritual Vineyard, striving to plant good andfertile Seeds of Divine Truth for a rich and abundantSpiritual Harvest.

T h e H o l y G o s p e l A c c o r d i n g t o S t L u k e 8 : 2 7 3 9T h e G a d a r e n e D e m o n i a c

At that time, when our Lord Jesus stepped out on the land, a certain man from the city, who had demons for a long time,met Him. And he wore no clothes, nor did he live in a house but in the tombs. And when he saw Jesus he cried out,fell down before Him and with a loud voice said: What have I to do with Thee, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? Ibeg Thee do not torment me! For Jesus had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man because ithad often seized him and he was kept under guard, bound with chains and shackles; and he broke the bonds andwas driven by the demon into the wilderness.

Jesus asked him, saying: What is your name? And he replied: Legion, because many demons had entered him.And they begged Him not to command them to go out into the Abyss.

Now a herd of many swine was feeding there on the mountain. So they begged Him to permit them to enter them. AndHe permitted them. Then the demons went out of the man and entered the swine - and the herd ran violently downthe steep place into the lake and drowned.

When those who fed them saw what had happened, they fled, and went and told those who lived in the city and thecountry. And they went out to see what had happened, and went to Jesus, and found the man from whom thedemons had departed, sitting at the Feet of Jesus clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid.

Those also who had witnessed it told them by what means he who had been demon-possessed was Healed and thewhole multitude of the surrounding region of the Gadarenes asked Jesus to depart from them, for they were seizedwith great fear. And He got into the boat and returned.

Now the man from whom the demons had departed had begged Jesus to allow him to remain with Him, but He sent him

away, saying: Return to your own house, and tell what Great Things God has done for you. And the manwent his way and proclaimed throughout the whole city what Great Things Jesus had done for him.

The Gadarene or Gergesene Demoniac is the sameperson - the region was known by slightly differentlynames by St Matthew, a Palestinian, and St Luke, aSyrian.

THE DEMONS IMMEDIATELY RECOGNISE OUR LORD JESUS AS

THE SON OF GOD because EVEN SATAN AND HIS EVILSERVANTS KNOW AND ACKNOWLEDGE ALMIGHTY GOD, Whoin His Great Mercy has allowed them to continue their

wicked, destructive TEMPTATIONS of mankind, which

ONLY MAKE US SPIRITUALLY STRONGER AND DRAW US

CLOSER TO GOD, ESPECIALLY IN ADVERSITY.

THE EVIL ONES MAY TEMPT US GREATLYand drag us into the

lowest pits of degradation and sin, BUT THEY HAVE NO

POWER TO ACTUALLY KILL US, for ONLYGOD MAY PERMIT

OUR FALLING INTO A STATE OF DEATH WHETHER

PHYSICAL DEATH ORSPIRITUAL DEATH.

DEMONS KNOW THEY HAVE A LIMITED TIME AMONGST US, but

when God Wills, THEY WILL BE EXILED TO THE GREAT,

DARK AND TERRIFYINGABYSS TOTAL EXILE FROM GOD

AND ALL HIS GOODNESS.

As soon as they saw our Lord Jesus Christ, they thought itwas THE EIGHTH DAY THE DAY OF FINAL JUDGEMENT

AND THE BEGINNING OFETERNITY.

THEY ONLY HAVE LIMITED KNOWLEDGE like us and they wereshocked and horrified to see Him, but as soon as theyrealised they still had time to do their dirty deedsamong mankind, they besought Him to enter theforbidden herds of swine.

Although their malice and destruction can be devastating,

DEMONS CAN DO NOTHING AT ALL AGAINST THE DIVINEWILL OFGOD, which is evident from the fact thatTHEY

HAD TO BEG CHRISTS PERMISSION TO ENTER THE POOR

ANIMALS.

THE IMMEDIATE CONSEQUENCE WAS COMPLETE DESTRUCTION

of the wretched, crazed herds that stampeded down

the steep incline, fell over the high cliffs and wereeither dashed to death on the rocks below or drowned a most dramatic and terrifying sight to all witnesses.

This shows us how the poor demon-possessed man hadbeen protected by God - because GOD ALWAYS

PROTECTS US HUMAN BEINGS AGAINST THE DESTRUCTIVE

FORCES OF EVIL.The obliteration of the huge herds of swine reinforced the

unlawfulness of Hebrews who owned those forbiddenanimals and clearly demonstrates THE

INCOMPARABLE VALUE OF HUMAN BEINGS, WHOSE ETERNAL

SALVATION IS WORTH EVERY SACRIFICE.Although some may believe that the presence of the herds

of swine indicated a Gentile population in that region,

it is unlikely since OUR LORD FORBADE HIS DISCIPLES

AND APOSTLES TO ASSOCIATE WITH THE GENTILES (the

pagan non-Hebrews) and HE HIMSELF WAS RELUCTANTTO HAVE ANY DEALINGS WITH THEM, ESPECIALLY AT THAT

STAGE OF HIS PUBLIC MINISTRY, which was initially therenewal of the Faith of the Hebrew nation restoringand gathering the Lost Sheep of God.

Many Gentiles lived in the region and the mixedpopulation was not considered a genuine Hebrewregion, even through many had converted to Judaismduring the Maccabean period.

Many of the local Hebrews had been influenced by theHellenic culture and its pagan customs so they weregenerally regarded as second-class citizens by theJudean Hebrews.

In conclusion: the annihilation of the entire herd of swinerevealed several important aspects:1.While animals are a venerable part of Creation,

MANKIND IS OF FAR GREATER VALUE


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2. CHRIST REMOVES A SOURCE OF SIN such as theswine herding that was an abomination to theHebrews. (DEUTERONOMY 14:8)

3.DEMONS HAVE NO POWER OVERCREATION, but likeall Creation, are subject to the Divine Will ofAlmighty God.

4.PEOPLE ARE PROTECTED UNDER THE DIVINEPROVIDENCE AND GREAT MERCY OF GOd otherwise the demon-possessed man wouldhave been killed like the swine.

5.THE MAGNITUDE OF THE ECONOMIC LOSS TO THELOCAL GADARENES WOULD REMAIN AS ASIGNAND

DIVINE ADMONITION for the hard-hearted and

Spiritually Stubborn people who fled thatregion, having witnessed the terrifying Event.

GOD NEVER FORCES HIMSELF ON ANYONE and since theterrified Gadarenes asked Him to leave themalone, without delay our Lord Jesus Christ returnedto Capernaum from whence He had come.

GOD IS ALWAYS PRESENT WITH US BUT IF WE KEEP ONREJECTING HIM OR IGNORING HIM, HE WILL SOON

DISTANCE HIMSELF FROM US UNTIL WE EXPERIENCE

THE UNBEARABLE DESOLATION THAT WE SUFFER

WITHOUTGODS GRACE!

GOD NEVER DESERTS US yet WE ABANDON AND REJECTHIM WITH EACH SIN WE COMMIT!

T h e H e a l i n g o f t h e G a d a r e n e D e m o n i a cIn todays Sacred Lesson concerning the Gadarene

Demoniac, WE ARE OFTEN DISTRACTED BY CERTAINELEMENTS THAT ARE SO UNLIKE OUR NORMAL, EVERYDAY

CIRCUMSTANCES.We are presented with a wild, violent and frightening

account of the kind of demonic possession thatHollywood likes to depict.

It involved a wretched, naked man, who hid himself in agraveyard amongst the tombs - terrifying the localpopulation because not even shackles and chainscould control him.

Then our wonderful Saviour the greatest of all Heroes

arrived and set him free by exorcising the demons thatpossessed his body and soul.

Meanwhile, the legion of demons, being permitted by ourLord, took possession of the herds of grazing swine forbidden herds for the Hebrews which instantlycaused a frantic, terrified stampede over the high cliffs,onto the rocks and into the sea below!

However, let us contemplate the basic but commonelement of this significant Event THE ELEMENT OF

FEAR.Of all the different aspects from which to choose, most of

us relate to that of fear.

EVERYONE, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF OURLORDJESUS CHRIST,

WAS AFRAIDOF THINGS BEYOND THEIR UNDERSTANDING OR

CONTROL.

THE WRETCHED DEMONIAC WAS CONSUMED AND GOVERNED BY

HIS OWN TERROR WHILE THE LOCAL POPULATION WERE

FRIGHTENED BEYOND MEASURE BY SUCH AGGRESSIVE,

UNCONTROLLABLE BEHAVIOUR.Even after the Demoniac had been healed and restored to

good health able once again to interact in society as

a normal human being THE GADARENES REMAINEDFEARFUL AND DISTRUSTFUL.

FEAR HAD DRIVEN THE DEMONIAC TO ISOLATE HIMSELF IN A

PLACE THAT CONSISTENTLY INVOKES SUPERSTITIOUS FEAR

in so many people who do not realise thatA CEMETERYIS APLACE OF REST a peaceful, quiet place where

our beloved family and friends repose sleep - untilthe General Resurrection!

THE LEGION OF DEMONS who had taken control of the

Gadarene mans entire body and mind, had USED HIM

TO TERRORISE THE PEOPLE AND TO INCREASE AND DEEPENTHEIR SUPERSTITIONS AND INHERENT, YET IRRATIONAL

PHOBIAS.The atmosphere of terror was a focus of life in Gadara and

EVERYONE KNEW AND NO DOUBT, EMBELLISHED ALL

THE HORROR STORIES concerning the Demoniac.Parents probably used such stories to scare their children

into obedience since fear is a powerful incentive andmotivator.

FEAR IS SOMETHING WITH WHICH WE ARE ALL FAMILIAR TO A

GREATER OR LESSER DEGREE.Since 11 September 2001 - the mind-numbing

devastation of the Twin Towers of New York - mostUSA citizens have lived in fear of more terroristatrocities being committed in their formerly perceivedsafe country.

Their national discourse seems to revolve almost entirelyaround fear.

What a terrible way to live!

Throughout the world, WE ALL FEAR SOMETHING : POVERTY,

STARVATION, CANCER AND ALL OTHER DEBILITATING

ILLNESSES, CRIMINAL ACTS, VIOLENCE INSIDE AND

OUTSIDE OUR HOMES... the list of fears is endless andever increasing.

SLOWLY BUT SURELY, WE ALL BECOME PARANOID THROUGH

OUR PERSONAL FEARS WHETHER REAL OR IMAGINED IF

WE ALLOW THEM TO OVERWHELM OR DOMINATE US.

WE EVEN FEAR THETRUTH AND HONEST

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2012 - OCTOBER - SACRED LESSONS