The Loving Father

Just as a father who loves his children makes his sons dine with him but when he sees they are conducting themselves carelessly with regard to their lessons and distracting themselves with unprofitable matters, expels them from his table and orders his servants not to give them any food, in order to teach them not to be scornful and careless. So does our good Master and God dispose Himself for the sake of those who are His servant and by virtue of His grace and love for mankind, His sons. 

He gives them Himself, "the bread which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world" (John 6:33), and they are nourished continually to satiety from Him and with Him, and through participation are transformed into life everlasting and are sanctified in body and soul. But when they neglect the commandments and by free exercise of their will, conduct themselves scornfully or slothful, and busy themselves with some worldly affair, inclining thus toward what is unsuitable and not proper to piety, then the Nourisher of all deprives them of Himself. 

When they have come to an awareness of that good of which they have been deprived, have turned around immediately, sought it out continually, and not having found it, beat their breasts, weep and mourn for themselves, lay on themselves every kind of suffering, long for every sort of distress, trial and dishonor, in order that their loving Father might see their sorrows, their voluntary woe, and taking pity on them, turn about and give Himself to them once again. Which indeed He does. 

So they are restored to their former condition and glory, with yet greater assurance and the same delight in the good things "which eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man conceived." (1Cor 2:9) They revere their Father more than before, and tremble before Him as Master, lest through inattentiveness they be implicated in the same evils as before and so be cast away from Him. 

St. Symeon The New Theologian 

Jonah The Prophet

The history of Jonah contains a great mystery. For it seems that the fish signifies Time, ‎which never stands still, but is always going on, and consumes the things which are made by long ‎and shorter intervals.

But Jonah, who fled from the presence of God, is himself the first man who, having ‎transgressed the law, fled from being seen naked of immortality, having lost through sin his ‎confidence in the Deity.
 

The ship in which he embarked, and which was tempest-tossed, is this brief and hard life ‎in the present time. Just as though we had turned and removed from that blessed and secure life, ‎to that which was most tempestuous and unstable, as from solid land to a ship. For what a ship is ‎to the land, that our present life is to eternal life.
 

The storm and the tempests which beat against us are the temptations of this life, ‎which in the world, as in a tempestuous sea, do not permit us to have a fair voyage free from ‎pain, in a calm sea, and one which is free from evils. ‎



The casting of Jonah from the ship into the sea, signifies the fall of the first man from ‎life to death, who received that sentence because, through having sinned, he fell from ‎righteousness: “You are dust, and unto dust you shall return.”
 

His being swallowed by the whale signifies our inevitable removal by time. For the belly ‎in which Jonah, when he was swallowed, was concealed, is the all-receiving earth, which ‎receives all things which are consumed by time.
 

As Jonah spent three days and nights in the belly of the fish and was delivered up ‎sound again, all of us who have passed through the three stages of our present life on earth—the ‎beginning, middle, and end— rise again. For our present time consists of three intervals: the past, ‎the future, and the present. Thus, the Lord spent three days in the earth as a symbol to teach us ‎clearly that our resurrection shall take place after these intervals of time have been fulfilled. Our ‎resurrection shall be the beginning of the future age and the end of this. In that age, there is ‎neither past nor future, but only the present.
 

Moreover, Jonah having spent three days and three nights in the belly of the fish, was ‎not destroyed by his flesh being dissolved, as is the case with that natural decomposition which ‎takes place in the belly, in the case of those meats which enter into it, on account of the greater ‎heat in the liquids, that it might be shown that these bodies of ours may remain undestroyed. For ‎consider that God had images of Himself made as of gold, that is of a purer spiritual substance, ‎as the angels; and others of clay or brass, as ourselves. He united the soul which was made in ‎the image of God to that which was earthy. As, then, we must here honor all the images of a king, ‎on account of the form which is in them, so also it is incredible that we who are the images of God ‎should be altogether destroyed as being without honor. Whence also the Word descended into ‎our world, and was incarnate of our body, in order that, having fashioned it to a more divine ‎image, He might raise it incorrupt, although it had been dissolved by time. And, indeed, when we ‎trace out the dispensation which was figuratively set forth by the prophet, we shall find the whole ‎discourse visibly extending to this.‎

St. Methodius

6 - HUMILITY IN Daily Life

If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar:
for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen,
how can he love God whom he hath not seen?

 And this commandment have we from him,
That he who loveth God love his brother also.

1 John 4:20-21

What a solemn thought, that our love to God will be measured by our everyday fellowship with men and the love it displays; and that our love to God will be found to be a delusion, except its truth is proved in standing the test of daily life with our fellowmen. It is even so with our humility. It is easy to think we humble ourselves before God: humility towards men will be the only sufficient proof that our humility before God is real; that humility has taken up its abode in us; and become our very nature; that we actually, like Christ, have made ourselves "of no reputation" (Phil. 2:7). When in the presence of God lowliness of heart has become, not a posture we pray to Him, but the very spirit of our life, it will manifest itself in all our bearing towards our brethren.

The lesson is one of deep importance. The only humility that is really ours is not that which we try to show before God in prayer, but that which we carry with us, and carry out, in our ordinary conduct. The insignificances of daily life are the importances and the tests of eternity, because they prove what really is the spirit that possesses us. It is in our most unguarded moments that we really show and see what we are. To know the humble man, to know how the humble man behaves, you must follow him in the common course of daily life.

Humility before God is proved humility before men

Is not this what Jesus taught? It was when the disciples disputed who should be greatest; when He saw how the Pharisees loved the chief place at feasts and the chief seats in the synagogues; when He had given them the example of washing their feet, that He taught His lessons of humility. Humility before God is nothing if not proved in humility before men.

It is even so in the teaching of Paul. To the Romans He writes: "In honor preferring one another" (Rom 12:10); "Set not your mind on high things, but condescend to those that are lowly".  "Be not wise in your own conceit."  To the Corinthians: "Love," and there is no love without humility as its root, "vaunts not itself, is not puffed up, seeks not its own, is not provoked." (1Cor. 13:4-5) To the Galatians: "Through love be servants one of another" (Gal. 5:13), "Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another." To the Ephesians, immediately after the three wonderful chapters on the heavenly life: "Therefore…walk… with all lowliness and meekness, with long-suffering, forbearing one another in love" (Eph. 4:1-2); and "Giving thanks always…submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of Christ." (Eph. 5:20-21). To the Philippians: "Doing nothing through faction or vainglory, but in lowliness of mind, each counting other better than himself" (Phil. 2:3). Have the mind in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, and humbled Himself." And to the Colossians: "Put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, long-suffering, forbearing one another, and forgiving each other, even as the Lord forgave you." (Col. 3:12-13)

 

It is in our relationship to one another, in our treatment of one another, that the true lowliness of mind and the humility of heart are to be seen. Our humility before God has no value, but as it prepares us to reveal the humility of Jesus to our fellow-men. Let us study humility in daily life in the light of these words.

The humble man seeks at all times to act up to the rule, "In honor preferring one another; Serve one of another; esteem others better than oneself;  submit yourselves one to another." It is often asked, how we can we count others better than ourselves, when we see that they are far below us in wisdom and in holiness, in natural gifts, or in grace received? The question proves at once how little we understand what real lowliness of mind. True humility comes when, in the light of God, we have seen ourselves to be nothing, have consented to part with and cast away self, to let God be all. The soul that has done this, and can say, "I have I lost myself in finding You," no longer compares itself with others. It has given up forever every thought of self in God's presence. It meets its fellowman as one who is nothing, and seeks nothing for itself. It is a soul that serves God, and for His sake a serves all. A faithful servant may be wiser than the master, and yet retain the true spirit and posture of the servant.

The humble man looks on every child of God as the son of a king

The humble man looks upon every child of God, even the feeblest and unworthiest, and honors him and prefers him in honor as the son of a King. The spirit of Him who washed the disciples' feet, makes it a joy to us to be indeed the least, to be servants one of another.

The humble man feels no jealousy or envy. He can praise God when others are preferred and blessed before him. He can bear to hear others praised and himself forgotten, because in God's presence he has learnt to say with Paul, "I am nothing." (2 Cor. 12:11). He has received the spirit of Jesus, who pleased not Himself, and sought not His own honor, as the spirit of his life.

Amid what are considered the temptations to impatience and touchiness, to hard thoughts and sharp words, which come from the failings and sins of fellow Christians, the humble man carries the often repeated injunction in his heart, and shows it in his life, "Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, even as Christ forgave you." (Col. 3:13).  He has learnt that in putting on the Lord Jesus he has put on the heart of compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and long-suffering. Jesus has taken the place of self, and it is not an impossibility to forgive as Jesus forgave. His humility does not consist merely in thoughts or words of self-depreciation, but as Paul puts it, in "a heart of humility," encompassed by compassion and kindness, meekness and long-suffering, the sweet and lowly gentleness recognized as the mark of the Lamb of God.

In striving after the higher experiences of the Christian life, the believer is often in danger of aiming at and rejoicing in what one might be called the more human virtues. Such verities are boldness, joy, contempt of the world, zeal, self-sacrifice, even the old Stoics taught and practised these. Meanwhile, the deeper and gentler, the diviner and more heavenly graces are scarcely thought of or valued. These verities are those that Jesus first taught upon earth (because He brought them from heaven) those which are more distinctly connected with His cross and the death of self, poverty of spirit, meekness, humility, lowliness. Therefore, let us put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, long-suffering Let us prove our Christlikeness, not only in our zeal for saving the lost, but in our conduct with all our fellowmen, bearing  with and forgiving one another, even as the Lord forgave us. (Col. 3:12-13)

Fellow Christians, let us study the Biblical portrait of the humble man.  And let us ask our brethren, and ask the world, whether they recognize in us the likeness to the original. Let us be content with nothing less than taking each of these Scripture verses as the promise of what God will work in us. Let us take them as the revelation in words of what the Spirit of Jesus will give as a birth within us.  And let each failure and shortcoming simply urge us to turn humbly and meekly to the meek and lowly Lamb of God. Have full assurance that where He is enthroned in the heart, His humility and gentleness will be one of the streams of living water that flow from within us.

“I knew Jesus, and He was very precious to my soul: but I found something in me that would not keep sweet and patient and kind. I did what I could to keep it down, but it was there. I besought Jesus to do something for me, and when I gave Him my will, He came to my heart, and took out all that would not be sweet, all that would not be kind, all that would not be patient, and then He shut the door.”
George Foxe

Once again I repeat what I have said before. I feel deeply that we have very little conception of what the Church suffers from the lack of this divine humility, the nothingness that makes room for God to prove His power. It has not been long since a Christian, of a humble, loving spirit, acquainted with many mission stations of various societies, expressed his deep sorrow that in some cases the spirit of love and forbearance was sadly lacking. Men and women,  brought close together with others of uncongenial minds, find it hard to bear, and to love, and to "keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." (Eph. 4:3)  And those who should have been fellow-helpers of each other's joy, became a hindrance and a weariness. And all for the one reason, the lack of humility which counts itself nothing, which rejoices in becoming and being counted the least, and only seeks, like Jesus, to be the servant, the helper and comforter of others, even the lowest and unworthiest.

And what is the reason that men who have joyfully given up themselves up for Christ find it so hard to give themselves up for their brethren? Is the church not to blame? It has so little taught its members that the humility of Christ is the first of the virtues, the best of all the graces and powers of the Spirit. The church not preached humility as needed and possible not placed it first as Christ did. But let us not be discouraged. Let the discovery of the lack of this grace stir us to larger expectation from God. Let us look upon every brother who tries or vexes us, as God's means of grace, God's instrument for our purification, for our exercise of the humility that Jesus, our Life, breathes within us. And let us have such faith in the all of God, and the nothing of self, so that we may, in God's power, only seek to serve one another in love.

Humility - Andrew Murray

2 - HUMILITY: THE SECRET OF REDEMPTION

2 - HUMILITY:
THE SECRET OF REDEMPTION  

"Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who… made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and took upon him he form of a servant ….. He humbled Himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.  Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him."
Philippians 2:5-9

No tree can grow except on the root from which it sprang. Through all its existence it can only live with the life that was in the seed that gave it being. The full apprehension of this truth in its application to the first and the Second Adam cannot but help us greatly to understand both the need and the nature of the redemption there is in Jesus. 

The Need for Redemption

When the old Serpent, he who had been cast out from heaven for his pride, whose whole nature as devil was pride, spoke his words of temptation into the ear of Eve, these words carried with them the very poison of hell. And when she listened, and yielded her desire and her will to the prospect of being as God, knowing good and evil, the poison entered into her soul and blood and life, destroying forever that blessed humility and dependence upon God which would have been our everlasting happiness. And instead of this, her life and the life of the race that sprang from her became corrupted to its very root with that most terrible of all sins and all curses, the poison of Satan's own pride. All the wretchedness of which this world has been the scene, all its wars and bloodshed among the nations, all its selfishness and suffering, all its ambitions and jealousies, all its broken hearts and embittered lives, with all its daily unhappiness, have their origin in what this cursed, hellish pride, either our own, or that of others, has brought us. It is pride that made redemption needful; it is from our pride we need above everything to be redeemed. And our insight into the need of redemption will largely depend upon our knowledge of the terrible nature of the power that has entered our being. 

No tree can grow except on the root from which it sprang. The power that Satan brought from hell, and cast into man's life, is working daily, hourly, with mighty power throughout the world. Men suffer from it; they fear and fight and flee it; and yet they know not whence it comes, whence it has its terrible supremacy. No wonder they do not know where or how it is to be overcome. Pride has its root and strength in a terrible spiritual power, outside of us as well as within us; as needful as it is that we confess and deplore it as our very own, is to know it in its Satanic origin. If this leads us to utter despair of ever conquering or casting it out, it will lead us all the sooner to that supernatural power in which alone our deliverance is to be found - the redemption of the Lamb of God. The hopeless struggle against the workings of self and pride within us may indeed become still more hopeless as we think of the power of darkness behind it all; the utter despair will fit us the better for realizing and accepting a power and a life outside of ourselves too, even the humility of heaven as brought down and brought nigh by the Lamb of God, to cast out Satan and his pride. 

No tree can grow except on the root from which it sprang. Even as we need to look to the first Adam and his fall to know the power of the sin within us, we need to know well the Second Adam and His power to give within us a life of humility as real and abiding and overmastering as has been that of pride. We have our life from and in Christ, as truly, yea more truly, than from and in Adam. We are to walk "rooted in Him," "holding fast the Head from whom the whole body increaseth with the increase of God." The life of God which in the incarnation entered human nature, is the root in which we are to stand and grow; it is the same almighty power that worked there, and thence onward to the resurrection, which works daily in us. Our one need is to study and know and trust the life that has been revealed in Christ as the life that is now ours, and waits for our consent to gain possession and mastery of our whole being.

In this view it is of inconceivable importance that we should have right thoughts of what Christ is, of what really constitutes Him the Christ, and specially of what may be counted His chief characteristic, the root and essence of all His character as our Redeemer.There can be but one answer: it is His humility. What is the incarnation but His heavenly humility, His emptying Himself and becoming man? What is His life on earth but humility; His taking the form of a servant? And what is His atonement but humility? "He humbled Himself and became obedient unto death." And what is His ascension and His glory, but humility exalted to the throne and crowned with glory? "He humbled Himself, therefore God highly exalted Him." In heaven, where He was with the Father, in His birth, in His life, in His death, in His sitting on the throne, it is all, it is nothing but humility. Christ is the humility of God embodied in human nature; the Eternal Love humbling itself, clothing itself in the garb of meekness and gentleness, to win and serve and save us. As the love and condescension of God makes Him the benefactor and helper and servant of all, so Jesus of necessity was the Incarnate Humility. And so He is still in the midst of the throne, the meek and lowly Lamb of God.

If this be the root of the tree, its nature must be seen in every branch and leaf and fruit. If humility be the first, the all-including grace of the life of Jesus,- if humility be the secret of His atonement,-then the health and strength of our spiritual life will entirely depend upon our putting this grace first too, and making humility the chief thing we admire in Him, the chief thing we ask of Him, the one thing for. which we sacrifice all else. 1-See Note "B" end of chapter.

Is it any wonder that the Christian life is so often feeble and fruitless, when the very root of the Christ life is neglected, is unknown? Is it any wonder that the joy of salvation is so little felt, when that in which Christ found it and brings it, is so little sought? Until a humility which will rest in nothing less than the end and death of self; which gives up all the honor of men as Jesus did, to seek the honor that comes from God alone; which absolutely makes and counts itself nothing, that God may be all, that the Lord alone may be exalted,-until such a humility be what we seek in Christ above our chief joy, and welcome at any price, there is very little hope of a religion that will conquer the world. 

I cannot too earnestly plead with my reader, if possibly his attention has never yet been specially directed to the want there is of humility within him or around him, to pause and ask whether he sees much of the spirit of the meek and lowly Lamb of God in those who are called by His name. Let him consider how all want of love, all indifference to the needs, the feelings, the weakness of others; all sharp and hasty judgments and utterances, so often excused under the plea of being outright and honest; all manifestations of temper and touchiness and irritation; all feelings of bitterness and estrangement,have their root in nothing but pride, that ever seeks itself, and his eyes will be opened to see how a dark, shall I not say a devilish pride, creeps in almost everywhere, the assemblies of the saints not excepted. Let him begin to ask what would be the effect, if in himself and around him, if towards fellow-saints and the world, believers were really permanently guided by the humility of Jesus; and let him say if the cry of our whole heart, night and day, ought not to be, Oh for the humility of Jesus in myself and all around me! Let him honestly fix his heart on his own lack of the humility which has been revealed in the likeness of Christ's life, and in the whole character of His redemption, and he will begin to feel as if he had never yet really known what Christ and His salvation is.

Believer! study the humility of Jesus. This is the secret, the hidden root of thy redemption. Sink down into it deeper day by day. Believe with thy whole heart that this Christ, whom God has given thee, even as His divine humility wrought the work for thee, will enter in to dwell and work within thee too, and make thee what the Father would have thee be.

Note B.-

"We need to know two things:
1. That our salvation consists wholly in being saved from ourselves, or that which we are by nature;
2. That in the whole nature of things nothing could be this salvation or savior to us but such a humility of God as is beyond all expression.

Hence the first unalterable term of the Savior to fallen man: Except a man denies himself, he cannot be My disciple. Self is the whole evil of fallen nature; self-denial is our capacity of being saved; humility is our savior ... Self is the root, the branches, the tree, of all the evil of our fallen state. All the evils of fallen angels and men have their birth in the pride of self. On the other hand, all the virtues of the heavenly life are the virtues of humility. It is humility alone that makes the unpassable gulf between heaven and hell. What is then, or in what lies, the great struggle for eternal life? It all lies in the strife between pride and humility: pride and humility are the two master powers, the two kingdoms in strife for the eternal possession of man. There never was, nor ever will be, but one humility, and that is the one humility of Christ. Pride and self have the all of man, till man has his all from Christ. He therefore only fights the good fight whose strife is that the self-idolatrous nature which he hath from Adam may be brought to death by the supernatural humility of Christ brought to life in him." 

Humility - Andrew Murray

Your Cross

For God so loved the world that He gave his one and only Son, 

that whoever believes in Him shall not 

perish but have eternal life.
John 3:16

Pick up your cross no matter how difficult it may seem.  Rely on God to help you so that you do not try to carry your cross alone. Each time you ask for assistance, believe that God hears your prayers. Believe that God is with you and that you never have to carry your cross alone. Believe and turn to Him and trust in His love and mercy. Ask for guidance in everything that you do. Ask and I promise you, peace and joy will be given, given to you.

Do not wait until your cross becomes too heavy, turn to Jesus now. Rely on God each new day so you have joy no matter what you must go through. God will be by your side if you trust in His love for you

God said, do not try to carry your burdens alone. Have hope and place all your trust and confidence in my Son, Jesus. Surrender your lives completely to Him. Surrender all you have with your heart, to His Will, in prayer. Through prayer and complete trust in God, your lives will surely change.

Those who trust will be able to accept whatever cross God allows. They will have peace in their hearts through all trials and tribulation. They will know how to survive when their material possessions are taken away.

God will not abandon those who trust. God will comfort and console those children who have complete trust in Him.

God will carry your cross however heavy it is.

God have sacrificed His only son on the cross to save you from your sins because He loves you. God has promised those who trust and believe in Him to be saved and will be granted eternal life.

6th Sunday - Sunday of The Joy of Spiritual Asking

CHRIST is Risen - Truly He is Risen   
Khristós Anésti! Alithós Anésti!


 Sundays of the Holy Fifties 

Meditation on Church reading during the Holy Fifties:Reading: 
1 Peter 1:12

The fathers of the church arranged and named Sundays of the Holy Fifties as they did with the Sundays of the Great Fasting.

+  1st Sunday of the Holy Fifty Days  is the Sunday of Faith (Thomas Sunday)  
+  2nd is the Sunday of the Bread of Life.  
+  3rd is the Sunday of the Living water.   
+  4th is the Sunday of the True Light.  
+  5th is the Sunday of the Only Way.  
+  6th is the Sunday of the Joy of Spiritual Asking.  
+  7th is the Sunday the Pentecost. 

6th Sunday - Sunday of The Joy of Spiritual Asking:   
1 Peter 1:12


Our Lord Jesus Christ was crucified for our redemption and to restore our joy, by which we were born to a living hope.  The sanctification of the Spirit that we got as redemption for Christ's sacrifice for us, to be born again by the resurrection from the dead ..  Jesus said: "Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full."  John 16:24  
“These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full." John 15:11 

Our Lord Has given us hope by teaching us to rejoice even in sufferings and tribulation and also through the resurrection. "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead." 1 Peter 1:3 

We are begotten .. again to a living hope in baptism. As Jesus told Nicodemus, we enter the Kingdom of God by being "born of water and spirit." John 3:5 This new birth in baptism unites us with Christ and His Resurrection "Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?" Romans 6:3 

The following verses also confirmed to us this sacramental reality: 

"Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” 

Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."

Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them." 
Acts 2:37, 38, 41 


 Also 


"To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins.”

“Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?”


"And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then they asked him to stay a few days." 
Acts 10:43, 47,48  


"Washing of regeneration" In Titus 3:5, where baptism and God's mercy are coupled. The sacrament of baptism is the power by which we suffer faithfully. Being regenerated, given new life in Christ, we have a hope by which to live. This grace of God sustains us in the trials of life. 

To reach the Joy of blessing of eternal life in Christ, we first experience the sadness of the passing world, along with the afflictions we must face. (James 1:1-12)  To the watching world, the perseverance of the faithful during affliction appears foolish and even contemptible. But having strengthen our faith during or under trial is precious indeed. Bearing more glory and honor as it continues to stand under trial.(Mat 25:31-46 ; 1 Co 3:10-15)

St Peter knew by experience the failure to perceive the truth until he saw it with his own eyes. (Luke 24:8-12 ; Acts 10:39-43)  
This is the faith of baptism and the faith of eternal life. The sufferings of Christ, His Resurrection, Ascension, and Second Coming.  



We must be obedient to Jesus Christ to be able to receive the joy of the new birth and the eternal life with Him. In contrast to the disobedience of the first Adam, the second Adam, Christ, fulfilled the Law completely and performed all righteousness. Through His obedience, corrupt human nature will be transformed into incorrupt human nature.    


Stay on the right path, follow the word of God, to harvest the Joy of the Holy Resurrection: 


In Your presence is fullness of joy; 
At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore. 
Psalm 16:11

Sing, O heavens!
Be joyful, O earth!
And break out in singing, O mountains! 
For the Lord has comforted His people.
Isaiah 49:13

May the Lord Grant us His Divine Peace that we can enjoy the internal peace and the joy that no one can take away from us …. Amen!

The Four Candles

Four candles
slowly burned.

The ambiance was so
soft, one could almost
hear them talking …..


The first candle
said:

"I am PEACE!"

"The world is full of anger
and fighting. Nobody can
keep me lit."

Then the flame of Peace
went out completely.

The second candle
said:

"I am FAITH!"

"I am no longer indispensable. It doesn't
make sense that I stay lit
another moment."

Just then a breeze softly
blew Faith's flame.

Sadly the third candle
began to speak:

"I am LOVE!"

"People don't understand
my importance so they
simply put me aside. They
even forget to love those
who are nearest to them."

And waiting no longer Love's
flame went out.

Suddenly …

a child entered
the room and saw
the three unlit
candles.

"Why aren't you
burning? You're
supposed to stay
lit till the end."

Saying this, the child began to cry.

Then the
fourth
candle
answered:

"Don't be
afraid.

I am HOPE!"

"While I am still burning
we can re-light the other
candles."

With shining
eyes the child
took the
candle of hope
and lit the
other candles.


The Greatest Of These
Is LOVE …

… but the flame of Hope should never
go out of your life!

With hope each of us
can live with Peace,
Faith and Love. 

PRAYER:

"Dear God, You are my light
and my salvation. You are my
hope. Please come into my
heart, forgive all my wrongs
and give me Your wonderful
gift of eternal Life. Help me be
an instrument of Your love and
cause Your light to shine on
others through me.  Amen"

2nd Sunday - Sunday of the Bread of Life

CHRIST is Risen - Truly He is Risen  

Khristós Anésti! Alithós Anésti!


Sundays of the Holy Fifties


Meditation on Church reading during the Holy Fifties:


The fathers of the church arranged and named Sundays of the Holy Fifties as they did with the Sundays of the Great Fasting.


 + 1st Sunday of the Holy Fifty Days  is the Sunday of Faith (Thomas Sunday).
 +  2nd is the Sunday of the Bread of Life.
 +  3rd is the Sunday of the Living water. 
 +  4th is the Sunday of the True Light.
 +  5th is the Sunday of the Only Way.
 +  6th is the Sunday of spiritual asking.
 +  7th is the Sunday the Pentecost.


2nd Sunday - Sunday of The Bread of Life: 
John 6:35-45


Our reward on 2nd Sunday is the Bread of Life
“I am the Bread of Life. He who comes to me shall never hunger.”  John: 6: 35
The Lord Meant His Holy Body that is offered to us at the Altar during the Holy Eucharist. God by His unlimited love sacrifices His Only Begotten Son for our salvation. (John 3:16). Limitless Love    


We live as sojourners on earth hoping to be granted eternal life through the forgiveness of our sins after repenting and confessing. Reading the Words of God guides us to spiritual living on earth. All humans eat material bread, other earthly food like material bread, is the differce between the rich and poor in various countries. The Lord  told us that not by material bread  we live but:
“It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God"' 
(Matthew 4:4 & Deuteronomy 8:3)


“ Lord to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.”  John  6: 68


Material food is for nourishing our bodies. Heavenly food is for nourishing our souls. Many of us spend a lot of time laboring for the material food for ourselves, our kids and our families, while we forget to dedicate a reasonable  part of our time for God.


We must put God first. God is all in all. We must pray continuously.
"Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart." Luke 18:1


God the Creator who made every thing; " All things were made though HIM and without HIM nothing was made that was made."   John.: 1:3
Even when we pray we frequently ask for material things. 


"Jesus answered them and said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you.” John 6: 26-27


The hunger of our souls comes from failure to fulfill God’s Will and to labor for this willingly and joyfully. How much is the world engaged about thinking of hungry bodies?  And what about our hungry souls?
If we sow for  the flesh we reap corruption.  What we feed will grow, so to grow in spirit we must  feed our spirits.


O God help us to follow your commandments and make this our daily bread. Our strength originates from seeking eternal life.
“But He Said to them: I Have food to eat which you don’t know." John 4: 32


O God let  our bodily eyes see your Way and follow the right paths .. Amen!


Have a blessed Holy Fifty days.

The Easter Story

 Christ Is Risen 

Easter celebrates Jesus' resurrection. His cruel death by crucifixion took place at the same time as the Jewish holy celebration of Passover. What they had been symbolizing for over 1000 year with the killing of sacrificial lambs and the passover supper was now happening to the lamb of God.
On that very day and at that very hour when people throughout the land were selecting and slaughtering passover lambs, Jesus was crucified. 

The way Jesus died also fulfilled many other Old Testament prophecies in amazing detail.


Prophecy:

"He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so He opened not His mouth." (Isaiah 53:7)


Fulfillment:


When Jesus stood trial for His life before the governor, Pontius Pilate, Jesus didn't speak in His own defense.  (Matthew 27:12-14)


About 1,000 years before crucifixion became a usual means of execution in the Roman Empire, King David wrote of the Messiah:
"All my bones are out of joint …. They pierced My hands and My feet" (Psalm 22: 14,16)
In death by crucifixion, the weight of the victim's body pulls his arms out of their sockets. Most of the condemned were tied to their crosses, but Jesus was nailed to His -- Through the hands and feet.


It was also customary for the Romans to break the legs of those who had been hanging on their crosses for hours but hadn't died yet. The lack of support for the body caused the windpipe and lungs to collapse, and hastened their deaths. But when the Roman executioners came to do this to Jesus, they found that He was already dead.


Thus another Bible prophecy was fulfilled:
"(God) guards all his bones; Not one of them is broken. (Psalm 34:20)


Instead, just to make sure Jesus was dead, one of the Romans thrust a spear into Jesus' side, piercing His heart. "And immediately blood and water came out"  (John 19:34)
This fulfilled the scripture, "I am poured out like water … My heart has melted within Me" (Psalm 22:14)


One would expect blood to flow from a spear wound, but not water. Where did that come from? Medical science has found that people who die in great anguish of heart often have an accumulation of water around the heart. Jesus died of a broken heart -- for you and me.


Jesus also died feeling like the lost sinner. He went through an experience that, thank God we will never have to go through--not just crucifixion, not just agony of body, but agony of mind and spirit, feeling that God had deserted Him. As He died, "Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, 'Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?' that is, 'My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?'"  (Matthew 27:46)


Had God forsaken Him? Yes, momentarily He had. He had to, that Jesus might die like a sinner dies, without God.
Think of it: Jesus died the death of the unsaved, in agony! God had to temporarily turn His back on His own Son so Jesus might die the death of the sinner, to sacrifice His Son for our sins.


Did God answer Jesus on the cross?
There's no record of an answer. Jesus felt that God had deserted Him at that moment when He needed Him most.


Jesus suffered the spiritual agony of the dying sinner--lost, without salvation, without God, dying for his sins.  Only in Jesus' case He was dying for our sins, the sins of the whole world. He was willing to go through all that so we could be forgiven and have eternal life.
Such Love!

"And they made His grave with the wicked--But with the rich at His death" (Isaiah 53:9)
Jesus was unjustly condemned and crucified between two common criminals. (Matthew 27:38)
Yet after His death, a rich man who was among Jesus' followers, Joseph of Arimathea, laid Jesus' body in his own new tomb. (Matthew 27:57-60)


After Jesus' body was laid in the tomb, to make sure His disciples didn't steal His body and claim He had risen from the dead, the tomb was sealed and some Roman soldiers stood guard. (Matthew 27:62-66)    


Three days later, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came at dawn to the tomb, and an angel appeared and rolled the stone away.
When the Roman guards saw the angel, "they shook for fear of him, and became as dead men. "But the angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid. … Jesus is not here; for He is risen, as He said."
And the angel showed the women where Jesus' body had lain. (Matthew 28:1-8).


Jesus had risen from the dead!


Three days after His lifeless body was buried, something happened that shocked His enemies and proved to all of His followers that He really was the Son of God: He arose from the dead, the victor over death and Hell forever!


Come back to God!


All the love of the world from Our Lord!
Have faith, and know for sure that this Man of love, Jesus Christ, really is the Son of God, the way to salvation and eternal life! All you have to do is believe that Jesus died for you, and accept Him and His free gift of forgiveness for your sins.


You can receive Him and His salvation by simply and sincerely praying a prayer like the one which follows:


Dear Jesus, I believe that You died for me and arose from the grave. I need Your love to cleanse me from my mistakes and wrongdoing. I need Your light to drive away all darkness. I need Your peace to fill and satisfy my heart. I now open the door of my heart and I ask You, Jesus, to please come into my life and give me Your free gift of eternal life. Thank You for suffering for all of the wrong I have done, and for hearing my prayer and forgiving me, Amen.
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Happy Easter To All.