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Friday, May 25, 2012

5th Sunday - Sunday of The Only Way



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.

5th Sunday - Sunday of The Only Way: 
John 14: 1-11


Jesus is the only way, the only path to lead us to the Father, and He is the only true source of eternal life. The way we reach the Father is forever established in the person and work of the Son. The Son is the truth because He is the unique revelation of the Father. Christ is the life who became Man so we might have life, and as He is our life, not even death can hinder us from coming to Him. Only in Christ can one come to know the Father, for only in Christ is the way of all truth and all life found.
“I am the Way, the Truth and the Life.  No one comes to the Father except through  Me.”  John 14:6

The Lord Reassured us to trust and believe in Him.  He did not want us to be troubled in any way.  He promised us abundance of living accommodations around a central courtyard.  "Mansions" multitude of  blessings that await those who enter the Kingdom of God.
In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.  John 14: 2

To be deserving of those mansions, we must follow The Way. We have to follow in the correct path by loving God with all our hearts, praying, repenting and following Our Lord's Commandments.
‘You shall not murder,’ ‘You shall not commit adultery,’ ‘You shall not steal,’ ‘You shall not bear false witness’. ‘Honor your father and your mother’, and, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’   Matthew 19: 18-19

We must also cry with King David to our Lord for support and guidance: “Cause me to know the Way in which I should walk, For I lift up my soul to You.”   Psalm 143: 8  
“But teach us The Way of God in Truth.”   Luke 20: 21
“This man has been instructed in the Way of the Lord.”  Acts 18:25

John the Baptist was a messenger sent to prepare the Way before the Lord  “ Behold I send My Messenger, And he will prepare the way before me”  Malachi 3: 1 & Matthew 11: 10
“For you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare the Ways.”  Luke  1: 76

In the Holy Liturgy the Priest ask us to lift up our minds and our hearts to the Highest. “But the path of just is like shining sun.”  Proverbs  4: 18 

To reach the way to the Father we must be obedient to the word of God.
“This is the way, walk in it,” Isaiah 30: 21
“The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, And He delights in his way.”  psalm 37: 23
“For the LORD Knows the way of the righteous.”  Psalm  1: 6 

We must seek eternal life, for those who live seeking material things will be away and perish from The Way. "For as heavens are higher than earth, so are My ways higher than your ways”   Isaiah  55: 9

 
O Jesus You are The Only Way to eternal life.  O God we lift up our soul to You. Support us and guide us to know Your Way, that we may know You and that we may find grace in Your sight. Because You said: "No one comes to the Father except through Me."  John 14: 6
“'Show me  now Your way' 'To You O Lord I lift my soul.' 'O Lord; Teach me Your Paths'”
Exodus 33:13 - Psalm 25:1 & 4 
“That where I am, there you may be also.  And where I go you know, and the way you know”  John 14: 3-4

O Jesus , let "the rough ways be smooth" "guide our feet into the way of Peace”   Luke  3: 5 & 1: 79
"Teach me Your way, O Lord,  And lead me in a smooth path," "And lead me in the Way everlasting."  Psalms 27:11 & 139: 24
"For all His Ways are justice."  Deuteronomy 32:4
"His ways are everlasting."  Habakkuk 3:6

O Lord, You are The Way. Because through you we achieved peace and happiness, we gained the knowledge of Your teaching and guidance, through You, God and man are reconciled. Smooth our paths O Lord that we may find grace in Your sight.  Amen!


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