2015 august sacred lessons

8/20/2019 2015 August Sacred Lessons

1/369 T H

S U N D A Y A F T E R P E N T E C O S T – 9 T H O F S T M A T T H E W – W A L K I N G O N W A T E R 2 A U G U S T 2 0 1 5 1

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 aA 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. AmenRemembering also our Most Holy, Most Pure, Most Blessed and Glorious Lady, Mary, Theotokos yet Ever Virgin, together with all the Saints. And let us commit ourselves and one another and our whole Life toChrist our God. Amen.

Tone (8) Plagal 4 2 A u g u s t 2 0 1 5

9th Sunday After Pentecost - 9th Sunday of St Matthew Walking on Water

Also the Feast of St Stephen, Archdeacon & Protomartyr, Translation of Holy Relics from

Jerusalem to Constantinople – St Nikodemos the Righteous – St Gamaliel & St Abibas, his son

– St Basil the Fool for Christ & Wonderworker of Moscow – St Basil of the Saviour-Kamen

Monastery – St Stephen, Archbishop & Pope & the Holy Martyrs of Rome – St Theodoros the

New Martyr of Dardanelles

R E S U R R E C T I O N A P O L Y T I K I O N – T O N E ( 8 ) P L A G A L 4

E x ipsous katilthes O Efsplaghnos, tafin katedexotriimeron, ina imas elevtherosis ton Pathon. I Zoi ke iAnastasis imon, Kyrie, Doxa Si!

Thou descended from on High, O Tender-hearted One;Thou endured the three-days’ burial, so that Thoumight free us from our passions, O our Life and

Resurrection: Glory to Thee! F E S T A L A P O L Y T I K I O N – S T S T E P H E N – T O N E 4

V asilion Diadima, estefthi Si korifi, ex athion on ipeminasiper Hristou tou Theou, Martyron Protoathi Stefane;Si gar tin loudeon, apelengsas manian, ides Sou tonSotira, tou Patros Dexiothen. Afton oun ekdisopi ai,iper ton psihon imon.

With a Royal Diadem, Thy sacred head was Crowned, forthe Struggles Thou endured because of Christ our God,O Stephen, among Martyrs the First Champion; forrefuting the madness of the angry Judeans, Thou

beheld Thy Saviour, at the right hand of the Father.Beseech Him constantly for the souls of us all.

S E A S O N A L K O N T A K I O N - T R A N S F I G U R A T I O N - 2 7 J U L Y U N T I L 1 3 A U G U S T

E pi tou Orous Metemorfothis, ke os ehoroun i Mathite Sou,tin Doxan Sou Hriste O Theos etheasanto. Ina otan Seidosi Stavoumenon, to me Pathos noisosin ekousion tode kosmo kirixosin oti Si iparhis Alithos, tou Patros toApavgasma!

Upon the Mount Thou were Transfigured, and ThyDisciples beheld Thy Glory, as far as they were able todo, O Christ our God; so that when they would seeThee Crucified, they would know that Thou Sufferedwillingly; and thus proclaim to all the world: Thou art

truly the One Who is the Father’s Radiance!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 1O U R R E S U R R E C T E D S A V I OU R B E S T O W S H I S D I V I N E A UT H O R I T Y T O F O R G I V E O N H I S A P O S T L E S

P R O K E I M E N O N – P S A L M 7 5 – T O N E ( 8 ) P L A G A L 4

Vow, and Pray to the Lord your God!

In Judah is God known: His Name is Great in Israel!

T H E F I R S T 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 3 : 9 – 1 7W I S D O M O F T H E A P O S T O L I C M I N I S T R Y

Brethren: we are God’s fellow workers. You are God’s Field - God’s Building. According to the Grace of God, which wasgranted to me, as a Wise Master Builder, I have laid the Foundation, and another builds on it. Let each one take heedhow he builds on it. No other Foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. If anyone buildson this Foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one’s work will become clear. The Daywill declare it, for it will be revealed by Fire. And what sort each one’s work is, the Fire will test. If anyone’s work thathe has built on endures, he will receive a Reward. If anyone’s work is burnt, he will suffer loss, although he himselfwill be Saved - yet so as through Fire.

Do you not know that you are the Temple of God and that the Spirit of dwells in you? If anyone defiles the Temple of God,God will destroy him. The Temple of God is Holy, which Temple you are.

“Fellow workers ” (synergoi ) refers to the Biblical conceptof synergism, shown here by the way THE H OLY

A POSTLES OF C HRIST WORKED TOGETHER WITH G OD BYCARRYING OUT AND FULFILLING H IS D IVINE M INISTRY ONE ARTH .

So, too,– as God’s ‘fellow workers’ – do WE CO - OPERATE WITHH IM TO FULFIL H IS D IVINE W ILL FOR THE BENEFIT OF OURE TERNAL S ALVATION .

T HIS H OLY S YNERGY OR C O - OPERATION WITH G OD DOES NOT MEANTHAT WE ARE CO - EQUALS WITH A LMIGHTY G OD . Neither is ita 50-50 arrangement.

Holy Synergy means that G OD IS OUR LORD AND WE ARE H ISF AITHFUL SERVANTS who are C ALLED BY H IM TO PARTICIPATEWITH H UMILITY AND O BEDIENCE IN H IS H OLY W ORK .

St Paul reminds us that OUR PHYSICAL BODY IS A H OLY T EMPLEOF G OD and when we are IN A STATE OF S PIRITUAL LIFE , THE H OLY S PIRIT – INDEED , THE H OLY T RINITY – DWELLS WITHINUS AND ACTS FROM WITHIN US .

O UR ENTIRE LIFE IS SPENT S ANCTIFYING OUR BODY AND SOUL through the partaking of the Holy Mysteries of God.

Therefore, OUR BODY IS AS H OLY AND S ACRED AS OUR I MMORTALSOUL.

A S LIVING H OLY T EMPLES OF G OD , IT IS IMPERATIVE TO TREAT OURBODY – AND THE BODY OF OTHERS – WITH ABSOLUTE RESPECT AS A S ACRED – S ANCTIFIED - V ESSEL OF G OD .

T HE HUMAN BODY is to be honoured and nurtured carefullyFOR IT ACTUALLY BELONGS TO G OD Who has “lent” it to us inorder TO ACCOMMODATE OUR IMMORTAL SOUL.

We are created with BODY AND SOUL – and since the body iscomplicated while the soul is very simple – the two

WORK TOGETHER TO ACHIEVE GOOD PHYSICAL AND S PIRITUALP ROGRESS in this lifespan - and especially for later - forEternity.

O UR I MMORTAL SOUL IS BREATHED INTO EACH OF US BY G OD THELIFE - GIVING H OLY S PIRIT SO IT IS NATURAL TO YEARN FOR G OD AND ALL H IS G OODNESS – AND TO KNOW GOOD FROM EVIL.

A T THE SEPARATION OF BODY AND SOUL, THE TWO ELEMENTS ARERETURNED TO THEIR ORIGINAL PLACES – the body to the

earth and the soul to Eternity – resting until theGeneral Resurrection and our Final Judgement when we will receive either Eternal Life or Eternal Death(Eternal Exile and Alienation from God and all HisGoodness.)


2/362. 9 T H

S U N D A Y A F T E R P E N T E C O S T – 9 T H O F S T M A T T H E W – W A L K I N G O N W A T E R 2 A U G U S T 2 0 1 5

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 M A T T H E W 1 4 : 2 2 - 3 4W A L K I N G O N W A T E R

At that time, our Lord Jesus made His Disciples get into the boat, and go before Him to the other side, while He sent themultitudes away. And when He had sent them away, He went up the mountain by Himself to pray. When evening came,He was alone there.

The boat was then in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves. The wind was contrary. In the Fourth Watch of the nightJesus went to them – walking on the sea. And when His Disciples saw Him walking on the water, they were troubled,and said: “It is a phantom!” And they cried out in fear. Immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying: “Be of good cheer! Itis I – do not fear!” Peter answered Him, saying: “Lord, if it is Thee, command me to come to Thee on the water.” Hesaid: “Come!” And when Peter got down out of the boat, he walked upon the water and went towards Jesus.

Seeing the strength of the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink, he cried out: “Lord! Save me!” Immediately Jesusstretched out His Hand and caught him, and He said to him: “O thee of little Faith! Why did thou doubt?”

And when they got into the boat, the wind ceasedThose who were in the boat went and worshipped Him, saying: “Truly! Thou art the Son of God!”And when they had crossed over, they arrived at the land of Gennesaret.

Having fed and Healed the bodies and souls of the 5000

FAMILIES who had followed our Lord Jesus Christ and

His Disciples into the wilderness, Christ first dismissed

His Disciples and then the great multitude before

going up the mountain in total isolation to

communicate through Prayer with God His Father.

Several hours later, when the Disciples were in the

middle of the Lake – “... In the Fourth Watch of the

night...” - OUR LORD WENT TO THEM BY WALKING ON THE

WATER – something that was quite natural for Him but

terrifying to behold for His Disciples who immediately

perceived Him to be a ghost or phantom.

W ITH H IS W ORDS OF C OMFORT , H E CALMED THEM down but S TP ETER , as impulsive as usual, ASKED OUR LORD J ESUS TO

PROVE IT IS INDEED H IM BY MAKING IT POSSIBLE FOR HIM TO

ALSO WALK UPON THE WATER .

W ITH ONE D IVINE W ORD : “C OME !” C HRIST ALLOWS S T P ETER TO DO

THE NORMALLY IMPOSSIBLE – to walk on water – and AS

LONG AS S T P ETER IS FOCUSSED ON OUR LORD , HE WAS INDEED

ABLE TO DO SO !

Our Holy Church Fathers believe that S T P ETER ’ S INITIAL

STRENGTH OF F AITH ALLOWED HIM TO WALK ON THE WATER .

Furthermore, S T P ETER DID NOT ASK C HRIST TO MAKE HIM WALK

ON WATER , BUT RATHER TO BE WITH H IM FOR HIS YEARNING WAS

not to perform any Miracle but rather TO BE JOYFULLY

REUNITED WITH C HRIST .

Thus S T P ETER WAS ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE D IVINE M IRACLE

OF C HRIST AS LONG AS HE FOCUSED EXCLUSIVELY ON H IM .

However, THE INSTANT S T P ETER TOOK HIS ATTENTION OFFC HRIST AND FOCUSED ON THE SURROUNDING CONDITIONS , HELOST F AITH AND BEGAN TO SINK .

“Lord! Save me!” I S THE MOST POWERFUL P RAYER that has

been repeated countless times throughout the

centuries.

The Greek term for “doubt ” in this context means “to

waver ” or “to hesitate .”

Thus, THE ACTUAL CAUSE OF S T P ETER ’ S SINKING WAS not due to

the stormy conditions, but rather DUE TO HIS SUDDEN

DOUBT , WAVERING OR HESITATION , which then caused

Christ to rebuke St Peter rather than the wind and

waves.

“ And immediately Jesus stretched out His Hand and

caught him...” Whenever WE BESEECH G OD TO S AVE US OR

TO HAVE M ERCY ON US OR OUR WEAK HUMAN CONDITION , H E

IMMEDIATELY RESPONDS .

N OT ONE WORD OF OUR P RAYERS GO UNHEARD BY G OD but WE

MUST ACCEPT WITH ALL DUE H UMILITY AND O BEDIENCE THAT

EVERYTHING IS ACCORDING TO THE W ILL OF G OD AND

ACCORDING TO H IS D IVINE , UNIQUE P LAN OR P URPOSE FOR

EACH US !

O NLY G OD HAS D OMINION OVER ALL C REATION .

Consequently THESE D IVINE M IRACLES CERTAINLY CONFIRM THE

D IVINITY OF OUR LORD AND S AVIOUR , J ESUS C HRIST .

The imagery of C HRIST AND H IS D ISCIPLES IN A BOAT ON THE

STORM - TOSSED WAVES DEPICTS H IS H OLY C HURCH , WHICH IS

STEERED BY G OD AND FILLED WITH H IS F AITHFUL D ISCIPLES , AND CARRIED SAFELY OVER THE TURMOIL AND TROUBLES OF

EARTHLY LIFE , TOWARDS THE SAFETY OF H IS E TERNAL H ARBOUR

– H IS H EAVENLY K INGDOM .

G OD PERMITS US TO EXPERIENCE THE STORMY , LIFE - THREATENING

CONDITION OF EARTHLY LIFE SO THAT WE MAY ALSO

UNDERSTAND AND APPRECIATE H IS D IVINE P ROVIDENCE AND

P ROTECTION , WITHOUT WHICH WE WOULD NEVER BE ABLE TO

SURVIVE OR PROGRESS .

When Christ rebukes the stormy conditions that threaten

life and limb, it also illustrate His Compassion for His

most beloved creatures – mankind – for H E ALONE CAN ALSO CALM THE STORMY , THREATENING TEMPESTS OF OUR

IMMORTAL SOUL.

This is the second time that our Lord permitted His

Disciples to be caught in a storm at sea.

During the first terrifying storm at sea, He was with thembut in this instance, they were on their own.

In this manner, C HRIST STRENGTHENED THEIR F AITH IN H IS

E TERNAL P RESENCE – H E IS ALWAYS WITH US – even in the

midst of the worst conditions and circumstances of our

earthly life.

“It is I (Am)” – “I Am” IS THE D IVINE N AME OF G OD . Thereby

our Lord Jesus Christ reassured His Disciples of His

Absolute and Divine Authority over life – especially

their lives, as His Faithful Disciples.

T HIS WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT H IS D ISCIPLES CONFESS OUR LORD

AS “S ON OF G OD ” – and knowing that ONLY G OD CAN BE

WORSHIPPED , they confess His Divinity by Worshipping

and Glorifying Him.

9

T H

S U N D A Y A F T E R P E N T E C O S T – 9

T H

O F S T M A T T H E W – W A L K I N G O N W A T E R – F A T H E R P H I L I P L E M A S T E R S W E ARE OFTEN EASILY DISTRACTED FROM WHAT IS REALLY MOSTIMPORTANT IN LIFE . It is so easy to worry obsessivelyabout matters beyond our control and to waste ourattention on fantasies of what the future may hold.

With all the bad news in the world today and our ownpersonal Struggles, WE ARE STRONGLY TEMPTED TO BECOMEOVERWHELMED BY FEAR - and begin to sink into a deep,dark abyss - just like St Peter when he began to sink

beneath the storm-tossed waves.St Peter had been able to miraculously walk upon the waves

towards our Lord Jesus Christ until he was distracted by the stormy conditions that surrounded them.

I NSTEAD OF FOCUSING HIS ATTENTION ON AND TRUST IN OURS AVIOUR , WHICH MAKES ALL THINGS POSSIBLE , S T P ETER LETHIS DOUBTS AND FEARS DOMINATE HIS MIND , WHICH CAUSED

HIM TO SINK , AND SCARED HIM EVEN MORE !He called out in abject terror and immediately our Lord

Jesus reached out and prevented him from drowning.Even more profound, is the fact that S T P ETER HAD ASKED

C HRIST : “Lord, if it is Thee, command me to come toThee on the water .”

As was often the case, S T P ETER SPOKE BEFORE HE THOUGHT -and HIS F AITH WOULD ACTUALLY BE PUT TO THE TEST – ANDFAIL .

We can all relate to St Peter’s situation, for WE HAVE ALLBEEN LIKE HIM AT ONE TIME OR ANOTHER - indeed, we may

be like him this very minute.We like to think that we have a lot of Faith.However, WHEN CONFRONTED BY DIRE SITUATIONS WHICH WILL

TEST OUR F AITH , WE CANNOT KNOW UNTIL THEN WHETHEROUR FEARS , PASSIONS , AND WEAKNESSES WILL OVERWHELMUS , causing us to become distracted by the dangers ordifficulties that threaten us.

I F ONLY WE COULD REMAIN FOCUSSED ON AND ASSURED BY OURL ORD AT ALL TIMES – concentrated and confident in ourFaith in Christ Jesus Who grants us Life and Who

enables us to endure even the most difficult challenges.W HEN CIRCUMSTANCES DISTRACT AND EVEN DEFEAT US -

causing us to lose our focus and Faith - WE IMMEDIATELYBEGIN TO SINK LIKE A HEAVY STONE thrown into the depthsof the sea!

St Paul reminded the Corinthian Christian Community thatOUR ONE T RUE F OUNDATION IS THE E TERNAL , O NLY


3/369 T H

S U N D A Y A F T E R P E N T E C O S T – 9 T H O F S T M A T T H E W – W A L K I N G O N W A T E R 2 A U G U S T 2 0 1 5 3

B EGOTTEN W ORD AND S ON OF G OD – our Lord andSaviour, Jesus Christ.

O UR ENTIRE L IFE IS BUILT ON H IM , by Whom all things werecreated – He Who became the ‘Second Adam’ WhoHeals and Regenerates our corrupt humanity.

Our Lord Jesus Christ conquered Death in His Third-DayResurrection and has brought us into the Eternal Life ofthe Holy Trinity.

W HEN WE TURN AWAY FROM H IM , WE TURN AWAY FROM BEINGTRULY HUMAN - H IS I MAGE AND L IKENESS .

That is why St Peter began to sink into the depths of thesea – from the moment that he was distracted by his

fears rather than being focussed and confident in hisTrust in our Lord.That is also why WE SINK BENEATH THE STORMY WAVES OF OUR

HABITUAL SINS – by SURRENDERING TO OUR PASSIONS THATDISTRACT US FROM G OD .

We may profess with our lips that Jesus Christ is our Lordand Saviour, but OUR WEAK F AITH IS EXPOSED WHEN WE AREINTIMIDATED BY DIFFICULT CHALLENGES OR FRIGHTENING

CIRCUMSTANCE s - when the breaking waves seem so hugeand the wind so strong.

There are many times in life when we really do feel asthough we are trying to walk on tossing waves in themidst of a terrifying storm!!

F EAR , PANIC , AND ANXIETY WILL DESTROY AND OBLITERATE ANYTHOUGHTS OF F AITH , H OPE , AND L OVE FROM MOST PEOPLE .

The key question, however, is what do we do then?

W E HAVE T RUE F REEDOM TO MAKE CHOICES .We are God’s Fellow Workers and He never forces us to

Love or to serve Him.W E YIELD TO TEMPTATIONS AND ALLOW OURSELVES TO BE

CONTROLLED BY SELF - CENTRED DESIRES AND FEARS .D UE TO OUR INHERENT ARROGANCE AND EGOTISM , WE MAY

THINK IT IS ENTIRELY UP TO US TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO COPE

AS BEST AS WE CAN UNDER ALL CIRCUM stances, which mayseem ‘noble.’

However, THAT IS A VERY DANGEROUS DECEPTION THAT LEADSTO OUR ENSLAVEMENT TO SIN , as surely as trying to walkon water by our own power would lead only to ourdrowning!

Despite all our most concerted efforts, WE CANNOT CONQUERSIN AND DEATH BY OURSELVES !

As soon as St Peter realised he was in danger of drowning,

he was terrified and cried out loudly: “Lord! Save me!” By crying out for Christ’s Help, S T P ETER SHOWED THAT HE

DID HAVE A CERTAIN DEGREE OF F AITH , ALTHOUGH IT WASNOT THAT WHICH S AVED HIM , BUT RATHER THE G REATM ERCY OF OUR L ORD .

Exactly like St Peter, we all are in constant need of the GreatMercy and Compassion of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Therefore, we constantly respond to all Petitions,Supplications, Prayers and Hymns with: “Lord, havemercy!” – “Kyrie, eleison!”

It is also why ‘the Jesus Prayer :’ “O Lord Jesus Christ, Sonof God, have Mercy on me, a sinner ,” is at the heart ofSpiritual Vision.

W E INCESSANTLY FOCUS ON OUR L ORD ’ S G REAT M ERCY because,like St Peter, we acknowledge that we are sick and weak

– and thatWE ARE PERPETUALLY BEING TEMPTED TO TURN

OUR ATTENTION AND FOCUS ELSEWHERE - ESPECIALLY ONOURSELVES AND OUR OWN FAULTY DESIRES .

No matter what our personal challenges are and no matterwith what problems we are forced to contend, we muststrive to NEVER BE DISTRACTED FROM OUR CONFIDENCE ANDTRUST IN G OD ’ S I NFINITE M ERCY .

We must never forget that H E ENDURED AND CONQUEREDD EATH AND H ADES FOR OUR E TERNAL S ALVATION .

O UR L OVING S AVIOUR VOLUNTARILY ENTERED OUR CORRUPTAND SCARY WORLD with many wicked, misguided andmerciless people who plotted against Him and wantedto kill Him since His Infancy.

C ONSEQUENTLY , OUR L ORD J ESUS C HRIST IS FAMILIAR WITH – AND HAS HAD TO CONTEND WITH - EVEN THE WORST OF OURPROBLEMS .

I NSTEAD OF ALLOWING FEAR , WORRY AND ANXIETY TO PARALYSEAND DISTRACT US , WE MUST CALL OUT TO C HRIST FOR H ISD IVINE A SSISTANCE - WITH CONFIDENCE AND HOPE , nomatter what the circumstances might be – steadfastly

and unwaveringly focussing our full attention on Himalone!

We must STRIVE DAILY TO NOURISH AND INCREASE IN HUMBLEF AITH .

As we stand before our Holy Icons at home in Daily Prayer,we should beseech God for His Great Mercy for ourloved ones, for all those who suffer persecution andmartyrdom throughout this tragic world, and finally, forourselves as we face innumerable challengesthroughout the hours, days and weeks.

W HENEVER WE ARE TEMPTED by sinful words, deeds, orthoughts, WE MUST BESEECH OUR L ORD J ESUS C HRIST TO

S TRENGTHEN , E NCOURAGE AND P ROTECT US so that we areable to resist the enemy and achieve Spiritual Victoryaccording to His Divine Commandments and Teachings.

W HILE FULFILLING OUR DAILY DUTIES AND ROUTINES , we areable to SIMULTANEOUSLY OFFER MANY SHORT P RAYERS SUCHAS THE ‘J ESUS P RAYER ’ OR THE ‘P RAYER OF THE H EART .’

Of course, it takes much strenuous effort to GUARD OURTHOUGHTS and to PRAY WITH H UMILITY when we are beingtempted and also distracted.

It is so much easier simply to surrender to anger, pride,lust, fear, despair, and hatred than to reject or resistthem.

As ‘...fellow workers with God ...’ WE HAVE TO EXERT OURSELVESTO A GREAT DEGREE IN ORDER TO FULFIL G OD ’ S W ILL , whichwe can never achieve perfectly.

Nevertheless, the more we Struggle – and the more we

might fail – the more aware we will become that we areno different to St Peter.

W ITHOUT D IVINE A SSISTANCE , D IVINE G RACE AND D IVINEM ERCY , WE CANNOT EVEN HOPE TO ‘ WALK ON WATER .’

Even the mundane activities of daily living will distract usand engulf us - until we feel as though we are going to‘sink and drown.’

W ITHOUT OUR P ROVIDENTIAL , B ENEVOLENT L ORD AND S AVIOUR , WE ARE LIKE A BUILDING WITHOUT A FOUNDATION , whichwill collapse under its own weight.

St Paul asks each of us a significant question: “Do you notknow that you are the Temple of God and that theSpirit of God dwells in you?”

A T EMPLE MUST BE H OLY – S ANCTIFIED - AND D EDICATED - C ONSECRATED TO G OD .

For us to be ‘a Temple’ REQUIRES CONSTANT S PIRITUAL

V IGILANCE AND P ERSEVERANCE in order to ground (oranchor) our Life in the Mercy of Christ, for we are sooften tempted to worship false ‘gods’ of our owndevising.

I T IS THUS CRUCIAL TO MAINTAIN A D AILY R ULE OF P RAYER ANDTO PRAY THE J ESUS P RAYER AS OFTEN AS POSSIBLE . For ifwe are not INTENTIONALLY WELCOMING , INVITING , ANDCOOPERATING WITH THE H OLY S PIRIT EVERY MOMENT ofour life, how on Earth do we expect to be able to worthyHoly Temples in the midst of such a corrupt andSpiritually Dark world?

The basic point is very simple: T HE MORE WE TURN OURATTENTION TO C HRIST AND H IS S ALVATION , THE MORELIKELY WE WILL BE ABLE TO ‘ WALK ON WATER ’ WITH H IM during the tempestuous storms of this fallen world.

T HE MORE

S PIRITUALLY

W ATCHFUL WE BECOME

, THE MORE

ALERT WE WILL BE TO OUR OWN THOUGHTS , WORDS ANDDEEDS – and the greater Strength we will have to rejectthe lies that we so often tell ourselves, as well as others– and the excuses we all too often use to justify ourselfish and deceptive words and deeds.

B Y ATTENTIVELY FOCUSSING ON C HRIST , H IS C OMMANDMENTSAND T EACHINGS WE ARE ABLE TO RECEIVE H IS G REAT M ERCY for He is our firm Foundation, our Eternal Saviour, andGlorious Victor over sin and death.

Without our Lord Jesus, we will certainly sink like heavystones, but IN H IM , WE BECOME FELLOW WORKERS WITH G ODFOR OUR S ALVATION .

We cannot prevent threatening, devastating tempests fromraging nor can we calm the wild storm-tossed seas –yetwe can be centred firmly in Christ, and call out to Him

with absolute confidence: “Lord! save me!” May we never be distracted and drowned by any

temptation.

HTTP://WWW.PRAVMIR.COM

S T . M A R K T H E A S C E T I C - O N THE S PIRITUAL L AW : T WO H UNDRED T EXTS Forgetfulness as such has no power, but acquires it in proportion to our negligence.


4/364. 9 T H

S U N D A Y A F T E R P E N T E C O S T – 9 T H O F S T M A T T H E W – W A L K I N G O N W A T E R 2 A U G U S T 2 0 1 5

“ O U R F A T H E R W H O A R T I N H E A V E N , H A L L O W E D B E T H Y N A M E . . . ”

Most Christians recite our Lord's Prayer every day: “OurFather, Who art in Heaven, Hallowed be Thy Name...”

God is All Holy so what are we praying and why did ourLord Jesus Christ teach us to pray in this manner?

S T G REGORY OF N YSSA , in his Commentary on our Lord’sPrayer explained: “ ...If I did not utter these words at all,let us say, would it be possible that God's Name be notHoly? ...God's Name is forever Holy and nothingescapes the Power of God's Rule .

“Rather, He has dominion over all and admits no additionto His Holiness . God absolutely lacks nothing and is

Perfect .“What then does this Prayer intend with the words:‘...Hallowed be Thy Name ...?’

“It must be clear that it is not to proclaim that God is Holy,but to ask for something for our own Salvation.

“How do we make His name ‘Hallowed?’ It can only be byhow we live our lives .

“ If we proclaim to be Christian and are dedicated to servingour Lord God, then we must demonstrate what thismeans through the way we live our daily Life .Otherwise, those who see us will not think very highlyof our God!“

“...those who bear the Name of the Faith, but their way oflife contradicts the Name - whether by lapsing intoidolatry by way of greed, or by behaving unseemlythrough drunkenness and revelry, or by wallowing like

swine in the mire of profligacy - then those who areunbelievers resort to a handy accusation.

“They do not direct their accusation against the freechoice of those who abuse Christian Life by doing evil,but against the Mystery of the Faith itself , as if theFaith positively teaches to do those kinds of things.”

If we want God's Name to be Hallowed – Holy or Sanctified -WE MUST BECOME T RUE D ISCIPLES OF THE D IVINE T RUTHTHAT H E TAUGHT AND LIVED . O THERWISE WE BLASPHEMEH IM .

T HIS PHRASE OF OUR L ORD J ESUS C HRIST ’ S P RAYER STATES THEENTIRE P URPOSE OF OUR SHORT PREPARATORY LIFE BEFOREE TERNITY .

W E ARE TO LIVE IN A SUCH A SPECIFIC MANNER THAT MAKESG OD ' S N AME H ALLOWED .

This is our Purpose - to BECOME U NITED WITH H IM IS SUCH AWAY THAT H IS H OLINESS SHINES THROUGH US .

M ETROPOLITAN H IEROTHEOS (Vlachos) stated: “...ThisPetition shows what the Purpose of mankind is andfor what reason we live.

“ Our Purpose is to be United with God and to becomeHoly ( Sanctified ) according to the Grace and Energy ofGod .

“ God is Holy by Nature and people are [Called] to becomeHoly by Grace .

“In the language of the Fathers of the Church, this is called‘ Deification’ and those who are made Holy by theirparticipation in the Grace of God are called ‘Deified .’

“For one to become Holy - to be Deified - means that allone’s spiritual and bodily faculties are Transfigured - that God is the centre of one’s Life.”

He further explained that OUR INABILITY TO LIVE SUCH A L IFE( IN C HRIST ) LEADS OTHERS TO HAVE NO F AITH OR VERY WEAKF AITH .

If we want to spread His Word to others, then we mustHallow His Name.

I T IS NOT WHAT WE SAY , BUT HOW WE LIVE THAT WILL BRING USS ALVATION BUT ALSO INVITES AND ENCOURAGES OTHERS TOBE U NITED WITH H I M .

“ Because our lives are not consistent with this Petition [inthe Lord’s Prayer] and we do not strive to live accordingto the Will of God, our conduct is anti-Christian.

“We are full of vices and passions, hatreds and animosities,and we commit injustices and slanders. And that is howother people see us and do not believe in God.

“Hence we cause the Name of God to be blasphemed – notHallowed! - among the Nations.”

E VERY TIME WE RECITE THIS PROFOUND P RAYER that our LordJesus Christ instructed all His Faithful Disciples to pray,LET US THINK ABOUT HOW WE H ALLOW H IS A LMIGHTY ANDD IVINE N AME .

We must not take the ‘easy path’ and only think that it

means that God is Holy, but rather, WE MUST CONSIDEREXACTLY WHAT ‘H ALLOWED ’ REQUIRES OF US in our dailyLife in Christ.

We must CONSISTENTLY EXAMINE HOW CLOSELY WE FULFIL OURL OVE OF G OD AND OF OTHERS so that by Hallowing HisDivine Name, WE ENCOURAGE OTHERS TO DO SO AS WELL .

St Gregory of Nyssa concluded his comments: “...When Ipray: ‘...Hallowed be Thy Name...’ the meaning of thesewords apply to me, actualizing God's Blessings :

“ ’Lord, through the cooperation of Thy Help, may Ibecome blameless, just and pious. Abstaining fromevery evil, may I speak the Truth, practisingRighteousness and walking on the Straight Path.

“’May I shine with Prudence, be Adorned withIncorruption, and be Beautified with Wisdom andDiscernment.

“’Overlooking earthly things, may I set my mind on theThings Above and be Radiant with the AngelicManner of Life...’” (COLOSSIANS 3:2)

May we all be granted the Strength and Divine Grace to LIVEA L IFE THAT MAKES H IS N AME H ALLOWED .

H T T P : / / O R T H O D O X W A Y O F L I F E . B L O G S P O T .C O M / 201 4_0 8_0 1

S T T H E O G N O S T O S - O N T H E P RACT ICE OF THE V I R TUES , C O N T E M P LA T I O N & T H E P R I E S T H O O D Do not try to embark on the higher forms of Contemplation

before you have achieved complete Dispassion, and donot pursue what lies as yet beyond your reach.

If your wish is to become a Theologian and aContemplative, Ascend by the Path of Ascetic Practice

and, through Self-Purification acquire what is Pure.Do not pursue Theology beyond the limits of your present

state of development: it is wrong for us who are stilldrinking the milk of the Virtues to attempt to soar tothe Heights of Theology, and if we do so, we will

flounder like fledglings, however great the longingroused within us by the Honey of Spiritual Knowledge.

But, once Purified by Self-restraint and Tears, we will belifted up from the Earth like Elijah or Habakkuk -anticipating the moment when we will be caught up into

the Clouds and Transported beyond the world of thesenses by Undistracted Prayer, Pure and Contemplative,we may then in our search for God touch the fringe ofTheology. (CF. 2 K INGS 2:11 & 1 THESSALONIANS 4:17)

S T G R E G O R Y O F S I N A I - O N P R A Y E R : S E V E N T E X T S - O N D E L U S I O N A N D O T H ER S U B J E C T S If we are striving in Stillness to attain a state of Pure Prayer,

we must Journey with great trepidation and InwardGrief, questioning those with Spiritual Experience,accepting their Guidance, always lamenting our sins,and full of distress and fear lest we should be Chastisedor should fall away from God and be divorced from Himin this life or the next.

For when the devil sees someone leading a Penitent Life, heretreats, frightened of the Humility that such InwardGrief engenders. But if, with a longing that is satanicrather than authentic, we are presumptuous enough toimagine that we have attained a lofty state, the devil willeasily trap us in his nets and make us his slaves.

Thus the surest Guard against falling from the Joy of Prayerinto a state of conceit is to persevere in Prayer andInward Grief, for by embracing a Solace-Filled Griefwe keep ourselves safe from harm.

Authentic Prayer - the warmth that accompanies the JesusPrayer - for it is our Lord Jesus Who enkindles Fire onthe Earth of our heart and consumes the passions likethorns and fills the soul with Delight and Joyfulness.(CF. LUKE 12:49)

Such Prayer comes neither from right or left, nor fromAbove, but wells up in the heart like a Spring of Waterfrom the life-quickening Spirit.

It is this Prayer alone that we should aspire to realize andpossess in our heart, always keeping our intellect freefrom images, concepts and thoughts.

And we must not be afraid, for He Who says, "Take heart;it is I; be not afraid' is with us - He Whom we seek andWho Protects us always.When we invoke God we must be neither timid norhesitant. (MATTHEW 14:27)


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All Glory, Honour and Worship to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and Forever, and unto the Ages of Ages. AmenRemembering also our Most Holy, Most Pure, Most Blessed and Glorious Lady, Mary, Theotokos yet Ever Virgin, together with all the

Saints. And let us commit ourselves and one another and our whole Life to Christ our God. Amen.

6 A u g u s t 2 0 1 5

The Transfiguration of Christ on Mount Tabor

I S O D I K O N : T R A N S F I G U R A T I O N

O ti para Si Pigi Zoix, Kyrie, en toFoti Sou opsometha Fos. Sosonimas, Ie Theou, O en to Orei toThavor Metamorfothis,psalontas Si: Allilouia!

For with Thee is the Fountain ofLife; in Thy Light we shall seeLight! Save us, O Son of GodWho was Transfigured onMount Tabor, as we sing toThee: Alleluia!

F E S T A L A P O L Y T I K I O N – T R A N S F I G U R A T I O N – T O N E 4

F E S T A L K O N T A K I O N – T R A N S F I G U R A T I O N - T O N E ( 7 ) V A R Y S / G R A V E

E pi tou Orous Metemorfothis, ke os ehoroun i MathiteSou tin Doxan Sou, Hriste O Theos etheasanto. Inaotan Se idosi Stavroumenon, to men pathos noisosinekousion, to de kosmo kirixosin, oti Si iparhis Alithos,TOU PATROS TO APAVGASMA .

Upon the Mountain Thou were Transfigured, and ThyDisciples beheld Thy Glory as far as they were able, OChrist our God; so that when they would see TheeCrucified they might understand that Thy Passionwas deliberate, and declare to the world that in TruthTHOU ART THE FATHER’S RADIANCE.

S E C O N D F E S T A L A N T I P H O N – T R A N S F I G U R A T I O N – T O N E 2

S oson imas Iie Theou, O EN TO ORI TO THAVOR

METAMORTOTHIS, psallontas Si: Allilouia!S T I H O S I themelii Aftou en ti Oresi tis AgiisS T I H O S

A gapa Kyrios tas Pilas Sion. Iper panta taskinomata Iakov

S T I H O S D edoxamena elalithi peri Sou, i Polis tou Theou.

S T I H O S

M itir Sion eri anthropos, ke anthropos egennithien afti .

O Son of God, T RANSFIGURED UPON M OUNT T ABOR Save us who sing to Thee: Alleluia

V E R S E

His Foundations are in the Holy MountainsV E R S E

The Lord Loves the Gates of Zion more than allthe dwellings of Jacob.

V E R S E Glorious Things are spoken of Thee, O City ofGod.

V E R S E

Zion is our Mother, a man shall say, and such aman was born in her

F E S T A L M A T I N S G O S P E L A C C O R D I N G T O S T L U K E 9 : 2 8 - 3 6T H E G L O R I O U S T R A N S F I G U R A T I O N O F C H R I S T O N M O U N T T A B O R

At that time, after saying these words, about eight days later, our Lord Jesus took Peter, John and James and went up onthe Mountain to pray. And as He prayed, the Appearance of His Face was altered, and His robe became white andglistening. And behold! Two men talked with Him, who were Moses and Elijah, who appeared in Glory and spoke of HisDeparture, which He was about to accomplish in Jerusalem.

Peter and those with him were heavy with sleep. When they were fully awake, they saw His Glory and the two men whostood with Him. And it happened, as they were parting from Him, that Peter said to Jesus: “Master, it is good for us tobe here! And let us make three tabernacles - one for Thee, one for Moses, and one for Elijah” – not knowing what he said.

While he was saying this, a Cloud came and overshadowed them. They were fearful as they entered the Cloud. And a Voicecame out of the Cloud, saying: “This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!” And when the Voice had ceased, Jesus was alone.

And they kept quiet, and told no one in those days any of the Things they had seen.

T HE T RANSFIGURATION OF OUR LORD J ESUS C HRIST IS A

T HEOPHANY – A M ANIFESTATION OR R EVELATION OF G OD –especially of the Divinity of Christ – THROUGH A DISPLAY

OF H IS U NCREATED D IVINE E NERGY .

Therefore the Orthodox Church celebrates the

Transfiguration of Christ as a major Feast Day.

S EVERAL E LEMENTS OF THE T RANSFIGURATION SHOW THAT OUR

LORD J ESUS C HRIST IS INDEED BOTH M ESSIAH (A NOINTED

S AVIOUR ) AND G OD :

1.

Because G OD IS U NCREATED LIGHT , THE BRIGHT C LOUD , THE SHINING OF OUR LORD ’ S F ACE – as bright as the

sun – AND THE GLISTENING WHITENESS OF H IS

G ARMENT , all demonstrate that He is God.(In some Holy Icons this Uncreated Light is shown as

‘beyond white’ – a blue-white, an ineffable

colour – indicating its Spiritual Origin.)

2. G OD THE F ATHER BEARS W ITNESS FROM H EAVEN

CONCERNING H IS BELOVED E TERNAL S ON .He does not say: “This has become My Son,” but

“This IS My Son...” indicating that THIS D IVINEG LORY BELONGS TO C HRIST DUE TO H IS D IVINE , E TERNAL

N ATURE .

From Eternity – infinitely before His Baptism and

Transfiguration – H E IS G OD THE S ON OF G OD THE

F ATHER – FULLY SHARING IN THE D IVINE E SSENCE AND

A TTRIBUTES OF THE E TERNAL F ATHER .O UR LORD J ESUS C HRIST IS T RULY THE E TERNAL S ON OF G OD

THE F ATHER – H E IS CERTAINLY G OD OF G OD .

3. T HE T RANSFIGURATION NOT ONLY PROCLAIMS C HRIST ’ S

D IVINE S ONSHIP , BUT ALSO F ORESHADOWS H IS FUTURE

G LORY when He – as the long awaited Messiah –

ushers in the Eternal Heavenly Kingdom of Love,

M etemorfothis en to Ori, Hriste OTheos, dixas tis Mathites Sou tinDoxan Sou, kathos idinanto.Lampson ke imin tis amartolis, toFos Sou to aidion, Presvies tisTheotokou, Fotodota, Doxa Si.

Thou were Transfigured upon theMountain, O Christ our God,showing to Thine Disciples ThyGlory as much as they could bear.In us – sinners though we be –shine Thine Everlasting Light, atthe Intercession of theTheotokos; O Giver of Light:

Glory to Thee!


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Peace and Joy – the Kingdom of Eternal Life in

Christ.

T HE BRIGHT C LOUD RECALLS T EMPLE W ORSHIP AND THEM YSTERIOUS C LOUD THAT WENT BEFORE THE I SRAELITES

DURING THEIR TRAVELS IN THE W ILDERNESS BEFORE THEY

ARRIVED AT THE P ROMISED L AND – the visible Sign of

the Extraordinary Divine Presence.

S T P ETER SAW THIS AS A S IGN THAT THE K INGDOM OF G OD

HAD COME and knowing that the Feast of

Tabernacles is the Feast of the awaited

Kingdom, HE ASKED PERMISSION FROM C HRIST TO

ERECT THE F ESTAL BOOTHS –“ TABERNACLES ” – FOR EACH

OF THEM , which was the usual practise –SYMBOLISING THE D WELLING OF G OD amongst His Just

and Faithful souls in that Eternal Kingdom.

4. S T M OSES REPRESENTS THE L AW OF G OD AND ALL WHO HAD

ALREADY DIED , while S T E LIJAH REPRESENTS THE H OLY

P ROPHETS OF G OD AND – since he himself did not

experience death – ALL THOSE WHO ARE ALIVE IN

C HRIST . Their presence shows that THE H OLY L AW AND THE

P ROPHETS – THE LIVING AND THE DEAD – ALL BEAR

WITNESS TO OUR LORD J ESUS C HRIST AS THE O NE AND

O NLY T RUE M ESSIAH W HO IS THE F ULFILMENT OF THE

ENTIRE O LD C OVENANT WITH G OD .

The presence of St Moses and St Elijah also

manifested the Communion of Saints. (HEBREWS

12:1)

Both Holy Men were immediately recognisable andthey conversed with our Lord Jesus.

T HE H OLY A POSTLES WERE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND OUR LORD ’ S

WORDS when He said “Elijah has come already ” –

REFERRING TO S T J OHN THE B APTIST AND F ORERUNNER to

Christ. (MATTHEW 17:12)

T HEIR EYES HAD BEEN OPENED to the fact that Malachi’sProphesy referred to one who would come “...in

the spirit and power of Elijah....” rather than to

St Elijah himself. (LUKE 1:17)

5. Finally, THE H OLY T RINITY IS REVEALED HERE , for C HRIST IS

T RANSFIGURED , G OD THE F ATHER SPEAKS FROM H EAVEN

testifying to the Authenticity of our Lord Jesus’

Divine Sonship AND THE H OLY S PIRIT IS PRESENT IN THE

FORM OF A DAZZLING U NCREATED LIGHT SURROUNDING

OUR LORD AND O VERSHADOWING THE H OLY A POSTLES AS

WELL AS THE ENTIRE M OUNT T ABOR .

C HRIST ’ S “D EPARTURE ” (Greek: “Exodus ”) is a reference to

H IS FORTHCOMING D EATH , which WAS INTIMATELY

CONNECTED TO THE G LORY OF H IS T RANSFIGURATION for

our Lord is G LORIFIED THROUGH H IS C RUCIFIXION D EATH .

(JOHN 12:23)I N THE LITURGICAL C YCLE , THE F EAST OF THE T RANSFIGURATION

IS F ORTY D AYS BEFORE THE F EAST OF THE H OLY C ROSS ON 14

S EPTEMBER , SHOWING THE CONNECTION BETWEEN C HRIST ’ S

G LORY AND H IS C ROSS .

T HE TERM “E XODUS ” REVEALS THAT C HRIST ’ S P ASSION IS A

F ULFILMENT OF THE O LD C OVENANT P ASSOVER and is THET RUE E XODUS FROM THE S PIRITUAL E NSLAVEMENT of sin

INTO THE F REEDOM OF OUR E TERNAL S ALVATION IN C HRIST

J ESUS .

This Revelation of Divine Power also confirms that OUR

LORD ’ S D EATH ON THE C ROSS WAS NOT IMPOSED ON H IM BY

OUTSIDE FORCES , BUT WAS A VOLUNTARY O FFERING OF H ISD IVINE LOVE for the sake of the Salvation of all

mankind.

Furthermore, NO ARRESTING S OLDIER COULD HAVE WITHSTOOD

SUCH G LORY IF G OD HAD NOT CONSENTED and allowed itto happen in order TO FULFIL ALL THAT WAS NECESSARY

FOR OUR S ALVATION AND S PIRITUAL R ESTORATION to the

Divine Grace of Almighty God. (MATTHEW 26:53)

E VERYTHING G OD PERMITS IS FOR OUR I MMORTAL BENEFIT due

to His Infinite Love for us.

In the Festal Kontakion of Transfiguration, we sing: “ThyDisciples beheld Thy Glory as far as they could

bear it, so that when they saw Thee Crucified, they

would understand that Thy Suffering was

voluntary.”

P R O K E I M E N O N – P S A L M 1 0 3 – T O N E 4Thy Works shall be greatly magnified, O Lord. Thou hast made all things in Wisdom.

Bless, O my Soul, the Lord!

T H E S E C O N D E P I S T L E O F S T P E T E R 1 : 1 0 – 1 9P A R T A K E R S O F D I V I N E N A T U R E

Brethren: be even more diligent to make your Call and Election sure. If you do these things you will never stumble. AnEntrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the Everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Forthis reason I will not neglect reminding you always of these things, although you know and are established in thepresent Truth. I think it is right, as long as I am in this tent, to stir you up by reminding you – knowing that shortly Imust put off my tent - just as our Lord Jesus Christ showed me. I will be careful to ensure that you always have areminder of these things after my decease.

We did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the Power and Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His Majesty. He received from God the Father Honour and Glory when such a Voice came toHim from the Excellent Glory: “This is My Beloved Son, in Whom I Am well pleased.” And we heard this Voice, whichcame from Heaven, when we were with Him on the Holy Mountain.

And so we have the Prophetic Word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a Light that shines in a dark place, until theDay dawns and the Morning Star rises in your hearts...

T HE PRIMARY T RUTH WITH WHICH S T P ETER DEALT – and which heonly indirectly touched upon at this point - IS THE

S ECOND C OMING OR R EAPPEARANCE OF C HRIST AND H ISE VERLASTING K INGDOM .

P EOPLE LIVED IN TENTS WHILE JOURNEYING , constantly moving,or at war.

So as long AS WE ARE IN THIS PHYSICAL BODY DURING THISS PIRITUAL J OURNEY TOWARDS E TERNITY , WE LIVE IN “ TENTS ” - TEMPORARY , TRANSPORTABLE STRUCTURES - which bear witness to OUR LONG J OURNEY OF LIFE AND THE ONGOINGB ATTLE AGAINST ENEMY FORCES of Darkness that constantlythreaten us.

O UR TEMPORARY PHYSICAL BODIES BELONG TO G OD , HAVING BEENS ANCTIFIED THROUGHOUT OUR LIFETIME WITH THE H OLYM YSTERIES .

Thus THEY ARE TO BE RETURNED TO THE E ARTH from whence theycame – always being TREATED WITH THE UTMOST RESPECT .

S T P ETER WAS AN E YEWITNESS TO THE M AJESTY OF C HRIST IN MANYWAYS – and he reminds us especially that he was

present at our Lord’s Transfiguration on Mount Tabor. What S T P ETER REPEATED concerning the Reappearance of

Christ is THE COMMON A POSTOLIC T RADITION , which isSUPPORTED BY THE E YEWITNESS T ESTIMONY of the Holy Apostles – and ESPECIALLY THE THREE WHO WITNESSED THET RANSFIGURATION .

T HE A BSOLUTE T RUTH concerning everything to do with ChristIS DEFINITELY NOT AN ELABORATE SCHEME of “fables” such asthe Gnostics invented and propounded.

In all the Holy Gospel accounts, THE T RANSFIGURATION ISD IVINE AND T RUE P ROOF – AS WELL AS A F ORETASTE – OF THEG LORIOUS R ETURN (in his physical form) of Christ in all HisDivine Glory.

T HE T RUTHFUL T ESTIMONY OF THE H OLY A POSTLES BOTHCONFIRMS THE P ROPHETIC W ORD – THE H OLY P ROPHECIES – AND THE S ECOND C OMING , AND SHOWS US HOW TOINTERPRET H OLY P ROPHECY CORRECTLY AND TRUTHFULLY .

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 M A T T H E W 1 7 : 1 – 9

T HE TRANSFIGURATION OF OUR LORD J ESUS C HRIST ON M OUNT T ABOR At that time, after six days, Jesus took Peter, James and John, his brother, led them up a high mountain by themselves.

And He was Transfigured before them. And His Face shone like the sun - His clothes became as white as the Light.And behold! Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him. Peter said to Jesus: ”Lord, it is good for us to behere! If Thou wish, let us make here three tabernacles - one for Thee, one of Moses and one for Elijah.”


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While he was still speaking, behold! A Bright Cloud overshadowed them! And behold! a Voice from the Cloud said: “This isMy Beloved Son, in Whom I Am well pleased! Hear Him!” And when the Disciples heard It, they fell on their faces andwere greatly afraid. And Jesus went and touched them and said: “Arise, and do not be afraid!” When they lifted uptheir eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.

And, as they went down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, saying: “Tell the Vision to no one until the Son ofMan is Risen from the dead.”

T H E T R A N S F I G U R A T I O N O F C H R I S T O N M O U N T T A B O R – S T G R E G O R Y P A L A M A S

For an explanation of the present Feast andunderstanding of its Truth, it is necessary for us toturn to the very start of today’s reading from the HolyGospel: “... after six days Jesus took Peter, James and John his brother, and led them up onto a high

mountain by themselves” (MATTHEW 17:1).First of all we must ask, from whence did the Evangelist,

St Matthew begin to reckon the six days?From what sort of day was it?What did the preceding turn of speech indicate, where

our Saviour, in teaching His Disciples, said to them:“...for the Son of Man shall come with His Angels inthe Glory of His Father...” and further: “...Truly, I sayto you, there are some standing here who shall nottaste Death, until they have seen the Son of Mancoming in His Kingdom...” ? (M ATTHEW 16:27-28 )

That is to say, it is the Light of His own forthcomingTransfiguration, which He termed “... the Glory of HisFather...” and of “...His Kingdom.”

St Luke pointed this out and revealed this more clearly:“... about eight days after these words, that He took

Peter and John and James, and went up theMountain to pray. And as He prayed, HisCountenance was altered, and His raiment became aradiant white ” (LUKE 9:28-29 )

But how can the two be reconciled, when one of themspeaks definitively about the interval of time as beingeight days between the sayings and the manifestation,whereas the other (says): “...after six days ?”

There were eight on the mountain, but only six werevisible.

Three men - St Peter, St James and St John - had gone upthe mountain with our Lord Jesus, and they saw StMoses and St Elias standing there and conversing withHim, so altogether there were six of them.

However, God the Father and the Holy Spirit wereinvisibly also with our Lord Jesus - God the Father,with His Voice testifying that He was His Beloved Son,and the Holy Spirit shining forth with Him in theRadiant Cloud.

Thus, the six were actually eight Persons, and there wasno contradiction regarding the eight.

Similarly, there was no contradiction with the Evangelistswhen one said “...after six days...” and the other said“...eight days...”

But these twofold sayings, as it were, present us a certainformat set in Mystery, and together with it, that ofthose who had actually been present upon the Mount.

It stands to reason - and everyone rationally studying inaccordance with Scripture, knows that the Evangelistsare in agreement one with another.

St Luke spoke of “...eight days ...” without contradicting St

Matthew, who declared “...after six days ...”There is not another day added on to represent the dayon which these sayings were uttered, nor is the day onwhich the Lord was Transfigured added on (which arational person might reasonably imagine to be addedto the days of St Matthew).

St Luke did not say “...after eight days ...” similar to StMatthew’s statement but rather “... eight days afterthese words...”

But where the Evangelists seemed to contradict oneanother, they actually pointed out to us somethinggreat and mysterious.

In actual fact, why did the one say “...after six days ...” butthe other, ignoring the seventh day, have in mind theeighth day?

It was because the great Vision of the Light of the

Transfiguration of the Lord is the Mystery of theEighth Day - of the Future Age - to be revealed afterthe passing away of the world created in six days.

Concerning the Power of the Divine Spirit, through Whomthe Kingdom of God is to be revealed, our Lord JesusChrist predicted: “There are some standing here whoshall not taste Death, until they have seen the Son ofMan coming in His Kingdom.” (MATTHEW 16:28 )

Everywhere and in every way the King will be present, andeverywhere will be His Kingdom, since the Advent ofHis Kingdom does not signify the passing over fromone place to another, but rather the Revelation of itsPower of the Holy Spirit.

That is why it is said: “...come in Power .”And this Power is not manifest to simply ordinary people,

but to those standing with our Lord Jesus Christ -those who have affirmed their Faith in Him like StPeter, St James and St John - and especially those whoare free of our natural abasement.

Therefore - and precisely because of this - Godmanifested Himself upon Mount Tabor - on the onehand, coming down from His (Heavenly ) Heights, andon the other, raising us up from the depths ofabasement - since the Transcendent One took on ourmortal nature.

Certainly, such a manifest Appearance (His Transfiguration ) by far transcends the utmost limits of the mind’sgrasp, as effectualized by the Power of the Holy Spirit.

Thus, the Light of the Transfiguration of the Lord is not

something that comes to be and then vanishes, nor isit subject to the sensory faculties, although it wascontemplated by corporeal eyes for a short whileupon an inconsequential mountaintop.

But the initiates of the Mystery - the Disciples of our Lord- at that time passed beyond mere flesh into spiritthrough a Transformation of their senses,effectualized within them by the Holy Spirit, and insuch a way that they beheld what, and to what extent,the Divine Spirit had wrought Blessedness in them to

behold the Ineffable Light.Those not grasping this point have conjectured that the

Chosen from among the Apostles beheld the Light ofthe Transfiguration of the Lord by a sensual andcreaturely faculty, and thereby they attempt to reduceto a ‘creaturely’ level - as something ‘created’ - notonly this Light, the Kingdom and the Glory of God, butalso the Power of the Holy Spirit, through Whom it ismeet for Divine Mysteries to be revealed.

In all likelihood, such persons have not heeded the wordsof St Paul: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor hasit entered into the heart of man, what Things Godhas prepared for those who Love Him. But to us Godhas revealed them through His Spirit. For the Spiritsearches all things, even the Deep Things of God.” (1 C ORINTHIANS 2:9-10 ).

So, with the onset of the Eighth Day, our Lord JesusChrist, taking St Peter, St James and St John, went upon the Mount to pray.

He always prayed alone, withdrawing from everyone, evenfrom the Apostles themselves, such as after He had

fed the five thousand families with five small loavesand two fish. (MATTHEW 14:19-23).Or as before His Saving Passion when - taking with Him

St Peter, St James and St John - He had said to theother Disciples: “Sit here while I go over there andpray.” (MATTHEW 26:36).

However, in this instance having taken only these samethree Apostles with Him, our Lord led them up a highmountain by themselves and was Transfigured beforetheir very eyes.

“What does it mean to say: ‘He was Transfigured’ ?” askedthe Golden-Mouthed Theologian, St JohnChrysostomos.

“It revealed something of His Divinity to them - as muchand insofar as they were able to apprehend it - andit showed the Indwelling of God within Him.”

St Luke noted: “...And a s He prayed, His Countenancewas altered .” (LUKE 9:29 ) while St Matthew stated:“...And His Face shone like the sun” (MATTHEW 17:2 ).

However, St Matthew expressed His Transfiguration inthis manner - not in the context that this Light bethought of as subsistent for the senses (let us putaside the blindness of mind of those who can


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conceive of nothing higher than what is knownthrough the senses).

Rather, it was to show that Christ our God, for thoseliving and contemplating by (means of ) the Holy Spirit,is the same as (the blinding brightness of ) the sun is forthose living in the flesh and contemplating by thesenses.

Therefore, some other Light for the knowing (orunderstanding ) the Divinity is not necessary for thosewho are Enriched by Divine Gifts.

That same Inscrutable Light shone and was MysteriouslyManifested to the Holy Apostles and the Foremost of

the Prophets at that moment, when (our Lord) waspraying.

This shows that what brought forth this Blessed Sight wasPrayer, and that the Radiance occurred and wasmanifested by Uniting the mind with God, and that itis granted to all who, with constant exercise in effortsof Virtue and Prayer, strive with their mind towardsGod.

True Beauty, essentially, can be contemplated only with aPurified mind. To gaze upon its Luminance assumes asort of participation in it, as though some bright Rayetches itself upon the face.

Even the face of Moses was Illumined by his associationwith God.

Do you not know that St Moses was also Transfiguredwhen he went up the mountain, and there beheld the

Glory of God?But he (St Moses) did not effect this, but rather he

underwent a Transfiguration.However, our Lord Jesus Christ possessed that Uncreated,

Divine Light Himself.In this regard, actually, He did not need Prayer for His

Flesh to Radiate with the Divine Light - it was but toshow from whence that Divine Light descended uponthe Saints of God, and how to contemplate it.

For it is written that even the Saints “...will shine forthlike the sun...” which is to say, entirely permeated byDivine Light as they gaze upon Christ, Divinely andinexpressibly shining forth His Radiance, issuing fromHis Divine Nature. (MATTHEW 13:43)

On Mount Tabor it was manifested also in His Flesh, byreason of the Hypostatic Union (i.e., the Union of thetwo Perfect Natures, Divine and human, within theDivine Person [Hypostasis] of Christ, the SecondPerson of the Most Holy Trinity).

The Fourth Ecumenical Council at Chalcedon defined thisHypostatic Union of Christ’s two Natures - Divine andhuman - as “...without mingling, without change,without division, without separation.”

We believe that at the Transfiguration He manifested notsome other sort of light, but only that which wasconcealed beneath His fleshly exterior.

This Light was the Light of His Divine Nature, and assuch, it was Uncreated and Divine.

So also, in the Teachings of the Fathers, Jesus Christ wasTransfigured on Mount Tabor, not taking uponHimself something new nor being changed into

something new, nor something which formerly He didnot possess.Rather, it was to show His Disciples that which He already

was - opening their eyes and bringing them fromBlindness to Sight. For do you not see that eyes thatcan perceive natural things would be blind to thisLight?

Thus, this Light is not a light of the senses, and thosecontemplating it do not simply see with sensual eyes,

but rather they are changed by the Power of the HolySpirit.

They were Transformed, and only in this way did they seethe Transformation taking place amidst the veryassumption of our perishability, (mortality ), with theDeification through Union with the Word of God inplace of this.

So also She (our Lady Theotokos ) who MiraculouslyConceived and gave Birth recognized that the One

born of Her is God Incarnate.So it was also for St Symeon, who received this Infant into

his arms, and the aged Prophetess, St Anna, at theJerusalem Temple for the Meeting (or Presentation) ofour Saviour, since the Divine Power Illumined, as

through a glass windowpane, granting Light to thosehaving Pure Eyes of heart.

And why did our Lord Jesus - before His Transfiguration -choose the Foremost of His Apostles and lead themup Mount Tabor with Him?

Certainly, it was to show them something Great andMysterious.

What is particularly ‘Great’ or ‘Mysterious’ in showing asensory light, which not only the Foremost, but all theother Apostles already abundantly possessed?

Why would they have needed a Transformation of theirsight by the Power of the Holy Spirit for the

contemplation of that Light, if it were merely sensoryand created?How could the Glory and the Kingdom of the Father and

the Holy Spirit project forth in some sort of sensorylight?

Indeed, in what sort of Glory and Kingdom would Christour Lord come at the end of the ages, when therewould not be necessary anything in the air, nor inexpanse, nor anything similar, but when: “God will beall in all ”? That is to say: will He alter everything forall? If so, then it follows that Light is included. (1CORINTHIANS 15: 28 )

Hence it is clear that the Light of Tabor was a DivineLight.

And St John, inspired by Divine Revelation, clearly statedthat the future Eternal, enduring City “...has no need

of the sun or moon to shine upon it. For the Glory ofGod lights it up, and the Lamb will be its Lamp.”(REVELATION 21:23)

Clearly he points out that this [Lamb] is our Lord Jesus,Who was Divinely Transfigured upon Mount Tabor,and Whose Flesh shone – and thus was the Lamp thatmanifested the Glory of Divinity for those whoascended Mount Tabor with Him.

St John the Theologian also referred to the inhabitants ofthat Eternal City: “...they will not need light fromlamps, nor the light of the sun, for the Lord God willshed Light upon them, and night shall be no more.” (REVELATION 22:5).

But how, we might ask, is there this other Light, whereby“...there is no change, nor shadow of alteration.”?(J AMES 1:17 )

What Light is there that is constant and unsetting, unlessit be the Light of God?

Moreover, could St Moses and St Elias - particularly theformer, who clearly was present only in spirit, and notin flesh - [St Elias having ascended bodily to Heavenon the Fiery Chariot] - be shining with any sort ofsensory light, and be seen and known?

Especially since it was written of them: “...they appearedin Glory, and spoke of His Death, which He was aboutto fulfill at Jerusalem” (LUKE 9:30-31).

And how otherwise could the Apostles recognize thosewhom they had never seen before, unless through theMysterious Power of the Divine Light, opening theirmental eyes?!

Let us not tire our attention with the furthermostinterpretations of the Words of the Gospel. We shall

believe thus, as those same ones have taught us, whothemselves were Enlightened by the Lord Himself,insofar as they alone know this well: the Mysteries ofGod, in the words of a Prophet, are known to Godalone and His perpetual proximity.

Let us, considering the Mystery of the Transfiguration ofthe Lord in accord with their Teaching, strive to beIllumined by this Light ourselves and encourage inourselves Love and Striving towards the UnfadingGlory and Beauty, Purifying our Spiritual Eyes ofworldly thoughts and refraining from perishable andquickly passing delights and beauty, which darken thegarb of the soul and lead to the Fire of Gehenna andEverlasting Darkness.

Let us be freed from these by the Illumination andKnowledge of the Incorporeal and Ever-existing Lightof our Saviour Transfigured on Mount Tabor, in HisGlory, and of His Father from all Eternity, and HisLife-Creating Spirit, Whom are One Radiance, One

Godhead, and Glory, and Kingdom, and Power - nowand ever and unto Ages of ages. Amen.

18 / 08 / 2011 HTTP ://W WW .P RAVOSLAVIE .R U


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All Glory, Honour and Worship to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and Forever, and unto the Ages of Ages. AmenRemembering also our Most Holy, Most Pure, Most Blessed and Glorious Lady, Mary, Theotokos yet Ever Virgin, together with all the Saints. And let us commit ourselves and one another andour whole Life to Christ our God. Amen.

Tone 1 9 A u g u s t 2 0 1 5

10th Sunday After Pentecost - 10th Sunday of St Matthew The Epileptic Son & Lack of Faith

Also the Feast of S T M A TT H I A S O F T H E S E V E N TY H O L Y A P OS TLE S OF C H R I S T - StHerman, the Wonderworker & Enlightener of Alaska & All America –– St Anthony of

Alexandria – St Psoi, Disciple of St Pachomios the Great, of Egypt – St Julian, St

Marcian, St John, St James, St Alexios, St Demetrios, St Photios, St Peter, St Leontios, St

Maria the Patrician, St Gregory Protospatharios ‘Sword-Captain’ and other Holy

Martyrs of Constantinople – Synaxis of Solovki Monastery Saints – St Makarios of

Oredezhsk – The Restoration of the Temple of the 40 Holy Martyrs – St Ignatios

Bazyluk, New Holy Martyr of Poland

R E S U R R E C T I O N A P O L Y T I K I O N – T O N E 1

T ou 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 Judeans, and soldiersstood on guard over Thine Undefiled Body, Thou roseon the Third Day, O Saviour Who gives 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 Loves mankind!

F E S T A L A P O L Y T I K I O N – T R A N S F I G U R A T I O N – T O N E 4

F E S T A L K O N T A K I O N – T R A N S F I G U R A T I O N - T O N E ( 7 ) V A R Y S / G R A V E

E pi tou Orous Metemorfothis, ke os ehoroun i Mathite Soutin Doxan Sou, Hriste O Theos etheasanto. Ina otan Seidosi Stavroumenon, to men pathos noisosin ekousion,to de kosmo kirixosin, oti Si iparhis Alithos, TOUPATROS TO APAVGASMA .

Upon the Mountain Thou were Transfigured, and ThyDisciples beheld Thy Glory as far as they were able, OChrist our God; so that when they would see TheeCrucified they might understand that Thy Passion wasdeliberate, and declare to the world that in TruthTHOU ART THE FATHER’S RADIANCE.

R E S U R R E C T I O N G O S P E L 1 0 – J O H N 2 1 : 1 – 1 4

P R O K E I M E N O N – P S A L M 3 2 – T O N E 1

Let Thy Mercy be upon us, O Lord, as we have set our Hope in Thee,

Rejoice in the Lord, O All Righteous men!

T H E F I R S T 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 4 : 9 – 1 6 W I S D O M O F O U R S P I R I T U A L F A T H E R S

Brethren: I think that God has displayed us, the Apostles, last - as men condemned to death - for we have been made aspectacle to the world, both to Angels and to mankind. We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ! Weare weak, but you are strong! You are distinguished, but we are dishonoured! To the present hour we both hunger and

thirst, and we are poorly clothed, and beaten, and homeless. And we labour – working with our own hands. Beingreviled, we Bless; being persecuted, we endure; being defamed, we entreat. We have been made like the filth of theworld – the off scouring of all things until now.

I do not write these things to shame you, but as my Beloved Children, I warn you. For although you might have tenthousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have Begotten you through theGospel. Therefore I urge you: imitate me.

We all need to deflate our false sense of pride because

nothing justifies thinking that we are better than or

above anyone else in this tragic, fallen world.

U SUALLY WHAT WE ARE SO QUICK TO SEE IN OTHERS AND TO

CRITICISE OR MOCK , IS A REFLECTION OF OUR OWN CONDITION !

St Paul used irony and sarcasm as bitter medicine to

emphasise his warning against such self-satisfaction

and self-righteousness.

The three parallel statements he used: “... We are fools...

We are weak... We are dishonoured ...” are heapedupon each other in a stinging series so that THE

RELATIVE COMFORT OF THE C ORINTHIAN C HRISTIANS WAS

CONTRASTED WITH THE PERSECUTED , AND SOMETIMES

EXTREMELY DIFFICULT , POVERTY STRICKEN LIVES OF THE H OLY A POSTLES AND F AITHFUL D ISCIPLES OF C HRIST WHO GAVE

THEMSELVES ENTIRELY IN THE H OLY S ERVICE OF G OD AND H IS

PEOPLE – in their ceaseless devotion to spreading the

Divine Truth and Light of the Holy Gospel to the

Spiritually Blind and Ignorant.

T HE H OLY A POSTLES OF C HRIST ENDURED ALL KINDS OF

HUMILIATION AND PERSECUTION . They were insulted and

despised, mocked and beaten, deprived of any

comfort or kindness by those who hated them.

Despite all that, THEY NEVER FOUGHT BACK OR RETALIATED IN A

SIMILAR MANNER -instead THEY RESPONDED WITH A GAPE –

Divine Love and Compassion towards their

persecutors and those who mocked them. And this they did all FOR THE T RUE J OY OF SERVING OUR LORD

J ESUS C HRIST AND FULFILLING THEIR S ACRED M ISSION of

reconciling the sin-darkened world with God.

St Paul soothed the pain of his rebuke by reminding the

Corinthians of his Spiritual Fatherhood to them.

J UST LIKE IN ANY ORDINARY FAMILY LIFE , THE H OLY C HURCH OFC HRIST HAS MATURING S PIRITUAL C HILDREN WHO NEED TO BE

M etemorfothis en to Ori, Hriste O Theos, dixas tis MathitesSou tin Doxan Sou, kathos idinanto. Lampson ke imintis amartolis, to Fos Sou to aidion, Presvies tisTheotokou, Fotodota, Doxa Si.

Thou were Transfigured upon the Mountain, O Christ ourGod, showing to Thine Disciples Thy Glory as much asthey could bear. In us – sinners though we be – shineThine Everlasting Light, at the Intercession of the

Theotokos; O Giver of Light: Glory to Thee!


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TAUGHT AND GUIDED by their loving and concerned

Spiritual Fathers and Mothers.

S T P AUL, WHO IS THE A POSTLE OF ALL G ENTILES – INCLUDING US –

ADVISES US ALL TO IMITATE HIM – JUST AS HE STRUGGLED TO

IMITATE OUR LORD AND S AVIOUR , J ESUS C HRIST .

We should rather BE MOTIVATED TO FULFIL ALL THE T EACHINGS

AND C OMMANDMENTS OF G OD , which promotes our

Spiritual Welfare and ensures our Eternal Life in Christ

– Everlasting, Priceless Treasure indeed – instead of

choosing TEMPORARY , UNFULFILLING , UNSATISFACTORY AND

SPIRITUALLY UNPROFITABLE WORLDLY THINGS that DISTRACT US

AND WHICH DRAW US FURTHER AND FURTHER AWAY FROM D IVINE

G RACE – ULTIMATELY RESULTING IN E TERNAL C ONDEMNATION

AND EXILE FROM ALL G OODNESS , M ERCY AND LOVE .

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 M A T T H E W 1 7 : 1 4 – 2 3TH E E P I L E P T I C S O N & T H E S T R E N G T H O F F A I T H - E V E N A S S M A L L A S M U S T A R D S E E D

At that time, a man went to Jesus, knelt down before Him and said: “Lord, have Mercy on my son, for he is an epileptic andsuffers severely. He often falls into fire and water. So I brought him to Thy Disciples, but they could not cure him.”

Jesus answered and said: “O faithless and perverse generation! How long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear

with you? Bring him here to me.” And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it went out of him. And the child was Cured atthat very hour.

When the Disciples went to Jesus privately and asked Him: “Why could we not cast it out?” Jesus said to them: “Because of your unbelief. Truly, I say to you: if you have Faith as (small as) a mustard seed, you will say to that mountain:‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. And nothing will be impossible for you. However, this kind (of demon)does not go out except by Prayer and Fasting.”

And while they were staying in Galilee, Jesus said to them: “The Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands ofmen. And they will kill Him, and the third day He will be raised up.”

Sickness and disease is sometimes associated with

demonic activity – especially in Old Covenant times.

By kneeling before our Lord Jesus, the Father displayed

his sincere Humility and desperation, but he also

lacked faith.

Although the Disciples of Christ also suffered from a lack

of faith, our Lord rebuked the Father of the epileptic

boy for trying to blame the Disciples when it was his

even greater lack of Faith that prevented his son from

being Healed.

In effect, our Lord Jesus Christ defended His Disciples and

Apostles in front of the multitudes but later, in private,

He reprimanded them for their personal doubts and

lack of trust in God through Whom all things are

possible – after they sought the reason for their failure

to Exorcise the demon and Heal the boy.

This is a good Lesson of how to correct the errors of others

– without humiliating or embarrassing them in front of

witnesses.

E RRORS ARE TO BE GENTLY BUT FIRMLY CORRECTED and THOSEWHO ARE BEING CORRECTED SHOULD ACCEPT IT WITH HUMBLE

GRATITUDE AND OBEDIENCE INSTEAD OF RESENTMENT ,

REBELLION OR ANGER .

The Discipline of our Holy Church is based on mutualcorrection in three expanding stages. (MATTHEW 18: 15 -

20)

Sin and correction are to remain private unless the

offender stubbornly and wilfully refuses to Repent or

correct their errors.

A LL CORRECTION MUST BE DONE WITH GREAT CARE AND HUMILITY ,

WITH THE HIGHEST CONCERN BEING THE S ALVATION OF THEOFFENDER . (1 CORINTHIANS 5:5 & GALATIANS 6:1)

Nevertheless, CORRECTION IS NECESSARY AND ESSENTIAL SO THAT

THE SIN DOES NOT SPREAD TO OTHERS AS WELL.

St John Chrysostom pointed out that Christ reprimanded

nine of His Apostles – none of whom had been able to

Exorcise the demon that caused the young boy’s

epilepsy.

The other three Apostles were the “Pillars of Faith” – St

Peter, St James and St John – who had accompanied

Him to Mount Tabor and witnessed His

Transfiguration.

“T HIS KIND ” OF DEMON POSSESSION WAS A REFERENCE TO ALL EVIL

POWERS OF S PIRITUAL D ARKNESS AND D EATH – and not

simply those types of demons that caused certain

illnesses.

T HE E XORCISM AND BANISHMENT OF SUCH FEARSOME DEMONS

REQUIRED STRONG , UNWAVERING F AITH , F ERVENT P RAYERS ANDSTRICT F ASTING , for THERE IS NO H EALING AND NO V ICTORY IN

S PIRITUAL W ARFARE WITHOUT ALL THREE S PIRITUAL W EAPONS .

Beginning with the Didache, our Holy Church Fathers

have taught us that BOTH THE PERSON IN NEED OF H EALING

AND THE PERSON PERFORMING THE H EALING MUST FIRMLY

BELIEVE , FERVENTLY PRAY AND STRICTLY FAST .

While it is not recorded that an Apostle literally moved a

mountain, our Holy Church Fathers are clear that THEY

HAD SUCH D IVINE A UTHORITY IF THE NEED EVER AROSE – and

certain Saints have been able to cause crevasses to

appear in mountains.

Furthermore, NOT EVERYTHING THAT THE H OLY A POSTLES OFC HRIST ACCOMPLISHED WAS WRITTEN DOWN FOR POSTERITY .

Beyond the literal meaning this Divine Promise is also an

illustration of the Great Power of True Faith and

Fervent Prayer in all areas of Earthly life.St Theophylact believed: “Whatever we ask, without

hesitation and by believing in God’s Power, we shall

receive...” WHEN WE ASK FOR S PIRITUALLY P ROFITABLE

THINGS .For the second time, our Lord Jesus Christ predicted and

spoke of His forthcoming Death and Resurrection,

which showed that He went to his passion freely and

was not taken against His Will.

God Himself chose the day, the year and the hour of His

Passion – so it was not due to anyone else’s schemes or

plots.

E VERYTHING IS CONTROLLED AND PERMITTED BY G OD FOR OURS ALVATION - or Condemnation – depending on what

course we freely and wilfully choose to take!

1 0 T H S U N D A Y A F T E R P E N T E C O S T – 1 0 T H O F S T M A T T H E W – L A C K O F F A I T H

Today’s Sacred Lesson teaches us that our Lord Goddesignates the Strength of our Faith as the mainWeapon that is able to bring us Victory over evil.

Our Faith is not like a lifeless stone, nor a preciousdiamond, which, although very beautiful and valuable,is still dead and insensible…

Our Lord Jesus Christ teaches us that even if our Faith is assmall as a tiny grain of mustard seed, it is alive and ableto grow into something enormous – achieving wondersfar beyond the limits of our expectations!

Just as a miniscule mustard seed grows into a very largetree, so, too does our Faith when it is nurtured andencouraged to grow and increase in Strength.

Christ assured us that if even we did have Faith that wasthe tiny size of one, single mustard seed, evenmountains could be moved!

In other words: with unwavering, strongly grounded andwell nurtured Faith, nothing is impossible for us toaccomplish!

Our Lord told His Apostles and Faithful Disciples that onlyPrayer and Fasting are the most powerful means of

rejecting and expelling evil, and reinforcing our Faith –thereby enabling us to fulfil not only our Sacred Duties,

but many other wonderful and Miraculous Deeds.What hidden meaning is there in the Words of God that by

our Faith we would be able to ‘move mountains’ ?Why would we need to do that? Would it help to Save our

soul?Our Saviour, Jesus Christ, was not referring to geographical

mountains of soil and stones, but instead to thoseunsurpassable mountains that arise in our heart - thosehuge mountains of sins that have accumulated duringthe years of our life – the weight of which threaten tocrush us and which prevent us from making good,

healthy Spiritual Progress.These are the very high ‘mountains’ of sin that separate usfrom God and all His Goodness, Joy and Peace.

These are the mountain that we need to move, to destroy orto topple them into the deepest sea.

However, only with the Divine Assistance, Mercy and Graceof Almighty God, through the Teachings and HolyMysteries of His Holy Church, are we able to break


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down, stone by stone, these great structures ofenslaving, alienating sin.

The Holy Apostles and Faithful Disciples of Christ provedto be able to remove those mountains of personal sins,and to turn the whole world upside down!

By means of their own good and Righteous Examples, andthe influence of their preaching about Jesus Christ andHis Divine Truth, they led innumerable souls to ourLiving and True God.

Furthermore, despite dire threats and even worseunspeakable tortures, the Faithful Apostles andDisciples of Christ clearly demonstrated the immense

Truth, Strength and Power of our Christian Faith, whichthey readily and courageously confessed until theydrew their last breath.

Thousands upon thousands of pagans who had themselveswitnessed the Divine Truth and Miracles of Christthrough the Martyrdom of His Faithful Disciples,rejected their false, man-made idols and joyfullyaccepted the Living Almighty Triune God of theChristians, which profoundly changed the entire world!

Not for a moment must we forget that the Evil Oneobsessively tries to destroy the ‘New Israel’ – the newChristian Nation that God our Heavenly Father created

by His Divine Will, through the Enlightenment andTeachings of His Eternal Word and Son, and by the

Power and Energy of the Holy Spirit, Who makes allThings possible for us to accomplish, so that we may beSaved and receive Eternal Life.

Our True Faith is preserved, nurtured, strengthened andincreased only by our Prayers and Fasting (self-denial,self-control & self-discipline).

Our Faith must constantly be nurtured and increased, for ifwe make no effort it will weaken and eventually die.

The True Fast is not merely denying ourselves theconsumption of meat and other flesh foods and theirderivatives, but rather our determined resistance to alltemptations and the self-denial of our habitual sins and

weaknesses.True Prayer is when our heart and soul is perpetuallyturned to God – in a continuous state ofCommunication with the Lord our God – or in apermanent Contemplative state – occupied withthoughts of our Beloved Lord God and Saviour, and allHis Goodness.

Only in this manner – staying close to God – are we able toresist temptation and repel the evil ones who seek ourdestruction through their wicked machinations anddeadly deceptions.

Amen1 SEPTEMBER 2013 – EASTERN ORTHODOX ARCHDIOCESE OF CANADA

HTTP://WWW.ORTHODOX-CANADA.COM

F E A R O F G O D – D E A C O N C H A R L E S J O I N E R

For many years I was troubled by the pronouncement when

the Chalice is brought out to offer Holy Eucharist:"With the Fear of God draw near ."

Why should we ‘Fear’ God? Should we Fear Him because Hewill punish us for our mistakes? But we know He is aLoving and Forgiving God. How could He punish uswhom He created?

Maybe we should Fear Him because we are not willing togive up our way of life to become congruent with theLife of His Kingdom.

Maybe we should Fear Him when we learn that we areseeking to make His Kingdom like we wish it to be andknow deep down that this is not the Reality we face?

I recently saw a Calvin and Hobbes cartoon where Calvinsays: "If Heaven is Good and if I like to be bad, how am Isupposed to be happy there?"

Calvin like many of us prefers to be ‘bad.’ If that is thecase then our choice will be Hell.

For Calvin, Heaven only has meaning if it can be like he wishes it to be – ‘bad.’

But this is not the way it is. This is not the Reality of ourexistence.

Heaven is God's Kingdom.He Calls us to Perfection to be joined with Him in His

Kingdom forever.The fulfilment of and obedience to His Commandments

and Teachings are the only way we are able to enter HisHeavenly Kingdom – the only way to become worthyHeavenly Citizens.

C.S. Lewis also addressed this issue in his book: “The GreatDivorce.”

In this book residents of Hell are given the opportunity to

visit Heaven.When they arrive, they are met by Heaven's Spirit Residentswho tell each of them in an individual encounter thatthey are welcome to stay.

All they need to do is to give up their sins - whether that be a lack of forgiveness, a lust for recognition, or someother self-centred activity.

However, none are willing to give up the causes of theirliving in Hell where the worst tendencies areaccentuated. Unwilling to change they choose to remainin Hell, and, one by one, they get on the bus andwillingly to return to Hell.

All of us have bad habits that we know are unacceptable toGod.

We need to ask ourselves if we are willing to change – toRepent - because of our Love for God.

Are we willing to give up those self-indulgent, fleetingpleasures and instead seek what God offers us for ourEternal Benefit - or do we expect God to adapt to ourway of thinking?

Do we really believe that in the end everything will be ‘OK’ just because we believe in Christ?

My problem was that I did not really believe in anyabsolutes.

I believed that surely God would ‘adapt’ to my view of what

is ‘a good life and way of living’, after all I was arespected member of our society.

I wanted to change the wording in the Proclamation beforecommunion to "Awe " instead of "Fear " - but that totallymissed a most important Truth that I was to learn later.

The Day of Reckoning will eventually come for all of us.We will either have been trained through a Life of

Repentance to have demonstrated our Love for God andour willingness to work toward giving up – Repenting -our ego-directed actions in order to follow Christ, or,remain stuck in our own personal version of what Godwill accept.

In the end we will be the one who chooses either Heaven orHell!

Will we be like those unrepentant visitors to Heaven inLewis' story, where - even when confronted with the Joy,Peace and Love of Heaven compared to the abjecthorrors of Hell - were unwilling to give up what they

believed gave them ‘pleasure!’?They preferred Hell where their badness – their self-

indulgent wickedness - was acceptable!They refused to ‘give up’ anything because they were so

blinded and enslaved by their self-centredness andegoism.

Our Lord Jesus Christ Calls His Disciples by inviting them:"Follow Me ."

And without any hesitation or doubt, they immediatelygave up the comfort and security of their homes, theiroccupations and their families, and simply followedHim.

Not all Disciples of Christ are expected nor asked to give up

everything as some of His Apostles had done, yet, if wesurrender to Him and Cleanse ourselves of thepassions, we are Blessed with Divine Grace and weeagerly choose to Follow Him – whatever it requires ofus!

This is the Path to Heaven. There is no other Way!There comes a time when our appropriate Fear of God is

Transformed into an intense Love of God and intoLoving Obedience of God in all things.

We will no longer fear Divine ‘Punishment’, nor will we feargiving up whatever gives us pleasure, because we havefound True Pleasure, total Fulfilment and Joy in ourHoly Union with Him.

We will be fearful, however of losing that wonderful Love,Joy, Peace and Comfort that we are granted when weeagerly and willingly choose to Live in Christ and in His

Divine Grace.And therefore, having prepared ourselves correctly and

obediently, according to our Lord’s Divine Teachingsand Commandments, we wait to be invited to His Great,Life-giving Banquet: "With the fear of God, with Faithand with Love, draw near!"


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H O W D O W E K N O W T H A T O U R L O R D J E S U S W A S G O D ?

How do we know our Lord Jesus was really God and not just some Super Human Being Who was Enlightened?

In the Holy Gospel of St John, our Saviour, Jesus Christclearly stated:

2015 august sacred lessons

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