| Waterless clouds have gathered over the Russian plains from all sides. They have been brought by the wind, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever (Jude 1:13). Their mouths utter words that are puffed up. These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts (Jude 1:16). The cunning adversary walks about in the form of wild people, like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour (I Pet 5:8). The gates of hell have gathered all their might and have fallen headlong on Christ’s Holy Church. Do we have to point out these enemies of the Church? But who does not know them? Only the blind cannot see them. We believe, we believe unwaveringly, that no winds, no tempests can sink the ship of Jesus Christ! The gates of hell shall not prevail against the Church of Christ! Truth is great and stronger than all things, it endures and is strong for ever (2 Esd 4:35-38). It is easier to extinguish the sun than to destroy the Church, as St John Chrysostom says. Let us not fear for Holy Church! But look how the inheritance of God is stolen away! How many good people have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Chor (Jude 1: 1. Compare Gen 4:7; Num 22:22; 16:13). Surely it is not possible to entangle ourselves with the affairs of this life (2 Tim 2:4) with a clear conscience, when they are tormenting our own mother – Holy Church – and her children are being stolen away? In the form of the Church Christ is once more being crucified, once more being mocked and reviled in madness. What sort of conscience do we need not to lighten the cross of Christ, like Simon of Cyrene? How can any who have received a Church education, to whom God has given strength and knowledge, who love God, whom Christ has chosen for His service, not stand up and defend the Savior? How can they not guard the inheritance of God from plundering wolves? This is a great and gracious cause. If any of you, writes the Apostle, do err from the truth, and one convert him, let him know that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins (Jas 5: 19-20). And how sad it is when you hear that they who have started all with one consent begin to make excuse (Lk 14:18). Around us are brothers who perish for the faith and the guests say: This is not my affair: let those who wish serve him, but as for me…I have bought a piece of ground, I have married a wife, – have me excused (Lk 14: 18-20). But the blood of your brother, the blood of all who through your negligence have been trapped by the spiritual wolf, cries to God from the ground (Gen 4:10). To you is given strength, to you knowledge, and you did not want to give them to the service of God and Holy Church? Thou didst eat fine flour and honey and oil, but thou didst shamelessly betray God (Ezek 16:13; read to the end of the chapter). |
| ( Mt. 10:2–4 ; Mk. 3:13–19 ; Lk. 6:12–16 ). Cristo, habiendo pasado la noche entera en la montaña (en opinión de los historiadores mas antiguos se trata del monte Tabor) en oración para el fortalecimiento de la Iglesia que había establecido, llamó a Sus discípulos y eligió a 12 de ellos, para que estuviesen constantemente con Él y luego dieran testimonio. Ellos serían los líderes de las futuras 12 tribus del Nuevo Israel. En las Sagradas Escrituras la cifra 12 tiene un significado simbólico por ser el producto de 3x4; tres es la eterna e increada Naturaleza Divina y cuatro – el número del mundo, sus cuatro lados. «Doce» denota que el hombre y el mundo están impregnados de lo Divino. Los primeros tres Evangelios y el libro de los Hechos nos brindan los nombres de los 12 Apóstoles. Lo notable de esta lista es que en todo lugar los Apóstoles están divididos en tres grupos de cuatro personas cada uno y que a la cabeza de cada grupo están los mismos nombres, y estos grupos incluyen las mismas personas. Los nombres de los Apóstoles son: 1) Simón-Pedro, 2) Andrés, 3) Santiago, 4) Juan, 5) Felipe, 6) Bartolomé, 7) Tomás, 8) Mateo, 9) Santiago de Alfeo, 10) Tadeo, 11) Simón Cananita o Zilote y 12) Judas Iscariote. El Evangelista Juan llama Natanael a Bartolomé. Cananita es la traducción hebrea del vocablo griego zilote que quiere decir ardiente seguidor . «Zilote» designaba a un partido político judío que luchaba con enorme celo por la independencia del estado judío. La palabra iscariote es compuesta de dos palabras: ish (hombre) y Kariot – nombre de la ciudad. La misma palabra apóstol en traducción del griego significa mensajero , lo cual corresponde a la designación de aquellos elegidos – ser enviados para predicar. Para que tuviesen mayor éxito con su prédica, el Señor les otorgó el poder de curar a los enfermos y expulsar a los demonios. El Sermón de la Montaña ( Mt. 5–7 cap.; Lk. 6:12–49 ). El Sermón de la Montaña se desarrolla en su totalidad sólo en el Evangelio de san Mateo. San Lucas lo presenta en su versión resumida, encontrándose partes de él en todo su Evangelio. El Sermón de la Montaña es admirable porque contiene la esencia de la enseñanza de los Evangelios. |
| St. Ireneus of Lyons counsels: “There is no use seeking the truth from others, when it can be readily found in the Church . The apostles have fully placed in the Church as in a rich treasure trove all that belongs to the truth. Everyone who wishes to do so can drink the waters of life from it; it is the door to life” (Against Heresies, 3:4). A teaching from a God-revealed source is a special inheritance in the Church’s treasure trove. Whoever has systematically studied the dogmatic teaching of our Church cannot but marvel at the harmony and inner consistency of its parts. All of the necessary dogmas needed for our salvation are set forth with the utmost clarity and brevity in the Symbol of Faith [the Nicene Creed.—Trans.], which was elaborated at the first (325) and second (381) Ecumenical Councils. It is part of the Divine Liturgy. It is pronounced three times during the rite of catechization in the sacrament of Baptism. For those preparing to be baptized, Fr. Georgiy has composed his own “symbol of faith”: “I believe in the One Holy Living God—our Heavenly (Spiritual) Father and Creator of the entire material world, emotional and spiritual; and in His Pre-eternal Living Created All-wise and Only-Begotten Word (Logos), by the Spirit and Power of God (see Acts 10:38) manifest to the world and incarnate in the Son of Man—Born of a chaste Woman (see Gal. 4:4), the Virgin Mary (Mariam), and crucified out of envy and dislike, but Resurrected (raised) according to the Love of God and Unity with the Father—Jesus (Yeshua) of Nazareth, Who was a Prophet of God, strong in deed and word (see: Lk. 24:19), and the Son of God—the Anointed One (Mashiah, Messiah-Christ), foreseen by the ancient prophets, and Who became the Judge of all the living and the dead (see Acts 10:42) and our Only Lord-Liberator from slavery to this world, which lies in evil (see 1 Jn. 5:19), and to the weak and materially poor origins of this world (see Gal. 4:3, 9), and by our Savior, mercifully forgiving all sins to the faithful, repentant, and baptized in His name (see Acts 10:43; Mk. 16:16); and of the Life-creating and Prophesying Holy Spirit—the One Comforter (Paraclete), Whom the Lord sends in place of Himself from our Father to the world as a confirmation of the Fullness of our eternal Life in the Kingdom of the Heavenly God, as a Gift of His one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church; that is, to God’s world, and especially to all those who sincerely love Him and truly believe in Him, and through Him by God’s grace, to those who believe in a Personal God and the capability of every person to conform with God and become like unto God. (“In the beginning was the Word.” Catechism for those being illumined, [Moscow, 1999] 10–11). |
| The Divine Liturgy of St. Basil is officiated on this day. The readings are: 2 Cor. 11:23-32; Mtt 26-2-28; Jn. 13:3-17; Mtt 26:21-39; Lk. 22:43-44; Mtt 26:40-75; Mtt 27-1-2. During this Liturgy the priest prepares the “Amnos”, the Holy Communion, which is kept throughout the whole year to be given the faithful in times of sickness. The Body and Blood of Christ is present in the Church during the entire year and throughout the ages. On this day, with greater feeling than ever, Christians come for Holy Communion singing: “Receive me Today, O Son of God, as a partaker of Thy Mystic Feast; for I will not speak of the Mystery to Thine enemies, I will not kiss Thee as did Judas, but as the thief I will confess Thee. Lord, remember me when I comest to Thy Kingdom.” “We worship Thy passion, O Christ……” Great Holy Thursday Evening (The service of the HOLY PASSION of our Lord Jesus Christ. The service is Matins of Friday morning sung by anticipation Thursday evening.) Good Friday celebrates the holy, saving and awesome Passion of Christ. To take away our sins, Christ willingly endured the spittings, scourgings, buffetings, scorn, mocking and the purple robe; the reed, sponge, vinegar, nails, spear and, above all, the Cross and Death. The confession from the cross of the penitent thief, crucified with Christ, is celebrated. This service is long, but its content is dramatic and deeply moving for the devout Christian. Participation in the prayers and the historical sequence of the events, as related in the Gospels and hymns, provides a vivid foundation for the great events yet to come. Following are the references of the “Twelve Gospel” readings of this service: 1. St. John 13:31 thru Ch. 18,1 2. St. John 18:1-29 3. St. Matthew 26:57-75 4. St. John 18:28 thru Ch. 19:16 5. St. Matthew 27:3-32 6. St. Mark 15:16-32 7. St. Matthew 27:33-54 8. St. Luke 23:32-49 9. St. John 19:38-42 10. St. Mark 15:43-47 11. St. John 19:38-42 12. St. Matthew 27:62-66 These readings relate the last instructions of Christ to His disciples, the prophecy of the drama of the Cross, the dramatic prayer of Christ and His new commandment. The day should be devoted to reading the “Gospel of the Testament” of Christ which He left for all men. The Church services during Holy Week re-enact the events of this Gospel. |
| 681 Cf. Lk. 6: 22. 682 Io. Ï 4. 683 Gal. 5: 24—25; 6: 8. 684 Theano, H. Thesleff, The Phythagorean Texts, p. 201. e( rmaion — находка, которую приписывали милости Гермеса. 685 Plato, Phaedo, 107 c. 686 Aeschylus, Telephos, fr. 239; Plato, Phaedo, 108 a. 687 Aristophanes, Aves, 684—686. 688 Epicharm. fr. 246 Kaibel. 689 Rom. 8: 7—8.10.13.17—18. 28—30. 690 I Petr. 3: 14—17. 691 I Petr. 4: 12—14. 692 Неизвестное место. Cf. TGF Adespota 114. 693 Sophocles, Antigona 450. 694 Simonides Lyricus, fr. 58. 695 Pindarus, fr. 227 Schroeder. 696 Aeschylus, fr. 315 Nauck. 697 Heraclites, fr. 97 Marc. (25 DK): mo roi gair me zonej me zonaj moi raj lagxa nousi. 698 Неизвестное место, возможно Euripides (fr. inc. 958). 699 II Tim. 1: 7—8. 700 Cf. Rom. 12: 9; 13: 8; 15: 13. 701 Cf. Philo, Quod omnis probus liber sit, 14. 702 Cf. Strom. V 59, 5; Heraclites, fr. 95 Marc. (29 DK). 703 Неизвестное место. TGF Adespota, 115. 704 1Кор. 6: 9.11—13. 705 Cf. Strom. V 108, 3; Plato, Rep. II 361 e. 706 Cf. Strom. VII 57, 4. 707 Euripides, Hypsipyle, fr. 757. 708 1Кор. 10: 26.29—31. 709 II Cor. 10: 3—5. 710 Col. 3: 12.14—15. 711 До конца параграфа — почти точная цитата из Филона (Quod omnis probus liber sit, 16 ff.). 712 Известная история о подвиге Муция Сцеволы (Постума) см.: Plutarch., Publicola, 17. 713 Cf. Diogenes Laert. IX 99. 714 Cf. Herodot., IV 93—94. 715 1Кор. 11: 3.8.11. 716 Gal. 5: 16.17.19—23. 717 Antipater, Anthologia Palatina IX 268 1. 718 Cf. Chrysippus, fr. mor. 254 SVF. 719 Euripides, Oedipus, fr. 546, 545. 720 Homerus, Odyssea VI 182—184. 721 Eph. 5: 21—25.28. 722 Col. 3: 18—25; 4: 1; 3: 11. 723 Cf. Diogenes Laert. X, 122. 724 Heracleon Gnosticus, fr. 50 Volker. Климент упоминает Гераклеона еще раз в Eclogae Propheticae, 25,1. 725 Hermas, Visiones, IV 2, 5. 726 Возможно, лакуна в тексте. 727 Plato, Apologia 30 c-d. Слова Сократа, которые Климент явно цитирует по памяти. 728 Пс. 117: 6; Sap. 3: 1. 729 Basilides, fr. 4 Volker. 730 Job 14: 4. 731 I Thess. 4: 3—8. 732 Cf. Corpus Herm., Poem. 28; Heracleon, fr. 20 Volker. |
| To them He presented Himself alive after His passion by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days, and speaking of the Kingdom of God (Acts 1.3). It should be noted that the time span of forty days is used many times in the Bible and signifies a temporal period of completeness and sufficiency ( Gen 7.17 ; Ex 16.35, 24.18 ; Judg 3.11 ; 1Sam 17.16; 1 Kg 19.8; Jon 3.4; Mt 4.2 ). On the fortieth day after His passover, Jesus ascended into heaven to be glorified on the right hand of God (Acts 1.9–11; Mk 16.19 ; Lk?24.51). The ascension of Christ is His final physical departure from this world after the resurrection. It is the formal completion of His mission in this world as the Messianic Saviour. It is His glorious return to the Father Who had sent Him into the world to accomplish the work that He had given him to do ( Jn 17.4–5 ). .?.?. and lifting His hands He blessed them. While blessing them, He parted from them and was carried up into heaven. And they returned to Jerusalem with great joy ( Lk 24.51–52 ). The Church’s celebration of the ascension, as all such festal celebrations, is not merely the remembrance of an event in Christ’s life. Indeed, the ascension itself is not to be understood as though it were simply the supernatural event of a man floating up and away into the skies. The holy scripture stresses Christ’s physical departure and His glorification with God the Father, together with the great joy which His disciples had as they received the promise of the Holy Spirit Who was to come to assure the Lord’s presence with them, enabling them to be His witnesses to the ends of earth ( Lk 24.48–53 ; Acts 1.8–11; Mt 28.20 ; Mk 16.16–14 ). In the Church the believers in Christ celebrate these very same realities with the conviction that it is for them and for all men that Christ’s departure from this world has taken place. The Lord leaves in order to be glorified with God the Father and to glorify us with himself. He goes in order to “prepare a place” for and to take us also into the blessedness of God’s presence. He goes to open the way for all flesh into the “heavenly sanctuary .?.?. the Holy Place not made by hands” (see Hebrews 8–10). He goes in order send the Holy Spirit, Who proceeds from the Father to bear witness to Him and His gospel in the world, making Him powerfully present in the lives of disciples. |
| En efecto, esto era lo que el Señor no quería, enseñando que Él no había venido a gobernar en apariencia, no para ser servido como un gobernante terrenal ( Mt. 20:28 ), y que Su Reino no es de este mundo (Ju. 18:36), Su Reino es puramente espiritual . Por ello el Señor rechaza al demonio: «¡Apártate Satanás!» ( Mt. 4:10 ), citando las palabras del Deuteronomio (6:13): «Adoraras al Señor tu Dios, y a Él solo rendirás culto.» Con esto Jesús muestra que Él no acepta la autoridad del demonio sobre el mundo, pues el universo pertenece al Señor Dios, y Él es el Único que será adorado. Según el Evangelio de Lucas el demonio se alejo de Jesucristo «hasta el momento oportuno» ( Lk. 4:13 ), porque pronto comenzará a tentar al Señor a través de la gente, creando todo tipo de intrigas. El Evangelista Marcos hace una importante referencia al hecho de que, en el desierto, Jesús «vivía entre las fieras» ( Mk. 1:13 ). Como el Nuevo Adán, las bestias salvajes no se atrevían a atacarlo reconociendo en Él a su Soberano. Los primeros discípulos de Cristo. ( Jn. 1:35–51 ). Luego de las tentaciones del demonio Nuestro Señor Jesucristo se dirigió una vez mas hacia el Jordán al encuentro de Juan. Entretanto, en la víspera de su retorno, el Bautista dio un nuevo y triunfal testimonio de Cristo ante los fariseos – pero esta vez no de la venida del Mesías como promesa, sino como una realidad. Sólo el Evangelio de Juan narra este suceso ( Jn. 1:19–34 ). Sacerdotes y levitas fueron enviados por los judíos desde Jerusalén para interrogar a Juan. Ellos querían saber si acaso él no era el Cristo, pues según sus creencias era sólo el Mesías-Cristo quien podía bautizar. «Él [el Bautista] confesó y no lo ocultó, sino que dijo claramente: Yo no soy el Cristo» (Ju. 1:20). Luego le preguntaron si acaso no era un profeta, a lo que Juan contestó: «Yo soy la voz que grita en el desierto» ( Jn. 1:23 ), enfatizando que su bautismo con agua tal como su ministerio todo es solo preparatorio , y para evitar otras preguntas, concluye su respuesta con una declaración triunfante: «Entre ustedes hay Uno a quien ustedes no conocen; es Él Quien, viniendo después de mí, me precede» (Ju. 1:26–27). Él comienza su ministerio después de mí pero tiene existencia eterna y dignidad Divina, «y yo no soy digno de desatar la correa de Su sandalia» (Ju. 1:27). Este testimonio fue dado en Betabara donde las multitudes acostumbraban a acudir a Juan. Al día siguiente, Juan vio acercarse a Jesús y dijo: «Este es el Cordero de Dios, que quita el pecado del mundo»; confirmando que Aquel que bautiza con el Espíritu Santo, es el Hijo de Dios , pues: " yo vi al Espíritu descender del cielo en forma de paloma y posarse sobre Él» (Ju. 1:29–34). |
| Homily on the Day of the Apostles Peter and Paul Their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world. Psalm 18:5; Romans 10:18 Synaxis of the Twelve Apostles In order to raise our spirit but a little over the vanity of this world in which it is ordinarily immersed, we shall impress in our minds, brothers and sisters, the image of the holy chief Apostles Peter and Paul, filled with inexhaustible life. Their souls represent an equally abundant treasure house of spiritual virtues for us, who are in but small measure participants in the Divine life that was revealed through the appearance of God in the flesh. Both equally hazarded their lives (Acts 15:26) for the word of God, and to witness the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, desiring to shepherd the sheep of Christ " s flock and betroth to Christ a Church made of pagans who were redeemed by His blood. One, a rock of faith, strengthened his brethren (cf. Lk. 22:32) who were scattered in their fear of persecution for the name of Christ after His resurrection, and first explained how God willed that to the Church, hitherto composed only of the sons of Israel, should be united those pagans who converted (Acts. 15:7–11). The other, a chosen vessel (Acts 9:15) to bear the name of Christ to peoples who had not yet heard of Christ (Rom. 15:20–21), travelled with words of preaching to nearly all the known inhabited world, so that the words be fulfilled, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not (Gal. 4:27; Is. 54:1) and Be glad, thou thirsty desert: let the wilderness exult (Is. 35:1)— the hearts of the pagans. Both were equally filled with love for Christ, dedicated their whole lives to preaching the Word and to apostolic labors, and both sealed their love for Christ with a martyr " s death. One, having first denied Christ, followed Him for the rest of his life in repentance, as if on the crucifix, enduring fiery temptations and satan " s calumny (1 Pet. 4:12; 5:8), in order to fulfill what Christ had said to him: Follow Me (Jn. 21:19). The other, called from amongst the persecutors, counted all things as dung, that he might win Christ (cf. Phil. 3:6–8), and desired to be accursed from Christ that he might bring to Him his brothers in the flesh—Israel (Rom. 9:3), until he finished his course by martyrdom in order to receive a crown of righteousness (cf. 2 Tim. 4:6–8). |
| The beauty of the world around us (a cloud formation, a flower) and the tragedy of its destruction (wanton killing of animals, global warming): “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament proclaims his handiwork. Day pours out the word to day, and night to night imparts knowledge.” (Psalm 18:1-2) God’s love for us: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16) “In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the expiation for our sins.” (1 John 4:9-10) God died for us: “And when they came to the place which is called The Skull, there they crucified him.” (Luke 23:33) “But I am a worm, and no man; scorned by men, and despised by the people. All who see me mock at me, they make mouths at me, they wag their heads….” (Psalm 21:6-7) “Then Jesus, crying with a loud voice, said, “Father, into thy hands I commit my spirit!” And having said this he breathed his last.” (Luke 23:46) Thanksgiving to God for all things: “Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; and he fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan. Then said Jesus, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” (Lk. 17:15-18) The world is vanity: “For the fate of the sons of men and the fate of beasts is the same; as one dies, so dies the other. They all have the same breath, and man has no advantage over the beasts; for all is vanity. All go to one place; all are from the dust, and all turn to dust again.” (Ecclesiastes 3: 19-20) “For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits. Blessed is the man who endures trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life which God has promised to those who love him.” (James 1:11-12) |
| The apostles, when they went forth to proclaim the Lordship of Jesus, consistently placed that message in a particular context: the cosmology of the Bible, based on the doctrine of Creation. Although the dominical mandate the apostles received did not explicitly say so ( Mt 28:19-20 ; Mk 16:15 ; Lk 24:46-48 ; Acts 1:8 ), they quickly sensed that the Gospel of redemption could not be safely proclaimed without the dogma of Creation. This is one of the reasons, surely, that the Gospel, as it spread through the Greco-Roman world, first took root in the synagogues of the Diaspora, where the biblical thesis of Creation was already taken for granted. Elsewhere in that culture, this was not always—or, even, often—the case. The biblical doctrine of Creation was only one of several types of cosmology known around the Mediterranean Basin. For this reason Paul, when he addressed the Stoics and Epicureans at Athens, was obliged to begin with the “God who made the world and everything in it” ( Acts 17:24 ). Those who argued for the truth of the Gospel throughout the early centuries of the Church were obliged to return, again and again, to the biblical teaching on Creation. Apologists like Tatian ( Discourse to the Greeks 5) and Irenaeus ( Against the Heresies 3.10.1-4) perceived that the correct Christian doctrine of redemption absolutely demanded the Jewish format of the created order. Any other cosmological framework would inevitably destroy the Gospel. Very quickly in Christian history the initial article of the Creed spoke of God as “Creator of heaven and earth.” The Church Fathers were not content, however, simply to affirm the fact of creation; they also pondered its meaning and reflected on its implications. For instance, treatises on the six days of creation ( In Hexaemeron ) were prominent in the works of churchmen like Basil and Ambrose. St. Gregory the Theologian , who remained steadfastly apophatic when speaking about God in Himself, spoke more directly when he came to treat of God as Creator. It is in the work of creation, where God is revealed “outside Himself,” that man first knows Him. |
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