| Athlete of Virtues—St. Sergius of Radonezh Commerated July 5/18; September 25/October 8 St. Sergius and the doves. The lives of the saints as well as their writings are one of the ways that we learn about the spiritual life. In reading attentively the lives of saints, one of the first things we learn is that the saints are neither distinctively Russian or Greek (nor any other nationality); they are at all times Orthodox and Christ-loving. They breathe forth the same spiritual fragrance no matter when or where they lived. One of the most beloved Orthodox saints of Russia is St. Sergius of Radonezh whose life for countless generations of pious Orthodox, both young and old, served as a source of spiritual nourishment. And so it can for us, if only we read it not so much with our minds, as with our hearts. A Greek bishop, a contemporary of St. Sergius, doubted the many reports he had heard concerning the saint's sanctity and said: " Can there be such a lamp in this land and in these latter times? " Desiring to see for himself, he set out for St. Sergius' monastery, but " no sooner had he seen the Saint when he was struck blind. The Saint took him by the hand to his cell, and there the bishop confessed his unbelief and begged with tears for healing. The Saint touched his eyes and healed him, exhorting him not to come tempting the simple monks again. The bishop, now enlightened, spoke loudly everywhere about having seen a true man of God, a heavenly man and earthly Angel. " How many of us approach the reading of lives of saints, our minds clouded by doubt, skeptical about the miracles and thus blind to the treasure of holiness which they contain? Let us heed the example of the Greek bishop and beg God to open our mind's eye, for only in this way shall our reading of these lives be spiritually fruitful. St. Sergius was born in 1314 in Rostov of pious and devout parents. Even before his birth, God worked a miracle upon the future saint: while still in his mother's womb he cried aloud three times during the Divine Liturgy. His biographer says that from this moment his mother " carried the child in her womb as if it were a precious treasure... She guarded herself from every stain of sin, observing a fast. " |
| In Jesus’ parable about those invited to the King’s wedding dinner, we are both terrified and comforted by the fact that those who were invited did not come because their refusal makes room for us. We the poor, the lame and the blind are ushured into the wedding hall, both the good and the bad (Matt. 22:10). In most commentaries we are told that the invited guests refer to the Jewish people who through the Law and the Prophets received invitation, but in rejecting their Messiah, rejected their summons to the wedding banquet itself, which is understood as nothing less than the Kingdom of Heaven. We who are not of the Chosen People, so the common commentary goes, are consequently invited, even compelled to come to the wedding celebration (Lk. 14:23). However, entrance into the wedding banquet is not the end of the story. In the ancient practice, a wealthy patron would provide new suits of clothes to be worn by his guests at the wedding. These are the wedding garments that the King in Jesus’ parable expects to find His guests wearing. However, one guest is not wearing the wedding garment given to him. And what is the result? This one is bound “hand and foot,” taken away, and cast in to outer darkness where there is “weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Mat. 22: 13). Putting on and taking off clothing is a central image or metaphor of our life in Christ. It is in many ways the primary ‘how to’ image of the Christian life. How do we become more like Christ? We put on “tender mercies, kindness, humility, gentleness, long suffering” (Col. 3: 12); and we take off “anger, wrath, malice, blaspheme, filthy language” (Col. 3: 8). Or in his letter to the Ephesians, St. Paul puts it the other way around: by ‘walking’ with humility, gentleness, long-suffering and forbearance, (4:2) we put on the New Man. And by not ‘walking’ as worldly people do, with a blind heart, giving ourselves to lewdness, and doing unclean and greedy things, we put off the old man (4: 20-24). Yet you may ask, “If I have to do all of these things, if I have to be kind and humble and gentle, and if I can’t be angry or curse or be sexually immoral, then how is this garment given to me? It seems that it is something I do, something I create.” Yes, it is an interesting paradox. On the one hand it is freely given, and on the other hand I have to put it on. |
| Photo: http://fondblagotvor.ru/ And when Jesus departed thence, two blind men followed Him, crying, and saying, Thou Son of David, have mercy on us. And when He was come into the house, the blind men came to Him: and Jesus saith unto them, Believe ye that I am able to do this? They said unto Him, Yea, Lord. Then touched He their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you. And their eyes were opened; and Jesus straitly charged them, saying, See that no man know it. But they, when they were departed, spread abroad His fame in all that country. As they went out, behold, they brought to Him a dumb man possessed with a devil. And when the devil was cast out, the dumb spake: and the multitudes marveled, saying, It was never so seen in Israel. But the Pharisees said, He casteth out devils through the prince of the devils. And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people (Matthew 9:27-35). In this morning’s holy Gospel from the Gospel of St. Matthew (9:27-35), we hear once again of the great love and concern that our Lord had for the sick and the handicapped. Jesus did not simply preach about the Law of the Old Testament like no one else before him. He knew that to love others means to reach out to the underprivileged and disenfranchised. He lived his own teaching of the Golden Rule, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” If we believe that Jesus is the Lord, we are obliged by our faith in him to do something to let the world know that we are his followers, as Jesus says in the Gospel, “By your love for one another everyone will know that you are my disciples.” To only focus in on our relationship with God to the neglect of our relationship with others is to fulfill only part of the Commandments. We can be so absorbed in our personal relationship with the Most High that we sometimes forget that Christianity is a communal religion, that is, a religion which sees love of God and love of neighbour as complimentary parts of the same Law rather than as mutually exclusive. To have a relationship with Jesus means that we also have a relationship with all people whom we must treat with compassion as our Lord Himself did. |
| In the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, Amen Today is the Twenty-ninth Sunday after Pentecost . The main reading today is about the Healing of the Ten Lepers (Lk. 17:12-19). In this miracle, like most of the miracles in the Gospel, is presented to us an inner meaning and outer meaning. The inner meaning is about what true faith really is, and also about the unfaithfulness and unthankfulness of the Jews. The outer meaning seems to be clear, that we should in all things give thanks to God, particularly when we are given great gifts. Only one man gave thanks to God for this great boon that he was given—this healing from his leprosy. And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off: And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us (Lk. 17:14) . Leprosy was an affliction that represented uncleanness. A leper was disenfranchised from his community. He could not enter into the temple, and he could not even come near a Jew, much less touch one. Someone who came close to him or touched him would be considered unclean, until he fulfilled various ceremonies prescribed in the law. A leper was truly an exile among his own people. These lepers were “afar off”. They were afar off because they had to stay away from the Jews, because of their uncleanness . They also were afar off because we cannot approach God, being full of sins. Leprosy is a metaphor for our sins. A man who has sins is certainly afar off from God. When they lifted up their voices to ask God to have mercy, we are reminded of the two blind men. In another place, it says: Two blind men followed him, crying, and saying, Thou son of David, have mercy on us (Mt. 9:27). They were insistent, just as these lepers must have been insistent. Being afar off, they must have had to shout loudly and often, since with the bustle and press of the crowd, it would have been hard to make their voices known. They must have insistently had to cry out for mercy to God, far away from Him, in their sins. |
| The Book of Tobit is an astonishing book. It is a part of the Septuagint Old Testament, and therefore only in Orthodox and Roman Catholic Bibles. Until 1929, it was included in Protestant Bibles (in the section called “apocrypha” or “hidden things.” I don’t know why they thought it was hidden.) It is a very Christian book. Most of you probably have never read it, so let me summarize. In a nutshell, it’s about a man named Tobit, and his son Tobias. Tobit is a righteous man, who apart from his other work, labors to take care of the poor and needy. He even leaves his dinner, hot on the table, to go and bury the dead whom no one else cares about. That’s righteousness. One day, in an interesting way, he suddenly goes blind (How? read it for yourself, I can’t spoil everything). Tobit, old and blind, wants to find a good wife for his son before he dies. Sent by God, the Archangel Raphael appears, and posing as a distant relative, agrees to take Tobias to find a wife. He takes him to a woman who has been married seven times, but on the wedding night of each marriage, a powerful demon appears and kills the groom, leaving the new bride a virgin maid. No one will marry her now, and it’s not hard to understand why. Tobias arrives, and bravely announces that he will marry her. When the demon appears, Tobias forces the demon to flee, and takes her back home. Raphael dramatically reveals himself as an angelic visitor, and they live happily ever after. Whew. That’s the condensed version. It’s a fun read, though, so please don’t take my word for it. What does this have to do with redemption and salvation from a Christian perspective? Why did the early Christian teachers and Fathers hold this book in such high esteem? They certainly considered it important enough to be in the Bible. Why is it even in the Bible at all? Let have a look at this situation. A loving Father, sends his only Son, accompanied by a holy Spirit, to rescue a helpless Bride held captive by an evil spirit who fills her life with hopelessness and death. This Son defeats the evil spirit, saves the Bride, and takes her back to live with Him in the Father’s house. |
| Together with the scribes and the elders the chief priests question Jesus’ authority to work miracles. Tell us, by what authority are You doing these things? Or who is he who gave You this authority? (Luke 20:2, NKJV). In other words, by what authority does Jesus heal the sick, give sight to the blind and raise the dead? You would think that the question answers itself. Or at least that the religious authorities would have given some weight to the words of the man to whom Jesus restored sight: Why, this is a marvelous thing, that you do not know where He is from; yet He has opened my eyes! Now we know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, He hears him. Since the world began it has been unheard of that anyone opened the eyes of one who was born blind. If this Man were not from God, He could do nothing (John 9:30-33, NKJV). St Augustine says that they asked Jesus what they did “to discredit Him.” He goes on to say that instead of believing in Him “they took refuge in the darkness of their own hearts” (Sermon 293.4, in vol III of ACCS NT: Luke , p. 303). In the Gospel Jesus’ authority—His rights if you will—is for something. It has a purpose. Jesus has authority, power, to proclaim the Gospel in both words and deeds. The authority that Jesus exercise liberates us from the law of sin and death ( Romans 8: 2, NKJV ). We are, St Cyril of Alexandria says, “set free by Christ” from sin and death and are now able to “lead lives of holiness” (“Explanation of the Letter to the Romans,” in vol VI of ACCS NT: Romans , p. 202). St Paul in his letter to Timothy is concerned that now having experienced freedom in Christ, the young bishop Timothy not share in other people’s sins by imprudently (“hastily” 1 Timothy 5:22, NKJV) ordaining them. The sins of some men “are clearly evident” while the sins of others are hidden. But, like with good works, the truth of the person cannot be hidden (vv. 5:24-25). Forgiveness brings with it not only freedom from sin and death but a new, more awesome and weighty responsibility both for ourselves and others. |
| Азбука веры Православная библиотека митрополит Сурожский Антоний (Блум) Sermons Пожертвовать Вход митрополит Сурожский Антоний (Блум) Sermons Sermon 34 Sermon 36 Скачать epub pdf Father Benedict " S Ordination 1973 He who crosses the threshold of the holy doors, crosses the threshold of death and the threshold of the life, of the Risen Christ. The threshold of death, because to enter as a priest into the sanctuary means that we accept to walk into it as the Lord Jesus Christ Himself walked into the place of the Passion. And yet we enter also into the realm of life eternal, because if we accept to be one with Christ in his offering and in His sacrifice, in His death for the love of man, we also become partakers of the life of Christ Who by death has conquered death, Who by the narrow gate of death has entered first into the death and horror of Hell, and also into the Kingdom where He reigns at the right hand of the Father. Before His death, while He was partaking in the Last Supper with his disciples, He said: No one is taking my life from Me; I lay it down freely. And so does everyone who wishes to walk in the footsteps of Christ. If you want to be a priest of you must share with Him His love for the world He has created, His love of man, a love which does not stop half-way, a love that accepts to become one of us, a love that makes the destiny of the lost his own destiny, the suffering, the anguish, the dying of the lost, his own suffering, his own anguish, his own dying. A love that is humble so humble that He washes the feet of His disciples, so humble that He calls Himself the servant, so humble that He shares His own greatness, breaking the bread with them and calling them his friends, a love devoted, a love, that never falters. A priest is one who shares also with God his faith in men, he is prepared to be blind to appearances, to see only reality, who is prepared to be blind to material evidence, to be more certain of the invisible beauty of those who surround him, of their eternal capability, of their ability to be holy before God in spite of all that can be said and can be seen, all the certainties which life presents. |
| The Miraculous Relics of St. Joasaph of Belgorod On September 4/17 the Church commemorates the uncovering of the miraculous relics of St. Joasaph of Belgorod in 1911. Below is a miracle worked by his wondrous relics, as recorded in the book Contemporary Cases of Miraculous Help, translated from Russian by Tatiana Pavlova and Natalia Semyanko. At the time I was studying at St. Petersburg Theological Academy. I had much knowledge, but no real faith. There were ceremonies associated with the opening of the relics of St. Joasaph and I attended them unwillingly, thinking about the tremendous crowds of people thirsting for a miracle. How could miracles happen these days? I came there and something moved inside of me: I saw something to which one could not remain indifferent. There were sick people and cripples from all over Russia—there was so much suffering and pain that it was hard to look at. Moreover, the universal expectation of something miraculous was conveying itself to me, in spite of my skepticism towards the forthcoming ceremony. Finally the Emperor came with the Family and the celebration began. By this time, I stood with profound anxiety: I did not believe and still, I waited for something to happen. Now, it is hard to imagine that sight: thousands and thousands of sick, bent, crippled, possessed, and blind people stood and lay on both sides of the road, along which the saint’s relics were to be carried. One cripple in particular drew my attention: he could not be observed without a shudder. All his body parts had grown together—he was like some kind of ball of flesh and bones on the ground. I waited: what could happen to that man? What could help him? Then the coffin with the relics of St. Joasaph was brought out. I never saw and will probably never see anything like it again—almost all the sick, standing and lying across the road, were cured: the blind began to see, the deaf—to hear, the mute began to talk, to cry and jump for joy, the cripples’ body parts stretched and healed. I looked at all that was happening with horror, trembling and reverence—and did not let that particular cripple out of my sight. When the coffin with the relics reached him, he separated his arms—a terrible crunching of his bones was heard, as if something was tearing and breaking inside of him, he started to rise to his feet with an effort—and finally stood up. What a shock I experienced! I ran up to him with tears in my eyes, then caught some journalist by the hand, begged him to write that down… I returned to Petersburg as another person—a believer. Fr. Alexander.org 17 сентября 2015 г. Подпишитесь на рассылку Православие.Ru Рассылка выходит два раза в неделю: Смотри также Комментарии Baby Varghese 23 сентября 2015, 12:00 I heard about St.Joasaph for the first time.I seek the saint " s intercession for healing of my various ailments,including the chest pain,which is latest. Мы в соцсетях Подпишитесь на нашу рассылку |
| The Trouble with Tolstoy Tolstoy sees ritual, hierarchy, books by the Holy Fathers, catechisms, and theology; yet, all the while, he is completely blind to Christ. Without Christ, everything he sees in the Church falls apart, seeming like a collection of irritating absurdities. Sergey Khudiev 16 May 2012 The views of Leo Tolstoy – specifically those that gave occasion to the Synod’s well-known edict – have always enjoyed (and continue to enjoy) a certain popularity. This is not just because of his indisputable literary genius, but also because Leo Tolstoy’s trouble is similar to that of many who observe the Church. Tolstoy sees ritual, hierarchy, books by the Holy Fathers, catechisms, and theology; yet, all the while, he is completely blind to Christ. Without Christ, everything he sees in the Church falls apart, seeming like a collection of irritating absurdities. So, too, might someone attending a wedding, but not understanding the meaning of the proceedings, grumble about the young bride’s absurd dress, the groom’s awkward suit, the meaningless rite of exchanging rings, and the silly cries of “gorko.” The Church gathers around Christ, Who is risen and alive unto the ages of ages; without Him, everything else is meaningless. Leo Tolstoy’s trouble was precisely that he did not see the Risen Christ; he saw only a long-dead teacher of antiquity. He himself writes: Leo Tolstoy with his sister nun Maria at Shamordino Convent, 1908. “I believe in the following: I believe in God, Whom I understand as spirit, as love, as the source of all. I believe that He is in me, and I in Him. I believe that the will of God is most clearly and intelligibly expressed in the teaching of the man Christ, whom to consider as God, and to pray to, I consider the greatest blasphemy” (“Reply to the Synod’s Edict Excommunicating Me on February 20-22, and to Letters Concerning It”). Tolstoy’s dispute with the Church was a dispute about Christ. Who is Jesus Christ? Someone who once lived in deep antiquity? A teacher who is dead, just like all the other ancient teachers? Or He Who abides invisibly, but in absolute reality, among those who believe in Him? Can we call upon Him in prayer, or is this the “greatest blasphemy”? Can He forgive sins, or is this forgiveness a “harmful deception, which only encourages immorality and destroys the fear of committing sin” (Ibid.)? Is Christ, merciful and compassionate, among us, comforting us in every affliction and meeting us at death’s door? Or is all this just “doctrine”? |
| “But the Pharisees kept on saying, ‘It is by the help of the prince of the demons that He drives them out’” (Matthew 9:27-35). St. Chrysostom says that nothing is worse than ingratitude. And indeed, dear brethren, nothing annoys man so much as the behavior of an ungrateful person. When someone gives you even so small a thing as a glass of water when you are thirsty, the rules of etiquette prescribe that you thank him. Even a simple person, who knows nothing of etiquette, says thank you out of common courtesy. I shall never forget when I was a student in Constantinople and wished, after a day of shopping in the city, to get a ride back to my lodging on a bus. Much to my embarrassment, I found that I had not one cent left in my pocket with which to pay the driver. Just as he was about to slam the door in my face, a stranger, a Turk, paid my fare for me. I shall never forget the favor of this modern-day “good Samaritan.” Today’s Gospel Lesson, however, does not deal with material goods which, regardless of their value, remain lifeless matter; rather, the Gospel Lesson relates the healing by Jesus of three grievously afflicted people — two blind men, and one deaf and dumb. Both miracles are noteworthy, else Matthew would not have recorded them for us. St. John writes, “There are many other things that Jesus did, which, if they were all written down in detail, I do not suppose that the world itself could hold the books that would have to be written” (John 21:25). But what about those things Jesus said and did that were not recorded for us? These became Tradition, passed on orally from one generation of Christians to another. The Church has been and remains the guardian, the judge, and the touchstone upon which was decided the integrity and genuineness of that which has become known as Tradition. Matthew does not describe for us the attitude, the behavior of the blind, deaf, and dumb after their healing. We presume that they were grateful to the Master, unlike the nine lepers of Luke 17. |
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