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SerbianOrthodoxChurch.net
St Sylvester, Bishop of Rome (January 2)
Our Holy Father Ammon of Tabennisi (January 2) Our Holy Father Seraphim of Sarov (January 2) St Theodota (January 2) |
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How do we reply to those who say that there is no room in our logic for Christ the worker of marvels? Answer simply: Place yourself within His. In His logic are contained all eternity and all transient goodness, so you could, if you wished, find a place therein for your-self. If you cannot fit a barrel into a thimble, you can fit a thimble into a barrel. Blessed Clement of Alexandria says: `Philosophers are as children until they become mature in Christ...' for the truth is never contained only in the processes of rational thought. Christ came to make men new, and so also to make new the logic of men. He is our Logos and our logic. Thus we must direct our minds in accordance with His, not He with ours. He is the corrective of our minds. The sun does not adjust itself to our clocks, but they to the sun. Let me ponder on the Lord Jesus as the Word of God (the Logos): 1. How the triune God created all things by His Word, the Lord Christ. 2. How he is a fool who sets himself at a distance from Christ, the Word of God, and in whom Christ has no place. -on pride. "Pride goeth before destruction, arid a haughty spirit before a fall" (Prov. 16:18). Of all that exists in the four corners of the earth, what, O mortal man, can make us proud save folly and demonic illusion? Are not born naked and poor into this world? And do we not see that we can likewise take nothing out of it? Is not all that we have lent to us, and shall we not have to return it at our death? Ah, how often has this been expressed-and how often ignored? "We broughtnothing into this world, and it is certain that we can take nothing out" (I Tim. 6:7), says the wise Apostle. And when we offer the sacrifice to God, simple bread and wine, we say: "Thine of thine own we offer Thee!", for nothing in this world is our own, neither a crumb of bread nor a drop of wine-there is nothing that has not come from God. Truly, pride is the daughter of folly, the daughter of a dar-kened mind, born of an evil relationship with demons. Pride is a wide window, through which all our merits and good works quickly blow away. Nothing works in us such emptiness before men and such unworthiness before God as pride. God is not proud; how can we be? Who has more right to be proud than God, who created the world and sustains it by His power? And lo, He abased Himself and became a servant, a servant to the whole world -unto death, death on the Cross. O most humble Lord, burn up in our hearts the devil's sowing of pride with the flame of Thy Holy Spirit, and prepare in them the blessed harvest of humility and meekness. To Thee be glory and praise for ever. Amen. |
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SerbianOrthodoxChurch.net * From "The Prologue from Ochrid", by Bishop Nikolai Velimirovic - Lazarica Press - Birmingham 1985 Four Book Edition - Translated by Mother Maria - Dates based on old church calendar. Please see our calendar for conversion between old and new calendar dates. |