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SerbianOrthodoxChurch.net
Our Holy Father, the Martyr Onuphrius of Hilandar (January 4)
The Eunuch of Queen Candace (January 4) The Assembly of the Seventy Apostles (January 4) St Eustathius, Archbishop of Serbia (January 4) |
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God hearkens to the prayer of a righteous man. This is clearly seen in the lives of Moses and Elias and of many righteous men and prophets of the Old Testament, as also from the lives of the apostles and saints. When St Genevieve was living the monastic life in Paris, Attila and his savage Huns laid siege to the city. Fear and horror took hold of all the inhabitants, who were in hourly expectation of its occupation by the enemy. St. Genevieve then called on the people to fast and pray, that the calamity might be averted. Many men and women responded to the saint's call, and began to fast and to pray. Genevieve herself kept the strictest fast and made the most fervent prayer to God. After a very short time, the enemy withdrew from Paris, without any obvious reason, and went to some other place. That which cannot be accomplished by the swords of many sinners, the prayer of one righteous man can perform. Let me ponder on the richness of God's power, wisdom and love: 1. The richness of that power, wisdom and love as shown forth in natural creation. 2. The richness of that power, wisdom and love revealed to the world through out Lord Jesus Christ. - on the citizens of the other world. "They are not of the world, even as 1 am not of the world" (Jn. 17:16). Christ the Lord is not of this world, but He clothes Himself with this world - a leader clad in the garment of a slave - to save the slave ensnared by sin, matter and the devil. As the Leader is, so are His troops. They in their souls are not of this world. They are not slaves but free men, not servants but masters, creatures not of corruption but of eternity, not unto perdition but unto salvation. Such are those whom Christ recruited and who, having tasted of eternal life, volun-tarily set themselves free from the world and joined themselves to Him, remaining faithful to Him to the end of their earthly lives. Abba Moses said: "No-one can enrol in Christ's army unless he be all of flame, scorning honour and repose, leaving aside all bodily desires and keeping the commandments of God." Judas was among those recruited, but he fell back and preferred prison to the courts of the King, slavery to freedom, corruption to immortality and per-dition to salvation. But the other recruited apostles, the greater and the lesser, remained faithful to the end and wrought the victory, for which they are renowned on earth among men and in heaven among the angels. For this they are glorified and blessed on earth and in heaven. All that the world praises perishes with the world, but that which Christ praises is saved by Him. The praise of the world is death, but the praise of Christ is life, eternal and deathless. O immortal Lord, though we too, through the flesh and sin, are of this world, enrol us in Thine army, which, by Thy Spirit, power, wisdom and love, is not of this world. Grant that when we die in this world we may live in Thine immortal Kingdom with the angels, the apostles and the saints, through the love and prayers of Thine apostles. 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. |