All Saints for February 1

 

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FOR CONSIDERATION


St Tryphon prayed before his death: 'O Lord, God of gods and King of kings, the holiest of all that is holy, I thank Thee that Thou hast made me worthy to finish the spiritual struggle without faltering. And now I pray Thee, let me not fall into the hands of the invisible demon, lest he drag me down into the pit of destruction. But may Thy holy angel lead me to Thy beauteous habitation and teach me to become an heir of the Kingdom that I so greatly desire. Receive my soul, and hearken to the prayers of all who will bring Thee offer-ings in memory of me; look Thou upon them from Thy holy habita-tion, give Thou them abundant and enduring gifts. For thou art a good and merciful Giver of gifts, for ever and ever. Amen.' As St Tryphon suffered in Nicaea and many miraculous healings were performed by his dead body, the citizens of Nicaea wanted to bury him in their cemetery. But the saint appeared to someone in a vision and expressed his desire to be taken home to his own village, Lampsacus, where he had formerly tended the geese, and be buried there.

TO PONDER


Let me ponder on the Lord Jesus as the fresh and health-giving air of the soul: 1. As the fresh and health-giving air which the soul breathes, and is thereby preserved from corruption. 2.As the fresh and health-giving air which the prophets, apost-les and saints breathed, being thereby healthy in soul. 3. As the fresh and health-giving air of my soul, which drives out the smell of sin in me, making me fresh and healthy in soul.

HOMILY


- on the Word of God, that cleanses like fire.

'Ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you' (Jn. 15:3).

The Lord created the world by His Word; by His Word He renewed the earth, by His Word He forgave sins, healed sickness and drove out evil spirits, calmed the wind and the waves. He cleanses men today by His holy Word, that, being cleansed, they may bring forth greater fruit. Vines, when they have been pruned and cleansed, are strong. The Word of the Lord, coming forth from the Almighty, is strong. By the Word of the Lord were the heavens made (Ps. 32:6). The Word of the Lord shines like the sun, but it can also burn like the sun, consuming all that works against the Lord. The Word of the Lord is as sweet as honey, but it can also be as bitter as medicine. The Word of the Lord is as welcome as a friend who taps at the door just when he is most needed, but it can also be as a judge who catches us in sin and condemns us, allowing us no excuse. The Word of the Lord is true, righteous, wise and merciful, and is therefore all-powerful. No-one and nothing, in heaven or on earth, can stand against it. And the word of a man is powerful when it is true, right-eous, wise and merciful. But as illness can so enfeeble and weaken a giant that he becomes weaker than a child, so falsehood, unright-eousness, folly and mercilessness render the word of a man powerless, making it like the clicke6ng of a vixen against the moon. He who is sparing with words tempers them from pure silver, but he who pours them forth unsparingly mixes earth with the silver.

Thy Word, O Lord, is life and truth. Cleanse us by Thine almighty Word, as Thou didst cleanse the apostles. May we bring forth much fruit and be made worthy of Thy Kingdom. To Thee be glory and praise for ever. Amen.

 

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* 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.

 

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