My beloved spiritual children in Christ Our Only True God and Our Only True Savior,
CHRIST IS IN OUR MIDST! HE WAS, IS, AND EVER SHALL BE.
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REMEMBRANCE OF THE DIVINE PASSION
By Saint Tikhon of Zadonsk
Think on the suffering of Christ
A real and powerful encouragement in the struggle against sin, and in the holy and Christian life, is the contemplation of the sufferings of Christ. Of this the Apostle says, "and if you call on the Father, Who without respect of persons judges according to every man's works, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear: for as much as you know that you were redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; but with the Precious Blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish or spot" (1 Peter 1:17-19).
Look, O Christian, at that by which you were delivered from sin, the devil, hell, and eternal death. Not by any perishable substance, but by what? By Most Precious and Priceless Blood of Christ, the Son of God. Then, of your own will, do you will not wish to sin and to offend Christ your Great Benefactor with sin, and so cast yourself again into that very misfortune from which Christ delivered you by His most bitter suffering? This is as though someone who loved and pitied you delivered you from fire, or drowning, or captivity, or death, or prison, or some other such misfortune, and of your own will you gave yourself up again to that same misfortune.
That is what you do when you sin, and through sin, you give yourself over to the devil again and cast yourself into eternal destruction. Sin is sweet to man, but its fruits are bitter and heavy -- eternal death, "For the wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23).
In the same way, the treasure of eternal salvation was bought for us by nothing else but by the very Blood of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. It is far more precious than the whole world, more than heaven and earth and the fullness thereof, because it is eternal and full of every good thing, eternal and incomprehensible, and it was purchased at an immeasurable price: Christ, the Lord of Glory and God, obtained it for us by His own blood. Then do you wish to lose so great and incomprehensible a treasure by your own will? Christ snatched you out of destruction as He is almighty and gave you eternal blessedness as a precious pearl. "For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly in the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 1:11).
Keep the faith, then, and guard it against your enemy the devil, who desires and attempts to seize it away from you and make you his captive. Struggle against the enemy; consider, then, the suffering of Christ and it will teach you every virtue. (Source: Journey to Heaven. Counsels on the particular duties of every Christian)
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"Glory Be To GOD For All Things!" -- Saint John Chrysostomos
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With sincere agape in His Holy Diakonia,
The sinner and unworthy servant of God
+Father George