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.

THE CUP OF CHRIST (III)
By Saint Ignatii Brianchaninov

If the Cup appears to you to be unbearable, deadly, then it reveals that, although you bear Christ's Name, you do not belong to Christ. For the true follower of Christ, the Cup of Christ is the Cup of joy. Thus the holy Apostles, after having been beaten before the gathering of the elders of the Jews, went out from the presence of the council rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for the Name of the Lord Jesus (Acts 5:40-41). The righteous Job heard bitter news. Tiding after tiding came to pierce his steadfast heart; the last of these was the hardest of all; his sons and daughters had been struck down suddenly by a cruel and violent death. In his great sorrow, the righteous Job rent his clothes and sprinkled his head with ashes. And then in submissive faith he fell down upon the ground, and worshipped the Lord saying: "I myself came naked from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, the Lord taketh away: as it seemed good to the Lord, so has it come to pass; blessed be the name of the Lord" (Job 1:21).

Entrust your heart in simplicity to Him whom all the hairs of your head are numbered: He knows the measure of the healing Cup that you should be given. Look often on Jesus standing before those who put Him to death; He was delivered to death, to be slain as a defenseless sheep. Do not take your eyes from Him, and your suffering will be transformed into heavenly spiritual sweetness: the wounds of your heart are healed with the wounds of Jesus. "Suffer ye thus far," said the Lord to those who wished to defend Him in the garden of Gethsemane, and He healed the ear that had been struck off (St. Luke 22:51). "Thinkest thou," replied the Lord to him who had tried to take the Cup from Him, "that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He shall presently give Me more than twelve legions of Angels?" (St. Matthew 26:53).

In the time of misfortune do not seek the help of man; do not lose precious time. Await help from God: by His command and in His own time will people come to your help. The Lord remained silent before Pilate and Herod; He made no attempt to justify Himself. You must imitate His holy and wise intention of certain conviction.

Whether the cup comes to you as a gradual gathering of clouds, or as suddenly as a furious whirlwind, say to God, "Thy will be done." You are a disciple, follower, and servant of Jesus. Now Jesus said: "If any man serve Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be" (St. John 12:26). But Jesus spent His life on earth in sufferings; He was persecuted from His birth to the grave; from the time of His swaddling clothes malice was preparing for Him a violent death. Nor was malice satisfied by achieving such an aim, but tried to uproot the very remembrance of Him from the earth.

In following Him, all the chosen of our Lord pass by the road of temporary suffering to a blessed eternity. While bodily pleasures dominate us, it is impossible that a spiritual state should also prevail in us. That is why our Lord ceaselessly offers His Cup to those He loves, so as to keep them in deadness to the world and to enable them to live the life of the Spirit. Saint Isaac the Syrian said: "The man who is sent unceasing sorrow is known to be especially under God's care. Pray to God, that He may avert all calamity and every trial from you; but when sorrows come of themselves, do not be afraid of them, do not think that they have come by chance, or by force of circumstance. No, they are allowed by the inscrutable Providence of God. Filled with faith, and the fortitude and magnanimity born of it, swim fearlessly amidst the darkness and howling storm into the peaceful harbor of eternity: the unseen hand of Jesus Himself will guide.

(To be continued)

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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 (Ministry),
The sinner and unworthy servant of God

+Father George