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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ON SEPTEMBER 5th OUR HOLY ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN CHURCH COMMEMORATES THE VENERABLE AND HOLY PROPHET ZACHARIAS AND HIS WIFE ELIZABETH
Father of Saint John the Baptist and Forerunner, he was the son of Barachias, of the Tribe of Aaron, a high priest in descent from Abia, and held the eighth degree of service in the Temple in Jerusalem. His wife Elizabeth was sister to Saint Anna, the mother of the Holy Mother of God. In the reign of King Herod, the child-slayer, Zacharias was serving one day in the Temple in Jerusalem. An Angel of God appeared to him in the altar, and Zacharias was afraid. But the Angel said to him: 'Fear not, Zacharias' (Luke 1), and informed him that his wife Elizabeth would bear a son in answer to their prayers, for Zacharias and Elizabeth were both old. When Zacharias doubted the words of the heavenly messenger, the Angel told him: 'I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God', and Zacharias was made dumb from that moment, and did not speak until his son was born and he had written on a tablet: 'His name is John.' Then his mouth was opened, and he glorified God. Later, when the Lord Christ was born and Herod began killing the children in Bethlehem, he sent men to find Zacharias's son and kill him, for he had heard of all that had happened to Zacharias and how John was born. Seeing the soldiers, Elizabeth took John in her arms -- he was eighteen months old at that time -- and fled from the house with him to a rocky and desert region. When she saw where the soldiers had driven them, she cried out o the mountain: 'O mountain of God, receive a mother with her child!', and the rock opened and hid the mother and child inside itself. Herod, furious that John had not been killed, ordered that Zacharias be cut down before the altar. Zacharias's blood spilled over the marble and became as hard as stone, remaining thus as a witness to Herod's wickedness. At the place where Elizabeth hid with John, a cave opened and a spring flowed forth, and a fruit-bearing palm grew up by God's power. Forty days after Zacharias's death, blessed Elizabeth also entered into rest. The child John stayed in the wilderness, fed by an Angel of God and guarded by God's Providence, until that day when he appeared by the River Jordan where he called all to repentance as a preparation of the coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
FOR CONSIDERATION
It is in vain that men try to find that which God deliberately hides from them. If God had not permitted it, men would never have found gold and silver under the earth, nor power made from steam nor a spark of electric light. In vain did Herod slay many children in Bethlehem in an effort to kill the One, for this One was hidden from the sight and sword of Herod. In vain did Herod seek John -- and here is a mystery. The soldiers hastened after old Elizabeth, who fled with John in her arms, and could not catch her. Herod, in a rage, summoned Zacharias and shouted at him: 'Give me your son John!' But the old priest meekly replied to the king: 'I am in the service of the Lord God of Israel. As for my son John, I do not know where he is.' Maddened with rage, Herod ordered that Zacharias be murdered in place of John. The king's servants went to the Temple and asked Zacharias: 'Where have you hidden your son? Give him to us; the king demands this. If you do not give him to us, you will die yourself.' Zacharias replied: 'You may kill my body, but the Lord will receive my soul.' Zacharias was slain, but Herod was not content with that. The evil king had no peace day or night, being tormented with the foreboding that the new-born King proclaimed by the Magi must be none other than John. But he tried in vain to find hi whom God deliberately concealed from him.
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"Except a man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God" (John 3:3).
Thus spoke the Lord Jesus to Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews, and Nicodemus asked in wonder: "How can this be?" That is, how can a man be born again, as today there are many who ask how sensual man can become spiritual? How can a sinner become righteous? How can the grace of God enter into a man and change his outlook and his bodily desires? How can the Holy Spirit enlighten the heart of a man? How can water be turned into wine? We know that, when the Spirit of God descended upon the Apostles, they became different men, new men, men born again. We know from thousands of examples how men of sensual thought and life have become spiritual, regenerated. We know that it happened and happens today, by the action and grace of God the Holy Spirit. Nonetheless, it is not for us to ask how it happens. It is enough for us to know that it does, and to strive to have it happen to ourselves. The grace of the Spirit is given to all who seek it and prepare themselves to receive it. There is no harder task than the explaining of spiritual things to those who only think and judge sensually. Saint John Chrysostom, one of the great and holy Fathers of the Church, says: "A soul given over to the passions cannot attain anything great or noble, for it suffers from great blindness, like eyes darkened by glaucoma. It is often the most sensual men who enquire about the greatest divine mysteries. They do not enquire in order to discover the path of their salvation, but to confuse the faithful and mock the Faith, and justify their sinful and passionate lives. Powerless to drag themselves up the first step of the heavenly ladder, they day-dream about the final step. When such men ask you, my brethren, about the deepest mysteries of the regeneration of the soul and the Kingdom of Heaven, set them first to fulfill the Ten fundamental Commandments of God. If they carry this out, then their souls will be open to grasp the Divine Mysteries insofar as that grasping is necessary for their cleansing from sin and the passions, and for their eternal salvation."
O Lord Jesus Christ, Our Gracious and Wise Teacher, help us to understand with our minds and embrace with our hearts that of Thy Wisdom that is necessary for our salvation, and help us to keep ourselves from curiosity. To Thee be Glory and Praise forever. Amen. (Source: The Prologue from Ochrid)
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"Glory Be To GOD For All Things!" - Saint John Chrysostom
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With sincere agape in His Holy Diakonia (Ministry)
The sinner and unworthy servant of God
+Father George