Weekly Devotional

Lord's Service

by Fr. Dmitri, New Zealand

Saturday 12 June 2010 (5 Paoni; 5 Baona)
Apostles Fast.

But while men slept, his enemy came and
sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.
(Matt. 13:25)

CONSIDER THIS:

Joseph and Nicodemas will remain the Symbol of
faithfulness and love. They proclaimed their love
for Jesus through the service of annointing.
(Hegumen Pishoy Kamel)

We ask for help and He says here I am.
(Isa. 58:9)

Even before the bride starts her prayer, He hears
her and turns to prepare her heart for Him.
(St. Gregory)

And the Peace of God, which surpasses all understanding,
will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
(Phil. 4:7)

All men are made in God's image, but to be in His likeness
is granted only to those who through great love have
brought their own freedom into subjection to God.
(An Elder)

They will call on me, and I will answer them, I will be with them
in trouble, I will deliver them and honor them.
(Psa.91:15)

Those who hated the weight of that body that is
ours, have put in on, and taken it off. Some have been
called Masters, Fathers, some were Prophets, Kings,
Priests & Apostles. These names became their own.
(Anthony the Great)

The pure heart is disgusted with sinful thoughts and does
not accept its mere examination.
(Pope Shenouda III)

Living among Lions is better than living among arrogants.
(Isaac the Syrian)

Keep your mind free of any imagination, colours, images,
beware of any illusions while praying, keep your mind on Jesus.
(Gregory of Sinai)

REFLECTION:

We must live in constant vigilance.......Does this mean we
must give up the possibility of sleeping? Not at all. We
cannot do without bodily sleep. What we must avoid is the
sleep of the will.

Ever-vigilant Lord, let us live in constant vigilance. Grant
that our will may be always completely in harmony with Your
holy Will for us.
(St. John Chrysostom)

HOMILY:

THE LORD'S SERVICE:

Also I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "whom shall I send, and who will go for us?" Then I said, "Here am I. Send me!" (Isa. 6:8)

Isaiah's "Here am I! Send me" is doubly remarkable; first for its contrast to his previous despair (v.5) and to the diffidence of, say, Moses or Jeremiah; and secondly for the fact that this human voice is accepted in the heavenly court.

By way of contrast we look at Rev. 5: "We see that the only one worthy to open the book was the Lamb that was slain," called the Lion of Judah. In 1 Kings 22:19 onwards we see where the Prophet tells Ahab what is shown of the Lord and Ahab does not like it and he has the Prophet cast into prison, as Ahab cannot accept the truth. He listened instead to false prophets and that brought him to grief and he died.

Isaiah found the people were hardened against what the Lord told him to say. They would hear and not understand, see and yet not perceive. Look at Matt. 13:14 and Acts 28:26. Isaiah fulfilled the commission to blind and deafen by proclaiming the truth. But it fell on deaf ears.

God shares with the Prophet the critical significance of his ministry. Sinful Israel has come to the point where one more rejection of the Truth will bring the Wrath of God upon them. The dilemma of Isaiah is that there is no way of saving the sinner, but by the very Truth whose rejection will condemn him utterly.

But there will be a Godly remnant and there will survive a holy Seed and an expression of infinite promise and recurrent pledges of the victorious seed, So as it happened in Ancient Israel, it is happening with Spiritual Israel (The Church), there is a great falling away and people chasing after their own dreams, they cannot Let Go and Let God. They prefer to let go and let Me!

How many today are like Isaiah and say: "Here am I, Send Me!" Thereby entering into God's Service in these last days?

Let me end with a great Promise from Isaiah 66:

"'For as the new heavens and the new earth which I will make shall remain before Me,' saith the Lord, 'so shall your seed and your name remain. And it shall come to pass from one new moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before Me.' saith the Lord."

To Thee be glory and praise, now and ever, unto Ages of Ages.

AMEN!

Today's Readings:

Evening: Psalm 32: 6&11; 33:1; Matt. 25:14-23.
Morning: Psalm 33:12; Luke 19:11-19.
Liturgy: Phil. 3:20-4:8; James 5:9-20; Acts 11:19-26;
Psalms 34:19 & 68:3; Gospel Luke 12:32-44.

Last Week | Next | Weekly Devotional Archives

-------
Malankara World
A service of St. Basil's Syriac Orthodox Church, Ohio
Copyright © 2009-2020 - ICBS Group. All Rights Reserved. Disclaimer
Website designed, built, and hosted by International Cyber Business Services, Inc., Hudson, Ohio