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by Fr. Dmitri, New Zealand
Saturday 19 June 2010 (12 Paoni; 12 Baona)
St. Jarlath of Tuam Ireland
Commem. of Archangel Michael.
But, Beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing,
that one day as with the Lord as a thousand years,
and a thousand years as one day.
(2 Peter 3:8)
Blessed is the nations whose God is the Lord; and the
people whom He hath chosen for His own inheritance.
(Psa. 33:12)
For to which of the angels did He ever say: You are My Son,
Today I have begotten You? And again I will be to Him a
Dather, And He shall be to Me a Son?
(Heb. 1:5)
The harvest is perfected through the prayers of Michael,
for he is near God, asking Him for us.
(Doxology of Archangel Michael)
The Psalms are read because they are prophecies about
the Incarnation of Christ and His coming for the Salvation of the World.
(Liturgy)
And after sometime, as a result of this practice (of silence),
a sort of joy will be born in the heart and thus in turn will
forcibly draw the body to continue in silence.
(Isaac the Syrian)
You cannot ask for Me and search for Me, unless you find me first.
(Anon)
Mercy and truth have met together; Righteousness and peace have kissed.
(Psa. 85:10)
Pride is a serious sin. It is the beginning of all sins and
its cause. But pride begins by walking away from God.
(St. Augustine)
Show us Your mercy, Lord, And grant us Your salvation.
(Psa. 85:7)
Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer.
(Psa. 61:1)
Everything on this earth passes away-- all too quickly.
But eternity will never pass away.
Ever-living God, Let us not get overly caught up in the
day to day press of earthly affairs. Help us to keep our eyes
fixed on Your eternal truths and consider all things in the
light of eternity.
(Aloysius Gonzaga)
In the Beatitudes 'Blessed' means 'Happy'. Happiness is what all men seek; here is true happiness.
Our Lord is taking world's ideas one by one and turning them upside down.
'Happy are the poor,
Happy are the unaggressive'.
And now, strangest of all: 'Happy are they that mourn.' The world is firmly convinced that happiness means pleasure and lots of it. "No." says Christ. "Happiness is not the same as pleasure, it comes through mourning."
What sort of mourning? Evidently not mere worldly grief; not when we are sorry for ourselves, or when we give way to sadness. Search for an answer in Christ's own example. Twice the Gospels say He was seen to shed tears.
Once over Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives, on His way to enter it with His disciples mounted on a Donkey. A city so dear to God, so soon to shout for His Crucifixion.
Another time at the Tomb of Lazarus. He mourned in sympathy with the sorrow of family and friends: 'Lord if Thou had been here my brother would not have died'.
Tears over Jerusalem -- grief over sin.
Tears over Lazarus -- sympathy with the sorrows of others.
These are the two main reasons for mourning.
Mourn for Sin:
For our own sins for which we are to blame. For the sins of others, the continual defeating of God's goodness. Like Christ in Gethsemane, Scandals that effect the Church, loss of souls.
Mourn in Sympathy:
For Christ in His Passion, Veronica and the Holy Women.
The Sorrows of Mary. For the troubles of others. Our Lord says 'Weep with those that weep'.
We should not yield to sadness or depression over any of these things.
'Blessed are they that Mourn' -- those whose hearts are open and sensitive to the sufferings of Jesus and others. If they do nothing else, at least they can love and pray. "They that sow in tears shall reap in Joy." (Psa. 126:5). "God shall wipe away every tear from their eyes; and death shall be no more, nor mourning, nor crying, nor sorrow shall be any more, for the former things are passed away." (Rev. 21:4)
They shall be comforted by Him who made them for Himself, and brought them through so many tribulations to the place of their joy.
AMEN! COME LORD JESUS.
To Thee be glory and praise; now and ever, unto ages of ages.
AMEN!
Evening: Psalm 148:1-2; Matt. 13:44-52.
Morning: Psalm 104:3-4; Luke 15:3-10.
Liturgy: Heb.1:1-2:4; Jude 1:1-13; Acts 10:1-20;
Psalm 103:20-21; Gospel Matt. 13:24-43.
Copyright DR
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