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by Fr. Dmitri, New Zealand
Saturday 20 June 2009 (13 Paoni; 13 Boana)
Live on in My love.
(John 15:9)
CONSIDER THIS:
Hail to the Virgin, who gave birth to our Saviour,
Hail to Gabriel who announced the Good News.
(Morning Doxology)
Fasting is to our lust, as water is to fire.
(John Asiouty)
All men are made in God's image; but to me in His
likeness is granted only to those who through great
love have brought their own freedom into subjection
to God.
(An Elder)
Your habit and custom has to be courage, honesty and
fearlessness. You have let the truth prevail, and help those
who are vexed and in calamity.
(Mystery of Godliness)
God is just in His mercy and merciful in His justice. God's
justice is full of mercy, and His mercy is full of Justice.
(Pope Shenouda III)
He bowed the heaven of heavens, and came to the womb
of the virgin. He became man like us, save for sin only.
(The Holy Psalmody)
REFLECTION:
This is what I want for you above everything else.
That you act out of pure love for Jesus Christ and out of the
desire for His glory and the salvation of souls that He redeemed
at such a cost.
Lord Jesus, help us to act always out of love for You and for the
salvation of souls. Let all that we think and do and say be the
result of this twofold intention.
(Ignatius Loyola)
HOMILY:
THE GREAT TRIBULATION (2)
When most Christians think of the length of the Tribulation, they think of it as consisting a 7 year period, based on the idea that the Tribulation is the 70th. Week of Daniel 9:24-27. The 70th. Week could run concurrently with what the Book of Revelation shows. Or, as some have suggested, it could actually be something that happens before the Tribulation.
Only the Book of Revelation gives a complete prophetic scenario of the events of the Great Tribulation. The Revelation does not make any mention of two 3.5 year periods. Rather, it shows the Tribulation consisting of three major outpourings of God's wrath that are called 'woes'. You can find these mentioned in Rev.8:13, 9:12, and 11:14. These periods are each different from the other in form, intensity and duration. The first Woe appears to last about 5 months. The Second has to be more than 3.5, but less than six years.
For the third no time range is given.
The most probable duration of the Tribulation appears to be only about 5 and a Half Years. But that will be bad enough. About two thirds of the human race will be killed during the first year including Christians who were not ready. Many more will die before the Tribulation is over. One thing to avoid this is to come to Repentance and accept Christ as your personal Saviour.
The First Woe:
The key to understanding the first woe is Revelation 8:8. John describes 'something like a great mountain burning with fire' being cast into the sea. One of the keys to understanding this passage is the Greek word translated "something like". It occurs several times in Rev. 8 & 9. This word has no complete English equivalent. A full translation of it would read, 'similar to, but distinctly not'. In other words, John did not recognise what he saw, but compared it to the only thing he knew that it resembled. We can conjecture that what he saw and it is terrifying: a comet or asteroid collision, the impact happening in one of the oceans.
Following the impact the earth will be plunged into darkness. During this time mysterious creatures called 'locusts' probably of a demonic nature, will spread out from the point of impact and start stinging people in an extremely painful but non-fatal way. Their stings are compared to those of scorpions. A scorpion sting is one of the most painful injuries that a human can receive and live to tell about it. The only people who won't get stung are those with the Seal of the Living God. When the locusts disappear, the darkness will probably also end. This will be the end of the First Woe. Again, the whole thing last five months. There may be then a brief period of respite. But not for long.
Today's Readings:
Evening: Psalm 33:8-9; Gospel Matt.16:24-28.
Morning: Psalm 96:7-9; Gospel Matt.18:10-20.
Liturgy: Heb.2:5-18; 1 Peter 1:3-12; Acts 10:21-33;
Psalm 137:1-2; Gospel Matt.25:31-46.
Copyright DR
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