Malankara World

Weekly Devotional

The Foundation of the Church

by Fr. Dmitri, New Zealand

Saturday 7 February 2009 (30 Tobi; 30 Tuba)
Gregory The Theologian.

In your patience possess your souls.
(Luke 21:19)

CONSIDER THIS:

Blessed is he who consumes the bread of love, which is Jesus!
He who eats of love eats Christ, the God over all, as John
bears witness, saying, "God is Love".
(Isaac of Syria)

A Christian is an imitator of Christ in thought, word and deed,
as far as this is humanly possible, and he believes rightly and
blamelessly in the Holy Trinity.
(John Climacus)

The Christ should not let the sun set on an angry fit of a brother,
lest night separate both from each other.
(Basil the Great)

Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which
endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of Man shall give unto
you: for Him hath God the Father sealed.
(John 6:27)

At that hour, Pilate condemned the Lord Christ to death; and thus,
by condemning Christ, Adam's exoneration was proclaimed.
(Heguman Pishoy Kamel)

Some one told me that when praying, whether at the beginning
or at the end, he forgets about himself or what he has, and enjoys
the beauty of his Creator.
(The Spiritual Elder)

Do not neglect your work now, so that your joy may be eternal.
(St. Augustine)

REFLECTION:

Practice patience toward everyone, and especially toward yourself.
Never be disturbed because of your imperfections, but always get
up bravely after a fall.

God of Patience, let us endure our imperfections without rebelling.
Help us to be patient with ourselves as well as with others.
(Francis de Sales)

HOMILY:

THE FOUNDATION OF THE CHURCH

And I say unto thee, That thou art Peter.
Upon this Rock I will build my Church; and
the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
(Matt.16:18)

So many people take this to mean that Christ is building His Church upon
Peter. Now the Greek word for Peter is Petros which means a rolling stone
not conducive for the founding of a Church. He was impulsive and sometimes
impetuous and sometimes lacking in Faith.

Our Lord was referring to himself as the Rock and it was upon the Firm
Foundation of Himself that he was going to establish His Church.

When we look in the Bible at the references to a Rock it is always referring
to Christ. The best example is: The Lord is my Rock and my fortress; who is a
Rock save our God? Psalm 18:2.

Then we look at 1 Cor.10:4-for they drank of that Spiritual Rock that
followed them, and that Rock was Christ.

You may also recall that in the Wilderness when God instructed Moses to
strike the Rock once to obtain Water. But in his frustration as we know he struck
the Rock three times which was symbolic of Striking Christ and prophetic
of those stripes Christ would receive when he was Scourged at His trial
before Pilate. Of course Moses because of this was not allowed into the
Promised Land.

Peter had no primacy over the other Apostles he was co-equal with them. In
Fact he was not a Bishop in Rome. Paul had in fact Ordained Linus to be the
first Bishop of Rome.

To Thee be Glory now and ever, unto Ages of Ages.
AMEN!

Today's Readings:

Evening: Psalm 67:26-27; Gospel Matt.26:6-13.
Morning: Psalm 8: 3 & 4; Gospel John 4:15-24.
Liturgy: Ephes.5:8-21; 1 Peter 3:5-14; Acts 21:5-14;
Psalm 44:15-16; Gospel Matt.25:1-13.

Copyright DR

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