Saturday, 1 September 2012

HOMILY on the Word of God revealed in the flesh


And the Word was made flesh (John 1:14).

By Saint Nikolai Velimirovich

Here, brethren, is a new, blessed and salvific beginning for us-the beginning of our salvation. Adam was in the flesh when he fell under the authority of sin and death. Now the Creator of Adam has appeared in the flesh, to deliver Adam and Adam's posterity from the power of sin and death. The Son of God-the Word, Wisdom, Light and Life-descended among men in human flesh and with a human soul. He was incarnate but not divided from His Divinity. He descended without being separated from His Father. He retained all that He had been and would be for all eternity, and yet He received something new: human nature. His eternal attributes were not diminished by the Incarnation, neither was His relationship to the Father and the Spirit changed. Lo, the Father testified to this, both on the Jordan and on Mount Tabor: This is my beloved Son! He did not say: ``This was my Son,'' but ``This is my Son.'' The Holy Spirit was with Him at His bodily conception and throughout His mission on earth. The divine and human nature were united in Him, but not intermingled. How? Do not ask, you who do not even know how to explain yourself to yourself, and cannot say how your soul and body are united in you. Only know this: God came to visit the earth, bringing unspeakably rich treasures for mankind-royal gifts, incorruptible, eternal, priceless and irreplaceable gifts. Know this and let your heart dance for joy. Strive to cleanse your hands, purify your senses, wash your soul, whiten your heart, and set your mind straight, that you may receive the royal gifts. For they are not given to the unclean.

O Lord Jesus Christ, help us to cleanse and wash ourselves by Thy blood and Thy Spirit, that we may be made worthy of Thy royal gifts.

To Thee be glory and praise forever. Amen.

http://tokandylaki.blogspot.ca/2012/09/homily-on-word-of-god-revealed-in-flesh.html 



Η Ρουμάνα χωρική και το άκτιστο φως . Γέροντας Κλεόπα Ηλίε


Ένα χειμωνιάτικο πρωϊνὸ ὁ περίφημος ρουμάνος ασκητὴς Κλεόπας ᾿Ιλίε βρισκόταν στὸ ῾Ιερό ἑνὸς μοναστηριακού Ναού καὶ διάβαζε γονατιστὸς τὴν ᾿Ακολουθία τῆς Θείας Μεταλήψεως.
Μετά απὸ λίγη ὥρα μπῆκε στὴν ᾿Εκκλησία γιὰ νὰ προσευχηθή μιὰ γυναίκα ποὺ εἶχε ἔρθει στὸ Μοναστήρι απὸ τὸ βράδυ.
«Προσκυνούσε όλες τὶς εἰκόνες καὶ ἔκανε παντού μετάνοιες,διηγεῖται ὁ π. Κλεόπας. Δὲν γνώριζε ὅτι κάποιος ἦταν μέσα στὴν ᾿Εκκλησία. Την παρατηρούσα συνεχῶς απὸ τὴν ῾Ωραία Πύλη. ᾿Εκείνη, ἀφού προσκύνησε τὶς εἰκόνες, γονάτισε στὸ μέσον τῆς ᾿Εκκλησίας, ὕψωσε τὰ χέρια της καὶ ἔλεγε ἀπὸ τὴν καρδιά της αυτά τὰ λόγια:
— Κύριε, μὴ μὲ ἐγκαταλείπης! Κύριε, μὴ μὲ ἐγκαταλείπης!
Εἶδα τότε ἕνα λαμπρὸ κίτρινο φῶς γύρω της καὶ τρόμαξα! ῾Η γυναίκα ἔπεσε μὲ τὸ πρόσωπο στὴ γῆ καὶ προσευχόταν σιωπηλά.

῾Η φωτεινὴ νεφέλη ποὺ τὴν περιέλουζε, μεγάλωσε περισσότερο καὶ μετὰ σιγὰ-σιγὰ ἐξαφανίστηκε. ᾿Αφοῦ ἔσβησε τὸ θεῖο φῶς,σηκώθηκε στὰ πόδια της καὶ βγῆκε ἔξω ἀπὸ τὴν ᾿Εκκλησία.
῏Ηταν μιὰ ἁπλὴ γυναίκα ἀπὸ τὰ γειτονικὰ χωριά μας.
᾿Ιδοὺ λοιπόν, ποιὸς ἔχει τὸ δῶρο τῆς προσευχῆς! Να που οἱ λαϊκοὶ ξεπερνοῦν καμμιὰ φορὰ τους Μοναχούς!᾿Εγὼ ἔκανα μετά προσκομιδή καὶ από την μεγάλη μου συγκίνηση άρχισα να κλαίω καὶ ἔτρεμα μὲ τὰ χαρτιὰ μνημονεύσεως στὸ χέρι. Μόνον ο Θεός γνωρίζει πόσοι υπάρχουν ἐκλεκτοὶ σ᾿ αυτόν τον κόσμο!».


 Μοναχοῦ Σεραφείμ, Χαρίσματα καὶ Χαρισματοῦχοι,τ.Γʹσελ.217-218,
᾿Εκδόσεις ῾Ιερᾶς Μονῆς Παρακλήτου, ᾿Ωρωπὸς ᾿Αττικῆς 1990.

 proskynitis.blogspot.com
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