"Called to the Great Banquet of the Kingdom of God", sermon by Metropolitan Nicholas of Mesogaia

"Called to the Great Banquet of the Kingdom of God", sermon by Metropolitan Nicholas of Mesogaia, with English subtitles (source)

Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us! Amen!

"My mind is wounded, my body is feeble, my spirit is sick..."

Christ healing the sick (source)

  

My mind is wounded, my body is feeble, my spirit is sick, my speech has lost its power, my life is ebbing, and the end is at the door. What shalt thou do, O miserable soul, when the Judge comes to examine thy deeds?

I have reviewed for thee, O my soul, Moses’ account of the creation of the world, and then all of the canonical Scripture that tells the story of both the righteous and the wicked. But thou, my soul, hast followed the ways of the wicked and hast sinned against God.

The Law is grown weak, the Gospel unpracticed, and the whole of Scripture is ignored by thee; the Prophets fail and the words of the righteous are useless. Thy wounds, O soul, have multiplied, and there is no physician to heal thee.

I will now show thee, O my soul, examples from the New Testament, to lead thee to repentance. Follow the example of the righteous and avoid following the ways of the sinners and strive to regain the grace of Christ through prayer and fasting, purity and reverence.

Christ became man, calling thieves and harlots to repentance. Repent then, O my soul! For the doors of the Kingdom are already opened and the Publicans and penitent Pharisees and adulterers pass through before thee.

Christ became man by assuming my flesh and He willingly experienced all that belongs to our nature apart from our sin. Thus, He set before thee, O my soul, an example and image of His own condescension.

 

Healing sickness, Christ the Word preached the Gospel to the poor, cured the crippled, ate with publicans, and conversed with the sinners; and with the touch of His hand, He brought back the departed soul of Jairus’ daughter.

 

Do not require of me worthy fruits of repentance, for my strength has failed within me. Rather, grant me an ever-contrite heart and a poor and simple spirit, that I may offer them to Thee as a pleasing sacrifice, O only Savior.

  

O my Judge Who knowest me, look upon me with Thy merciful eye when Thou comest again with the Angels to judge the whole world, and spare me; take pity on me, O Jesus, for I have sinned more than any other.

-Excerpts from the Great Canon of St. Andrew of Crete

(source)

  

Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us! Amen!

"When the thrones are set up, and the books are opened..."

Icon of the Second Coming of Christ and the Last Judgment (source)

  
When the thrones are set up, and the books are opened, and God comes to sit in judgment, O, what fear will be then! Angels stand around in fear, and the river of fire is drawn. O, what will we guilty people do then, who are in many sins? When we hear the calling of the blessed from the Father unto the Kingdom, the sinners will be sent unto perdition, and who will endure that terrible sentence? But You, O only Savior Who loves mankind, the King of the ages, before I reach my end, turn me back through repentance, and have mercy on me.


Having come to know the commandments of the Lord, let us do them. Let us feed the hungry, let us give drink to the thirsty, let us clothe the naked, let us enter in to the houses of the sick and visit those in prison, that He might say to us, when He comes to judge the whole earth: Come, the blessed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom that has been prepared for you.
-Idiomela from the Sunday of the Last Judgment
  
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Jesus Christ coming on the clouds of glory at His Second Coming, to judge the living and the dead (source)

  

Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us! Amen!

Elder Ephraim of St. Andrew Skete: "God is everywhere present..."

Christ Pantocrator (Source)

  
"God is everywhere present. Wherever God is, there also is His Uncreated Light. The Uncreated Light of our Triune God fills all things. Therefore, no place is a place of darkness. All is all-bright with the Uncreated Light of our Triune God, Who shines with His Light and with his incomparable Divine Love. In other words, God bombards us with incomparable tons of His Divine Love. And woe to him who does not accept this Love, for he will experience it as incomparable hell, as incomparable hate and incomparable darkness in the other life.

"With this teaching, all of the thoughts of modern man are put into order, that say that, if God is incomparable love, how is it possible for us to go to hell for all eternity with so many torments? God neither condemns to hell, nor is hell His creation. God out of love made all things, and whatever He created is wholly light and love. Darkness and punishment were not created by God. We have created them with sin and with death, we have created darkness and hell. Therefore, God, does not condemn us to hell, but we self-condemn ourselves on our own.

"It is like the sun which shines wholly bright, and there are eyes of men who desire to go blind and do not wish to see the light of the sun, even forever. In this eternal self-blinding, one remains in darkness even though he was given the chance to see. Every human being has this pure choice and is free, and God honors this and does not intervene. And man lives his life and works his sins and God does not stand in his way, but unless he turns in repentance and chooses to follow His righteousness, then he can't condemn God for the hell that he will experience in the next life."
-Elder Ephraim of St. Andrew Skete, Mount Athos

(source)

Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us! Amen!

Metropolitan Avgoustinos Kantiotes: On the Prophet Elias and the Wonders of Prayer

The Holy Prophet Elias (source)

  
Metropolitan Avgoustinos Kantiotes of Florina: On the Prophet Elias and the Wonders of Prayer
Today, my beloved, we celebrate one of the greatest Saints of our faith, the glorious Prophet Elias. He lived before Christ, but he is also "the second forerunner of the coming of Christ" (from the Apolytikion of the Saint). He is one of the most beloved Saints, and many bear his name, and on many hills there are built chapels in his name, and many villages celebrate his name.

Should we tell of his life? It would take much time and you don't have much stamina. So that I might not tire you, I will tell of a few essential things from the life of the Prophet Elias. I will mention three of the wonders out of the many that he had done.

The one was that once, with his prayer, there was a drought that hit along with a famine in Judea. He also was hungry, because the Saints suffer hunger. He went to a village and everyone closed their doors to him. Only one house, a hut, opened their door. And who lived there, a rich man? It was a poor widow with her children. She received him. She had nothing to offer him hospitality, only a handful of flour and a little oil. And these she did not hold back. As soon as she saw him, even though she didn't know who this old man was, she said: "Come in, Elder." She immediately took the flour, made bread and gave him to eat, because he was tired from his journey. This occurred in Zarepta of Sidonia. And then--let the faithless disbelieve; it is their right, but we believe--from that hour on, the widow's house was never lacking in flour and oil. (Third Kings 17:8-16).

What does this mean?  Where there is the blessing of God, everything is riches. One can have incomparable fields, vineyards and olive groves, one can have sacks of gold and silver, one can have it all, but die from hunger. And one can have a handful of flour, a little piece of earth, a bucket of soil, and this will sustain you, as long as one blesses the Lord. These are not just words, they are reality. Because of this our Church chants: "The rick have become poor and hungry, but those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing." (Psalm 33:11) Everything, therefore, is a blessing. Some place too high an emphasis of work alone, because above work is the blessing of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Another miracle: While the house of the widow had flour and oil, the rest of the village was suffering hunger, for it had not rained for three and a half years. The impious King Ahab gathered the people of Israel on Mount Carmel, and there, the Prophet Elias censured them for their lack of steadfastness. Until when, he said, will you stand limping with your two feet? If our God is true, then follow Him. If Baal (the idol) is true, then follow him. They heard him without speaking, how would they be justified? Then he told them, I will only preach the true God, while the priests of the idols were about 1000. Today, therefore, we will test who is the true God. Bring two calves, and you will choose whichever you wish, and let us prepare a sacrifice with wood, but we will not light them on fire. And I will prepare the other for sacrifice and will not light it on fire. And you will entreat your god, and I will call upon the Lord my God. And He will hear me and will light and burn the calf of sacrifice, because He is the true God.

They agreed. The priests of shame placed their altar, and their calf upon it, and began to entreat, calling out: "Hear us, Baal". Noon passed, evening came, nothing. Their god was shown to be false. Afterwards, Elias places the clean altar, places wood and the calf upon it in pieces, and tells the others to sprinkle it three times with water (in order that there not be any possibility of fire). And as soon as he prayed, fire descended from heaven and consumed the whole calf, and the wood and the stones and even the water! Nothing remained. Then everyone believed that the only true God is the Lord. Immediately, the Prophet Elias commanded: cease all of the priests of shame, the priests of idolatry. And he took them to the brook of Kisson, and there--terribly--he slaughtered them all (ibid 18:19-40).
  

The Holy Prophet Elias (source)

  
Let us now return again to the house of the widow. What happened there? One day her child fell deathly ill and died. The mother said to the Prophet Elias: "Come to my house to explain to me for which of my sins my son was put to death." "Give me your son." he told her. He took him to the upper room, laid him in his bed, and having prayed to the Lord, breathed three times on the child, and then--let the faithless disbelieve, we believe that there is a God Who works wonders through the Panagia and the Saints--the child was resurrected. "I see that you are a man of God", the widow said. (ibid 17:17-24)

I told you a few things, my beloved, about the Prophet Elias. One more thing I will mention. When it came the time for him to flee from the world, he did not die like we do. As he was walking, a fiery chariot took him and lifted him high. The Prophet Elias still lives. He is hidden somewhere, in one corner of the universe. And we expect him to come again. You don't fear the Prophet Elias, because it seems that you are Saints? I am afraid of him. He is a thunderbolt against sinners, prostitutes, adulterers, blasphemers, atheists, shameful people and all who remain unrepentant. His word is burning. He is the "second forerunner of the coming of Christ", the forerunner of the Second Coming of the Lord. And the Second Coming of the Lord is approaching, it is coming! The signs are many. There are signs which will precede the end of the world, and one of them is the appearing of the Prophet Elias.

One sign of the end of the ages is, as Christ Himself said, that there will be earthquakes, terrible earthquakes (Matthew 24:7). And continuous earthquakes are occurring. Another sign was mentioned by St. Kosmas Aitolos. When they asked him when the end of the world was coming, he replied: "When you see women walking naked in the street." And we see this in reality. Women walking around [naked], corrupting the world*, and even in the church they dare to enter naked. Another sign is the divorces that are increasing, while formerly divorce was unknown and only the shovel of the undertaker separated couples. Another sign that will appear is the 666. The devil will come out and begin to seal people, all, small and great will take this identification. These are the signs of the times. Go and sell your shirt and buy the Book of Revelation and read it, it is all written in there, what will occur.**

Within your houses, have fear of God. How will we be saved? With prayer. With what prayer? Not dead prayer, but living prayer which comes through tears. In the old blessed days the Christians listened in the Church of Christ with contrition. Today, we find the church dead. In the old days, in the crags of our homeland dwelt holy people. And what did they do? Were they partying at night? Before they would go to sleep, the father and mother, along with their seven or eight children would kneel in prayer to God. Show me today a family that prayers together! We have lost the mind of God. Where is prayer, family prayer? Where are the tears, the contrition? Where is Confession and Holy Communion? Where is almsgiving? Where are the wonders of our people?

Because of this, I advise you to take the Gospel and the Revelations and all of you read them, men and women. Pray night and day, at noon and in the evening. And if you can't say many prayers, say only one prayer: "Lord, have mercy", "Lord, have mercy", "Lord, have mercy". And if you say it with your whole heart, you will be heard, and you will work wonders, and the stars will descend to earth.

Let us live like this, therefore, my beloved and blessed ones, with Christ, awaiting the return of the Prophet Elias, and entreating God to save the world. Amen.

(+) Bishop Avgoustinos, recorded from a homily given in the Holy Church of the Prophet Elias, Xanthogeion, Amyntaiou, on July 20th, 1987) (Source)

*Note I: This described lack of modesty, and lust in general is of course not only seen in women, but in men as well, as day by day, filth of body, mind and soul is growing and is being exhibited more externally, in society, TV, the internet, etc.

  

**Note II: Thankfully, there are many good Orthodox guides to reading the Book of Revelation, including the most famous commentary by St. Andrew of Caesarea (translated here), published talks by Fr. Athanasios Mitilinaios, a series by Fr. Thomas Hopko, the series of talks by Fr. Josiah Trenham, etc. Metropolitan Avgoustinos ends this sermon very poignantly, focusing not on fear of the 666 or the Antichrist, but on fear of the Lord, and emphasizing the need for prayer, repentance, contrition, the Holy Scriptures and the Holy Mysteries of our Church.

  

The Holy Prophet Elias, with scenes from his life (Source)

  

Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us! Amen!

"Flee from the flames, O my soul..."

Abraham and Lot fleeing the destruction of Sodom, while Lot's wife remained and turned to a pillar of salt (source)

  

The Lord once rained fire from heaven and consumed the land of Sodom.

Seek salvation on the mountain as did Lot, O my soul, and find thy refuge in Zoar.

Flee from the flames, O my soul, flee from the burning heat of Sodom, flee the destruction of the divine fire.

Thou knowest, O my soul, how the cities to which Christ offered the Gospel were cursed. Fear their example and their punishment, for the Master likened them to Sodom and condemned them all to hell.

-Excerpt from the Great Canon of St. Andrew of Crete

  

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The Destruction of Sodom (source)

  

Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us! Amen!

St. Paisios the Athonite on Death, Prayer for the Departed and the Last Judgment

The classic iconographic type depicting the dormition of St. Ephraim the Syrian, with the choirs of his beloved fellow monastics coming from afar to venerate him and pray for him (source)

  
LIFE AFTER DEATH
by Saint Paisios of Mount Athos
  
--Geronda [Elder], when a person dies, does he become immediately aware of his spiritual condition?

--Yes, he does, and says to himself, "What have I done?" But the result in fayda yok, [An expression in the Turkish language, which means: "There is no benefit, there is no progress or success".) that is, this awareness is of no benefit. This can be likened to a drunk man who kills his mother and goes on singing and laughing, but who, upon becoming sober and realizing what he has done, will wail and lament and say, "What have I done?" In much the same way, those who commit wrongdoings in this life are like drunken men. They don't understand what they're doing; they don't have a sense of their guilt. But when they die, this "drunkenness" disappears and they become aware of their real condition. The eyes of their soul are opened and they realize their guilt, because the soul, when separated from the body, moves, sees and perceives with an inconceivable speed.

  
Some people ask when the Second Coming will take place. But for the person who dies, the Second Coming is, in a way, taking place, because he is judged on the basis of the state in which he is found at the time of death.
  
--Geronda [Elder], in what state are the souls of the tormented found at this time?
--They are indicted, imprisoned, and suffer in accordance with the sins they had committed; and they await the final trial, the future Judgment. There are those who have been indicted, facing heavy sentences, and those who have been indicted, facing lighter sentences.
  
--What about the Saints and the thief? (St. Luke 23:32-33 and 39-43)
--The Saints and the thief are in Paradise; but they have not received the final glory, just as those who have been indicted are in hell but have not received the final sentence. Even though God has taught us from centuries ago: "Repent ye, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand?" (St. Matthew 3:2 and 4:17) He extends the time more and more, because He waits for us (with the pronoun "us", the Elder means all of humanity) to correct ourselves. But we, by remaining in our (unrepentant) misery, are unjust to the Saints because they cannot receive the final glory, which they are to receive after the future judgment.
  

St. Paisios the Athonite (source)

  
PRAYER AND MEMORIALS FOR THE DEPARTED
  
--Geronda [Elder], can the indicted souls who await trial pray?
--They are aware of their condition and seek help, but they cannot help themselves. Those who are in Hades desire only one thing from Christ: to live for five minutes in order to repent. We, who live, still have time for repentance, but those unfortunate ones who have fallen asleep cannot improve their condition on their own; they await help from us. This is the reason why we have an obligation to help them with our prayer.
  

--It is my belief that only about ten percent of the indicted dead awaiting trial are, as the demons do. They don't seek any help, and they also reject all help. For what can God do for them? It's like a child who has alienated himself from his father, squanders all of his property, and on top of that, curses him. What can his father do for him? But the other indicted ones, who still have a little philotimo, are aware of their guilt. They repent and are tormented because of their sins. They ask to be helped and are helped through the prayers of the faithful. [Saint Nectarios, in his study, A Treatise on the Immortality of the Soul and on the Sacred Memorials, ed. Basil Regopoulos, Thessaloniki 1973, p. 202, writes as a conclusion to what he developed on the basis of the witness of the Holy Fathers: "On the basis of all the above, it becomes clear that the soul after death is unable to do any solitary deed and be relieved from the indissoluble bonds of Hades. Only the Divine Liturgies, the prayers of family members, of the just, which are offered for them, including charity, become instrumental agents of deliverance and freedom from the bonds of Hades."] In other words, God provides an opportunity for them, now that they are awaiting trial, to be helped until the Second Coming takes place. And just as in this life when one who's a friend of the king can intercede and request help for someone awaiting trial, so, too, if one is "a friend" of God, he can intercede with prayer to God, and He can transfer the indicted souls of the dead from one "prison" to another, better one, from one "detention-cell" to another, better one. Or God may transfer them to a "room" or to an "apartment".

Just as we provide some comfort to the imprisoned with the refreshments and other material goods we bring to them, so are the dead refreshed by the prayers and the charity we execute for their souls. The prayers and the sacred memorial offered by the living for the dead are the final chance that God gives to the dead to be helped until the Final Judgment takes place. After the Judgment, there will no longer be any possibility for help.
  
God wants to help those who have fallen asleep because He cares about their ultimate salvation; but He does not help because He has a noble spirit. He does not want to give the devil the right to say: "How can you save him, since he did not labor to achieve it?" But when we pray for those who have fallen asleep, we give God the right to intervene. God is moved more by our prayers for the dead than by those for the living.
  

Kollyva offered for memorial services on the Saturday of the Souls as a symbol of the Resurrection, and out of love and compassion for our departed brethren (source)

  

This is the reason why our Church has the sacred memorials with the kollyva. [Kollyva (κόλλυβα): boiled wheat kernels. The wheat kernels express belief in everlasting life, according to what Jesus said, "Except a grain of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone; but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit" (St. John 12:24). It is a tradition among Orthodox Christians to bring a tray of boiled wheat kernels to church for the Memorial Service.] Memorials serve as the best attorney on behalf of the souls of those fallen asleep. They even have the power to bring a soul out of hell. At every Divine Liturgy, we should pray with kollyva for those who have fallen asleep. The wheat has a symbolic meaning: "It is sown in corruption; it is raided in incorruption" (1 Cor. 15:42) according to Sacred Scripture. Some people can't be bothered to boil some wheat and instead bring raisins, cookies or other pastries so that the priest may bless those things. Up on the Holy Mountain, there are some elderly monks who will prepare kollyva for every Divine Liturgy for those who have fallen asleep in the hope of the Resurrection and for the Saint commemorated that day, in order to have his blessing.

  
THE FUTURE JUDGMENT
  
--Geronda [Elder], how is the soul purified?
--When a person observes the Commandments of God, working to be cleansed of one's own passions, then the mind is enlightened; it attains spiritual vision, and the soul becomes as resplendent as it was before the Fall of man. This is the condition he will be in after the resurrection of the dead. But one can see the resurrection of his soul before the General Resurrection only if he is cleansed entirely from the passions. Then, his body will be Angelic, incorporeal, and will not be concerned with material nourishment.
  
--Geronda [Elder], how will the future Judgment take place?
--In the future Judgment, the condition of each person will be revealed in an instant, and each person on his own will proceed to where he belongs. Each person will recognize, as if on a television screen, his own wretchedness, as well as the spiritual condition of others. He will reflect himself upon the other, and he will bow his head, and proceed to the place where he belongs. For example, a daughter-in-law who sat comfortably with her legs crossed in front of her mother-in-law, who with a broken leg took care of the grandchild, will not be able to say, "My Christ, why are you putting my mother-in-law into Paradise without including me?" because that scene will come before her to condemn her..." (Note: Saint of Damascus writes: "For no one should imagine that there will be no recognition of one person by another on that fearful Day of the Judgment. Yes, truly each person will recognize his neighbor, not through the shape of the body, but by means of the vision of the eye of the soul.")
  

The Good Thief in Paradise (source)

  
THE FUTURE LIFE
  

--Geronda [Elder], I have brought some sweets for you to offer to your guests.

--Look how happy they are with that! In the other life we will be saying to ourselves, "In what foolish things we found joy! What things inspired us then!" While now our heart flutters over such things.
  

--Geronda [Elder], how can we understand this at this point in time?

--If you understand this from now, you will not say it in the next life. In any case, those who are to be found up there will be faring well. Have you any idea what handicraft they do there in Heaven? They constantly glorify God. (Note: Saint Symeon the New Theologian writes: "On the fearful Day of Judgment each sinful person will simply see, standing opposite them in the eternal life and in that inexpressible light, their fellow human beings; and they will be judged by them." On Repentance, Logos 5)

  
--Geronda [Elder}, in the other life will those in Hell see those in Paradise?

--Look, just as those who are out at night in the dark can see those who are in a lit room, so will those who will be in Hell see those in Paradise. And this will be an even greater hell for them. So, too, just as those who are in a lit room at night can't see those who are out in the dark, so will those who are in Paradise not see those in Hell. For if the saved were to see those who are condemned in Hell, they would be pained and grieved over their suffering, and would not enjoy Paradise, where "there is no pain..." And not only will they not see them, but they won't even remember if they had a brother or a father or a mother, if they, too are not in Paradise". The Psalmist says, "On that very day his thoughts perish" (Psalm 146:4). For if they are to be remembered, how can it be Paradise? Moreover, those in Paradise will have no awareness of that existence of others, nor will they remember the sins they had committed. For, if they were to remember their sins, they would not be able to bear, out of philotimo, the thought of ever having grieved God. (Source: The Family Life by Saint Paisios of Mount Athos, Spiritual Counsels IV)

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Icon of the Second Coming of Christ and the Last Judgment (source)

  

Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us! Amen!

St. Luke of Simferopol on the Raising of Children

Christ blessing the Children (source)

 
"Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life."
(Mark 10:29-30)

This word of the Lord is not a lie. I confirm to you that, when I left my children and entrusted them to God, He took care of them.*** My children grew up well and I think that even I couldn't raise them so well. And my Lord granted me a hundred-times more children. He gave me all of you. He gave me your hearts, because I know how much you love me and I return your love with my own fervent love. So many children has God given to me!

And your own children must be educated. But do not only make plans for their education in outward wisdom, in the wisdom of this world.  They should learn at the same time the wisdom from above, and the highest truth. They should learn the law of God and the commandments of Christ, to learn with reverence how to always have the memory of God and the true Christian path. Only then will your children not be lost on the ways of human wisdom. Only then, above all else, they will have Christian wisdom, the knowledge of God. In this way, therefore, we must educate our children.

You will have to give an account before God for the evil examples that you give to your children, for the arguments that occur before their eyes, for the chatter that they hear you say. If you yourselves do this, then what will your children learn from you?
  

Christ blessing the children (source)

  

We must begin this effort from the beginning, because only very small children easily receive our advice and suggestions. Their soul is like a soft candle, which every one of your words or deeds make an indelible impression on, whether good or evil.

"A small plant, wherever you train it, that shape it will take, and a new container will bring forth either fragrance or stench based on what you fill it with, placing in it either perfumes or filth." (St. Tikhon of Zadonsk)

Mother, the most beloved person for the child, the source of tenderness and nourishment, stands in prayer before the icon of Christ. The child looks at her then at the icon and does not need long explanations about what is happening. Here is the first and silent lesson of godly knowledge. This is the first and most significant lesson of piety. This lesson you can and you must give to your children.

There is no greater responsibility for the mother, no holier work, for which you will have a responsibility before God, than the raising of your children. To God you will have to give a word if you are negligent before this work. And from now you will begin your tortures and you will shed bitter tears and you will groan seeing your children.

Therefore: "Do not neglect one of these little ones." (Matthew 18:10) You must take care of your children, that you might be for them an example of the true Christian life, and then the blessing of the Lord will be with all of you and with your children unto the ages of ages.
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***Note: St. Luke was forced to leave his children when he was exiled and tortured on behalf of Christ.
 

Icon of St. Luke the Blessed Surgeon of Simferopol and Crimea, from the newly-built and beautiful Church of Sretensky Monastery (source)

 

Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us! Amen!

Excerpt from a homily on the Holy Archangel Michael, by St. Neophytos the Recluse of Cyprus

Holy Archangel and Taxiarch Michael (source)

  
Excerpt from a Homily on the Holy Archangel Michael, by St. Neophytos the Recluse of Cyprus
Michael, the almighty and great Taxiarch, Michael the one radiant like a torch and wholly-shining like the sun, Michael the Taxiarch of the heavens, the helper of men, I have desired to hymn, as much as is possible, he who is the head and leader of the bodiless powers, the great glory of men and the muzzling of demons, the blooming and shady tree of the vault of the heaven, the most-sacred and great healer of earthly evils, the great and most-speedy eagle of the "Great King", who with faith hastens speedily throughout the world, the wondrous and fiery pillar that reaches heaven, the highest and heavy-laden branch of the cedar, the unfading and chosen branch, the divine bush, which surpasses every fragrance, he who drives away demonic stench from those who are suffering, the sheltering branch and God-planted root, who makes to disappear immediately the burning of the demons, the divine cypress and the tall plane tree, which, for those under its shade, heals those from various afflictions and incurable passions. Now, let us praise him, praises from we who are small for him who is almighty, and having offered a few words of praise, we will offer up salutations. The divine, holy and honored temple which resembles a harbor of salvation and the sky with many stars, a dwelling-place of divine angels, and an ax and sword which rends all forms of passions and a perfect hospital, which ceases the pains of various forms of afflictions...

We know that the nous that writes an encomium such as this must become angelic and heavenly. We know, however, that fervor moves us many times to speak about God. And if God, the Creator of the Angels and all creation, moves us to speak thusly with divine eros, why should it be paradoxical to speak a few things about the divine General, whom I entreat to grant us the grace of God? And before, thus, I seek divine grace and the life-creating Spirit to richly enlighten my poor thoughts. For without Him, no  man can speak of heavenly things. This heavenly fervor moves me to praise the heavenly General, but my earthly mind and my corrupted flesh pulls me down.
  

Holy Archangel Michael (source)

  
But you, O great Archangel, raise me upwards, "cleanse my tongue", strengthen my hand, and grant grace to my nous, that I might be able to praise and salute your grandeur, that my desire might be granted to finish this word. I think that it is better to begin salutations, from Him Who granted to you existence and authority.
Rejoice, O Tachiarch, creation of the Beginningless Light and the second light, together with your fellow Angels.
Rejoice, O Taxiarch, creation of the eternal and radiant and fire-bearing Light, together with the other heavenly powers.
  
Rejoice, O Taxiarch, who never thought of yourself more than is right, not of the height of glory that was granted to you, but you always think of Him Who created you, and honored you and glorified you. And with thanksgiving you keep faith in Him unshaken, and with humility you serve Him with obedience, as befits the Creator and Almighty God Who holds all things. Well done, well done, almighty one, for your decision worthy of praise, and who to him who was high-minded and prideful, who thought of evil things and perceived disastrous things, and desired to place heaven as his throne, and to place in submission his ranks, desiring to be life the Most-high One. He [Satan], rightly was rewarded and became from an Archangel into an Arch-demon, from radiant to dark, instead of an exalted throne and heavenly clouds, he became one below and inherited the mansions beneath, and instead of becoming like God, became the lawless one among His creations. This is the result of vainglory and prideful thoughts. Because when one seeks and desires more than the honor which he things he has, he looses it. This is what the devil suffered and which the man [Adam], who desired to be god and immortal, became mortal. And even to this day, many men suffer from this, desiring to inherit greater honor, they loose what they have.
  

Holy Archangel Michael (source)

  
Rejoice, O Taxiarch, who was pleased with your God-given rank, and never sought to inherit more glory or position that that which was granted to you.
Rejoice, O Taxiarch, leader of the heavenly powers and great helper of men, who once disputed for the body of the Prophet Moses, responding to the enemy. You did not respond with your own authority, but on behalf of God, as a lover of God and a lover of the Lord, saying: "The Lord rebukes you, O devil". In this manner, therefore, I entreat you, O head General, to cease not to rebuke the tyrant, until, though your right direction and intercessions, O one graced by God, we might meet God Who is full of mercy.
Rejoice, O most-radiant Taxiarch, who stands on the right side of the divine throne, which cannot be described.
Rejoice, O Taxiarch, radiant servant of the Source of light and Thrice-holy God.
Rejoice, O Taxiarch and fire-bearing pillar, which formerly led the people of Israel, when they were fleeing Egypt.
Rejoice, O Taxiarch, you who formerly were sent by God as a defender for the ancient peoples.
Rejoice, O Taxiarch, speedy soldier of God the King, and all-glorious hoplite.
Rejoice, O Taxiarch, the famed General of the heavenly army, and mighty defender of earthly soldiers.
Rejoice, O Taxiarch, the great glory of the radiant angels and the incurable wounding of the dark demons.
Rejoice, O Taxiarch, the supporter of kings and helper of rulers.
Rejoice, O Taxiarch, who are a hoplite and head General and great fellow fighter with soldiers.
Rejoice, O Taxiarch, servant of God and precious boast of His servants.
Rejoice, O Taxiarch, you who are a defender of Christians and dissolver and destroyer of enemies of the faith, for, as the Scriptures say, "A punishing Angel came forth from God, and put to death the Assyrian army 185,000 men."
Rejoice, O Taxiarch, protector of the faithful and destruction of the faithless.
Rejoice, O good Archangel, most-glorious soldier of the Good King, for you hasten from the east to the west, performing with exactness the commandments of God, and you speedily reach the ends of the earth, the sea and the ends of the world.
Rejoice, O Taxiarch, whose light is much greater than the sun, the moon, and the various stars. They were created "to keep the proper changing and discernment of the ages, days and years and to enlighten the earth", but you [were created], to glorify God, to direct the Angels, for the salvation of men, enlighten and to guide us, who are upon the earth. You will exist, not for a few "ages, days and years", but you have a portion of immortality, which was granted to us by the Immortal God, and you are a General of the Angels eternally, in order to chant together with all the ranks of the Angels, Archangels, Rulers, Powers, Principalities, the Seraphim and the Cherubim, the divine Thrones,, the Thrice-holy hymn to the Thrice-holy God...
  

The great miracle of the Archangel Michael at Chonais (source)

  
Rejoice, O Taxiarch of the divine bodiless powers, who preserved your divine church in Chonais unscathed from the raging of two rivers, Lykou and Lykokamprou, which the lawless idolaters desired to destroy your spring of holy water and your holy church and your servant, Archippos. But you, O fiery torch and fire-bearer, appeared as a pillar of fire reaching from earth to heaven, and you advised him to not be afraid of the raging of the rivers, but you stood firm so that the unconquerable power of God might be seen. And having struck the hard rock with the staff you were holding in your hand, you divided it in two, moving the flow of the two rivers into the abyss which stands to this day. And your servant, together with the holy spring of your sacred church were saved and exist to this day. This area, which formerly was named Kolasses, was renamed Chonais, on behalf of this great miracle, and the funneling downward of the waters.
  
Rejoice, O good Taxiarch, the all-glorious General of the Good King, and the final consolation of His servants. Those who at the hour of their death are made worthy of your radiant presence, are delivered from the bitter darkness of the devil, as the darkness is dissolved by the light. This, do not cease to do for us, O all-perfect one, but now and then, "protect us underneath the shadow of your wings", and enlighten us with the light of your face.
Rejoice, O Taxiarch, defender of the righteous and guide of the venerable, monastics, hermits, and dwellers in monasteries.
Rejoice, O Taxiarch, who covers the modest and teaches those unlearned.
  
Rejoice, O Taxiarch, with a voice like a trumpet, who will proclaim the Second Coming of Christ our God, proclaiming to "heaven, the earth and under the earth", and awakening the dead who have slept for ages, to tell them mightily: "Behold the Bridegroom is coming, come forth to meet Him".
Then, as the Scriptures say, the Son of Man "will send His angels to proclaim loudly and to gather thr chosen from the four corners of the world, from one end of the earth to the other". Then, O all-great Archangel of God, do not forget me, I entreat you, do not separate me, the unworthy one, from that gathering, even if it is something great which I seek, do not pass over me, I entreat you, on behalf of your speedy path.
  

Holy Archangel Michael (source)

  
Rejoice, O Taxiarch, who is found with your fellow Angels round about God serving Him and offering Him as gifts the pure souls of the righteous. "For", as the Psalm says, "those around Him will offer gifts". Among which, O first-called by God and all-great one, entreat Him that I might be among them, together with your great and all-radiant helper and fellow-worker, the forerunner of new grace that is worthy of praise, the true divine apostle, who revealed the mystery to the Virgin [Mary], as I perceive him to be a Taxiarch like you and fellow-partaker in glory, Gabriel, the divine and most-glorious and most-perfect arch-deacon of our salvation, who is a perfect and true witness, which the scriptures bear witness to, "there is no one else to help me in these deeds, but only the leader of your nation, the Archangel Michael".

O divine Michael, head General of the angelic powers, him whom I sent to you, do heal, for your divine pharmacy is always full of medicines which relieve pains. And this encomium, like the mites which the Lord received from the widow, do you receive, and make us worthy to remain in your divine church, even though we are poor spiritually and we cannot offer to you something richer or more honorable, for the height of your glory is great and granted by God. Because, we cannot honor you as is right, with our human nous, you who were hyperbolically glorified by God and honored with the command of the choir of the Angels and Archangels. Because of this, as the Lord received the two mites, you too, do receive this encomium, O one graced by God, and because you hearken speedily, and fulfill our entreaties, send him back healthy whom I sent you, that we might all, together with all who are suffering, glorify you and Him Who glorified you, for to the Thrice-holy God belongs all glory, honor and worship, unto the ages. Amen.
(from the writings of St. Neophytos the Recluse, published by his Royal and Stavropegial Holy Monastery, Paphos, source)

  

Archangel Michael the Taxiarch (source)

  

Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us! Amen!

"O, how awesome will Your Second Coming be..."

Christ's glorious Second Coming, surrounded by the Choirs of the Holy Angels and the Saints (source)

  
O, how awesome will Your Second Coming be, as was foretold by the Prophet Daniel, when he said: Thrones were set up, and the Ancient of Days came and sat, being led in by the myriads of the Angels, which stand around in fear and ceaselessly cry out with their voices to the Trinity, unto the ages of ages.
-from the Matins Canon for the Holy Archangels
  
(source)
  

Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us! Amen!

St. John of Kronstadt on the Dormition of the Theotokos

The Dormition of the Theotokos (source)

 

“Magnify O my soul, the honourable Translation of the Mother of God from earth to heaven.”

(Refrain for the 9th Ode of the Canon)

Let us be happy, beloved brothers and sisters that we belong to the Holy Orthodox Church, worthily and rightly glorifying the Most Holy Sovereign Theotokos on this eminent day out of all the days of the year with special solemnity. There exists on earth many societies and entire governments that do not consider the need nor the obligation to call upon and glorify the Queen of heaven and earth, the Mother of Our Divine Lord Jesus Christ, and other saints and angels; to submissively serve Her lovingly, as the true Mother of God. Sadly in Russia nowadays we have heretics (among us) who actively dishonor the Mother of God, the saints, their icons, their relics and their festivals. O, if only they also unanimously with us glorified the worthy Queen of heaven and earth!

Today the Holy Church solemnly glorifies the honorable Dormition or translation of the Mother of God from earth to heaven. A wonderful translation – she died without serious illness, peacefully. Her soul is taken up in the divine hands of Her Son and carried up into the heavenly abode, accompanied by the sweet singing of angels. And then, her most pure body is transferred by the apostles to Gethsemane where it is honorably buried, and on the third day it is resurrected and taken up to heaven. You see this on the icon of the Dormition of the Theotokos. On it is represented the life-bearing body of the Theotokos laying on a bier, surrounded by the apostles and hierarchs, and in the center of the icon the Lord holding in His hands the most pure soul of the Theotokos. The translation of the Mother of God is a paradigm of the translation in general of the souls of Christians to the other world.

We say that our dead have “fallen asleep” or “passed away.” What does this mean? This means that for the true Christian there is no death. Death was conquered by Christ on the cross. But there is a translation, i.e, a rearrangement of his condition, i.e. his soul is in another place, in another age, in another world beyond the grave, eternal, without end, that is what is meant by “falling asleep”. It is as if it were a temporary dream after which, by the voice of the Lord and the fearful yet wonderful trumpet of the Archangel, all the dead shall live and come forth each to his place: either to the resurrection of life or to the resurrection of condemnation (John 5:29). This is what the Christian means by translation. We should be ready for this translation, for the day of the general resurrection and judgment, for this indescribable world event, recorded in the Holy Scriptures.

This preparation for the meeting of the heavenly King before the dread judgment seat, after death, is essentially the person’s preparation throughout the whole of his life. This preparation means a change in all his thoughts, and the moral change of all his being, so that the whole man would be pure and white as snow, washing clean everything that defiles the body and spirit, so that he is adorned with every virtue: repentance, meekness, humility, gentleness, simplicity, chastity, mercifulness, abstention, spiritual contemplation, and burning love for God and neighbor.

Our preparation for meeting the heavenly King, and for the inheritance of eternal life in heaven, should consist of these things. The heavenly King desires souls adorned with immutable virtue, souls prepared so that the Very Lord Himself could abide in them. Do not marvel that the Very Lord wants to live in us. In fact the human soul is more spacious than the heavens and the earth, for it exists in the image of God. And if one removes sins from the soul, the Lord of all will settle in it and will fill it with Himself. “We will come to him and make our dwelling with him” (John 14:23), says the Lord about the souls who love Him.

And so, ye participants in the Christian feasts, and especially the present feast of the Dormition of the Mother of God, ye who are brightly adorned with every virtue and translated to the heavenly kingdom, to Her Son and God, proclaim to each and every one about preparing their souls to be the dwelling place of the Lord, about continual repentance, and about the incorruptible adornment of Christian virtue. Let your death also be unashamed and peaceful, serving as the pledge of a good answer at the dread judgment seat of Christ. Amen.

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St. John of Kronstadt

(source)

The Dormition of the Theotokos (source)

   

Most-holy Theotokos save us!

"Elijah the Zealot, and emperor over the passions..."

The Holy Prophet Elias in the taken up into the Fiery Chariot (source)

  

Elijah the Zealot, and emperor over the passions, is taken up into the air today, bringing the message aforetime of universal salvation. O unalterable glory, which the exalted Prophet was made worthy of, he who is the awesome adornment of the Prophets! He was truly an angel in the flesh, and was shown to be a fleshless man by his accomplishments. As we praise him let us say: Deliver us, O wise one, on the Day of Judgment.

-Idiomelon of the Litia by St. Germanos

  
(source)
  

The Holy Prophet Elias with scenes from his life (source)

     

Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us! Amen!

The Vision of the Prophet Ezekiel of the Resurrection

The Vision of the Prophet Ezekiel of the Resurrection (read during the Matins service for Great and Holy Saturday) (source)

   

1And the hand of the Lord came upon me, and the Lord brought me forth by the Spirit, and set me in the midst of the plain, and it was full of human bones. 2And he led me round about them every way: and, behold, there were very many on the face of the plain, very dry. 3And he said to me, Son of man, will these bones live? and I said, O Lord God, thou knowest this. 4And he said to me, Prophesy upon these bones, and thou shalt say to them, Ye dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. 5Thus saith the Lord to these bones; Behold, I will bring upon you the breath of life: 6and I will lay sinews upon you, and will bring up flesh upon you, and will spread skin upon you, and will put my Spirit into you, and ye shall live; and ye shall know that I am the Lord. 7So I prophesied as the Lord commanded me: and it came to pass while I was prophesying, that, behold, there was a shaking, and the bones approached each one to his joint. 8And I looked, and behold, sinews and flesh grew upon them, and skin came upon them above: but there was not breath in them. 9And he said to me, Prophesy to the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, Thus saith the Lord; Come from the four winds, and breathe upon these dead men, and let them live. 10So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath entered into them, and they lived, and stood upon their feet, a very great congregation. 11And the Lord spoke to me, saying, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: and they say, Our bones are become dry, our hope has perished, we are quite spent. 12Therefore prophesy and say, Thus saith the Lord; Behold, I will open your tombs, and will bring you up out of your tombs, and will bring you into the land of Israel. 13And ye shall know that I am the Lord, when I have opened your graves, that I may bring up my people from their graves. 14And I will put my Spirit within you, and ye shall live, and I will place you upon your own land: and ye shall know that I am the Lord; I have spoken, and will do it, saith the Lord.

-Ezekiel 37:1-14

(source)

   

The Vision of the Prophet Ezekiel (source)

 

Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us! Amen!

"Turn not Your face away from me, O Lord..."

The Second Coming of Christ at the Last Judgment (source)

 
Turn not Your face away from me, O Lord, may I not hear Your voice raised against me in anger, do not let me be cast into the fire, but may I enter into the joy of Your spotless bridle chamber, that I might be together with Your Saints.
-from the Matins Canon for the Sunday of the Last Judgment.

(source)
 

Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us! Amen!