Σελίδες

Παρασκευή 30 Ιανουαρίου 2015

What will the Christians of the last times do?

ντετσανι 55

St. Seraphim of Sarov

The word of God does not say in vain: “The Kingdom of God is within you” (Luke 17:21), and it “suffers violence, and the violent take it by force” (Matt. 11:12). That means that people who, in spite of the bonds of sin which fetter them and (by their violence and by inciting them to new sins) prevent them from coming to Him, our Savior, with perfect repentance for reckoning with Him…

“Such people were once seen by the holy Seer John the Divine clothed in white robes (that is, in robes of justification) and with palms in their hands (as a sign of victory), and they were singing to God a wonderful song: Alleluia. And no one could imitate the beauty of their song. Of them an Angel of God said: “These are they who have come out of the great tribulation and have washed their robes, and have made them white in the blood of the Lamb” (Rev. 7:9-14). They were washed with their sufferings and made white in the communion of the immaculate and life-giving Mysteries of the Body and Blood of the most pure and spotless Lamb – Christ - Who was slain before all ages by His own will for the salvation of the world, and Who is continually being slain and divided until now, but is never exhausted (in the Sacrament of Communion). Through the Holy Mysteries we are granted our eternal and unfailing salvation as a viaticum to eternal life…

St. Seraphim of Sarov,The Aim of the Christian Life
Αβρααμ_Abraham_ Авраам6

“God tested Abraham. That is, he sent him afflictions for his benefit, not so that he could find out what sort of man he was, for God knows everything, but so that He give him the means to perfect his faith.”

St. Mark the Ascetic, Homilies, 2.203

Abba Ischyrion was asked, “What have we done in our life?”He replied, “We have done the half of what our Fathers did.”When asked, “What will the ones who come after us do?”He replied, “They will do the half of what we are doing now.”And to the question, “What will the Christians of the last times do?”He replied, “They will not be able to do any spiritual exploits, but those who keep the faith will be glorified in heaven more than our Fathers who raised the dead.”

- From the Sayings of the Desert Fathers

 https://iconandlight.wordpress.com/2015/01/30/what-will-the-christians-of-the-last-times-do/

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