On this great feast of our most Blessed Mother Mary, we come today to reflect upon the gracious love and grace that we have received through her action and intercession for the Church and for ourselves. For how might we understand this most glorious mystery but in two words, motherly love. Yes, Mary loves us as a mother loves us, it is a love that can never be fathomed, nor the depths of it understood, but yet, she loves us as a mother. She is there, not because she has some means of omnipotence of her own accords, but because Christ is there with her.
This is the meaning in the icons that we have, especially the Kieven Icons of the Mother of God. Where we see Mary, we see Christ. We notice that in the Icon that Mary is staring at Christ, reflecting, as Mary in the Gospel today. Reflecting and worshiping her Son who has given us his love from the Father. In return, Jesus is looking at Mary, a teaching that reaches out and teaches us that Christ will answer the prayers of his Mother, these prayers, these intercessions answered out of the love that He has for her, his Ark of the Covenant, His mother, the Mother of God, the Theotokos. In the icons, Mary is dressed in Red and Blue and her veil is covered in Gold. This represents for us in our understanding the teaching that she who was conceived miraculously from Joachim and Anna, abides in the heavenly place (thus the blue), but that she, in her heart, was martyred at the death of her son and God has befitted her with Gold, clothed her in His righteousness. She, who is full of grace, here holds the Christ Child, He who is clothed in gold, representing his Divinity and a blue armband representing his role as the King of Heaven. Yes, the Icon of the Mother of Kiev, shows us and reveals to us Mary's place and tells us of our own goals in this life.
The Gospel reading today expounds on this, that at the feet of Jesus we would not be worrisome and troubled, but rather that we would find peace and joy in His countenance. We need to sit with the Blessed Virgin and learn from her, in her school. Our Father among the Saints Seraphim of Sarov implored us to pray 150 "Rejoice of Theotokos" prayers daily so that we might be able to learn from her and her school of discipleship. I implore all of you to do this as well and see the transformative grace, the reception of divine energies in hearts, that we will receive for the glory of God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Antoni reflects upon the scriptures of the Rich Young Man today in regards to how we live our life, develop the virtues and glorify God with our lives!
Christ Our Pascha References:COP 722, COP 759-779, COP 788-795, COP 831-832
Catechism of the Catholic Church References: CCC 1973, CCC 1974, CCC 2052, CCC 2053, CCC 915, CCC 2013,CCC 1858,CCC 1968
Biblical References: Matthew 19:16-26
Patristic Foundations: St. Augustine De Liberis ArbitroSt. Paisus the Hagiorite, St. Symeon the New Theologian Ethical Discorses, Discourse 6St. John Chrysostem
I mentioned these the other day and I wanted to just put them out there. Let me know if you all have any questions, or need guidance, always here for you guys!
Dear friends of the community,
I am back after a year's break from the community. I have taken the time I need to reflect and to walk the path of our Lord and there is a lot of good news! Firstly, I want to announce that I have decided to go a different way then when I first started. I have joined the Orthodox Church of Nations and am currently preparing to be ordained. I am to be a bi-ritual Priest of the Byzantine and the Anglican rites and am preparing for Ordination in February. I am also now overseeing two missions so please be patient with me as I am busy with both.
Secondly, I am coming back with new content and new directives! As has always been the case with Christ our Hope, we desire to bring Christ to all people and fill you with the hope that never ends. To express the deepness of Christ's abounding love and what he can do for you if you allow him into your life, to be transformed into the mystical body of Christ. I will be continuing my activities of preaching and proclaiming ...
Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Glory to Jesus Christ! We have begun our journey to the great feast of the Nativity of Christ. In the west we call this day Christmas, in Ukraine it is called Rizdvo. This is a great opportunity for us to prepare a place for Christ in our Hearts, in our minds and in our souls. Yet, how is it that we are to do this?
The Phillip's Fast, is a period of 40 days that as Ukrainian Catholics we celebrate with the other 13 byzantine-greek rite Catholic churches. Each church has their own specific way of celebrating the fast. In the Ukrainian church we fast on Wednesdays and Fridays, no meat for the entirety of the fast, and stay away from oil, wine and dairy. There are a few feast days in which this is not the case, but for the most part it is for the entirety of the season. It is also invited that we participate in almsgiving to the poor and less fortunate, do away from social media, television, etc and spend more time dedicated to pray and study of the word of ...
