JESUS CHRIST RETURNS AND APPEARS TO THE WORTHY AND UNWORTHY

JESUS CHRIST RETURNS AND 

APPEARS TO THE WORTHY AND UNWORTHY

“Behold, I am with you to the close of the age.”

St. Gregentius, Bishop of Zafar in Southern Arabia (Yemen) 

Dec.19

  The wonderful and magnificent Saint Gregentius came from the city of Milan, and flourished after  the year 518. Form his earliest age he fully devoted himself to Christ, whom he loved  deeply, and always strived to keep all His commandments and to remain faithful in everything.  After being ordained to the diaconate, he devoted himself even more to an ascetic life of prayer and fasting with the acquisition all the virtues, especially faith, hope and love.

    Gregentius went to visit a certain spiritual elder, who told his disciple that he was coming and what would become of him. He told him that Gregentius who was now a deacon but would become a holy Bishop and bring thousands of Jews to Christ. 

    Another holy elder, whom Gregentius saw on a fiery pillar in midair, told him what was his future would be.  He told him that he would go to Rome and worship at the church of Boniface and Aglais, and then take ship to Alexandria to stay for some time, and then will be called to Southern Arabia to the land of the Homerites, and  will become bishop of that city. In the meantime he catechized and baptized multitudes of people.  When he arrived among the Homerites, there  were thousands of Jews in the area who held firmly to their error and doing everything they were able, to rid the area of Christians.

     Gregentius, his whole heart filled with love for God, desired to bring all the Jews out of darkness and  error into the light of Christ their Messiah. His sphere of influence spread far and wide, not only in one city but in surrounding areas because of his beautiful soul, peaceful attitude and love of preaching and baptizing people in Christ. Peter, Paul and Mark the Apostle at one time appeared to him, and strengthened him, and demonstrated that Gregentius would be ordained bishop

    Gregentius lived and breathed the truths and essence of Orthodoxy. His  zeal like fiery flames ignited  in other souls from the overflow of his exultation and the joy in his soul. He conducted his ministry with ardent faith, as he energetically instructed, supported and continually prayed for his flock. He  never stopped attempting, with all his power, to bring the hardhearted Jews to faith in Christ and to correct thinking, and in these endeavors he was somewhat successful. From among the faithful, he ordained those who were worthy to enter the clergy as he industriously built up the Church. He also composed laws for them to live and act as Christian citizens.

ORTHODOX TIDBITS 2 WHO IS HEAD OF THE CHURCH|?

ORTHODOX TIDBITS 2

   WHO IS HEAD OF THE CHURCH|? 

     “He set Him on His own right hand in the heavenly places, far above all authority, power, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come, and has put all things under His feet; and gave him to be the Head of the Church which is His body” (Eph. 1:20-23).

      Headless humanity is given a Head in the Lord Jesus, risen from the dead.  The body severed from the head, begins to knit together with that Head, bit by bit and part by part. Not all men are the body, but only those who respond are received under the Head. Those who respond compose the Body that is called the Church, of which the Lord is the Head.  But as the risen and glorified man Jesus is exalted within the Holy Trinity above each and all on earth and in heaven, so also will His Church, His Body, be raised up to its Head, above each and all. The whole Church will stand at the right hand of the Holy Trinity, for, where the head is, there is also the body.  

     To such an exaltation, greatness and glory will the gathered repentant sinners attain, who had sometimes been enemies of God, wandering astray like the Prodigal Son and headless as a dead body. But now adopted through Christ and for Christ, and clad in the beauty of divine life and light.  It is a great thing my brethren for the Son of God to be incarnate on earth, and for Him to suffer on the Cross and die for our sake.  His sojourn on earth brought a vast change in the destiny of man and in the meaning of all created things.  He changed all things, and made them new. Therefore, my brethren, let us not live and conduct ourselves as the old man, but as the new; let us not live in sin but in justice; let us not conduct ourselves according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. Let us merit the exaltation, greatness and glory to which we are called by our Head.  (Prologue of Ochrid, Vol 4 pp 165-166)

                                                                                                        

ORTHODOX TIDBITS 1

ORTHODOX   TIDBITS 1

INSANITY CAUSED BY A STOLEN OXEN

     St. Ammon of Nitria was living in the Nitrian desert, and had acquired the  gift of discernment and insight and became a wonder-worker. A man and his wife came to him with their insane son, seeking his help to cure their son by his prayers, but he would not do this. He told them that “the illness of your son is in your own hands. Return to the widow the ox that was stolen from her and your son will be healed.” They promised him that they would do as he said. 

WHOEVER SHALL HUMBLE HIMSELF AS THIS CHILD

   Our Lord took a small child and placing him among His disciples, said: “Whoever shall humble himself like this child, he is greatest in the kingdom of heaven” (Matt 18:4). This same child grew up and became the Hieromartyr Ignatius the God-bearer of Antioch, who was called Godbearer because he always carried the name of the Lord in his heart and on his lips. A supernatural wonder  took place at Ignatius’ martyrdom where he was devoured by wild beasts. Only his bones werer left and his heart. A Roman soldier cut it open and they found inscribed in gold, JESUS CHRIST.

PHYSICAL PHENOMENA CONTROLLED BY GOD

   During the Isaurian  dynasty (717 - 802), in the reign of Byzantine Emperor Leo the Isaurian, a  continuous and terrifying earthquake was rattling the great city of Constantinople. Many people began to pray to the Theotokos and St. Demetrios. Then, realizing that the earthquake was a chastisement for their sins with sincere  repentance and tears  they entreated God, who showed His  mercy and the earthquake ended because of their prayers.

THE TRISAGION HYMN

Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, Have mercy upon us.

Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, Have mercy upon us.

Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, Have mercy upon us.

During another severe earthquake in Constantinople and the surrounding area, many of its building fell, among them were the most beautiful, and lives were in constant danger, causing the populace to  be filled with fear. The Emperor and Patriarch, many bishops, priests, led the people, and were making  numerous processions, entreating the Lord for relief, for this quake was long and severe. People were afraid to go into buildings, and many had gathered at the shore, away from structures.

   As they were offering heartfelt and tearful prayers, a small boy was wondrously taken up from them into the air and disappeared into the heavens,  becoming invisible to the eyes of the people.  Later he returned and landed gently on the ground. When they asked him where he had been, he said with the angels, and this is what they sang: Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, Have mercy upon us. When the procession resumed they all sang this hymn glorifying the Holy Trinity and the earthquake immediately stopped! St. John Chrysostom’s disciple Proclus, after  becoming Archbishop of Constantinople, placed the Trisagion hymn in the Divine Liturgy.

DANIEL IN LION”S DEN WAS HUNGRY 

PROPHET HABAKKUK PREPARES DINNER

   We hear from Church hymns of  the three servants, who were thrown into the roaring furnace by King Nebuchadnezzar, after refusing to bow down to his idol. They were singing hymns in the midst of the flames, and  were delivered unharmed, without smelling of smoke or fire.  Daniel who was in captivity with them in Babylon, was left to die in a lion’s den with seven lions. The Prophet Habakkuk was far away from Babylon, for  he did not get taken in the captivity.   Having prepared a meal with bread, the prophet was walking toward the fields to bring it as dinner for his laborers who were reaping.  At that time an angel of the Lord said to Habakkuk:  “Take this dinner that you have fixed to Daniel in Babylon, who is in the lion’s den.”  The prophet protested that he never had seen Babylon and did not know the location of the lion’s den. The angel took up Habakkuk and carrying him by his hair and brought him to the den where Daniel was.  Then Habakkuk cried out: “Daniel, take this dinner which the Lord has sent you.” Daniel said to the Lord: “You have remembered me O God, for you do not forsake those who seek you and love you." Daniel did eat and the angel brought Habakkuk back home. In his written prophecies,  Habakkuk,  foretells the coming of Christ and His incarnation, the Holy Apostles, the Cross and the Ascension, and that “the just shall live by faith in me.” Of Christ, “You went forth for the salvation of your people, to save your anointed ones (Hab.2:13)