by Fr. Dmitri, New Zealand

Pray Always

Saturday 15 August 2009 (9 Mesra; 9 Mesori)

But if you have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convicted of the Law as trangressors.
(James 2:9)

Feeding the hungry is a greater work than raising the dead.
(S.John Chrysostom)

Obedience is the burial place of the will and the resurrection of lowliness.
(John Climacus)

Help me, O Lord my God: O save me according to your mercy.
(Psa.109:26)

The Holy Virgin was covered by the Divine Grace as
a garment, and her spirit was filled with Divine Wisdom.
(Theodosius of Ankara)

If you are a house of God and God dwells in you, then
remember the saying of the Bible, "Holiness adorns your
house." Know that by sin you defile the house of God, which is in you.
(Pope Shenouda III)

Do not despair. You were created in His image. He
who created you, came Himself in the flesh. The
blood of the only Son was shed for your sake.
(S.Augustine)

The spiritual life is transition from perfection to better perfection.
It is always connected with growth.
(Pope Shenouda III)

Wool, in its early stage, can be dyed with any color you want;
in the same way, virtue can be acquired, when the person starts during his youth.
(Mystery of Godliness)

When He saw their faith, He said to him, 'Man, your sins are forgiven you.'
(Luke 5:20)

REFLECTION:

Do not show favor only to relations and kin, or to
the most eminent - whether they are leaders or the
wealthy or neighbors or citizens of the same country.
Show favor to all who come to you. By fulfilling your
duty in this way, you will reach the highest state of
happiness.

Just Father, help us to overcome all tendencies to show
favoritism in our lives. Let us treat all persons as
brothers and sisters in Christ and work and pray for their salvation.
(King Stephen of Hungary)

HOMILY:

PRAY ALWAYS:

He spoke also a parable to them, that we ought always to pray and not to faint.
(Luke 18:1)

The secret of life: to be in the right relationship with God our Father, permanently.

Many treat Him as Father only by fits and starts. By prayer Christ means treating
God as our Father; and we must pray always.

God does regard our preserving faith. Answers to prayer seem long coming, but really
prayers begin to be answered at once. Especially praying for graces, for ourselves
or others. The answer builds up for us. If you look at Luke 11 verses 9 & 10. It tells
you what to expect from prayer, whether it is asking, seeking or knocking.
They are all forms of requests and Christ tells us that all shall be answered positively.

'Everyone that asketh receiveth.' There's nothing Our Lord says so often or
so plainly as this. Do not be faithless, never mind what anyone else says about prayer,
you find out the best way, by doing it yourself. Take Our Lord at His word, as He
always likes to be taken.

Take a look at the Psalms, there you will find some excellent models for Prayer.
David the King knew how to pray and what to pray for. He even prayed for Saul
although Saul was seeking his life. It must have hurt him deeply when Jonathon
was killed on Gilboa with his father Saul as Jonathon was his bosom friend.
Our Blessed Lord is by far the best example. 'Not my will but Thine be done.'
Often our will and prayer requests may not be what God wants for us. So we must be
prepared for some set backs or change of direction. Only He knows what is good
for us and where He wants us to be.

Contemplate on the Lord's Prayer.

To Thee be Glory and Praise, now and ever, unto Ages of Ages.
AMEN!

Today's Readings:

Evening: Psalm 67:36 & 4; Gospel Matt.10:16-23.
Morning: Psalm 96:11-12; Gospel Mark 13:9-13.
Liturgy: Heb.12:3-14; 1 Peter 4:12-19; Acts 7:44-8:1;
Psalm 33:20-21; Gospel Luke 11:53-12:12.