Loving God

by Fr. Dmitri, New Zealand

Saturday 7 August 2010 (1 Mesori; 1 Mesra)
Righteous Anna, Mother of the Holy Theotokos.

But God commanded His love toward us, in that, while
we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
(Rom. 5:8)

Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all you lands serve the
Lord with gladness; come before His presence with thanksgiving.
(Psa. 100:1-2)

A man powerful in speech is known from afar, but an
intelligent man knows when he slips.
(Sirach 21:4)

Do not yield to every impulse and suggestion but consider
things carefully in the light of God's will.
(Imitation of Christ)

Kneel at the beginning of your prayer, and ask God, with
humility, to grant you patience and the control of your
thoughts during prayer.
(Isaac the Syrian)

I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With Him at my right hand,
I will not be shaken.
(Psa. 16:8)

Praying with murmur is as a seed on a rock, that never grows.
(Isaac the Syrian)

Dried-up mud draws no pigs, Dried-up flesh harbors no demons.
(John Climacus)

When we pray we beg from God. We stand in front of the
great Lord of the house, we bow and cry, hoping to get
something. This something is God Himself.
(St. Augustine)

The Stone which the builders, rejected has become the chief Cornerstone.
(Luke 20:17)

If the love of the world is within you, there is no space
for the Love of God.
(St. Augustine)

REFLECTION:

A soul is a great treasure and a rich deposit. For the
eternal Wisdom, Who cannot be deceived, regarded it more
precious than His own blood.

Heavenly Father, let us never forget the incomparable
value of our souls. Help us to be willing to die rather
than risk doing anything to lose these souls.
( Bernard of Clairveaux)

HOMILY:

LOVING GOD.

"Thou shalt love the Lord thy God.'

This is the basic duty of our existence. Yet how can we love one whom we have never seen? We have never seen God. But we can love the never yet seen members of our earthly Family, if we hear about them or from them, or seen their photograph.

All the universe tells us about God. The Psalmist tells us 'The Heavens declare the Glory of God.'

One has only to look up into the heavens on a clear night and behold the handiwork of God. The clockwork precision so that a Star or Planet is never out of place.

His love for us is so great that He allowed His only Son Jesus Christ to die for us. It is right that we should love Him. God has sent us His photograph in the person of Jesus Christ, even though it is only His human visage. Philip had said: 'Show us the Father' and Our Lord said ' he that hath seen Me hath seen the Father.'

So we are to learn to love God, by attending to what we know of Him. Above all things put God before anything else when it comes to a choice. The everyday test of whether we love God: is found in 1 John 4:20. ' He that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? He who would love God should love his brother also. We love God because He first loved us. He through His Son died for our sins.

We are all Prodigals in His eyes. We see in the Parable of the Prodigal Son just how great the Father's love is for us His wayward children.

To Thee be glory and praise, now and ever, unto Ages of Ages.

AMEN!

Today's Readings:

Evening: Psalm 68: 3& 35; Matt.10:16-23.
Morning: Psalm 97: 11-12; Marl 13:9-13.
Liturgy: Heb.12:3-14; 1 Peter 4:12-19; Acts 7:44-8:1;
Psalm 34:19-20; Gospel Luke 11:53-12:12.