by Fr. Dmitri, New Zealand

Loving God

Saturday 8 August 2009 (2 Mesori; 2 Mesra)

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)

Eve is called the Mother of the Human race, but Mary, the Mother of Salvation.
(St.Ambrose)

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)

The contrite prayer thanks more than seeks.
(Pope Shenouda III)

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.
(S.Augustine)

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

God is one, that is to say, Unity of intellectual substance.
(Antony the Great)

If the love of the world is within you, there is no space
for the Love of God.
(S.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 all 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 67:26-27; Gospel Matt.26:6-13.
Morning: Psalm 8:3-4; Gospel John 4:15-24.
Liturgy: Ephes.5:8-21; 1 Peter 3:5-14; Acts 21:5-14;
Psalm 44:15-16; Gospel Matt.25:1-13.