Angels of God

by Fr. Dmitri, New Zealand

Saturday 30 January 2010 (22 Tobi;22 Tuba)

St. Anthony the Great.

And in that day ye shall ask Me nothing. Truly, truly, I say unto you, whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in My name, He will give it you.
(John 16:23)

Virgins shall be brought to the king after her; Her fellows
shall be brought to you; they shall be brought with gladness and exaltation.
(Ps.45:14b-15a)

In My Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so,
I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
(John 14:2)

He who has the Son has life, he who does not have the Son of God, does not have life.
(1 John 5:12)

If a person wishes, he may live for God.
(St. Macarius)

Just as too much drinking comes from habit, so to from habit comes over indulgence in sleep.
(John Climacus)

Dear beloved, He defeated the whole world as we see. He did
not conquer it by military powers, but by the ignorance of
the cross. All spirits surrendered to Him when His body was raised on the cross.
(St. Augustine)

In the Old Testament, the material blessings were symbols to spiritual ones in the New Testament.
(HH Pope Shenouda III)

I no longer fear God, but I love Him. For love casts out fear.
(St. Anthony)

For she is our pride, our hope and confirmation, in the Second Coming of our God, our Lord Jesus Christ.
(The Holy Psalmody)

REFLECTION:

Prayer is great good. For when we speak to a person endowed with
virtue, we receive much benefit. How much greater benefits will
flow on persons who speak with God. For prayer is speaking with God.

Heavenly Father, help us to pray to You through Jesus and in the
Holy Spirit. Let us be faithful to our daily conversations with You.
(St. Augustine)

HOMILY:

THE ANGELS OF GOD

Praise ye the Lord, all His angels, praise ye Him all His hosts.
(Psa.148:2)

Adoration is the first duty of man to God, but how little fulfilled! How
little prayer there is in most lives. How little even with believers except for Corporate Prayer in
Church. With infinite mercy God willed man out of nothing into being, so that man might know and
praise the Eternal Beauty and Goodness which God is. And man remains unseeing and unresponsive
- ready to praise anything except his Creator.

This makes us glad to think of the Holy Angels of God. A vaster world than
ours - each of the nine choirs may be more numerous than all the human race.
In their faculties of knowing and loving they tower up far out of sight;
their praise to God is an example to us all. The whole and all-sufficient
occupation of the angels is the praise and adoration of God.

Our Lord is pleased that His Father is known and loved by those who see the
Father's Face. He teaches us to pray, 'Thy will be done on earth as it is in
Heaven.' The angels' praise (compared with ours), is like some mighty
orchestra and choir, compared with a beggar singing out of tune in the street.

And yet God the Son took on man's nature, not the angels. They played so
much a part in Our Lord's life from the Annunciation to the Ascension. It is
said that the Star that led the Magi to the Christ Child was made up of
myriads of angels, and it was angels who gave the glad tidings of the Lord's
Birth to the Shepherds on the hills.

So once more be grateful for the mercies of Our God to us, and realise
better in the future our primary duty of praise and adoration to Him, both
in private prayer as well as public prayer.

If someone does something for you, it is polite to say thank you and not to
take it for granted.

Alas how many people take God for granted? No matter how little the Blessing
received we should give thanks, be like the Angels and praise Him without ceasing both
day and night.

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

AMEN!

Today's Readings:

Evening: Psalm 31:7&12; Gospel Matt.25:14-23.
Morning: Psalm 32:1&12; Gospel Luke 19:11-19.
Liturgy: Phil.3:20-4:9; James 5:9-20; Acts 11:19-26;
Psalms 33:18; 67:4; Gospel Luke 12:32-44.

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