by Fr. Dmitri, New Zealand

The Reasonable

Saturday 18 July 2009 (11 Abib; 11Epip)
St.Sergius of Radonezh

O Lord, you have probed me and you know me.
(Psa.139:1)

Teach your heart to guard that which your tongue teaches.
(Abba Poemen)

To Thee, O Victor pierced by nails on the cross, Who calleth
out to sinners saying: come, receive forgiveness freely--
to thee I unrelentingly pray, O my Savior.
(Ephraim the Syrian)

I have called upon thee, for thou wilt hear me, O God:
incline thine ear unto me, and hear my speech.
(Psa.17:6)

If you are scared of dying, He will walk with you on that
day and make it the dawn for eternal life.
(Mystery of Godliness)

As the Priest passes with the incense, every member of
the congregation must say this small prayer, 'I beseech
you, my Lord Jesus Christ to forgive me my sins, those
I know and those I do not know.'
(Divine Liturgy)

Our faith in God, His existence, care and protection gives
us inner peace and comfort in the heart and in the mind.
(Pope Shenouda III)

God, the judge, is not a human but the Trinity. He is the
God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, but He is also your God.
You ask Him for a reward and He gives you Himself as
a gift. What else can you ask for?
(S.Augustine)

REFLECTION:

Our true worth does not consist in what human beings think
of us. What we really are consists in what God knows us to be.

All-knowing God, let us strive always to see ourselves, as
You see us rather than as others do. Grant that, with Your help,
we may grow into the persons that You want us to be for eternity.
(John Berchmans)

HOMILY:

THE REASONABLE:

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the Children of God.
(Matt.5:9)

Peace is Christ's gift to mankind - 'Pax Vobis' - the peace that the world cannot give.
The 'Peacemakers' are those who: possess Christ's peace in themselves and pass it on to
others. They make Christ's peace in themselves by yielding up their all to Christ.

A Kingdom divided against itself is not at peace: man's nature, when
passions are up in arms, is a divided kingdom; those who subject passion to
reason, and reason to Truth Incarnate, make peace and order within
themselves and the Rule of God.

Then possessing Christ's peace, they are able to spread it around them. When
we are in their presence our passions of anger seem childish. They infect us
with calmness, reasonableness and goodwill; they make peace without speaking
a word.

The maxim of the world is 'Divide & Rule' - keep everybody unfriendly with
one another. Unity is Christ's ideal. His peacemakers create an atmosphere
of Unity, both in private life and in public.

Because in making peace around them they share in the task of the Son of
God.

Thomas Aquinas (who thinks that the rewards in the Beatitudes go up in an
ascending scale) says that to be the 'Children of God' is more than to 'see God'; at a kings
banquet all the guests would see him from afar, but his Children would sit
at the top table and be able to talk with him.

The Banquet of our King is enacted every time we Celebrate the Holy Eucharist (Communion).

We ought to Wash one another's Feet as Christ did those of the Disciples at the Last Supper.

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

Today's Readings:

Evening: Psalm 4:7&9; Gospel Matt.16:24-28.
Morning: Psalm 5:12-13; Gospel Matt.10:34-42.
Liturgy: Rom.8:18-30; 1 Peter 3:8-15; Acts 19:23-41;
Psalm 67: 36&4; Gospel Luke 12:4-12