The Holy and Great Fast
Fully Bathed in the Light of the Resurrection
“Walk as children of light” • “he that loveth his brother abideth in the light”
(Ephesians 5:8; I St. John 2:19)
A
Let us rediscover the true meaning of of asceticism:
“Walk as children of light” • “he that loveth his brother abideth in the light”
(Ephesians 5:8; I St. John 2:19)
A
Let us rediscover the true meaning of of asceticism:
• a joyous rejection of what is beyond what one needs • the sharing of what
is excess with the poor • the continuous glorification and appreciation of God
• a Godly orientation “towards the Other”—towards our Lord, our brother,
towards all creation—with reverence and dutifully.
B
Let us not forget: • without love, no act of asceticism will lead us
to the Great Encounter, to the Nuptial Mystery of our union with Christ. . .!
• We will be brought to judgment first and foremost “for negligence in things virtuous
and for not having loved our neighbor.”
C
The Holy Ascetic Saint Theodore dwelled atop a pillar (as a Stylite) for forty-eight years.
• To his naive question about is “future recompense,” a Holy Angel informed him:
• “It will be the same as the recompense of a certain actor in Damascus,
who gave away all of his possessions to a poor woman. . .!”
D.
“The Devil does not eat, drink, or marry. . . .!
• And he, who is technically the greatest ascetic,
is not, for all that, any less a demon”!
E.
Let us constantly direct our asceticism towards its main purpose:
• purity of the heart and its • receptivity to love, that it might be
filled with the Light of the Resurrection!
is excess with the poor • the continuous glorification and appreciation of God
• a Godly orientation “towards the Other”—towards our Lord, our brother,
towards all creation—with reverence and dutifully.
B
Let us not forget: • without love, no act of asceticism will lead us
to the Great Encounter, to the Nuptial Mystery of our union with Christ. . .!
• We will be brought to judgment first and foremost “for negligence in things virtuous
and for not having loved our neighbor.”
C
The Holy Ascetic Saint Theodore dwelled atop a pillar (as a Stylite) for forty-eight years.
• To his naive question about is “future recompense,” a Holy Angel informed him:
• “It will be the same as the recompense of a certain actor in Damascus,
who gave away all of his possessions to a poor woman. . .!”
D.
“The Devil does not eat, drink, or marry. . . .!
• And he, who is technically the greatest ascetic,
is not, for all that, any less a demon”!
E.
Let us constantly direct our asceticism towards its main purpose:
• purity of the heart and its • receptivity to love, that it might be
filled with the Light of the Resurrection!
March 4, 2013 (Old Style), Sunday of Cheesefare
† Bishop Cyprian of Oreoi
Acting President of the Holy Synod in Resistance
† Bishop Cyprian of Oreoi
Acting President of the Holy Synod in Resistance
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