12/13/2020
Archpriest Gregory Dyachenko
The man had brought his unfortunate son to the disciples to cast out the evil spirit, but their failure only provoked ridicule from the scribes.
The Most Holy Virgin Theotokos is the special protectress of pious Christians.
God’s wrath, which at Elisha’s word destroyed the children who mocked the holy elder-prophet, gives us, brothers, cause to talk to you today about why we must show honor and respect to our elders and people in general who are older than us.
There is only one thing we must fear above all: that through our unbelief or unrighteous life, we might lose the grace-filled help of the Lord.
This is what we should all strive for when God delivers us from sickness.
For the good of their children, parents are ready to sacrifice not only their property, but their health and even their lives. They have such strong love for their children, a love that is willing to make any sacrifice for the sake of their children’s temporal and eternal happiness.
The holy apostle Andrew is the “example of a Christian’s spiritual joy”. At the sight of the terrible instrument of his torturous death—the cross—he not only did not fall into despondency or fear, but to the contrary greatly rejoiced that through the cross he can come to his Lord, into His blessed Kingdom.
