10/2/2022
St. Makary (Nevsky), Metropolitan of Moscow and Kolomna
Before the Holy Chalice, or in other words, before Christ Himself, you communicants confessed faith in Him and made a promise not to betray Him like Judas, not to renounce Him like Peter out of human fear.
All of us who have been baptized into Christ and have communed of the Body and Blood of Christ become children of Christ, both from His flesh and from His Blood.
You have tasted how good the Lord is, my beloveds—now try to make others partakers of this great gift of Christ.
Don’t be surprised and don’t doubt that you have such a great guest.
This mystery of life and immortality is revealed: It is in the Church, and through the Church that it became known to the bulk of mankind.
Therefore, that which you, Christian, commune of from the hand of the priest under the appearance of bread and wine is that very Body that the Lord gave to the Apostles under the appearance of bread, that very Blood that He gave them under the appearance of wine.
St. Makary (Nevsky)
We earnestly invite all those who haven’t cleansed their conscience by Confession before a priest and Communion in the preceding year to do so during this Lent.
Such is the property of true love: It can’t hide in the heart for long—it will certainly come out and reveal itself in some way.
If there’s a God, then He’s holy, and can’t endure iniquity. If God is holy and righteous, then the wicked must suffer the due reward for their iniquity, and the righteous—for their righteousness.
And note, brethren, the temptation that our cities and villages are exposed to, where they arrange traveling shows and circuses for empty and seductive spectacles.
What should someone do who doesn’t know any prayers, but desires to pray, to save his soul?
Thus, if you serve a priest, you serve Christ; if you receive a priest, you receive Christ.
It’s not an empty sound, not a simple gust of the wind; no—it contains the power of God.
Charity is a gift to God.
If anyone has found the desire to begin salvation by fighting with his vices, and if he wanted to do it by his own strength, then his labor would be in vain: We need the help of God in the work of our salvation. Without Me ye can do nothing, says the Lord (Jn. 15:5).
