My Beloved the benevolent                                                            June 2019              

Xristos Anesti                Alisos Anesti!

Christ is Risen                Truly He is Risen!

Celebrating the Resurrection of our Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ is not limited to the day of the Resurrection Feast but extended throughout the Holy Fifty Days and ends with the celebration of the Feast of the Ascension of the Holy Spirit on the disciples. During this period, we pray with the joyous tunes and live the joy of the Resurrection every day. Therefore, let us contemplate on the life of joy:

1- The Secret of Rejoicing: Christ – Who rose from the dead and conquered death, and was victorious over Satan and freed us from enslavement of death and sin – is the secret of our rejoicing. The Disciples were in a state of sadness and fear, but their sadness turned to rejoicing, and their fear to strength and courage when they celebrated Christ – The risen from the dead –  Who appeared to them on the eve of the Resurrection day, as the Bible says, “Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, “Peace be with you.” After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.“ Jn. 20:19-20

In the story of the disciples of Emmaus, the disciples were talking and discussing and Jesus Himself got near to them and walked with them, but their eyes were restrained so that they did not know Him, “And He said to them, “What kind of conversation is this that you have with one another as you walk and are sad?” Lu. 24;17 So they said to Him concerning Jesus of Nazareth and they said with sadness and despair, “But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel” Lu. 24:21 but when their eyes were opened and they knew Him, they said, “Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?” Lu. 24:32 He turned their despair to hope and returned to Jerusalem to tell the rest of the disciples, as the Bible says, “The Lord is risen indeed and has appeared to Simon! And they told about the things that had happened on the road, and how He was known to them in the breaking of bread.” Lu.24:34-35

St. Peter the Apostle who denied Christ three times, regretted and wept bitterly. The Lord appeared to him in a special appearance to strengthen him, as St. Paul said, “And that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve.” 1Cor.15:5 The Lord Jesus returned St. Peter to his apostleship at the meeting with seven of the disciples at the Lake of Tiberius, “So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?’ He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love you.” He said to him “Feed my lambs.” He said to him again a second time, “Simon son of Jonah, do you love Me:” He said to Him, ‘yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Tend My sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?” And he said to Him, ‘Lord You know all things; You know that I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Feed My Sheep.” Jn.24:15-17

St. Paul the Apostle was a persecutor of the church until Christ met him on his way to Damascus, “then he fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” And he said, “Who are You?” The Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads.” Acts 9:4-5 St. Paul the apostle became a preacher and sufferer for the sake of Christ, as the Lord said about him to Ananias, “but the Lord said to him: Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, Kings, and the children of Israel. For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake.” Acts 9:15-16

2- Rejoicing and the Sacrament of Communion: When the disciples of Emmaus met with the Lord Jesus, they knew Him at the breaking of bread, and this points to the sacrament of Communion, which was called in the Book of Acts “the breaking of bread” The book of Acts says about the Christian believers, “So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart” Acts:2:46 The sacrament of Communion used to be held in homes in the first church and it was a sacrament of joy and rejoicing to the believers… Why? Because the sacrament of Communion is the sacrament of meeting Our Lord Jesus Christ Who gave us His Holy body to eat and precious blood to drink, when He said, “Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal Life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me.” Jn.6 54-57

May the Lord grant us the rejoicing of His glorious Resurrection, and no one will take away our joy from us, to meet with Him in serving our brethren, the needy because He said, “Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.” Matt.25:40

May the Lord bless your lives in supporting the programs and projects of Santa Verena Charity.

Metropolitan Serapion