My Beloved the Benevolent                            June 2022

Grace and peace, hoping for you all goodness and blessing

On Sunday, June 12th, we celebrate the Feast of Pentecost and then begins the Apostles Fast.  I wish you all a blessed feast, hoping that God will grant us all the fruit of the Holy Spirit in our lives to live the life of holiness, walking in the Spirit, “Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.” Gal. 5:16

The Holy Spirit, which we received after baptism in the Holy Mystery of the Mairoon, leads us in the life of holiness and brings us to live in the Holy Spirit that abides in us, “If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another” Gal. 5:25-26   

St. Paul the apostle reminds us, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” Gal. 5:22

+Brotherly love is the sign of the life of holiness:

The life of holiness is walking in the light, and the life of sin is walking in the darkness.  St. John the Beloved writes to us about the commandment of love, and says, “Brethren, I write no new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which you heard from the beginning. Again, a new commandment I write to you, which thing is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away, and the true light is already shining. He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now. He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him. But he who hates his brother is in darkness and walks in darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.” 1Jn. 2:7-11

St. John the Beloved teaches us that brotherhood love is a transformation from death to life, “We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death. Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.” 1Jon 3:14-15

+From where do we learn true love?

In the past, the commandment of love was to love your neighbor and hate your enemy.  The Lord Christ, the author of the law of righteousness and the perfector of the law, transformed the old commandment to the perfection of the commandment of love in the Sermon on the Mount, by saying, “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your father in heaven.” Matt. 5:43-45     

The Lord Christ offered us an example by offering Himself for our sake while we were sinners and at enmity with God, “But God demonstrated His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Rom 5:8  

St. John the Beloved invites us to take example of Christ’s love to us, “By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.” 1Jn. 3:16

+How do we lay down ourselves for the brethren?

St. John the Beloved answers this question by saying, “But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? My Little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.” 1 Jn. 3:17-18

+Tabitha as a practical example of love with action and truth:

The Book of Acts offers us a great saint whose holiness was witnessed by the Holy Bible, “At Joppa there was a certain disciple named Tabitha, which is translated Dorcas. This woman was full of good works and charitable deeds which she did.” Acts 9:36   Tabitha was not only doing works, but she was full of good works. When she died, St. Peter came to her in Joppa to the upper room, where Tabitha was lying, “And all the widows stood by him weeping, showing the tunics and garments which Dorcas had made while she was with them.” Acts 9:39 St. Peter raised her from death.

Just as Tabitha was a witness to Christ in her good deeds, she witnessed to Him in her death and resurrection and was the reason that many believed, “And it became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed on the Lord.” Acts 9:42

True, practical love is the most powerful means of effective and fruitful evangelism. 

May our Good Lord grant us to take St. Tabitha as an example, who was full of good deeds that will witness to His love for us and love each other with true, sincere and practical love.

May God bless your offerings to support Santa Verena’s charitable programs.

Metropolitan Serapion