May, 2017

My Beloved the benevolent

Xristos Anesti Alisos Anesti!

Christ is Risen Truly He is Risen!

While we are in the Holy Fifty we celebrate daily the Resurrection of our good Lord rejoicing in the salvation that He granted to humanity expressing God’s love for all. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not parish but have everlasting life.” [Jn.3:16]

A loving heart is a joyous heart.

A joyous heart is usually a loving heart, thus loving all, even our enemies. Our good Lord offered to us an example of full love as He sacrificed Himself on our behalf, asked us to love one another and gave us a new commandment and made it the basis for His discipleship, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” [Jn. 13:34-35]

The love commandment is an old commandment, for God commanded, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” [Lv. 19:18] The new commandment is the level of love for the old commandment is on the human level “love your neighbor and hate your enemy” [Matt. 5:43] but the new commandment is on the godly level thus Christ said, “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. 5:44-45]

The Resurrection of our Lord and our resurrection with Him granted us to be called children of God and seek a life of perfection. “Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.” [Matt.5:48]

The Resurrection of Christ and our resurrection with Him granted us a life of full joy and full of love. Truly it is a new commandment because He granted us a new life in Christ, the new life is a life of joy and love. Love in the new life became a sign of knowing God and a sign of abiding in God. “He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.” [1Jn.4:8] “God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.” [1 Jn.4:16] Love in the new life is a sign of our love for God, “If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar, for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also.” [1 Jn. 4:20]

My Beloved,

The Christian love is practical love and not just emotions as St. John said, “But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart form 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 and St. James asks this important question: “If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit?” James 2:15-16

Truly what’s the benefit if we said we are members of one body which is the church if we don’t suffer with the member who suffers? What is the benefit if we offer our needy brethren feelings without acts? What benefit was it for the rich man that his land yielded plentifully and did not think of the needy but of himself saying, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry.” Lu. 12:19 Was he happy? But God said, “Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?” Lu.12:20

Let us rejoice in the blessings that God grants us, and increase our joy by making others joyful, especially the destitute and needy.

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

                                                                                                                                                                Metropolitan Serapion.