My Beloved the Benevolent                              May 2023

Xristos Anstei        Alisos Anesti

Christ is Risen      Truly He is risen.

The Holy Pentecost is a time of daily celebration in the resurrection of our Lord, God and Savior Jesus Christ, so we pray in the joyful tune in all liturgical prayers and even during funerals in this period.  It is a period of joy in our risen God from the dead, and joy in the work of salvation and redemption.

The spiritual joy in the Lord is not limited to a certain period of the year, but the Church teaches us through the spiritual experience of Pentecost to rejoice in the Lord throughout the year and throughout the days of our lives, not only on earth but also in heaven. As St. Paul the apostle commands us, “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!” Philippians 4:4; “Rejoice always” 1 Thessalonians 5:16.   He invites us to give thanks for all things, “in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18.

I would like us to reflect together on the message of how to rejoice in tribulations:

The Christian man must rejoice in the Lord and in the Lord always, but the life of the Christian man is not without tribulations,“We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God” Acts 14:22

How does joy coincide with distress?

Let us use the example of the life of St. Paul the Apostle. He mentions in his second letter to the Corinthians: “And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” 2 Cor. 12:7-10

1- The thorn in the flesh is a disease that St. Paul the Apostle suffered from, and according to many interpreters, it was weakness of sight; that is why he would dictate his letters to his assistants, and then at the end of the letter he would write something like what he wrote at the end of his second letter to the Thessalonians: “The salutation of Paul with my own hand, which is a sign in every epistle; so I write.”  The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.” 2 Thessalonians 3:17 There is no doubt that this illness was a cause of distress for St. Paul and a disruption to his ministry.

2. The source of the thorn was not from God but was given with God’s permission; so he says, “a thorn in the flesh was given to, a messenger of Satan to buffet me” 2 Corinthians 12:7 The source of the thorn is Satan, because the illness is evil and Satan is the source of all evils; but God allows illnesses to happened as He did with Job when He allowed Satan to tempt Job and strike him with illnesses.

God tempts no one with evils, as St. James says, “Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am tempted by God’; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.” James 1:13; “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.” 1 Corinthians 10:13 

3. When God allows temptation and tribulations, He grants us two important things:

1. A means of escape so that we can endure

2. Spiritual benefit

St. Paul the Apostle reveals this to us. At the beginning, St. Paul did not accept the thorn in the flesh that God allowed him to suffer from, “Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me.” 2 Corinthians 12:8 St. Paul who performed many miracles of healing, prayed three times, he prayed earnestly and persistently that God would heal him.  God did not respond in the way that St. Paul had wished. God did not remove the thorn from his flesh; but gave him the ability to bear it and rejoice in it, because he revealed to him that it was to be of spiritual benefit, “And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations” 2 Corinthians 12:7

Also, through his physical weakness, he feels the power of God who saves, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” 2 Corinthians 12:9 So, the tribulation turned into a source of joy and pride for St. Paul, “Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” 2 Corinthians 12:9.

May God grant us to rejoice in Him and in Him always, and if He allows us to experience any tribulations, we pray that He grant us His grace to rejoice in those tribulations, because our God is our hope. We remember the words of St. Paul, “Rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer” Romans 12:12

May the Lord bless your gifts to support Santa Verena’s charitable programs.

Metropolitan Serapion