You're close to perfect Spyridon. Heaven thanks you! I was the meal offering for him to support with God and he, David, is the heir! I see now! I knew you know your stuff! There should be 3 evergreens in there!
High above the heavens on the lips of children and of babes you have found praise oh Lord to silence the foe and the rebel. So the little child is the such as these to whom the kingdom of heaven belongs. So an innocent man is no more than a full grown man uncorrupted.
It’s an interesting observation to think that when God looks at us, He sees in us His image and likeness. Likewise, when the demons look upon us, they also see God‘s image and likeness. So for them, because of their hatred for God, when they see us fall into sin or despair, it must be a joyful experience seeing the creatures that look like God falling, as if God himself is falling. For them, it must like a hitting a piñata effigy of a hated politician with sticks because they cannot strike the actual politician they despise.
Thank you, Father Spyridon, for the greatest and purest presentation that I heard so far from an Orthodox priest, viewing the plan of salvation, the work done by Christ for us! To make my point, I need to present, first, an illustration. Let’s think about a locomotive and railway wagon. No mater how strong a locomotive can be, IF the wagon is missing the hook that connects it to the locomotive, the wagon will not be pulled, and, if it is on an inclined terrain, will run wildly downhill by itself to its own destruction and the environment. You presented Jesus as our locomotive that “pulls” us to Heaven, thank you. But, dear Father Spyridon, you missed “the hook” between the locomotive and railway wagon. And here is what I mean. Yes, as you said, “In Christ, our humanity moves from life to death.” But this is ONLY a virtual work, so to speak. As a matter of fact, the world is still alive BECAUSE of the atonement work of Christ. However, the humanity is made up of individuals which, EACH ONE OF THEM, has his/her own will that God respects it as He respects His own will. As God respected Adam’s will to sin in the Garden of Eden, in the very same manner He respects man’s will to get saved through Jesus, down here on Earth. For instance, in Luke 9:23 Jesus starts His invitation with the words "IF ANYONE WISHES TO COME AFTER ME.” But He goes on right away to inform that, that anyone needs to DO something, not simply do but “He MUST” do, so to DO something. What to do? “To deny himself and take up his cross daily.” And is that all? NO, but, finally, “Follow Me” - namely Jesus. And this process is more specific showed by Jesus in Mark 1:15 and 16:16 by performing three steps - repentance, believing in the Gospel, and baptism AFTER believing. Without fulfilling willingly and consciously all these steps, while this individual is seen by God virtually raised up in Jesus, in the after life he/she will go still to hell. Why? For his/her sins? God forbids! God is NOT punishing the sins twice, namely in Jesus and then sending us to hell for sins. But He sends to hell that one that refuses Jesus’ atonement done for him on the Cross. Remember, as God respected your desire to sin, in the very same manner He respects your own desire to be washed by Jesus’ blood of your sins.
You have been a absulute treasure to me . An isolated invalid, immso glad ur on the internet. GLORY BE TO GOD. ALLELUIA
May the Lord bless and keep you hopeful in the spirit brother.
i am also isolated and `invalid after a massive stroke.... but i found Lord. Jesus. ❤ Hold on Brother!
God bless you Father, you help us all so much with your faith and wisdom !
Amen. God bless.
God bless you 🙏 ❤️ 🙌 all
Thank you, father-- once again. Every shimmerof the leaves.... passing of the sun ... The Glory of God forever and forever.
Glory to God. Thank you father, I needed to hear this!
WHAT A BEAUTIFUL GLORIOUS HOMILY. DEEPLY APPRECIATE. BE BLESSED DEAR FATHER
You're close to perfect Spyridon. Heaven thanks you! I was the meal offering for him to support with God and he, David, is the heir! I see now! I knew you know your stuff! There should be 3 evergreens in there!
Christ IS in our midst. I wept some (in joy, some acknowledgment; The Mystery) during some parts
Thank you for the encouragement the music is a nice addition as well. Lord bless
I see and hear the same as my spiritual fathers in the past. "I Am The Life..." (m^_^m)
High above the heavens on the lips of children and of babes you have found praise oh Lord to silence the foe and the rebel. So the little child is the such as these to whom the kingdom of heaven belongs. So an innocent man is no more than a full grown man uncorrupted.
☦️☦️☦️
God bless you father ❤🙏
👐
It’s an interesting observation to think that when God looks at us, He sees in us His image and likeness. Likewise, when the demons look upon us, they also see God‘s image and likeness.
So for them, because of their hatred for God, when they see us fall into sin or despair, it must be a joyful experience seeing the creatures that look like God falling, as if God himself is falling. For them, it must like a hitting a piñata effigy of a hated politician with sticks because they cannot strike the actual politician they despise.
Thank you, Father Spyridon, for the greatest and purest presentation that I heard so far from an Orthodox priest, viewing the plan of salvation, the work done by Christ for us!
To make my point, I need to present, first, an illustration. Let’s think about a locomotive and railway wagon. No mater how strong a locomotive can be, IF the wagon is missing the hook that connects it to the locomotive, the wagon will not be pulled, and, if it is on an inclined terrain, will run wildly downhill by itself to its own destruction and the environment.
You presented Jesus as our locomotive that “pulls” us to Heaven, thank you. But, dear Father Spyridon, you missed “the hook” between the locomotive and railway wagon. And here is what I mean.
Yes, as you said, “In Christ, our humanity moves from life to death.” But this is ONLY a virtual work, so to speak. As a matter of fact, the world is still alive BECAUSE of the atonement work of Christ.
However, the humanity is made up of individuals which, EACH ONE OF THEM, has his/her own will that God respects it as He respects His own will. As God respected Adam’s will to sin in the Garden of Eden, in the very same manner He respects man’s will to get saved through Jesus, down here on Earth.
For instance, in Luke 9:23 Jesus starts His invitation with the words "IF ANYONE WISHES TO COME AFTER ME.” But He goes on right away to inform that, that anyone needs to DO something, not simply do but “He MUST” do, so to DO something. What to do? “To deny himself and take up his cross daily.” And is that all? NO, but, finally, “Follow Me” - namely Jesus. And this process is more specific showed by Jesus in Mark 1:15 and 16:16 by performing three steps - repentance, believing in the Gospel, and baptism AFTER believing.
Without fulfilling willingly and consciously all these steps, while this individual is seen by God virtually raised up in Jesus, in the after life he/she will go still to hell. Why? For his/her sins? God forbids! God is NOT punishing the sins twice, namely in Jesus and then sending us to hell for sins. But He sends to hell that one that refuses Jesus’ atonement done for him on the Cross.
Remember, as God respected your desire to sin, in the very same manner He respects your own desire to be washed by Jesus’ blood of your sins.
THANK YOU! ❤
Amén! Thank you!