About the different things we can learn from #Saints
Beloved faithful, let us draw near with awe to the lives of the saints, who are the holy beacons God has set before us, illuminating the path to His kingdom. These saints, chosen from among men and set apart by God’s grace, are living testaments to His wonders, His teachings, and His holiness, calling us to share in the same.
The Life of Holiness
The lives of the saints are not merely tales of human striving but sacred testimonies of God’s hand upon them, sanctifying and guiding them. In the Epistle to the Hebrews, St. Paul opens our eyes to the meaning of faith, a faith lived and proven through the struggles and triumphs of Abel, Enoch, Noah, and Abraham. As the Lord commanded, "Be holy as I am holy," so the saints respond with lives that echo His holiness. They are vessels filled with the Holy Spirit, walking in communion with God and bearing witness to His call for us to strive for purity.
The Meaning of True Religion
What is religion if not the reflection of divine truth upon the lives of the saints? Through them, we grasp the meaning of worship, the sanctity of our traditions, and the depth of our Orthodox Tewahedo faith. It was God’s purpose to reveal His divine teachings through holy men and women who were His mouthpieces and His witnesses. From Moses, who penned the Torah, to St. Luke, who chronicled the Acts of the Apostles, we see that to understand sacred scripture is to understand the lives and intentions of those inspired by God to write them. The saints teach us that religion is not a mere code of conduct but a lived experience, a direct connection with the divine through faith, obedience, and love.
The Works of God Through His Chosen
In the lives of the saints, we behold the marvelous works of God, whose hand guided them through trials, performed miracles, and showed forth His power. Whether it is Moses parting the Red Sea, Daniel in the lions' den, or Elijah commanding the skies to withhold rain, these are but shadows of God's enduring mercy and strength. Their lives are filled with God's wonders, for He has worked through them to reveal His divine will and to save His people from darkness. The prophet David rightly proclaims, "God is wonderful with His saints," for they are the recipients and bearers of His miracles and His mysteries.
Communion with the Saints
The saints dwell not in isolation but in eternal communion with the faithful. United in faith, we share in the same Spirit that connects us to the saints in heaven, to those on earth, and to the holy angels. In this sacred fellowship, we are members of one body—holy and undefiled. Enoch and Elijah, who were taken up in life, dwell as living witnesses to the divine, while our holy ancestors like Abune Gebre Menfes Kidus, Abune Tekle Haymanot, and St. George inspire us by their faithfulness. As St. Paul affirms, “You are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the family of God.” Thus, we are not strangers but heirs with them of the Kingdom, bound in love and prayer.
Models of Perseverance and Holiness
The saints stand as pillars of strength, models of perseverance in faith and holiness. Their lives teach us that holiness is achieved not by ease but through struggle, by overcoming temptation and enduring suffering. With unwavering faith, they faced every trial with patience, each one echoing David’s victory over Goliath. They remind us that God’s strength sustains us, just as He sustained them, and that we are to trust in His power to overcome the forces of evil.
In their struggles and their victories, we find encouragement to continue in our own journey. St. Paul instructs us, “Imitate me as I imitate Christ,” for in imitating the saints, we follow Christ Himself. To look to the saints, as St. Peter commands, is to see their grace and their virtues with the eyes of the heart, to recognize the divine strength within them, and to strive to live as they did.
About the Mystery of the #Holy #Eucharist (#Communion)
What is the Holy Communion?
What is the origin and system of the Holy Communion?
Why is the sacrament called a mystery?
Who is worthy of the Holy Communion?
What preparation do we do before and after receiving the Holy Communion?
The sacrament of Holy Communion is one of the seven sacraments of the Orthodox Church. The term "Qurban" is an Arabic word meaning "blessing," "gift of money, knowledge, labor and time." In the Old Testament, the blood of animals offered by the Israelites for their sins and for the glory of God was called a sacrifice.
In the New Testament, communion or sacrifice means the faithful (true) sacrifice that God offered as an offering to reconcile Himself with mankind. This offering is Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God. Thus, the sacrament means the perfect Body and Blood of our God, Jesus Christ, our Savior.
It was Jesus Christ who founded the sacrament of Holy Communion on the eve of the crucifixion on Thursday. Only his twelve disciples were with him when he established this great sacrement and mystery. He did not reveal it to all the people who were following him like he did with other sacrements. This is why the Holy Church shroudes it in veil and honor as she offers it to the faithful.
The Holy Communion is called a mystery because of the transformation of bread into the flesh of God and wine into the blood of God, which is visible only to believers with the eyes of faith. The priests prepare the bread only from pure wheat and prepare the wine only from pure grapes or raisins. When the priest blesses the bread and wine by saying, "Aækote Barëkë Wokëdësë," the authority of the priest, the word of God, and the action of the Holy Spirit transform the bread and wine into the flesh and blood of God, making it a mystery that is hidden from the unbeliever.
Before receiving the Holy Communion, one must believe without doubt in the change of the bread and wine into the flesh and blood of God, which is necessary for the healing of the stain and wound of sin and the source of eternal life. One must also repent from past sins, confess, return, and guard against future sins. There is no age limit for receiving Holy Communion, and one should not stay away from the Holy Communion until the end of one's life.
After receiving the Holy Communion, one should take precautions, such as refraining from eating or drinking for a certain period, and contemplating on the spiritual benefit received from the sacrament. The Holy Communion is a great mystery and is the sacrament that is central to the Orthodox Church's teachings.