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THE KING SHALL GREATLY DESIRE THY BEAUTY
Sts. Alexander, John, and Paul of Constantinople;
St. Vryénne
Because of the patriarch’s extreme age, Alexander substituted for him at the First Ecumenical Synod at Nicaea (325). Upon his death, Saint Metrophánes left instructions in his will to elect his vicar to the throne of Constantinople. During these times His Holiness Patriarch Alexander had to contend with the Arians and with pagans. Once, in a dispute with a pagan philosopher the saint said to him, “In the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ I command you to be quiet!” and the pagan suddenly became mute. When he gestured with signs to acknowledge his errors and affirm the correctness of the Christian teaching, then his speech returned to him and he believed in Christ together with many other pagan philosophers. The faithful rejoiced at this, glorifying God Who had given such power to His saint.
21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.
3 O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?
2 This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
3 Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?
4 Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain.
5 He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
6 Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.
7 Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.
6 And he went out from thence, and came into his own country; and his disciples follow him.
2 And when the sabbath day was come, he began to teach in the synagogue: and many hearing him were astonished, saying, From whence hath this man these things? and what wisdom is this which is given unto him, that even such mighty works are wrought by his hands?
3 Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him.
4 But Jesus, said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house.
5 And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them.
6 And he marvelled because of their unbelief. And he went round about the villages, teaching.
7 And he called unto him the twelve, and began to send them forth by two and two; and gave them power over unclean spirits;
UNLESS WE HATE OUR LIVES IN THIS WORLD
Substantiated by the testimony of Christ and others, and from the Truth which burns in our hearts, our Creator expects us to have faith and believe in the coming of His Kingdom. Contemplation, equipped with faith can reveal that if given a vision of Paradise and see ourselves as immortal, full of virtue, sinless, incorruptible, etc. and the image and likeness of our Creator in us, we would not only hate our lives here (in a world such as this - St. John 12:25 KJV), as we can imagine our first parents did - filled with regret - but we would be convinced not only that it exists, but its availability. However, Paradise is given only when we follow His command, a command similar to that given to our first parents, which they failed. We weren't made for Paradise, Paradise was made for us. Knowing from God’s own testimony it contained even more than what Adam and Eve experienced during their trial period - to remain not only in possession of it but to be given ever increasing good things within it - eternally. Since God is love and made man from His love, man is equipped with that which insures obedience to the Will of God.
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