Apodosis of the Elevation of the Cross
Holy Apostle Codrátos of Magnesía,
Holy Prophet Jonah
• During the time of the persecution of Christians, many of the faithful fled to the mountains and into the caves. So did the mother of Codrátos. She was pregnant at the time and gave birth to Codrátos in the forest and died shortly thereafter. Codrátos was cared for by, fed by and guided by Divine Providence and by his Guardian Angel. Codrátos grew up in nature and in solitude. He, who gave manna from heaven to the Israelites in the wilderness, dropped from the clouds a sweet dew on the mouth of the child Codrátos.
When he was twelve years old, he entered into town and there some benevolent men took a liking to him and provided him with an education. He studied medicine and healed the sick, as much with natural cures and even more by the power of the spirit and prayer, which he was accustomed to since his childhood.
When a new persecution arose again under Decius, Codrátos was brought to trial and cast into prison. Five companions joined him and confessed the name of Christ. They were Cyprian, Dionysius, Anectus, Paul and Crescens. They were all dragged through the streets by the pagans, especially by their children. They were beaten with rods and stoned until they were eventually dragged to the scaffold. There, the martyrs prayed to God and were beheaded. On this spot a source of water gushed out of the ground which is still called Codrátos even today and is a reminder of the heroic deaths of these six holy innocents for Christ.
They honorably suffered for the Truth in the year 250 A.D. in Corinth during the reign of Emperor Decius and his governor, Jason.
Galatians 4:8-21 KJV
8 Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods.
9 But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?
10 Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years.
11 I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain.
12 Brethren, I beseech you, be as I am; for I am as ye are: ye have not injured me at all.
13 Ye know how through infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you at the first.
14 And my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus.
15 Where is then the blessedness ye spake of? for I bear you record, that, if it had been possible, ye would have plucked out your own eyes, and have given them to me.
16 Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?
17 They zealously affect you, but not well; yea, they would exclude you, that ye might affect them.
18 But it is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing, and not only when I am present with you.
19 My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you,
20 I desire to be present with you now, and to change my voice; for I stand in doubt of you.
21 Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?
Saint Luke 4:22-30 KJV
22 And all bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth. And they said, Is not this Joseph's son?
23 And he said unto them, Ye will surely say unto me this proverb, Physician, heal thyself: whatsoever we have heard done in Capernaum, do also here in thy country.
24 And he said, Verily I say unto you, No prophet is accepted in his own country.
25 But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land;
26 But unto none of them was Elias sent, save unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow.
27 And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Eliseus the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, saving Naaman the Syrian.
28 And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath,
29 And rose up, and thrust him out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong.
30 But he passing through the midst of them went his way.
JOY
Saint Nicódemos of the Holy Mountain Athos
Joy!! An enduring word, a coveted word, a word that stirs the human soul, a word that declares exaltation, a word that signifies gladness, a word that expresses spiritual delight! O Joy! What words can I use to describe the feeling you rouse in the heart? With what color shall I paint your picture? What form of speech can I use to adequately express your mystical character? No power of mine can inquire into this mystery. No voice can communicate your activity.
Joy remains mystical, hidden in the depths of the heart and reveals itself only to the soul. Joy makes the soul leap for joy with gladness and exaltation. It intoxicates the soul like a divine elixir. It becomes the soul's coveted treat. More than honey and the honeycomb it sweetens the tongue, when the soul overflows with joy. Joy smoothly composes hymns within the heart, which the lips strain to express—the heart speaks, the lips keep silent.
It is a supernatural mystical liturgy.
The heart rejoices because God's love dwells within it.
The heart rejoices because it senses itself filled with the goodness it so desires.
The heart rejoices because it receives the mystical assurance that God loves it.
The heart rejoices because love, calm, peace and tranquility reign within it.
The heart rejoices because by faith it has come to know the Lord.
The heart rejoices because through hope it has revealed the good things to come.
The heart rejoices because it knows through love the Lord dwells within it.
Oh holy Joy! Oh joy, prelude to the delights of paradise.
Oh joy, Harold of inexpressible pleasure!
I long for you, I seek you.
May I be deemed worthy to be betrothed to you on earth as an earnest union of the joy in heaven, where there is the unceasing sound of the celebrants and the indescribable delight of those who behold the ineffable beauty of the face of God! Amen.
Who is my God
and who is my neighbor?
Can you say these same most precious words to Christ with the same confidence as the Holy Apostle Peter?
"Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee."
Only Christ Himself knows if you truly love Him more than all things, but can He not reveal and confirm in us, that we indeed KNOW in our hearts that we truly love Him?
Saint John 21:14-16 King James Version
14 This is now the third time that Jesus shewed himself to his disciples, after that he was risen from the dead.
15 So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.
16 He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.
Feed my lambs.
Great Art Thou O Lord and Marvelous Are Thy Works
And Words Cannot Suffice To Sing the Praises of Thy Wonders
No comments:
Post a Comment