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Salvation is in Christ alone (video)
Post date: 2016-11-20Autor: BCP
Salvation is in Christ alone. + Elijah Patriarch of the Byzantine Catholic Patriarchate
Reflection on Acts 4:11-12
Post date: 2016-11-19Autor: BCP
There is salvation in no one else! There is salvation in Jesus alone! There are no other ways or alternatives of salvation but Jesus Christ. There is no other name by which we must be saved. These words are true and will be true forever. Even if the whole world were convinced of the opposite, it would be wrong! These words are true for you also. There is no other name in which you have eternal life. There is no other way on which you can be saved. There are no other alternatives of salvation.
God’s way to salvation (video)
Post date: 2016-11-14Autor: BCP
God’s way to salvation. + Elijah Patriarch of the Byzantine Catholic Patriarchate
Reflection on Acts 2:41-42
Post date: 2016-11-06Autor: BCP
“Those who received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship (koinonia), in the breaking of bread (Eucharist), and in prayers.” That was the fruit of the descent of the Holy Spirit and of Peter’s sermon – the Church – living fellowship – was born and started to grow. On the seventh day, Sunday, when we commemorate the Resurrection of Christ and the Descent of the Holy Spirit, we try to find time for prayer, Divine Liturgy and fellowship. Here we can receive again the apostles’ doctrine through the Word of God and also receive encouragement through the examples of saints and martyrs as well as through personal testimonies of faith.
After the promise comes the test and only then the blessing (video)
Post date: 2016-10-29Autor: BCP
After the promise comes the test and only then the blessing. + Elijah Patriarch of the Byzantine Catholic Patriarchate
Reflection on Acts 2:38-39
Post date: 2016-10-22Autor: BCP
In his sermon, Peter spoke about Jesus, His death and resurrection. In the end, he said painful words: “Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ!” On hearing those words of accusation – whom you crucified – the pilgrims could take offence. They came to Jerusalem to celebrate the feast of Pentecost; many of them had not been there on the feast of Passover. They could not influence the Jewish council of elders headed by Annas and Caiaphas who exploited Pilate and forced him into committing a crime of justice – the killing of the innocent Christ. However, they neither took offence nor clenched their fists nor shouted fanatically like the hateful crowd on the feast of Passover a few weeks ago. They asked penitently: “What shall we do?” Do I ask myself the same question? What should I do for the sake of my salvation and the salvation of my household and my nation? Peter said to them that they should repent and be baptized for the remission of sins, and they would receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Let us be men of faith like Abraham (video)
Post date: 2016-10-20Autor: BCP
Let us be men of faith like Abraham. + Elijah Patriarch of the Byzantine Catholic Patriarchate
To remain faithful to God in essential things (video)
Post date: 2016-10-16Autor: BCP
To remain faithful to God in essential things. + Elijah Patriarch of the Byzantine Catholic Patriarchate
Life becomes fruitful through the cross
Post date: 2016-10-13Autor: BCP
Through the cross our life becomes fruitful, otherwise we would die of apathy or vanity. Many times we do not give thanks for our cross but rather avoid it; however, if we begin to give thanks, the Lord will gradually fill us with joy and we will be happy that we could deny ourselves instead of groaning or being in fear.
One for all, all for one
Post date: 2016-10-12Autor: BCP
Although the four musketeers were fighters of the world, fighting in unity against evil and against church hierarchy, there was a lot of sense in their motto, if correctly understood: One for all, all for one. Jesus is the One because He has already died for us, and He wants to build this unity in us all.
Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness (video)
Post date: 2016-10-11Autor: BCP
Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. + Elijah Patriarch of the Byzantine Catholic Patriarchate
Abraham trusted in God with all his heart (video)
Post date: 2016-10-09Autor: BCP
Abraham trusted in God with all his heart. + Elijah Patriarch of the Byzantine Catholic Patriarchate
The vision of restoration of Christianity in Russia and Ukraine
Post date: 2016-10-06Autor: BCP
It is necessary for the Orthodox priests to resolve to devote at least one and a half days a week to God and their souls in prayer and reflection on God’s Word. This would lead to the spiritual resurrection of all Russia and Ukraine.
God’s requirement: true fellowship
Post date: 2016-09-11Autor: BCP
A living communion with Jesus – this is the mystery of a living Church. What is necessary is fellowship, the condition of which is a living faith and willingness to repent genuinely time and again. God can give a great blessing even through our weakness, through our faith and our unity in the following of Christ. We are called to make unity (although we have completely different characters), and this true unity in Christ presupposes spiritual dying, spiritual cross and spiritual death of all members of community. This mission will then be of great benefit. A Latin proverb says: tres faciunt collegium. Three makes company. That is also why Jesus says: if two or three agree… If two agree, it is a great success, and if three agree, it is the height of success in that all the three, in order to come to an agreement, have to renounce their own visions even if these were given by God many times, just as Isaac was given to Abraham by God.
Reflection on Mt 7:24-25
Post date: 2016-09-10Autor: BCP
If we seek first the will of God in our life and if we also try to do it, it is true about us that we are like a wise man who built his house on the rock. Sooner or later the winds blow, the rain descends and the floods come, but if our house is founded on the rock, it will not fall. The problem why we try to build a house on the sand many times is that we easily believe in what seems good to us, evokes our interest, offers advantage and makes the impression that right this attractive option is the ideal solution in our decision-making. Once we cling to this vision and try to achieve our dream, we are no longer willing to seek the will of God because we avoid the thought that we should abandon our house on the sand.
Bear one another’s burdens
Post date: 2016-09-09Autor: BCP
Our mission is to seek Jesus together, to carry our own cross and, as the Apostle Paul says: “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.” If we bear one another’s burdens, people will feel divine love which is founded on a living faith, self-denial, carrying one’s cross and the following of Christ. We must allow Christ to reign in our life, that it may be true: “It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.”
Jesus is with us – and where are we?
Post date: 2016-09-03Autor: BCP
We must see Christ both in ourselves and in our neighbour. However, this is not possible without denying ourselves, especially our opinion of ourselves, various philosophies we were acquainted with or various views which must be put aside, because seeing Jesus in ourselves is a question of faith. But beware – this is no autosuggestion. This is reality. We can recall in a flash several times a day: “Where is Jesus in this situation?”
The problem of our character
Post date: 2016-09-01Autor: BCP
It is programmed in the nature of each of us that it is natural for us to do good things, but at the same time there is a kind of spiritual poison in our nature, a specific form of pride, blindness and negative manners which practically destroy that which is positive in us. And this is the same in all people, only the tint is slightly different in each. Behind certain natural gifts there is the poison of sin which we have inherited from Adam. It only takes different forms. It is the old self in disguise which has only one aim: It refuses to repent and to call the poison in us, that which is negative, by its proper name, and if anyone touches it, the fat is in the fire.
Reflection on Mt 7:15-16
Post date: 2016-08-27Autor: BCP
By these words the Lord Jesus teaches and warns us that in order to persevere on the narrow way leading to eternal life, we should first beware of false teachings, heresies and those who preach them (heretics and apostates). So this is the most essential thing – to keep the true faith and a true inner relationship with Christ. Therefore, the Apostle Paul says that if an apostle, or even an angel from heaven, should preach a different (i.e. false) gospel, let him be accursed (cf. Gal 1:8-9).
Where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them
Post date: 2016-08-26Autor: BCP
It is said: “Where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.” And then Jesus says that if two agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them. This really is the key not only to building a living Church as the basic cell but also to true unity where Jesus is in the midst and where it is necessary for both of the believers to become powerless, i.e. to deny themselves and take up their cross, and then Jesus can show His power. If we do not obey the principle of self-denial and if we refuse to carry our cross, Jesus is paralyzed.