On this, the 5th Sunday of Pascha, we commemorate the Third Finding of the Honorable Head of the Holy Glorious Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist, John. We also remember the Hieromartyr Therapontes, Bishop of Cyprus (14th c.), and the Hieromartyr Urban, Pope of Rome (230).
Man's doubt in Christ is the ultimate revelation of man's sickness in the great hospital of the world. The world has no medicine for this sickness, for the Risen Christ is the only medicine, and if a man will not take it, how can he be healed?
- St. Nicholai Velimirovic
Christ did not spare even His holy apostles from temptation, and He therefore gave them grace. When Satan himself began to wreak his malice on the Apostle Paul, Paul prayed that Satan be removed from him. But the Lord replied: 'My grace is sufficient for thee.' In other worlds: If you have to suffer at Satan's hands, My grace is sufficient for your suffering. If you have to struggle with Satan, again My grace is sufficient for you. If you desire to overcome Satan, again My grace is sufficient. Grace is a weapon that can be used for everything. Grace is stronger than all adversities, all assaults, all the powers of darkness. Grace is both unconquerable and conquering.
Therefore, my brethren, we must pray to God to give us His almighty grace. Grace is God dwelling in us. Grace is the Kingdom of God within us. When God's grace is within us, then it is day in our souls. And the day means light, knowledge and freedom from fear.
We cannot ask here on earth, my brethren, for a greater gift from God than divine grace. Should we receive the entire universe as a gift, it would be less than the grace of God.
O most rich Lord, Thou inexhaustible fount of almighty grace, break and plough our hardened hearts with Thy grace, that we may weep before Thy great goodness and our horrendous ingratitude. To Thee be glory and praise for ever. Amen.
- From "The Prologue from Ochrid" by St. Nicholai Velimirovic (1959)
"Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also" (Matt. 6:21). If the treasure after which you strive is high rank, or money, or sinful love, then your heart will not be delighted by conversation with God, but standing at prayer, you will only think of how to finish it more quickly.
- Metropolitan Anthony Khrapovitsky
When you do good to someone, do not await a recompense from him, and you will receive repayment from God on both accounts; and if you are able, neither do good so as to receive reward in the future age, but rather practice virtue because of the love of God.
- St. Isaac the Syrian
Once a person has come to faith in Christ, he sets out on the path of holiness, to conform to the model of Christ, to wage a constant battle against the temptations of Satan, to acquire the Holy Spirit and to live a life that prepares him to be with God in His eternal Kingdom.
- Archbishop Dmitri of Dallas
"When wicked thoughts war with me," Abba John the Short said, "I do what a wayfarer would do if he were walking in the wilderness and suddenly saw a wild beast pursuing him; find a tree and climb up to the top to be saved. And so I flee to God with prayer and escape from the attack of wicked thoughts."
If we wish to be saved, we must always blame ourselves and not attribute our wrong acts to others. And God, who is most compassionate, will forgive us.
- St. Cosmas Aitolos (+1779)