Fourth Sunday after Pentecost July 6, 2014 St. Anthony of KievMatthew 8:5-10, 13 - As [Jesus] entered Caperna-um, a centurion came forward to him, beseeching him and saying, Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, in terrible distress. And he said to him, I will come and heal him. But the centurion answered him, Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof; but only say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I am a man under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to one, `Go, and he goes, and to another, `Come, and he comes, and to my slave, `Do this, and he does it. When Jesus heard him, he marveled, and said to those who followed him, Truly, I say to you, not even in Israel have I found such faith. … And to the centurion Jesus said, Go; be it done for you as you have believed. And the servant was healed at that very moment. (RSV, From the Gospel for the Fourth Sunday) Embrace Faith - There is no coercion with God. He always has a good will towards us. He gives reliable counsel to men and angels (who are also rational beings), to whom He has given the power of choice. Those who yield obedience therefore possess what is good freely and justly. It is given by God but preserved by themselves…. The human spirit is possessed of free will from the beginning, and God is possessed of free will, in whose likeness man was created. Man is advised to hold fast to the good and thereby be responsive to God. This refers not only to works but to faith as well. God preserved the human will free and under self-control, as is shown in Jesus words to the centurion: “Go. Be it done for you as you have believed.” (Irenaeus, From Against Heresies) The icon is of St. Anthony of Kiev (July 10th).
Posted on: Sat, 05 Jul 2014 20:23:15 +0000
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