Synopsis: Before the homily, a little bit about those special "memoents of clarity" and what we should expect each time in the holy services. The homily addresses the Epistle reading, where the Apostle tells us: "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus." This is the totality of the Gospel, just as the two great commandements are the totality of the law. If we fulfilled this command, we would never sin! Let us explore how to attain this "mind". Everything we do or think of doing should be evaluated in the light of this command.
More homilies on the feast days of the Theotokos are HERE
God willing, there will be a transcript of this homily in time for the feast. It is currently being worked on by our "transcribing angel".
Philippians 2:5-11 5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
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Father, Bless,
For me, the hardest part in the struggle to acquire the mind of Christ is making room for it by getting rid of the mind of Debra. The Lord often has to shout to be heard above the constant chatter and din of my own thoughts. He does this through my trials and suffering.
“God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks to us in our conscience, but shouts in our pains…”–C.S. Lewis
However, even when I am suffering, His voice must often compete with the sound of my complaints and loud cries of anguish. It is only when my own mind has been completely stilled, when I have, in silence*, borne my cross and allowed my own thoughts and feelings to be nailed to it, that I will be able to hear His voice, clearly. Only then will the mind of Christ have prevailed in me.
Pray for,
Deborah
*"He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth." Isaiah 53:7