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In the Gospel reading for the Third Sunday of Hatour, our Savior declared, “And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple” (Lk 14:27). From these divine words, we learn that suffering and tribulations in this world are part of the cost of discipleship and requirements for those who wish to bear the name “Christian.” The letter reproduced below is said to have been written by a modern Russian …

This week, in addition to the Feast of our Lord’s Circumcision, the Holy Church commemorated the miraculous ascension of the Holy Prophet Elias the Thesbite to the heavens on a chariot of fire. He is one of two men who departed from this world without first tasting death, the other being the Righteous Enoch (Gen 5:21-24). Elias lived during the reign of the wicked monarchs of Israel, Ahab and Jezebel (874-853 B.C.), who encouraged the …

Today, our Mother, the Holy Church, nourished us with a passage from the Holy Gospel according to St. Luke 9:10-17, which contains the story of the Miraculous Feeding, that great miracle in which our Savior multiplied five loaves and two fish in order to feed a hungry crowd of at least 5,000 in a deserted place. The Holy Apostles were concerned for this multitude, because they were in a deserted place, “in the middle of …

A certain brother was troubled and disturbed by some person, but he did not say anything and endured the temptation joyfully for the sake of the Lord (Jas 1:2). Being a man and wearing flesh, however, he slowly began to be troubled by thoughts and sorrow. So he sneaked away to a hidden place and prayed to God from the depths of his heart with sadness and bitterness, wetting the ground with his tears, and …