+ “And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered…Joseph also went up from Galilee… to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child” (Luke 2:1-5) “Let us not pass over the very great condescension of our...
+ I will give you another example of the [humble] way of the Lord, which has to do with His Mother, the Most Holy Virgin Mary. She was dedicated to the temple of God from a very young age, and in that temple the Mother of God lived in prayer...
+ “And he was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful, for he had many possessions.” The word “many” is not superfluous here, for it is not the same for those with many possessions as it is for those with few, for the chains of many possessions are stronger...
+ From today’s Gospel: And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple… (Luke 14:27). To take up one’s cross means to accept and bear unmurmuring everything unpleasant, painful, sad, difficult and oppressive that may happen to us in our life. And therefore, whether...
+ Be assured that God does not need anything of ours. Rather, we stand in need of all things from Him. Thus our thanksgiving adds nothing to Him but causes us to be nearer to Him…For this reason, even the awesome Mysteries, so full of that great salvation, which are...
+ When the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her and said to her, “Do not weep” Although there is a grave sin that you cannot wash away yourself with the tears of your penitence, let the mother of the church weep for you. She who intercedes for all...
+ All the good works which a person has performed will be in vain if he [or she] does not possess a genuine charity which extends to his enemies as well as to his friends. The blessed Apostle Paul, in whose person Christ speaks, does not lie when he says,...
+ But Simon answered and said to Him, “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.” (Luke 5:5). “Lord,” Peter answered, “we have fished all night and have caught nothing.” Perhaps if St. Peter had caught some little fish, Jesus would...
+ For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life (2 Cor. 2:15-16). The aroma...
+ “He Himself was called the Way, the Door, the Rock. Why the Rock? That you might understand the secure and unshaken character of the faith. Why was He called the Foundation? That you might understand that He upholds all things. Why was He called the Shepherd? Because He feeds...
