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A Lot of Joy from God!

Oleksandr Zhabenko

(3 John I, 1-15)

From the daily Apostle read 3rd Epistle of the Apostle John the Theologian. Written for Gaius, apprentice of the apostle.

John praises him, wishes him God’s assistance in all matters, bodily health, that he may continue to live righteously in Christ.

He teaches to continue to accept with honour and love the faithful who work selflessly for the glory of God.

3 John I, 11 is an interesting detail: who does good (real, which is not necessarily an exemplary behavior) and by this lives, that is from God (as the Source), that is, as if given by God to the world as a witness of God’s glory and love, God’s goodness. Contrary, a person who does true evil did not see (did not peer carefully, did not consider, did not pay real close attention to, did not stare at) God — in fact, about the absence of a real relationship with God. And those who do not do evil have seen God, that is, as those who love Him, who looked carefully into God’s face and saw God’s love. Ancient priestly the blessing contains as one of the words: Let the Lord shine with His face upon you and show you mercy! May the Lord lift up His face upon you and give you peace! (4 Moses VI, 26-27).

The apostle John greets his friends as well. It is quite natural to complete the letter.

(Luke XIX, 29-40, XXII, 7-39)

Reading the Gospel is about the glorious Entrance of the Lord to Jerusalem, about the Last Supper. Very deep texts given all the significance to our salvation of these events.

I will not dwell on many points, only a few.

Stones will scream
— what God has truly ordained and does,
then, even if people don't want to,
will be accomplished by the power of God,
superb to the laws of nature.

But God wants to humanize His will,
not that it was a miracle,
and so that people were a miracle,
and it is better to say — that their lives,
even if they are not recognized
and confessed as a miracle, but were
by the exercise of God's will and
a testimony of His love.

(Luke XXII, 24-27)

is about what greater Christians need to do. Unlike described in the work on this subject at the link:
https://www.facebook.com/Oleksandr.S.Zhabenko/
here let it be is in the imperative mood and is God’s commandment. To sum up, God does not want that we would like to be first (prior, higher, more significant) Christians, does not want us to seek primacy, teaches that such people will be the last and servants of all, but those who are greater, major (more significant in activity), the Lord teaches to serve by His own example — in short — do not wish primacy as a Christian, but if you are the first, then serve by the example of Christ. These words are especially relevant on World Social Justice Day that exists today.

Behold, Satan demanded to have all of you to sift like wheat — a special Tradition of Luke, which other evangelists did not write down — the devil did not ask Jesus, but God the Father. The request was not a manifestation of love, but similar to the prayers of evil people who ask for evil (unfortunately, there are some). A warning to those who think that prayer is valuable in itself, focusing consciousness, considering that even the devil can pray like that, but the benefit of it is that he only gains sins.

On the establishment of the Sacrament of the Eucharist, Holy Communion, I will not stop now, God willing, I’ll write about that later.

Glory be to Thee, our God, glory be to Thee!


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Source:
https://www.facebook.com/Oleksandr.S.Zhabenko/

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