SUNDAY'S MESSAGE (audio message)
BY HIS EMINENCE THE METROPOLITAN
KYTHIRA & ANTIKYTHIRA SERAPHIM
SUNDAY BEFORE THE BIRTH OF CHRIST
(21-12-2025)
WRITTEN DIVINE PROCLAMATION
Faith
All of chapter 11 of Hebrews, dear Christians, is dedicated by the Apostle Paul to faith in our Lord and God.
And by the word faith he does not mean only the admission of the existence of a person, even of the Creator of all things Himself; such faith is also possessed by His opponents. Indeed, they are so hateful to His goodness that they are even more «faithful» than His own!
With the word faith, Ap. Paul means by the word "faith". trust to our true God. The release of our agonies into His hands. From the smallest daily things, to the very expectation of our eternal life in His paradise.
The Apostle - as a master of the Scriptures and history - uses well-known examples.
It begins with the example of Abraham: when he was called by God to leave his homeland and go to a foreign land (the land of Canaan), having full faith in his Creator, he obeyed and - not knowing where he was going - remained as a stranger in the land indicated to him, dwelling with Isaac and Jacob in tents. This he did, because his deep trust in God's will had engendered in him the expectation of a permanent transition to the heavenly city of His Kingdom.
And, as Paul cites many examples of Old Testament persons, having been inspired by those illustrious ancestors, he realizes that time will not catch up with him if he continues to refer to each one in detail. He therefore speaks collectively of the Judges and the Prophets: Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel. Inspired by the memory of the faith of his fathers, he bequeaths to us a poetic part of their deeds:
«It was they who by their faith in God subdued kingdoms, ruled in righteousness, achieved the fulfillment of his promises, shut the mouths of lions. (like Daniel), they have extinguished all the power of fire (like the three boys), escaped from murderous knives, were cured of diseases, became incapable of war, drove away troops of foreigners and enemies».
The Apostle also adds the suffering they endured by keeping their faith: «....of mockers and scourgers, and of mockers and scourges, and of prisoners and prisoners. "They have been killed, they have suffered. (sawed off), died with a knife ... Wandering in deserts, in mountains and caves and in the tops of the earth».
Was not our Lord, my Christians, also born in such a «hole in the earth»? Was not the Cave of Bethlehem the humblest place to give birth to the King of the Universe?;
Having no titles of virtue, let us be content with the Eucharist. And - imitating our forefathers in the Church - let us give our hearts to the Divine Infant of the Feast. Our will to follow Him, placing our every care at His feet. With trust... With faith!.
Rev. P. Mariatos
