SUNDAY MESSAGE (audio message)
BY HIS EMINENCE THE METROPOLITAN
KYTHIRA & ANTIKYTHIRA SERAPHIM
SUNDAY C’ LUCA
(19-10-2025)
WRITTEN DIVINE PROCLAMATION
Today's Apostolic passage, which we heard earlier, is from the 2 Corinthians letter, which is characterised by an immediate personal character. The reason why Ap. The reason why Paul is often referred to in person is due to the appearance of false apostles in Corinth, who undermined his apostolic work, questioning his apostolicity. Hence the Apostle, in defending his Apostleship, refers to the sacrifices and persecutions he endured for the sake of the Gospel of Christ. And there are not a few of these that the Apostle endured.
«He endured a shipwreck, that he might subdue the wreck of the world; he stayed at the bottom of the sea for a day and night, that he might pull up from the bottom of delusion; he endured labor, that he might comfort the toiling ones; he suffered plagues, that he might heal those who were wounded by the devil; he lived in prisons, that he might cast into the light those who sat in prison and in darkness; he was often in danger of being put to death, that he might deliver from terrible deaths; he was scourged five times, forty times, to deliver from the devil those who did this; he was stoned to deliver from the insensibility of stones...’ and how many more I. Chrysostom, praising his achievements.
Referring to visions and revelations that he saw, the sacred author of the letter notes «And the exceeding greatness of the revelations was given to me to kill the flesh, O angel of Satan, that I may be flattered, that I may not glory.». He was given a scalpel in his body, which he was annoyed with, so that he would not boast. But what was this «kill the flesh»?; Some believe that it was a physical illness that plagued him. St. John Chrysostom, however, rejecting any other interpretation, notes that it was the temptations he had, the persecutors of the Gospel and, by extension, his own. When, usually, people do not have a deadly disease, a sorrow or illness, we become proud, forget God and turn away from him. We do great things, feel strong and exalted. On the contrary, afflictions, toil, sorrows, fear, cares, especially those we go through for our Faith, are a strike against the devil. «This is the glorious victory, this is the trophy of the Church, this is how the devil is beaten when we suffer trials», says the gold-smelling Father again. The narrow and broken way is the glory of the Church. Then the ecclesiastical body is glorified, when it leads an ascetic life, with sorrows and ills.
«I have therefore thrice besought the Lord to depart from me.’. Three times, that is, many times, the Apostle prayed that God would save him from that moth. And we too many times ask God to deliver us from some disease or from some evil people and we get angry if God does not fulfill our request. And what did God say to him?; «My grace is sufficient for thee: for my power is made perfect in weakness.». As if he said to him, in your weakness my strength is seen, especially in the apostolic preaching. Do not demand what you desire, for you ignore your own interest and it will be to your detriment. I send sorrows and deaths and difficulties, but at the same time I give you the strength to face them all. His grace, therefore, which He gives, is sufficient for us to endure the pains and trials. Amen.
Hierodeacon Ierotheos Creticus Creticus
