BY HIS EMINENCE THE METROPOLITAN
KYTHIRA & ANTIKYTHIRA SERAPHIM
SUNDAY C’ LUCA
WRITTEN TH. KIRYGMA
As Christ approached, the Evangelist Luke tells us, at the gate of the city of Nain, at that hour a dead man, the only child of a widow, was being buried. Christ and our God, the gate of Life and Immortality, commanded to stop the mourner. When the Bishop met them, he held the staff and said to the mother of the dead man: «Do not weep, woman, let your mourning be quiet, for I am the Resurrection and the Life. Cease your wailing, cease your lamentations, hold back your tears.». And approaching, he touched the body.
Those who carried it stood full of surprise and wonder. Who is he, and for what purpose did he lay his hand on the body? As they waited in amazement, expecting to see what would happen, Christ called the dead man and said to him: «I say, young man, arise.». I command you, get up. I say to you, dead man. I do not put another soul in thee instead of the one thou hast, but I call the same sovereignly to return with my power.
Receive life and get up, the Master commanded, and the servant obeyed the Lord's command, and after he was refreshed and strengthened, he sat up and began to speak in front of the whole world, so that no one would think that some evil spirit had entered and moved the body and therefore the event was imaginary and deceptive. That is why the dead man rose and spoke, as a common proof of the common and universal resurrection. For these are sure and certain signs of the resurrection. Indeed a lifeless body can neither sit nor speak.
Let us, therefore, brothers and sisters, try to revive and resurrect our souls, which are dead from sins. Let us come to the Lord, who gives life to the dead, and let us cry before Him. For now we have need of confession in this life. Now is the time for prayer, now is the time for tears and sighing and mourning. Let each of us cry out to our Saviour, saying: «I have a sword for my soul, and a hand for my only begotten.». That is: «Lord save my life from the sword that moves against me and my precious and precious soul from the hands of those who attack me violently like rabid dogs.». And God will listen. He will deliver us from the terrible death of sin and make us partakers of His heavenly kingdom. Amen.
Fr. Pavlos Kalliikas
