On Sunday, July 7, 2024, Mr. Christopher Theophilus, Bishop of Karpas, will serve and preach at the Holy Shrine of Saints Barnabas and Hilarion in Peristeron Morphou.
On Sunday, July 7, 2024, Bishop Theophilus Mr. Porphyrios of Naples will lead the service and preaching at the Holy Shrine of Panagia Chryseleousis in Strovolos. He will subsequently add to the Memorial of the national martyr Archbishop Kyprianos and the national martyrs killed with him on July 9, 1821.
On Sunday, July 7, 2024, His Eminence Mr. Grigorios, Bishop of Mesaoria, will conduct a service and sermon at St. George's Church in Aglantzia. Subsequently, he will participate in the annual Memorial of Blessed Andreas Christodoulou.
On Sunday, July 7, 2024, Archimandrite John, Professor of Panosiology of the Holy Monastery of St. Barnabas the Apostle, will serve and preach at the Holy Church of St. Anthony Metochius of the Holy Monastery of St. Barnabas the Apostle in Nicosia.
Holy Archdiocese of Cyprus.
July 3, 2024
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Apostolic Reading: gal. c' 23-d' 5
23 But until faith comes under the law, we are guarded and locked up until future faith is revealed. 24 so that the law may be our teacher in Christ, That we may be justified by faith; 25 but when faith comes, we are not under the authority of a teacher; 26 for you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus; 27 For in Christ you were baptized, in Christ you were clothed; 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you are Christ's, you are Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise.
1 I say, while the heir is a child, he is no different from a slave, he is master of all things, 2 but he is under the guardians and stewards until the term of his father. 3 So we, when we were , children, were under the elements of the small world.
A modern Greek rendition
23 And before redemption and salvation came through faith, we were all guarded by the Law, closed and limited, designed for faith to be revealed in time. 24 So the Law became our teacher to train and prepare us to desire and know Christ, that we might obtain righteousness by faith. 25 Since that faith came, that is, since Christ came, who through faith in Him gives us righteousness, we are no longer under the teacher, that is, under the Law. 26 For you are all sons of God by faith in Jesus Christ, 27 because those who have been baptized in the name of Christ and thus confess this Savior have put on Christ and have been united with Him. 28 Therefore, in the new situation, in the kingdom of Christ, there are no distinctions of nationality, class, or sex. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female, because you are all a new person and a new organism, through Jesus Christ. 29 And if you Gentiles who have believed belong to Christ, then you are spiritual descendants of Abraham and, according to the promise God made to him, heirs of benefits.
1 I tell you also that as long as the heir is a child and a minor, he is no different from a slave, even if he were master of the whole inheritance. 2 But he is always under the care and authority of the commissioners who represent him, and of the stewards who administer the inheritance, until the end of the term which the father has fixed in his will. 3 So we Christians, while our infancy lasted, from the spiritual point of view we were enslaved to the elementary rules of the Law of Moses and other religions which are of ignorant men. 4 When the time was fulfilled and the proper time had come, which had been fixed in the divine plan, God sent from heaven to earth His Son, who assumed human flesh through a virgin woman and voluntarily obeyed the Law of Moses. 5 And this is to redeem those who are under the curse of the Prefecture, so that we may all receive the adoption promised to us by God.
Gospel reading: mt. d' 18 - 23
18 As he was passing along the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, called Peter and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. 19 And he said to them, "Look behind me, and I will make you fishers of men. 20 But those who were directly in charge of the nets followed him. 21 And before from there he saw the other two brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father preparing the nets, and he called them. 22 But those who directly owned the boat and their father followed him. 23 And Jesus went around all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and preaching the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every infirmity among the people.
Modern Greek rendition
18 As he was walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, whom Christ himself later called Peter, and Andreas his brother, who were casting a net into the sea because they were fishermen 19 ; and he said to them, "Follow me, and I will make you able to fish and They immediately left the nets and followed him. 21 And going from there, he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, preparing their nets in the ship with their father Zebedee, and he called them. 22 And they left the ship and their father without delay and followed him. 23 And then Jesus went all around Galilee, teaching in the synagogues (where the Jews were gathered every Sabbath), proclaiming the good news of the spiritual kingdom which he would establish, and healing every disease and every physical infirmity among the people.
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Sunday, July 7, 2024
II MATTEUS
(Matthew 4:18-23)(Gal. 3:23-4:5)
Discipleship in the love of Christ
"And the immediate masters of the nets followed him."
After the cycle of the feasts of Pentecost, we see that the Lord's work of human salvation takes on more dynamic dimensions as they are authentically revealed in the space of his own Body, i.e., the Church. The invitation he addressed to his first disciples marks a new period of greatly expanded horizons against the reality of the Church, whose steps are directed by the unceasing "transmission of truth," by the constant presence of the Holy Spirit. The call of the first disciples The Lord's message in today's reading is essentially addressed to all people. Just as the disciples did then, so we today can show the same willingness and allow our hearts to open with the same intentions. Thus, through the presence and gifts of the Holy Spirit, we have the opportunity to experience in the reality of the Church all the events of the Divine Household as present and to reap their salvific effects. Through these events, Christ reveals to us and offers us His Kingdom as a village life by preference, a unique and unrepeatable experience.
Divine Invitation
The calling of the Lord's disciples is certainly not a human endeavor. It is a divine invitation expressing God's will to save man. Christ invites all of us to participate in the reality of the Church, so our response must be commensurate. The disciples then accepted the Lord's call at once, without restraint or hesitation: "And immediately the hosts of the nets followed Him," the passage says characteristically. This is characteristically stated in the Gospel narrative. This immediate response was based on certain characteristics, such as, for example, the simplicity and simplicity of their hearts. It was so open that it accepted the messages of God's love and even made them a counter-offer to others. The blessed fruitfulness in this the perspective has now taken on a different dimension. The disciples also had what we call good will. What does that mean? They loved Christ with all their souls and believed in Him to be the only true Savior. It is this good will that allows the love of our Lord to fill human existence that God requires of each of us as a condition for discipleship close to Christ. In order for it to be authentic and true.
To escape from worries
As soon as the disciples of the Lord became the recipients of the divine invitation, which constituted the gracious blessing that elevates man to other stages, they left without inhibition all the cares of life, which ordinarily hold man captive to the earth and the vagaries of matter. Without a moment's hesitation, they left their nets, their ships, their relatives, and everything else that bound them to follow Christ completely. This attitude, of course, in no way means that we despise or undervalue what God's love offers us. But it does mean to free one from all those cares and worries that trap us and often prevent us from remembering the love of Christ, so that our lives may be elevated to Eucharistic frequencies. This is what we need to pay attention to today. Do our cares and worries leave us attached and tied to our own weaknesses and do not allow to rise to the place where the power and love of Christ reigns and reigns.
Dear brothers, the Lord stands and always extends his invitation of love to all people. So, let us take care to accept it, so that our existence may indeed be filled with the prayer and comfort of the Holy Spirit. In this way we arm ourselves with optimism and joy, and in this way all the conditions for becoming true disciples of Christ are in place. All those consecrated figures who adorn the building of the Church and make it an eternal reality have done this. The Sunday of the Great Martyr, whose memory we honor today, is just such an occasion. All her life she became a witness to Christ, dedicating her life completely to His love. The witness of Christ can be given in all aspects of human life, in the example of all the consecrated persons who adorn the building of the Church with their living presence, as well as the disciples of the Lord, whose followers out of love for Christ were exemplary and comprehensive.
Christakis Efstathiou,
Theologian
On Sunday, July 7, 2024, Bishop Theophilus Mr. Porphyrios of Naples will lead the service and preaching at the Holy Shrine of Panagia Chryseleousis in Strovolos. He will subsequently add to the Memorial of the national martyr Archbishop Kyprianos and the national martyrs killed with him on July 9, 1821.
On Sunday, July 7, 2024, His Eminence Mr. Grigorios, Bishop of Mesaoria, will conduct a service and sermon at St. George's Church in Aglantzia. Subsequently, he will participate in the annual Memorial of Blessed Andreas Christodoulou.
On Sunday, July 7, 2024, Archimandrite John, Professor of Panosiology of the Holy Monastery of St. Barnabas the Apostle, will serve and preach at the Holy Church of St. Anthony Metochius of the Holy Monastery of St. Barnabas the Apostle in Nicosia.
Holy Archdiocese of Cyprus.
July 3, 2024
***************************************************
Apostolic Reading: gal. c' 23-d' 5
23 But until faith comes under the law, we are guarded and locked up until future faith is revealed. 24 so that the law may be our teacher in Christ, That we may be justified by faith; 25 but when faith comes, we are not under the authority of a teacher; 26 for you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus; 27 For in Christ you were baptized, in Christ you were clothed; 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you are Christ's, you are Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise.
1 I say, while the heir is a child, he is no different from a slave, he is master of all things, 2 but he is under the guardians and stewards until the term of his father. 3 So we, when we were , children, were under the elements of the small world.
A modern Greek rendition
23 And before redemption and salvation came through faith, we were all guarded by the Law, closed and limited, designed for faith to be revealed in time. 24 So the Law became our teacher to train and prepare us to desire and know Christ, that we might obtain righteousness by faith. 25 Since that faith came, that is, since Christ came, who through faith in Him gives us righteousness, we are no longer under the teacher, that is, under the Law. 26 For you are all sons of God by faith in Jesus Christ, 27 because those who have been baptized in the name of Christ and thus confess this Savior have put on Christ and have been united with Him. 28 Therefore, in the new situation, in the kingdom of Christ, there are no distinctions of nationality, class, or sex. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female, because you are all a new person and a new organism, through Jesus Christ. 29 And if you Gentiles who have believed belong to Christ, then you are spiritual descendants of Abraham and, according to the promise God made to him, heirs of benefits.
1 I tell you also that as long as the heir is a child and a minor, he is no different from a slave, even if he were master of the whole inheritance. 2 But he is always under the care and authority of the commissioners who represent him, and of the stewards who administer the inheritance, until the end of the term which the father has fixed in his will. 3 So we Christians, while our infancy lasted, from the spiritual point of view we were enslaved to the elementary rules of the Law of Moses and other religions which are of ignorant men. 4 When the time was fulfilled and the proper time had come, which had been fixed in the divine plan, God sent from heaven to earth His Son, who assumed human flesh through a virgin woman and voluntarily obeyed the Law of Moses. 5 And this is to redeem those who are under the curse of the Prefecture, so that we may all receive the adoption promised to us by God.
Gospel reading: mt. d' 18 - 23
18 As he was passing along the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, called Peter and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. 19 And he said to them, "Look behind me, and I will make you fishers of men. 20 But those who were directly in charge of the nets followed him. 21 And before from there he saw the other two brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father preparing the nets, and he called them. 22 But those who directly owned the boat and their father followed him. 23 And Jesus went around all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and preaching the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every infirmity among the people.
Modern Greek rendition
18 As he was walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, whom Christ himself later called Peter, and Andreas his brother, who were casting a net into the sea because they were fishermen 19 ; and he said to them, "Follow me, and I will make you able to fish and They immediately left the nets and followed him. 21 And going from there, he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, preparing their nets in the ship with their father Zebedee, and he called them. 22 And they left the ship and their father without delay and followed him. 23 And then Jesus went all around Galilee, teaching in the synagogues (where the Jews were gathered every Sabbath), proclaiming the good news of the spiritual kingdom which he would establish, and healing every disease and every physical infirmity among the people.
***************************************************
Sunday, July 7, 2024
II MATTEUS
(Matthew 4:18-23)(Gal. 3:23-4:5)
Discipleship in the love of Christ
"And the immediate masters of the nets followed him."
After the cycle of the feasts of Pentecost, we see that the Lord's work of human salvation takes on more dynamic dimensions as they are authentically revealed in the space of his own Body, i.e., the Church. The invitation he addressed to his first disciples marks a new period of greatly expanded horizons against the reality of the Church, whose steps are directed by the unceasing "transmission of truth," by the constant presence of the Holy Spirit. The call of the first disciples The Lord's message in today's reading is essentially addressed to all people. Just as the disciples did then, so we today can show the same willingness and allow our hearts to open with the same intentions. Thus, through the presence and gifts of the Holy Spirit, we have the opportunity to experience in the reality of the Church all the events of the Divine Household as present and to reap their salvific effects. Through these events, Christ reveals to us and offers us His Kingdom as a village life by preference, a unique and unrepeatable experience.
Divine Invitation
The calling of the Lord's disciples is certainly not a human endeavor. It is a divine invitation expressing God's will to save man. Christ invites all of us to participate in the reality of the Church, so our response must be commensurate. The disciples then accepted the Lord's call at once, without restraint or hesitation: "And immediately the hosts of the nets followed Him," the passage says characteristically. This is characteristically stated in the Gospel narrative. This immediate response was based on certain characteristics, such as, for example, the simplicity and simplicity of their hearts. It was so open that it accepted the messages of God's love and even made them a counter-offer to others. The blessed fruitfulness in this the perspective has now taken on a different dimension. The disciples also had what we call good will. What does that mean? They loved Christ with all their souls and believed in Him to be the only true Savior. It is this good will that allows the love of our Lord to fill human existence that God requires of each of us as a condition for discipleship close to Christ. In order for it to be authentic and true.
To escape from worries
As soon as the disciples of the Lord became the recipients of the divine invitation, which constituted the gracious blessing that elevates man to other stages, they left without inhibition all the cares of life, which ordinarily hold man captive to the earth and the vagaries of matter. Without a moment's hesitation, they left their nets, their ships, their relatives, and everything else that bound them to follow Christ completely. This attitude, of course, in no way means that we despise or undervalue what God's love offers us. But it does mean to free one from all those cares and worries that trap us and often prevent us from remembering the love of Christ, so that our lives may be elevated to Eucharistic frequencies. This is what we need to pay attention to today. Do our cares and worries leave us attached and tied to our own weaknesses and do not allow to rise to the place where the power and love of Christ reigns and reigns.
Dear brothers, the Lord stands and always extends his invitation of love to all people. So, let us take care to accept it, so that our existence may indeed be filled with the prayer and comfort of the Holy Spirit. In this way we arm ourselves with optimism and joy, and in this way all the conditions for becoming true disciples of Christ are in place. All those consecrated figures who adorn the building of the Church and make it an eternal reality have done this. The Sunday of the Great Martyr, whose memory we honor today, is just such an occasion. All her life she became a witness to Christ, dedicating her life completely to His love. The witness of Christ can be given in all aspects of human life, in the example of all the consecrated persons who adorn the building of the Church with their living presence, as well as the disciples of the Lord, whose followers out of love for Christ were exemplary and comprehensive.
Christakis Efstathiou,
Theologian
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