Word of the week Vaiy

He, Whom the Angels constantly sing and glorify, He on earth, like a man, kneels before the Father and prays, and in heaven he himself receives prayers and genuflections from all creation, visible and invisible; on earth, like a man, he hungers (Matthew 4:2, 21:18), and he himself is the Bread of heaven, which came down from above (John 6:41, 51); according to economy he thirsts (John 19:28), and according to Divinity he himself is the source of life; on earth he is weary (John 4:6) according to what he has received (humanity), and He Himself is the rest of those who labor and are heavy laden (Matthew 11:28). Today he voluntarily goes to death in order to crush with his death the one who has death in his power, and to grant immortality to those who are deceived from him by the hope of immortality. Therefore, although the Lord Christ, God (who exists) in Zion, does not walk with scepters and trumpets, but with complete poverty, not with swords, weapons and spears, but with extreme humility, not with armor-bearers, not with gilded shields, helmet and armor, but with extreme meekness, boundless kindness and immeasurable modesty: however it is said: “and The whole city shook, saying: Who is this? “Then the people said: This is Christ, the Son of David” (Matthew 21:10-11). He enters the church, and as the true God of the church, the holiest of the sanctuary itself, expels from It the unworthy, lawless and evil priests; and the youths standing in the church of God shrinefully, or better yet, godlyly exclaim to the God of the church, Christ Jesus: “Hosanna, hosanna to the Son of David” (Matthew 21:15), who bestows “peace in heaven, and glory in the highest” (Luke 19:38)! Blessed are the aspirations of the Churches! Blessed are the hopes of Christians! People, having believed in the Chief of the world (Isa. 9:6), and having been enriched by the world, became cohabitants of the Angels. Christ united what is below and above, united the mortal with the incorporeal. Rejoice in Christ! I repeat again, rejoice: “Rejoice greatly, daughters of Zion” (Zechariah 9:9), New Jerusalem, Church of God! Dive deeper into the mystery of your celebration! Rise above the visible in order to understand spiritually (αναγωγικῶς) what is happening sensually. Why did Jesus, who always walked on foot, now, and only now, sit on an animal, having himself mounted it? In order to enlighten us about his ascension to the cross. What is this counter-lying whole thing? Without a doubt, a way of thinking that is opposite and contrary to the world was adopted by the man who settled directly in Paradise (Gen. 3:24), to whom Christ sent two disciples, that is, his two testaments - the Old and New Testaments. Who is this donkey? Without a doubt, an old and adulterous synagogue, which is burdened with the burdens of life, and on which Christ sat for some time. Who is the donkey? This is me, the youngest and most untravelled pagan people, against whom “there is no man of any place” (Mark 11:2), - no law, no fear, no Angel, no Prophet, no Moses, no Scripture, but only God the Word himself, who lay down with us dumb in a manger, in Bethlehem, to free us from our dumbness, and then make us theologians. What kind of renunciation of a donkey is this? Without a doubt, liberation (of us) from idolatry and detachment from bloody idolatry sacrifices, which was foreshadowed by the touch of the bleeding woman. Who are those who grumble about the donkey’s release and say: “Why is it that the donkey is released” (Luke 19:31), “The donkey is tied” (Matthew 21:2)? - Jews and demons. What kind of laying out of clothes is this by youths? The putting off of the old man, and together the ugly nakedness and emptiness of the synagogue. Who are the theological infants? Without a doubt, children of the faithful people of Christ's Church. Who are their mothers? Baptismal fonts that revive the faithful. What are mothers' nipples? Two covenants, both of which are our teachers, feeding us with spiritual and heavenly milk. What is the descent of Christ from the Mount of Olives? Without a doubt, nothing other than the descent from heaven of God the Word to us. Who are the olive branches? Souls of the merciful. What is a path? A path that is well paved with the deeds of virtues, putting off the old man. What are date branches? The pure hearts of the righteous, prospering like dates, and rising like the cedars of Lebanon, planted in the house of the Lord, prospering (Psalm 91:13-14) and rushing to the true Date, without a doubt, gaining victory over the tormentor and hell, from whose tyranny they themselves were liberated by the power of the conqueror Christ. Who are the predecessors? Righteous Prophets. Who's next? The apostles, and we, who believed with them from among the pagans. What is hail? Heavenly Jerusalem. What is a church? The kingdom of heaven, from which Christ expelled the Jews as unworthy. So understand the circumstances of this holiday. So, observe the sacrament of the Master, as well as that which relates to your celebration... Let us rejoice with the Angels, applaud with the people, jump with the colt, marvel with the mothers, preach with the Apostles, and, meeting Christ going to Jerusalem, praise, bless and exclaim: Hosanna, blessed is he who comes, and again he who comes in the name of The Lord judges his world! Glory to Him, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, forever and ever, amen! Translation from S. Patr. nostr. Epiph. Constant. S. Salam. in Cypro Episc. Operr. Tom, II pag. 301–303, ed. Colon. 1682. You might be interested in: