Неделя семнадцатая по Пятидесятнице. Неделя пред Воздвижением

(Gal. 6, 11–18; John 3, 13–17) "As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life *15 " (John 3:14-15). Faith in the Son of God, crucified in the flesh for our sake, is the power of God for salvation, a living source of life-giving moral aspirations and sentiments and a receiver of the extensive grace of the Holy Spirit, always in the heart abiding and hidden inspirations in good time, in times of need, sent down from above. Faith combines convictions that attract God’s favor and power from above. Both together are the possession of an eternal life. As long as this life is preserved intact, a Christian is not fallen, for, “having clinging to the Lord, he is one spirit with the Lord” (1 Cor. 6:17), and nothing can overcome the Lord. Do they fall? Because of the weakening of faith, Christian convictions weaken and moral energy weakens. As this weakens, grace is forced out of the heart, and evil impulses raise their head. At the opportune moment, these latter tend to fall: be cheerful and a guardian of the faith in its entirety, and you will not fall. In this sense, St. John says that “he who is born of God does not commit sin” (1 John 3:9). You might be interested in: