The Holy Apostle Andronicus and those with him; Passing into Eternal Life (1952) of Blessed Ivan Ziatyk, Protohegumen of the Redemptorists and Martyr
Abstinence from meat and foods that contain meat
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Acts 10:44-11:10; John 8:21-30
Christ is risen! Truly, He is risen!
One of the great privileges of reading the Gospel of John is how openly Jesus talks about his relationship with the Father. Here he affirms their intimacy “And he who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what is pleasing to him” (v. 29). Jesus’ discussion does not leave us bystanders watching the divine plan unfold, but rather he invites us into eavesdrop on their relationship and ultimately participate in it. In the farewell discourse, we hear Christ asking that we become one as he and the father are one (cf. Jn 17:21). He goes on to say that this is only possible if we are united to Him: “I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one” (Jn 17:23).
Unity is possible only in Christ. Attempts to broker peace on our own result in weak treaties, easily broken and revoked. Christ shows us his relationship with the Father an unbroken, eternal bond of Love. To enter into that is the mystery of the Church. Upon entering a Byzantine Church, one notices immediately the traditional Pantocrator image of Christ on the ceiling. Where are the feet of Christ in this picture? The answer: they are on the floor. Praying the prayers and being formed by the sacramental mysteries of the Church unites us to that intimacy God reveals in these tender moments in the Gospel of John.
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