Our Venerable Fathers Isaac (406-25), Dalmatus and Faustus.
Dormition Fast.
1 Corinthians 1:3-9. Matthew 19:3-12.
Read 1 Corinthians 1:3-9
Brothers and sisters, our reading from Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians begins with his typical greeting to the churches: “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” This is a beautiful salutation, one which asks for the Lord’s gifts, favours, and love to be showered down, along with His peace. How frequently are we in need of these words in the midst of our busy schedules, commitments and daily struggles? At the same time, this greeting also protects us from the spiritual sin of Pride in that it recalls to us that the Lord’s peace and Grace come from Him and so we only ever approach Him in humility.
In our day-to-day conversations and encounters we also have a common greeting: “Glory be to Jesus Christ- Glory forever!” These words help to frame our conversations, recall the Lord in our dealings and redirect our lives to their ultimate destination with Christ. I encourage you, instead of simply beginning a conversation with a “hello” or even a “how are you?” to bring the Lord into the conversation with the affirmation of His glory and presence. In so doing, we will remain with Him and Him with us throughout the day! Glory be to Jesus Christ!