11η Μαΐου 2018

Στις 9 Μαΐου 2018, το ελληνικό κοινοβούλιο ψήφισε νομοθεσία που επιτρέπει στους ομοφυλόφιλους να κακοποιούν τα παιδιά και να εμπλουτίζονται από τα βάσανά τους. Όνομα κάλυψης: υιοθεσία. Επιπλέον, αφορά κυρίως τα παιδιά που κλέβονται από τους αγαπημένους γονείς τους από το εγκληματικό σύστημα δικαιοσύνης ανηλίκων.

Ο νόμος προωθήθηκε από 161 βουλευτές. Γι’αυτό το έγκλημα κατά του Θεού, της συνείδησης και της ανθρωπότητας, επέσυραν στον εαυτό τους την τιμωρία του Θεού – αναθέμα – κατάρα. Έχουν αφοριστεί από το Μυστικό Σώμα του Χριστού – την Εκκλησία!

“For if the inheritance is of the law, it is no longer of promise;

but God gave it to Abraham by promise.”

For if the inheritance is of the law, it is no longer of promise; but God gave it to Abraham by promise.

This statement in verse 18 is preceded by a mention in verse 13 of the curse of the law which Jesus took upon Himself. And it is explained further: “…so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.” It is said here that the blessing given to Abraham is also given to pagan nations, that means to us too, in Christ. Concerning the Jews, the physical descendants of Abraham, the blessing comes to those who have received Jesus through faith. The prophets and the righteous of the Old Testament believed that the Messiah would come and they de facto received Him beforehand through faith they had at the time. Eventually, the first to receive Jesus were the apostles, who were Jews, i.e. the physical descendants of Abraham. There are other descendants of Abraham, too, who crucified Christ, namely the Jewish scribes, Pharisees and high priests, and today mostly Masonic Jews.

“Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us.”

“Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us.”

It is said that Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law. However, one supposes that the Law of Moses brings blessing rather than curse. So how are we to understand it? Verse 10 says: “For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, ‘Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.’” We read in the Epistle of James: “For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all.” (Jam 2:10) No person is able to fulfil all the requirements of the law. So all people are under the curse of the law. Verse 11 says: “But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for ‘the just shall live by faith’.” So justification from sin is by faith in Jesus Christ. Why? Because Jesus voluntarily took upon Himself the curse which falls on each of us for our sins to redeem us from this curse, which is the fruit of sin, and also to redeem us from eternal death caused by sin.

7 April 2018

Let me interpret the following letter written by the Patriarch of the Byzantine Catholic Patriarchate who has at heart restoration of the Church.

Quote:

Dear ex-Pope Benedict,

the Byzantine Catholic Patriarchate addresses You with a request the purpose of which is restoration of the Church. It concerns primarily the issue of Vatican Council II and its fruits that we are reaping today. In Your interview with Messori 19 years after the Council, You presented some critical views of the Council and the post-conciliar spirit.

“For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received:

that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,

and that He was buried,

and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures,

and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.”

For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.

In the Letter to Corinth, the Apostle Paul speaks about the resurrection from the dead. He writes: “Now I would remind you, brethren, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you.” (1Cor 15:1-2) Then the Apostle mentions that Jesus appeared to Peter and the Twelve, and he continues: “After that He appeared to more than five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep.”

Tradition holds that Jesus first appeared to His Mother, then on the Sunday of resurrection He appeared to Mary Magdalene, and thereafter to the women, to Peter, in the afternoon to the disciples going to Emmaus, and then in the evening to the Apostles who had gathered together in the upper room. A week later, He appeared to the Apostles again, and Thomas was with them. Then the Apostles went to Galilee where Jesus appeared to them by the Lake of Gennesaret early in the morning. During the conversation, He talked especially to Peter to whom He entrusted the authority of the supreme shepherd over His flock. Thereafter He appeared to more than five hundred brethren.

Thanks are due to all who kept watches in the Czech Republic and Slovakia on Easter Monday. To them who stood on the squares with placards: Stop to the stealing of children! (Istanbul) , Stop to Islamization! (Dublin IV) , SOS: Jesus, save us!

What is the relation of our Patriarchate to the Mother of Jesus?

Fully biblical, in line with the whole Church’s tradition. Jesus is true God and Mary is the Mother of God – Birth-giver of God – Theotokos. It was proclaimed at the Council of Ephesus in 431. She well deserves special honour from everyone who has received Jesus, as stated in the Scripture: “All generations will call me blessed.” (Lk 1:48)

The purpose of a critical view of the papacy is not its elimination, as attempted by some cardinals or liberal theologians. The purpose is its purification.

How did the Apostle Peter and his successors understand the papacy in the first three centuries? In the first place in such way that they themselves, dying a martyr’s death, witnessed to Christ. Jesus is the Son of God who died for our sins and, being God, rose again from the dead historically and really. There is salvation in no one else (Acts 4:12).

25 March 2018

The Lenten season culminates; we are entering the Holy Week. We commemorate Christ’s redemptive death and His glorious resurrection.

The Byzantine Catholic Patriarchate is pleading You, Most Reverend Bishops of the V4 countries: Please, encourage Your priests and believers to hold the Easter procession on 2 April 2018. This demonstration in support of the family and nation will then take place in every village and town.

When Slovakia was under threat of a maidan, a lot of believers made a promise to God. They pray for two hours every day until Easter for the salvation of Slovakia. They pray for one hour between 8 and 9 p.m. in the family circle. The second hour is set aside for personal prayer at a time during the day which suits them best. Many keep the fast on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays in such way that they do not eat hot meal until evening. God did hear the fervent prayers. But the spiritual battle has not ended. The V4 countries are still under threat of planned suicide through Dublin IV and the Istanbul Convention. It is like the battle between David and Goliath.

“But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident,

for ‘the just shall live by faith’”

But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident,  for ‘the just shall live by faith’.

It is clearly said here that no one will be justified by the law, and it is emphasized that the just shall live by faith. Let us focus again on the term ‘the just’, both from the natural point of view and from the point of view of the Scripture. The just is the one who gives everyone his due, i.e. giving God, neighbour and oneself what is due by right.

Injustice is to respond to the love of God with indifference. Jesus gave His life for us on the cross, and our response is boycott and unbelief – this is injustice. Let us be just; let us respond to His great love with gratefulness and love.

From the point of view of faith, the word justice also means justification or purification from various injustices and sins. We are justified by faith; not by our works but by faith which is connected with the admitting of our trespasses before God. By faith we are united to Christ’s death on the cross, which means that each of us personally believes in the Word of God saying that Jesus died for all my sins and if I walk in the light, His blood cleanses me from all sin (cf. 1Jn 1:7-9).

One of the crucial statements is: “Do not do to others what you do not want them to do to you!” We can practise it until death. This is the Law and the Prophets (cf. Mat 7:12). You can write down concretely what you do not want others to do to you, and then stop and think if you do not do exactly the same to others, perhaps in a subtler form. How simple and topical for our everyday life! We only need to begin to see and practise it, and then the lived Gospel will do its blessed work.