Second Sunday of the Holy Fifty Days (The Bread of Life)
The saints and those who truly practice virtue, "put to death, therefore, whatever in you is earthly: fornication, impurity, passion, evil desire (which is idolatry)." [Col. 3:5]. As a result of this, they are pure and without spot, confiding in the promise of our Savior, who said, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." [Matt. 5:8] Having died to the world and renounced the merchandise of the world, they gained an honorable death; for, "Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints." [Ps. 116:15] They are also to say with the Apostle "I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless, I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me." [Gal. 2:20] For that is the true life, which a man lives in Christ; for although they are dead to the world, yet they dwell as it were in heaven, minding those things which are above, as he who was a lover of such a habitation said, "While we walk on earth, our dwelling is in heaven." [Phil. 3:20, Matt. 21:2] Click here to read the rest
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