FAITH IN THE CROSS

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"Death once conquered by the Savior and fixed on the cross, as in a pillory, all those who walk in Christ trample on it under foot. Testifying to Christ, they laugh at death, play with it and repeat what is written about him: "O death, where is your power? O death, where are your pains ? " (Paulus 1Co 15,55;King James version Bible)". I will ransom them from the power of the grave ; I will redeem them from the death : O death, I will be the plague ; O grave, I will be the thy destruction : repentance shall be hid from mine eyes » Hosea 13,14 King James version Bible)). But that devil who of old wickedly exulted in death, now that the pains of death are loosed, he alone it is who remains truly dead. There is proof of this too; for men who, before they believe in Christ, think death horrible and are afraid of it, once they are converted despise it so completely that they go eagerly to meet it, and themselves become witnesses of the Savior's resurrection from it. Even children hasten thus to die, and not men only, but women train themselves by bodily discipline to meet it. So weak has death become that even women, who used to be taken in by it, mock at it now as a dead thing robbed of all its strength. Death has become like a tyrant who has been completely conquered by the legitimate monarch; bound hand and foot the passers-by sneer at him, hitting him and abusing him, no longer afraid of his cruelty and rage, because of the king who has conquered him. So has death been conquered and branded for what it is by the Savior on the cross. It is bound hand and foot, all who are in Christ trample it as they pass and as witnesses to Him deride it, scoffing and saying, "O Death, where is thy victory? O Grave, where is thy sting ?" According to St Athanasius of Alexandria, 20 th Bishop of Alexandria also called the Great Athanasius the Confessor ( c 297,298 ?-2 may 373) On the Incarnation of the Word (Oratio de incarnatione verbi ) chpter 5 The Resurrection)" ISBN 10 143 4811247- ISBN13 9781434811240 and PG 25.143; coll. Sources Chrétiennes n ° 199 (trad. Orval rev.).


PRAYER INTENTION

Let us pray for all those who are tortured, humiliated and martyred for their faith in Christ, the one Saviour.

Community prayer

St. Augustine

O Thou Good Omnipotent, Who so carest for every one of us, as if Thou carest for him alone; and so for all, as if all were but one! Blessed is the man who loveth Thee, and his friend in Thee, and his enemy for Thee. For he only loses none dear to him, to whom all are dear in Him who cannot be lost. And who is that but our God, the God that made heaven and earth, and filleth them, even by filling them creating them. And Thy law is truth, and the truth is Thyself. I behold how some things pass away that others may replace them, but Thou dost never depart, O God, my Father supremely good, Beauty of all things beautiful. To Thee will I intrust whatsoever I have received from Thee, so shall I lose nothing. Thou madest me for Thyself, and my heart is restless until it reposes in Thee. Amen.

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Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer everyone. Col 4:6

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Wisdom from the Church Fathers

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