SSCORRE!
Saint Sophia Cathedral
Online Resources for our Religious Edification

Topic of the Week – Sacrifice for Christ 

 

“To be a friend of the Cross, it is not enough to mark the sign of the Cross in the way the Church has appointed.  

 

From an early age, you got used to automatically joining your first three fingers to make the sign of the Cross.  

 

If you truly want to call yourself a friend of the Cross, the idea of sacrifice, which the Lord’s Cross eternally symbolizes, should not be repugnant to you, beloved — becoming dearer day by day.

 

Christ was sacrificed for you; what will you sacrifice for Christ?”

 

Taken from FOLLOW ME – by Metropolitan Augoustinos of Florina, of Blessed Memory (tinyletter.com), September 28

 

Adult/Family:

“Peter attempted to avert Jesus from His mission.  Jesus reacted  to these remarks of His chief disciple, turning to him and telling him something He had said in only one other instance:  when Satan strove to distance Him from the heavenly Father’s will [See Luke 4:8].  He told Peter: ‘Get behind me, Satan!  You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.’ [Matt. 16:23]  How the disciples were taught by the Lord’s rebuke, rejecting Peter’s suggestion!  It can teach us much as well.  We are taught how necessary the Cross was….”

FOLLOW ME – by Metropolitan Augoustinos of Florina, of Blessed Memory (tinyletter.com), September 27

 

As Orthodox Christian parents, what is our mission? What things in our life are averting us from this mission? Do we recognize when these things happen and pick up our cross, or do we give in to temptation and the pressures of the world and become distracted from our mission and enslaved to this fleeting life, including cares about health and happiness?

“We have one more observation to make for every believer, but especially those inspired to work along missionary lines.  As soon as the believer – the man of God, the Gospel worker – makes a daring, heroic decision to depart from the customary framework of the typical obligations practiced by someone that is a dry, ordinary Christian-by-name, there immediately appear contemporary Peters, yet unenlightened by the Holy Spirit, whose bones have not been refreshed by the animating breeze of the Cross.  They would keep him from doing his duty: ‘What’s wrong with you,’ they say. ‘So very many – without denying their mission – succeed in getting different ranks in the Church or government.  But you now want to deny all that, and undergo a sudden change?  We fear for you, and are saddened to think of it.  Do you want to die insignificantly and forsaken, locked up in a jail or in a Monastery?  Friends, do you not think that those who speak in this manner do so for worldly reasons — the way Peter spoke to Jesus that day?…’” 

 

FOLLOW ME – by Metropolitan Augoustinos of Florina, of Blessed Memory (tinyletter.com), October 1

 

Preschool/Elementary School:

“Somewhere, the world has erected a cross for you.  

To cultivate this longing for martyrdom, read books about the Saints and Martyrs of our Faith.  

There you will see with what feelings of joy and gladness the Martyrs faced the instruments of their torment — their crosses.  

They thanked the Lord for the great honor He bestowed on them, to suffer and shed their blood for Him.  The Apostle Andrew, Peter’s brother, upon seeing the cross being erected in the city of Patras [in Greece], was deeply moved, because he was found worthy of dying in the same way that His Lord did; and he addressed his cross in affectionate terms.”

Taken from FOLLOW ME – by Metropolitan Augoustinos of Florina, of Blessed Memory (tinyletter.com), September 30

What is martyrdom? What does it mean if the world has erected a cross for you? What will you do when you meet your crosses? What did Jesus do at that time when the world put him on the cross? 

Metropolitan Augoustinos encourages us to read books about the Saints and Martyrs of our faith to prepare ourselves – do you do that? Reading their stories will prepare you to also feel joy and gratefulness when you are confronted with a cross to bear for Christ’s sake. As you read the stories, ask yourself what was the saint’s/martyr’s cross they had to bear? With what attitude did they approach it? How did God help them in their struggle? 

Here are some recommendations: 

 Potamitis Publishing – Synaxarion

 

Iona (Jonah) Orthodox Publishing House

St. John, Wonderworker of Kronstadt (for young people), St. Sergius of Radonezh (for young people), The Life of Saint John, Wonderworker of Shanghai and San Francisco: For Young People, The Life of Saint Seraphim, Wonderworker of Sarov: For Young People

            

 

Middle/High School:

“Do you sacrifice for His holy Name, for the spreading and triumph of His kingdom everywhere?   Do you sacrifice money, time, plans, friendships, rank and honor, and above all your malice and passions?  If need demanded, would you be ready for martyrdom?  Do you have a martyr’s desire for Jesus?  Does a desire burn in you to shed your blood for the One Who shed His blood for the salvation of all?  Then you are a friend of the Cross, a genuine follower of the Lord — treading in His footsteps on the road to Jerusalem, to Golgotha and the highest sacrifice.”

FOLLOW ME – by Metropolitan Augoustinos of Florina, of Blessed Memory (tinyletter.com), September 29

Do you sacrifice any of the above things? What else do you sacrifice in your life for Jesus? Do you sacrifice attending sports practices/games to worship God in Church on Sunday mornings? Do you sacrifice eating non-fasting foods during the fast periods even though other Orthodox and non-Orthodox are not doing that, even if you are at a party or public event? Do you sacrifice your pride or ego when you were at fault in a situation or even if you were not at fault? How can/will you be a better friend of the Cross from now on?

___________________________________________________________