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Lent Day 25: Athanasius: Life of Anthony: Chaps. 41-50

...p through prayer for their daughter who had a demon. But Anthony, not wanting to become puffed up, simply said that he is only a man like the visitor, and can do no more than he, but if he goes in faith in Christ, then he shall receive what he asks, quoting Luke 11:9. The daughter was freed from the evil spirit, and so more people came to sit at Anthony's door seeking help to be healed, though he wouldn't open the door to them. But through their sincere prayers and faith, they were healed, and “many other things also through Antony the Lord did”. Anthony seeks another place Since so many people were gathered around Anthony's cell seeking for his help an...

Lent Day 27: Athanasius: Life of Anthony: Chaps. 61-70

...o receive prayer for sickness or for freedom from demons, but he “used to ask that no one should wonder at him for this; but should rather marvel at the Lord for having granted to us men to know Him as far as our powers extended.” Two examples are given of a time when Anthony was asked to visit some monks on a boat, and there was a stench so bad in that place that Anthony said it was unusual and not natural. The people on board just said it was due to the cargo of meat, but as Anthony preached, a boy in the crowd yelled out and Anthony rebuked the demon in him, setting the boy free and with it, the stench left. The other time was of an official who had been...

Lent Day 30: Cyril of Jerusalem: Catechetical Lectures: Lecture XIX

...Day Thirty: St. Cyril of Jerusalem: Catechetical Lectures: Lecture XIX Who: Bishop of Jerusalem and Doctor of the Church, born about 315; died probably 18 March, 386. Little is known of his life, except from his younger contemporaries, Epiphanius, Jerome, and Rufinus, as well as from the fifth-century historians, Socrates, Sozomen and Theodoret. What: Each of the lectures deal with a different topic to teach converts the mysteries of the Church, particularly: rites of the renunciation of Satan and his works, of anointing with oil, of baptism, of anointing with the holy chrism, and of partaking of the body and blood of Christ. Why: Cyril delivered to new conve...

Lent Day 39: Leo the Great: Sermon XLIX (On Lent XI)

...he Lord's prayer which we bind ourselves to, where it says, “forgive those who sin against us” (Luke 11:4); if during this time, Satan brings temptations or divisions amongst the Church. Our duties during Lent Leo goes on to say that we must strive to be peacemakers because they will be blessed and “called children of God” (Matt 5:9), so especially now, any discord or enmity between other believers should be rectified and reconciled; otherwise, “let no one think to have a share in the Paschal feast that has neglected to restore brotherly peace”! Aside from forgiveness and reconciliation amongst ourselves, Leo also says that our fast-times should...

Lent Day 40: Leo the Great: Sermon LXXII: ON THE LORD'S RESURRECTION, II

...e, by his prayer in John 17:20-21 for total unity with one another and with God, as he and the Father were one (Jn 14:20). Only true believers can keep the Easter Festival Those who deny the true nature of the Son of God, and that he himself is also True God, can have no part in this divine union nor in the Easter Festival. True Christians, accepting the Creed and the deity of Christ, “rightly exult and devoutly rejoice in this sacred season” of Lent and Easter (or Pascha), and “have no doubt about Christ's Birth according to the flesh, His Passion and Death, and the Resurrection of His body … who was truly born of a Virgin's womb, truly hung on the w...

Are There Levels of Sin?

...sinner's prayer" or not, or were born in the right country/continent to have heard the Gospel message - and if not you are automatically condemned to hell? There's really no need for a judgement scene, for reading everyone's deeds, for looking through all the books, if the decision is already made by God to condemn you in the worst possible manner, as it then wouldn't be fair or just....