Prohor Blog

Posted By Macedon on September 7, 2023

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(Greek: Βαρθολομαιος, Aramaic: bar-Talmai, meaning: son of Ptolemy)

According to some historians of the Church, he is considered the same person as Nathanael, whom the Apostle Philip called to show him the Messiah, Christ. God gave him authority to heal diseases and perform miracles in His name.

His activity is closely related to the Holy Apostle Philip and they often preached together. At the beginning of their independent activity, when they preached separately in the cities of Asia Minor, Philip was in a difficult period and went through many sufferings and trials. Saint Bartholomew felt this and received a revelation to go and help him. Saint Bartholomew obeyed the inner voice and left immediately. From then on they did not part until Philip’s death. They both shared together all the work and effort, all the dangers, but also all the joyful moments. They were also accompanied by Philip’s sister, Mariamne. Together, they diligently worked and preached the Word of God whilst patiently enduring persecution and suffering.

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Posted By Macedon on September 7, 2023

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(Грчки: Βαρθολομαιος, арамејски: бар-Талмај, значење: син на Птоломеј).

Според некои историчари на Црквата се смета за иста личност со Натанаил, кого апостол Филип го повикал да му го покаже Месијата, Христос.

Господ му даде власт да лекува болести и да прави чуда во Негово име.

Неговата дејност е тесно поврзана со св. ап. Филип и најчесто проповедале заедно. Во почетокот на нивната самостојна дејност, кога проповедале одделно во градовите во Мала Азија, Филип се наоѓал во тежок период и поминувал низмногу страдања и искушенија. Тоа го почуствувал светиот Вартоломеј и добил откровение да оди и да му помогне. Свети Вартоломеј го послушал внатрешниот глас и веднаш заминал. Од тогаш не се разделиле со Филипа сè до неговата смрт. Со него го делеле сиот труд и сите опасности, но и сите радосни моменти. Тие биле придружени и од сестрата на Филип, Маријам. Заедно, со усрдност се труделе и го проповедале Словото Божјо и со трпение ги поднесувале прогонствата и страдањата.

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Posted By Macedon on September 2, 2023

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The message from today’s Gospel reading (Matthew 21: 33–42) refers most directly to today’s vinedressers, i.e. to the New Testament priesthood: first of all, to the Bishops, and then to the Presbyters; as well as to the spiritual vineyard – the New Testament people of God, the Church. The interpretation of this Gospel reading from the ascetic-hesychastic point of view reveals the reasons why the servants that have been sent by the Landlord – the Prophets, and the Son – the God-Man Jesus Christ were killed.

Two questions arise from this Gospel reading: firstly, who or what sort of fruit were the vinedressers (priesthood) supposed to bring (offer) to God? And secondly, what sort of fruit are some of them trying to produce, since they want to keep it to themselves, since they already think they have appropriated the vineyard?

According to the Holy Apostle Paul, the fruits of the Spirit that the vinedressers (priesthood) were supposed to bring to God from His vineyard (the faithful people of God) are the virtues: love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, mercy, faith, meekness, self-control (Galatians 5, 22–23).

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Posted By Macedon on September 2, 2023

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Пораката од денешното евангелие (Матеј 21, 33–42) најдиректно се однесува на денешните лозари, т.е. на новозаветното свештенство: пред сѐ, на епископите, а потоа и на презвитерите; како и на лозјето духовно – новозаветниот народ Божји, Црквата. Толкувањето, пак, на ова евангелско четиво од аскетско-исихастички аспект ни ги открива причините поради кои се убиени испратените слуги – пророците, и Синот – Богочовекот Исус Христос.

Се наметнуваат две прашања: прво, кој или каков плод требаше да Му принесат лозарите (свештенството) на Бог? И второ, каков плод некои од нив се обидуваат да произведат, со оглед на тоа што истиот сакаат да го задржат за себе, откако веќе мислат дека го присвоиле лозјето?

Согласно светиот апостол Павле, плодот на Духот што лозарите (свештенството) требаше да Му го принесат на Бог од Неговото лозје (верниот народ Божји) се добродетелите: љубовта, радоста, мирот, долготрпеливоста, добротата, милосрдноста, верата, кротоста, воздржливоста (Гал. 5, 22–23).

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Posted By Macedon on August 25, 2023

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DIVINELY-WISE PHILOSOPHER OF ORTHODOXY

Through the Spirit you poured out streams of teaching about the Church;

you explained the exhaustion of God the Word,

and shined in your struggle as a confessor of the faith;

Holy Father Maximus, pray to Christ God

to grant us His great mercy.

(troparion of St. Maximus the Confessor)

In order to gain authority before the people and have them follow you, it is not necessary to have a high church rank, to carry the favour of the worldly authorities and to think that the Church was given to you as your grandfather’s inheritance, so you can do what you want in it, and others must subjugate themselves and listen to you. True authority is acquired only through personal example and loving sacrifice in the illumination and imprinting of the image of God in the purified heart. In the fight against passions and demons, and their subjugation. In the zeal of the service of God. In not returning with evil to the evil. In the gift of the grace of the Holy Spirit. In the love towards God and man.

Living in this way, we become light, a living lamp that cannot be put under a basket, but is set on top of a hill and others see it, and it illuminates and directs their way, and they follow the path.[1]

Such a luminary of the 7th century was Venerable Maximus the Confessor, who was an ordinary, “simple” monk, without rank, who opposed the Patriarch and the emperor, and was not afraid to testify his true and pure faith before almost the entire Church of that time, which had fallen into heresy. Saint Maximus the Confessor was a luminary and an authority of the Church at that time, the one who shines and illuminates the Orthodox path even unto this present time.

Confessors are holy men who testified and preached about Christ, they were tortured and subjected to all kinds of persecution and oppression, but according to the providence of God, God preserves their lives and they do not perish as martyrs. Such is the struggle of Saint Maximus the Confessor.

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