A Vigil Light upon the Hill

“Come to me, all you who labour and have been burdened, and I will refresh you.” – Matthew 11:28

Christ’s invitation is not a vague offer of comfort but a profound reality for those who truly seek Him. In our struggles, we often turn to our own strength, relying on our willpower, routines, or external solutions to manage life’s burdens. Yet Christ does not say, “Endure alone,” or “Find your own way.” He commands us to come to Him. This is an act of faith, a conscious movement toward the One who alone can provide true refreshment. The Orthodox Christian life is not about self-sufficiency but about surrendering to divine grace.
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“And if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ—if, in fact, we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.” —Romans 8:17

The Apostle Paul, in his epistle to the Romans, reveals the great mystery of our adoption as children of God. To be an heir of God is to receive an inheritance not of fleeting earthly riches but of eternal communion with Him. This inheritance is given to us through Christ, in whom we are made partakers of the divine life. It is not an abstract promise; it is the very reality of our salvation, accomplished through the Incarnation, Cross, and Resurrection of our Lord.
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The Nativity Fast, or Advent, is not merely a season of waiting but a time of spiritual renewal, calling the faithful to prepare their souls for the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. In a world that rushes to celebrate Christmas with excess and distraction, the Holy Church bids her children to step away from the noise and turn inward, seeking the true light that is Christ. This season is not one of idle anticipation but of active preparation, where fasting disciplines the body, prayer lifts the soul, and repentance purifies the heart. The joy of Advent is not superficial nor rooted in sentimentality. It is the deep and abiding joy that springs from the promises of God, who has never abandoned His people. The prophet Isaiah proclaims: “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness—on them light has shined.” (Isaiah 9:2) This is the promise given to people burdened by sin and despair, a declaration of divine faithfulness that echoes through the centuries. The coming of Christ, the Light of the World, is the fulfilment of that promise, stirring in us a longing that is both joyous and penitential.
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The words of Christ in the tenth chapter of the Gospel According to St. Mark is a strong affirmation of the sacredness and permanence of marriage. In a world where human weakness seeks to redefine or diminish the divine order, Jesus Christ speaks with absolute clarity, reaffirming that marriage is not a trivial human contract subject to revision, but a holy and indissoluble covenant established by Almighty God Himself. His response to the Pharisees, who sought to test Him regarding divorce, is not only a rejection of their legalistic mindset but a call to return to the original divine plan for marriage—a plan that transcends human laws, societal customs, and personal desires.

The Pharisees approach Jesus with a question designed to ensnare Him: “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?” (Mark 10:2) Their intent is not genuine inquiry, but entrapment. If Jesus were to outright deny the legitimacy of divorce, He would appear to contradict Mosaic law, which permitted it under certain conditions. If He were to affirm it, He would undermine His own teaching on the divine nature of marriage. But Christ, with divine wisdom, does not engage in their legalistic debate. Instead, He redirects the discussion to a higher truth—the will of God as revealed from the beginning. Moses allowed divorce “because of your hardness of heart” (Mark 10:5), but this was never God’s original intention. It was a concession, not a commandment; a response to human frailty, not a reflection of divine will. Christ makes this abundantly clear when He recalls the words of Genesis: “From the beginning of the creation, God made them male and female. For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh; so then they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.” (Mark 10:6-9, OSB)
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As we come to the close of the month of June, dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, we continue to meditate on the boundless love of Christ. While the devotion to the Sacred Heart has been especially cultivated in the West, its essence is deeply Orthodox—rooted in the love of God made manifest in the Incarnation, the Cross, and the Resurrection. The heart of Christ is the wellspring of divine mercy, overflowing with grace for all who seek Him. Let us reflect on five key aspects of this devotion in light of the Bible and Orthodox spirituality.

1. Prayer is essential in drawing close to the Sacred Heart. As the Lord Himself has promised: “A new heart I will give you, and a new spirit I will put within you; and I will remove from your body the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.” (Ezekiel 36:26) Through prayer, repentance, and ascetic struggle, we allow Christ to reshape our hearts, making them tender and responsive to His divine love. The Orthodox life is one of synergy—our cooperation with the grace of God—so that our hearts may become reflections of His own.
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“Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)

The infinite love of Jesus Christ for each of us is perfectly expressed in His Sacred Heart. In Orthodox theology, the heart is not merely a symbol of emotion but the very centre of our spiritual being—the place where God meets man. The Sacred Heart of Jesus is the wellspring of divine love, revealing God’s mercy and compassion through His Incarnation, Passion, and Resurrection. This love is not a distant or abstract concept; it is the living and active presence of Christ, calling us to participate in His divine life.
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