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How to Benefit from the Holy Liturgy - Pope Kirillos Scientific Family

How to Benefit from the Holy Liturgy - Pope Kirillos Scientific Family

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word of salvation according <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> commandment of our<br />

good Saviour, "The harvest truly is plentiful but <strong>the</strong><br />

labourers are few" (Mat<strong>the</strong>w 9:37). The priest also pleads<br />

for <strong>the</strong> servants who struggle <strong>to</strong> serve <strong>the</strong> vine of <strong>the</strong> Lord,<br />

whatever <strong>the</strong>ir positions are, so <strong>the</strong> Lord may grant <strong>the</strong>m<br />

strength and help <strong>the</strong>m in this blessed work of service.<br />

Then <strong>the</strong> priest pleads for all those who are living in<br />

virginity, whe<strong>the</strong>r <strong>the</strong>y be monks, nuns or those consecrated<br />

for service. He asks for <strong>the</strong>ir purity and <strong>the</strong> angelical life<br />

which <strong>the</strong>y await, in order that <strong>the</strong>y may have a share and<br />

inheritance with <strong>the</strong> one hundred and forty four thousand<br />

virgins standing before <strong>the</strong> Divine Lamb, "And <strong>the</strong>y sang as<br />

if it were a new song before <strong>the</strong> throne, <strong>the</strong> four living<br />

creatures and <strong>the</strong> elders, and no one could learn that song<br />

except <strong>the</strong> hundred and forty four thousand virgins who<br />

were redeemed <strong>from</strong> <strong>the</strong> earth" (Revelation 14:1-3). Then<br />

he requests for <strong>the</strong> purity of all <strong>the</strong> faithful congregation <strong>to</strong><br />

live a pure marital life without betrayal or deviation, so <strong>the</strong>ir<br />

houses may be houses of prayer and purity, and thus houses<br />

of blessing where Christ comes and dwells.<br />

The Apostle specifies <strong>the</strong> purity of matrimony by saying,<br />

"Marriage is honourable among all and <strong>the</strong> bed<br />

undefiled" (Hebrews 13:4), meaning that those married<br />

should not defile <strong>the</strong>ir beds or body through committing<br />

adultery, "But fornica<strong>to</strong>rs and adulterers God will judge"<br />

(Hebrews 13:4).<br />

The Apostle draws <strong>the</strong> evangelical style of matrimonial<br />

purity by saying, "Let each man have his own wife and let<br />

each woman have her own husband. Let <strong>the</strong> husband<br />

render <strong>to</strong> his wife <strong>the</strong> affection due <strong>to</strong> her and likewise<br />

142

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