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

V "Bow down Your ear, Oh Lord and hear me...in the
day of my trouble I will call upon You, for You will
answer me" (Psalm 86)
• The Gospel of the Sixth Hour is the start of the famous
Sermon on the Mount. The Lord speaks about the
blessings which shall be bestowed on all who share in
carrying His cross. For example :-
V On the cross Jesus was in the depth of spiritual poverty,
humility and humiliation, and so through these virtues
which He Himself experienced, expresses His words :
"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the
kingdom of heaven."
V Christ on the cross was in the depth of sorrow : "My
soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death" (Matthew
26:3), and hence He consoles the downcast by saying,
"Blessed are those who mourn for they shall be
comforted."
V Christ on the cross was very meek : "He was oppressed
and was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth. He
was lead as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep
before His shearer in silence, so He opened not His
mouth" (Isaiah 53:7). The Lord wants to teach us the
virtue of meekness and so says, "Blessed are the meek
for they shall inherit the earth."
V Christ on the cross was hungry and thirsty - not for bread
and water, but hungered for our salvation, so He called
out, "I thirst" (John 19:28). And so He blesses those
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