Sunday Readings

1 Corinthians 2:1-10
When I came to you, brothers, proclaiming the mystery of God, I did not come with sublimity of words or of wisdom. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified. I came to you in weakness and fear and much trembling, and my message and my proclamation were not with persuasive (words of) wisdom, but with a demonstration of spirit and power, so that your faith might rest not on human wisdom but on the power of God. Yet we do speak a wisdom to those who are mature, but not a wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age who are passing away. Rather, we speak God’s wisdom, mysterious, hidden, which God predetermined before the ages for our glory, and which none of the rulers of this age knew; for if they had known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But as it is written: “What eye has not seen, and ear has not heard, and what has not entered the human heart, what God has prepared for those who love him,” this God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit scrutinizes everything, even the depths of God.

John 14:21-27
Whoever has my commandments and observes them is the one who loves me. And whoever loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and reveal myself to him.” Judas, not the Iscariot, said to him, “Master, (then) what happened that you will reveal yourself to us and not to the world?” Jesus answered and said to him, “Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words; yet the word you hear is not mine but that of the Father who sent me. “I have told you this while I am with you. The Advocate, the holy Spirit that the Father will send in my name–he will teach you everything and remind you of all that (I) told you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid.

PRAYER – The Return of Christ, a hymn for Safro according to the Prayer of the Faithful of the Maronite Rite
At the end of time, when the combat will end, You will come in glory for the final gathering of the bridal party;You will revive the dead who are sleeping, the scattered and the corrupt; You will judge Your servants with love – this is the happiness of paradise.What has not occurred to the human heart and what the ear has not heard, You have prepared as a reward for the combatants, at the fullness of time.

St. Leontius of Tripoli

In the ancient city of Constantinople the city of Emperor Constantine the largest collection of mosaics under one roof and the largest church at the time was called Haggai Sophia whose name translates as Holy Wisdom. In the Old Testament wisdom is described as the firstborn of creation and the greatest gift of God. Paul calls Jesus, “wisdom”, John refers to Jesus as “word” or “logos,” and Jesus calls Himself the truth. For the early church, wisdom was a way to describe the divinity and eternity of Jesus to a Jewish audience. In the Old Testament wisdom and law are related and juxtaposed and in the gospel Jesus explains that for a Christian right action, “keeping my word” becomes an expression of the eternal wisdom of God which is intimate knowledge of God. Wisdom is to love God because we know Him in Jesus, who is called “the Wisdom of God.”