Sunday's Homily Excerpt -June 28, 2020 - Sts. Peter and Paul

…Heavenly, divine things, things which the ‘eye has not seen, nor the ear ever heard…things which have not entered into the heart of man' (1 Cor. 2)--these things must be revealed by the Holy Spirit who is everywhere present and fills all things--the Spirit of Truth--who takes the things of Jesus and delivers them to us. It is this life-giving truth that creates faith and hope and love. It is the pure, pure Gospel. The Truth, that not only brought Sts. Peter and Paul together, and brought them to repentance in humility, but also turned them into lights--lights to lighten the gentiles, and the glory of God’s people, Israel. And for us, they are beloved fathers and teachers and saints. It is their faith in Christ that has immortalized and engraved their names in us forever. I’ll close with a few words from the stichera of 'Lord I Cry' from Vespers last night: 'How shall we worthily sing hymns to honor Peter and Paul? Their hands were filled with grace and truth. Their feet carried them to the ends of the earth, preaching the Gospel of peace. They were driven by the wind of the Spirit and carried up to heaven! They are rivers of wisdom, and upholders of the Cross! Nurturers of the whole world, living tablets of the New Testament—whom Christ, Who has great and rich mercy, has exalted!' Let us strive to imitate their repentance, and also to imitate their love and life-giving faith which enables us to conquer our fears, and our conflicts, and to overcome the world. - Fr. Thomas Frizelle-