The Prologue from Ohrid: Lives of Saints by Saint Nikolai Velimirovič for Old Calendar date May 13, and New Calendar date May 26.
1. THE HOLY FEMALE MARTYR GLYCERIA
Glyceria was the daughter of a Roman governor. Becoming impoverished after her father's death, Glyceria settled in Trajanopolis in Thrace. During the reign of the nefarious Emperor Antoninus, Glyceria was taken to offer sacrifices to the idol of Jupiter [Zeus]. She traced the sign of the cross on her forehead and when the Prefect Sabinus questioned her concerning her lamp, (for all of them carried lamps in their hands), Glyceria pointed to the cross on her forehead and said: "This is my lamp." As a result of her prayer lightning struck the idol and smashed it to pieces. The prefect became angry and ordered her flogged and thrown into prison. The prefect sealed the doors to the prison, determined to starve the virgin to death. However, an angel of God appeared to Glyceria and administered heavenly food to her. After a period of time, when the prefect thought that the virgin must have died from hunger, he opened the doors of the prison and was astonished when he saw her healthy, radiant and joyful. Witnessing this miracle, Laodicius, the jailer confessed Christ the Lord and was immediately beheaded. After that Glyceria was thrown into a fiery furnace but remained unharmed by the fire. Standing in the midst of the fire and, remembering the miracle of the three youths in the Babylonian furnace, Glyceria praised the Lord. Finally, she was thrown to the lions and, praying to God, this holy virgin gave up her soul to the Lord for Whom she bravely endured many tortures. She suffered honorably in the year 177 A.D. A healing oil [myrrh] emitted from her relics which healed the sick of the gravest diseases.
2. THE HOLY MARTYR ALEXANDER
Alexander was a Slav. As an eighteen year old soldier in the army of Emperor Maximilian, he refused the order of the emperor to give honor to the Roman idols and for that which he was handed over to Captain Tiberian, to either counsel Alexander to deny Christ or else torture and kill him. Since all the counseling was in vain, Tiberian took Alexander with him across Macedonia to Constantinople where he traveled for duty. In every town along the way, the young Alexander was cruelly tortured but, in every town, Christians came out before him and begged him for a blessing and they encouraged him in his mortification. Pimenia, his mother, followed after him. During the course of this travel, an angel of God appeared many times to Alexander soothing his pains and encouraging him. In one place, Carasura, the martyr performed a miracle through prayer: when thirst overcame him and the soldiers who escorted him, he brought forth a well of cold water from an arid place. On the shore of the Ergina river, Tiberian ordered the executioner to behead Alexander and to toss his body into the water. When the executioner swung at the martyr's head, he saw radiant angels of God around Alexander and became frightened and his hand dropped. Alexander asked him why his hand dropped and the executioner replied that he sees some radiant young men around him. Yearning death and union with the Lord, Alexander prayed to God to withdraw the angels from him so that the executioner would not be frightened. And thus, the executioner carried out his work in the year 298 A.D. Pimenia removed the body of her son and honorably buried him. Many healings occurred at the grave of the martyr. After death, the martyr appeared to his mother and informed her of her imminent translation to the other world.
3. THE VENERABLES JOHN, EUTHYMIUS, GEORGE AND GABRIEL OF THE MONASTERY IVIRON [MT. ATHOS]
All four venerables were the founders of the famous Iberian [Georgian] monastery on the Holy Mt. Athos. At first, St. John lived a life of asceticism in the Lavra [Monastery] of Athanasius and, after that, founded his monastery, Iviron. John died in the year 998 A.D. Euthymius and George translated the Holy Scripture into the Georgian language. Euthymius died in the year 1029 A.D. and George died in 1066 A.D. Gabriel was found worthy to receive the miracle-performing Icon of the Mother of God which arrived at the monastery by way of the sea.
HYMN OF PRAISE
SAINT GLYCERIA
Glyceria: sacrifice to the gods!
Orders the mindless judge,
Or into the fire, to be consumed you must -
Glyceria ridicules the judge
God is one; "the gods" are demons
Who confuse your mind.
What kind of sacrifice, O mindless man?
Awesome sacrifice, divine and bloody,
That abolished all bloody sacrifices?
One sacrifice, after that sacrifice,
One sacrifice, the Lord seeks from us:
A pure heart; a prayerful altar,
Clean hands; works of mercy,
Faith, hope and charity [love], devout
Such a sacrifice, I endeavor to offer
To the Living God, my Creator;
God, All-holy such a sacrifice desires,
Not a corpse, bloody and dead.
REFLECTION
Concerning the power of death and the power of the Cross of Christ, St. Athanasius writes: "Whose death ever drove out demons? And whose death have the demons been afraid of as the death of Christ? Where the Name of Christ is only invoked, there, every demon is driven out. Who in such a measure tamed spiritual passions in men that the prostitutes live a chaste life and murderers do not use the sword anymore and the fearful become courageous? If not the Faith of Christ? If not the sign of the Cross? And who else has so convinced men in immortality as the Cross of Christ and the resurrection of the Body of Christ? The death of the Sinless One and the Cross of the Lover of men have brought a greater and more lasting victory than all the earthly kings with many multi-millions of armies. Which army was able to defeat a single demon? Meanwhile, only the mention of the Name of the Crucified One on the Cross peels to flight the army of demons. O, if all Christians would know what treasure they have in the Name of Christ, and what kind of weapon they have in the Cross of Christ!
CONTEMPLATION
To contemplate the action of God the Holy Spirit upon the apostles:
1. How the apostles, led by the Holy Spirit, travel throughout the whole world without means and without friends;
2. How they converted the rich and the poor to the Faith of Christ by their word, life and miracles alone.
HOMILY
About how God uses the unbelievers in order to punish the believers
"Nebuchadrezzar, the king of Babylon, my servant" (Jeremiah 25:9).
Is not this a difficult saying? Who can be fed by it? The pagan king, the idolatrous king, the Lord call him His servant. If the servant of God is one who knows the True God and who adheres to the law of God, how then can one be a servant of God who does not know the True God and who does not adhere to the law of God? Truly, the true servant of God is he who knows the True God and who keeps the law of God but when he, to whom God has given the knowledge about Himself and His law, perverts knowing into unknowing and law into lawlessness, then God takes as His servant that ignorant one so as to punish the apostates. For, an apostate from god is worse than a pagan and an apostate from the law of God is lower than an idolater by birth.
Therefore, when Israel, as the ancient Church of God, alienated itself from God and the law of God, God chose Nebuchadrezzar for His servant to punish Israel, the Apostate.
Therefore, when the Christian peoples in Asia and Africa through numerous heresies alienated themselves from God, God took as His servant the Arabs to punish Christians in order to bring them to their senses.
And when the Christian peoples in the Balkans alienated themselves from God and God's law, God invited the Turks as His servants to punish the apostates that by punishment to bring them to their senses.
Whenever the faithful alienate themselves from God, God weaves a whip from the unbelievers to bring the believers to their senses. And, as the faithful consciously and willingly turn away from God, so the unbelievers unconsciously and unwillingly become servants of God; the whip of God.
But God takes the unbelievers only temporarily in His service against the believers. For the land of Nebuchadrezzar, the same Lord says, He will visit it for its lawlessness and "make it perpetual desolations" (Jeremiah 25:12), then will a servant against a servant be found? For God did not take the Babylonians for a servant because of their goodness and faith, rather because of Israel's wickedness and unbelief.
O Righteous Lord, help us by Your Spirit Most-high, to always adhere to You, the One, True God and Your acon saving law.
To You be glory and thanks always. Amen.
Please note: Daily Troparion, Kontakion, Bible readings and lives of Saints are conveniently available via the free Menologion software.
1. THE HOLY FEMALE MARTYR GLYCERIA
Glyceria was the daughter of a Roman governor. Becoming impoverished after her father's death, Glyceria settled in Trajanopolis in Thrace. During the reign of the nefarious Emperor Antoninus, Glyceria was taken to offer sacrifices to the idol of Jupiter [Zeus]. She traced the sign of the cross on her forehead and when the Prefect Sabinus questioned her concerning her lamp, (for all of them carried lamps in their hands), Glyceria pointed to the cross on her forehead and said: "This is my lamp." As a result of her prayer lightning struck the idol and smashed it to pieces. The prefect became angry and ordered her flogged and thrown into prison. The prefect sealed the doors to the prison, determined to starve the virgin to death. However, an angel of God appeared to Glyceria and administered heavenly food to her. After a period of time, when the prefect thought that the virgin must have died from hunger, he opened the doors of the prison and was astonished when he saw her healthy, radiant and joyful. Witnessing this miracle, Laodicius, the jailer confessed Christ the Lord and was immediately beheaded. After that Glyceria was thrown into a fiery furnace but remained unharmed by the fire. Standing in the midst of the fire and, remembering the miracle of the three youths in the Babylonian furnace, Glyceria praised the Lord. Finally, she was thrown to the lions and, praying to God, this holy virgin gave up her soul to the Lord for Whom she bravely endured many tortures. She suffered honorably in the year 177 A.D. A healing oil [myrrh] emitted from her relics which healed the sick of the gravest diseases.
2. THE HOLY MARTYR ALEXANDER
Alexander was a Slav. As an eighteen year old soldier in the army of Emperor Maximilian, he refused the order of the emperor to give honor to the Roman idols and for that which he was handed over to Captain Tiberian, to either counsel Alexander to deny Christ or else torture and kill him. Since all the counseling was in vain, Tiberian took Alexander with him across Macedonia to Constantinople where he traveled for duty. In every town along the way, the young Alexander was cruelly tortured but, in every town, Christians came out before him and begged him for a blessing and they encouraged him in his mortification. Pimenia, his mother, followed after him. During the course of this travel, an angel of God appeared many times to Alexander soothing his pains and encouraging him. In one place, Carasura, the martyr performed a miracle through prayer: when thirst overcame him and the soldiers who escorted him, he brought forth a well of cold water from an arid place. On the shore of the Ergina river, Tiberian ordered the executioner to behead Alexander and to toss his body into the water. When the executioner swung at the martyr's head, he saw radiant angels of God around Alexander and became frightened and his hand dropped. Alexander asked him why his hand dropped and the executioner replied that he sees some radiant young men around him. Yearning death and union with the Lord, Alexander prayed to God to withdraw the angels from him so that the executioner would not be frightened. And thus, the executioner carried out his work in the year 298 A.D. Pimenia removed the body of her son and honorably buried him. Many healings occurred at the grave of the martyr. After death, the martyr appeared to his mother and informed her of her imminent translation to the other world.
3. THE VENERABLES JOHN, EUTHYMIUS, GEORGE AND GABRIEL OF THE MONASTERY IVIRON [MT. ATHOS]
All four venerables were the founders of the famous Iberian [Georgian] monastery on the Holy Mt. Athos. At first, St. John lived a life of asceticism in the Lavra [Monastery] of Athanasius and, after that, founded his monastery, Iviron. John died in the year 998 A.D. Euthymius and George translated the Holy Scripture into the Georgian language. Euthymius died in the year 1029 A.D. and George died in 1066 A.D. Gabriel was found worthy to receive the miracle-performing Icon of the Mother of God which arrived at the monastery by way of the sea.
HYMN OF PRAISE
SAINT GLYCERIA
Glyceria: sacrifice to the gods!
Orders the mindless judge,
Or into the fire, to be consumed you must -
Glyceria ridicules the judge
God is one; "the gods" are demons
Who confuse your mind.
What kind of sacrifice, O mindless man?
Awesome sacrifice, divine and bloody,
That abolished all bloody sacrifices?
One sacrifice, after that sacrifice,
One sacrifice, the Lord seeks from us:
A pure heart; a prayerful altar,
Clean hands; works of mercy,
Faith, hope and charity [love], devout
Such a sacrifice, I endeavor to offer
To the Living God, my Creator;
God, All-holy such a sacrifice desires,
Not a corpse, bloody and dead.
REFLECTION
Concerning the power of death and the power of the Cross of Christ, St. Athanasius writes: "Whose death ever drove out demons? And whose death have the demons been afraid of as the death of Christ? Where the Name of Christ is only invoked, there, every demon is driven out. Who in such a measure tamed spiritual passions in men that the prostitutes live a chaste life and murderers do not use the sword anymore and the fearful become courageous? If not the Faith of Christ? If not the sign of the Cross? And who else has so convinced men in immortality as the Cross of Christ and the resurrection of the Body of Christ? The death of the Sinless One and the Cross of the Lover of men have brought a greater and more lasting victory than all the earthly kings with many multi-millions of armies. Which army was able to defeat a single demon? Meanwhile, only the mention of the Name of the Crucified One on the Cross peels to flight the army of demons. O, if all Christians would know what treasure they have in the Name of Christ, and what kind of weapon they have in the Cross of Christ!
CONTEMPLATION
To contemplate the action of God the Holy Spirit upon the apostles:
1. How the apostles, led by the Holy Spirit, travel throughout the whole world without means and without friends;
2. How they converted the rich and the poor to the Faith of Christ by their word, life and miracles alone.
HOMILY
About how God uses the unbelievers in order to punish the believers
"Nebuchadrezzar, the king of Babylon, my servant" (Jeremiah 25:9).
Is not this a difficult saying? Who can be fed by it? The pagan king, the idolatrous king, the Lord call him His servant. If the servant of God is one who knows the True God and who adheres to the law of God, how then can one be a servant of God who does not know the True God and who does not adhere to the law of God? Truly, the true servant of God is he who knows the True God and who keeps the law of God but when he, to whom God has given the knowledge about Himself and His law, perverts knowing into unknowing and law into lawlessness, then God takes as His servant that ignorant one so as to punish the apostates. For, an apostate from god is worse than a pagan and an apostate from the law of God is lower than an idolater by birth.
Therefore, when Israel, as the ancient Church of God, alienated itself from God and the law of God, God chose Nebuchadrezzar for His servant to punish Israel, the Apostate.
Therefore, when the Christian peoples in Asia and Africa through numerous heresies alienated themselves from God, God took as His servant the Arabs to punish Christians in order to bring them to their senses.
And when the Christian peoples in the Balkans alienated themselves from God and God's law, God invited the Turks as His servants to punish the apostates that by punishment to bring them to their senses.
Whenever the faithful alienate themselves from God, God weaves a whip from the unbelievers to bring the believers to their senses. And, as the faithful consciously and willingly turn away from God, so the unbelievers unconsciously and unwillingly become servants of God; the whip of God.
But God takes the unbelievers only temporarily in His service against the believers. For the land of Nebuchadrezzar, the same Lord says, He will visit it for its lawlessness and "make it perpetual desolations" (Jeremiah 25:12), then will a servant against a servant be found? For God did not take the Babylonians for a servant because of their goodness and faith, rather because of Israel's wickedness and unbelief.
O Righteous Lord, help us by Your Spirit Most-high, to always adhere to You, the One, True God and Your acon saving law.
To You be glory and thanks always. Amen.
Please note: Daily Troparion, Kontakion, Bible readings and lives of Saints are conveniently available via the free Menologion software.
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Охридски пролог
Свети Николај Велимировић Жички.
Охридски пролог
Свети Николај Велимировић Жички.
13. МАЈ (стари) или 26. МАЈ (нови календар)
1. Свештеномученик Артемон. Би свештеник у Лаодикији за време цара Диоклецијана. Пред судијом мучетељем овако је за себе рекао: „Именујем се Артемон, роб Христа Бога мојега; 16 година бех чтец и читах књиге у цркви Бога мојега; 28 година бех ђакон и читах свештено Јеванђеље; 33 године напуних као презвитер учећи људе и настављајући их на пут спасења с помоћу Христовом.” Судија га уведе у храм Ескулапов где жречеви нарочито неговаху велике змије, посвећене томе „богу.” Сви држаху да ће змије угристи Артемона. Но он се прекрсти и силом крста прикова све змије за земљу тако да се не могаху маћи. По том их изведе све у двориште, духну на њих и све их на мах умртви. Сви беху у великом ужасу. А главни жрец тога храма, Виталије, видећи ово чудо, паде на колена пред Артемоном и повика: „Велики је Бог хришћански!” И крсти га мученик са још неким пријатељима његовим. Но злобни судија оста упоран у злоби и мучаше старца Артемона разним мукама. Једном га хтеде бацити у врелу смолу, но сам се с коња врже у њу и изгоре. Беху виђена два орла који падоше на њ, дигоше га с коња и вргоше у смолу. Свети Артемон оста слободан за извесно време и хођаше, праћен увек са два своја омиљена јелена, и учаше народ. Но поново би ухваћен и посечен 303. године. И пресели му се душа у Царство Христа Бога, нашега, коме је Артемон свети верно служио.
2. Свети мученик Крискент. Из града Мира Ликијског. Грађанин чесан и славан. Јавно исповедио своју веру у Христа и наругао се мртвим идолима. Због тога би од незнабожаца огњем уморен.
3. Света мученица Томаида. Рођена у Александрији од чесних родитеља; научена благочешћу од малена и у петнаестој години својој венчана с мужем чесним. Но свекар њен би скверан старац, и у одсуству свога сина нападе на снаху своју и хтеде је обешчастити. Устраши се Томаида и у страху опомињаше свекра на закон Божји, и измицаше из руку његових. После дуге борбе свекар извади нож и закла снаху, па је расече на две половине. У том часу постигне га казна Божја: на мах ослепи и не могадне наћи врата да изађе, него ту у одаји буде затечен и предат суду, који га осуди на смрт. Тако Томаида пострада за заповест Божју о супружанској верности и о чистоти. Дешавало се по том, да су многи будући мучени блудном страшћу, уздизали молитве света Томаиди и добијали од ње крепку помоћ. Велики подвижник Данило пренео је њене мошти у Скит, и тамо их положио у гробље свештеномонаха. Пострада свети Томаида 476. године.
Ко пострада због злочеста дела
С ангелима не има удела;
Ко л’ пострада због Божије воље,
И рад Христа понесе невоље,
Од вернога ил’ од невернога,
Тај ће лице сагледати Бога.
Томаида, Божија слушкиња,
Би по срцу права богомољка,
Но пострада рад Божјег закона
Од својега свекра осиона.
— Прођ’ се, свекре, бедног тела мога!
Зар се вишњег ти не бојиш Бога?
Тело људско — ма да просто блато
Рад душе је од Бога нам дато.
Ако тело грехом упрљамо,
Души својој крила саламамо,
Од Бога је одвајамо живог,
И дајемо у плен нечестивог. —
Слеп од страсти свекар је расече;
— Бог да прости! праведница рече.
Ал’ убицу слепило постиже —
Двострук слепац по Паклу гамиже.
РАСУЂИВАЊЕ
Кад су мученика Крискента, племића Мирликијског, извели на суд, судија га дуго саветоваше, да се поклони идолима. Па кад у том ништа не успе, он најзад рече Крискенту; „Поклони се само телом, а душом клањај се твоме Богу!” На то му честити Крискент одговори: „Не може тело чинити ништа независно од душе, које му је покретач и вођ.” И за то би Крискент убијен. — Јасна поука, да хришћанине може бити дволичан. И још једна више: да хришћанин има дужност и телом служити своме Творцу, а не само душом. Овим се опровргава и лажни став неких хришћана, који телесно живе као незнабошци, а међутим хвале се, да они душом верују у Бога и љубе Бога. Они деле себе у двоје, и стављају се у службу два господара, иако су најсветија уста то огласила за немогућност.
СОЗЕРЦАЊЕ
Да созерцавам васкрслог Господа Исуса, и то:
1. како се због Томе, тренутно јединог неверног међу ученицима, поново јавља у Свом прослављеном телу;
2. како Тома својим прстима опипа ожиљке рана на пречистом телу Господњем, и поверова.
БЕСЕДА
о Томином опиту
Господ мој и Бог мој (По Јовану 20, 28)!
Кад је апостол Тома опипао ране Господа Исуса он је узвикнуо: Господ мој и Бог мој!
Кад је Марија Магдалена чула глас Васкрслог она је у души узвикнула: Господ мој и Бог мој!
Кад је Савле видео светлост и чуо речи Васкрслог, он је признао: Господ мој и Бог мој!
Кад су незнабошци с дивљењем гледали како безбројни мученици радосно подносе муке и питали их ко је тај Христос, свак је одговарао: Господ мој и Бог мој!
Кад су се ругачи ругали војскама испосника и питали их, ко је тај рад кога они налажу на себе тежак подвиг, сви су имали један одговор: Господ мој и Бог мој!
Кад су се подсмевачи подсмевали девојкама, које се заветоваху девствовати, и питали их, ко је тај ради кога се оне одричу брака, све су имале један одговор: Господ мој и Бог мој!
Кад су среброљубци с чуђењем питали многе богаташе, ко је тај рад кога раздају своје богатство и постају сиромаси, сви су они одговарали једно и исто: Господ мој и Бог мој!
Неки Га видеше и рекоше: Господ мој и Бог мој! Неки Га само чуше к рекоше: Господ мој и Бог мој! Неки Га опипаше и рекоше: Господ мој и Бог мој! Неки Га опазише у ткиву догађаја и у судбама народа и рекоше: Господ мој и Бог мој! Неки осетише присуство Његово у животу своме и узвикнуше: Господ мој и Бог мој! Неки Га распознаше по неком знамењу, на себи или на другима, и узвикнуше: Господ мој и Бог мој! А неки пак само чуше о Њему од других, и повероваше, и узвикнуше: Господ мој и Бог мој! Ваистину, ови последњи су најблаженији! Узвикнимо и ми сви од свега срца, ма како да смо дошли до познања Њега или до сазнања о Њему: Господ мој и Бог мој! Теби слава и хвала вавек. Амии.
2. Свети мученик Крискент. Из града Мира Ликијског. Грађанин чесан и славан. Јавно исповедио своју веру у Христа и наругао се мртвим идолима. Због тога би од незнабожаца огњем уморен.
3. Света мученица Томаида. Рођена у Александрији од чесних родитеља; научена благочешћу од малена и у петнаестој години својој венчана с мужем чесним. Но свекар њен би скверан старац, и у одсуству свога сина нападе на снаху своју и хтеде је обешчастити. Устраши се Томаида и у страху опомињаше свекра на закон Божји, и измицаше из руку његових. После дуге борбе свекар извади нож и закла снаху, па је расече на две половине. У том часу постигне га казна Божја: на мах ослепи и не могадне наћи врата да изађе, него ту у одаји буде затечен и предат суду, који га осуди на смрт. Тако Томаида пострада за заповест Божју о супружанској верности и о чистоти. Дешавало се по том, да су многи будући мучени блудном страшћу, уздизали молитве света Томаиди и добијали од ње крепку помоћ. Велики подвижник Данило пренео је њене мошти у Скит, и тамо их положио у гробље свештеномонаха. Пострада свети Томаида 476. године.
Ко пострада због злочеста дела
С ангелима не има удела;
Ко л’ пострада због Божије воље,
И рад Христа понесе невоље,
Од вернога ил’ од невернога,
Тај ће лице сагледати Бога.
Томаида, Божија слушкиња,
Би по срцу права богомољка,
Но пострада рад Божјег закона
Од својега свекра осиона.
— Прођ’ се, свекре, бедног тела мога!
Зар се вишњег ти не бојиш Бога?
Тело људско — ма да просто блато
Рад душе је од Бога нам дато.
Ако тело грехом упрљамо,
Души својој крила саламамо,
Од Бога је одвајамо живог,
И дајемо у плен нечестивог. —
Слеп од страсти свекар је расече;
— Бог да прости! праведница рече.
Ал’ убицу слепило постиже —
Двострук слепац по Паклу гамиже.
РАСУЂИВАЊЕ
Кад су мученика Крискента, племића Мирликијског, извели на суд, судија га дуго саветоваше, да се поклони идолима. Па кад у том ништа не успе, он најзад рече Крискенту; „Поклони се само телом, а душом клањај се твоме Богу!” На то му честити Крискент одговори: „Не може тело чинити ништа независно од душе, које му је покретач и вођ.” И за то би Крискент убијен. — Јасна поука, да хришћанине може бити дволичан. И још једна више: да хришћанин има дужност и телом служити своме Творцу, а не само душом. Овим се опровргава и лажни став неких хришћана, који телесно живе као незнабошци, а међутим хвале се, да они душом верују у Бога и љубе Бога. Они деле себе у двоје, и стављају се у службу два господара, иако су најсветија уста то огласила за немогућност.
СОЗЕРЦАЊЕ
Да созерцавам васкрслог Господа Исуса, и то:
1. како се због Томе, тренутно јединог неверног међу ученицима, поново јавља у Свом прослављеном телу;
2. како Тома својим прстима опипа ожиљке рана на пречистом телу Господњем, и поверова.
БЕСЕДА
о Томином опиту
Господ мој и Бог мој (По Јовану 20, 28)!
Кад је апостол Тома опипао ране Господа Исуса он је узвикнуо: Господ мој и Бог мој!
Кад је Марија Магдалена чула глас Васкрслог она је у души узвикнула: Господ мој и Бог мој!
Кад је Савле видео светлост и чуо речи Васкрслог, он је признао: Господ мој и Бог мој!
Кад су незнабошци с дивљењем гледали како безбројни мученици радосно подносе муке и питали их ко је тај Христос, свак је одговарао: Господ мој и Бог мој!
Кад су се ругачи ругали војскама испосника и питали их, ко је тај рад кога они налажу на себе тежак подвиг, сви су имали један одговор: Господ мој и Бог мој!
Кад су се подсмевачи подсмевали девојкама, које се заветоваху девствовати, и питали их, ко је тај ради кога се оне одричу брака, све су имале један одговор: Господ мој и Бог мој!
Кад су среброљубци с чуђењем питали многе богаташе, ко је тај рад кога раздају своје богатство и постају сиромаси, сви су они одговарали једно и исто: Господ мој и Бог мој!
Неки Га видеше и рекоше: Господ мој и Бог мој! Неки Га само чуше к рекоше: Господ мој и Бог мој! Неки Га опипаше и рекоше: Господ мој и Бог мој! Неки Га опазише у ткиву догађаја и у судбама народа и рекоше: Господ мој и Бог мој! Неки осетише присуство Његово у животу своме и узвикнуше: Господ мој и Бог мој! Неки Га распознаше по неком знамењу, на себи или на другима, и узвикнуше: Господ мој и Бог мој! А неки пак само чуше о Њему од других, и повероваше, и узвикнуше: Господ мој и Бог мој! Ваистину, ови последњи су најблаженији! Узвикнимо и ми сви од свега срца, ма како да смо дошли до познања Њега или до сазнања о Њему: Господ мој и Бог мој! Теби слава и хвала вавек. Амии.
Свети Николај ВелимировићSaint Nikolai Velimirovič
