Ancient Christian Witness

1 comments:

Anonymous said...

Pray for me a sinner,
Father bless,
Gleanings from Orthodox authors and Holy Fathers,
Do you not see,
brethren,
that we toil for nothing when we pray,
if we have enmity against someone?
And again the Lord says, ‘If you offer your gift at the altar,
and there you remember that someone has something against you, leave your gift before the altar, and go first and be reconciled to your brother,
and then come and offer your gift’. Therefore,
it is clear that if you do not do this first,
all that you offer will be unacceptable,
but if you do the Master’s bidding, then implore the Lord with boldness, saying,
‘Forgive me my debts,
Master,
as I have forgiven my brother,
so fulfilling your commandment. I, weak though I am,
have forgiven’.
For the Lover of mankind will answer,
‘If you have forgiven,
I too will forgive.
If you have pardoned,
I too will pardon your sins.
For I have authority on earth to forgive sins.
Forgive and you will be forgiven’. St Ephrem the Syrian, 'Three Short Discourses',
Pray for me a sinner,
ICXC NIKA
eleni

July 5, 2009 at 3:06 AM