a messanger of grace

This morning, I got a very beautiful moment with my friend to watch the Les Miserables from the DVD which we borrowed from our Canadian lecturer. We really enjoyed so much that film and for me personally even though it's a classical story, but that's the first time for me to really watch it. And I praise the Lord once again for still allowing me to share my life among my friends here.

Recently this week, I have been reading such amazing stories of Holy Patriarch Pavle and until now, I am still amazed. To read about his humility, holiness, purity and his whole life is really a great joy and blessing. Glory to Thee, O God! I couldn't hold my tear of amazement to hear the stories. What a saint! Here are some stories posted by brother Romanos (click) here and here and Father Milovan here and here.

And glory to God for allowing me to have this little time to reflect and glorify Him for His love and faithfulness for me the unworthy one. Lord, How great art Thou among Thy saints! It's amazed me to be reminded that Thou sought us in humility, came to our lowliness and even visited us in our pain to bear our pain and invited us to Thy very life. It's amazed me to see Thy servant as a messenger of grace: expecting pain so obediently, so that he might be a great help for those who are suffering, to bring them into Thy eternal green pastureland. Like Christ Who is full of compassionate and mercy, wholeheartedly with open hand received and being friend of 'sinners' and the rejected, restored them, healed them and above all, giving them and us Life, he kept much silent for his own cares and looked after those whose God loves so deeply.

Lord, grant me the unworthy one a gentle and compassionate heart in following Thy step
Gladly knowing that I am Thine
Joyfully follow Thy steps even though the world hates us so deeply,
Lord, grace my poor mind to expect the pain, any spiritual pain in each moment
if in that pain I might be like Thee and behind Thee
to be attracted to Thy Holy Will
to be crucified with Thee
so that I might see Thee in awe and love
see others compassionately and burned with love
to stay with them, to feel their longing for Thee
to love them as Thou Thyself love me and them greatly!
Lord have mercy on me, Thy unworthy servant!
Amen.

Holy Martyr Plato

This morning, while reading the life of the saint of the day, I am amazed with this great story of Holy Martyr Plato in The Prologue from Ohrid by St. Nikolai Velimirovich:

Plato was from the town of Ancyra in Galatia. He was a Christian by birth and upbringing. While in his youth, he showed great perfection in every virtue. Plato did not conceal his faith in Christ the Lord, but preached it openly, denouncing idolaters because of their worshiping lifeless objects in place of the Living Creator. For this, he was brought to trial before Governor Agrippinus, and was interrogated and harshly tortured by him. When the governor counseled him to avoid death and save his life by worshiping the idols, Plato said: "There are two deaths, the one temporal and the other eternal; so also are there two lives, one of short duration and the other without end.'' Then Agrippinus subjected him to even harsher tortures. Among other tortures, red-hot cannon balls were set on the saint's naked body; then they cut strips from his skin. "Torture me more harshly,'' the martyr cried out to the torturers, "so that your inhumanity and my endurance may be seen more clearly.'' When the torturer reminded the martyr that his namesake, Plato the philosopher, was a pagan, the martyr replied: ``I am not like Plato, nor is Plato like me except in name. I learn and teach the wisdom of Christ, but Plato was a teacher of wisdom that is foolishness to God.'' After that, Plato was thrown into prison, where he remained for eighteen days without food and water. When the guards were amazed that Plato was able to live in hunger for so long, he told them: "You are satisfied by meat, but I, by holy prayers. Wine gladdens you, but Christ the True Vine gladdens me.'' Plato was beheaded in about the year 266 and received his wreath of eternal glory.