Festival of St. Athanasius of Alexandria, Bishop, Confessor, and Doctor
Posted on May 2, 2024 by under
Scripture: Colossians 3:12-17 (NKJV)
3:12 Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; 13 bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. 14 But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. 15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. 17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
Devotion
“And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.”
Christians are joined together in the Church as one body; the Body of Christ. We are to help one another, forgive one another, and share the joy of Christ in thankful adoration of God. However, the Church is still made up of poor sinners, justified by faith, and therefore we are constantly under threat from the temptations of the world, the flesh, and the devil.
St. Athanasius experienced such assaults against the faithful as the false teachings of the Arians crept up in the fourth century. Many churches lost their bishops, who became swayed by such false teaching. Athanasius sought to comfort these faithful Christians who no longer had a faithful bishop by encouraging them with pastoral letters, putting on love for these abandoned brothers and sisters in the faith as he encouraged them to remain steadfast.
Such is the life of the Church. A life lived in Christ cannot help but have love for the brethren who are members of the communion of saints. When you or your fellow brethren experience the assaults of the enemy, love them as you both look to Christ in faith. As the elect of God, you put on love for one another because God has loved you in His Son, Jesus Christ.
Collect: O God, who didst give Saint Athanasius as a faithful teacher of the saving truth in a time of great trial, grant Thy people zeal for Thy Word and faithful teachers for Thy Church, that they may stand steadfast against all error, through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, who livest and reignest with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Collect for Cantate Sunday
O God, Who makest the minds of the faithful to be of one will: Grant unto Thy people that they may love what Thou commandest, and desire what Thou dost promise; that, among the manifold changes of this world, our hearts may there be fixed where true joys are to be found; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
