Ye Shall Be A Blessing

Friday. So will I save you, and ye shall be a blessing, promises the Lord through the prophet Zechariah (Zech. 8:7–23). But under what con‐dition? Under the condition that ev‐ery man will speak the truth to his neighbour, that men will righteous‐ly sort out their affairs amongst themselves, that men will not re‐member wrongs in their hearts a‐gainst their neighbour, that they will love no false oath, and will love truth and peace. If these conditions are met, says the Lord, they shall be My people, and I will be their God, in truth and righteousness (Zech. 8:8), and His blessing shall spread among them. Then all strangers shall hear and say, “Let us go speedily to them to pray before the Lord, for we have heard that the Lord is with them (cf. Zech. 8:21–3). Yea, many people and strong nations shall come to seek the Lord of hosts (Zech. 8:22). Thus did the high moral purity of the first Christians attract people and na‐tions to the Lord. Those who live al‐ways according to the spirit of Christ are, without the use of words, the best preachers of Christ and the most convincing apostles of Chris‐tianity.

Saint Theophan the Recluse