By Archpriest Rodion Putyatin
"Now the Powers of Heaven serve with us invisibly; behold, the King of Glory enters."
"Now the Powers of Heaven serve with us invisibly; behold, the King of Glory enters."
What are these Heavenly Powers invisibly serving with us, listeners? Archangels and Angels, Cherubim and Seraphim and other Incorporeal Powers, whose main dwelling is Heaven, that is why they are called Heavenly. Yes, these are the Heavenly Powers that serve with us. In addition, each of us has, as you know, our own Guardian Angel. These Guardian Angels also belong to the Powers of Heaven, so they also serve invisibly with us. Now they serve with us. When is now? At the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts. However, at every Liturgy, the Heavenly Powers invisibly serve with us, and not only at the Liturgy, but also at every church service, they serve with us. It is only during the Liturgy that the Heavenly Powers serve invisibly with us. Why? Because the King of glory, the Lord of hosts, Jesus Christ, is with us primarily at the Liturgy.
Christian Listeners! When we gather in church, when we serve here, sing, read, and perform sacred rites in this way, then our Guardian Angels and other Holy Powers of Heaven - Cherubim, Seraphim, Archangels, Angels - serve invisibly with us. That is why, in the church, thoughts and desires of the holy, heavenly ones easily come to us, unless we ourselves drive them away from us with our absent-mindedness, inattention and carelessness.
And what powers are with you in your secular, worldly meetings, where you also sing, read, act? Are the Powers of Heaven with you there? Hardly, because in secular, worldly assemblies, Jesus Christ is hardly ever present, and His name is hardly ever heard there. And where there is no Jesus Christ, there are no Heavenly Powers with us, because the Heavenly Powers are with us only for the sake of Jesus Christ, according to Him and with Him.
What powers minister invisibly in secular, worldly assemblies when Jesus Christ is not there? Some serve, but not heavenly ones, not holy powers. There not even our Guardian Angel is with us, at least it is very possible that we are there without him. Just as the bees fly away from those places where smoke goes and spreads, so the Holy Angels cannot be in those gatherings where the stench of the world smokes, spreads, swirls. That is why people who are in secular assemblies easily come and for a long time there remain impure, sinful thoughts and desires, they come and remain for a long time, so that it is very difficult for them to part with them afterward even at home.
So, listeners, go to the church of God: here the Heavenly Powers serve with us invisibly, here the Lord of the Powers, the King of Glory, Jesus Christ is with us, and here heavenly, holy, pure thoughts will easily come to mind. In the assemblies of worldly, secular powers that are not heavenly, powers that are not holy serve invisibly, and there unwittingly the impure and sinful will come to mind. Amen.
Christian Listeners! When we gather in church, when we serve here, sing, read, and perform sacred rites in this way, then our Guardian Angels and other Holy Powers of Heaven - Cherubim, Seraphim, Archangels, Angels - serve invisibly with us. That is why, in the church, thoughts and desires of the holy, heavenly ones easily come to us, unless we ourselves drive them away from us with our absent-mindedness, inattention and carelessness.
And what powers are with you in your secular, worldly meetings, where you also sing, read, act? Are the Powers of Heaven with you there? Hardly, because in secular, worldly assemblies, Jesus Christ is hardly ever present, and His name is hardly ever heard there. And where there is no Jesus Christ, there are no Heavenly Powers with us, because the Heavenly Powers are with us only for the sake of Jesus Christ, according to Him and with Him.
What powers minister invisibly in secular, worldly assemblies when Jesus Christ is not there? Some serve, but not heavenly ones, not holy powers. There not even our Guardian Angel is with us, at least it is very possible that we are there without him. Just as the bees fly away from those places where smoke goes and spreads, so the Holy Angels cannot be in those gatherings where the stench of the world smokes, spreads, swirls. That is why people who are in secular assemblies easily come and for a long time there remain impure, sinful thoughts and desires, they come and remain for a long time, so that it is very difficult for them to part with them afterward even at home.
So, listeners, go to the church of God: here the Heavenly Powers serve with us invisibly, here the Lord of the Powers, the King of Glory, Jesus Christ is with us, and here heavenly, holy, pure thoughts will easily come to mind. In the assemblies of worldly, secular powers that are not heavenly, powers that are not holy serve invisibly, and there unwittingly the impure and sinful will come to mind. Amen.