The beloved gives birth to Love, and the immaterial Light gives birth to the unapproachable Light. "This is My beloved Son"—the Son Who appeared on earth without leaving the bosom of the Father. He appeared and did not appear. For He was not what He seemed. Otherwise, judging by appearance, the baptizer has an advantage over the one being baptized. Therefore, the Father sent down the Holy Spirit from Heaven on the one being baptized.

For just as in Noah's ark God's love for mankind was depicted by means of a dove, so here the Spirit, descending in the form of a dove and as if carrying an olive branch, rested on Him of Whom it was testified. Why is that? In order to know the power of the voice of the Father and to believe the ancient prophetic prediction. To what prophecy?-"The voice of the Lord is over the waters; The God of glory roared. The Lord is over many waters" (Psalm 28:3). What voice? "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased," this one, called the son of Joseph, is my only-begotten Son according to the divine essence. "This is My beloved Son." Though He hungers, He feeds thousands; He labors and gives rest to those who labor; "hath not where to lay his head" (Matt. 8:20) and holds all things in his right hand; suffers and heals infirmities; suffers blows (Matt. 26:67) and gives freedom to the world; pierced with a spear into the side (John 19:34) and corrects Adam's rib.

But I ask you to pay attention: for I want to turn to the Source of life, I want to contemplate the Source that exudes healing. The Immortal Father sent into the world the immortal Son and the Word-Son, who came to people to wash them with water and the Spirit, and, having regenerated us to incorruptibility spiritual and bodily, breathed into us the Spirit of life and clothed us with an incorruptible armor. Thus, if man has become immortal, then he will also become a partaker of the Divine nature (2 Pet. 1:4). But if, after being reborn by water and the Holy Spirit, which he received in the font, he becomes a partaker of the divine nature, then even after his resurrection from the dead he becomes a joint heir with Christ (Romans 8:17). And so, with the voice of the preacher, I cry out: Come all nations to the immortality granted in Baptism. I preach life to you who sit in the darkness of ignorance. Come from slavery to freedom, from tyranny to kingdom, from corruption to incorruption. But how, you say, will we come? How? By water and the Holy Spirit. This water, united with the Spirit, is the same water with which paradise is irrigated, the earth is fattened, plants vegetate, animals give birth, in a word, by which the regenerated man is revived, in which Christ was baptized, on which the Holy Spirit descended in the form of a dove.

This is the same Spirit who originally hovered over the waters (Gen. 1:2), by whom the world moves, creation is preserved and everything is made alive - who acted in the prophets (Acts 27:25), descended on Christ (Matt. 3:16). This is the Spirit which was given to the apostles in the form of tongues of fire (Acts 2:3). This is the Spirit that David desired when he said: "And take not Thy Holy Spirit from me" (Psalm 50:13). Gabriel also proclaimed this Spirit to the Most Holy Virgin. "The Holy Spirit shall come upon Thee, and the power of the Most High shall overshadow Thee" (Luke 1:35). By this Spirit St. Peter uttered that blessed word: "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God" (Matt. 16:16). By this Spirit the rock of the Church was established (Matt. 16:18). This Spirit-Comforter (John 14:26) is sent to you for the purpose of showing you that you are a child of God. Come, therefore, man: be reborn, that ye may receive the adoption of God. How? - If you do not commit adultery, kill, serve idols; if you are not conquered by pleasures, if the passion of pride does not dominate you; if you destroy impurity in yourself and cast off the burden of sin; if you put off all the armor of the devil and put on the armor of faith, as Isaiah says: "Wash yourselves... seek the truth, save the oppressed, defend the orphan, intercede for the widow. Then come, and let us reason, saith the Lord. Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red as crimson, they shall be as white as wool. If ye will and obey, ye shall partake of the good things of the earth" (Isaiah 1:16, 17-19).

Do you see how the prophet foretold the cleansing power of Baptism? For he who enters this bath of regeneration with faith denies Satan and is united with Christ, rejects the enemy and confesses Christ as his God, puts off slavery and puts on adoption as sons. He returns from the baptismal font as bright as the sun, shining with the rays of righteousness, and what is most important is that he returns as a son of God and a co-heir with Christ. To Him be glory and dominion with His All-Holy, Good, and Life-Giving Spirit, now and ever, and unto all ages of ages. Amen. Additions to the Church Bulletin. № 2. 1890

MARRIAGE

"Have you not read that He who created male and female in the beginning created them? And He said, Therefore shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife, and the two shall be one flesh, so that they are no longer two, but one flesh" (Matt. 19:4-6).

"Husband, show his wife due favor; like a wife to her husband. The wife has no authority over her own body, but the husband; likewise, the husband has no authority over his own body, but the wife. Do not depart from one another, except by agreement, for a time, for exercise in fasting and prayer, and then be together again, lest Satan tempt you with intemperance" (1 Corinthians 7:3-5).

"He no longer looks upon the offering, nor accepts the propitiatory sacrifice out of your hands. You will say, "Why?" because the Lord was a witness between you and the woman of your youth, against whom you acted treacherously, while she is your friend and your lawful wife. ... Guard therefore your spirit, and let no man do treacherous against the wife of his youth" (Mal. 2:13-14, 15).

"Сказано также, что если кто разведется с женою своею, пусть даст ей разводную. А Я говорю вам: кто разводится с женою своею, кроме вины любодеяния, тот подает ей повод прелюбодействовать; и кто женится на разведенной, тот прелюбодействует" (Мф. 5, 31-32).

Во образ духовного союза Христа с Церковью...

Брак есть таинство, в котором, при свободном обещании женихом и невестою взаимной их супружеской верности перед священником и церковью, благословляется их супружеский союз - во образ духовного союза Христа с Церковью, испрашивается им благодать чистого единодушия к благословенному рождению и христианскому воспитанию детей. Филарет, митрополит Московский (113, 600).

Лучше всего, если Сам Христос присутствует на браке, потому что где Христос, там все обретает достоинство, и вода претворяется в вино, то есть все изменяется к лучшему. Святитель Григорий Богослов (16, 293).

Необходимо призвать священников и молитвами и благословениями утвердить супругов в совместной жизни, чтобы и любовь жениха усилилась, и целомудрие невесты укрепилось, чтобы все способствовало водворению добродетели в их доме, а диавольские козни рассеялись, и супруги в радости проводили жизнь, соединяемые помощью Божией. Святитель Иоанн Златоуст (38, 539).