by Elder Joseph of Vatopaidi
You see what a great thing is faith? This is precisely what God asks of
humanity. And we continuously hear that beautiful hymn of the Apostle Paul. For
it is not simply an epistle, or a letter, which was written by an illumined
man. This is a God-revealed hymn: "[All the Saints] through faith subdued
kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped mouths of lions,
quenched the power of fire, escaped the mouth of the sword, were made powerful
out of infirmities, became strong in battle. Women received by a rising again
their dead, and others were tortured, not accepting the redemption, that a
better rising again they might receive, and others of mockings and scourgings
did receive trial, and yet of bonds and imprisonment; they were stoned, they
were sawn asunder, they were tried; in the killing of the sword they died; they
went about in sheepskins, in goatskins -- being destitute, afflicted,
injuriously treated..."(Heb. 11:33-37). And as you know, the splendid hymn
continues.
