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<v Speaker 1>Welcome to Hill Country Homilies. Weekly homilies from Holy Anunciation

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<v Speaker 1>Orthodox Church in Liberty Hill, Texas. Holy Annunciation is an

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<v Speaker 1>old calendar Orthodox Church sharing the faith of the Apostles

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<v Speaker 1>and the love of Christ with all who seek His truth. Now,

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<v Speaker 1>let's listen to this week's homily. O.

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<v Speaker 2>Bless the Lord to be upon me through his grace

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<v Speaker 2>and love for mankind always now never known to ages

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<v Speaker 2>wages glory of our God, Glory to Thee, the name

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<v Speaker 2>of the Father and the Son of the Holy Spirit

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<v Speaker 2>of glory in Jesus Christ, My dear brothers and sisters

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<v Speaker 2>in Christ. On the seventh Sunday of Pentecost, I'd like

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<v Speaker 2>to speak, if only briefly, about our epistle reading for

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<v Speaker 2>this Sunday. That is Poll's Epistle to the Romans. And

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<v Speaker 2>it was a fairly short one, so let me read

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<v Speaker 2>it in its entirety. We, then, that are strong ought

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<v Speaker 2>to bear the infirmities of the week, and not to

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<v Speaker 2>please ourselves. Let every one of us please his neighbor

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<v Speaker 2>for his good to edification, for even Christ please not himself.

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<v Speaker 2>But as it is written, the reproaches of them that

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<v Speaker 2>reproach THEE fell on me. For whatsoever things were written aforetime,

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<v Speaker 2>were written for our learning, that we, through patience and

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<v Speaker 2>comfort of the scriptures, might have hope. Now, the God

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<v Speaker 2>of patience and consolation grant you to be like minded

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<v Speaker 2>one toward another, according to Christ Jesus, that ye may,

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<v Speaker 2>with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the

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<v Speaker 2>Father of our lord, Jesus Christ. Wherefore receive ye one another,

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<v Speaker 2>as Christ also received us, to the glory of God.

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<v Speaker 2>To talk about this epistle because it again speaks to

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<v Speaker 2>a theme that I constantly return to, that we are

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<v Speaker 2>not merely independent agents, each out for our own good,

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<v Speaker 2>each to appease our own needs, and each responsible only

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<v Speaker 2>to ourselves as we struggle in this world. That we

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<v Speaker 2>are not captive to this uniquely American ideal of rugged individualism.

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<v Speaker 2>But rather, we as a people are made for community,

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<v Speaker 2>communion with God, and communion with one another in one body,

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<v Speaker 2>which is the Church of Christ. And in the epistle

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<v Speaker 2>of Saint Paul to the Romans, which we read today,

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<v Speaker 2>we see that communal bond, the communal obligation that we

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<v Speaker 2>have one to another if we purport to be followers

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<v Speaker 2>of Christ. It begins with the very first sentence. We

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<v Speaker 2>then that are strong ought to bear the inference of

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<v Speaker 2>the week. In fact, when Saint John Christism discusses his verse,

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<v Speaker 2>he translates it like this, We who are strong have

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<v Speaker 2>the obligation and comments we have a duty. We are

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<v Speaker 2>not doing a favor. What are we obliged to do? Well?

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<v Speaker 2>What we are to do is to bear the infirmities

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<v Speaker 2>of the week, and not to please ourselves. That is,

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<v Speaker 2>to put the well being of our neighbor above or

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<v Speaker 2>at least equal to our own. We're not to triumph

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<v Speaker 2>in our strength over the weakness of their infirmities. You

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<v Speaker 2>are strong, Paul says, and compromising would not harm you.

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<v Speaker 2>But for other persons the least issue presents a danger

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<v Speaker 2>unless they're supported. What kind of danger? A spiritual danger,

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<v Speaker 2>to be sure, Just as he says in Galatians, Brethren,

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<v Speaker 2>if a man is overtaken and trespass, you, who are spiritual,

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<v Speaker 2>restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness. This

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<v Speaker 2>is not a gift to our neighbors. This, this is

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<v Speaker 2>our obligation to God, which we're called to exercise. For

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<v Speaker 2>we who are strong are not strong by our own merits.

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<v Speaker 2>We're not bold by the fruits of our own virtues.

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<v Speaker 2>But if we are strong in this world is only

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<v Speaker 2>by the gift of God to us, and we are

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<v Speaker 2>to repay this. We're to repay this by correcting the

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<v Speaker 2>weakness of the weak, for we were also weak, but

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<v Speaker 2>by grace we were made strong. One way we do

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<v Speaker 2>this is by bearing their weaknesses as they were our own.

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<v Speaker 2>But this is not for our own amusement, because we

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<v Speaker 2>are told not to please ourselves, but rather let every

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<v Speaker 2>one of us please his neighbor for his good to edification.

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<v Speaker 2>That is, through our forbearance, we are building them up.

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<v Speaker 2>We are giving them a little bit of the strength

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<v Speaker 2>that God has given to us, and we're manifesting those

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<v Speaker 2>gifts of God to them. Saint John Christisma also says,

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<v Speaker 2>let them learn and how strong you really are. Please them,

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<v Speaker 2>even though you are rich, even though you are powerful.

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<v Speaker 2>Do not please yourself, but please the poor and needy person.

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<v Speaker 2>In this way you will enjoy true glory, and you

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<v Speaker 2>will be of great help. The glory of the worldly

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<v Speaker 2>person soon dissipates, but the glory of the spiritual person endures.

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<v Speaker 2>If your purpose is to build up you see, if

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<v Speaker 2>in our worldly pride we only act to please ourselves,

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<v Speaker 2>even if that action may benefit another, it's still a

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<v Speaker 2>selfish action, and it does not make us loving. It

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<v Speaker 2>does not make us good. It doesn't glorify God, even

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<v Speaker 2>if the world pats us on the back and tells

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<v Speaker 2>us how generous we are. In fact, in that way

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<v Speaker 2>it can even be a temptation of pride. But when

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<v Speaker 2>we act to please our neighbor who's struggling, and to

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<v Speaker 2>build them up in faith, we glorify not ourselves but

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<v Speaker 2>God because we're just actually bearing the burdens that our

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<v Speaker 2>struggling neighbor has. We're not just throwing money at a

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<v Speaker 2>problem to make it go away. When we're told to

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<v Speaker 2>bear the infirmities a week, that is precisely what it

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<v Speaker 2>means to take them on to ourselves, to bear all

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<v Speaker 2>the reproaches, all the recriminations, all the pains and the

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<v Speaker 2>struggles of the week, not merely to make a donation

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<v Speaker 2>and think we've done good. And who's our example in

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<v Speaker 2>this none other than the Lord Jesus Christ himself, who

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<v Speaker 2>bore all of our infirmities as a weak and faithless

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<v Speaker 2>people when he voluntarily ascended the cross on Golgatha. Christ

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<v Speaker 2>of course, had the power to avoid the reproaches. He

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<v Speaker 2>had the power to escape the things that he suffered.

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<v Speaker 2>He had the power to come down off of the cross.

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<v Speaker 2>He could have preferred himself and his needs. However, he

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<v Speaker 2>did not want this. He wanted instead to achieve our good.

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<v Speaker 2>To do so, he set aside his own good. And

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<v Speaker 2>for all of this he was reproached and mocked, as

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<v Speaker 2>they called out he saved others, but himself he cannot save.

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<v Speaker 2>So having exhorted us to live out our communal obligations

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<v Speaker 2>to the neighbors, Paul calls us back again to our

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<v Speaker 2>communal life within the church, and he urges us to

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<v Speaker 2>be like minded one to another, according to Christ Jesus,

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<v Speaker 2>that ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God,

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<v Speaker 2>even the father of our lord, Jesus Christ. You see,

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<v Speaker 2>he calls us to love one another, not just as

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<v Speaker 2>some throwaway line, but to act towards one another. According

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<v Speaker 2>to Christ Jesus, our example of love must not be

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<v Speaker 2>the frail and weak human love that we know, but

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<v Speaker 2>that greatest love that Christ shared with each of us.

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<v Speaker 2>That's our goal, that's our calling. That is, my dear friends,

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<v Speaker 2>our obligation and fulfilling that we're called again to the

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<v Speaker 2>unity of the faith, that with one mind and one

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<v Speaker 2>mouth we may glorify God. We live, we love, we

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<v Speaker 2>worship within the one commune unity of the Church of Christ,

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<v Speaker 2>a community of one mind in one mouth, a place

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<v Speaker 2>where we were told to receive one another, even as

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<v Speaker 2>Christ received us, to the glory of God. And here

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<v Speaker 2>we're called to put aside all grievance and animosity towards

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<v Speaker 2>one another, to put aside our own will, and not

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<v Speaker 2>as a matter of barter or exchange. We don't trade

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<v Speaker 2>our love for our brother for their good acts, but

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<v Speaker 2>we offer it freely. As Saint John said, we're called

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<v Speaker 2>to a better citizenship, and have been enroylled, enrolled in

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<v Speaker 2>the heavens. We're subject to better laws. The point is

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<v Speaker 2>not to say these things, but whenever some refuse to

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<v Speaker 2>love you, then show them an even greater love in

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<v Speaker 2>order to win them over. And if we are to

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<v Speaker 2>receive one another as Christ received us, then we are

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<v Speaker 2>not to consider the Church our exclusives club. It's not

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<v Speaker 2>a haven for Greeks alone. We have no political litmus tests.

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<v Speaker 2>We have only the one true faith, and all who

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<v Speaker 2>embrace it the Church is open to them. Them Christ

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<v Speaker 2>considered tax collectors and sinners worthy of his table. His

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<v Speaker 2>concern for the Jewish people matched their disdain for him,

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<v Speaker 2>and actually his concern exceeded their disdain. We must also

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<v Speaker 2>strive to do the same success and this is no

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<v Speaker 2>small matter, since, as the fathers tell us, without love,

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<v Speaker 2>not even the martyrs can please God. So, brothers and sisters,

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<v Speaker 2>as we depart today, let us be edified by the

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<v Speaker 2>words of the Apostle Paul, and let us embrace them,

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<v Speaker 2>building up one another our strength, edifying the weak our hearts,

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<v Speaker 2>embracing all who call out to Christ seeking his Holy Church.

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<v Speaker 2>And may the same God who bore all of our

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<v Speaker 2>infirmities on the cross for our salvation, grant us the

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<v Speaker 2>strength to bear those of our neighbor who's next to

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<v Speaker 2>us struggling, and by such forbearance, to show forth to

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<v Speaker 2>them the light of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ,

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<v Speaker 2>that they too may be deemed worthy of His table

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<v Speaker 2>in this world and in the world to come. In

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<v Speaker 2>the name of the Father and the Son and the

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<v Speaker 2>Holy Spirit. Come in.

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<v Speaker 1>Thanks for listening to Hill Country homilies. For more information,

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<v Speaker 1>visit Holy Annunciation Orthodox Church at www dot Denunciation, TX

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<v Speaker 1>dot com and please join us again next week.