[Readingsandsaints] Readings and Saints

Sat Dec 1 05:00:14 CST 2007

Scripture Readings and Saints for Sat Dec 1 2007

----------------------------------------------------
------ READINGS FOR TODAY ----------------------------
----------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------

2 Thessalonians 3:6-18
6 But we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
that you withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly and not
according to the tradition which he received from us.
7 For you yourselves know how you ought to follow us, for we were not
disorderly among you;
8 nor did we eat anyone's bread free of charge, but worked with labor
and toil night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you,
9 not because we do not have authority, but to make ourselves an
example of how you should follow us.
10 For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone
will not work, neither shall he eat.
11 For we hear that there are some who walk among you in a disorderly
manner, not working at all, but are busybodies.
12 Now those who are such we command and exhort through our Lord Jesus
Christ that they work in quietness and eat their own bread.
13 But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary in doing good.
14 And if anyone does not obey our word in this epistle, note that
person and do not keep company with him, that he may be ashamed.
15 Yet do not count him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.
16 Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace always in every
way. The Lord be with you all.
17 The salutation of Paul with my own hand, which is a sign in every
epistle; so I write.
18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.
Scripture Reading 1 of 2

-----------------------------

Luke 20:19-26
19 And the chief priests and the scribes that very hour sought to lay
hands on Him, but they feared the people -for they knew He had spoken
this parable against them.
20 So they watched Him, and sent spies who pretended to be righteous,
that they might seize on His words, in order to deliver Him to the
power and the authority of the governor.
21 Then they asked Him, saying, "Teacher, we know that You say and
teach rightly, and You do not show personal favoritism, but teach the
way of God in truth:
22 Is it lawful for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?
23 But He perceived their craftiness, and said to them, "Why do you
test Me?
24 Show Me a denarius. Whose image and inscription does it have? They
answered and said, "Caesar's."
25 And He said to them, "Render therefore to Caesar the things that
are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's."
26 But they could not catch Him in His words in the presence of the
people. And they marveled at His answer and kept silent.
Scripture Reading 2 of 2

----------------------------------------------------
------ SAINTS/FEASTS FOR TODAY ----------------------------
----------------------------------------------------

Prophet Nahum
The Holy Prophet Nahum, whose name means "God consoles," was from the
village of Elkosh (Galilee). He lived during the seventh century B.C.
The Prophet Naum prophesies the ruin of the Assyrian city of Nineveh
because of its iniquity, the destruction of the Israelite kingdom, and
the blasphemy of King Sennacherib against God. The Assyrian king
Ashurbanipal died in 632 B.C., and over the next two decades, his
empire began to crumble. Nineveh fell in 612 B.C.
Nahum differs from most of the prophets in as much as he does not
issue any call to repentance, nor does he denounce Israel for
infidelity to God.
Details of the prophet's life are unknown. He died at the age of
forty-five, and was buried in his native region. He is the seventh of
the Twelve Minor Prophets
The Prophet Nahum and St Nahum of Ochrid (December 23) are invoked for
people with mental disorders.
_________________________________________________________________
Righteous Philaret the Merciful of Amnia in Asia Minor
Righteous Philaret the Merciful, son of George and Anna, was raised in
piety and the fear of God. He lived during the eighth century in the
village of Amneia in the Paphlagonian district of Asia Minor. His
wife, Theoseba, was from a rich and illustrious family, and they had
three children: a son John, and daughters Hypatia and Evanthia.
Philaret was a rich and illustrious dignitary, but he did not hoard
his wealth. Knowing that many people suffered from poverty, he
remembered the words of the Savior about the dread Last Judgment and
about "these least ones" (Mt. 25:40); the the Apostle Paul's reminder
that we will take nothing with us from this world (1 Tim 6:7); and the
assertion of King David that the righteous would not be forsaken (Ps
36/37:25). Philaret, whose name means "lover of virtue," was famed for
his love for the poor.
One day Ishmaelites [Arabs] attacked Paphlagonia, devastating the land
and plundering the estate of Philaret. There remained only two oxen, a
donkey, a cow with her calf, some beehives, and the house. But he also
shared them with the poor. His wife reproached him for being heartless
and unconcerned for his own family. Mildly, yet firmly he endured the
reproaches of his wife and the jeers of his children. "I have hidden
away riches and treasure," he told his family, "so much that it would
be enough for you to feed and clothe yourselves, even if you lived a
hundred years without working."
The saint's gifts always brought good to the recipient. Whoever
received anything from him found that the gift would multiply, and
that person would become rich. Knowing this, a certain man came to St
Philaret asking for a calf so that he could start a herd. The cow
missed its calf and began to bellow. Theoseba said to her husband,
"You have no pity on us, you merciless man, but don't you feel sorry
for the cow? You have separated her from her calf." The saint praised
his wife, and agreed that it was not right to separate the cow and the
calf. Therefore, he called the poor man to whom he had given the calf
and told him to take the cow as well.
That year there was a famine, so St Philaret took the donkey and went
to borrow six bushels of wheat from a friend of his. When he returned
home, a poor man asked him for a little wheat, so he told his wife to
give the man a bushel. Theoseba said, "First you must give a bushel to
each of us in the family, then you can give away the rest as you
choose." Philaretos then gave the man two bushels of wheat. Theoseba
said sarcastically, "Give him half the load so you can share it." The
saint measured out a third bushel and gave it to the man. Then
Theoseba said, "Why don't you give him the bag, too, so he can carry
it?" He gave him the bag. The exasperated wife said, "Just to spite
me, why not give him all the wheat." St Philaret did so.
Now the man was unable to lift the six bushels of wheat, so Theoseba
told her husband to give him the donkey so he could carry the wheat
home. Blessing his wife, Philaret gave the donkey to the man, who went
home rejoicing. Theoseba and the children wept because they were
hungry.
The Lord rewarded Philaret for his generosity: when the last measure
of wheat was given away, a old friend sent him forty bushels. Theoseba
kept most of the wheat for herself and the children, and the saint
gave away his share to the poor and had nothing left. When his wife
and children were eating, he would go to them and they gave him some
food. Theoseba grumbled saying, "How long are you going to keep that
treasure of yours hidden? Take it out so we can buy food with it."
During this time the Byzantine empress Irene (797-802) was seeking a
bride for her son, the future emperor Constantine Porphyrogenitos
(780-797). Therefore, emissaries were sent throughout all the Empire
to find a suitable girl, and the envoys came to Amneia.
When Philaret and Theoseba learned that these most illustrious guests
were to visit their house, Philaret was very happy, but Theoseba was
sad, for they did not have enough food. But Philaret told his wife to
light the fire and to decorate their home. Their neighbors, knowing
that imperial envoys were expected, brought everything required for a
rich feast.
The envoys were impressed by the saint's daughters and granddaughters.
Seeing their beauty, their deportment, their clothing, and their
admirable qualities, the envoys agreed that Philaret' granddaughter,
Maria was exactly what they were looking for. This Maria exceeded all
her rivals in quality and modesty and indeed became Constantine's
wife, and the emperor rewarded Philaret.
Thus fame and riches returned to Philaret. But just as before, this
holy lover of the poor generously distributed alms and provided a
feast for the poor. He and his family served them at the meal.
Everyone was astonished at his humility and said: "This is a man of
God, a true disciple of Christ."
He ordered a servant to take three bags and fill one with gold, one
with silver, and one with copper coins. When a beggar approached,
Philaret ordered his servant to bring forth one of the bags, whichever
God's providence would ordain. Then he would reach into the bag and
give to each person, as much as God willed.
St Philaret refused to wear fine clothes, nor would he accept any
imperial rank. He said it was enough for him to be called the
grandfather of the Empress. The saint reached ninety years of age and
knew his end was approaching. He went to the Rodolpheia ("The
Judgment") monastery in Constantinople. He gave some gold to the
Abbess and asked her to allow him to be buried there, saying that he
would depart this life in ten days.
He returned home and became ill. On the tenth day he summoned his
family, he exhorted them to imitate his love for the poor if they
desired salvation. Then he fell asleep in the Lord. He died in the
year 792 and was buried in the Rodolpheia Judgment monastery in
Constantinople.
The appearance of a miracle after his death confirmed the sainthood of
Righteous Philaret. As they bore the body of the saint to the
cemetery, a certain man, possessed by the devil, followed the funeral
procession and tried to overturn the coffin. When they reached the
grave, the devil threw the man down on the ground and went out of him.
Many other miracles and healings also took place at the grave of the
saint.
After the death of the righteous Philaret, his wife Theoseba worked at
restoring monasteries and churches devastated during a barbarian
invasion.
_________________________________________________________________
Martyr Ananias of Persia
While Saint Ananias was being tortured for his belief in Christ, he
said, "I see a ladder leading to heaven, and radiant men calling me to
a marvelous city of light.
_________________________________________________________________