[Readingsandsaints] Readings and Saints

Tue Dec 11 05:00:14 CST 2007

Scripture Readings and Saints for Tue Dec 11 2007

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------ READINGS FOR TODAY ----------------------------
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1 Timothy 5:1-10
1 Do not rebuke an older man, but exhort him as a father, younger men
as brothers,
2 older women as mothers, younger women as sisters, with all purity.
3 Honor widows who are really widows.
4 But if any widow has children or grandchildren, let them first learn
to show piety at home and to repay their parents; for this is good and
acceptable before God.
5 Now she who is really a widow, and left alone, trusts in God and
continues in supplications and prayers night and day.
6 But she who lives in pleasure is dead while she lives.
7 And these things command, that they may be blameless.
8 But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those
of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an
unbeliever.
9 Do not let a widow under sixty years old be taken into the number,
and not unless she has been the wife of one man,
10 well reported for good works: if she has brought up children, if
she has lodged strangers, if she has washed the saints' feet, if she
has relieved the afflicted, if she has diligently followed every good
work.
Scripture Reading 1 of 2

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Mark 8:11-21
11 Then the Pharisees came out and began to dispute with Him, seeking
from Him a sign from heaven, testing Him.
12 But He sighed deeply in His spirit, and said, "Why does this
generation seek a sign? Assuredly, I say to you, no sign shall be
given to this generation."
13 And He left them, and getting into the boat again, departed to the
other side.
14 Now the disciples had forgotten to take bread, and they did not
have more than one loaf with them in the boat.
15 Then He charged them, saying, "Take heed, beware of the leaven of
the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod."
16 And they reasoned among themselves, saying, "It is because we have
no bread."
17 But Jesus, being aware of it, said to them, "Why do you reason
because you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive nor understand? Is
your heart still hardened?
18 Having eyes, do you not see? And having ears, do you not hear? And
do you not remember?
19 When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many
baskets full of fragments did you take up? They said to Him, "Twelve."
20 Also, when I broke the seven for the four thousand, how many large
baskets full of fragments did you take up? And they said, "Seven."
21 So He said to them, "How is it you do not understand?"
Scripture Reading 2 of 2

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Venerable Daniel the Stylite of Constantinople
Saint Daniel the Stylite was born in the village of Bethara, near the
city of Samosata in Mesopotamia. His mother Martha was childless for a
long while and in her prayers she vowed that if she had a child, she
would dedicate him to the Lord. Her prayers were heard, and Martha
soon gave birth to a son, who was without a name until he was five
years of age.
The boy's parents desired that since he was born through the good-will
of God, he should also receive his name from God. They took their son
to a monastery located nearby and approached the igumen. The igumen
gave orders to take down one of the service books, and unrolled it at
random. He found the Prophet Daniel (December 17) mentioned in it.
Thus did the boy receive his name. The parents asked that he might
remain at the monastery, but the igumen would not accept him, since he
was still only a small boy. At twelve years of age, saying nothing to
no one, the child left home for the monastery.
His parents were happy when they learned where their son was, and they
went to the monastery. Seeing that he was still going about in his
worldly clothes, they besought that the igumen should clothe him in
the angelic garb. That Sunday the igumen fulfilled their request, but
permitted them often to visit their son. The brethren of the monastery
were astonished at the saint's ascetical efforts.
Once, St Simeon the Stylite (September 1), visited the monastery. He
foretold to the young monk, that he too would undertake the feat of
pillar-dwelling. St Daniel continued with his ascetic life in
seclusion. When the place of a new exploit was revealed to him in a
vision, he withdrew into the Thracian wilderness together with two
disciples. They set up a pillar, upon which St Daniel dwelt for 33
years. People thronged to the pillar, the unfortunate and those who
were sick, and all received help and healing from St Daniel. Byzantine
emperors also sought the prayers of the holy ascetic. The most notable
of the saint's predictions was about a great fire in Constantinople.
St Daniel possessed also the gift of gracious words. He guided many
onto the path of correcting their lives. The monk reposed in his
eightieth year.
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Venerable Nikon the Dry, of the Kiev Near Caves
Saint Nikon the Dry, the son of rich and illustrious parents, gave up
everything for Christ and became a monk at the Kiev Caves monastery.
In the year 1096, during the incursions of Khan Bonyak, he was taken
into captivity with some other monks. The captors treated St Nikon
harshly, while waiting for a ransom to be paid. When the saint refused
to be ransomed, his masters began to torment him with hunger, and left
him exposed in the heat of summer and the cold of winter. He was
mistreated and beaten every day for about three years, for his captors
thought he would change his mind and send word to his relatives,
asking to be ransomed.
The saint gave thanks to God for everything, and once said to his
tormentor that the Lord, through the prayers of Sts Anthony and
Theodosius would return him to his monastery within three days, as St
Eustratius (March 28) had predicted while appearing to him.
The captor cut the tendons in St Nikon's legs and set a strong guard
over him. But suddenly, on the third day at the sixth hour, the holy
captive became invisible. At the moment the guard heard the words,
"Praise the Lord from the Heavens" (Ps. 148).
St Nikon was transported to the Dormition church, where the Divine
Liturgy was being served. The brethren surrounded him and began to ask
how he got there. St Nikon wanted to conceal the miracle, but the
brethren implored him to tell the truth.
St Nikon did not want to have his fetters removed, but the igumen
said, "If the Lord had wanted you to remain fettered, He would not
have delivered you from captivity."
After a long while St Nikon's former master came to the Kiev Caves
monastery and recognized his former captive, who was withered from
hunger and the loss of blood from his wounds. He came to believe in
Christ, and accepted Baptism. After receiving monastic tonsure, he
became a novice under St Nikon's direction.
St Nikon died at the beginning of the twelfth century and was buried
in the Near Caves. Though he did not enjoy good health in this life,
his holy relics were glorified by incorruption. His memory is
celebrated also on September 28 and on the second Sunday of Great
Lent.
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Martyr Mirax of Egypt
The Holy Martyr Mirax was born into a Christian family living in the
city of Tanis (Egypt) during the seventh century. He was raised in
piety, but yielded to demonic temptation and trampled on a cross. He
went to the Emir, the ruler of Egypt, and taking his sword in hand, he
declared himself a Moslem.
His parents, grieving over the terrible downfall of their son,
incessantly prayed for him. And then the grace of God illumined the
heart of the prodigal. He deeply repented and returned home. His
parents counselled him to acknowledge his fall into darkness and to
show his repentance. St Mirax obeyed them. He went before the Emir and
announced that he had become a Christian once more. The ruler
condemned him to tortures, after which the saint was beheaded and cast
into the sea (this occurred around the year 640).
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Martyr Akepsimas of Egypt
The Holy Martyrs Akepsimas and Aithalas were from Persia. Akepsimas
was a pagan priest in the city of Arbel. Having received healing
through the prayers of a Christian bishop, he was converted to the
faith in Christ and boldly confessed it. For this they threw St
Akepsimas into prison. Soon St Aithalas, a deacon of the Arbel Church,
was imprisoned with him. They brought the martyrs before the ruler,
where they again confessed their faith and were beheaded.
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Martyr Aithalas of Egypt
The Holy Martyrs Aithalas and Akepsimas were from Persia. St Aithalas,
a deacon of the Arbel Church, was imprisoned with St Akepsimas. They
brought the martyrs before the ruler, where they confessed their faith
and were beheaded.
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Venerable Luke the New Stylite of Chalcedon
Saint Luke the New Stylite was a soldier under the Byzantine emperor
Constantine Porphyrogenitos (912-959). During a war with Bulgaria
(917), St Luke remained unharmed through the Providence of God. After
this he became a monk, and having succeeded in his efforts, was
ordained as a presbyter. Striving for an even higher degree of
perfection, the monk put chains upon himself and ascended a pillar.
After three years standing on the pillar, through divine inspiration,
he went to Mount Olympos, and then to Constantinople, and finally to
Chalcedon, where he chose a pillar upon which he remained for 45
years, manifesting a gift of wonderworking. He died in about the year
980.
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Synaxis of the Saints of Georgia
Having examined the history of Georgia and the hagiographical
treasures attesting to the faith of the Georgian nation, we become
convinced that Heavenly Georgia the legion of Georgian saints,
extolling the Lord in the Heavenly Kingdom with a single voiceis
infinitely glorious. It is unknown how many cleansed themselves of
their earthly sins in merciless warfare with the enemy of Christ, or
how many purified their souls in unheated cells through prayer,
fasting, and ascetic labors.
To God alone are known the names of those ascetics, forgotten by
history, who by their humble labors tirelessly forged the future of
the Georgian Church and people.
St. George of the Holy Mountain wrote: From the time we recognized the
one true God, we have never renounced Him, nor have our people ever
yielded to heresy.
A decree of the Church Council of Ruisi-Urbnisi states: We will not
depart from thee, the Catholic Church which bore us in holiness, nor
will we betray thee, our prideOrthodoxyto which we have always been
faithful, for we have been granted the honor to know thee, the witness
of the Truth Itself! This relationship to Orthodoxy is the cornerstone
of the life of every Georgian believer.
It is impossible to count the names of all those Christians who have
been raised up from the earthly Church in Georgia to the heavens, let
alone to describe all the godly deeds they have performed. For this
reason December 11 has been set aside for the commemoration not only
of the saints whose Lives are known to us but also of the nearly three
hundred more whose names, but not stories, have been preserved as
well.
Most Georgian people bear the name of a saint who is commemorated on
this day, and they entreat the saint to intercede before the Lord in
their behalf.
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