[Readingsandsaints] Readings and Saints

Sat Jul 21 05:00:24 CDT 2007

Scripture Readings and Saints for Sat Jul 21 2007

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1 Corinthians 11:8-22  (Friday)
8 For man is not from woman, but woman from man.
9 Nor was man created for the woman, but woman for the man.
10 For this reason the woman ought to have a symbol of authority on
her head, because of the angels.
11 Nevertheless, neither is man independent of woman, nor woman
independent of man, in the Lord.
12 For as woman came from man, even so man also comes through woman;
but all things are from God.
13 Judge among yourselves. Is it proper for a woman to pray to God
with her head uncovered?
14 Does not even nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair,
it is a dishonor to him?
15 But if a woman has long hair, it is a glory to her; for her hair is
given to her for a covering.
16 But if anyone seems to be contentious, we have no such custom, nor
do the churches of God.
17 Now in giving these instructions I do not praise you, since you
come together not for the better but for the worse.
18 For first of all, when you come together as a church, I hear that
there are divisions among you, and in part I believe it.
19 For there must also be factions among you, that those who are
approved may be recognized among you.
20 Therefore when you come together in one place, it is not to eat the
Lord's Supper.
21 For in eating, each one takes his own supper ahead of others; and
one is hungry and another is drunk.
22 What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise
the church of God and shame those who have nothing? What shall I say
to you? Shall I praise you in this? I do not praise you.
Scripture Reading 1 of 4

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Romans 13:1-10
1 Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is
no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are
appointed by God.
2 Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of
God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves.
3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want
to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have
praise from the same.
4 For he is God's minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be
afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God's
minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil.
5 Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also
for conscience' sake.
6 For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God's ministers
attending continually to this very thing.
7 Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due,
customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor.
8 Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves
another has fulfilled the law.
9 For the commandments, "You shall not commit adultery," "You shall
not murder," "You shall not steal," "You shall not bear false
witness," "You shall not covet," and if there is any other
commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, "You shall love
your neighbor as yourself."
10 Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment
of the law.
Scripture Reading 2 of 4

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Matthew 17:10-18  (Friday)
10 And His disciples asked Him, saying, "Why then do the scribes say
that Elijah must come first?"
11 Jesus answered and said to them, "Indeed, Elijah is coming first
and will restore all things.
12 But I say to you that Elijah has come already, and they did not
know him but did to him whatever they wished. Likewise the Son of Man
is also about to suffer at their hands.
13 Then the disciples understood that He spoke to them of John the
Baptist.
14 And when they had come to the multitude, a man came to Him,
kneeling down to Him and saying,
15 Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is an epileptic and suffers
severely; for he often falls into the fire and often into the water.
16 So I brought him to Your disciples, but they could not cure him.
17 Then Jesus answered and said, "O faithless and perverse generation,
how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring
him here to Me."
18 And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him; and the child
was cured from that very hour.
Scripture Reading 3 of 4

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Matthew 12:30-37
30 He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather
with Me scatters abroad.
31 Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven
men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men.
32 Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be
forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not
be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come.
33 Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree
bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit.
34 Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For
out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.
35 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good
things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil
things.
36 But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will
give account of it in the day of judgment.
37 For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will
be condemned.
Scripture Reading 4 of 4

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Prophet Ezekiel
The Holy Prophet Ezekiel lived in the sixth century before the birth
of Christ. He was born in the city of Sarir, and descended from the
tribe of Levi ; he was a priest and the son of the priest Buzi.
Ezekiel was led off to Babylon when he was twenty-five years old
together with King Jechoniah II and many other Jews during the second
invasion of Jerusalem by the Babylonian king Nebuchadnessar .
The Prophet Ezekiel lived in captivity by the River Chebar. When he
was thirty years old, he had a vision of the future of the Hebrew
nation and of all mankind. The prophet beheld a shining cloud, with
fire flashing continually, and in the midst of the fire, gleaming
bronze. He also saw four living creatures in the shape of men, but
with four faces (Ez. 1:6). Each had the face of a man in front, the
face of a lion on the right, the face of an ox on the left, and the
face of an eagle at the back (Ez. 1:10). There was a wheel on the
earth beside each creature, and the rim of each wheel was full of
eyes.
Over the heads of the creatures there seemed to be a firmament,
shining like crystal. Above the firmament was the likeness of a
throne, like glittering sapphire in appearance. Above this throne was
the likeness of a human form, and around Him was a rainbow (Ez.
1:4-28).
According to the explanation of the Fathers of the Church, the human
likeness upon the sapphire throne prefigures the Incarnation of the
Son of God from the Most Holy Virgin Mary, who is the living Throne of
God. The four creatures are symbols of the four Evangelists: a man (St
Matthew), a lion (St Mark), an ox (St Luke), and an eagle (St John);
the wheel with the many eyes is meant to suggest the sharing of light
with all the nations of the earth. During this vision the holy prophet
fell down upon the ground out of fear, but the voice of God commanded
him to get up. He was told that the Lord was sending him to preach to
the nation of Israel. This was the begining of Ezekiel's prophetic
service.
The Prophet Ezekiel announces to the people of Israel, held captive in
Baylon, the tribulations it would face for not remaining faithful to
God. The prophet also proclaimed a better time for his
fellow-countrymen, and he predicted their return from Babylon, and the
restoration of the Jerusalem Temple.
There are two significant elements in the vision of the prophet: the
vision of the temple of the Lord, full of glory (Ez. 44:1-10); and the
bones in the valley, to which the Spirit of God gave new life (Ez.
37:1-14). The vision of the temple was a mysterious prefiguring of the
race of man freed from the working of the Enemy and the building up of
the Church of Christ through the redemptive act of the Son of God,
incarnate of the Most Holy Theotokos. Ezekiel's description of the
shut gate of the sanctuary, through which the Lord God would enter
(Ez. 44: 2), is a prophecy of the Virgin giving birth to Christ, yet
remaining a virgin. The vision of the dry bones prefigured the
universal resurrection of the dead, and the new eternal life bestowed
by the Lord Jesus Christ.
The holy Prophet Ezekiel received from the Lord the gift of
wonderworking. He, like the Prophet Moses, divided the waters of the
river Chebar, and the Hebrews crossed to the opposite shore, escaping
the pursuing Chaldeans. During a time of famine the prophet asked God
for an increase of food for the hungry.
Ezekiel was condemned to execution because he denounced a certain
Hebrew prince for idolatry. Bound to wild horses, he was torn to
pieces. Pious Hebrews gathered up the torn body of the prophet and
buried it upon Maur Field, in the tomb of Sim and Arthaxad,
forefathers of Abraham, not far from Baghdad. The prophecy of Ezekiel
is found in the book named for him, and is included in the Old
Testament.
St Demetrius of Rostov (October 28 and September 21) explains to
believers the following concepts in the book of the Prophet Ezekiel:
if a righteous man turns from righteousness to sin, he shall die for
his sin, and his righteouness will not be remembered. If a sinner
repents, and keeps God's commandments, he will not die. His former
sins will not be held against him, beause now he follows the path of
righteousness (Ez. 3:20; 18:21-24).
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Venerable Simeon of Emessa the Fool-For-Christ
The Monks Simeon, Fool-for-Christ, and his Fellow-Ascetic John were
Syrians, and they lived in the sixth century at the city of Edessa.
>From childhood they were bound by close ties of friendship. The older
of them, Simeon, was unmarried and lived with his aged mother. John,
however, although he was married, lived with his father (his mother
was dead) and with his young wife. Both friends belonged to wealthy
families. When Simeon was thirty years old, and John twenty-four, they
made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem on the Feast of the Exaltation of the
Venerable and Life-Creating Cross of the Lord. On the journey home the
friends spoke of the soul's path to salvation. Dismounting their
horses, they sent the servants on ahead with the horses, while they
continued on foot.
Passing through Jordan, they saw monasteries on the edge of the
desert. Both of them were filled with an irrepressible desire to leave
the world and spend their remaining life in monastic struggles. They
turned off from the road, which their servants followed to Syria, and
they prayed zealously that God would guide them to the monasteries on
the opposite side. They besought the Lord to indicate which monastery
they should choose, and they decided to enter whichever monastery had
its gates open. At this time the Lord informed Igumen Nikon in a dream
to open the monastery gates, so that the sheep of Christ could enter
in.
In great joy the comrades came through the open gates of the
monastery, where they were warmly welcomed by the igumen, and they
remained at the monastery. In a short while they received the monastic
tonsure.
After remaining at the monastery for a certain time, Simeon desired to
intensify his efforts, and to go into the desert to pursue asceticism
in complete solitude. John did not wish to be left behind by his
companion, and he decided to share with him the work of a
desert-dweller. The Lord revealed the intentions of the companions to
Igumen Nikon, and on that night when Sts Simeon and John intended to
depart the monastery, he himself opened the gates for them. He prayed
with them, gave them his blessing and sent them into the wilderness.
When they began their life in the desert, the spiritual brothers at
first experienced the strong assaults of the devil. They were tempted
by grief over abandoning their families, and the demons tried to
discourage the ascetics, subjecting them to weakness, despondency and
idleness. The brothers Simeon and John remembered their monastic
calling, and trusting in the prayers of their Elder Nikon, they
continued upon their chosen path. They spent their time in unceasing
prayer and strict fasting, encouraging one another in their struggle
against temptation.
After a while, with God's help, the temptations stopped. The monks
were told by God that Simeon's mother and John's wife had died, and
that the Lord had vouchsafed them the blessings of Paradise. After
this Simeon and John lived in the desert for twenty-nine years, and
they attained complete dispassion (apathia) and a high degree of
spirituality. St Simeon, through the inspiration of God, considered
that now it was proper for him to serve people. To do this, he must
leave the desert solitude and go into the world. St John, however,
believing that he had not attained such a degree of dispassion as his
companion, decided not to leave the wilderness.
The brethren parted with tears. Simeon journeyed to Jerusalem, and
there he venerated the Tomb of the Lord and all the holy places. By
his great humility the holy ascetic entreated the Lord to permit him
to serve his neighbor in such a way that they should not acknowledge
him. St Simeon chose for himself the difficult task of foolishness for
Christ. Having come to the city of Emesa, he stayed there and passed
himself off as a simpleton, behaving strangely, for which he was
subjected to insults, abuse and beatings. In spite of this, he
accomplished many good deeds. He cast out demons, healed the sick,
delivered people from immanent death, brought the unbelieving to
faith, and sinners to repentance.
All these things he did under the guise of foolishness, and he never
received praise or thanks from people. St John highly esteemed his
spiritual brother, however. When one of the inhabitants of the city of
Emesa visited him in the wilderness, asking for his advice and
prayers, he would invariably direct them to "the fool Simeon", who was
better able to offer them spiritual counsel. For three days before his
death St Simeon ceased to appear on the streets, and he enclosed
himself in his hut, where there was nothing except for bundles of
firewood. Having remained in unceasing prayer for three days, St
Simeon fell asleep in the Lord. Some of the city poor, his companions,
had not seen the fool for some time. They went to his hut and found
him dead.
Taking up the dead body, they carried him without church singing to a
place where the homeless and strangers were buried. While they carried
the body of St Simeon, several of the inhabitants heard a wondrous
church singing, but could not understand from whence it came.
After St Simeon died, St John also fell asleep in the Lord. Shortly
before his death, St Simeon saw a vision of his spiritual brother
wearing a crown upon his head with the inscription: "For endurance in
the desert."
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Venerable John the Ascetic and Fool-For-Christ
The Monks Simeon, Fool-for-Christ, and his Fellow-Ascetic John were
Syrians, and they lived in the sixth century at the city of Edessa.
>From childhood they were bound by close ties of friendship. The older
of them, Simeon, was unmarried and lived with his aged mother. John,
however, although he was married, lived with his father (his mother
was dead) and with his young wife. Both friends belonged to wealthy
families. When Simeon was thirty years old, and John twenty-four, they
made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem on the Feast of the Exaltation of the
Venerable and Life-Creating Cross of the Lord. On the journey home the
friends spoke of the soul's path to salvation. Dismounting their
horses, they sent the servants on ahead with the horses, while they
continued on foot.
Passing through Jordan, they saw monasteries on the edge of the
desert. Both of them were filled with an irrepressible desire to leave
the world and spend their remaining life in monastic struggles. They
turned off from the road, which their servants followed to Syria, and
they prayed zealously that God would guide them to the monasteries on
the opposite side. They besought the Lord to indicate which monastery
they should choose, and they decided to enter whichever monastery had
its gates open. At this time the Lord informed Igumen Nikon in a dream
to open the monastery gates, so that the sheep of Christ could enter
in.
In great joy the comrades came through the open gates of the
monastery, where they were warmly welcomed by the igumen, and they
remained at the monastery. In a short while they received the monastic
tonsure.
After remaining at the monastery for a certain time, Simeon desired to
intensify his efforts, and to go into the desert to pursue asceticism
in complete solitude. John did not wish to be left behind by his
companion, and he decided to share with him the work of a
desert-dweller. The Lord revealed the intentions of the companions to
Igumen Nikon, and on that night when Sts Simeon and John intended to
depart the monastery, he himself opened the gates for them. He prayed
with them, gave them his blessing and sent them into the wilderness.
When they began their life in the desert, the spiritual brothers at
first experienced the strong assaults of the devil. They were tempted
by grief over abandoning their families, and the demons tried to
discourage the ascetics, subjecting them to weakness, despondency and
idleness. The brothers Simeon and John remembered their monastic
calling, and trusting in the prayers of their Elder Nikon, they
continued upon their chosen path. They spent their time in unceasing
prayer and strict fasting, encouraging one another in their struggle
against temptation.
After a while, with God's help, the temptations stopped. The monks
were told by God that Simeon's mother and John's wife had died, and
that the Lord had vouchsafed them the blessings of Paradise. After
this Simeon and John lived in the desert for twenty-nine years, and
they attained complete dispassion (apathia) and a high degree of
spirituality. St Simeon, through the inspiration of God, considered
that now it was proper for him to serve people. To do this, he must
leave the desert solitude and go into the world. There he behaved in a
foolish manner. St John, however, believing that he had not attained
such a degree of dispassion as his companion, decided not to leave the
wilderness.
When one of the inhabitants of the city of Emesa visited St John in
the wilderness, asking for his advice and prayers, he would invariably
direct them to "the fool Simeon", who was better able to offer them
spiritual counsel.
After St Simeon died, St John also fell asleep in the Lord. Shortly
before his death, St Simeon saw a vision of his spiritual brother
wearing a crown upon his head with the inscription: "For endurance in
the desert."
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Venerable Onuphrius the Silent of the Kiev Far Caves
The Monk Onuphrius the Silent of the Caves was an ascetic in the Near
Caves of St Anthony in the twelfth century. He is also commemorated on
September 28 (Synaxis of the Fathers of the Near Caves).
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Venerable Onesimus the Recluse of the Kiev Caves
The Monk Onuphrius the Silent of the Caves was an ascetic in the Near
Caves of St Anthony in the twelfth century. He is also commemorated on
October 4, and again on September 28 (Synaxis of the Fathers of the
Near Caves). Back to Top
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---------- The Monk Onesimus of the Caves (XII-XIII), lived in
asceticism at the Kiev Caves Lavra, and became a hermit at the Near
Caves of St Anthony. The saint's holy relics were buried at the place
of his ascetic labors.
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Icon of the Mother of God of Armatia
The Armatia Icon of the Mother of God was in Constantinople at the
Armatian monastery. The place where the monastery was located, was
called "Armation" or "of the Armatians" and received its name from the
military magister Armatias, nephew of the tyrant Basiliscus, and a
contemporary of the emperor Zeno (474-491).
The celebration of the wonderworking icon was established to
commemorate deliverance from the Iconoclast heresy. The Seventh
Ecumenical Council of 787 drew up dogmatic definitions about icon
veneration based on Holy Scripture and Church Tradition.
The Armatia Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos is commemorated twice
during the year, on July 21 and August 17.
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Martyr Salome of Georgia
The details of the life of St. Salome the Georgian are not preserved.
In the Synaxarion of Jerusalems Holy Cross Monastery it is written: On
this day (July 20) we commemorate the martyrdom of Salome the
Georgian, who at first yielded to the Persian threats and renounced
Christ, but later confessed the true Faith. For this she was beheaded
and cast into the flames.
In his famous work _Pilgrimage_, the 18th-century historian and
archbishop Timote (Gabashvili) writes that the godless Persians
captured the holy martyr Salome and tortured her at Jerusalems Holy
Cross Monastery for defending the name of Christ.
Thus it appears that Salome labored at one of the convents in
Jerusalem. It is believed that she was tortured to death after the
martyrdom of Luka of Jerusalem, around the years 12271228.
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