[Readingsandsaints] Readings and saints

Fri Mar 2 05:00:17 CST 2007

Scripture Readings and Saints for Fri Mar 2 2007

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------ READINGS FOR TODAY ----------------------------
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Isaiah 7:1-15  (6th Hour)
1 Now it came to pass in the days of Ahaz the son of Jotham, the son
of Uzziah, king of Judah, that Rezin king of Syria and Pekah the son
of Remaliah, king of Israel, went up to Jerusalem to make war against
it, but could not prevail against it.
2 And it was told to the house of David, saying, Syrias forces are
deployed in Ephraim. So his heart and the heart of his people were
moved as the trees of the woods are moved with the wind.
3 Then the Lord said to Isaiah, Go out now to meet Ahaz, you and
Shear-Jashub your son, at the end of the aqueduct from the upper pool,
on the highway to the Fullers Field,
4 and say to him: Take heed, and be quiet; do not fear or be
fainthearted for these two stubs of smoking firebrands, for the fierce
anger of Rezin and Syria, and the son of Remaliah.
5 Because Syria, Ephraim, and the son of Remaliah have plotted evil
against you, saying,
6 Let us go up against Judah and trouble it, and let us make a gap in
its wall for ourselves, and set a king over them, the son of Tabel
7 thus says the Lord God: It shall not stand, Nor shall it come to
pass.
8 For the head of Syria is Damascus, And the head of Damascus is
Rezin. Within sixty-five years Ephraim will be broken, So that it will
not be a people.
9 The head of Ephraim is Samaria, And the head of Samaria is Remaliahs
son. If you will not believe, Surely you shall not be established.
10 Moreover the Lord spoke again to Ahaz, saying,
11 Ask a sign for yourself from the Lord your God; ask it either in
the depth or in the height above.
12 But Ahaz said, I will not ask, nor will I test the Lord!
13 Then he said, Hear now, O house of David! Is it a small thing for
you to weary men, but will you weary my God also?
14 Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin
shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.
15 Curds and honey He shall eat, that He may know to refuse the evil
and choose the good.
Scripture Reading 1 of 3

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Genesis 5:32-6:8  (Vespers, 1st Reading)
32 And Noah was five hundred years old, and Noah begot Shem, Ham, and
Japheth.
1 Now it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the
earth, and daughters were born to them,
2 that the sons of God saw the daughters of men, that they were
beautiful; and they took wives for themselves of all whom they chose.
3 And the Lord said, My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, for
he is indeed flesh; yet his days shall be one hundred and twenty
years.
4 There were giants on the earth in those days, and also afterward,
when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men and they bore
children to them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of
renown.
5 Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth,
and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil
continually.
6 And the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was
grieved in His heart.
7 So the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the
face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the
air, for I am sorry that I have made them.
8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.
Scripture Reading 2 of 3

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Proverbs 6:20-7:1  (Vespers, 2nd Reading)
20 My son, keep your fathers command, And do not forsake the law of
your mother.
21 Bind them continually upon your heart; Tie them around your neck.
22 When you roam, they will lead you; When you sleep, they will keep
you; And when you awake, they will speak with you.
23 For the commandment is a lamp, And the law a light; Reproofs of
instruction are the way of life,
24 To keep you from the evil woman, From the flattering tongue of a
seductress.
25 Do not lust after her beauty in your heart, Nor let her allure you
with her eyelids.
26 For by means of a harlot A man is reduced to a crust of bread; And
an adulteress will prey upon his precious life.
27 Can a man take fire to his bosom, And his clothes not be burned?
28 Can one walk on hot coals, And his feet not be seared?
29 So is he who goes in to his neighbors wife; Whoever touches her
shall not be innocent.
30 People do not despise a thief If he steals to satisfy himself when
he is starving.
31 Yet when he is found, he must restore sevenfold; He may have to
give up all the substance of his house.
32 Whoever commits adultery with a woman lacks understanding; He who
does so destroys his own soul.
33 Wounds and dishonor he will get, And his reproach will not be wiped
away.
34 For jealousy is a husbands fury; Therefore he will not spare in the
day of vengeance.
35 He will accept no recompense, Nor will he be appeased though you
give many gifts.
1 My son, keep my words, And treasure my commands within you.
Scripture Reading 3 of 3

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Hieromartyr Theodotus the Bishop of Cyrenia
The Hieromartyr Theodotus, a native of Galatia in Asia Minor, was
Bishop of Cyrenia in Cyprus. During a time of persecution against
Christians under the impious emperor Licinius (311-324), St Theodotus
openly preached Christ, calling on the pagans to abandon idolatry and
turn to the true God. Sabinus, the governor of Cyprus, ordered that
Bishop Theodotus be arrested and brought to trial.
When he heard about this order, the saint did not wait for the
soldiers to be sent after him, but immediately went to the governor
saying, "I, whom you seek, am here. I have shown myself in order to
preach Christ my God."
The governor ordered that the saint be beaten without mercy, suspended
from a tree, raked with sharp implements, and then be taken to prison.
Five days later St Theodotus was brought to the governor, who presumed
that after his tortures the bishop would prefer to renounce Christ,
rather than endure new sufferings.
However, St Theodotus did not cease to preach about Christ. At first
they put the saint on an iron grate, under which they lit a fire, and
then hammered nails into his feet and let him go. Many witnessed the
sufferings of the martyr. Astonished at the saint's endurance and his
divinely-inspired speech, they came to believe in Christ. Learning of
this, Sabinus gave orders to stop the torture and throw the saint into
prison.
During the reign of St Constantine the Great (May 21), the freedom to
confess their faith was given to all Christians, and among those set
free from prison was St Theodotus. The saint returned to Cyrenia and
after two years serving as bishop he peacefully fell asleep in the
Lord in about the year 326.
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St Arsenius the Bishop of Tver
Saint Arsenius, Bishop of Tver, was born at Tver, and in his early
years received monastic tonsure in the Kiev Caves monastery. Even
among the monks of this ancient monastery, distinguished for their
piety, Arsenius was noted for his saintly life as well as for his
strictness in keeping his monastic vows, his knowledge of the Church
typikon, his study of Holy Scripture, and his love for work.
Under Metropolitan Cyprian of Kiev (1380-1382) he served as
archdeacon, and when the Metropolitan was absent, he governed the
administration of the Kiev metropolitanate. On July 3, 1390 he went
with Metropolitan Cyprian to Tver, where at the request of Prince
Micjae of Tver, a Council of Russian and Greek hierarchs had been
convened to pass judgment upon Bishop Euthymius of Tver.
The prince and the bishop were involved in a lengthy dispute, and many
of the people of Tver made serious accusations against the bishop.
After unsuccessful attempts to restore peace to the Tver church,
Metropolitan Cyprian deposed Euthymius as bishop and sent him off to
Moscow to the Chudov monastery.
St Arsenius was appointed to the Tver cathedra, but he was both
troubled and afraid to accept this position, in view of the great
enmity and spite in that place. Upon the return of Metropolitan
Cyprian and archdeacon Arsenius to Moscow, the Prince sent his nobles
to the Metropolitan with a petition to consecrate Arsenius as Bishop
of Tver. This time Arsenius also refused. In the words of the
chronicle for the year 1390 "even at the Metropolitan's entreaty,
Archdeacon Arsenius would not go to Tver."
After threatening Arsenius with suspension, the Metropolitan and the
Prince finally got him to agree to accept episcopal consecration,
which took place on August 15, 1390. Among the bishops taking part in
the laying on of hands was St Stephen, Bishop of Perm (April 26).
Bishop Arsenius, as a man of great prayer and peacemaker, was able to
end much of the discord in the Tver principality. During his
episcopacy, from 1390 to 1409, cathedrals were built and consecrated
in honor of the Archangel Michael at Staritsa and Mikulina, and the
Savior-Transfiguration cathedral was restored with the construction of
a cathedral belltower. The saint founded the Zheltikov monastery on
the river Tmaka near Tver, where a church was built in honor of Sts
Anthony and Theodosius of the Kiev Caves (1394), and a stone Dormition
cathedral.
Desiring that the monks of this new monastery would always be edified
by the asceticism of the Fathers of the Caves, St Arsenius gave orders
to compile a list from the Kiev Caves Paterikon, using the most
ancient manuscripts of this precious memorial of Russian literature.
This compilation was known as the Arseniev Redaction.
The saint died on March 2, 1409, and was buried in the Zheltikov
monastery of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos, which he
founded. In 1483 his relics were found incorrupt and were placed in
the monastery cathedral. In the same year hieromonk Theodosius
composed a Life and a Canon in honor of the holy bishop.
At a Council of 1547 St Arsenius' commemoration was established
throughout all the Church.
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Virginmartyr Euthalia of Sicily
The Holy Martyr Euthalia lived with her mother and brother in Leontina
on the island of Sicily. Euthalia's mother, a pagan, suffered for a
long while with an issue of blood. Once, the Martyrs Alphaeus,
Philadelphus and Cyprian (May 10) appeared to her in a dream and told
her she would be healed only if she believed in Christ and was
baptized.
After being baptized with her daughter, she was healed of her
infirmity. When Euthalia's pagan brother Sirmianus learned of the
baptism, went into a violent rage. The mother succeeded in fleeing,
but St Euthalia confessed herself a Christian and suffered martyrdom.
After fierce tortures, the saint was beheaded with a sword.
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Martyr Troadius of Neocaesarea
The Holy Martyr Troadius suffered for Christ in Neocaesarea, Pontus
under the emperor Decius (249-251), enduring horrible tortures. St
Gregory of Neocaesarea (November 17) foretold his martyrdom and
witnessed his sufferings in a vision. He also saw the soul of St
Troadius departing from his body and hastening joyfully to Heaven.
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Venerable Agathon of Egypt
Saint Agathon of Egypt, a contemporary of St Macarius the Great
(January 19) and a disciple of St Lot (October 22), he lived in
asceticism in a skete in Egypt. He was distinguished by exceptional
meekness, accounting himself the most sinful of men.
Once, monks who had heard of his discernment came to St Agathon to see
if they could make him lose his temper. They asked him, "Are you Abba
Agathon, a fornicator and a proud man?"
"Yes, that is true," the monk replied.
"Are you the Agathon who is always talking nonsense?" the monks
inquired.
"I am," the saint agreed.
"Are you Agathon the heretic?" the monks persisted.
St Agathon said, "I am not a heretic."
They asked the saint why he agreed with them when they accused him of
vices, but then denied this last charge. Agathon replied, "I accepted
the first accusations, since that was beneficial for my soul. But
heresy is separation from God, and I do not wish to be separated from
God."
Astonished at his discernment, they returned to their monastery,
edified.
When asked which was more important for salvation, bodily asceticism
or interior vigilance, St Agathon said, "Man is like a tree. Bodily
asceticism is the foliage, but interior vigilance is the fruit. Holy
Scripture says that "every tree which does not bring forth good fruit
shall be cut down and thrown into the fire" (Mt.3:10). Therefore, we
should focus our attention on the fruit. But a tree also needs the
protection of its foliage, which is bodily asceticism."
St Agathon died in about the year 435. For three days before his
repose the monk sat in silence and concentration, as though disturbed
about something. When the monks questioned him, he answered that he
saw himself before the Judgment Seat of God. "How is it possible that
you, Father, should fear judgment?" they asked him.
"I have done my best to keep the commandments of the Lord, but I am a
man. How can I be certain that my deeds have been pleasing to God?"
"Do you not trust that all the good deeds which you have accomplished
are pleasing to God?" asked the monks.
"I have no such hope until I see God. His judgment is not man's
judgment." Having said this, the saint departed to the Lord.
St Agathon is commemorated on January 8 on the Greek calendar.
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440 Martyrs slain by the Lombards in Sicily
400 Martyrs Slain by the Lombards in Sicily refused to participate in
idol worship and were massacred by the Lombards (a Germanic tribe) in
the year 579. Among those who perished, the names of the presbyter
Sanctulus and the hermit Hospicius have been preserved.
St Gregory Dialogus (March 12) has written of them.
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St Sabbatius of Tver
Saint Sabbatius of Tver pursued asceticism with the blessing of St
Arsenius, Bishop of Tver, at a distance 15 versts from Tver. St
Sabbatius established a monastery there, known for the strictness and
holiness of its rule. Such ascetics as St Joseph of Volokolamsk
(September 9) and St Cornelius of Komel (May 19) went there to be
instructed in monasticism. The chains found in the cave where St
Sabbatius practiced silence testify to his ascetic deeds. He died no
later than the year 1434.
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Icon of the Mother of God "Enthroned"
The "Enthroned" (or "Reigning") Icon of the Mother of God appeared on
March 2, 1917, the day of Tsar Nicholas's abdication, in the village
of Kolomskoye near Moscow.
In February 1917, an elderly woman named Eudokia saw the Mother of God
in a dream telling her to go to Kolomskoye to find a large blackened
icon in a church. After the vision was repeated three times, she went
to Kolomskoye to search for the icon with the priest Nicholas.
In the basement of the church they found the icon and started wiping
off the accumulated dust. Then they were able to see the Most Holy
Theotokos wearing a crown and sitting on a throne. Immediately, Father
Nicholas celebrated a service of Thanksgiving and an Akathist.
News of the icon's discovery spread throughout Russia, and there were
several miracles of healing from physical and mental infirmities. As
time went by, the icon renewed itself and became brighter and
brighter. Particularly striking was the blood-red robe of the Virgin.
Since the icon was revealed just as the Tsar abdicated, many people
believed that the Queen of Heaven had assumed royal authority over the
Russian land, and so the icon became known as the "Enthroned" (or
Reigning) icon. It was discovered that the icon had come from the
Ascension convent in Moscow. In 1812, before Napoleon's invasion, this
icon and others were sent to Kolomskoye's Ascension church for
safekeeping. Apparently forgotten, the icons were never returned to
Moscow.
A Service and Akathist to the "Enthroned" Icon were composed with the
assistance of His Holiness Patriarch Tikhon (+ 1925). Many copies of
the icon were venerated throughout Russia, but these were confiscated
by the Soviets. The Service and Akathist to the icon were also
forbidden to be served.
The original icon is said to be in the Novodevichy Museum in Moscow,
and there is a copy in the Church of the Kazan Mother of God in
Kolomskoye.
The "Enthroned" or "Reigning" Icon, which belongs to the Panachranta
type, shows the Theotokos seated on a throne with Her Son.
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