[Readingsandsaints] Readings and saints

Mon May 21 05:00:44 CDT 2007

Scripture Readings and Saints for Mon May 21 2007

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

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

3 Kings 8:22-23, 27-30  (Vespers, 1st Reading, Saints)
22 Then Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in the presence of
all the assembly of Israel, and spread out his hands toward heaven;
23 and he said: "Lord God of Israel, there is no God in heaven above
or on earth below like You, who keep Your covenant and mercy with Your
servants who walk before You with all their hearts.
27 But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the
heaven of heavens cannot contain You. How much less this temple which
I have built!
28 Yet regard the prayer of Your servant and his supplication, O Lord
my God, and listen to the cry and the prayer which Your servant is
praying before You today:
29 that Your eyes may be open toward this temple night and day, toward
the place of which You said, 'My name shall be there,' that You may
hear the prayer which Your servant makes toward this place.
30 And may You hear the supplication of Your servant and of Your
people Israel, when they pray toward this place. Hear in heaven Your
dwelling place; and when You hear, forgive.
Scripture Reading 1 of 8

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

Isaiah 61:10-62:5  (Vespers, 2nd Reading, Saints)
10 I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, My soul shall be joyful in my
God; For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has
covered me with the robe of righteousness, As a bridegroom decks
himself with ornaments, And as a bride adorns herself wit
11 For as the earth brings forth its bud, As the garden causes the
things that are sown in it to spring forth, So the Lord God will cause
righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.
1 For Zions sake I will not hold My peace, And for Jerusalems sake I
will not rest, Until her righteousness goes forth as brightness, And
her salvation as a lamp that burns.
2 The Gentiles shall see your righteousness, And all kings your glory.
You shall be called by a new name, Which the mouth of the Lord will
name.
3 You shall also be a crown of glory In the hand of the Lord, And a
royal diadem In the hand of your God.
4 You shall no longer be termed Forsaken, Nor shall your land any more
be termed Desolate; But you shall be called Hephzibah, and your land
Beulah; For the Lord delights in you, And your land shall be married.
5 For as a young man marries a virgin, So shall your sons marry you;
And as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, So shall your God
rejoice over you.
Scripture Reading 2 of 8

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

Isaiah 60:1-16  (Vespers, 3rd Reading, Saints)
1 Arise, shine; For your light has come! And the glory of the Lord is
risen upon you.
2 For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, And deep darkness
the people; But the Lord will arise over you, And His glory will be
seen upon you.
3 The Gentiles shall come to your light, And kings to the brightness
of your rising.
4 Lift up your eyes all around, and see: They all gather together,
they come to you; Your sons shall come from afar, And your daughters
shall be nursed at your side.
5 Then you shall see and become radiant, And your heart shall swell
with joy; Because the abundance of the sea shall be turned to you, The
wealth of the Gentiles shall come to you.
6 The multitude of camels shall cover your land, The dromedaries of
Midian and Ephah; All those from Sheba shall come; They shall bring
gold and incense, And they shall proclaim the praises of the Lord.
7 All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered together to you, The rams
of Nebaioth shall minister to you; They shall ascend with acceptance
on My altar, And I will glorify the house of My glory.
8 Who are these who fly like a cloud, And like doves to their roosts?
9 Surely the coastlands shall wait for Me; And the ships of Tarshish
will come first, To bring your sons from afar, Their silver and their
gold with them, To the name of the Lord your God, And to the Holy One
of Israel, Because He has glorified you.
10 The sons of foreigners shall build up your walls, And their kings
shall minister to you; For in My wrath I struck you, But in My favor I
have had mercy on you.
11 Therefore your gates shall be open continually; They shall not be
shut day or night, That men may bring to you the wealth of the
Gentiles, And their kings in procession.
12 For the nation and kingdom which will not serve you shall perish,
And those nations shall be utterly ruined.
13 The glory of Lebanon shall come to you, The cypress, the pine, and
the box tree together, To beautify the place of My sanctuary; And I
will make the place of My feet glorious.
14 Also the sons of those who afflicted you Shall come bowing to you,
And all those who despised you shall fall prostrate at the soles of
your feet; And they shall call you The City of the Lord, Zion of the
Holy One of Israel.
15 Whereas you have been forsaken and hated, So that no one went
through you, I will make you an eternal excellence, A joy of many
generations.
16 You shall drink the milk of the Gentiles, And milk the breast of
kings; You shall know that I, the Lord, am your Savior And your
Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.
Scripture Reading 3 of 8

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

John 10:9-16  (Matins Gospel)
9 I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go
in and out and find pasture.
10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to
destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have
it more abundantly.
11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the
sheep.
12 But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own
the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and
the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them.
13 The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about
the sheep.
14 I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My
own.
15 As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down
My life for the sheep.
16 And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must
bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and
one shepherd.
Scripture Reading 4 of 8

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

Acts 21:8-14
8 On the next day we who were Paul's companions departed and came to
Caesarea, and entered the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one
of the seven, and stayed with him.
9 Now this man had four virgin daughters who prophesied.
10 And as we stayed many days, a certain prophet named Agabus came
down from Judea.
11 When he had come to us, he took Paul's belt, bound his own hands
and feet, and said, "Thus says the Holy Spirit, 'So shall the Jews at
Jerusalem bind the man who owns this belt, and deliver him into the
hands of the Gentiles.' "
12 Now when we heard these things, both we and those from that place
pleaded with him not to go up to Jerusalem.
13 Then Paul answered, "What do you mean by weeping and breaking my
heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die at
Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus."
14 So when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, "The will of
the Lord be done."
Scripture Reading 5 of 8

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

Acts 26:1-5, 12-20  (Saints)
1 Then Agrippa said to Paul, "You are permitted to speak for
yourself." So Paul stretched out his hand and answered for himself:
2 I think myself happy, King Agrippa, because today I shall answer for
myself before you concerning all the things of which I am accused by
the Jews,
3 especially because you are expert in all customs and questions which
have to do with the Jews. Therefore I beg you to hear me patiently.
4 My manner of life from my youth, which was spent from the beginning
among my own nation at Jerusalem, all the Jews know.
5 They knew me from the first, if they were willing to testify, that
according to the strictest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.
12 While thus occupied, as I journeyed to Damascus with authority and
commission from the chief priests,
13 at midday, O king, along the road I saw a light from heaven,
brighter than the sun, shining around me and those who journeyed with
me.
14 And when we all had fallen to the ground, I heard a voice speaking
to me and saying in the Hebrew language, 'Saul, Saul, why are you
persecuting Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.'
15 So I said, 'Who are You, Lord?' And He said, 'I am Jesus, whom you
are persecuting.
16 'But rise and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for
this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of the things
which you have seen and of the things which I will yet reveal to you.
17 'I will deliver you from the Jewish people, as well as from the
Gentiles, to whom I now send you,
18 'to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light,
and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness
of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in
Me.'
19 Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly
vision,
20 but declared first to those in Damascus and in Jerusalem, and
throughout all the region of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that
they should repent, turn to God, and do works befitting repentance.
Scripture Reading 6 of 8

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

John 14:27-15:7
27 Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world
gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it
be afraid.
28 You have heard Me say to you, 'I am going away and coming back to
you.' If you loved Me, you would rejoice because I said, 'I am going
to the Father,' for My Father is greater than I.
29 And now I have told you before it comes, that when it does come to
pass, you may believe.
30 I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is
coming, and he has nothing in Me.
31 But that the world may know that I love the Father, and as the
Father gave Me commandment, so I do. Arise, let us go from here.
1 I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.
2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every
branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.
3 You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to
you.
4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of
itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you
abide in Me.
5 I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in
him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.
6 If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is
withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they
are burned.
7 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you
desire, and it shall be done for you.
Scripture Reading 7 of 8

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

John 10:1-9  (Saints)
1 Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by
the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a
robber.
2 But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.
3 To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he
calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.
4 And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the
sheep follow him, for they know his voice.
5 Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him,
for they do not know the voice of strangers.
6 Jesus used this illustration, but they did not understand the things
which He spoke to them.
7 Then Jesus said to them again, "Most assuredly, I say to you, I am
the door of the sheep.
8 All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep
did not hear them.
9 I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go
in and out and find pasture.
Scripture Reading 8 of 8

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

Equal of the Apostles and Emperor Constantine with his Mother
Helen
The Church calls St Constantine (306-337) "the Equal of the Apostles,"
and historians call him "the Great." He was the son o the Caesar
Constantius Chlorus (305-306), who governed the lands of Gaul and
Britain. His mother was St Helen, a Christian of humble birth.
At this time the immense Roman Empire was divided into Western and
Eastern halves, governed by two independent emperors and their
corulers called "Caesars." Constantius Chlorus was Caesar in the
Western Roman Empire. St Constantine was born in 274, possibly at Nish
in Serbia. In 294, Constantius divorced Helen in order to further his
political ambition by marrying a woman of noble rank. After he became
emperor, Constantine showed his mother great honor and respect,
granting her the imperial title "Augusta."
Constantine, the future ruler of all the whole Roman Empire, was
raised to respect Christianity. His father did not persecute
Christians in the lands he governed. This was at a time when
Christians were persecuted throughout the Roman Empire by the emperors
Diocletian (284-305) and his corulers Maximian Galerius (305-311) in
the East, and the emperor Maximian Hercules (284-305) in the West.
After the death of Constantius Chlorus in 306, Constantine was
acclaimed by the army at York as emperor of Gaul and Britain. The
first act of the new emperor was to grant the freedom to practice
Christianity in the lands subject to him. The pagan Maximian Galerius
in the East and the fierce tyrant Maxentius in the West hated
Constantine and they plotted to overthrow and kill him, but
Constantine bested them in a series of battles, defeating his
opponents with the help of God. He prayed to God to give him a sign
which would inspire his army to fight valiantly, and the Lord showed
him a radiant Sign of the Cross in the heavens with the inscription
"In this Sign, conquer."
After Constantine became the sole ruler of the Western Roman Empire,
he issued the Edict of Milan in 313 which guaranteed religious
tolerance for Christians. St Helen, who was a Christian, may have
influenced him in this decision. In 323, when he became the sole ruler
of the entire Roman Empire, he extended the provisions of the Edict of
Milan to the Eastern half of the Empire. After three hundred years of
persecution, Christians could finally practice their faith without
fear.
Renouncing paganism, the Emperor did not let his capital remain in
ancient Rome, the former center of the pagan realm. He transferred his
capital to the East, to the city of Byzantium, which was renamed
Constantinople, the city of Constantine (May 11). Constantine was
deeply convinced that only Christianity could unify the immense Roman
Empire with its diverse peoples. He supported the Church in every way.
He recalled Christian confessors from banishment, he built churches,
and he showed concern for the clergy.
The emperor deeply revered the victory-bearing Sign of the Cross of
the Lord, and also wanted to find the actual Cross upon which our Lord
Jesus Christ was crucified. For this purpose he sent his own mother,
the holy Empress Helen, to Jerusalem, granting her both power and
money. Patriarch Macarius of Jerusalem and St Helen began the search,
and through the will of God, the Life-Creating Cross was miraculously
discovered in 326. (The account of the finding of the Cross of the
Lord is found under the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross,
September 14). The Orthodox Church commemorates the Uncovering of the
Precious Cross and the Precious Nails by the Holy Empress Helen on
March 6.
While in Palestine, the holy empress did much of benefit for the
Church. She ordered that all places connected with the earthly life of
the Lord and His All-Pure Mother, should be freed of all traces of
paganism, and she commanded that churches should be built at these
places.
The emperor Constantine ordered a magnificent church in honor of
Christ's Resurrection to be built over His tomb. St Helen gave the
Life-Creating Cross to the Patriarch for safe-keeping, and took part
of the Cross with her for the emperor. After distributing generous
alms at Jerusalem and feeding the needy (at times she even served them
herself), the holy Empress Helen returned to Constantinople, where she
died in the year 327.
Because of her great services to the Church and her efforts in finding
the Life-Creating Cross, the empress Helen is called "the Equal of the
Apostles."
The peaceful state of the Christian Church was disturbed by quarrels,
dissensions and heresies which had appeared within the Church. Already
at the beginning of St Constantine's reign the heresies of the
Donatists and the Novatians had arisen in the West. They demanded a
second baptism for those who lapsed during the persecutions against
Christians. These heresies, repudiated by two local Church councils,
were finally condemned at the Council of Milan in 316.
Particularly ruinous for the Church was the rise of the Arian heresy
in the East, which denied the Divine Nature of the Son of God, and
taught that Jesus Christ was a mere creature. By order of the emperor,
the First Ecumenical Council was convened in the city of Nicea in 325.
318 bishops attended this Council. Among its participants were
confessor-bishops from the period of the persecutions and many other
luminaries of the Church, among whom was St Nicholas of Myra in Lycia.
(The account about the Council is found under May 29). The emperor was
present at the sessions of the Council. The heresy of Arius was
condemned and a Symbol of Faith (Creed) composed, in which was
included the term "consubstantial with the Father," confirming the
truth of the divinity of Jesus Christ, Who assumed human nature for
the redemption of all the human race.
One might possibly be surprised by St Constantine's grasp of
theological issues during the discussions at the Council. The term
"consubstantial" was included in the Symbol of Faith at his
insistence.
After the Council of Nicea, St Constantine continued with his active
role in the welfare of the Church. He accepted holy Baptism on his
deathbed, having prepared for it all his whole life. St Constantine
died on the day of Pentecost in the year 337 and was buried in the
church of the Holy Apostles, in a crypt he had prepared for himself.
_________________________________________________________________
Equal of the Apostles Helen, the Mother of the Emperor
Constantine
Saint Helen was the mother of St Contantine the Great, and was
probably born at Drepanum (Helenopolis) in Asia Minor to parents of
humble means. She married Constantius Chlorus, and their son
Constantine was born in 274. Constantius divorced her in 294 in order
to further his political ambition by marrying a woman of noble rank.
After he became emperor, Constantine showed his mother great honor and
respect, granting her the imperial title "Augusta."
After Constantine became the sole ruler of the Western Roman Empire,
he issued the Edict of Milan in 313 which guaranteed religious
tolerance for Christians. St Helen, who was a Christian, may have
influenced him in this decision. In 323, when he became the sole ruler
of the entire Roman Empire, he extended the provisions of the Edict of
Milan to the Eastern half of the Empire. After three hundred years of
persecution, Christians could finally practice their faith without
fear.
The emperor deeply revered the victory-bearing Sign of the Cross of
the Lord, and also wanted to find the actual Cross upon which our Lord
Jesus Christ was crucified. For this purpose he sent his own mother,
the holy Empress Helen, to Jerusalem, granting her both power and
money. Patriarch Macarius of Jerusalem and St Helen began the search,
and through the will of God, the Life-Creating Cross was miraculously
discovered in 326. (The account of the finding of the Cross of the
Lord is found under the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross,
September 14). The Orthodox Church commemorates the Uncovering of the
Precious Cross and the Precious Nails by the Holy Empress Helen on
March 6.
While in Palestine, the holy empress did much of benefit for the
Church. She ordered that all places connected with the earthly life of
the Lord and His All-Pure Mother, should be freed of all traces of
paganism, and she commanded that churches should be built at these
places.
The emperor Constantine ordered a magnificent church in honor of
Christ's Resurrection to be built over His tomb. St Helen gave the
Life-Creating Cross to the Patriarch for safe-keeping, and took part
of the Cross with her for the emperor. After distributing generous
alms at Jerusalem and feeding the needy (at times she even served them
herself), the holy Empress Helen returned to Constantinople, where she
died in the year 327.
Because of her great services to the Church and her efforts in finding
the Life-Creating Cross, the empress Helen is called "the Equal of the
Apostles."
_________________________________________________________________
Venerable Constantine, (In baptism Yaroslav), with his
children Michael and Theodore, Wonderworkers of Murom
The Holy Princes Constantine and his sons Michael and Theodore of
Murom lived during the eleventh-twelfth centuries.
Prince Constantine, a descendant of St Vladimir, asked his father,
Prince Svyatoslav of Chernigov, to give him the city of Murom, which
was inhabited by pagans, so he might enlighten this land with the
light of the Christian Faith.
The prince sent his son Michael as emissary to the Murom people, but
the pagans murdered him. When Prince Constantine arrived in the city
with his retinue, the people quieted down and accepted him, but for a
long time they would not give up paganism.
Once, they went to the prince's home, intending to kill him, but the
prince came out to the crowd holding the Murom Icon of the Mother of
God. The mutinous people unexpectedly quieted down and agreed to
accept holy Baptism at the River Oka.
At the place of the murder of his son Michael, St Constantine built a
church in honor of the Annunciation, and later on another church named
for the holy Passion-Bearers Boris and Gleb. Prince Constantine
zealously assisted his son, Prince Theodore in spreading the Christian
Faith among the people of Murom.
St Constantine died in 1129, and was buried in the church of the
Annunciation beside his sons, Sts Michael and Theodore.
_________________________________________________________________
St Michael the Wonderworker of Murom
Saints Michael and Theodore of Murom were sons of the holy Prince
Constantine, and lived during the eleventh-twelfth centuries.
The prince sent his son Michael as emissary to the people of Murom,
but the pagans murdered him. When Prince Constantine arrived in the
city with his retinue, the people quieted down and accepted him, but
for a long time they would not give up paganism.
Once, they went to the prince's home, intending to kill him, but the
prince came out to the crowd holding the Murom Icon of the Mother of
God. The mutinous people unexpectedly quieted down and agreed to
accept holy Baptism at the River Oka.
At the place of the murder of his son Michael, St Constantine built a
church in honor of the Annunciation, and later on another church named
for the holy Passion-Bearers Boris and Gleb. Prince Constantine
zealously assisted his son, Prince Theodore in spreading the Christian
Faith among the people of Murom.
St Constantine died in 1129, and was buried in the church of the
Annunciation beside his sons, Sts Michael and Theodore.
_________________________________________________________________
St Theodore the Wonderworker of Murom
Saints Theodore and Michael of Murom were sons of the holy Prince
Constantine, and lived during the eleventh-twelfth centuries.
The prince sent his son Michael as emissary to the people of Murom,
but the pagans murdered him. When Prince Constantine arrived in the
city with his retinue, the people quieted down and accepted him, but
for a long time they would not give up paganism.
Once, they went to the prince's home, intending to kill him, but the
prince came out to the crowd holding the Murom Icon of the Mother of
God. The mutinous people unexpectedly quieted down and agreed to
accept holy Baptism at the River Oka.
At the place of the murder of his son Michael, St Constantine built a
church in honor of the Annunciation, and later on another church named
for the holy Passion-Bearers Boris and Gleb. Prince Constantine
zealously assisted his son, Prince Theodore in spreading the Christian
Faith among the people of Murom.
St Constantine died in 1129, and was buried in the church of the
Annunciation beside his sons, Sts Michael and Theodore.
_________________________________________________________________
Venerable Cassian the Greek of Uglich
Saint Cassian the Greek of Uglich: Today we commemorate the namesake
of St Cassian (in the world Constantine). See October 2.
_________________________________________________________________
Meeting of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God
The Celebration of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God was
established to commemorate the deliverance of Moscow from an invasion
of Tatars led by Khan Makhmet-Girei in 1521. The Tatar hordes
approached Moscow, burning and destroying Russian cities and villages,
and exterminating their inhabitants.
Great Prince Basil raised an army against the Tatars, while
Metropolitan Barlaam and the people of Moscow prayed fervently for
deliverance. At this time a certain pious blind nun had a vision. She
saw Moscow's bishop-saints exiting from the Savior gates of the
Kremlin, forsaking the city and taking with them the Vladimir Icon of
the Mother of God, the holiest object in the city of Moscow. This was
God's chastisement for the sins of its inhabitants.
At the Savior gates the holy hierarchs were met by Sts Sergius of
Radonezh (Sept. 25) and Barlaam of Khutyn (Nov. 6), tearfully
imploring them not to leave Moscow. All of them offered intense prayer
to the Lord for the forgivness of their transgressions and the
deliverance of Moscow from its enemies. After this prayer the
bishop-saints returned to the Kremlin, and they carried back the holy
Vladimir Icon.
St Basil the Blessed (August 2) saw a similar vision. It was revealed
to him that Moscow would be saved, through the intercession of the
Theotokos and the prayers of the saints. The Tatar Khan also had a
vision of the Mother of God with a fearsome host, contending against
his forces. The Tatars fled in fear, and the capital of the Russian
realm was saved.
The Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God is also commemorated on June 23
and August 26.
_________________________________________________________________
Icon of the Mother of God of "Tenderness"
The Pskov Caves "Tenderness" Icon of the Mother of God was painted and
brought to the Pskov Caves monastery through the efforts of the Pskov
merchants Basil and Theodore in the year 1521. It was glorified by
miracles of healing in 1524. This holy icon and also the Dormition
Icon were glorified in 1581 during the siege of Pskov by the Polish
king Stephen Bathory.
The October 7 Feast of the "Tenderness" Icon was established in memory
of the deliverance of Pskov from the invasion of Napoleon in 1812.
_________________________________________________________________
Icon of the Mother of God "Virgin of Tenderness" from the
Pskov Caves
The Pskov Caves "Tenderness" Icon of the Mother of God was painted and
brought to the Pskov Caves monastery through the efforts of the Pskov
merchants Basil and Theodore in the year 1521. It was glorified by
miracles of healing in 1524. This holy icon and also the Dormition
Icon were glorified in 1581 during the siege of Pskov by the Polish
king Stephen Bathory.
The October 7 Feast of the "Tenderness" Icon was established in memory
of the deliverance of Pskov from the invasion of Napoleon in 1812.
_________________________________________________________________