[Readingsandsaints] Readings and Saints

Tue Sep 25 05:00:22 CDT 2007

Scripture Readings and Saints for Tue Sep 25 2007

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Composite 2  - Proverbs 10, 3, 8 (Vespers, 1st Reading)
Hear me, O child, for I will speak noble things. Blessed is the man
who keeps my ways, for my ways are the way of life, and in them is
prepared favor from the Lord. Therefore, I pray you, and utter my
voice to the sons of men: For I, wisdom, have dwelt with counsel and
knowledge and I have called upon understanding. Counsel and safety are
mine, understanding and strength are mine. I love those who love me
and those seeking me shall find grace.
Understand craftiness, O you who are simple, and imbibe knowledge, you
who are untaught. Hear me again, for I will speak noble things: I will
open _my mouth_ and from my lips _shall_ come what is right. For my
throat shall meditate truth; false lips are an abomination before me.
All the words of my mouth are righteous; there is nothing in them that
is twisted or perverse. They are all straight to him who understands
and right to those who find knowledge.
I shall instruct you in truth, so that your hope will be in the Lord
and you shall be filled with the Spirit.
Scripture Reading 1 of 6

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Proverbs 10:31-11:12  (Vespers, 2nd Reading)
31 The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom, But the perverse
tongue will be cut out.
32 The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable, But the mouth of
the wicked what is perverse.
1 Dishonest scales are an abomination to the Lord, But a just weight
is His delight.
2 When pride comes, then comes shame; But with the humble is wisdom.
3 The integrity of the upright will guide them, But the perversity of
the unfaithful will destroy them.
4 Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, But righteousness delivers
from death.
5 The righteousness of the blameless will direct his way aright, But
the wicked will fall by his own wickedness.
6 The righteousness of the upright will deliver them, But the
unfaithful will be caught by their lust.
7 When a wicked man dies, his expectation will perish, And the hope of
the unjust perishes.
8 The righteous is delivered from trouble, And it comes to the wicked
instead.
9 The hypocrite with his mouth destroys his neighbor, But through
knowledge the righteous will be delivered.
10 When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices; And when
the wicked perish, there is jubilation.
11 By the blessing of the upright the city is exalted, But it is
overthrown by the mouth of the wicked.
12 He who is devoid of wisdom despises his neighbor, But a man of
understanding holds his peace.
Scripture Reading 2 of 6

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Wisdom of Solomon 3:1-9  (Vespers, 3rd Reading)
1 But the souls of the righteous are in the hand of God, and no
torment will ever touch them.
2 In the eyes of the foolish they seemed to have died, and their
departure was thought to be affliction,
3 and their going from us to be their destruction; but they are at
peace.
4 For though in the sight of men they were punished, their hope is
full of immortality.
5 Having been disciplined a little, they will receive great good,
because God tested them and found them worthy of himself;
6 like gold in the furnace he tried them, and like a sacrificial burnt
offering he accepted them.
7 In the time of their visitation they will shine forth, and will run
like sparks through the stubble.
8 They will govern nations and rule other peoples, and the Lord will
reign over them for ever.
9 Those who trust in him will understand truth, and the faithful will
abide with him in love, because grace and mercy are upon his elect,
and he watches over his holy ones.
Scripture Reading 3 of 6

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Matthew 11:27-30  (Matins Gospel)
27 All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows
the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the
Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.
28 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give
you rest.
29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly
in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.
Scripture Reading 4 of 6

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Galatians 5:22-6:2  (St. Sergius)
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering,
kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
24 And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its
passions and desires.
25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one
another.
1 Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are
spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering
yourself lest you also be tempted.
2 Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
Scripture Reading 5 of 6

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Luke 6:17-23  (St. Sergius)
17 And He came down with them and stood on a level place with a crowd
of His disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and
Jerusalem, and from the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear
Him and be healed of their diseases,
18 as well as those who were tormented with unclean spirits. And they
were healed.
19 And the whole multitude sought to touch Him, for power went out
from Him and healed them all.
20 Then He lifted up His eyes toward His disciples, and said: Blessed
are you poor, For yours is the kingdom of God.
21 Blessed are you who hunger now, For you shall be filled. Blessed
are you who weep now, For you shall laugh.
22 Blessed are you when men hate you, And when they exclude you, And
revile you, and cast out your name as evil, For the Son of Man's sake.
23 Rejoice in that day and leap for joy! For indeed your reward is
great in heaven, For in like manner their fathers did to the prophets.
Scripture Reading 6 of 6

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Repose of the Venerable Sergius, Abbot and Wonderworker of
Radonezh
Saint Sergius of Radonezh was born in the village of Varnitsa, near
Rostov, on May 3, 1314. His parents were the pious and illustrious
nobles Cyril and Maria (September 28). The Lord chose him while still
in his mother's womb. In the Life of St Sergius it is reported that
even before the birth of her son, St Maria and those praying heard the
thrice-repeated cry of the infant at the Divine Liturgy: before the
reading of the Holy Gospel, during the Cherubic hymn, and when the
priest pronounced: "Holy Things are for the Holy."
God gave Cyril and Maria a son whom they named Bartholomew. From his
very first days of life the infant amazed everyone by his fasting. On
Wednesdays and Fridays he would not accept milk from his mother, and
on other days, if Maria used oil in the food, the infant also refused
the milk of his mother. Noticing this, Maria refrained altogether from
food with oil.
At the age of seven, Bartholomew was sent to study together with his
two brothers: his older brother Stephen, and his younger brother
Peter. His brothers learned successfully, but Bartholomew fell behind
in his studies, even though the teacher gave him much special
attention. The parents scolded the child, the teacher chastised him,
and his classmates made fun of his lack of comprehension. Finally,
Bartholomew besought the Lord with tears to grant him the ability to
read.
Once, his father sent Bartholomew out after the horses in the field.
Along the way he met an angel sent by God under the appearance of a
monk. The Elder stood at prayer beneath an oak in a field. Bartholomew
approached him, and bowing, waited for the Elder to finish praying.
The monk blessed him, gave him a kiss and asked what he wanted.
Bartholomew answered, "With all my soul I want to learn reading and
writing. Holy Father, pray for me to God, that He may help me to
become literate." The monk fulfilled Bartholomew's request, offering
up his prayer to God. In blessing the child he said to him:
"Henceforth, my child, God gives you to understand reading and
writing, and in this you will surpass your brothers and peers" (See
the famous M. Nesterov painting "Vision of Bartholomew").
Then the Elder took a vessel and gave Bartholomew a piece of
prosphora."Take, child, and eat," said he."This is given to you as a
sign of the grace of God, and for the understanding of Holy
Scripture." The Elder wanted to leave, but Bartholomew asked him to
visit at the home of his parents. His parents received their guest
with joy and offered him their hospitality.
The Elder replied that it was proper to partake of spiritual
nourishment first, and he bade their son to read the Psalter.
Bartholomew began to read, and his parents were amazed at the change
that had occured with their son. In parting, the Elder prophetically
said of St Sergius, "Your son shall be great before God and the
people. He shall become a chosen habitation of the Holy Spirit."
After this the holy child read without difficulty and understood the
contents of books. He became immersed in prayer with a special fervor,
not missing a single church service. Already in childhood he imposed
upon himself a strict fast. He ate nothing on Wednesdays and Fridays,
and on the other days he sustained himself on bread and water.
About the year 1328, the parents of St Sergius moved from Rostov to
Radonezh. When their older sons married, Cyril and Maria received the
monastic schema shortly before their death at the Khot'kov monastery
of the Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos, not far from Radonezh.
Later on, the older brother Stephen was widowed and became a monk at
this monastery. Having buried his parents, Bartholomew and his brother
Stephen withdrew into the forest (12 versts from Radonezh) to live in
the wilderness. At first they made cells, and then a small church, and
with the blessing of Metropolitan Theognostus, it was consecrated in
the name of the Most Holy Trinity. But soon, unable to bear the
difficulties of life in the wilderness, Stephen left his brother and
went on to the Moscow Theophany monastery, where he became close to St
Alexis, afterwards Metropolitan of Moscow. (February 12).
On October 7,1337 Bartholomew was tonsured by Igumen Metrophanes,
taking the name of the holy Martyr Sergius (October 7), and he started
to build a new habitation to the glory of the Life-Creating Trinity.
Suffering temptations and demonic apparitions, St Sergius advanced
from strength to strength. Gradually he became known to other monks
seeking his guidance. St Sergius accepted all with love, and soon a
brotherhood of twelve monks were gathered in the small monastery.
Their experienced spiritual guide distinguished himself by an
extraordinary love for work. With his own hands he built several
cells, he carried water, he chopped wood, baked bread, sewed clothing,
prepared food for the brethren and humbly took on other tasks. St
Sergius combined the heavy work with prayer, vigil and fasting.
The brethren were amazed that with such severe exertion the health of
their guide did not deteriorate, but rather became all the more
hearty. It was not without difficulty that they implored St Sergius to
accept the position of igumen of the monastery.
In 1354 Bishop Athanasius of Volyn ordained the saint a hieromonk and
elevated him to the rank of igumen. Just as before, monastic
obediences were strictly fulfilled at the monastery. With the
expansion of the monastery, its needs also grew. Often the monks had
only scant food, but through the prayers of St Sergius unknown people
provided the necessities.
Reports of the exploits of St Sergius became known even at
Constantinople, and Patriarch Philotheus sent to the monk a cross, a
"paraman" (monastic clothing, a four-cornered cloth tied with cords to
the chest and worn beneath other garb, and adorned with symbols of the
Lord's Passion) and schema-robe in blessing for new deeds, and a
grammota of blessing, in which the Patriarch counselled the chosen of
God to organize a cenobitic monastery. The monk set off with the
patriarchal missive to St Alexis, and received from him the counsel to
introduce a strict manner of cenobitic life. The monks began to
grumble at the strictness of the monastic Rule, and St Sergius was
compelled to forsake the monastery. At the River Kirzhach he founded a
monastery in honor of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos.
Matters at the former monastery went quickly into disarray, and the
remaining monks recoursed to St Alexis that he should get the saint to
return.
St Sergius unquestioningly obeyed the holy hierarch, and left in place
of himself at the Kirzhachsk monastery his disciple, St Roman.
Already during his lifetime St Sergius had been vouchsafed the gift of
wonderworking. He raised a lad, at a point when the despairing father
had given up on his only son as lost. Reports about the miracles
worked by St Sergius began quickly to spread about, and the sick began
to come to him, both from the surrounding villages and also from
remote places. And no one left from St without receiving healing of
infirmities and edifying counsel. Everyone gave glory for St Sergius,
and reverenced him on an equal with the ancient holy Fathers. But
human glory did not hold allure for the great ascetic, and as before
he remained the example of monastic humility.
One time St Stephen, Bishop of Perm (April 27), who deeply revered St
Sergius, was on journey from his diocese to Moscow. The roadway passed
eight versts distant from the Sergiev monastery. Intending to visit
the monastery on his return trip, the saint stopped, and having
recited a prayer, he bowed to St Sergius with the words: "Peace be to
thee, spiritual brother." At this instant St Sergius was sitting in
the trapeza for a meal with the brethren. In reply to the blessing of
the holy hierarch, St Sergius rose up, recited a prayer, and made a
return blessing to St Stephen. Certain of the disciples, astonished at
the extraordinary action of St Sergius, hastened off to the indicated
place, and became convinced of the veracity of the vision.
Gradually the monks began to witness also other similar actions. Once,
during Liturgy, an angel of the Lord served with the saint, but St
Sergius in his humility forbade anyone to tell about this until after
his death.
St Sergius was connected with St Alexis by close bonds of spiritual
friendship and brotherly love. St Alexis in his declining years
summoned St Sergius to him and besought him to accept to be Russian
Metropolitan, but St Sergius humbly declined to be primate.
The Russian Land at this time suffered under the Mongol-Tatar Yoke.
Having gathered an army, Great-prince Demetrius Ioannovich of the Don
went to monastery of St Sergius to ask blessing in the pending
struggle. St Sergius gave blessing to two monks of his monastery to
render help to the great-prince: the Schemamonk Andrei [Oslyaba] and
the Schemamonk Alexander [Peresvet], and he predicted the victory for
prince Demetrius. The prophecy of St Sergius was fulfilled: on
September 8, 1380, on the feastday of the Nativity of the Most Holy
Theotokos, Russian soldiers gained a total victory over the Tatar
hordes at Kulikovo Pole (Kulikovo Field), and set in place the
beginning of the liberation of the Russian Land from the Mongol Yoke.
During the fighting St Sergius and the brethren stood at prayer and
besought God to grant victory to the Russian forces.
For his angelic manner of life St Sergius was granted an heavenly
vision by God. One time by night Abba Sergius was reading the rule of
prayer beneath an icon of the Most Holy Theotokos. Having completed
the reading of the canon to the Mother of God, he sat down to rest,
but suddenly he said to his disciple, St Mikhei (May 6), that there
awaited them a wondrous visitation. After a moment the Mother of God
appeared accompanied by the holy Apostles Peter and John the
Theologian. Due to the extraordinary bright light St Sergius fell
down, but the Most Holy Theotokos touched Her hands to him, and in
blessing him promised always to be Protectress of his holy monastery.
Having reached old age, and foreseeing his own end six months
beforehand, St Sergius summoned the brethren to him and designated his
disciple St Nikon (November 17), who was experienced in the spiritual
life and obedience, to be igumen. In tranquil solitude St Sergius fell
asleep in the Lord on September 25, 1392. On the night before, the
great saint of God summoned the brethren a final time to give them his
final instruction: "Brethren, be attentive to yourselves. Have first
the fear of God, purity of soul and unhypocritical love...."
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Venerable Euphrosyne of Alexandria
Saint Euphrosyne of Alexandria was born at the beginning of the fifth
century in the city of Alexandria. She was the only child in her
family of illustrious and rich parents. Since her mother died early,
she was raised by her father, Paphnutius, a deeply believing and pious
Christian. He frequented a monastery, the igumen of which was his
spiritual guide.
When Euphrosyne turned eighteen, her father wanted her to marry. He
went to the monastery to his spiritual guide to receive his blessing
for the planned wedding of his daughter. The igumen conversed with the
daughter and gave her his blessing, but St Euphrosyne yearned for the
monastic life.
She secretly accepted tonsure from a wandering monk, left her father's
house and decided to enter a monastery in order to lead her life in
solitude and prayer. She feared, however, that in a women's monastery
her father would find her. Calling herself the eunuch Smaragdos, she
went to the very same men's monastery which she had visited with her
father since childhood.
The monks did not recognize Euphrosyne dressed in men's garb, and so
they accepted her into the monastery. Here in a solitary cell, St
Euphrosyne spent 38 years in works, fasting and prayer, and attained a
high level of spiritual accomplishment.
Her father grieved over the loss of his beloved daughter and more than
once, on the advice of the igumen, he conversed with the monk
Smaragdos, revealing his grief and receiving spiritual comfort. Before
her death, the nun Euphrosyne revealed her secret to her grieving
father and asked that no one but he should prepare her body for
burial. Having buried his daughter, Paphnutius distributed all his
wealth to both the poor and to the monastery, and then he accepted
monasticism. For ten years right up to his own death, he labored in
the cell of his daughter.
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Venerable Euphrosyne of Suzdal
Saint Euphrosyne, Princess of Suzdal, was born in the year 1212. In
holy Baptism she was given the name Theodoulia and she was the eldest
daughter of the holy Martyr Michael, Great-prince of Chernigov
(September 20). Prince Michael and his wife Theophania did not have
children and they often visited the Kiev Caves monastery, where they
prayed the Lord to grant them children. Princess Euphrosyne was their
first daughter, sent from God in answer to their prayer. Three times
the Most Holy Theotokos appeared to them and said that their prayer
had been heard and that the Lord would grant them a daughter.
Theodulia was raised in deep faith and piety. The educated noble
Theodore (September 20) had a large influence on her upbringing. The
education and uncommon beauty of the princess attracted many.
The princess was betrothed to holy Prince Theodore (June 5), a brother
of St Alexander Nevsky, but he died on the very day of his wedding.
The princess withdrew to the Suzdal women's monastery named in honor
of the Placing of the Robe of the Mother of God, where she was
tonsured with the name Euphrosyne, in honor of St Euphrosyne of
Alexandria.
While still a young nun she fulfilled the monastic rule of life with
an amazing zeal, and she remarkably surpassed the other residents of
the monastery in her firmness of reason, spiritual insight and extreme
abstinence. The Lord Himself visited the ascetic, commanding her to be
vigilant and positive in her efforts. St Euphrosyne, to the very end
of her life, kept the commandments of the Savior, and overcame
countless temptations.
The extraordinary ascetic life of St Euphrosyne became known at Suzdal
and beyond its borders. A multitude of people visited the monastery,
in order to listen to the instructions of the nun Euphrosyne
concerning love, prayer, obedience and humility.
Often after such talks, many accepted the monastic schema and began a
more zealous service to God. The abbess of the monastery herself had
recourse to the counsels of the nun. At the request of the ascetic,
the sisters of the monastery were divided into two halves: virgins and
widows. This facilitated the spiritual growth and strengthening of the
sisters of the monastery in purity. After the death of the abbess, St
Euphrosyne became Superior of the monastery.
The Lord foretold to the holy abbess her father's martyrdom, and also
the Mongol-Tatar invasion of Rus. In the year 1238, vast Tatar-Mongol
hordes did actually descend upon the Russian realm. Destroying
everything in their path, they came to Suzdal. The city was completely
devastated and burned by them, and only the monastery of St Euphrosyne
was spared through her prayers.
St Euphrosyne fell asleep in the Lord on September 25, 1250. At her
grave believers were healed of various maladies. On September 18,
1698, with the blessing of Patriarch Adrian, Metropolitan Hilarion of
Suzdal glorified the nun Euphrosyne as a saint.
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First Translation of the relics of St Herman the Archbishop
of Kazan
Today we commemorate the first translation of the relics of Saint
Herman, Archbishop of Kazan, in 1595.
After his death on November 6, 1567 he was buried in the church of St
Nicholas the Hospitable. In 1595, at the request of the inhabitants of
Sviyazhsk, the saint's relics were transferred from Moscow to the
Sviyazhsk Dormition monastery. St Herman is also commemorated on
November 6 (his repose) and June 23 (second transfer of his relics in
1714).
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Martyr Paphnutius in Egypt
The Holy Martyr Paphnutius hailed from Egypt and struggled in the
desert. During the persecution against Christians under Diocletian
(284-305), the governor Hadrian commanded that St Paphnutius be
brought to him. The ascetic, not waiting for those sent to bring him,
appeared before the governor, confessed his faith in Christ, and was
subjected to torture.
The soldiers involved in his torture, Dionysius and Callimachus,
seeing how the power of God preserved the martyr, believed in Christ
the Savior themselves, for which they were then beheaded. Cast into
prison after the tortures, St Paphnutius converted forty prisoners to
the Faith. They were all burned alive.
After a while St Paphnutius was set free, and a Christian named
Nestorius gladly took him in. He and all his family, after spiritual
guidance, became steadfast in the Faith, and ultimately endured
martyrdom. The saint strengthened many other Christians to confess our
Lord Jesus Christ, and they all died as martyrs. Some were cut with
swords, others were burned. There were 546 men in all.
St Paphnutius himself was thrown by the torturers into a river with a
stone about his neck, but he miraculously floated to shore with the
stone. Finally, they sent the holy martyr to the emperor Diocletian
himself, who commanded him to be crucified on a date tree.
Sts Paphnutius and Euphrosyne are also commemorated on February 15.
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546 Martyred Companions of Paphnutius in Egypt
When St Paphnutius was imprisoned and tortured for being a Christian,
he converted some of the other prisoners. Eventually, he was set free,
and a Christian named Nestorius gladly took him in. He and all his
family, after spiritual guidance, became steadfast in the Faith, and
ultimately endured martyrdom. The saint strengthened many other
Christians to confess our Lord Jesus Christ, and they all died as
martyrs. Some were cut with swords, others were burned. There were 546
men in all.
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St Arsenius the Great, Catholicos of Georgia
Saint Arsenius the Great, a pupil and spiritual son of Gregory of
Khandzta, was the youngest son of a certain aristocrat, Mirian, from
Meskheti in southern Georgia.
On their way to Abkhazeti, St. Gregorys companions Theodore and
Christopher stopped in Meskheti at the home of Arsenius family. Mirian
and his wife, Kravaia, asked the monks to bless their children and,
astonished at the fathers virtue, they entrusted their youngest son to
their care.
Gregory of Khandzta later traveled to Abkhazeti to visit Theodore and
Christopher, and on his way back to the monastery he brought with him
the young Arsenius, the future catholicos of Georgia, and the youth
Ephraim, the future wonderworker and bishop of Atsquri. The monks
Theodore and Christopher journeyed with them as well.
The monks of Khandzta met the young men with grave displeasure, since
the rules of the monastery forbade the presence of youths, but St.
Gregory assured the brothers that this was an exceptional circumstance
in which Gods holy will would soon be revealed. St. Gregory entrusted
the young mens upbringing to his companions and disciples, the hermits
Theodore and Christopher.
When Arsenius had reached the appropriate age, his father Mirian
bypassed the Church Council and had his son enthroned as catholicos of
all Georgia by his own initiative (he was helped by a small group of
bishops and laymen). Mirians interference in the affairs of the
hierarchy was a blatant offense to the Church and the faithful.
A Church council assembled in Javakheti to decide on a way to address
Mirians behavior. The circumstances were particularly difficult, since
the leader of the council, Bishop Ephraim of Atsquri, had grown up
with St. Arsenius. But Church law upheld the judgment of the Church
and the faithful, and it was decided to ask Arsenius to resign as
catholicos. At that very moment, however, St. Gregory arrived at the
meeting and assured the holy fathers that Arseniuss enthronement was a
fulfillment of Gods holy will.
The disturbance was soon calmed and the love between Ephraim and
Arsenius restored, and the catholicos blessed the old church at
Khandzta. With his God-pleasing example and divine love St. Arsenius
enlightened the Georgian Church and the faithful until his final day
on earth.
St. Arsenius is also commemorated as a great historian and
philologist. He is credited with the remarkable historical work _On
the Division of the Georgian and Armenian Churches._ In this
exposition St. Arsenius logically proved that the Georgian Church had
followed the path of true Christianity steadfastly throughout history,
while the Armenian Church had strayed from the true path when it
accepted the Monophysite heresy. To his pen also belong many
remarkable hymns and Lives of Saints. His work _The Life and Martyrdom
of Abibos of Nekresi_ is particularly worthy of note.
Catholicos Arsenius the Great is known also as an active builder of
churches. He constructed the Cathedral of Tkobi-Erda in the region of
Ingushetia (near present-day Chechnya), in the Assa River Valley.
St. Arsenius led the flock of the Georgian faithful for twenty-seven
years and joyfully appeared before Christ in the year 887.
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