[Readingsandsaints] Readings and Saints

Sun Apr 6 05:00:24 CDT 2008

Scripture Readings and Saints for Sun Apr 6 2008

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------ READINGS FOR TODAY ----------------------------
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Matthew 28:16-20  (1st Matins Gospel)
16 Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain
which Jesus had appointed for them.
17 When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted.
18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been
given to Me in heaven and on earth.
19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them
in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and
lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Amen.
Scripture Reading 1 of 5

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Hebrews 6:13-20  (Epistle)
13 For when God made a promise to Abraham, because He could swear by
no one greater, He swore by Himself,
14 saying, "Surely blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will
multiply you."
15 And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.
16 For men indeed swear by the greater, and an oath for confirmation
is for them an end of all dispute.
17 Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of
promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath,
18 that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to
lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay
hold of the hope set before us.
19 This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and
steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil,
20 where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become
High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.
Scripture Reading 2 of 5

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Ephesians 5:9-19  (Epistle, Saint)
9 (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and
truth),
10 finding out what is acceptable to the Lord.
11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but
rather expose them.
12 For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by
them in secret.
13 But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light, for
whatever makes manifest is light.
14 Therefore He says: "Awake, you who sleep, Arise from the dead, And
Christ will give you light."
15 See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise,
16 redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
17 Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the
Lord is.
18 And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be
filled with the Spirit,
19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,
singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord,
Scripture Reading 3 of 5

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Mark 9:17-31  (Gospel)
17 Then one of the crowd answered and said, "Teacher, I brought You my
son, who has a mute spirit.
18 And wherever it seizes him, it throws him down; he foams at the
mouth, gnashes his teeth, and becomes rigid. So I spoke to Your
disciples, that they should cast it out, but they could not.
19 He answered him and said, "O faithless generation, how long shall I
be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him to Me."
20 Then they brought him to Him. And when he saw Him, immediately the
spirit convulsed him, and he fell on the ground and wallowed, foaming
at the mouth.
21 So He asked his father, "How long has this been happening to him?"
And he said, "From childhood.
22 And often he has thrown him both into the fire and into the water
to destroy him. But if You can do anything, have compassion on us and
help us.
23 Jesus said to him, "If you can believe, all things are possible to
him who believes."
24 Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears,
"Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!"
25 When Jesus saw that the people came running together, He rebuked
the unclean spirit, saying to it: "Deaf and dumb spirit, I command
you, come out of him and enter him no more!"
26 Then the spirit cried out, convulsed him greatly, and came out of
him. And he became as one dead, so that many said, "He is dead."
27 But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose.
28 And when He had come into the house, His disciples asked Him
privately, "Why could we not cast it out?"
29 So He said to them, "This kind can come out by nothing but prayer
and fasting."
30 Then they departed from there and passed through Galilee, and He
did not want anyone to know it.
31 For He taught His disciples and said to them, "The Son of Man is
being betrayed into the hands of men, and they will kill Him. And
after He is killed, He will rise the third day."
Scripture Reading 4 of 5

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Matthew 4:25-5:12  (Gospel, Saint)
25 Great multitudes followed Him-from Galilee, and from Decapolis,
Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond the Jordan.
1 And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was
seated His disciples came to Him.
2 Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying:
3 Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted.
5 Blessed are the meek, For they shall inherit the earth.
6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they
shall be filled.
7 Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called sons of God.
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, For
theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all
kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake.
12 Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in
heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Scripture Reading 5 of 5

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------ SAINTS/FEASTS FOR TODAY ----------------------------
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4th Sunday of Great Lent St John Climacus (of the Ladder)
The Fourth Sunday of Lent is dedicated to St John of the Ladder
(Climacus), the author of the work, The Ladder of Divine Ascent. The
abbot of St Catherine's Monastery on Mount Sinai (6th century) stands
as a witness to the violent effort needed for entrance into God's
Kingdom (Mt.10: 12). The spiritual struggle of the Christian life is a
real one, "not against flesh and blood, but against ... the rulers of
the present darkness ... the hosts of wickedness in heavenly places
..." (Eph 6:12). Saint John encourages the faithful in their efforts
for, according to the Lord, only "he who endures to the end will be
saved" (Mt.24:13).
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St Eutychius the Patriarch of Constantinople
Saint Eutychius, Archbishop of Constantinople, was born in a village
called "Divine" in the province of Phrygia. His father Alexander was a
soldier, and his mother Synesia was the daughter of the priest
Hesychius of Augustopolis. St Eutychius received the first rudiments
of his education and a Christian upbringing from his grandfather the
priest.
Once, while playing a childhood game, the boy wrote his own name with
the title of Patriarch. By this he seemed to predict his future
service. He was sent to Constantinople at age twelve for further
education. The youth persevered in his study of science and realized
that human wisdom is nothing in comparison to the study of divine
Revelation. Therefore, he decided to dedicate himself to monastic
life. St Eutychius withdrew into one of the Amasean monasteries and
received the angelic schema. For his strict life he was made
archimandrite of all the Amasean monasteries, and in 552 was appointed
to the Patriarchal throne.
When the Fifth Ecumenical Council prepared to assemble during the
reign of the holy emperor Justinian (527-565), the Metropolitan of
Amasea was ill and he sent St Eutychius in his place. At
Constantinople the aged Patriarch St Menas (August 25) saw St
Eutychius and predicted that he would be the next Patriarch. After the
death of the holy Patriarch Menas, the Apostle Peter appeared in a
vision to the emperor Justinian and, pointing his hand at Eutychius,
said, "Let him be made your bishop."
At the very beginning of his patriarchal service, St Eutychius
convened the Fifth Ecumenical Council (553), at which the Fathers
condemned the heresies cropping up and anathematized them. However,
after several years a new heresy arose in the Church:
Aphthartodocetism [asartodoketai] or "imperishability" which taught
that the flesh of Christ, before His death on the Cross and
Resurrection, was imperishable and not capable of suffering.
St Eutychius vigorously denounced this heresy, but the emperor
Justinian himself inclined toward it, and turned his wrath upon the
saint. By order of the emperor, soldiers seized the saint in the
church, removed his patriarchal vestments, and sent him into exile to
an Amasean monastery (565).
The saint bore his banishment with meekness, and lived at the
monastery in fasting and prayer, and he worked many miracles and
healings.
Thus, through his prayer the wife of a devout man, Androgenes, who had
given birth only to dead infants, now gave birth to two sons who lived
to maturity. Two deaf-mutes received the gift of speech; and two
grievously ill children were restored to health. The saint healed a
cancerous ulcer on the hand of an artist. The saint also healed
another artist, anointing his diseased hand with oil and making over
it the Sign of the Cross.
The saint healed not only bodily, but also spiritual afflictions: he
banished the devil out of a girl that had kept her from Holy
Communion; he expelled a demon from a youth who had fled from a
monastery (after which the youth returned to his monastery); he healed
a drunken leper, whostopped drinking after being cleansed of his
leprosy.
During the Persian invasion of Amasea and its widespread devastation,
they distributed grain to the hungry from the monastery granaries on
the saint's orders, and by his prayers, the stores of grain at the
monastery were not depleted.
St Eutychius received from God the gift of prophecy. He revealed the
names of two of Emperor Justinian's successors: Justin (565-578) and
Tiberias (578-582).
After the death of the holy Patriarch John Scholastikos, St Eutychius
returned to the cathedra in 577 after his twelve year exile, and he
again wisely ruled his flock.
Four and a half years after his return to the Patriarchal throne, St
Eutychius gathered together all his clergy on Thomas Sunday 582,
blessed them, and peacefully fell asleep in the Lord.
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St Methodius, Equal of the Apostles and Archbishop of
Moravia, Enlightener of the Slavs
Saint Methodius, Archbishop of Moravia, died on April 6 in the year
885. His Life is found on May 11, when he is commemorated with St
Cyril, Teacher of the Slavs.
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St Platonida (Platonis) of Nisibis, Syria
Saint Platonida was at first a deaconess, but afterwards withdrew into
the Nisibis desert, where she organized a women's monastery.
The Rule of her monastery was distinguished for its strictness. The
sisters partook of food only once a day. When they were not praying,
they spent their time in monastic labors and various obediences.
On Fridays, the day commemorating the sufferings of Christ the Savior
on the Cross, all work stopped, and the monks were in church from
morning until evening, where between services they read from Holy
Scripture and from commentaries on it.
St Platonida was for all the sisters a living example of strict
monastic asceticism, meekness, and love for neighbor. Having reached a
great old age, St Platonida died peacefully in the year 308.
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120 Martyrs of Persia
The Holy 120 Martyrs suffered under the Persian emperor Sapor. They
were taken into captivity during the reign of the Byzantine Emperor
Constantios (337-361). They were consigned to the flames after firmly
confessing their faith (c.344-347). St Shandulios (November 3)
concealed their relics from desecration by the pagans. Among the holy
martyrs were ten virgins, who had dedicated themselves to the service
of God.
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Martyr Jeremiah
The Holy Martyrs Jeremiah and the Priest Archilius (Alchimius)
suffered martyrdom in the third century. St Gregory Dialogus (March
12) mentions them.
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Martyr Archilias the Presbyter
The Holy Martyrs Jeremiah and the Priest Archilius (Alchimius)
suffered martyrdom in the third century. St Gregory Dialogus (March
12) mentions them.
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Venerable Gregory the Byzantine
Saint Gregory was a native of Constantinople, and pursued an ascetic
life on Mt. Athos in the Lavra of St Athanasius (July 5). He was the
spiritual guide of St Gregory Palamas (November 14).
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Monkmartyr Gennadius of Dionysiou on Mt Athos
No information available at this time.
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