[Readingsandsaints] Readings and Saints

Wed Apr 30 05:00:28 CDT 2008

Scripture Readings and Saints for Wed Apr 30 2008

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James 1:1-12  (Vespers, 1st Reading)
1 James, a bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the
twelve tribes which are scattered abroad: Greetings.
2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials,
3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.
4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and
complete, lacking nothing.
5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all
liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.
6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is
like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.
7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the
Lord;
8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
9 Let the lowly brother glory in his exaltation,
10 but the rich in his humiliation, because as a flower of the field
he will pass away.
11 For no sooner has the sun risen with a burning heat than it withers
the grass; its flower falls, and its beautiful appearance perishes. So
the rich man also will fade away in his pursuits.
12 Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been
approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has
promised to those who love Him.
Scripture Reading 1 of 8

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James 1:13-27  (Vespers, 2nd Reading)
13 Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God"; for God
cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.
14 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires
and enticed.
15 Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin,
when it is full-grown, brings forth death.
16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren.
17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes
down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or
shadow of turning.
18 Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we
might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures.
19 So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow
to speak, slow to wrath;
20 for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.
21 Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and
receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your
souls.
22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving
yourselves.
23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a
man observing his natural face in a mirror;
24 for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what
kind of man he was.
25 But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in
it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one
will be blessed in what he does.
26 If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his
tongue but deceives his own heart, this one's religion is useless.
27 Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to
visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself
unspotted from the world.
Scripture Reading 2 of 8

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James 2:1-13  (Vespers, 3rd Reading)
1 My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the
Lord of glory, with partiality.
2 For if there should come into your assembly a man with gold rings,
in fine apparel, and there should also come in a poor man in filthy
clothes,
3 and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say to
him, "You sit here in a good place," and say to the poor man, "You
stand there," or, "Sit here at my footstool,"
4 have you not shown partiality among yourselves, and become judges
with evil thoughts?
5 Listen, my beloved brethren: Has God not chosen the poor of this
world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised
to those who love Him?
6 But you have dishonored the poor man. Do not the rich oppress you
and drag you into the courts?
7 Do they not blaspheme that noble name by which you are called?
8 If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, "You
shall love your neighbor as yourself," you do well;
9 but if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the
law as transgressors.
10 For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point,
he is guilty of all.
11 For He who said, "Do not commit adultery," also said, "Do not
murder." Now if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you
have become a transgressor of the law.
12 So speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law of
liberty.
13 For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy.
Mercy triumphs over judgment.
Scripture Reading 3 of 8

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John 21:15-25  (Matins Gospel)
15 So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter,
"Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?" He said to Him,
"Yes, Lord; You know that I love You." He said to him, "Feed My
lambs."
16 He said to him again a second time, "Simon, son of Jonah, do you
love Me?" He said to Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I love You." He
said to him, "Tend My sheep."
17 He said to him the third time, "Simon, son of Jonah, do you love
Me?" Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, "Do you
love Me?" And he said to Him, "Lord, You know all things; You know
that I love You." Jesus said to him, "Feed My sheep.
18 Most assuredly, I say to you, when you were younger, you girded
yourself and walked where you wished; but when you are old, you will
stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where
you do not wish.
19 This He spoke, signifying by what death he would glorify God. And
when He had spoken this, He said to him, "Follow Me."
20 Then Peter, turning around, saw the disciple whom Jesus loved
following, who also had leaned on His breast at the supper, and said,
"Lord, who is the one who betrays You?"
21 Peter, seeing him, said to Jesus, "But Lord, what about this man?"
22 Jesus said to him, "If I will that he remain till I come, what is
that to you? You follow Me."
23 Then this saying went out among the brethren that this disciple
would not die. Yet Jesus did not say to him that he would not die,
but, "If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you?"
24 This is the disciple who testifies of these things, and wrote these
things; and we know that his testimony is true.
25 And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they
were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could
not contain the books that would be written. Amen.
Scripture Reading 4 of 8

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Acts 2:22-36  (Epistle)
22 Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested
by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through
Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know-
23 Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of
God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to
death;
24 whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it
was not possible that He should be held by it.
25 For David says concerning Him: 'I foresaw the LORD always before my
face, For He is at my right hand, that I may not be shaken.
26 Therefore my heart rejoiced, and my tongue was glad; Moreover my
flesh also will rest in hope.
27 For You will not leave my soul in Hades, Nor will You allow Your
Holy One to see corruption.
28 You have made known to me the ways of life; You will make me full
of joy in Your presence.'
29 Men and brethren, let me speak freely to you of the patriarch
David, that he is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to
this day.
30 Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an
oath to him that of the fruit of his body, according to the flesh, He
would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne,
31 he, foreseeing this, spoke concerning the resurrection of the
Christ, that His soul was not left in Hades, nor did His flesh see
corruption.
32 This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses.
33 Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having
received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out
this which you now see and hear.
34 For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he says himself:
'The LORD said to my Lord, Sit at My right hand,
35 Till I make Your enemies Your footstool." '
36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has
made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.
Scripture Reading 5 of 8

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Acts 12:1-11  (Epistle, St. James)
1 Now about that time Herod the king stretched out his hand to harass
some from the church.
2 Then he killed James the brother of John with the sword.
3 And because he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to
seize Peter also. Now it was during the Days of Unleavened Bread.
4 So when he had arrested him, he put him in prison, and delivered him
to four squads of soldiers to keep him, intending to bring him before
the people after Passover.
5 Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered
to God for him by the church.
6 And when Herod was about to bring him out, that night Peter was
sleeping, bound with two chains between two soldiers; and the guards
before the door were keeping the prison.
7 Now behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in
the prison; and he struck Peter on the side and raised him up, saying,
"Arise quickly!" And his chains fell off his hands.
8 Then the angel said to him, "Gird yourself and tie on your sandals";
and so he did. And he said to him, "Put on your garment and follow
me."
9 So he went out and followed him, and did not know that what was done
by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision.
10 When they were past the first and the second guard posts, they came
to the iron gate that leads to the city, which opened to them of its
own accord; and they went out and went down one street, and
immediately the angel departed from him.
11 And when Peter had come to himself, he said, "Now I know for
certain that the Lord has sent His angel, and has delivered me from
the hand of Herod and from all the expectation of the Jewish people."
Scripture Reading 6 of 8

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John 1:35-51  (Gospel)
35 Again, the next day, John stood with two of his disciples.
36 And looking at Jesus as He walked, he said, "Behold the Lamb of
God!"
37 The two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.
38 Then Jesus turned, and seeing them following, said to them, "What
do you seek?" They said to Him, "Rabbi" (which is to say, when
translated, Teacher), "where are You staying?"
39 He said to them, "Come and see." They came and saw where He was
staying, and remained with Him that day (now it was about the tenth
hour).
40 One of the two who heard John speak, and followed Him, was Andrew,
Simon Peter's brother.
41 He first found his own brother Simon, and said to him, "We have
found the Messiah" (which is translated, the Christ).
42 And he brought him to Jesus. Now when Jesus looked at him, He said,
"You are Simon the son of Jonah. You shall be called Cephas" (which is
translated, A Stone).
43 The following day Jesus wanted to go to Galilee, and He found
Philip and said to him, "Follow Me."
44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter.
45 Philip found Nathanael and said to him, "We have found Him of whom
Moses in the law, and also the prophets, wrote-Jesus of Nazareth, the
son of Joseph."
46 And Nathanael said to him, "Can anything good come out of
Nazareth?" Philip said to him, "Come and see."
47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward Him, and said of him, "Behold, an
Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!"
48 Nathanael said to Him, "How do You know me?" Jesus answered and
said to him, "Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig
tree, I saw you."
49 Nathanael answered and said to Him, "Rabbi, You are the Son of God!
You are the King of Israel!"
50 Jesus answered and said to him, "Because I said to you, 'I saw you
under the fig tree,' do you believe? You will see greater things than
these."
51 And He said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, hereafter you
shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending
upon the Son of Man."
Scripture Reading 7 of 8

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Luke 5:1-11  (Gospel, St. James)
1 So it was, as the multitude pressed about Him to hear the word of
God, that He stood by the Lake of Gennesaret,
2 and saw two boats standing by the lake; but the fishermen had gone
from them and were washing their nets.
3 Then He got into one of the boats, which was Simon's, and asked him
to put out a little from the land. And He sat down and taught the
multitudes from the boat.
4 When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, "Launch out into the
deep and let down your nets for a catch."
5 But Simon answered and said to Him, "Master, we have toiled all
night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down
the net."
6 And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and
their net was breaking.
7 So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and
help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began
to sink.
8 When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying,
"Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!"
9 For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of
fish which they had taken;
10 and so also were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were
partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid. From
now on you will catch men."
11 So when they had brought their boats to land, they forsook all and
followed Him.
Scripture Reading 8 of 8

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Bright Wednesday
On Bright Wednesday we commemorate the holy monastic Fathers who have
shone forth on the God-trodden Mt Sinai. This commemoration was
established by the Church of Russia on April 17, 1997.
Saints Theocharis and Apostolos are local saints of Arta. The first
fell asleep in 1845 and the second a little later. St Theocharis was a
teacher at Komboti, Arta. The icons of these saints are in the church
of Holy Wisdom (Hagia Sophia) in Arta.
The Kasperov Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos is also commemorated
today. Tradition says that this holy icon had been brought to Cherson
from Transylvania by a Serb at the end of the sixteenth century.
Passing down from parent and child, the icon had come to a certain
Mrs. Kasperova of Cherson in 1809.
One night in February of 1840 she was praying, seeking consolation in
her many sorrows. Looking at the icon of the Virgin, she noticed that
the features of the icon, darkened by age, had suddenly become bright.
Soon the icon was glorified by many miracles, and people regarded it
as wonder-working.
During the Crimean War (1853-1856), the icon was carried in procession
through the city of Odessa, which was besieged by enemy forces. On
Great and Holy Friday, the city was spared. Since that time, an
Akathist has been served before the icon in the Dormition Cathedral of
Odessa every Friday.
The icon is painted with oils on a canvas mounted on wood. The Mother
of God holds Her Son on her left arm. The Child is holding a scroll.
St John the Baptist (Janurary 7) is depicted on one side of the icon,
and St Tatiana (January 12) on the other. These were probably the
patron saints of the original owners of the icon.
The Kasperov Icon is commemorated on October 1, June 29, and Bright
Wednesday.
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Apostle James the Brother of St John the Theologian
The Holy Apostle James, the son of Zebedee, was the brother of St John
the Theologian, and one of the Twelve Apostles. He and his brother, St
John, were called to be Apostles by our Lord Jesus Christ, Who called
them the "Sons of Thunder" (Mark 3:17). It was this James, with John
and Peter, who witnessed the Raising of the Daughter of Jairus, the
Lord's Transfiguration on Mount Tabor, and His agony in the Garden of
Gethsemane.
St James, after the Descent of the Holy Spirit, preached in Spain and
in other lands, and then he returned to Jerusalem. He openly and
boldly preached Jesus Christ as the Savior of the world, and he
denounced the Pharisees and the Scribes with the words of Holy
Scripture, reproaching them for their malice of heart and unbelief.
The Jews could not prevail against St James, and so they hired the
sorcerer Hermogenes to dispute with the apostle and refute his
arguments that Christ was the promised Messiah Who had come into the
world. The sorcerer sent to the apostle his pupil Philip, who was
converted to belief in ChriSt Then Germogenes himself became persuaded
of the power of God, he burned his books of magic, accepted holy
Baptism and became a true follower of Christ.
The Jews persuaded Herod Agrippa (40-44) to arrest the Apostle James
and sentence him to death (Acts 12:1-2). Eusebius provides some of the
details of the saint's execution (CHURCH HISTORY II, 9). St James
calmly heard the death sentence and continued to bear witness to
Christ. One of the false witnesses, whose name was Josiah, was struck
by the courage of St James. He came to believe in Jesus Christ as the
Messiah. When they led the apostle forth to execution, Josiah fell at
his feet, repenting of his sin and asking forgiveness. The apostle
embraced him, gave him a kiss and said, "Peace and forgiveness to
you." Then Josiah confessed his faith in Christ before everyone, and
he was beheaded with St James in the year 44 at Jerusalem.
St James was the first of the Apostles to die as a martyr.
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Uncovering of the relics of St Nikita the Bishop of Novgorod
Saint Nikita the former Recluse of the Kiev Caves fell asleep in the
Lord in 1109, after serving as Bishop of Novgorod for thirteen years.
Bishop Nikita was glorified as a saint during the reign of Tsar Ivan
Vasilievich, and his holy relics, dressed in full vestments, were
uncovered on April 30, 1558. That day was marked by the healing of
many people. His relics now rest in the cathedral of the holy Apostle
Philip in Novgorod.
St Nikita of Novgorod is also commemorated on January 31, the day of
his repose, and on May 14.
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Uncovering of the relics of St Basil the Bishop of Amasea
The Hieromartyr Basil, Bishop of Amasea, lived at the beginning of the
fourth century in the Pontine city of Amasea. He encouraged and
comforted the Christians suffering persecution by the pagans. During
this time the Eastern part of the Roman Empire was ruled by Licinius
(311-324), the brother-in-law of the holy emperor Constantine the
Great (May 21). Licinius deceitfully signed St Constantine's Edict of
Milan (313), which granted religious toleration to Christians, but he
hated them and continued to persecute them.
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Martyr Maximus of Ephesus
The Holy Martyr Maximus suffered for his faith in Christ, and was run
through with a sword.
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St Ignatius Brianchaninov the Bishop
No information available at this time.
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Icon of the Mother of God "of the Passion"
The Icon of the Mother of God "Of the Passion" The icon received its
name because on either side of the Mother of God are two angels with
the implements of the Lord's suffering: the Cross, the lance, and the
sponge.
There was a certain pious woman, Katherine, who began to suffer
seizures and madness after her marriage. She ran off into the forest
and attempted suicide more than once.
In a moment of clarity she prayed to the Mother of God and vowed that
if she were healed, she would enter a monastery. After recovering her
health, she only remembered her vow after a long time. Afraid and
mentally afflicted, she took to her bed. Three times the Most Holy
Theotokos appeared to her, commanding the sick woman to go to
Nizhni-Novgorod and to buy Her icon from the iconographer Gregory.
After she had done this, Katherine received healing. From that time
on, miracles have occurred from this icon. The Feast day of this icon
is on August 13, commemorating its transfer from the village of
Palitsa to Moscow in 1641. A church was built at the place where it
was met at the Tver gates, and in 1654, the Strastna monastery was
built.
The icon is also commemorated on April 30, and on the sixth Sunday
after Pascha (the Sunday of the Blind Man) in memory of the miracles
which occurred on this day. Other "Passion" icons of the Mother of God
have been glorified in the Moscow church of the Conception of St.
Anna, and also in the village of Enkaeva in Tambov diocese.
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New Martyr Argyra
The holy New Martyr Argyra lived in Proussa, Bithynia, and came from a
pious family. She was a beautiful and virtuous woman. When she was
eighteen, she married a pious Christian, and they moved into a
neighborhood inhabited by many Moslems.
After only a few days, she was approached by a Turkish neighbor, the
son of the Cadi (magistrate). He boldly declared his love for her, and
tried to convert her to his religion. She rejected his advances,
saying that she would rather die than be married to a Moslem. She did
not tell her husband, fearing that he would go after the Turk and then
be punished for it.
The Moslem brought her to trial and testified that she had assented to
his advances, but then had laughed and said she was only joking. His
lies were corroborated by false witnesses, and Argyra was sent to
prison.
The saint's husband, hoping to get her a fair trial, appealed to
Constantinople. There the accuser repeated his lies before the judge.
St Argyra said that she was a Christian, and that she would never deny
Christ. The judge ordered her to be flogged, then sentenced her to
life in prison.
She was often taken from her cell, interrogated, beaten, then returned
to prison. This continued for seventeen years. The saint was also
insulted and tormented by the Moslem women who were incarcerated for
their evil deeds. The Evil One incited them to annoy St Argyra with
these torments and afflictions, but she endured all these things with
great courage and patience.
According to the testimony of many Christian women who were in prison
with her, she humbled her body through fasting. Her heart was filled
with such love for Christ that she regarded her hardships as comforts.
A pious Christian named Manolis Kiourtzibasis sent her word that he
would try to have her released, but St Argyra would not consent to
this. She completed her earthly pilgrimage in the prison, receiving
the crown of martyrdom on April 5, 1721.
After a few years her body was exhumed, and was found to be whole and
incorrupt, emitting an ineffable fragrance. Pious priests and laymen
took her body to the church of St Paraskeve on April 30, 1735 with the
permission of Patriarch Paisius II.
Her relics remain there to this day, where they are venerated by
Orthodox Christians from all walks of life, to the glory of the
Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
St Argyra's name comes from the Greek word for silver (argyre). THE
NEW MARTYR ARGYRA 1688-1721 by P. Philippidou (which also contains a
Service to the saint) was published in Constantinople in 1912.
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St Donatus the Bishop of Euroea in Epirus
Saint Donatus lived during the reign of the holy Emperor Theodosius
the Great (379-397) and was bishop of the city of Euroea (in Albania).
Not far from this city, in the vicinity of Soreia, was a brackish
spring of water. When the saint learned of this, he went with clergy
to the spring and cast out a monstrous serpent, which died. The saint
prayed, he blessed the spring and drank the water without harm. Seeing
this miracle, the people glorified God.
Another time, St Donatus prayed and brought forth water from a dry and
rocky place, and during a drought he entreated the Lord to send rain
to the parched land.
The daughter of the holy Emperor Theodosius fell terribly ill and was
afflicted by an unclean spirit. St Donatus came to the palace, and as
soon as he arrived the devil left and the sick woman was healed.
A certain man, shortly before his death, repaid a loan to a
money-lender. The creditor tried to extort the money a second time
from the dead man's widow. The saint resurrected the dead man, who
told where and when the loan had been repaid. After obtaining a
receipt from the creditor, the man fell asleep in the Lord.
St Donatus reposed in peace about the year 387.
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