[Readingsandsaints] Readings and Saints

Mon Feb 4 05:00:22 CST 2008

Scripture Readings and Saints for Mon Feb 4 2008

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------ READINGS FOR TODAY ----------------------------
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James 2:14-26  (Epistle)
14 What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but
does not have works? Can faith save him?
15 If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food,
16 and one of you says to them, "Depart in peace, be warmed and
filled," but you do not give them the things which are needed for the
body, what does it profit?
17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
18 But someone will say, "You have faith, and I have works." Show me
your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my
works.
19 You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons
believe-and tremble!
20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is
dead?
21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac
his son on the altar?
22 Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by
works faith was made perfect?
23 And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "Abraham believed God,
and it was accounted to him for righteousness." And he was called the
friend of God.
24 You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith
only.
25 Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she
received the messengers and sent them out another way?
26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works
is dead also.
Scripture Reading 1 of 4

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James 3:1-10  (Epistle, Tuesday)
1 My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we
shall receive a stricter judgment.
2 For we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in
word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body.
3 Indeed, we put bits in horses' mouths that they may obey us, and we
turn their whole body.
4 Look also at ships: although they are so large and are driven by
fierce winds, they are turned by a very small rudder wherever the
pilot desires.
5 Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things. See
how great a forest a little fire kindles!
6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set
among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the
course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell.
7 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the
sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind.
8 But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly
poison.
9 With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who
have been made in the similitude of God.
10 Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren,
these things ought not to be so.
Scripture Reading 2 of 4

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Mark 10:46-52  (Gospel)
46 Now they came to Jericho. As He went out of Jericho with His
disciples and a great multitude, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus,
sat by the road begging.
47 And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry
out and say, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"
48 Then many warned him to be quiet; but he cried out all the more,
"Son of David, have mercy on me!"
49 So Jesus stood still and commanded him to be called. Then they
called the blind man, saying to him, "Be of good cheer. Rise, He is
calling you."
50 And throwing aside his garment, he rose and came to Jesus.
51 So Jesus answered and said to him, "What do you want Me to do for
you?" The blind man said to Him, "Rabboni, that I may receive my
sight."
52 Then Jesus said to him, "Go your way; your faith has made you
well." And immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus on the
road.
Scripture Reading 3 of 4

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Mark 11:11-23  (Gospel, Tuesday)
11 And Jesus went into Jerusalem and into the temple. So when He had
looked around at all things, as the hour was already late, He went out
to Bethany with the twelve.
12 Now the next day, when they had come out from Bethany, He was
hungry.
13 And seeing from afar a fig tree having leaves, He went to see if
perhaps He would find something on it. When He came to it, He found
nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs.
14 In response Jesus said to it, "Let no one eat fruit from you ever
again." And His disciples heard it.
15 So they came to Jerusalem. Then Jesus went into the temple and
began to drive out those who bought and sold in the temple, and
overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who
sold doves.
16 And He would not allow anyone to carry wares through the temple.
17 Then He taught, saying to them, "Is it not written, 'My house shall
be called a house of prayer for all nations'? But you have made it a
'den of thieves.' "
18 And the scribes and chief priests heard it and sought how they
might destroy Him; for they feared Him, because all the people were
astonished at His teaching.
19 When evening had come, He went out of the city.
20 Now in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried
up from the roots.
21 And Peter, remembering, said to Him, "Rabbi, look! The fig tree
which You cursed has withered away."
22 So Jesus answered and said to them, "Have faith in God.
23 For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be
removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart,
but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have
whatever he says.
Scripture Reading 4 of 4

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------ SAINTS/FEASTS FOR TODAY ----------------------------
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Afterfeast of the Meeting of our Lord in the Temple
The second day of the Afterfeast of the Meeting of the Lord falls on
February 4.
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Venerable Isidore of Pelusium
Saint Isidore of Pelusium lived during the fourth-fifth centuries. He
was a native of Alexandria, and was raised among pious Christians. He
was a relative of Theophilus, Archbishop of Alexandria, and of his
successor, St Cyril (January 18). While still a youth he quit the
world and withdrew to Egypt to Mount Pelusium, which became the site
of his monastic efforts.
St Isidore's spiritual wisdom and strict asceticism, combined with his
broad learning and innate knowledge of the human soul, enabled him to
win the respect and love of his fellow monks in a short time. They
chose him as their head and had him ordained a priest (The earliest
sources for his life, however, say nothing of him being an igumen).
Following the example of St John Chrysostom, whom he had managed to
see and hear during a trip to Constantinople, St Isidore devoted
himself primarily to Christian preaching, that "practical wisdom"
which, in his own words, is both "the foundation of the edifice and
the edifice itself", while logic is "its embellishment, and
contemplation its crown."
He was a teacher and a willingly provided counsel for anyone who
turned to him for spiritual encouragement, whether it was a simple
man, a dignitary, a bishop, the Patriarch of Alexandria, or even the
emperor. He left behind about 10,000 letters, of which 2,090 have
survived. A large portion of these letters reveal profound theological
thought and contain morally edifying interpretations of Holy
Scripture. St Photius (February 6) calls Isidore a model of priestly
and ascetical life, and also a master of style.
St Isidore's love for St John Chrysostom resulted in his support of St
John when he was persecuted by the empress Eudoxia and Archbishop
Theophilus. After the death of St John, St Isidore persuaded
Theophilus' successor St Cyril to inscribe the name of St John
Chrysostom into the Church diptychs as a confessor. Through the
initiative of St Isidore the Third Ecumenical Council was convened at
Ephesus (431), at which the false teaching of Nestorius concerning the
person of Jesus Christ was condemned.
St Isidore lived into old age and died around the year 436. The Church
historian Evagrius (sixth century) writes of St Isidore, "his life
seemed to everyone the life of an angel upon the earth." Another
historian, Nicephorus Callistus (ninth century), praises St Isidore
thus, "He was a vital and inspired pillar of monastic rules and divine
vision, and as such he presented a very lofty image of most fervent
example and spiritual teaching."
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Right-believing George the Great Prince of Vladimir
Holy Great Prince George was a son of Great Prince Vsevolod, nicknamed
"Big Nest." He was born in the year 1189, and he assumed the great
princely throne of Vladimir in 1212. He was distinguished for his
military valor and his piety. In the year 1237 the Tatar (Mongol)
Horde of Batu descended upon the Russian land. St George was compelled
to leave the capital city in charge of his sons, and went north to
meet up with the other princes.
On March 4, 1238 the Battle at the River Sita was fought, in which the
Tatars destroyed the small but valiant company of the Great Prince.
The saint himself fell in this fight, and Bishop Cyril buried his body
at the Rostov cathedral. Two years later, it was transferred to
Vladimir's Dormition cathedral with great solemnity.
The Church glorification of the saint occurred in 1645.
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Venerable Cyril the Abbot and Wonderworker of Novoezersk,
Novgorod
Saint Cyril of New Lake was born into a pious family. The Lord marked
him as one of the chosen even before he was born. Cyril's mother was
praying in church during the Divine Liturgy, and the infant in her
womb cried out, "Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord of Sabaoth!"
>From the time of his childhood the saint was fond of solitude and
prayer, and he dreamt of monastic life. At fifteen years of age Cyril
secretly left his parental home, intending to enter the Pskov Caves
monastery. He did not know the way to the monastery, and took nothing
from home for the journey. He went his way, putting all his trust in
the Lord and His All-Pure Mother. Twenty versts from the city the
youth met a magnificent monastic Elder, who led him to the monastery.
As he left, he blessed him with the words, "May God bless you, my
child, and grant you the angelic schema, and may you be a chosen
vessel of the Divine Spirit." Having said this, the Elder became
invisible. The boy realized that this had been a messenger from God,
and he gave thanks to the Lord.
The igumen St Cornelius (February 20) saw with his clairvoyant eye the
grace manifest in the young man. He provided him with much guidance
and tonsured him into the monastic schema with the name Cyril. The
fifteen-year-old monk astonished the brethren with his efforts. He
emaciated the flesh through fasting and prayer, and zealously
fulfilled obediences. Day and night he was ready to study the Word of
God. Even then he thought to end his days in solitude in the
wilderness.
The boy's parents mourned him as one dead, but once an Elder of the
monastery of St Cornelius came to them and told them about their son
and his life at the monastery. The joyful news confirmed in Cyril's
mother her love for God. She spoke with her husband about leaving to
the monastery her portion of the inheritance, then left the world and
became a nun with the name Elena (Helen). She died in peace a short
time later.
The saint's father came to the monastery, and Igumen Cornelius told
Cyril to meet with him. The saint was troubled, but not daring to
disobey the igumen, he fell down at his father's feet, imploring
forgiveness for secretly leaving home. The father forgave his son, and
he himself remained at the monastery. St Cornelius tonsured him into
monasticism with the name Barsanuphius, and gave him to his son for
instruction.
Three years later, he peacefully fell asleep in the Lord. His son
continued to toil more fervently for the Lord, disdaining his own
will, and in was obedient not only to the igumen, but also to the
brethren. He thirsted to go about all the Russian land, venerating its
holy shrines and to find for himself a wilderness place for a life of
silence.
With the blessing of St Cornelius, St Cyril left the monastery in
which he had grown strong spiritually, and he went to the coastal
regions, roaming through the forests and the wild places, eating tree
roots and berries. The saint spent about twenty years in this
difficult exploit of wanderer, and he went to the outskirts of Moscow,
Novgorod and Pskov, but he never entered any house nor did he accept
alms. He wandered about during the day, and spent his nights at prayer
on church porches, and he attended the church services.
Once while at prayer, St Cyril saw a heavenly light indicating the
direction where he should found a monastery. He set off on his way at
once, and having reached the Tikhvin monastery, he spent three days
and three nights there in ceaseless prayer to the Most Holy Theotokos.
The Mother of God appeared to him in a dream. Showing Her approval of
him, She said, "My servant Cyril, pleaser of the Most Holy Trinity, go
to the Eastern region of White Lake, and the Lord My Son will show you
the place of rest for your old age."
The saint proceeded to White Lake, weeping copious tears at the
miraculous vision. On the lake he saw a small island, from which a
pillar of fire rose up to the sky. There, beneath a centuries old
spruce tree, St Cyril built a hut, and then set up two cells: one for
himself, the other for future brethren. The hermit also constructed
two small churches, one in honor of the Resurrection of Christ and the
other in honor of the Mother of God Hodigitria. He underwent many
temptations from invisible enemies, and from idlers roving about, but
he overcame everything by brave endurance and constant prayer. News of
his holy life spread everywhere, and brethren gathered around him.
There were many instances of healing through his prayers, and the Lord
also granted His saint the gift of foresight. Sensing his impending
end, St Cyril summoned the brethren. With tears of humility the saint
instructed his spiritual children one last time, until his voice gave
out. For a long time then he was silent, but suddenly he cried out
with loud sobbing, "I go to the Lord into life eternal, but I entrust
you to God the Word and His Grace, bestowing an inheritance and
sanctification upon all. May it help you. But I beseech you, do not
become lax in fasting and prayers, guard yourself from the snares of
the Enemy, and the Lord in His ineffable mercy will not condemn your
humility."
Having said this, the saint gave a final kiss to the brethren,
received the Holy Mysteries, signed himself with the Sign of the
Cross, and with the words "Glory to God for everything!" he gave up
his pure soul to the Lord on February 4, 1532.
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Venerable Abraham of Pechenga, Vologda
Saints Abraham and Coprius of Pechenga in 1492 founded the Savior
wilderness monastery at the River Pechenga, in Gryazovetsk district,
21 versts from Vologda. It required great work to bring in the
necessities to the wilderness spot, in order to build the monastery
and set everything in proper order. The blessed toilers did not spare
themselves, zealously living in asceticism until their death.
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Venerable Coprius of Pechenga, Vologda
Saints Abraham and Coprius of Pechenga in 1492 founded the Savior
wilderness monastery at the River Pechenga, in Gryazovetsk district,
21 versts from Vologda. It required great work to bring in the
necessities to the wilderness spot, in order to build the monastery
and set everything in proper order. The blessed toilers did not spare
themselves, zealously living in asceticism until their death.
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Martyr Jadorus
Saint Jadorus suffered martyrdom with St Isidore (not Isidore of
Pelusium) in the reign of Decius (249-251).
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Hieromartyr Abramius the Bishop of Arbela in Assyria
The Hieromartyr Abraham, Bishop of Arbilia, suffered during a
persecution against Christians in Persia under the emperor Sapor II.
When they demanded that the saint renounce Christ and worship the sun,
he answered, "How foolish to forsake the Creator and instead worship
creatures! Isn't the sun just a creation of my God?"
After this, they fiercely beat and tortured him. St Abraham prayed
during torture, echoing the words of the Savior: "Lord, do not count
this sin against us, for they know not what they do!" The hieromartyr
was beheaded by the sword in the village of Felman.
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Venerable Nicholas the Confessor the Abbot of Studion
Saint Nicholas the Confessor, Igumen of the Studion Monastery, lived
during the ninth century. He was born on the island of Crete in the
village of Kedonia into a Christian family. When he was ten, his
parents sent him to Constantinople to his uncle, St Theophanes
(October 11), who was a monk at the Studion monastery. With the
approval of St Theodore (November 11), the head of the Studion
monastery, the boy was enrolled in the monastery school. When he
finished school at sixteen years of age, he was tonsured a monk. After
several years, he was ordained a priest.
During this time there was a fierce persecution, initiated by the
Byzantine emperor Leo the Armenian (813-820), against those who
venerated the holy icons. St Nicholas and St Theodore the Studite were
repeatedly locked up in prison, tortured in various ways, and
humiliated. However, they zealously continued to defend Orthodoxy.
Under the holy Empress Theodora (February 11), who ruled the realm
while her son Michael was still a minor, icon veneration was restored,
and a time of relative peace followed. St Nicholas returned to the
Studite monastery and was chosen its head. But this calm did not last
very long.
The Empress Theodora was removed from the throne, and the emperor's
uncle, Bardas, a man who defiled himself by open cohabitation with his
son's wife, came to power. The attempts of Patriarch Ignatius (October
23) to restrain the impiety of Bardas proved unsuccessful. On the
contrary, he was deposed from the patriarchal throne and sent into
exile.
Unwilling to witness the triumph of iniquity, St Nicholas left
Constantinople. He spent seven years at various monasteries. Later on,
he returned as a prisoner to the Studite monastery, where he spent two
years imprisoned, until the death of the emperor Michael (855-867) and
Bardas. Whenthe emperor Basil I the Macedonian (867-886) ascended the
throne, St Nicholas was set free, and again became igumen on the
orders of the emperor. Because of his life as a confessor and ascetic
he received from God the gift of healing, which continued even after
his repose in the year 868.
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St Evagrisi the disciple of St Shio
Saint Evagre was born to God-fearing and pious parents who read the
Holy Scriptures to him from the earliest years of his childhood. When
he reached manhood, Evagre became ruler of Tsikhedidi.
One day Evagre went hunting in the Sarkineti Mountains where Shio of
Mgvime had settled. While he was hunting, his companions dispersed in
various directions, and he was left alone to survey his surroundings.
There he beheld a bird, resembling a dove, on its way to bring food to
Fr. Shio, and noted the place where it landed. The next day he located
the hermits cave dwelling.
Astonished at Fr. Shios strict asceticism, St. Evagre was filled with
holy envy, having a desire to emulate the hermit, and he told him, God
is truly alive. I will not leave you, I will not go back. St. Shio
advised him to be wary of such an impulsive decision, since it would
be quite difficult for a man who had grown up in luxury to suddenly
begin a new life in the wilderness. But Evagre answered him firmly,
Even if it means I must die here with you today, I will not depart
from this place.
In order to test his faith, St. Shio entrusted Evagre with his staff
and instructed him, saying, Put my staff in the Mtkvari River; it will
part the water and clear a path for you to cross. Secure your home and
return to me. On your return when you reach the Mtkvari, use my staff
again to clear a path for yourself. If it fails, then continue on your
way as before. That would mean that it is not Gods will to fulfill
your desire.
Evagre obediently took St. Shios staff and touched it to the water of
the Mtkvari. The river parted, and he crossed confidently to the other
side.
Having returned to the palace, Evagre distributed all his possessions
to the poor, secured his home, and set off again to find Fr. Shio. He
performed the same miracle on his return: the river parted in two, and
the faithful Evagre passed through.
Fr. Shio tonsured Evagre into the monastic life, and the former ruler
settled near the holy fathers cave. There he learned to be patient and
watchful and how to pray, while acquiring other virtues as fruits of
his ascetic labors.
St. Shio anticipated that the number of monks in the wilderness would
multiply, and he built a church for them in a place that God had
revealed. The great gifts of the holy fathers were soon made known,
and many pilgrims journeyed to the Sarkineti Mountains to receive
their blessings. When King Parsman heard, belatedly, that his beloved
army chief had been tonsured a monk, he became sorrowful and
personally traveled to St. Shios wilderness. His hope was to bring
Evagre back into the world, but the blessed father responded with
monastic composure: O King! Why are you disturbing me, a man born to
serve God, by asking me to become like a dog who returns to his own
vomit (c.f. Prov. 26:11)?
The news of St. Shio, Evagre, and the other holy strugglers spread
throughout Georgia, and many laymen were inspired to enter the
monastic life.
After many years St. Shio grew old, and he gathered the brotherhood of
monks around him. You must choose one from among you to lead this
community. From now on I will labor in the well that I have prepared
for my grave, he told them. The brothers were exceedingly sorrowful at
having to part with their beloved teacher, and in vain they pleaded
with him to remain at the monastery. At last they asked Fr. Shio to
appoint a successor, and he chose Evagre as the monasterys next abbot.
The humble, gracious Evagre objected to this appointment, considering
himself unfit to fulfill such a difficult responsibility. He begged
St. Shio to reconsider his decision, but the elder simply responded,
If you consent to our will, you will receive a joyous reward from God:
when He returns in His glory, He will repay you for your obedience.
At last St. Evagre accepted his teachers counsel, and he directed the
monasterys activity with the help of God from that day forward.
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