[Readingsandsaints] Readings and Saints

Fri Feb 8 05:00:15 CST 2008

Scripture Readings and Saints for Fri Feb 8 2008

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------ READINGS FOR TODAY ----------------------------
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1 Peter 1:1-2,10-12; 2:6-10  (Epistle)
1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To the pilgrims of the Dispersion
in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,
2 elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in
sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the
blood of Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace be multiplied.
10 Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched
carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you,
11 searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ who
was in them was indicating when He testified beforehand the sufferings
of Christ and the glories that would follow.
12 To them it was revealed that, not to themselves, but to us they
were ministering the things which now have been reported to you
through those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit
sent from heaven-things which angels desire to look into.
6 Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture, "Behold, I lay in
Zion A chief cornerstone, elect, precious, And he who believes on Him
will by no means be put to shame."
7 Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are
disobedient, "The stone which the builders rejected Has become the
chief cornerstone,"
8 and "A stone of stumbling And a rock of offense." They stumble,
being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed.
9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation,
His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who
called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;
10 who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had
not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.
Scripture Reading 1 of 2

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Mark 12:1-12  (Gospel)
1 Then He began to speak to them in parables: "A man planted a
vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a place for the wine vat and
built a tower. And he leased it to vinedressers and went into a far
country.
2 Now at vintage-time he sent a servant to the vinedressers, that he
might receive some of the fruit of the vineyard from the vinedressers.
3 And they took him and beat him and sent him away empty-handed.
4 Again he sent them another servant, and at him they threw stones,
wounded him in the head, and sent him away shamefully treated.
5 And again he sent another, and him they killed; and many others,
beating some and killing some.
6 Therefore still having one son, his beloved, he also sent him to
them last, saying, 'They will respect my son.'
7 But those vinedressers said among themselves, 'This is the heir.
Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.'
8 So they took him and killed him and cast him out of the vineyard.
9 Therefore what will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and
destroy the vinedressers, and give the vineyard to others.
10 Have you not even read this Scripture: 'The stone which the
builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone.
11 This was the LORD's doing, And it is marvelous in our eyes'?"
12 And they sought to lay hands on Him, but feared the multitude, for
they knew He had spoken the parable against them. So they left Him and
went away.
Scripture Reading 2 of 2

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------ SAINTS/FEASTS FOR TODAY ----------------------------
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Afterfeast of the Meeting of our Lord in the Temple
The sixth day of the Afterfeast of the Meeting of the Lord falls on
February 8. The hymns of the day speak of Christ fulfilling the Law by
being brought to the Temple, and of how the Theotokos "reveals to the
world its Creator, and the Giver of the Law."
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Greatmartyr Theodore Stratelates "the General"
The Great Martyr Theodore Stratelates came from the city of Euchaita
in Asia Minor. He was endowed with many talents, and was handsome in
appearance. For his charity God enlightened him with the knowledge of
Christian truth. The bravery of the saintly soldier was revealed after
he, with the help of God, killed a giant serpent living on a precipice
in the outskirts of Euchaita. The serpent had devoured many people and
animals, terrorizing the countryside. St Theodore armed himself with a
sword and vanquished it, glorifying the name of Christ among the
people.
For his bravery St Theodore was appointed military commander
[stratelatos] in the city of Heraclea, where he combined his military
service with preaching the Gospel among the pagans subject to him. His
gift of persuasion, reinforced by his personal example of Christian
life, turned many from their false gods. Soon, nearly all of Heraclea
had accepted Christianity.
During this time the emperor Licinius (311-324) began a fierce
persecution against Christians. In an effort to stamp out the new
faith, he persecuted the enlightened adherents of Christianity, who
were perceived as a threat to paganism. Among these was St Theodore.
Licinius tried to force St Theodore to offer sacrifice to the pagan
gods. The saint invited Licinius to come to him with his idols so both
of them could offer sacrifice before the people.
Blinded by his hatred for Christianity, Licinius trusted the words of
the saint, but he was disappointed. St Theodore smashed the gold and
silver statues into pieces, which he then distributed to the poor.
Thus he demonstrated the vain faith in soulless idols, and also
displayed Christian charity.
St Theodore was arrested and subjected to fierce and refined torture.
He was dragged on the ground, beaten with iron rods, had his body
pierced with sharp spikes, was burned with fire, and his eyes were
plucked out. Finally, he was crucified. Varus, the servant of St
Theodore, barely had the strength to write down the incredible
torments of his master.
God, however, in His great mercy, willed that the death of St Theodore
should be as fruitful for those near him as his life was. An angel
healed the saint's wounded body and took him down from the cross. In
the morning, the imperial soldiers found him alive and unharmed.
Seeing with their own eyes the infinite might of the Christian God,
they were baptized not far from the place of the unsuccessful
execution.
Thus St Theodore became "like a day of splendor" for those pagans
dwelling in the darkness of idolatary, and he enlightened their souls
"with the bright rays of his suffering." Unwilling to escape martyrdom
for Christ, St Theodore voluntarily surrendered himself to Licinius,
and discouraged the Christians from rising up against the torturer,
saying, "Beloved, halt! My Lord Jesus Christ, hanging upon the Cross,
restrained the angels and did not permit them to take revenge on the
race of man."
Going to execution, the holy martyr opened up the prison doors with
just a word and freed the prisoners from their bonds. People who
touched his robe were healed instantly from sicknesses, and freed from
demonic possession. By order of the emperor, St Theodore was beheaded
by the sword. Before his death he told Varus, " Do not fail to record
the day of my death, and bury my body in Euchaita." He also asked to
be remembered each year on this date. Then he bent his neck beneath
the sword, and received the crown of martyrdom which he had sought.
This occurred on February 8, 319, on a Saturday, at the third hour of
the day.
St Theodore is regarded as the patron saint of soldiers. He is also
commemorated on June 8.
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Prophet Zachariah
The Prophet Zachariah the Sickle-Seer the eleventh of the twelve Minor
Prophets. He was descended from the tribe of Levi, and seems to have
been a priest (Nehemiah 12:4,16). He was called to prophetic service
at a young age and became, in the wondrous expression of church
hymnology, "a spectator of supra-worldly visions."
The Book of the Prophet Zachariah contains inspired details about the
coming of the Messiah (Zach 6:12); about the last days of the Savior's
earthly life, about the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem on a young
donkey (Zach 9:9); about the betrayal of the Lord for thirty pieces of
silver and the purchase of the potter's field with them (Zach
11:12-13); about the piercing of the Savior's side (Zach 12:10); about
the scattering of the apostles from the Garden of Gethsemane (Zach
13:7); about the eclipse of the sun at the time of the Crucifixion
(Zach 14:6-7).
"Enlightened by dawnings all above," the Prophet Zachariah, "saw the
future as it were the present." According to Tradition, this "most
true God-proclaimer" lived to old age and was buried near Jerusalem,
beside his illustrious contemporary and companion, the Prophet Haggai
(December 16). The title "Sickle-Seer" given Zachariah comes from a
vision in which he saw a sickle flying in the air, destroying thieves
and perjurors (Zach 5:1-3).
The holy Prophet Zachariah died around 520 B.C. His tomb was
discovered in 415 in a village near Eleutheropolis (Sozomen, Hist.
Eccles. VI:32, IX:17). At the prophet's feet was the body of a child
dressed in royal accoutrements. His holy relics were transferred to
the church of St James the Brother of the Lord (October 23) in
Constantinople.
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St Sava II the Archbishop of Serbia
Saint Sava II of Serbia was the son of King Stephen the First-Crowned,
and the nephew of St Sava.
Before becoming a monk, his name was Predislav. In the monastery he
devoted himself to the practice of asceticism, just as his uncle had
done.
After the repose of St Arsenius (October 28), St Sava II succeeded him
as Archbishop. He guided the Church with great love and dedication
until he fell asleep in the Lord in the year 1269.
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St Sava II of Serbia
Saint Sava II was the son of King Stephen the First-Crowned (September
24), the nephew of St Sava I (January 14). He was named Predislav at
birth.
He succeeded St Arsenius (October 28) as Archbishop of Serbia in 1266,
and took the name Sava.
The faithful archpastor fell asleep in the Lord in 1268, and his holy
relics are at Pec.
St Sava II is also commemorated on August 30, the Synaxis of the
Serbian Hierarchs.
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