[Readingsandsaints] Readings and Saints

Tue Feb 26 05:00:21 CST 2008

Scripture Readings and Saints for Tue Feb 26 2008

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------ READINGS FOR TODAY ----------------------------
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1 John 3:11-20  (Epistle)
11 For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we
should love one another,
12 not as Cain who was of the wicked one and murdered his brother. And
why did he murder him? Because his works were evil and his brother's
righteous.
13 Do not marvel, my brethren, if the world hates you.
14 We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the
brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death.
15 Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no
murderer has eternal life abiding in him.
16 By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we
also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
17 But whoever has this world's goods, and sees his brother in need,
and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in
him?
18 My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in
deed and in truth.
19 And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our
hearts before Him.
20 For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and
knows all things.
Scripture Reading 1 of 4

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1 John 3:21-4:6  (Epistle, Wednesday)
21 Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence
toward God.
22 And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His
commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.
23 And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of
His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment.
24 Now he who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And
by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given
us.
1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether
they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the
world.
2 By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that
Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God,
3 and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in
the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist,
which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.
4 You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He
who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.
5 They are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world, and the
world hears them.
6 We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does
not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of
error.
Scripture Reading 2 of 4

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Mark 14:10-42  (Gospel)
10 Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went to the chief priests
to betray Him to them.
11 And when they heard it, they were glad, and promised to give him
money. So he sought how he might conveniently betray Him.
12 Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread, when they killed the
Passover lamb, His disciples said to Him, "Where do You want us to go
and prepare, that You may eat the Passover?"
13 And He sent out two of His disciples and said to them, "Go into the
city, and a man will meet you carrying a pitcher of water; follow him.
14 Wherever he goes in, say to the master of the house, 'The Teacher
says, Where is the guest room in which I may eat the Passover with My
disciples?" '
15 Then he will show you a large upper room, furnished and prepared;
there make ready for us.
16 So His disciples went out, and came into the city, and found it
just as He had said to them; and they prepared the Passover.
17 In the evening He came with the twelve.
18 Now as they sat and ate, Jesus said, "Assuredly, I say to you, one
of you who eats with Me will betray Me."
19 And they began to be sorrowful, and to say to Him one by one, "Is
it I?" And another said, "Is it I?"
20 He answered and said to them, "It is one of the twelve, who dips
with Me in the dish.
21 The Son of Man indeed goes just as it is written of Him, but woe to
that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good
for that man if he had never been born.
22 And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it,
and gave it to them and said, "Take, eat; this is My body."
23 Then He took the cup, and when He had given thanks He gave it to
them, and they all drank from it.
24 And He said to them, "This is My blood of the new covenant, which
is shed for many.
25 Assuredly, I say to you, I will no longer drink of the fruit of the
vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.
26 And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of
Olives.
27 Then Jesus said to them, "All of you will be made to stumble
because of Me this night, for it is written: 'I will strike the
Shepherd, And the sheep will be scattered.'
28 But after I have been raised, I will go before you to Galilee.
29 Peter said to Him, "Even if all are made to stumble, yet I will not
be."
30 Jesus said to him, "Assuredly, I say to you that today, even this
night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times."
31 But he spoke more vehemently, "If I have to die with You, I will
not deny You!" And they all said likewise.
32 Then they came to a place which was named Gethsemane; and He said
to His disciples, "Sit here while I pray."
33 And He took Peter, James, and John with Him, and He began to be
troubled and deeply distressed.
34 Then He said to them, "My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to
death. Stay here and watch."
35 He went a little farther, and fell on the ground, and prayed that
if it were possible, the hour might pass from Him.
36 And He said, "Abba, Father, all things are possible for You. Take
this cup away from Me; nevertheless, not what I will, but what You
will."
37 Then He came and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, "Simon,
are you sleeping? Could you not watch one hour?
38 Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed
is willing, but the flesh is weak.
39 Again He went away and prayed, and spoke the same words.
40 And when He returned, He found them asleep again, for their eyes
were heavy; and they did not know what to answer Him.
41 Then He came the third time and said to them, "Are you still
sleeping and resting? It is enough! The hour has come; behold, the Son
of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners.
42 Rise, let us be going. See, My betrayer is at hand.
Scripture Reading 3 of 4

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Mark 14:43-15:1  (Gospel, Wednesday)
43 And immediately, while He was still speaking, Judas, one of the
twelve, with a great multitude with swords and clubs, came from the
chief priests and the scribes and the elders.
44 Now His betrayer had given them a signal, saying, "Whomever I kiss,
He is the One; seize Him and lead Him away safely."
45 As soon as he had come, immediately he went up to Him and said to
Him, "Rabbi, Rabbi!" and kissed Him.
46 Then they laid their hands on Him and took Him.
47 And one of those who stood by drew his sword and struck the servant
of the high priest, and cut off his ear.
48 Then Jesus answered and said to them, "Have you come out, as
against a robber, with swords and clubs to take Me?
49 I was daily with you in the temple teaching, and you did not seize
Me. But the Scriptures must be fulfilled.
50 Then they all forsook Him and fled.
51 Now a certain young man followed Him, having a linen cloth thrown
around his naked body. And the young men laid hold of him,
52 and he left the linen cloth and fled from them naked.
53 And they led Jesus away to the high priest; and with him were
assembled all the chief priests, the elders, and the scribes.
54 But Peter followed Him at a distance, right into the courtyard of
the high priest. And he sat with the servants and warmed himself at
the fire.
55 Now the chief priests and all the council sought testimony against
Jesus to put Him to death, but found none.
56 For many bore false witness against Him, but their testimonies did
not agree.
57 Then some rose up and bore false witness against Him, saying,
58 We heard Him say, 'I will destroy this temple made with hands, and
within three days I will build another made without hands.'
59 But not even then did their testimony agree.
60 And the high priest stood up in the midst and asked Jesus, saying,
"Do You answer nothing? What is it these men testify against You?"
61 But He kept silent and answered nothing. Again the high priest
asked Him, saying to Him, "Are You the Christ, the Son of the
Blessed?"
62 Jesus said, "I am. And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the
right hand of the Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven."
63 Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, "What further need
do we have of witnesses?
64 You have heard the blasphemy! What do you think? And they all
condemned Him to be deserving of death.
65 Then some began to spit on Him, and to blindfold Him, and to beat
Him, and to say to Him, "Prophesy!" And the officers struck Him with
the palms of their hands.
66 Now as Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls
of the high priest came.
67 And when she saw Peter warming himself, she looked at him and said,
"You also were with Jesus of Nazareth."
68 But he denied it, saying, "I neither know nor understand what you
are saying." And he went out on the porch, and a rooster crowed.
69 And the servant girl saw him again, and began to say to those who
stood by, "This is one of them."
70 But he denied it again. And a little later those who stood by said
to Peter again, "Surely you are one of them; for you are a Galilean,
and your speech shows it."
71 Then he began to curse and swear, "I do not know this Man of whom
you speak!"
72 A second time the rooster crowed. Then Peter called to mind the
word that Jesus had said to him, "Before the rooster crows twice, you
will deny Me three times." And when he thought about it, he wept.
1 Immediately, in the morning, the chief priests held a consultation
with the elders and scribes and the whole council; and they bound
Jesus, led Him away, and delivered Him to Pilate.
Scripture Reading 4 of 4

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St Porphyrius the Bishop of Gaza
Saint Porphyrius, Archbishop of Gaza, was born about the year 346 at
Thessalonica. His parents were people of substance, and this allowed
St Porphyrius to receive a fine education. Having the inclination for
monastic life, he left his native region at twenty-five years of age
and set off for Egypt, where he lived in the Nitrian desert under the
guidance of St Macarius the Great (January 19). There he also met St
Jerome (June 15), who was then visiting the Egyptian monasteries. He
went to Jerusalem on pilgrimage to the holy places, and to venerate
the Life-Creating Cross of the Lord (September 14), then he moved into
a cave in the Jordanian wilderness for prayer and ascetic deeds.
After five years, St Porphyrius was afflicted with a serious malady of
the legs. He decided to go to the holy places of Jerusalem to pray for
healing. As he lay half-conscious at the foot of Golgotha, St
Porphyrius fell into a sort of trance. He beheld Jesus Christ
descending from the Cross and saying to him, "Take this Wood and
preserve it."
Coming out of his trance, he found himself healthy and free from pain.
Then he gave away all his money to the poor and for the adornment of
the churches of God. For a time he supported himself by working as a
shoemaker. The words of the Savior were fulfilled when the saint was
forty-five years old. The Patriarch of Jerusalem ordained St
Porphyrius to the holy priesthood and appointed him custodian of the
Venerable Wood of the Cross of the Lord.
In 395 the bishop of the city of Gaza (in Palestine) died. The local
Christians went to Caesarea to ask Metropolitan John to send them a
new bishop who would be able to contend against the pagans, which were
predominant in their city and were harassing the Christians there. The
Lord inspired the Metropolitan to summon the priest Porphyrius. With
fear and trembling the ascetic accepted the office of bishop, and with
tears he prostrated himself before the Life-Creating Wood and went to
fulfill his new obedience.
In Gaza there were only three Christian churches, but there were a
great many pagan temples and idols. During this time there had been a
long spell without rain, causing a severe drought. The pagan priests
brought offerings to their idols, but the woes did not cease. St
Porphyrius imposed a fast for all the Christians; he then served an
all-night Vigil, followed by a church procession around the city.
Immediately the sky covered over with storm clouds, thunder boomed,
and abundant rains poured down. Seeing this miracle, many pagans cried
out, "Christ is indeed the only true God!" As a result of this, 127
men, thirty-five women and fourteen children were united to the Church
through Holy Baptism, and another 110 men soon after this.
The pagans continued to harass the Christians. They passed them over
for public office, and burdened them with taxes. St Porphyrius and
Metropolitan John of Caesarea journeyed to Constantinople to seek
redress from the emperor. St John Chrysostom (September 14, January 27
and 30) received them and assisted them.
Ss. John and Porphyrius were presented to the empress Eudoxia who was
expecting a child at that time. "Intercede for us," said the bishops
to the empress, "and the Lord will send you a son, who shall reign
during your lifetime". Eudoxia very much wanted a son, since she had
given birth only to daughters. Through the prayer of the saints an
heir was born to the imperial family. As a result of this, the emperor
issued an edict in 401 ordering the destruction of pagan temples in
Gaza and the restoration of privileges to Christians. Moreover, the
emperor gave the saints money for the construction of a new church,
which was to be built in Gaza on the site of the chief pagan temple.
St Porphyrius upheld Christianity in Gaza to the very end of his life,
and guarded his flock from the vexatious pagans. Through the prayers
of the saint numerous miracles and healings occurred. The holy
archpastor guided his flock for twenty-five years, and reposed in 420
at an advanced age.
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Venerable Sebastian of Poshekhonye
Saint Sebastian of Sokhota, Poshekhonye, founded a monastery in honor
of the Transfiguration of the Lord, located at the River Sokhota, 90
versts from the city of Romanov (now Tutaev) in the Yaroslav district.
The monks of the monastery themselves cultivated the soil and ate
through the work of their own hands. The founder of the monastery
taught the ascetics this by his own example and guidance. St Sebastian
reposed about the year 1500.
The Transfiguration monastery on the River Sokhota was later annexed
to the Cherepovets Ascension monastery, and in 1764 closed down. In
the mid-nineteenth century a stone church was built over the relics of
St Sebastian. The saint is also commemorated on December 18. .
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Martyr Sebastian
The Holy Martyrs Sebastian and Christodoulus died by the sword under
Nero (54-68). They were companions of the holy Martyr Photina (March
20).
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Synaxis of the Venerable Fathers of the Kiev Caves Lavra
On the second Sunday of Great Lent, we commemorate all the Holy
Fathers whose relics lie in the Near and Far Caves of the Kiev Caves
Lavra.
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Martyr Christodoulos
The Holy Martyrs Christodoulus and Sebastian died by the sword under
Nero (54-68). They were companions of the holy Martyr Photina (March
20).
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New Martyr John Kalphes, the Apprentice
The Holy New Martyr John Kalphes (the Apprentice) lived in a suburb of
Constantinople, called Galata. He was a cabinetmaker by profession,
and he had acquired great skill in his craft, so that important
officials made use of his services. He was entrusted with the inner
adornment of the sultan's palace.
St John Kalphes was distinguished for his Christian charity, he
provided for orphans and those locked up in prison, and many turned to
him for help. One time a certain dignitary asked St John to take on
his nephew as an apprentice. He agreed, and the youth received an
honorable position at court upon the completion of his apprenticeship.
Once, encountering his former teacher and benefactor, he asked St John
what it says in the Christian books about their "prophet" Mohammed. St
John did not want to answer his question, but because of the
persistent demands of the youth, he declared that Mohammed was a mere
mortal, an uneducated man who did not perform a single miracle during
his lifetime. He went on to say that Mohammed was no prophet, but
rather an adversary of God. The youth, devoted to Islam, reported to
his fellow Moslems that the cabinetmaker had insulted Mohammed.
St John was brought to trial, where they demanded that he renounce
Christ, but he bravely confessed his faith in Christ. After torture,
they sent the holy martyr off to penal servitude, where he spent six
months. Then, for the next three months they beat him in the prison.
Seeing that they could not coerce him into submitting to their will,
they beheaded him in the crowded city square in Ergat-Bazara, near the
Bedestan (a covered bazaar) on February 26, 1575.
The suffering of the holy Martyr John Kalphes were recorded by Father
Andrew, the Chief Steward (Megas Oikonomos) of the Patriarch of
Constantinople, who communed him with the Holy Mysteries in prison.
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