[Readingsandsaints] Readings and Saints

Thu Jan 10 05:00:13 CST 2008

Scripture Readings and Saints for Thu Jan 10 2008

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------ READINGS FOR TODAY ----------------------------
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Titus 1:5-2:1  (Epistle)
5 For this reason I left you in Crete, that you should set in order
the things that are lacking, and appoint elders in every city as I
commanded you-
6 if a man is blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful
children not accused of dissipation or insubordination.
7 For a bishop must be blameless, as a steward of God, not
self-willed, not quick-tempered, not given to wine, not violent, not
greedy for money,
8 but hospitable, a lover of what is good, sober-minded, just, holy,
self-controlled,
9 holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be
able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who
contradict.
10 For there are many insubordinate, both idle talkers and deceivers,
especially those of the circumcision,
11 whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole households,
teaching things which they ought not, for the sake of dishonest gain.
12 One of them, a prophet of their own, said, "Cretans are always
liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons."
13 This testimony is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they
may be sound in the faith,
14 not giving heed to Jewish fables and commandments of men who turn
from the truth.
15 To the pure all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and
unbelieving nothing is pure; but even their mind and conscience are
defiled.
16 They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being
abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work.
1 But as for you, speak the things which are proper for sound
doctrine:
Scripture Reading 1 of 2

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Luke 20:9-18
9 Then He began to tell the people this parable: "A certain man
planted a vineyard, leased it to vinedressers, and went into a far
country for a long time.
10 Now at vintage-time he sent a servant to the vinedressers, that
they might give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. But the
vinedressers beat him and sent him away empty-handed.
11 Again he sent another servant; and they beat him also, treated him
shamefully, and sent him away empty-handed.
12 And again he sent a third; and they wounded him also and cast him
out.
13 Then the owner of the vineyard said, 'What shall I do? I will send
my beloved son. Probably they will respect him when they see him.'
14 But when the vinedressers saw him, they reasoned among themselves,
saying, 'This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, that the inheritance
may be ours.'
15 So they cast him out of the vineyard and killed him. Therefore what
will the owner of the vineyard do to them?
16 He will come and destroy those vinedressers and give the vineyard
to others. And when they heard it they said, "Certainly not!"
17 Then He looked at them and said, "What then is this that is
written: 'The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief
cornerstone'?
18 Whoever falls on that stone will be broken; but on whomever it
falls, it will grind him to powder.
Scripture Reading 2 of 2

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------ SAINTS/FEASTS FOR TODAY ----------------------------
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Afterfeast of the Theophany of our Lord and Savior Jesus
Christ
The fourth day of the Afterfeast of Theophany falls on January 10.
Some of the hymns of this period compare the streams of the Jordan to
the life-giving waters of Baptism.
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St Gregory the Bishop of Nyssa
Saint Gregory, Bishop of Nyssa, was a younger brother of St Basil the
Great (January 1). His birth and upbringing came at a time when the
Arian disputes were at their height. Having received an excellent
education, he was at one time a teacher of rhetoric. In the year 372,
he was consecrated by St Basil the Great as bishop of the city of
Nyssa in Cappadocia.
St Gregory was an ardent advocate for Orthodoxy, and he fought against
the Arian heresy with his brother St Basil. Gregory was persecuted by
the Arians, by whom he was falsely accused of improper use of church
property, and thereby deprived of his See and sent to Ancyra.
In the following year St Gregory was again deposed in absentia by a
council of Arian bishops, but he continued to encourage his flock in
Orthodoxy, wandering about from place to place. After the death of the
emperor Valens (378), St Gregory was restored to his cathedra and was
joyously received by his flock. His brother St Basil the Great died in
379.
Only with difficulty did St Gregory survive the loss of his brother
and guide. He delivered a funeral oration for him, and completed St
Basil's study of the six days of Creation, the Hexaemeron. That same
year St Gregory participated in the Council of Antioch against
heretics who refused to recognize the perpetual virginity of the
Mother of God. Others at the opposite extreme, who worshipped the
Mother of God as being God Herself, were also denounced by the
Council. He visited the churches of Arabia and Palestine, which were
infected with the Arian heresy, to assert the Orthodox teaching about
the Most Holy Theotokos. On his return journey St Gregory visited
Jerusalem and the Holy Places.
In the year 381 St Gregory was one of the chief figures of the Second
Ecumenical Council, convened at Constantinople against the heresy of
Macedonius, who incorrectly taught about the Holy Spirit. At this
Council, on the initiative of St Gregory, the Nicean Symbol of Faith
(the Creed) was completed.
Together with the other bishops St Gregory affirmed St Gregory the
Theologian as Archpastor of Constantinople.
In the year 383, St Gregory of Nyssa participated in a Council at
Constantinople, where he preached a sermon on the divinity of the Son
and the Holy Spirit. In 386, he was again at Constantinople, and he
was asked to speak the funeral oration in memory of the empress
Placilla. Again in 394 St Gregory was present in Constantinople at a
local Council, convened to resolve church matters in Arabia.
St Gregory of Nyssa was a fiery defender of Orthodox dogmas and a
zealous teacher of his flock, a kind and compassionate father to his
spiritual children, and their intercessor before the courts. He was
distinguished by his magnanimity, patience and love of peace.
Having reached old age, St Gregory of Nyssa died soon after the
Council of Constantinople. Together with his great contemporaries, Sts
Basil the Great and Gregory the Theologian, St Gregory of Nyssa had a
significant influence on the Church life of his time. His sister, St
Macrina, wrote to him: "You are renowned both in the cities, and
gatherings of people, and throughout entire districts. Churches ask
you for help." St Gregory is known in history as one of the most
profound Christian thinkers of the fourth century. Endowed with
philosophical talent, he saw philosophy as a means for a deeper
penetration into the authentic meaning of divine revelation.
St Gregory left behind many remarkable works of dogmatic character, as
well as sermons and discourses. He has been called "the Father of
Fathers."
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St Dometian the Bishop of Melitene
Saint Dometian, Bishop of Melitene, was born and lived during the
sixth century, in the time of the emperor Justin the Younger. He was
married but was widowed, and thereafter he became a monk and lived a
strict and holy life.
At thirty years of age he was chosen bishop of the city of Melitene
(in Armenia). Wise and zealous in questions of faith, strong in word
and deed, St Dometian quickly gained fame as a good and dedicated
pastor. More than once he carried out government commissions in Persia
to avoid conflict with the Greeks. Beloved by all, St Dometian often
received rich gifts, which he distributed to the poor. Both during his
life and after his death in 601, St Dometian was glorified by God with
miracles.
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St Marcian the Presbyter in Constantinople
Saint Marcian, Presbyter of the Great Church, was born at Rome and in
his youth he received a first-rate education in Constantinople. After
the death of his parents, St Marcian used his inheritance on the
building, renovation and embellishment of churches. Thus, he built a
church dedicated to the holy Martyr Anastasia (December 22), richly
adorned it, and had the holy relics of the saint transferred to it. He
also built a church of the Great Martyr Irene (May 5), and the church
of St Isidore.
His moral purity and strict asceticism were resented by those who were
slothful and avaricious, for they regarded his life as an unspoken
criticism of their own lack of virtue. However, his meekness and
silence overcame their slanders and brought him to the attention of
the Patriarch, who ordained St Marcian a presbyter and appointed him
treasurer of the Church of Constantinople.
>From his wealth St Marcian distributed generous alms, and
distinguished himself by non-covetousness, denying himself in
everything. In accord with the command of the Savior, he did not even
have an extra set of clothes, which he might need should he be caught
in inclement weather. Having received a gift of wonderworking, St
Marcian healed the sick and cast out devils. St Marcian died between
472-474 and was buried at the monastery of St John the Forerunner at
Constantinople.
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Venerable Paul the Abbot of Obnora, Vologda
Saint Paul of Obnora, a famed disciple of St Sergius of Radonezh, was
born at Moscow in the year 1317. From his youth he distinguished
himself by his piety and kindliness towards the poor and suffering.
His rich parents prepared him for a secular life, but at twenty-two
years of age he secretly left his parental home and received tonsure
at the Nativity monastery on the Volga (in the Yaroslav diocese).
>From there Paul transferred to the Holy Trinity monastery to St
Sergius of Radonezh, spending several years with him as his disciple,
obeying the holy Elder in all things. With the blessing of St Sergius,
he settled a short distance from the monastery in a separate cell,
where he spent fifteen years as a hermit. Having asked the blessing of
St Sergius to go off into the wilderness for a quiet and solitary
life, St Paul wandered about for a long while, seeking a place of
solitude. He wandered a great deal in the wilderness. He spent time
with St Abraham of Chukhloma (July 20) and finally, he remained in the
Komel forest.
At the Gryazovitsa River, in the hollow of an old linden tree, the
monk built a small cell and dwelt there for three years in complete
silence, "not giving his body rest, that he might receive future
rest." Then he moved on to the River Nurma, where he built a hut and
dug a well, spending his days in vigil and prayer.
Five days out of the week he went without food, and only on Saturday
and Sunday did he partake of some bread and water. The news about the
hermit spread abroad, and those wishing spiritual guidance began
coming to him. Despite his love for the solitary life, St Paul never
refused anyone spiritual consolation and guidance. He was also visited
by St Sergius of Nurma (October 7), who sought solitude with the
blessing of St Sergius of Radonezh, and who also spent his ascetic
life in these places.
With the blessing of St Sergius and the agreement of Metropolitan
Photius, St Paul built the Holy Trinity church in 1414, around which a
monastery sprang up (later called the Monastery of St Paul of Obnora).
Having written a strict monastic Rule for the brethren, St Paul
entrusted the guidance of the new monastery to his disciple Alexis,
while he himself continued as before to live in a solitary cell on a
hill. He remained a responsive and good counsellor for anyone needing
his help. St Paul died at 112 years of age. His final words were,
"Brethren, have love one for another and keep to the rule of the
monastic community."
The Life of the saint was written in about the year 1546, and his
glorification occurred in 1547.
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Venerable Macarius the Abbot of Pisma
Saint Macarius of Pisma and Kostroma was a fellow ascetic of St Paul
of Obnora. In the second half of the fourteenth century, he founded
the Makariev Transfiguration monastery at the River Pisma on the
outskirts of Kostroma.
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Blessed Theosebia the Deaconess, sister of Sts Basil the
Great and Gregory of Nyssa
Saint Theosebia the Deaconess was the sister of Sts Basil the Great,
Gregory of Nyssa, and Peter, Bishop of Sebaste. She was a virgin and
served the Holy Church as a deaconess, caring for the sick,
distributing food to vagrants, raising orphans and preparing women for
holy Baptism.
When her brother, St Gregory of Nyssa, was in exile for three years,
St Theosebia was with him and she shared in all the tribulations of a
life of wandering. St Theosebia died in 385, and St Gregory the
Theologian praised her in a eulogy.
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Venerable Antipas of Valaam Monastery
Saint Antipas was born in Moldavia, Romania in 1816. His father was a
deacon in the village church, and his mother ended her life in a
women's monastery as a schemanun.
St Antipas came to Valaam Monastery from Mt Athos on November 6, 1865.
He spent the rest of his life in the skete at Valaam, living like a
hermit.
Blessed with the gift of clairvoyance, St Antipas fell asleep in the
Lord on January 10, 1882.
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St Theophan the Recluse the Bishop of Tambov
George Govorov, the future St Theophan, was born on January 10, 1815
in the village of Chernavsk in the Orlov province where his father was
a priest.
At first, George attended a primary school at Liven, then a military
school. From 1837-1841 he studied at the Kiev Theological Academy, and
probably visited the Monastery of the Caves several times. In these
surroundings, it was not surprising that he received the monastic
tonsure while he was still a student. After graduation Hieromonk
Theophan was appointed rector of Kiev's church schools, and later
became rector of the seminary in Novgorod. Before he retired from
teaching, Fr Theophan served as a professor and Assistant Inspector at
the Petersburg Academy.
St Theophan was not complely happy with academic work, so he asked to
be relieved of his duties. He was assigned to be a member of the
Russian Mission in Jerusalem. After being raised to the rank of
Archimandrite, he became Rector of Olnets Seminary. Soon he was
assigned as the chief priest of the embassy church in Constantinople.
St Theophan was eventually recalled to Russia to become rector of the
Petersburg Academy, and supervisor of religious education in the
capital's secular schools.
On May 9, 1859 St Theophan was consecrated as Bishop of Tambov, where
he established a diocesan school for girls. During his time in Tambov
he came to love the secluded Vysha Monastery in his diocese. In 1863
he was transferred to Vladimir and remained there for three years. He
also established a diocesan school for girls at Vladimir.
The holy bishop visited parishes throughout his diocese serving,
preaching, restoring churches, and sharing the joys and sorrows of his
flock. It was very difficult for Bishop Theophan to live in the world
and become involved with vain worldly disputes. Many abused his trust,
but he could not bring himself to chastise anyone. Instead, he left
left such unpleasant tasks to the Archpriest of his cathedral.
He was present at the uncovering of the relics of St Tikhon of Zadonsk
in 1861, and this made a tremendous impression on him, for he had much
in common with that saint. He had loved St Tikhon from early
childhood, and always spoke about him with great enthusiasm. When St
Tikhon was glorified as a saint on August 13, Bishop Theophan's joy
knew no bounds.
In 1866 his request to be relieved of his duties as Bishop of Vladimir
was granted. He was appointed as Superior of the Vysha Monastery, but
soon resigned from that position. He was permitted to live there and
to celebrate services whenever he wished. He also received a pension
of 1000 rubles.
As he prepared to leave his diocese, he wished to focus on his own
salvation, and to concentrate on undisturbed communion with God. On
July 24, 1866 he bade his diocese farewell, leaving the world for a
life of reclusion, and to devote himself to writing spiritual books.
Through these books, St Theophan has become the spiritual benefector
of all Orthodox Christians. Although he sought the Kingdom of God and
His righteousness (Mt. 6:33), a reputation as a writer of great
significance for the whole world was also added to him.
Bishop Theophan wrote many books, but received no profits from their
sale. He tried to keep them as inexpensive as possible, and they
quickly sold out. He wrote about topics which others before him had
not fully treated, such as how to live a Christian life, how to
overcome sinful habits, and how to avoid despair. He tried to explain
the steps of spiritual perfection systematically, as one who had
himself gone through these various steps. Some of his books include
THE SPIRITUAL LIFE AND HOW TO BE ATTUNED TO IT, THE PATH TO SALVATION,
and LETTERS ON THE SPIRITUAL LIFE. He also translated the PHILOKALIA
in five volumes, and THE SERMONS OF ST SIMEON THE NEW THEOLOGIAN.
For the first six years in the monastery, Bishop Theophan attended all
the services, including the early Liturgy. He stood still in church
with his eyes closed so that he would not be distracted. He often
celebrated Liturgy on Sundays and Feast Days.
Beginning in 1872, he cut off all relationships with people (except
for his confessor) and no longer left his cell to attend church. He
built a small chapel in his quarters and dedicated it to the Lord's
Baptism. For ten years he served there on Sundays and Feast Days. For
the last eleven years of his life he served every day by himself.
Sometimes he would sing, and sometimes he kept completely silent.
Whenever anyone visited him on business, Bishop Theophan would reply
with as few words as possible, then immerse himself in prayer. If
anyone sent him money, he would distribute it to the poor, keeping
only a small portion to purchase books.
Whenever he was not occupied with writing or praying, the reclusive
bishop worked at carpentry or painting icons. He received from twenty
to forty letters each day, and he answered all of them. He was able to
discern each writer's spiritual condition, then give detailed answers
to the questions of those who were struggling for the salvation of
their souls.
His eyesight deteriorated in his latter years, but he did not curtail
his work because of it. In the evening, his cell attendant would
prepare everything for the bishop to serve Liturgy the next morning.
After finishing the Liturgy, Bishop Theophan would knock on the wall
to signal the cell attendant to serve him tea. On days when there was
no fasting, he would eat lunch at 1:00 P.M. This consisted of one egg
and a glass of milk. At four o'clock he would have some tea, and then
no more food that day.
Bishop Theophan began to get weaker at the beginning of 1894. He was
still writing on the afternoon of January 6, but when the cell
attendant came to check on him at 4:30 he found that the bishop had
departed to the Lord.
St Theophan's body lay in the small church in his cell for three days,
then three more days in the cathedral. There was no trace of
corruption, however. He was laid to rest in the Kazan church of the
Vysha Monastery.
Several of St Theophan's books have been translated into English, and
are reliable spiritual guides for Orthodox Christians of today. St
Theophan's gift was the ability to present the wisdom of the Fathers
in terms which modern people can understand. Since he lived close to
our own time, many readers find his books "more approachable" than the
earlier patristic literature. He treats the life of the soul and the
life of the body as a unified whole, not as two separate elements, and
reveals to people the path of salvation.
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