ON THIS DATE: From the Prologue to Ohrid/Ochrid

[尼古拉前执事]

1. THE HOLY FEMALE MARTYR PELAGIA OF TARSUS

Pelagia was born in the town of Tarsus of pagan but distinguished and wealthy parents. Hearing about Christ and the salvation of souls from Christians, she burned with love for the Savior and, in her soul, was totally Christian. At that time there was a terrible persecution of Christians. It so happened that the Emperor Diocletian stopped off at Tarsus and during the time of his stay in Tarsus, his son, the crown prince fell deeply in love with Pelagia and wanted to take her as his wife. Pelagia replied through her nefarious mother that she had already been betrothed to her heavenly Bridegroom, Christ the Lord. Fleeing from the profane crown prince and her wicked mother, Pelagia sought and found Bishop Linus, a man distinguished for his holiness. He instructed Pelagia in the Christian Faith and baptized her. Then Pelagia gave away her luxurious garments, much wealth, returned home and confessed to her mother that she is already baptized. Learning of this and having lost all hope that he will gain this holy virgin for his wife, the crown prince stabbed himself with a sword and died. The wicked mother denounced her daughter before the emperor and turned her over to him for trial. The emperor was amazed at the beauty of this young virgin and, forgetting his son, became inflamed with impure passions toward her. But since Pelagia remained unwavering in her faith, the emperor sentenced her to be burned alive in a metal ox, glowing with a red-hot fire. When the executioner stripped her, St. Pelagia made the sign of the cross and with a prayer of thanksgiving to God on her lips, entered the glowing ox where, in the twinkling of an eye, she completely melted like wax. Pelagia suffered honorably in the year 287 A.D. The remains of her bones were acquired by Bishop Linus and he buried them on a hill under a stone. At the time of Emperor Constantine Copronymos (741-775 A.D) and, on that exact spot, a beautiful church was built in honor of the holy virgin and martyr Pelagia, who sacrificed herself for Christ in order to reign eternally with Christ.

1. THE PRIESTLY-MARTYR SILVANUS, BISHOP OF GAZA

At first, Silvanus was in the military service but later, driven by the power of his faith, entered into the spiritual service. Accused of converting pagans to Christianity, at first, he was cruelly tortured and, after that, was beheaded with forty other soldiers in the year 311 A.D. Thus, they all became citizens of heaven.

1. THE VENERABLE NICEPHORUS

At first, Nicephorus was a Catholic and later embraced the Orthodox Faith. He lived the life of an ascetic as a monk on Mt. Athos with the wise Theoliptos. He was a teacher of the glorious Gregory Palamas and wrote a work on mental prayer. He presented himself peacefully to the Lord in the fourteenth century. Nicephorus taught: "Gather your mind and force it to enter into the heart and remain there. When your mind is established in the heart, it should not remain empty, but allow it to continually perform this prayer: O LORD JESUS CHRIST, SON OF GOD, HAVE MERCY ON ME [THE JESUS PRAYER]! Never allow it to be silent. Because of this, the entire chain of virtues will enter into you: love, joy, peace and all others, because of which your every petition to God will be fulfilled later."

HYMN OF PRAISE
SAINT PELAGIA

Pelagia , as an angel bright
Before the emperor stood, for trial and judgment;
Brutish looking emperor, to her spoke:
With the royal diadem, I will crown you,
Among women, be my wife!
Pelagia boldly replied:
A marriage with a heathen, I loathe
Never, O emperor, will yours I be,
To me, what do you offer? A wreath of dust!
Three wreaths have I, with the Lord,
In Christ, my eternal Bridegroom.
The first wreath - for the Faith, I kept,
The second wreath - for my virginity I preserved,
The third wreath - the wreath of martyrdom.
Do not hesitate, godless emperor,
This body of dust - crush,
Crush, cut up, burn and grind,
That the soul, for the wedding soon depart,
That soon, along side my Bridegroom, I stand
The Savior, God and Immortal.

REFLECTION

A young and inexperienced man in spiritual combat underlines his every good work by self-praise. But the experienced soldier in the midst of struggles with passions and demons minimizes his every deed and intensifies his prayer for God's help. Abba Matoes used to say: "The closer a man is to God, the more sinful he sees himself to be." He also was known to say: "When I was young, I thought perhaps that I was doing some good; and now when I am old, I see that I do not have any good deed." Did not our Lord say: "No one is good but One, that is God " ( St. Matthew 19:17 ). Therefore, if only the one God is good and the source of all good, how can a good deed be done that is not from God? And, how can someone who does a good deed ascribe it to himself and not to God? If this is so, with what then can mortal man be praised? By nothing, except with God and the goodness of God!

CONTEMPLATION

To contemplate the ascended Lord Jesus:

1. How, by His ascension, He manifested His Divine Nature and His Divine Might;

2. How, by His ascension into heaven, He manifests to man that there exists a better, more loftier world and life: a heavenly world and heavenly life.

HOMILY

About idolatry as adultery

"Judah as did Israel defiled the land and committed adultery with stones and with wood " ( Jeremiah 3:9 ).

What sort of adultery was that which the people of Israel and Judah committed with stones and wood? It was the worshipping of idols of stone and of wood. Before this sin, they committed another sin; they turned away from worshipping the True God, the Living God and the One God. Why is their idolatry called adultery? Because, they were first bound by love for the True God, the Living God, and the One God and afterwards they betrayed this love and gave up their heart to strange idols of stone and wood. That is why the Lord calls their idolatry, adultery.

Was this reproach of God deserved only in ancient times and not in our own time; and only by Israel and Judah and not by Christians? Unfortunately, this reproach of God is completely deserving even today by many Christians. In whomever love toward the True God, the Living God and the One God has cooled off, and a lesser love enflamed toward things of stone and wood, toward decaying things and mortal creatures, that one commits adultery and that one brings down upon himself the reproach of God. Then, that reproach of God is appropriate today as it was then, for men sinned then without knowing Christ and now men sin knowing Christ.

O brethren, how long will this darkened idolatry be dragged over the earth? How long will the earth reek from the adultery of mankind with their idols of stone and wood, of silver and gold, of flesh and blood? Did not the Almighty Christ destroy all idols into dust and ashes? Why do some now stoop down and again make gods for themselves from that dust? Because of the devil's lies and their own individual self-deception.

O ascended Lord into the highest heavens, protect us from the lies of the devil and our own self-deception. Safeguard us from shameful adultery with destroyed idols by Your honorable Cross. Help us O Lord, help us that we, without ceasing, worship You the only True God, the Living God and the One God.

To You be glory and thanks always. Amen.

[尼古拉前执事]

1. THE HOLY GREAT FEMALE MARTYR IRENE

Irene lived in the Balkans during apostolic times in the town of Magedon. Her father Licinius was of lesser royal nobility. Some think that she was a Slav. Irene was born a pagan of pagan parents. Penelope was her pagan name. She learned about the Christian Faith from her teacher Appelianus. St. Timothy, the disciple of the Apostle Paul, baptized her and her court attendants and provided her with the epistles of the Apostle Paul to read. Refusing to marry, she enraged her father and he wanted to torture her but, in a miraculous manner, she converted her father to Christianity. Irene was subjected to various tortures by four kings, not counting her father but, God through His angels, spared her. King Sedechias buried her up to her neck in a ditch filled with snakes and scorpions but an angel of God made these venomous and repulsive creatures ineffective and saved the holy virgin from harm. King Sedechias then wanted to saw her in half but the saw rebounded from her body as from stone. After that, the same king tied her to a wheel under a water mill and released the flow of water hoping, in this manner, to kill her. But the water refused to flow, rather stood still and the virgin remained alive and well. King Sapor, the son of King Sedechias, shod her feet with nails, loaded a sack of sand on her, harnessed her and ordered that she be led like an animal far outside the town. "Truly, I am a beast before You, O Lord!" said the holy martyr, running bridled behind her torturers. However, an angel of God shook the earth and the earth opened up and swallowed her torturers. Surviving all tortures, by which she converted a countless number of pagans to Christianity, Irene entered the town of Callipolis [Gallipoli] where she preached the Faith of Christ. The local king Numerian wanted to kill her in this manner: he tossed her into three flaming hot metal oxen; one after the other. But the virgin was saved and remained alive. Many witnessed and believed. The Eparch [governor] Vaudon took her to the town of Constantina where he thought to kill her in this manner: he placed her on red-hot grates. But that did not harm St. Irene and she converted many to the True Faith. Finally, Irene arrived in the town of Mesembria where she was slain by King Sapor but God restored her to life. The king, with many of the people, upon witnessing this, believed in Christ and were baptized. Thus, St. Irene, by her suffering and miracles converted over one-hundred thousand pagans to the Faith of Christ. Finally, she lay down in a grave and ordered Appelianus to close the grave. After four days, when they opened the grave, she was not in the grave. Thus, God glorified forever the virgin and martyr Irene, who sacrificed all and endured all so that God may be glorified among men. (*)

1. SAINT MARTIN AND SAINT HERACLIUS

Martin and Heraclius were both Slavs. They were persecuted by the Arian heretics in Illyria. Banished into exile, these two knights of Orthodoxy completed their earthly lives in the fourth century and took up habitation with the Lord.

HYMN OF PRAISE
SAINT IRENE

Penelope, daughter of the king, at the balcony was,
When, in a row, three birds to her quickly flew.
The first a dove , white as milk, with an olive branch,
After that an eagle , in its bony beak, a wreath of flowers
Finally, a raven , with a bitter serpent, swooped and entered.
Penelope, asked the servants, could they recall what this means?
The servants remain silent. No one knows. With amazement, everyone is struck.
We are all mortal men, Appelianus the Elder said:
But harken to me Penelope, harken, beautiful child,
The Spirit of God, through these signs, to you clearly prophesies;
The dove , your serenity signifies, Irene you will be called,
The Grace of God you, the olive branch signifies
The eagle , the conqueror signifies, passions you will conquer,
The flowery wreath , glory and heavenly sweetness signify;
The raven with a serpent, the demon with his maliciousness, that is
But, by our endurance, overcome him, you will.
This, Irene heard all, and in her heart quivered,
And to the saving Faith decided to give herself completely;
What she decided, that she carried out and God helped her.
Through her holy prayers, O God, save even us.

REFLECTION

Prayer consisting of words alone does not help if the heart does not participate in prayer. God hears only a fervent prayer. Abba Zoilus of Thebaid was once returning from Mt. Sinai and met a monk who complained to him, that they are suffering much from drought in the monastery. Zoilus said to him: "Why don't you pray and implore God?" The monk replied: "We have prayed and have implored, but there is no rain." To this, Zoilus replied: "It is evident that you are not praying fervently. Do you want to be convinced that it is so?" Having said this, the elder raised his hands to heaven and prayed. Abundant rain fell to the earth. Seeing this, the astonished monk fell to the ground and bowed before the elder, but the elder, fearing the glory of men, quickly fled. The Lord Himself said: " Ask and it will be given you " ( St. Luke 11:9 ). In vain are mouths full of prayer if the heart is empty. God does not stand and listen to the mouth but to the heart. Let the heart be filled with prayer even though the mouth might be silent. God will hear and will receive the prayer. For God only listens to a fervent prayer.

CONTEMPLATION

To contemplate the ascended Lord Jesus:

1. How, by His Ascension, He signified the triumphant end of His entire work on earth in the course of some thirty-three years;

2. How, by His Ascension, He teaches us that we should direct all of our aspirations toward heaven and not toward earth.

HOMILY
About the divine marriage of the souls of men

"Turn, O backsliding children says the Lord; for I am married to you" (Jeremiah 3:14 ).

The soul of man is the bride and the Living and All-powerful God is the bridegroom of the soul of man. His bride, the soul, the Lord clothes in light and nourishes it with His Grace. And the soul, from God the groom, gives birth to good children and many children in the form of many and beautiful virtuous works. The soul, on its own, cannot give birth to one virtuous work. Only the soul made fertile by God, gives birth to virtuous works. However, the soul, made fertile by the world, either remains barren or produces sin and vice. That is why the Lord speaks to men: " I am married to you ", so that the soul of man may know to whom it is betrothed and with whom it is wed in order that it would not stray and by adultery deaden itself and turn itself into ash.

God is a faithful groom of the human soul of men. He never betrays the bride, the soul. His love toward the soul never cools as long as the soul does not turn away from Him and does not commit adultery. But, even then, God does not abandon the soul immediately, but pursues it and returns it from the path of destruction. "Turn O backsliding children" the Lord then speaks to the souls of men. Repent and I will forgive you. Return and I will receive you. Penitents would know to say, how great is the mercy of God. They would be able to confirm how persistent the love of God is toward sinners, even to the last hour. God is faithful in His love and He is not swift to seek vengeance on the adulterous soul. He constantly tries to restore to the adulterous soul, the lost shame of sinning. Shame produces repentance and repentance leads to restoration and restoration leads to original love and fidelity.

O Lord, All-powerful, help us, that from your eternal love our souls may produce the good and abundant fruit.

To You be glory and thanks always. Amen.

*Archbishop Philaret in his "Lives of the Saints" thinks that St. Irene was of Serbian descent.

[尼古拉前执事]

1. THE HOLY RIGHTEOUS AND LONG-SUFFERING JOB

Job was a descendant of Esau the grandson of Abraham and lived in Arabia about 2,000 years before Christ. His father's name was Zareth and his mother's name was Bosora. However, his full name was Jobab. Job was an honorable, god-fearing man and very wealthy. In the seventy-ninth year of his life, God permitted difficult temptations to befall him through Satan as it is written in detail in the Book of Job. In one day, Job lost all his enormous estates, his sons and his daughters. After that a terrible disease befell him and his entire body was covered with sores from his head to his feet and Job lay on the rubbish heap outside the town and with a piece of potsherd scrapped away the pus from his wounds. Job did not murmur against God, but patiently endured all sufferings to the end. That is why God restored his health, gave him much greater riches than that which he had before and seven sons and three daughters were born to him as many as he previously had. Job lived for a total of two-hundred forty-eight years always glorifying and praising God. Job is considered to be the model of patient endurance of every suffering which God sends upon us and Job is a proto-type of the suffering of the Lord Jesus.

1. THE HOLY MARTYR BARBARUS

Barbarus was a soldier during the reign of Julian the Apostate. When the emperor's commander Bacchus led the Roman army against the Franks, Barbarus, who was secretly a Christian, was serving in the army. In battle there appeared a certain hero on the side of the Franks, similar to Goliath of old and he challenged the Romans to send one of their men to come out to do battle. Commander Bacchus advised Barbarus to go. Barbarus prayed in his heart to the Living Lord, went out and defeated that giant. As a result, the Frankish army became confused and fled. Then the commander prepared a great celebration and ordered that sacrifices be offered to the idols. During the sacrificial offerings, the commander learned that Barbarus kept himself apart. When he was asked about that, Barbarus declared that he is a Christian. The commander informed the emperor and the emperor ordered that Barbarus be subjected to the most severe tortures. But Barbarus endured all with rare courage and composure. During his tortures, many miracles were manifested and many soldiers, witnessing this, accepted the Faith of Christ. Among them was the Commander Bacchus along with Callimachus and Dionysius. All three were beheaded for the Name of Christ and, after them, Barbarus was also beheaded in the year 362 A.D. Their souls took up habitation in the kingdom of Christ the Immortal King.

1. SAINT BARBARUS THE ROBBER

After having committed many crimes, Barbarus repented and at first condemned himself to crawl on all fours for three years and to eat with dogs and, second, to live twelve years in the forest without clothes, without a roof and without food except grass and leaves. He received news from the angels that his sins are forgiven. Some merchants traveling through the forest and seeing Barbarus from afar thought that it was an animal and not a man, aimed their arrows at him and pierced him. Dying, Barbarus begged them to inform the nearest priest about him. The priest arrived and buried him honorably. From his body flowed healing myrrh (oil) which cured various diseases and pains of men.

HYMN OF PRAISE
JOB, THE SUFFERING SERVANT

Tell me brother, what you are able to endure,
And how much of a man you are, I will tell you.
Job the righteous rich man and all glorious
By Satan, on a dunghill was thrown,
And with pus and sores covered,
To dogs and to men, a horrifying sight!
Whatever he had, in a day perished
Except faith and except patience.
But with the weapon of faith and patience
Job , the horrible Satan overcame.
The uneven struggle, God looked on,
To the righteous one, victory He imparted.
With victory, all other riches,
And the envious devil shamed.

REFLECTION

Abba Isaiah said of himself: "I see myself resembling a horse wandering around without a rider. Whoever finds him, sits on him and rides him to his content. When one rider dismounts the horse, another saddles him and does the same, and so with the third and so forth." This great ascetic, about whom everyone spoke with amazement that he had attained perfection, said this of himself either out of humility or from remembrance of his time of imperfection. The main thing is that these words are true in relation to every Christian who walks spiritually unbridled and unrestrained. Just as soon as one passion dismounted from him, another mounted him. Just as soon as one wearied him and left him in despair, another mounted him with deluded hope that it will make him happy. Such a man does not have a rider who would direct him to the true path without digressing to the left or to the right. The only friendly rider which should be greeted with a welcome is the holy and powerful Christian spirit.

CONTEMPLATION

To contemplate the Ascension of the Lord Jesus:

1. How He first resurrected bodily and then ascended bodily;

2. How the souls of righteous men after death first ascend into heaven while the body awaits the general resurrection, general transfiguration and general ascension.

HOMILY

About the power that God gave to the words of the prophets

"Behold, I made My words in your mouth, a fire. And this people is the wood that it shall devour !" ( Jeremiah 5:14 ).

You see brethren, that the effect of the word of God is different according to different people. The word of God is like fire, in whom the righteous one rejoices, as one frozen in the cold of this world; and the word of God is like fire which burns the unrighteous one whom this material world has overly warmed. The experienced spiritual fathers have left us proof that only the Name of Jesus brings power, joy and refreshment to the faithful - and this Name consumes evil spirits as a living fire. That is the way with every word of God. With some it creates comfort, with others irritation, with some it quiets anger, with others it increases anger, with some it provokes respect with fear and with others scorn. To the healthy it is honey; to the unhealthy it is the honey of wormwood.

But, why should the people be as wood which will be consumed? For, are the people to be blamed if the godless elders and false prophets lead them astray? The people are not to blame to such a degree as their elders and false prophets but nevertheless they are to blame to a certain extent. For God also gave the people to know the right path through conscience and through the preaching of God's word and the people should not blindly follow their blind leaders when they lead them on the false paths and distance them from God and God's law. Brethren, God is Just and He knows the measure of everyone's faults, and He will not permit the illiterate and the least to suffer as much as the literate and the greatest.

O All-seeing God, save us that we neither be blind leaders not blind followers. Strengthen our hearts that, as leaders and as followers, we will always be Your servants and only Your servants.

To You be glory and thanks always. Amen.

[尼古拉前执事]

1. COMMEMORATION OF THE APPEARANCE OF THE HONORABLE CROSS OVER JERUSALEM

During the reign of Emperor Constantius, the son of St. Constantine, and Cyril the Patriarch of Jerusalem, the Honorable Cross appeared about 9:00 a.m. stretching out from Golgotha to above the Mount of Olives. This cross was brighter than the sun and more beautiful than the most beautiful rainbow. All the people, both believing and unbelieving, left their work and, in fear and amazement, observed this heavenly sign. Many unbelievers converted to the Faith of Christ, and so also did many Arian heretics abandon their evil heresy and returned to Orthodoxy. About this sign Patriarch Cyril wrote a letter to Emperor Constantius [337-361 A.D.] who leaned toward Arianism. This occurred on May 7, 357 A.D. Thus, even on this occasion it was demonstrated that the Christian Faith is not worldly theorizing, according to sensual understanding of man, but rather in God's power, demonstrated through numerous miracles and signs.

1. THE HOLY MARTYR ACACIUS

St. Acacius was a Roman officer during the reign of Emperor Maximian. Answering for his faith in Christ at the trial he said that he inherited this devout Faith from his parents and was strengthened in it by witnessing the many miraculous healings from the relics of Christian saints. After courageously enduring great tortures in the Thracian city of Pyrrinthus, Acacius was taken to Byzantium where he endured new tortures until he was finally beheaded. He suffered honorably and took up habitation in the eternal kingdom of joy in the year 303 A.D.

1. THE VENERABLE FATHERS OF GEORGIA

In the sixth century and two hundred years after St. Nina preached the Good News in Georgia, the All-Holy Mother of God appeared to John, an Antiochian ascetic, and commanded that he select twelve of his disciples and go to Georgia to strengthen the Faith of Orthodoxy. And so he did. Arriving in Georgia, these twelve missionaries were solemnly received by the prince of that country and the Catholicos Eulalius and immediately began their work with zeal. The people gathered around them in masses and they strengthened them in the Faith with great wisdom and many miracles. The head of these Christ-loving missionaries was St. John Zedazneli and the names of the others were: Abidus, Anthony, David, Zeno, Thaddeus, Jesse, Isderius, Joseph, Michael, Pyrrus, Stephen and Shio. With apostolic zeal they all confirmed the Faith of Christ in Georgia, established many monasteries and left many disciples after them. Thus, they were made worthy of glory in the heavens and power on earth.

HYMN OF PRAISE
THE HOLY MARTYR ACACIUS

Acacius , soldier of the King Most High
For death, Acacius prepares,
With the incense of prayer, the soul censes;
And the godless judge asks him:
Why does not Christ, the faithful redeem?
Why does He not your tormentors punish,
When, Almighty God, you call Him?
The martyr to him, meekly replies:
Great in mercy, the Lord Christ is,
And in mercy and in patience, long,
Awaits repentance, from the sinner,
And patient suffering from the faithful
If the sinners, He immediately punished
How would His mercy, He proclaim?
And the righteous, if they would not suffer
By what would they show the power of God?
And by what would they before the world shine?
The word said - the head beheaded
Into Paradise, the soul ascended.

REFLECTION

"I recognized that I was indebited more and that I was forgiven much. I was called to the priesthood from juridical and public offices and that is why I am afraid that I not be seen ungrateful if I would love less than what was forgiven me." These are the words of St. Ambrose who was unexpectedly called by God to change vocations from a secular judge to become archbishop of Christ's Church. With these words the saint demonstrated how the priestly calling is greater than the secular calling; how to the priestly vocation he comes by God's calling and how he who is called owes thanksgiving to God. The debt of thanksgiving to God, all the saints considered as their main debt. Without thanksgiving to God there can be no progress in the spiritual life. Thanksgiving to God, without ceasing, is the fruitful seed from which, if it is watered by the tears of continual repentance, a beautiful fruit blossoms - love toward God.

CONTEMPLATION

To contemplate the Descent of God the Holy Spirit upon the holy apostles:

1. How the apostles stand in one mind at prayer;

2. How, suddenly, there came a sound from heaven as a rushing mighty wind.

HOMILY
About how by sins good is being turned back from man

"Your sins have turned back these blessings from you " ( Jeremiah 5:25 ).

If you do not possess good in abundance, O people, that means you have sin in abundance. Your sins have turned your good from you. O people, if you wish good for yourself, reject sin and do not sin anymore and you will travel toward good, and good will come to you and good will not depart from you.

O man, if you do not have good, it means that you have sin. Good cannot dwell in the same house with sin just as light and darkness cannot exist in the same place at the same time. When light departs, darkness settles in and when the darkness departs, the light shines. Thus, sin and good can be interchanged but they cannot dwell together.

O my brethren, " Your sins have turned back these blessings from you ." These words were not spoken by only one prophet, to one people only, rather every true prophet spoke these words to his people. False prophets flatter the sins of their people, and thus, assist them even more to turn back good from their people. The true prophets go against the sins of the people, for they go along with good and cry out against sin, in order to be able to introduce good, which is from God, in the souls of their people. If the beehive begins to smell, will the honey carrying bees enter it and deposit their honey in it? No! And when the irrational bees do not want to enter in a putrid and smoke-ridden beehive, then how will the rational Spirit of God enter a soul, putrid and smoke-ridden from sin? And the Spirit of God is the possessor and the dispenser of all good gifts.

O Lord, Holy Spirit, help Your people by Your irresistible power that they drive away sin from their soul; so that You would be able to enter inside with Your life-creating gifts.

To You be glory and thanks always. Amen.

[Justin Kissel]

1. THE HOLY APOSTLE AND EVANGELIST JOHN

The feast day of this great apostle and evangelist is celebrated on September 26. This day (May 8) commemorates the miracle which appeared at his grave. When John was over one hundred years old, he took seven of his disciples, went outside the town of Ephesus and ordered them to dig a grave in the form of a cross. After that, the elder went down into this grave and was buried. Later on, when the faithful opened John's grave, they did not find his body. On May 8 of every year, dust is raised from his grave from which the sick are healed of various diseases.

1. VENERABLE ARSENIUS THE GREAT

This glorious saint was born of a patrician family in Rome and was well educated in the secular sciences and philosophy as well as in spiritual wisdom. Abandoning all the vanity of the world, he dedicated himself to the service of the Church and was a deacon of the great church in Rome. Unmarried, withdrawn, quiet and devout, Arsenius thought to live that way his entire life. But the Providence of God directed his path in life otherwise. Emperor Theodosius took him as a tutor and teacher of his sons Arcadius and Honorius, and installed him as a senator surrounding him with great wealth, honors and luxury. But all of this burdened Arsenius' heart rather than pleasing him. It happened that Arcadius committed a wrong and for that Arsenius punished him. The offended Arcadius conceived a terrible revenge against his teacher and when Arsenius found out he changed into the clothes of a beggar, left for the seashore, boarded a boat and sailed to Egypt. When he arrived at the renowned Scete, he became a disciple of the glorious John Colobus [The Short] and dedicated himself to a life of asceticism. He considered himself dead and when someone informed him that a wealthy relative died and willed his entire estate to him, Arsenius replied: "But I died before him, how is it therefore that I could be his heir?" Withdrawn in a hermit's cell as in a tomb, throughout the entire day, he wove baskets of palm leaves, and at night, he prayed to God. He avoided men and all conversations with them. Only on feast days did he leave his cell and attend church to receive Holy Communion. In order not to become lazy, he often asked himself the question: "Arsenius, why did you come to the wilderness?" He remained in the wilderness for fifty-five years as a "desert dweller" and for that entire time was a model to the monks and a glory to monastics in general. In all, Arsenius lived one hundred years and died peacefully in the year 448 A.D. after prolonged labor and voluntarily imposing hardships upon himself and took up habitation in the kingdom of Christ the Lord, Whom he loved with all his heart, all his mind and all his soul.

1. SAINT EMILIA

Emilia was the mother of Saint Basil the Great. In her youth she desired to remain a virgin for life but was forced into marriage. Emilia gave birth to nine children and so inspired them with the Spirit of Christ that five of them became Christian saints: Basil the Great, Gregory, Bishop of Nyssa, Peter, Bishop of Sebaste, Macrina and Theosevia. In her old age Emilia established a convent where she lived with Macrina her daughter and where she died in the Lord on May 8, 375 A.D.

1. VENERABLE ARSENIUS THE LOVER OF LABOR

Arsenius was a monk in the Monastery of the Caves in Kiev. He never afforded himself any rest but continually labored. He ate food only once a day, after the setting of the sun. He lived a life of asceticism and died in the fourteenth century.

HYMN OF PRAISE
SAINT ARSENIUS

Glorious Arsenius, whom the world glorified,

Fleeing from glory, to himself he said,

To men and to the world, consider yourself dead,

Neither wise nor foolish words, do not speak.

For a word, at one time in life, I repented,

For silence, I have never repented.

If my heart, to God I do not bind,

To shake off the passionate life, I am not able.

If, my thoughts glorify God only

External passions will leave me.

Your time, fill with prayer and labor,

Sleep even less and labor all the more.

Arsenius the sinful, why do you stop,

Why to the wilderness did you come, I ask?

Not for the sake of idleness; but for the salvation of the soul,

Not for the sake of sleep, but for the sake of repentance.

Heal yourself quickly, and enliven the soul:

Lord have mercy! Forgive and have mercy!

RELFECTION

A monk complained to St. Arsenius that while reading Holy Scripture he does not feel, neither the power of the words read nor gentleness in his heart. To that the great saint will reply to him: "My child, just read! I heard that the sorcerers of serpents, when they cast a spell upon the serpents, the sorcerers are uttering the words, which they themselves do not understand, but the serpents hearing the spoken words sense their power and become tamed. An so, with us, when we continually hold in our mouths the words of Holy Scripture, but even though we do not feel the power of the words, evil spirits tremble and flee for they are unable to endure the words of the Holy Spirit." My child, just read! The Holy Spirit Who, through inspired men, wrote these divine words, will hear, will understand and will hasten to your assistance; and the demons will understand will sense and will flee from you. That is: He Whom you invoke for assistance will understand, and those whom you wish to drive away from yourself will understand. And both goals will be achieved.

CONTEMPLATION
To contemplate the Descent of God the Holy Spirit upon the apostles:

1. How there appeared fiery tongues over the apostles, one on each of them;

2. How the apostles are filled with the Holy Spirit and begin to speak in various tongues, as the Holy Spirit gives them utterance.

HOMILY
About evil as the fruit of the thoughts of men

"Hear O earth: behold I will bring evil upon this people, even the fruit of their thoughts, because they have not hearkened to my words, nor to my law, but rejected it" (Jeremiah 6:19).

Brethren, do you see where evil grows and where it ripens? Not in the bosom of God, but in the thoughts of men. Evil is sown in the thoughts of men by demonic powers or from the passions of the flesh. Evil grows in the thoughts of men and spreads and multiplies itself, blossoms and bears leaves and finally shows fruit. In due time, God warns men to break from their evil thoughts so that evil would not ripen in the souls of men and bring forth its bitter and deadly fruit. In due time, God warned Cain but he did not want to heed the warning and permitted evil thoughts against his brother to being forth evil fruit; fracticide.

What are the thoughts of evil? All those thoughts that are contrary to the law of God; the word of God. Evil thoughts are the self-willed law of man which man prescribes for himself against God and contrary to the law of God. Therefore, if a man has resolutely decided to adhere to the law of God, evil thoughts are then as weak as shadows which quickly appear but, in the same way, quickly disappear. Then, a man is lord over his thoughts for he feels God as the Lord over himself. Then the law is the law of God and the evil thoughts of men, are nothing.

"Behold, I will bring evil upon this people," said the Lord. What kind of evil? "The fruit of their thoughts." That is: I will permit them only to reap that which they sowed and nurtured, for evil is neither My seed nor My harvest. The evil which I will permit upon lawless men is the fruit of their own thoughts. According to their thoughts, they should have estimated what kind of evil will befall them as a sower estimates, according to his seeds, what he will harvest.

O Lord meek and guileless, save us from our own evil which we alone, have nurtured in ourselves. We pray to You, remove the evil fruit of evil crops, and help us to pluck out the evil seed from our souls.

To You be glory and thanks always. Amen.

[尼古拉前执事]

1. THE HOLY PROPHET ISAIAH

This great prophet was of royal lineage. Isaiah was born in Jerusalem of Amoz his father who was the brother of Amaziah, the king of Judah. By the great grace of God that was in him, Isaiah was made worthy to see the Lord Sabaoth on the throne in heaven surrounded by six-winged Seraphims who continuously sing: " Holy, Holy ,Holy, is the Lord of Hosts [Sabaoth]" ( Isaiah 6:3) . Isaiah prophesied many things to individual men as well as to the people. On one occasion, he walked naked around the streets of Jerusalem for three days prophesying the imminent fall of Jerusalem by the Assyrian King Sennacherib, reminding the king and the leaders of the people not to hope in assistance from the Egyptians or Ethiopians for they, also, will be subjugated by the same Sennacherib, but rather to trust in help from God the Most High. This prophesy, as well as other prophecies, were literally fulfilled. Isaiah's most important prophecies are the ones concerning the Incarnation of God, the conception of the All-Holy Virgin, John the Forerunner and about many other events of the life of Christ. [" Therefore, the Lord Himself shall give you a sign; Behold a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call His name Emmanuel " ( Isaiah 7:14 ). " For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder: his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace " ( Isaiah 9:6 ). " The voice of him that cries in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord and make straight in the desert a highway for our God " ( Isaiah 40:3 ).] This discerning man, because of the purity of his heart and because of his zealousness toward God, also received the gift of working miracles. Thus, when the besieged Jerusalem suffered from drought, Isaiah prayed to God and water flowed from beneath Mount Zion. This water was called Siloam which means: "sent." Later, the Lord directed the man, blind from birth to bathe in this water in order for him to see. During the reign of King Manasses, when Isaiah thundered against the pagan customs of the king and the leaders comparing that generation with Sodom and Gomorrah, the anger of the leaders and the people rose up against this great prophet. He was captured, led out of Jerusalem and was sawed in half. Isaiah lived and prophesied about seven-hundred years before Christ.

1. THE TRANSLATION OF THE RELICS OF SAINT NICHOLAS THE WONDER-WORKER OF MYRA IN LYCIA.

During the reign of Emperor Alexius Commenus and Patriarch NicholasGrammaticus, the body of this saint was translated from Myra in Lycia to the town of Bari in Italy in 1007 A.D. This occurred because of the assault of the Muslims on Lycia. The saint appeared in a dream to an honorable priest in Bari and ordered that his relics be translated to this town. At that time, Bari was Orthodox and under the Orthodox Patriarch. During the translation of the relics of this saint many miracles occurred either by touching the relics or from the myrrh [oil] which abundantly flowed from his relics. " Also on this day, is commemorated the miracle of St. Nicholas to the Serbian King, Stephan of Decani: how St. Nicholas restored the sight to the blinded King Stephan .

1. THE HOLY MARTYR CHRISTOPHER

Christopher was a great miracle-worker. He is especially venerated in Spain. The people pray to him primarily for protection from contagious diseases and great pestilence. He suffered for Christ and was glorified by Christ in the year 249 A.D.

HYMN OF PRAISE

SAINT STEVEN OF DECANI

[STEPHAN DECANSKI]
On the Field of Sheep, the blind Stephan sleeps

And in a dream, endures misfortune without peace.

His body shivering, his eyes bloody,

Than such a life, death is surely better,

At that moment, in a dream a man appeared to him,

In heavenly glow, in heavenly glory.

Nicholas I am, of Myra in Lycia, said he,

And, one of those whom God chooses, you are.

Into my right hand, O Stephan , look,

Behold are your eyes, preserved in it!

Without eyes you are, the eyes are with me,

To you I will give them, when the Lord wants.

Five years passed and Stephan in darkness

A strong hope has, a strong faith has:

To me, Nicholas will come once more,

With God's help; help me, he will.

Thus did Stephan , once thought in the church,

And to the beloved saint, with tears, he prayed.

And while in the chair stood, in a dream, he fell,

But behold, St. Nicholas again to him came!

Two eyes of the king in his right palm:
Behold, said he, to you, O king the day dawned!

In the name of the Lord Who, to the blind, gives sight

Look and cry out: To God be glory!

And the blind eyes, the saint touched

And darkness from the eyes as a curtain is drawn.

REFLECTION

Every Christian can accept for himself martyrdom for the Faith, in time of persecution as well as in time of peace. Abba Athanasius says: "Be tortured by your conscience, die to sin, subdue earthly organs and you will be a martyr according to your wishes. They [the persecuted and the martyrs] fought with emperors and princes; you also have the king of sins - the devil and demonic princes. Before, there were idols, pagan temples and those who offer sacrifice to the idols. And now, they exist as thoughts in the soul. He who is a slave to debauchery worships the idol of Aphrodite. He who becomes angry and enraged worships the idol of Ares. He who is avaricious and closed to the pain and misery of his neighbor worships the idol Hermes. If you refrain from all of this and preserve yourself from passions, you have overcome idols, you have rejected an evil belief and have become a martyr for the True Faith." Therefore, a man need not especially yearn for persecution and martyrdom. Everyone can and at all times endure martyrdom for the sake of Christ and His Gospel.

CONTEMPLATION

To contemplate the Descent of God the Holy Spirit upon the apostles:

1. How all the men wonder and marvel listening to the apostles speak in different tongues;

2. How some mocked them saying: " They have had too much new wine " ( Acts of the Apostles 2:13 ).

HOMILY

About the curse of man who trusts in man

"Thus says the Lord: cursed is the man who trusts in human beings, who seeks his strength in flesh, whose heart turns away from the Lord " ( Jeremiah 17:5 ).

When man alienates himself from God in his heart he usually trusts in men and in himself, for in who else can he otherwise trust when he untied his rowboat from God's boat? Since he has already untied his rowboat from God's boat, nothing else remains for him except to trust in his rowboat or in the rowboat of his neighbors. Weak trust, but there is no other for him! Weeping trust above the abyss of destruction, but there is no other!

But, O heaven and earth, why did man untie his rowboat from God's boat? What happened to man that he flees from his security? What kind of calculation did he calculate when he discovered it would be better for him alone on the tempestuous waves than in the household of God and near the hem of God! With whom did he make an alliance when he breached the alliance with God? Is it with someone stronger than God? Foolishness, foolishness, foolishness!

"Cursed is the man who trusts in human beings ." This, God spoke once and men have repeated this thousands of times. Being disappointed in their trust in men, men have cursed thousands of times those who have trusted in man. God has said only that which men experienced only too well and confirmed by their experience, i.e., how, indeed, cursed is the man who trusts in man!

Brethren, that is why we should have trust in God Who is the stable boat on the tempest and Who does not betray. Let us have trust only in Him for all other trust is a devilish illusion. In You do we trust, O Lord, our fortress and refuge. Tie us along side You and do not allow us to untie ourselves, if we, by our foolishness and cursedness, attempt to untie ourselves from You.

To You be glory and thanks always. Amen.

[尼古拉前执事]

1. THE HOLY APOSTLE SIMON, THE ZEALOT

Simon was one of the Twelve Great Apostles. He was born in Cana of Galilee. The Lord Jesus, with His mother and His disciples, came to his marriage feast. When the wine ran out, the Lord changed water into wine ( St. John 2: 1-11 ). Witnessing this miracle, Simon the groom left his home, parents and bride and followed after Christ. Zealot means zealous. Simon was called the Zealot because of his great and fiery zeal for the Savior and His Gospel. After receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit, Simon went to preach the Gospel in Mauritania in Africa. Because he succeeded to convert many to the Faith of Christ, Simon was tortured and finally crucified, as was his Lord, Who prepared for him a wreath of glory in the immortal kingdom.

1. THE HOLY MARTYRS ALPHAEUS, PHILADELPHUS AND CYPRINUS

All three were brothers and the sons of Prince Vitalis in Southern Italy. They were men of nobility and strong in faith. Condemned for their faith in Christ they were led from one judge to another; from one torturer to another. They were taken to Sicily and were slain there during the reign of Emperor Licinius. Alphaeus' tongue was severed and having shed much blood, he died. Philadelphus was burned on an iron grate and Cyprinus in fire. Their incorrupt relics were discovered in 1517 A.D. The three brothers appeared to St. Euthalia (March 2).

1. THE VENERABLE ISIDORA, FOOL FOR CHRIST

Isidora lived in the fourth century and was a nun in a convent in Tabennisi. She pretended insanity in order to conceal her virtues and her mortification. Isidora performed the most menial tasks, fed on the leftovers on the dishes, served all and everyone and was despised by all and everyone. At that time, an angel of God revealed to the great ascetic Pitirim about Isidora's secret. Pitirim came to the convent and when he saw Isidora he bowed down to the ground before her. And so, she to him. Then the sisters informed Pitirim that she was insane. "All of you are insane" replied Pitirim, "and this one is greater before the Lord than I and all of you; I only pray that God will render to me that which is intended for her at the Dreadful Judgment!" Then the sisters became ashamed and begged both Pitirim and Isidora for forgiveness. From then on, everyone began to show respect for Isidora. And she, to escape the honors of men, fled the convent to a place unknown and died about the year 365 A.D.

1. THE BLESSED THAIS

Thais was a wealthy Christian maiden in Egypt. She decided not to enter into marriage and distributed her property to the monks of the desert. When she spent all of her possessions, she began to live a life of debauchery. Learning about this, the hermits begged Abba John Colovos to come to Alexandria and he did and began to weep before Thais. When she heard that the elder was crying because of her sins, she repented in an instant, left home and everything she owned and withdrew into the wilderness with the saint. One night while Thais was sleeping and while John stood at prayer, he saw where angels descended with a great light and took the soul of Thais. John learned that her instantaneous but warm repentance was more pleasing to God than the long years of external repentance of many hermits.

HYMN OF PRAISE

THE VENERABLE PITIRIM In the desert, the ascetic Pitirim

Prays to God and asks himself:

In the world, is there anyone equal to me?

Then appeared, an angel of God,

Gently reproached Pitirim :

In thoughts, you magnify yourself O Elder

As though, in the world, there is no better!

Come, follow me, O Elder Pitirim ,

Come, follow me to see the aged woman,

Isidora makes herself a "fool for Christ,"

To see her and then to be amazed:

She, from God her heart does not separate,

All her thoughts, to God, she binds,

And not like you, who, in the body, are here,

And thoughts, in the ends of the world!

And all of her mortifications that you see

That by shame, of the woman to be ashamed!

And the wisdom of God that you glorify

Which, in the weeds, nurses the roses!

REFLECTION

In one of his prayers, St. Ephren the Syrian turns to God with these words: "Lord, in that awesome and dreadful day You will say to us sinners: `You men know very well what I have endured for you. What have you endured for me?' To that, what will I, a repentant, cunning, sinful and foul one respond? The martyrs will then point to their wounds of torture, the severed parts of their bodies and their forbearance to the end. The ascetics will point to their mortifications, prolonged fasts, long vigils, philantrophies, tears and their forbearance to the end. And I, slothful, sinful, lawless: to what will I point? Spare, O Lord! Spare, O Merciful One! Spare, O Lover of mankind!"

CONTEMPLATION

To contemplate the action of God the Holy Spirit upon the apostles:

1. How from the small, God the Holy Spirit makes great;

2. How He from the fearful, makes fearless.

HOMILY

About how the righteous endures ridicule because of the words of the Lord

"The word of the Lord has brought me derision and reproach all the day " ( Jeremiah 20:8 ).

Who are they who reproach the prophet of God, the bearer of God's word and the bearer of the power and wisdom of God? His people reproach him and say to him: you preach to us a steep path; even if it is from God, we cannot walk upon it because for us, it is too steep.

Who are they who reproach the trumpeter of the voice of the Lord when he sounds the alarm because of fire which smokes in the distance and draws closer to the city? The elders of the people reproach him and say to him: why do you not keep your mouth closed; for you it would be warmer and for us a clearer sky. That which seems to you is not a fire but it is fog from the mountain dew!

Who are they who still deride the man of God when he comes from God and proclaims the will of God? He is reproached by his wife and is derided by his brethren. They say to him: you abandon your work which feeds you and you follow after someone else's work which humiliates you.

"The word of the Lord has brought me derision and reproach all the day ." Thus the prophet could have said, so could the apostle, so the martyr, so every zealot of the word of the Lord and of the law of the Lord. Not one of them was frightened by reproach nor by derision, nor turned away from witnessing nor led from the road to wayward paths. The entire outside world reproached them and were sarcastic to them. But the Lord strengthened and made them inwardly joyful. The Lord overcame the world, and the saints of God overcame those who reproached and derided them.

O Lord All-good, strengthen us internally in our hearts so that the reproaches do not disturb nor the derisions, hinder us for the sake of Your Name.

To You be glory and thanks always. Amen.