ON THIS DATE: From the Prologue to Ohrid/Ochrid

[尼古拉前执事]

1. SAINT SAVA [SABAS], ARCHBISHOP OF THE SERBS

Sava was born in 1169 A.D. He was the son of Stephen [Stefan] Nemanja the Grand Zupan of the Serbs. As a young man, Sava yearned for the spiritual life for which he fled to the Holy Mountain [Mt. Athos] where he was tonsured a monk and with rare zeal lived according to the ascetical rule. Stefan Nemanja followed the example of his son and came to the Holy Mountain where he was tonsured a monk and died as Simeon, the monk. Sava obtained the independence of the Serbian Church from the [Byzantine] emperor and patriarch and became the first Archbishop of the Serbs. Together with his father, he built the Monastery Hilendar and, after that, many other monasteries, churches and schools throughout the Serbian lands. On two occasions, he made a pilgrimage to the sacred places in the Holy Land. He restored peace between his two brothers who were estranged because of a struggle for power. He restored peace between the Serbs and their neighbors. In establishing the Serbian Church, he was, through that, establishing the Serbian State and culture. He instilled peace between all the Balkan peoples and worked for the benefit of all for which he was loved and respected by all the Balkan peoples. To the Serbian people he gave a Christian soul which did not perish with the collapse of the Serbian State. Sava died in Trnovo, Bulgaria, during the reign of Emperor Asen, having become ill following the Divine Liturgy on the Feast of the Epiphany on January 12, 1236 A.D. King Vladislav translated his body to the Mileshevo Monastery from which Sinan Pasha removed it and burned it on Vracar in Belgrade, April 27, 1595 A.D.

1. VENERABLE MARTYRS: THE FATHERS OF SINAI AND RAITHU

These holy martyrs, were slain by the Saracens, those fathers of Sinai in the fourth century and those fathers of Raithu in the fifth century.

1. SAINT HILARY, BISHOP OF POITERS

Hilary was an ardent combatant against the heresy of Arius in the west. He suffered much because of his defense of Orthodoxy. Hilary wrote many papers; the most important thesis was about the Holy Trinity. He died in the Lord in the year 362 A.D.

1. SAINT NINA, THE ENLIGHTENER OF THE GEORGIANS

Nina was a relative of St. George the Great Martyr and Juvenal, the Patriarch of Jerusalem. Her parents belonged to the nobility in Cappadocia and since they both were tonsured in the monastic state, Nina was educated under the tutelage of Patriarch Juvenal. Hearing about the people of Georgia, the virgin Nina, from an early age, desired to go to Georgia and to baptize the Georgians. The All-Holy Mother of God appeared to Nina and promised to take her to this land. When our Lord opened the way, the young Nina, indeed, traveled to Georgia where, in a short period of time, she gained the love of the Georgian people. Nina succeeded in baptizing the Georgian Emperor Mirian, his wife Nana and their son Bakar, who, later on, zealously assisted in Nina's missionary work. During her lifetime, Nina traveled throughout Georgia, mainly to convert the entire nation to the Faith of Christ, exactly at the time of the terrible persecution of the Christians at the hands of Emperor Diocletian. Having rested from her many labors, Nina died in the Lord in the year 335 A.D. Her body is entombed in the Cathedral Church in Mtzkheta. She worked many miracles during her life and after her death.

HYMN OF PRAISE

SAINT NINA

Virgin most beautiful, Nina of noble birth,
By Divine Providence became the Apostle to the Georgians,
In defiance of the persecution by Diocletian, the Emperor,
With the Cross, she baptized Emperor Mirian
His wife Nana and his son Bakar,
Through them, all the people and the elite of the leaders,
With the Cross of the Son of God, baptized them all,
Saint Nina, Apostle to the Georgians.
From her youth, Nina prayed to God
That Djul (the Rose) - Georgia, she baptize.
For that which she prayed to God, the good God granted:
From Nina's hand, the Cross shown
To docile Georgia where it shines even now,
Where Nina's hand blesses even now.
There is Nina's grave, overwhich a church glistens,
Glorifying Saint Nina and the Lord Christ.

REFLECTION

If, at times, the dogmas of the Faith seem to be like solid food, first endeavor to fulfill the moral dogmas of Christianity, then the understanding of the dogmas of the Faith will be revealed to you. Inquisitive questioning of higher things without effort regarding the improvement of your life does not bring any benefit. At one time, the monks of Egypt reflected about Melchisedek and not being able to come to a clear understanding about the mysterious personality of this ancient king and high priest, invited Abba Copres to their assembly and asked him about Melchisedek. Upon hearing this, Copres struck himself three times on the mouth and said, "Woe to you Copres! You left that which God commanded you to do and you question that which God does not require of you." Hearing him, the monks were ashamed and dispersed. St. John Chrysostom writes, "And, if we adhere to the true dogmas and are not concerned about our behavior, we will not have any kind of benefit; and in the same way, if we concern ourselves about our behavior and neglect true dogmas, we will receive no benefit for our salvation. If we want to be delivered from Gehenna and to gain the kingdom, we need to be adorned on both sides: correctness of dogmas and honorable living."

CONTEMPLATION

To contemplate the mercy of the Lord Jesus:

1. Toward sinners and toward those who are ill;

2. Toward the people who are confused as a flock without a shepherd;

3. Toward mankind in general for whom He allowed Himself to be crucified.

HOMILY

About the visions of the invisible world

"We look not to what is seen but to what is unseen"(2 Corinthians 4:18).

We see this material and transient world, but we look to that spiritual and immortal world.

We see earthly joy, often interrupted by tears and sighs and, in the end, always concluded in death; but we look to spiritual joy among the angels and saints of God in the heavens, to joy uninterrupted and eternal.

We see sufferings and failures of the righteous in this life; but we look at their glory and celebration in that world.

We see many successes, glory and honor of the unrighteous in this life, but we see their defeat, condemnation and indescribable torment in eternity.

We see the Church of God often humiliated and persecuted in this world, but we look to the final victory of the Church over all of her enemies and adversaries both visible and invisible.

Brethren, we often see tyrants and abductors as rulers and wealthy men in this age, and we see saints as poor, dejected and forgotten, but we look at the other kingdom, the Kingdom of God, eternal, sinless and immortal in which the saints will reign without one, no, not one tyrant or abductor.

O Lord, most patient and most merciful, open our spiritual vision that we may see that which awaits us after this short-lived life and that we endeavor to fulfill Your law.

To You be glory and thanks always. Amen.

[尼古拉前执事]

1. VENERABLE PAUL OF THEBES

Paul was born of wealthy parents in Lower Thebes in Egypt during the reign of Emperor Decius. Paul, along with his sister, inherited all the property of their parents. But his brother-in-law, an idolater, wanted to confiscate Paul's share of the property and threatened to betray Paul before the judge as a Christian if he did not cede his property to him. On one hand, that misfortune and on the other hand those heroic examples of self-sacrifices of Christian martyrs which Paul saw with his own eyes motivated him to give his share of the property to his sister and he, as a pauper, withdrew into the desert where he lived an ascetical life until his death. To what spiritual heights this ascetical giant reached is witnessed by no less a person than St. Anthony the Great who, at one time, visited Paul and saw how the wild beasts and birds of heaven ministered to him. Returning from this visit, Anthony said to his monks, "Woe is me, my children! A sinful and false monk that I am, a monk only in name. I saw Elijah, I saw John in the wilderness and, in truth, I saw Paul in Paradise!" St. Paul lived one-hundred thirteen years and peacefully died in the Lord in the year 342 A.D.

1. VENERABLE JOHN KUSHCHNIK [KALYVITES - THE HUT DWELLER]

John was born in Constantinople of wealthy and distinguished parents during the reign of Leo I. He was the only child of his parents. Drawn by the inclination for the spiritual life, the young John secretly fled with a monk to a monastery in Asia Minor. In this monastery he remained for six years in the greatest restraint, prayer and obedience toward the abbot. Then the devil assailed him with temptation that he should leave the monastery and return home to his parents and there to live with them as a nobleman. Indeed, he returned to the home of his parents dressed as a beggar. He saw his parents, but did not introduce himself. He took up lodging as a beggar in their courtyard, living, so to say, from the crumbs which the servants threw to him and enduring many ridicules from everyone. As such, John lived for three years constantly praying to God that He save the souls of his father and mother. When John fell ill and sensed death approaching, he made himself known to his parents who recognized him by a precious book of the Gospels which they had given him in his childhood and which he had kept for himself as his only possession. And so, this young man, even though he was very wealthy, defeated the devil and saved his soul and the souls of his parents. He died in the Lord about the year 450 A.D.

1. THE VENERABLE GABRIEL OF LESNOV

Gabriel was a Slav and companion of Prochorus of Pchinja and St. John of Rila. He lived a life of asceticism in the tenth century at Kratov on Mt. Lesnov where he erected a church dedicated to the Holy Archangel Michael. He was a miracle-worker during his life and after his death. The present-day beautiful church located there was built by John Oliver, a duke of Tsar Dushan. St. Gabriel died in the Lord toward the end of the tenth century.

1. THE HOLY MARTYR PANSOPHIUS

Pansophius was the son of the Alexandrian Pro-consul Nilus. He abandoned worldly honor and riches and as a young man was tonsured a monk. For twenty-seven years, he lived a strict life of asceticism, uplifting his spirit to the higher world. During the reign of Decius, he was dragged before the court where he was flogged for the Name of Christ until he gave up his soul to his God in great torment.

HYMN OF PRAISE

VENERABLE JOHN KALYVITES [KUSHCNIK]

John was a young lad,
A young and wealthy lad,
But nothing tempted him -
Neither youth nor gold.
His father was a nobleman royal,
And his mother, a lady fine,
But he left them both
For the sake of the love of the Son of God.
His wealth was Christ,
All riches, all beauty.
Christ the Lord he loved
More than his own life.
And, instead of his parents
Now crying out in Hades,
Behold, their son, through poverty
Himself and them, he saved.
Even today, many people
Who, themselves, choke with riches,
John can shame,
And their sinful souls save.

REFLECTION

Do not ever think that God does not hear you when you pray to Him. He hears our thoughts just as we hear the voices and the words of one another. And, if He does not act immediately according to your prayer, i.e., either because you are praying to Him in an unworthy manner or because you ask something of Him which would be detrimental to you, or, because He, in His wisdom and providence delays the fulfillment of your petition until the proper moment. Father John of Kronstadt writes: "As by means of the electric telegraph we speedily communicate with persons who are far away from us, so, likewise, by means of lively faith, as though through the telegraph wires, we speedily communicate with God, with the angels and saints. As we entirely trust to the speed of the electric current and to its reaching its destination, so likewise, we should completely trust to the speed of the prayer of faith and to it reaching its destination. Send your petition to God and the saints by means of the telegraph of faith and you will speedily obtain an answer." And again, in another place St. John writes: "God and the created spirits and the souls of the departed as well as those of the living are thinking beings and thought is rapid and in some sort omnipresent. Think of them with your whole heart and they will be present with you. God will always be with you and necessarily so by the gift and power of God, the others will also be with you."

CONTEMPLATION

To contemplate the purity of the Lord Jesus:

1. The purity of His mind;

2. The purity of His heart;

3. The purity of His will;

4. The purity of His tongue;

5. The purity of His appearance and all of His senses.

HOMILY

About the victorious faith

"And the victory thatconquers the world in ourfaith" (I John 5:4).

Christ the Lord conquered the world. That, brethren, is also our victory. The apostlesconquered the world and that is our victory. The saints, virgins and martyrs conquered the world and that is our victory. Brethren, there is nothing more powerful in the world than the Christian Faith. The swords that struck this Faith became blunt and broken but the Faith remained. The kings who fought against this Faith were smothered under the anathema of crimes. The kingdoms that waged war against this Faith are destroyed. The towns that rejected this Faith lay demolished in their ruins. The heretics who corrupted this Faith perished in soul and body and under anathema departed from this world, and this Faith remained.

Brethren, when the world pursues us with its temptations: the temptation of external beauty, the temptation of riches, the temptation of pleasure, the temptation of transient glory; with what shall we resist and by what shall we be victorious if not by this Faith? In truth, by nothing except by this invincible Faith which knows about something better than all the wealth of this world.

When all the temptations of this world reveal the opposite side of their faces, when beauty turns into ugliness, health into sickness, riches into poverty, glory into dishonor, authority into humiliation and all blossoming physical life into filth and stench--by what shall we overcome this grief, this decay, this fifth and stench, and to preserve oneself from despair, if not by this Faith? In truth, by nothing except this invincible Faith which teaches us eternal and unchangeable values in the Kingdom of Christ.

When death shows its destructive power over our neighbors, over our relatives and our families, over our flowers, over our crops, over the works of our hands and, when it turns its irresistible teeth even on us, by what shall we conquer the fear of death and by what shall we unlock the doors of life, stronger than death, if not by this Faith? In truth, by nothing except this invincible Faith, which knows about the resurrection and life without death.

O Lord Jesus, the Conqueror of the world, help us also to conquer the world with faith in You.

To You be glory and thanks always. Amen.

[尼古拉前执事]

1. SAINT PETER THE APOSTLE (THE CHAINS OF ST. PETER)

Saint Peter is commemorated on this day because of the chains by which he was shackled by the lawless Herod and which during the appearance of an angel in prison fell from him, "Suddenly the angel of the Lord stood by him and a light shone in the cell. He tapped Peter on the side and awakened him, saying, `Get up quickly.' The chains fell from his wrists" (Acts of the Apostles 12:7). The chains were preserved by Christians as much for the memory of this great apostle as well as for their healing power, for many of the sick were healed by touching them as well as with the towel of the Apostle Paul, "then when the face cloths or aprons that touched his skin were applied to the sick, their diseases left them and the evil spirits came out of them" (Acts of the Apostles 19:12). St. Juvenal, the Patriarch of Jerusalem gave these chains as a gift to the Empress Eudocia, the exiled wife of the Emperor Theodosius the Younger. She divided them into two and sent one half to the Church of the Holy Apostle in Constantinople and the other half to her daughter Empress Eudoxia in Rome, the wife of Valentian. Eudoxia built the Church of St. Peter and deposited these chains in it, together with those chains with which Peter was shackled before his death under Emperor Nero.

1. THE HOLY MARTYRS SPEUSIPPUS, ELEUSIPPUS, MELEUSIPPUS AND THEIR GRANDMOTHER LEONILLA.

The three brothers, triplets, Speusippus, Eleusippus, Meleusippus all suffered for Christ in France during the reign of Emperor Marcus Aurelius (161 A.D. -180A.D.). At first, only Leonilla was a Christian while her grandsons were heathens. After prolonged counseling on the part of their pious grandmother and of the local priest, these three brothers received baptism. Having been baptized and with youthful zeal, they began to live a devoted life for their Faith and with this passion destroyed all the idols in the whole vicinity. Accused and brought before the tribunal, they acknowledged their act and openly confessed their faith in Christ. The judge had them thrown into prison and summoned Leonilla, the grandmother, and directed that she, too, go to the prison and counsel her grandsons to deny Christ and to worship the idols. Without a word, Leonilla went to the prison, but instead of counseling her grandsons to deny the True Faith, she began to encourage them not to waver but to endure all torments to the end and to die for Christ. When the judge, again, questioned them and realized their even stronger steadfastness in the Faith, he condemned them to death. At first, all three of them were hanged on a tree where they hung "as strings on a gulsa"* after which, they were flogged and finally burned in fire. A certain woman, Jovilla, enthusiastic at the courage of these martyrs cried out: "I am a Christian also!" They immediately apprehended her who, together with the elderly Leonilla, was beheaded.]

1. THE VENERABLE MARTYR DAMASKIN OF GABROVO

Damaskin led a life of asceticism in Hilendar [Mt. Athos] where he became the abbot. When he sought from some Turks payment of a debt due to the monastery, they persuaded a Muslim woman to enter the house where Damaskin lived. Then, those same Turks came and, finding this woman, dragged Damaskin before the Cadi [Muslim Judge] who then proposed to him: either be hanged or convert to Islam. To this Damaskin decisively responded, "It would be insanity if I for this transient life would purchase eternal death." He was hanged in the year 1771 A.D. in Svishtov. Thus, Damaskin sacrificed his body in order to save his soul. God's punishment immediately befell his murderers. While crossing the Danube river, in a row boat, a storm arose and capsized the boat and drowned them.

1. THE VENERABLE ROMIL

Romil was born in Vidin. He was a disciple of St. Gregory Sinaite. He lived a life of asceticism in several monasteries. Together with him in the Monastery Ravanica [Serbia] lived Constantine Camblak. St. Romil died in the Lord about the year 1375 A.D. in the Monastery Ravanica.

HYMN OF PRAISE
SAINT LEONILLA

Leonilla, grandmother aged,
By the spirit, powerful as a lioness,
When her grandsons for God, she prepared,
Herself, a martyr became.
To Leonilla, the tribune screamed,
And from bitter anger, hissing:
Proceed, grandmother, to the dungeon,
And your grandsons, to counsel.
Counsel your grandsons to deny
The so-called Christ the Lord,
Either Christ to renounce
Or their young lives.
Leonilla, in the dungeon
To her grandsons, speaks:
Of worldly powers, do not be afraid,
Even though they burn you alive.
Adhere to the glorious Christ
And His Good News,
For you, He prepared
Eternity of radiance and joy.Of bitter wounds, do not be afraid,
Neither of death, for they are transitory:
The faithful to Christ, death cannot
Either conceal or crush.
Three grandsons, in the midst of fire
To God offered praise,
While the evil one their dear grandmother
Leonilla beheaded.

REFLECTION

Nothing crushes human pride as does habitual obedience toward elders. In ancient Sparta, obedience was considered a great virtue. It is said a Spartan soldier, who rushed into battle armed with a sword, caught up with his enemy and at the precise moment when he was about to slay him, the trumpet sounded to end the fighting and the Spartan replaced his sword in the sheath. When someone who saw this asked him: "Why did you not slay the enemy?" He replied: " It is better to obey the commander than to slay the enemy." Christian obedience differs from this Spartan obedience in that it is voluntary and has as its goal the salvation of the soul; i.e., it is not for the preservation of the earthly kingdom but rather for obtaining of the heavenly kingdom. St. John the Short [Colobus] began his ascetical life with a certain elder of Thebes. In order to teach his disciple obedience, the elder planted a withered tree in the ground and ordered his disciple to water it daily. For three years, John without murmuring watered this withered tree until it finally turned green and brought forth fruit. This is the fruit of resigned obedience. The Crucified Lord Himself "became obedient to death" (Philippians 2:8).

CONTEMPLATION

To contemplate the peace of the Lord Jesus:

1. The peace which He carried in His soul: The only, perfect Peace-bearer;

2. The peace which He created among men: The only, perfect Peace-maker;

3. The peace which He gave to His disciples: The only, perfect Peace-giver.

HOMILY

About how we all are free only if we are slaves of Christ

"For the slave called in the Lord is a freed person in the Lord, just as the free person who has been called is aslave of Christ" (I Corinthians 7:22).

The great news that Christianity daily announces to the world is that nothing is evaluated at full value according to its external appearance but by its essence. Do not evaluate things according to its color and shape but by its meaning. Do not evaluate a man by his position and property but by his heart - by his heart in which are united his feeling, his reason and his will.

According to this, for the world always a new teaching; he is not a slave who is outwardly enslaved; neither is he free who possesses outward physical freedom. According to secular understanding, the slave is one who enjoys the world the least and a free man is one who enjoys the world the most. According to Christian understanding, a slave is one who least enjoys from the living and sweet Christ and the free man is one who enjoys most from the living and sweet Christ. Further, according to secular understanding, the slave is one who carries out his own will less frequently and who carries out the will of others more frequently, and a free man is one who carries out his will more often and even less often the will of others. However, according to Christian understanding, the slave is one who carries out his will more often and even less often the will of God, and the free man is one who carries out the will of God more frequently and who carries out even less frequently, his own will. To be a slave to the Lord is the only true and worthy freedom of man and, to be a slave to the world and to one's self, sin and vice is the only fatal slavery. Of the kings on the throne, a man would think: Are there any more free men on earth than those? However, many kings were the most base and the most unworthy slaves of the earth. Of shackled Christians in the dungeons, a man would think: Are there any more miserable slaves on earth than they? However, the Christian martyrs in the prisons felt as free men and were filled with spiritual joy; they chanted Psalms and raised up prayers of gratitude to God. Freedom which is tied to grief and sorrow is not freedom but slavery. Only freedom in Christ is tied with unspeakable joy. Lasting joy is the mark of true freedom.

O Lord Jesus, the only Good Lord, Who grants us freedom when You tie us stronger to Yourself, make us Your slaves as soon as possible that we would cease to be slaves of cruel and unmerciful masters.

To You be glory and thanks always. Amen.

• The Gusla is the Serb national musical instrument

[尼古拉前执事]

1. VENERABLE ANTHONY THE GREAT

Anthony was an Egyptian and was born about the year 250 A.D. in the village of Koman near Herculea. Following the demise of his noble and wealthy parents, he divided the inherited estate with his sister, who was a minor, and provided for her with some relatives. Anthony distributed his half of the estate to the poor and, he, in his twentieth year, dedicated himself to the ascetical life for which he yearned from his childhood. In the beginning Anthony lived a life of asceticism in the proximity of his village but, in order to flee the disturbances of people, he withdrew into the wilderness on the shore of the Red Sea, where he spent twenty years as a recluse not associating with anyone except with God through constant prayer, reflection and contemplation, patiently enduring unspeakable temptations from the devil. His fame spread throughout the entire world and many disciples gathered around him whom he placed on the path of salvation by his example and words. During the eighty-five years of his ascetical life, only twice did he go to Alexandria. The first time to seek martyrdom during the time of the persecution of the Church and, the second time at the invitation of St. Athanasius, in order to refute the accusation of the Arians: supposedly that he, too, was an adherent of the Arian heresy. Anthony died in the one-hundred fifth year of his life, leaving behind an entire army of his disciples and imitators. Even though Anthony was not a scholar, nevertheless, he was a counselor and teacher of the most learned men of that time, as was St. Athanasius the Great. When certain Greek philosophers tempted him with literary wisdom, Anthony shamed them with the question: "Which is older, the understanding or the book? Which of these two was the cause of the other?" Ashamed, the philosophers dispersed for they perceived that they only had literary knowledge without understanding and Anthony had understanding. Here is a man who attained perfection in as far as man, in general, can attain on earth. Here is an instructor to instructors and a teacher to teachers, who, for a full eighty five years perfected himself and only in that way was he able to perfect many others. Filled with many years of life and great works, Anthony died in the Lord in the year 335 A.D.

1. THE HOLY EMPEROR THEODOSIUS THE GREAT

This glorious and zealous emperor in the Faith reigned from 379 A.D. to 395 A.D. Constantine the Great banned the persecution of Christians. Theodosius the Great went one step further, he outlawed the offering of idolatrous sacrifices in his realm. He assisted with strengthening and spreading the Christian Faith throughout the world.

1. THE HOLY NEO-MARTYR GEORGE OF IOANNINA

George was an Albanian. He was born in the village of Churkli, Albania of very impoverished farmer parents. The Turks used force to persuade George to embrace Islam, but he remained steadfast in the Christian Faith for which he was hanged in Ioannina on January 17, 1838 A.D. Even unto today, George is a great miracle-worker and healer.

HYMN OF PRAISE
ST. ANTHONY THE GREAT - ST. THEODOSIUS THE GREAT
ST. GEORGE THE NEW MARTYR

Above all divisions, above all classes,
The fearless God stands; the Lord above armies.
The wealthy he does not despise, nor, of the poor, is He ashamed.
Of the powerful, He is not afraid and, to the sinful, He beckons: Come!
Saints from everywhere, for Himself, He recruits
This one who begs and that one who rules
As a cherry-picker that plucks only the sweet cherries
Without concern, whether the branches are coarse or smooth,
Into one beautiful wreath, the Lord weaves all,
Only when the souls are repentant and holy.
Anthony the wonderful, throughout his life fasted,
Theodosius, the whole world, treated with Christ.
And George of Ioannina, his blood for Christ, shed -
All three, the Lord loved, eternally.The Lord does not have loathing toward His crops
Nor toward other weaknesses of the created world.
Toward all, He is the same, but toward Him, all are not,
To everyone, He is of service; to everything merciful,
Always, above everything and above all classes,
Always, the fearless God; the Lord above armies.

REFLECTION

St. Anthony teaches: "Learn to love humility, for it will cover all your sins. All sins are repugnant before God but the most repugnant of all is pride of the heart. Do not consider yourself learned and wise; otherwise, all your effort will be destroyed and your boat will reach the harbor empty. If you have great authority, do not threaten anyone with death. Know, that according to nature, you too are susceptible to death and that every soul sheds its body from itself as the final garment." In Byzantium there existed an unusual and instructive custom during the crowning of the emperors in the Church of the Divine Wisdom [St. Sophia]. The custom was that when the patriarch placed the crown on the emperor's head, at the same time, he handed him a silk purse filled with dirt from the grave. Then, even the emperor would recall death and to avoid all pride and become humble.

CONTEMPLATION

To contemplate the persecution of the Lord Jesus for righteousness sake:

1. His persecution as a child by Herod;

2. His persecution as a man and Messiah by the Jewish scribes and elders;

3. His persecution as God by many of our contemporary scribes and elders both Jewish and Christian.

HOMILY

About two different types of wisdom

"For the wisdom of this worldis foolishness in the eyesof God" (I Corinthians 3:19).

Even this scriptural concept is one great news which Christianity proclaims to the world. One is the wisdom according to God and from God and the other is the wisdom according to the world and from the world. Wisdom, according to God, is from the Holy Spirit. The apostles were filled with such wisdom when the Holy Spirit descended upon them. Wisdom, according to the world, is from the senses and from material and it represents true insanity before God if it is not seasoned and inspired by the Holy Spirit of God.

All worldly wisdom which is guided only by the physical senses, without regard for the Holy Spirit, is insanity before God and before God's angels; for such a wisdom does not perceive either the spirit or the purpose of this world; rather it knows this world only as ashes from without and ashes from within; as ashes which the wind of chance piles up and strews at one moment this way and at another moment that way.

All wisdom of man which is directed only by the senses and by physical conceptions and fantasies is insanity before God and before angels and saints of God, for it does not know man as man; that is, as a spiritual being related to God, rather it knows man only as a body from without and as a body from within; as a body according to form and as a body according to essence. It is the same as if a monkey, looking at an iron locomotive, described it and said, "This is iron on the outside and iron on the inside; iron which heats it and iron which operates it, iron which gives it direction and iron which stops it!"

Brethren, who is able to be filled with the wisdom of God except him who, at first, empties himself of the insanity's of the world? With God's help, each one of us can do this. However, to our desires and to our efforts, without Faith, God's help goes to assist us. For God alone is Goodness, Wisdom and Holiness.

O Good Lord, Wise and Holy, fill us with Your Life-creating wisdom.

To You be glory and thanks always. Amen.

[Mary Kissel]

January 18

1. SAINT ATHANASIUS THE GREAT, ARCHBISHOP OF ALEXANDRIA

Athanasius was born in Alexandria in the year 296 A.D. and from his early childhood had an inclination to the spiritual life. He was a deacon to Archbishop Alexander and accompanied him to the First Ecumenical Council [Nicaea, 325 A.D.]. It was at this Council that Athanasius became renowned for his learning, devotion to and zeal for Orthodoxy. He contributed greatly to destroy the heresy of Arius and to strengthen Orthodoxy. He wrote the Symbol of Faith [The Creed] which was adopted at the Council. Following the death of Alexander, Athanasius was elected Archbishop of Alexandria. In his calling as Archbishop of Alexandria, he remained for forty years, although not for the entire time on the archepiscopal throne of the archbishopric. With few exceptions, throughout his life he was persecuted by heretics. Of the emperors, he was persecuted mostly by Constantius, Julian and Valens; of the bishops, by Eusebius of Nicomedia and many others; and by the heretic Arius and his followers. Athanasius was forced to hide from his persecutors, even in a well, in a grave, in private homes and in the deserts. Twice he was forced to flee to Rome. Only before his death, did he live peacefully for a while as the good shepherd among his good flock who truly loved him. Few are the saints who were so mercilessly slandered and so criminally persecuted as St. Athanasius. His great soul patiently endured all for the love of Christ and, in the end, emerged victorious from this entire, terrible and long-lasting struggle. For counsel, for comfort and for moral support, Athanasius often visited St. Anthony, whom he respected as his spiritual father. For a man who formulated the greatest truth, Athanasius had much to suffer for that truth until in the year 373 A.D., the Lord gave him repose in His kingdom as His faithful servant.

2. SAINT MAXIM, ARCHBISHOP OF WALLACHIA

Maxim was the son of the Serbian Despot [Prince] Stephen and Despotica [Princess] Angelina. He was tonsured a monk in the Monastery Manasija. Pressured by the Turks, he fled to Romania, where he was consecrated to the vacated throne of the Archbishop of Wallachia. He brokered a truce between the warring commanders Radul and Bogdan and averted a war between them. In his later years, he returned to Krusedol where he built a monastery and, after a lengthy ascetical life, died there on January 18, 1546 A.D. His incorrupt and miracle-working relics repose, even now, in this monastery.

HYMN OF PRAISE

CHRIST IS WISDOM

Through Athanasius, wisdom shown,

And the truth of God enlightened men.

Wisdom is not bitter, the people recognized;

But, to everyone who drinks of it to the bottom, it is sweet,

To everyone who suffered for it, it is dear.

To whomever, in the world, all hope is first extinguished,

Who walks throughout the world as over an old cemetery,

Who thinks about men as about weak slavery,

Who thinks about five earthly dry lands [continents] as about five threshing floors,

Who thinks about five puddles, as about five oceans -

To him, Christ is the measure by which eternity is measured'

Adhere to that measure, confirmed in faith;

Whoever recognizes this measure [Christ] will never abandon it,

For the mysteries of the world, he will find no other;

Every other measure, inspite of exertion

Does not reach to the Alpha nor the Omega,

But is as deceiving as the moon which crawls over the water.

But appears that it reaches to the bottom of the water.

Christ surpasses both ends of the world,

Where the drama ends and where it began.

Of all the mysteries, the greatest mystery is He.

From His Nativity to His Crucifixion on the Cross,

From His Crucifixion on the Cross to His Resurrection -

He is the true measure of all God's creation.

By Him, measuring sufferings in the midst of worldly rumbling

The saints of God suffered -- without pain.

REFLECTION

To the question: "Why did the Son of God appear on earth in a human body and not in another form of creation?", the brilliant St. Athanasius replied in this manner: "If they ask why did He not appear in some other better form of creation, for example: as the sun or the moon, or the stars or fire, or the wind but just as a man? Let them know that the Lord did not come to show Himself but to heal and teach sufferers. For, to reveal Himself only to amaze the viewers would mean to come for a show. It was necessary for the Healer and the Teacher, not only to come, but to serve for the benefit of the suffering ones and to reveal Himself as such so that this revelation would be bearable for the sufferers. Not one single creature was in error in the eyes of God, except man alone: neither the sun, nor the moon, nor the sky, nor the stars, nor water, nor wind did betray their ranks but, on the contrary, knowing their Creator and their King - The Word [The Logos], they all remained as they were created; only human beings separated themselves from good and replaced truth with deceit, and the honor belonging to God, as well as the knowledge about Him, they transferred to devils and to men carved out of stone [idols]. What is, therefore, so unbelievable in this, that the Logos [The Word - The Son Of God] appeared as a man to save mankind?" Indeed, even as we ask the unbelievers of our day: In what form would you wish God to appear, if not as a man?

CONTEMPLATION

To contemplate the Lord Jesus burdened by slander and shame for the sake of our salvation:

1. Burdened by slander and shame from Jewish scribes and elders;

2. Burdened by slander and shame from the many contemporary scribes and elders;

3. Burdened by slander and shame from everyone of us who have been baptized in His Name and who have not fulfilled His law.

HOMILY

About danger

"Gird your loins and lightyour lamps" (St. Luke 12:33).

This is the commandment of Him Who knows the weaknesses of our being and Who desires our good more than our father and mother do. This is the commandment of our mankind-loving Lord. When man is ungirded, does not his entire body droop a little? When he girds and harnesses himself, does not the entire body become as erect as a candle? As a candle stands, so must our soul stand erect before God. How will our souls stand erect before God if unrestrained physical earthly passions and lusts weigh them down? Behold, between the loins is the nest of the main physical passions. To gird one's loins means to tighten oneself with restraint and not to give into passions at will. But to gird one's physical loins is not the goal but the means which we utilize to easily gird our mind, our heart and our will. Physical restraint is the primary school of our Christian character; after it, comes a higher school in which we learn restraint of the mind, restraint of the heart and restraint of the will. If we gird our mind, then in its narrowness, lustful thoughts would be unable to find a place in it. If we gird our heart, then lustful desires would be unable to find a place in it. If we gird our will, then the evil, beastly and demonic desires would be unable to find a place in it.

Brethren, by a narrow path can one enter into the Kingdom of God. In the narrowness of the mind, the heart and the will can the candles of all virtues be lighted whose flame rises toward God. Under the lighted candles, we should understand Christian virtues.

O Lord, pure and sinless, the hearth of all virtues, help us to gird ourselves with restraint and to walk the narrow path to You with lighted candles, which You brought into the world.

To You be glory and thanks always. Amen.

[Mary Kissel]

January 19

1. VENERABLE MACARIUS THE GREAT

Macarius was an Egyptian and one of the younger contemporaries of Anthony the Great. His father was a priest. Out of obedience to his parents, Macarius married. However, his wife died shortly thereafter and he withdrew into the wilderness where he spent sixty years in labor and struggle, both internally and externally for the Kingdom of Heaven. When they asked him: "Why is he so thin when he eats and when he does not eat?" He responded: "From the fear of God." So much did he succeed in cleansing his mind of evil thoughts and his heart of evil desires that God bestowed upon him the abundant gift of miracle-working so that he even raised the dead from the graves. His humility amazed both men and demons. A demon once said to him: "There is only one thing in which I am unable to overpower you. It is not in fasting; for I do not eat anything. It is not in vigils; for I never sleep." "But, what is it?" asked Macarius. "Your humility" answered the demon. Macarius often spoke to Paphnutius, his disciple: "Do not judge anyone and you will be saved." Macarius lived to be ninety-seven years old. Nine days before his death, St. Anthony and St. Pachomius appeared to him from the other world and informed him that he would die within nine days, which happened. Also, before his death, Macarius had a vision in which a cherubim revealed to him the blessed heavenly world, commended his effort and his virtue and said to him that he was sent to take his soul into the Kingdom of Heaven. He died in the year 390 A.D.

2. VENERABLE MARCARIUS OF ALEXANDRIA

Macarius was born in Alexandria and, at first, was a fruit vendor. He was baptized at age forty and as soon as he was baptized, he immediately withdrew to lead a life of asceticism. At first, he, together with Macarius the Great, was a disciple of St. Anthony. After that, he became the abbot of the Monastery called the Cells, located between Nitria and Skete. He was somewhat younger than Macarius the Great and also lived longer. He lived to be more than a hundred years old. Tormented by demonic temptations, especially the temptation of vanity, he humbled himself by the most rigorous labors and ceaseless prayer, uplifting his mind constantly toward God. Once, a brother saw him fill a basket with sand, carry it uphill and empty it. Astonished, the brother asked him, "What are you doing?" Macarius answered, "I am tormenting my tormentor," i.e. the devil. He died in the year 393 A.D.

1. SAINT ARSENIUS, BISHOP OF CORFU

Arsenius augmented and structured the Rite of the Sacrament of Holy Unction [Anointing with Oil] to its present form. He died in the year 959 A.D. His relics repose in the cathedral church in Corfu.

4. SAINT MARK, ARCHBISHOP OF EPHESUS

Mark was famous for his courageous defense of Orthodoxy at the Council of Florence (1439 A.D.) in spite of the emperor and the pope. He died peacefully in the year 1452 A.D. On his death bed, Mark implored Gregory, his disciple, and later the glorious Patriarch Genadius, to be careful of the snares of the West and to defend Orthodoxy.

1. BLESSED THEODORE, "FOOL FOR CHRIST" FROM NOVGOROD

Prior to his death, Theodore ran up and down the streets shouting to everyone: "Farewell, I am traveling far away!" He died in the year 1392 A.D.

HYMN OF PRAISE

SAINT MACARIUS THE GREAT

In Egypt, in the desert

Great loved reigned

Among the simple monks,

As in the kingdom of the saints.

Saint Macarius was

as a cherubim among them.

In every good deed

An example to the monks was he.

Macarius became ill;

For him, a monk went out to seek strawberries,

He went forth, he found, and he brought them

To soothe his elder's pain.

To partake of them, Macarius did not want,

He said, "There is a brother more ill.

Bring it to him; this gift is

more needed to that brother."

The second ailing brother cried and,

To the gift-bearer, said: "Forgive me!

But my neighbor is more needy

Of this charity than I."

The gift-bearer, the gift he took away

And, to that neighbor, gave it,

This one gave it to a third,

And that one to a fourth; all in order,

From cell to cell,

And from brother to brother,

Until the last one with the strawberries

To Macarius, at the door!

"Behold, father, you are ill!"

Macarius began to weep,

Seeing this wonderful brotherly love -

Neither did he want to eat.

He spilled them over the hot sand,

And, to God he gave thanks,

That the dead, arid desert,

Because of love, became Paradise.

The more a brother loves his brother

Than he loves himself:

"O Lord, the gift is this,

The gift of love, the gift from You!"

REFLECTION

Examples of the meek in enduring assaults such as we find in the Holy Fathers are simply amazing. Returning once from the path to his cell, Macarius the Great saw a certain thief removing his belongings from his cell and loading them onto a donkey. Macarius did not say anything to him but rather began to assist him to comfortably load all the things on the donkey, saying to himself, "For we brought nothing into the world" (I Timothy 6:7). Another elder, when the thieves stole everything from his cell, looked around, noticed that they did not take a bundle with money which lay hidden somewhere, and immediately took this bundle, called out to the thieves and gave that to them also. Again, a third elder came across thieves as they were robbing his cell and cried out to them: "Hurry, hurry before the brothers come that they may not prevent me to fulfill the commandments of Christ." "From the one who takes what is yours, do not demand it back" (St. Luke 6:30).

CONTEMPLATION

To contemplate the Lord Jesus as the Salt of the earth:

1. As the Salt which gives flavor to this life in general;

2. As the Salt which preserves mankind from decay, who would, otherwise, be totally decayed from one end of its history to the other;

3. As the Salt of my own life.

HOMILY

About victory over the world

"In the world you willhave trouble, but takecourage, I have conqueredthe world" (St. John 16:33).

The Only One and the Unique One, the Conqueror of the World, with these words, teaches His followers not to be afraid of the world.

Indeed, the world appears very strong; however, is not the One Who created the world, stronger than the world?

The world is very frightening for him who does not know that God rules the world and that He has the authority to hold it in existence as long as He wills and to return it into non-existence whenever He wills. But, to him who knows that, the world is not frightening.

Compared to Christ the Lord, this world is as a fabric woven of weakness itself; while in Christ the Lord, there is not a single weakness. To him who does not know that, the world is frightening and he who knows that, has no fear of the world.

The world has loaned us a body and because of that it wants to acquire our soul. How can the world overpower us if we stand as soldiers of the Conqueror of the world?

The Conqueror of the World gives us weapons for the battle. By His example, He teaches us how to fight it, reveals the hidden enemy, shows us the path of attack and retreat, holds us with His hand, protects us under His wing, feeds us by His Life-giving Body and more, He encourages us by shouting: "Take courage!" Brethren, what then can the world do when its defeat is sealed with the victory of Christ?

O Lord, the Conqueror of the World and our victorious commander, be close to us always that we may not become frightened and direct us, that we may always be close to You in heart, mind and soul.

To You be glory and thanks always. Amen.

[Mary Kissel]

January 20

1. SAINT EUTHYMIUS THE GREAT

Of noble and distinguished parents, Euthymius was born in the Armenian town of Melitene near the Euphrates river about the year 377 A.D. He was the only child, a son, born in answer to the prayer of his mother Dionisiya, who had a heavenly vision regarding the birth of Euthymius. From his youth, he lived a life of asceticism, at first in the proximity of his town [Melitene] but then, after he visited Jerusalem at age twenty-nine, in the desert between Jerusalem and Jericho called Pharan. He filled his days and nights with prayer, internal thoughts about God, contemplation and physical exertion. Around him many disciples gathered some of whom are glorious saints, such as Cyriac the Hermit, St. Sabas the Sanctified, Theotictus and others. By God's gift, Euthymius was a great miracle worker; he expelled demons, healed the gravely ill, brought water to the desert, multiplied bread and prophesied. He taught monks the love of labor saying, "If you eat bread, not of your own labor, know that you are eating of someone else's labor." When some of the younger monks wanted to fast more than others, he forbade them to do so and commanded them to come to the communal table so that they would not become prideful as a result of their excessive fasting. He also said that it was not good for a monk to move from place to place, for he said, " A tree frequently transplanted does not bear fruit. Whoever desires to do good, can do it from the place where he is."

About love, he said, "What salt is to bread, love is to other virtues." During the first week of the Honorable Fast [Lenten Season], he retreated to the desert and remained there in solitary silence and godly-thoughts until just before the Feast of the Resurrection. During his life time, a large monastery [Lavra] was established in the proximity of his cave which later, throughout the centuries, was completely filled with monks as a beehive is filled with bees. His final command was that the monastery always adhere to hospitality and that the gates of the monastery never be closed. He died at the age of ninety-seven. The Patriarch of Jerusalem was in attendance at his funeral. The patriarch waited all day long until the great masses of people reverenced the body of the saint and only in the evening were they able to complete the Office for Burial for the Dead. On the seventh day following his death, Euthymius appeared radiant and rejoicing to Domentian, his disciple. The Venerable Euthymius, in truth, was a true "son of Light". He died in the year 473 A.D.

2. THE HOLY MARTYRS INNAS, NIRRAS AND PINNAS

They are considered to be the first Slavic martyrs who are mentioned in history. They are referred to as Scythians and disciples of St. Andrew the Apostle. They suffered for the Faith at the hands of their pagan neighbors on the right side of the Danube river near Varna. Tied up on the ice, Innas, Nirras and Pinnas froze and died in the Lord.

HYMN OF PRAISE

SAINT EUTHYMIUS

The eye which sees all, the ear which hears all,

With all, travels and everywhere they travel;

Without changing place, they are in every place.

Where virtue is being kneaded, God is the yeast in the dough,

Where light is sought, He gives of Himself;

Where help is cried for, He does not absent Himself;

Quietly and silently, but always on time,

He has the time to reap and to sow the seeds,

He has the time to reproach, He has the time to reward,

To make the young old and to make the old young,

To weed, to trim and to caress fruits -

He reaches wherever He wants and He reaches when He wants.

Whenever a person alone thinks, behold, He listens,

Where two people speak, as a third party, He hears,

Where the weaver weaves the cloth, her threads He counts,

The universal fabric, in His mind He weaves,

O, who will His footsteps and paces know?

Who could enumerate His paths and places?

Eternal and Immortal, Triune and One,

In the roadless net of the universal fabric

Unseen and seen, regardless from where He is viewed

He cuts out the paths and reveals the direction.

In the roadless net, He looks at all the paths,

And does not allow not even an ant to stay.

Thoughts about Him, Saint Euthymius

For eighty years on earth, dedicated to Him.

REFLECTION

As much as the saints were so compassionate and lenient toward human weakness, so were they terribly unyielding and unbending in regard to the confession of the true dogmas of the Faith. Thus, St. Nicholas of Myra in Lycia struck Arius with his fist at the First Ecumenical Council [Nicaea, 325 A.D.]. St. Anthony left his desert to come to Alexandria to publicly unmask Arius. St. Euthymius, being greatly pressured by the Empress Eudocia and the pseudo-Patriarch Theodosius and being unable to debate rationally with them, left the monastery and hid in the desert. All other distinguished monks followed his example. Euthymius remained in the desert until the pseudo-patriarch was ousted and Orthodoxy strengthened. When, in Jerusalem, the greatest agitation surfaced in the name of the emperor against the Fourth Ecumenical Council [Chalcedon, 451 A.D.] and when the entire population was frightened by the heretics, then St. Theodosius the Great already burdened with old age, as a fearless soldier of Christ, came to Jerusalem, entered the Great Church, ascended the stairs, waved his hands and said to the people, "If anyone does not respect the Fourth Ecumenical Council as he does the four evangelists, let him be anathema." (Until this time, only four Ecumenical Councils had been convened). All of those listeners were frightened by those words and none of the heretics dared to say anything contrary to those words.

CONTEMPLATION

To contemplate the Lord Jesus as Light:

1. As a Light to my life; as a Light to mankind; as a Light to every creature;

2. As a Light, especially in the darkness of fear and suffering;

3. As a Light in the hour of death and after death; a Light in eternity.

HOMILY

About the only Light in darkness

"I am the Light of theworld" (St. John 8:12).

Since the beginning of the world and time, no one who was ever born dared to speak these words. There were men and there are men who say: "I bring light!" But only one dared to say: "I am the Light!" Only the Lord Jesus could have spoken those words boldly and convincingly. His short life on earth and His long history, nearly two-thousand years, completely justified these words. He is the Light of Truth. He is the Light of Righteousness and He is the Light of Life.

He is the Light of Truth because He revealed in Himself the truth of the true nature of God and the true nature of man; and the relationship of man to man and the relationship of man toward God. Heaven and earth shall pass away and His words will not pass away for heaven and earth both came into existence by His word and His word is from Him and with Him always and will not pass away. ["Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away" St. Matthew 24:35 - St. Mark 13:31].

He is the Light of Righteousness because He revealed the might of righteousness and the weakness of unrighteousness. He revealed that in the brightest light, by that which He spoke, by that which He did, and by that which He experienced and overcame the unrighteous ones. He revealed that through His Church in the course of twenty centuries through His numerous righteous saints and martyrs for righteousness sake. Righteousness is from God, and in the long life of history it can never be defeated. Unrighteousness is from helpless beings. Unrighteousness quickly rushes out to the rampart with its triumphant banner but, at the same time, it is quickly overthrown into the grave.

He is the Light of Life. His words illuminate life. His works illuminate life. His victory illuminates life, especially His resurrection, as the most luminous sun by its bright light illuminates life and disperses death as a weak shadow.

O Lord Jesus, Light Most-Luminous, Sun of Truth, Sun of Righteousness and Sun of Life, illuminate us sinners and unworthy ones!

To You be glory and thanks always. Amen.