2015 - July Sacred Lessons

Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria & All Africa
Archdiocese of Good Hope
All Glory, Honour and Worship to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and
Forever, and unto the Ages of Ages. Amen
Remembering also our Most Holy, Most Pure, Most Blessed and Glorious Lady, Mary, Theotokos
yet Ever Virgin, together with all the Saints. And let us commit ourselves and one another and our
whole Life to Christ our God. Amen.
St Kosmas & St Damianos, Wonder-Working

Holy Unmercenary Physicians of Rome
1 J u l y 2015
Also the Feast of St Potitos of Naples St Peter of Constantinople St Angelina the

Princess of Albania & Serbia St John of Rila, Translation of Holy Relics St Leontios of
Radauti, Moldavia, Founder of St Laurences Monastery -
FESTAL APOLYTIKION ST KOSMAS & ST DAMIANOS
Agii
Anargiri ke Thavmatourgi, episkepsasthe

asthenias imon. Dorean elavete dorean dote imin
tas
OF
ROME TONE (8) PLAGAL 4
Holy
Unmercenaries and Workers of Miracles, visit upon

all our ailments and weaknesses, a Gift have you
received, a Gift do give to us.
FESTAL KONTAKION ST KOSMAS & ST DAMIANOS
tin Harin lavontes ton Iamaton, efaploute tin rosin tis en

anagkes, Iatri Thavmatorgi Endoxi.
Alla ti imin
episkepsi, ke ton polemion ta thrasi katavalete, TON
KOSMON IOMENI EN TIS THAVMASI.
SEASONAL KONTAKION -
Prostasia
THE
ton Hristianon akateskhinte, mesitia pros ton

Piitin ametathete, mi Paridis, amartolon deiseon fonas,
alla profthason os agathi, is tin voithian imon, ton
pistos kravgazonton Si: Tahinon is presvian, ke spefson
is ikesian, i prostatevousa ai, Theotoke, ton timonton Se.
THE FIRST EPISTLE

TH
IVINE
Having
obtained the Grace of Healing, grant Health to

those in need! O Kosmas and Damianos, Physicians
and Most Glorious Wonderworkers, Visit us, putting
down the insolence of our enemies, And by Your
Miracles, BRING HEALING TO THE UNIVERSE!
EVER BLESSED THEOTOKOS
O Protection of the Christians unashamable, Mediation to

the Creator Immovable, despise not, the pleading
voices of those in sin, but hasten O Good One, to the
Aid of all who in Faith cry out to Thee: speed up Thine
Intercession, and press on Thy Supplication, O
Theotokos who forever protects all those who honour
Thee!
OF ST PAUL TO THE CORINTHIANS 12 : 27

GIFT OF LOVE IS THE MOST SUPERIOR OF ALL GIFTS
13 : 8
Brethren: You are the Body of Christ, and members individually. And God has appointed these in the Church: first
Apostles, second Prophets, third Teachers, after that Miracles, then Gifts of Healings, Helps, Administrations, varieties
of Tongues.
Are all Apostles? Are all Prophets? Are all Teachers? Are all Workers of Miracles? Do all have Gifts of Healings? Do all
speak with Tongues? Do all interpret?
Earnestly desire the best Gifts.
And yet I show you a more excellent Way: Although I speak with the Tongues of men and of Angels, but have not Love, I
have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And although I have the Gift of Prophecy, and understand all
Mysteries and all Knowledge, and although I have all Faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not Love, I am
nothing! And although I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and although I give my body to be burnt, but have not
Love, it profits me nothing!
Love suffers long and is kind. Love does not envy. Love does not parade itself, is not puffed up, does not behave rudely,
does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil, does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the Truth; bears all
things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
Love never fails.
But whether there are tongues they will cease; whether there is Knowledge it will vanish away...
On the contrary, THE UNGODLY ARE THOSE WHO DESPISE DIVINE
There has always been a Hierarchy of Honour in the
Church of the New Covenant.
WISDOM AND GODS INSTRUCTIONS, FOR THEY CLAIM TO
THE APOSTOLIC WORK OF THE BISHOP SETS THE PACE FOR ALL THE
BELIEVE IN GOD BUT THEY NEITHER KNOW GODS WISDOM NOR
REST. When the oversight is in order, the rest of the
DO THEY LIVE A VIRTUOUS LIFE IN CHRIST A LIFE OF GENUINE
Holy Church is free to function at its optimal level.
HUMILITY AND OBEDIENCE.
But even with all the Divine Gifts in place and operative,
Consequently, THEY DO NOT TRULY BELIEVE IN GOD.
there is SOMETHING MORE EXCELLENT THE LOVE OF GOD
O B E D I E N C E A RECOGNITION THAT BECAUSE HE IS
AGAPE THE TRUE SIGN OF THE VERY PRESENCE OF THE HOLY
OMNIPRESENT AND ALMIGHTY GOD WE MUST FOLLOW HIM.
SPIRIT!
A C T S 5 : 2 9 : ... Peter and the other Apostles answered
St Basil the Great taught us THAT THERE ARE THREE REASONS
and said: We ought to OBEY GOD RATHER THAN MEN.
ALL BIBLICAL AND ALL GOD-GIVEN FOR FOLLOWING OUR LORD
While God commands our Obedience to Governing
JESUS CHRIST.
Authorities, OBEDIENCE TO GOD COMES FIRST before
F E A R P R O V E R B S 1 : 7 : The Fear of God is the
anything else in this earthly life!
beginning of Wisdom. And there is good
WHEN THE TWO ARE IN CONFLICT FAITHFUL AND TRUE DISCIPLES OF
Understanding in all who practise it.
And
CHRIST MUST FOLLOW GOD AND BE WILLING TO ACCEPT THE
Godliness towards God is the beginning of
(TEMPORARY BUT OFTEN DEVASTATING) CONSEQUENCES such
Perception, but the ungodly despise Wisdom and
as martyrdom. (REFER ALSO LUKE 20:25 & ROMANS 13 : 1 7)
Instruction.
L O V E 1 J O H N 4 : 1 9 We Love God for He first
Loved us!
WISDOM BEGETS THE FEAR OF GOD IN SIMPLE PEOPLE i.e.
those who are beginners on the Spiritual Path towards
GOD HAS ALWAYS LOVED US UNCONDITIONALLY even though
Eternal Life in the Kingdom of God.
we are habitual sinners!
This HOLY FEAR IS THE BEGINNING OF WISDOM, GODLINESS
So EVEN BEFORE GOD BEGAN HIS MAGNIFICENT CREATION, WE
TOWARDS GOD AND THE BEGINNING OF PERCEPTION.
HUMAN BEINGS WHO ARE INTELLECTUAL BEINGS TOGETHER
As SPIRITUAL BEGINNERS practise this Fear of God, they GROW
WITH HIS HEAVENLY ANGELS WERE PROVIDED FOR.
IN GOOD UNDERSTANDING OF DIVINE WISDOM AND DIVINE
NOT ONLY WERE WE PUT IN CHARGE OF THIS WORLD AND ALL ITS
VIRTUES.
CREATURES TO PROTECT AND TO TAKE CARE OF IT - BUT
ST KOSMAS & ST DAMIANOS,
THE
HOLY UNMERCENARIES
OF
ROME
1 JULY 2015
1.
AFTER OUR EXPULSION FROM PARADISE - GOD ALSO GRANTED US

THE UNDERSTANDING, WISDOM, KNOWLEDGE AND MEANS
WHEREBY WE ARE ABLE TO REGAIN OUR LOST LIKENESS TO GOD
that we lost after having fallen from Divine Grace

through Spiritual Rebellion and Disobedience.
EVERY IMMORTAL SOUL IS BELOVED BY GOD WHO WANTS ONLY THE
BEST OF EVERYTHING FOR US His Great Mercy and Eternal
Life in His Everlasting Kingdom of Love, Joy and
Peace.
GOD NEVER STOPS LOVING US AND HE NEVER ABANDONS US.
Instead, WHENEVER WE WILFULLY SIN, WE DISTANCE
OURSELVES FROM GOD AND ALL HIS GOODNESS.
ONLY WHEN WE ACKNOWLEDGE AND CORRECT OUR ERRORS DO WE
RETURN TO GODS PRESENCE to His Warm and Protective
Embrace.
GOD HAS GRANTED US FREE WILL TO CHOOSE whether we want
to live in His Divine Light and Love - or to surrender to
the enslavement and ultimate devastation of the evil
one who due to his obsessive hatred of all mankind relentlessly tempts or lures us away from God and all
Good Things.
WHILE WE MUST ALWAYS AIM TO DO ALL THINGS OUT OF OUR LOVE
OF GOD, WE ALSO MUST NEVER CEASE FEARING GOD AND
OBEYING HIM i.e. We must always show our deepest
respect and Love of God through an eager and
willing Obedience to all His Teachings and
Commandments, according to which we will all
eventually be judged on the final day.
Above everything else above all the other Divine Gifts
St Paul emphasised THE SUPERIORITY OF DIVINE LOVE -
AGAPE - THAT HAS THE BEST RESULTS OF ALL OTHER DIVINE

GIFTS outshining even Prophecy and Faith, and
which is far greater value than even the Miraculous
ability to remove mountains!
Our Lord Jesus Christ urged us to give to the poor and
even to lay down or offer our own lives for the sake of
others yet even such SELFLESS ACTS, IF DONE WITHOUT
TRUE LOVE AGAPE WOULD BE OF NO BENEFIT WHATSOEVER
ARE EMPTY GESTURES WITH NO SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS AT ALL!
St Paul clearly explains the actual meaning of Divine
Love ending with the fact that the ONE THING THAT
LOVE CANNOT DO, IS TO FAIL!
Otherwise, LOVE MAKES EVERYTHING POSSIBLE FOR GOD IS
INDEED DIVINE LOVE ITSELF!!
THE WONDERFUL GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT ARE ONLY TEMPORARY
AND FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS PREPARATORY PERIOD WITH
THE EXCEPTION OF AGAPE, WHICH WE CARRY THROUGH TO
ETERNITY .
Consequently, AGAPE IS THE MOST ESSENTIAL VIRTUE OF ALL to
possess for it enables us to obtain Eternal Life in Gods
Heavenly Kingdom.
Thus: THOSE WHO HAVE NO LOVE, HAVE NOTHING AT
ALL for they shall not be Blessed with the Bliss and
Peace of Eternal Life but rather be condemned to
exile in Outer Darkness the Deep Abyss total
alienation from God and all His Goodness according
to their very own choices throughout their life!
THE HOLY GOSPEL ACCORDING

C
HRIST
OUR
SA
VIOUR
CH
OSE
TO ST MATTHEW 10 : 1, 5
& INSTRUCTED HIS TWELVE APOSTLES
At that time, when our Lord Jesus had Called His Twelve Disciples to Him, He gave them Power over unclean spirits to
cast them out and to Heal all kinds of disease. These Jesus sent out, having commanded them: Do not go into the
way of the Gentiles, and do not enter a city of the Samaritans. Go to the Lost Sheep of the House of Israel. Go,
preach, saying: The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand! Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out
demons.
Freely you have received freely give.
The terms Disciples and Apostles are often
could not blame any of them for going to
interchangeable concerning the Twelve Holy Apostles
uncircumcised men. (ACTS 11:3)
of Christ:
OUR LORD PREPARED THEM TO BE SINGLE-MINDED IN THEIR SACRED
MISSION of preaching and healing by reminding them
DISCIPLE means ONE WHO LEARNS AND IS DISCIPLINED or
guided by another more experienced person.
that HIS DIVINE POWER WAS FREELY GRANTED TO THEM AS A
APOSTLE means ONE WHO IS SENT OUT TO TEACH DIVINE
GIFT OF GOD and furthermore, they were not to carry
WISDOM AND TRUTH TO OTHERS BY THE GRACE AND
any money with them so that they could not be
INSPIRATION OF GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT thus others have
accused of greed and especially so that they learnt
been entitled Equal to the Apostles.
to DEPEND ON THE DIVINE PROVIDENCE OF ALMIGHTY GOD
OUR LORD JESUS GRANTS HIS FAITHFUL APOSTLES AND DEVOUT
and THEY OFTEN DID MANUAL LABOUR FOR OTHERS TO SUPPORT
DISCIPLES SOME OF HIS DIVINE POWER TO PERFORM
THEMSELVES SO AS NOT TO BE A BURDEN TO ANYONE ELSE.
MIRACLES AND TO FULFIL THEIR HOLY CALLING.
Christ said: Freely you have received freely give!
AS THE ALMIGHTY CREATOR, ALL HIS DIVINE WONDERS ARE BY HIS
Which was the Holy Rule whereby all Holy
Unmercenaries have served God.
OWN DIVINE POWER, ACCORDING TO THE WILL OF HIS
HEAVENLY FATHER, AND THROUGH THE LIFE-GIVING
We, too, should KEEP THIS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT DIVINE
ACTIVATION OF GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT.
INSTRUCTION IN MIND AT ALL TIMES so that we may share
THE APOSTLES HOLY MISSION WAS SIMILAR TO OUR LORD JESUS
everything we have with others especially those who
are far less Blessed than we.
DIVINE MISSION: TO PREACH AND TO HEAL THE HEBREW
NATION, so that after Christs Resurrection, His enemies
UPON THIS IMPORTANT SACRED LESSON WILL WE ALL BE JUDGED!
THE FEAST OF ST KOSMAS & ST DAMIANOS WONDERWORKERS & HOLY UNMERCENARY PHYSICIANS
without compulsion) is just as important as the act of
Every 1 July, our Holy Orthodox Church honours the Holy
giving itself.
Unmercenary Healers, St Kosmas and St Damianos.
So let us ask ourselves:
These Saints were from Rome, and as Physicians, they
Am I a cheerful giver?
freely treated and Healed their patients in the Name or
Have I made a concerted effort to give of my GodChrist, asking for nothing in return.
given talents and treasure in building up the
Thus, the title Unmercenary (Anargyroi) was bestowed on
Body of Christ, the Church?
them.
Have I reached out in Love to my Brethren They obeyed the Divine Commandment of Christ: Freely
especially the ...least of these... knowing that my
you have received freely give.
Salvation is dependent on the Holy Act of giving
St Kosmas and St Damianos ended their earthly Life in
without expecting anything in return?
Martyrdom in the late third century, thus, Glorifying
Let us follow the Holy Path and make the most of the time
God by freely giving of themselves and their God-given
we have to find more opportunities to give.
Gift of Healing.
The world teaches us to expect (and even demand)
Giving of ourselves is a Holy Act. The more we give without
something in return for giving.
expecting anything in return, the more we regain our
The Church, however, teaches us to freely give without
lost Likeness to God.
expectation.
In the Divine Liturgy, we pray to Almighty God - the
St Kosmas and St Damianos were Glorified for freely giving
ultimate Giver ...Thou art Holy and Most Holy, Thou
their healing powers in Christ.
and Thine Only-begotten Son and Thy Holy Spirit.
Consequently, we must seek out those who today need our
Thou art Holy and Most Holy, and Sublime is Thy
time, our support, our financial resources whatever is
Glory. Thou so Loved Thy world that Thou gave Thine
necessary.
Only Begotten Son so that whoever believes in Him
We must freely and cheerfully give whatever is required of
should not perish, but have Eternal Life...
us and we will certainly enjoy the Eternal Blessings of
Freely, God has given and continues to give to us due
Almighty God.
to His infinite Love for us, and we are reminded
by St Paul that ...God Loves a cheerful giver. (2
PRESBYTER ANASTASIOS KOUSOULAS ST. ANNA GREEK ORTHODOX
CORINTHIANS. 9:7).
Thus, how we give, (cheerfully, out of Love and
2.
ST KOSMAS & ST DAMIANOS,
THE
CHURCH
FLEMINGTON,
HTTP://NJ.GOARCH.ORG/CLERGY/SERMONS/2012
HOLY UNMERCENARIES
OF
ROME
1 JULY 2015
NJ

All Glory, Honour and Worship to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and Forever,
and unto the Ages of Ages. Amen
Remembering also our Most Holy, Most Pure, Most Blessed and Glorious Lady, Mary, Theotokos yet Ever
Virgin, together with all the Saints. And let us commit ourselves and one another and our whole Life to
Christ our God. Amen.
St Andrew of Crete
Composer of the Great Canon (of Repentance)
4 July 2015
Also the Feast of St Michael Honiati, Bishop of Athens - St Andrew Rublev the Iconographer
St Martha, Venerable Mother of St Symeon Stylites the Younger of Wonderful Mountain,
of Antioch St Andrew the God-Loving Prince St Euthymios the Wonder-working
Archimandrite of Suzdal St Theodotos & St Theodotia of Caesarea, Cappadocia St
Theodore the Bishop & St Cyprilla, St Lucia and St Aroa, as well as all who had been
Baptised by St Theodore, of Cyrene, Libya St Tikhon, St Basil & St Nikon, Monks of Solovki
St Platon the New Hiero-Martyr of Banjaluka St George the Hieromartyr St Sava,
Bishop of Gornjikarlovci
-
FESTAL APOLYTIKION ST ANDREW
Orthodoxias
Odige, evsevias Didaskale ke semnotitos, tis

ikoumenis
O
Fostir,
Arhiereon
Theopnefston
egkallopisma, Andrea Sofe, tes didahes Sou pantas
efotisas, lira tou Pnevmatos. Presveve Hristo to Theo,
sothine tas psihas imon.
CRETE - TONE (8) PLAGAL 4
OF
model of Faith and the Image of Gentleness, the

Example of Thy Life has shown Thou forth to Thy
Sheepfold to be a Master of Temperance.
Thou
obtained thus through being lowly, Gifts from on High,
and Riches through Poverty. Andrew, our Father and
Priest of Priests: Intercede with Christ our God that He
may Save our soul.
FESTAL KONTAKION ST ANDREW
Salpisas
tranos, ta Thia melodimata, Edihthis Foster, to

kosmo tilavgestatos, to Foti Lampomenos, tis Triados
Andrea Osie.
Othen pantes voomen Si. Mi pafsi
Presvevon tou Sothine imas.
KONTAKION -
THE

OF
ST PAUL
CRETE
TONE 2
While
trumpeting forth the Songs of God with clarity,

Thou also proved to be a Blazing Light for the all the
world, O Most Righteous Andrew, who shone with the
Light of the Trinity. Wherefore we all cry to Thee:
Cease not Interceding for our Salvation.
Prostasia
THE EPISTLE
OF

Thee!
TO THE
ROMANS 8 : 14 21
THE ADOPTED CHILDREN
OF
GOD
Brethren: as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For you have not received the spirit of
bondage again to fear; but you have received the Spirit of Adoption, whereby we cry: Abba, Father!
The Spirit Himself bears Witness with our spirit, that we are the Children of God. If the Children, then Heirs Heirs of God
- Joint-Heirs with Christ, if we suffer with Him, so that we may also be Glorified together.
It is logical that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the Glory that shall be revealed in
us. The Earnest Expectation of the creature waits for the Manifestation of the sons of God. For the creature was
created subject to vanity - not willingly, but by reason of Him Who has subjected the same in Hope, because the
creature itself also shall be Delivered from the bondage of corruption into the Glorious Liberty of the Children of God.

THE CALLING
OF
TO
ST MATTHEW 9 : 9 13
ST MATTHEW LEVI, TAX COLLECTOR
At that time, as Jesus passed by, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the customs house, and he sait to him: Follow
me. And he arose, and followed Him.
And it came to pass, Jesus sat eating in the house, and behold: many Publicans and sinners went and sat down with Him
and His Disciples. And when the Pharisees beheld them, they said to His Disciples: Why does your Master eat with
Publicans and sinners?
When Jesus heard, He said to them: Those who are whole do not need a Physician, but those who are sick do. Go, learn
what it means: ...I desire Mercy, and not Sacrifice... I have not come to Call the Righteous, but sinners to
Repentance!
ST ANDREW
OF
CRETE METROPOLITAN PHILARET (VOZNESENSKHY)
My soul, O my soul, rise up! Why art thou sleeping? The

End draws near, and soon thou shalt be troubled...
In a sense, these words are at the core of the Great
Penitential Canon, which was composed by St Andrew
of Crete one of the Great Saints of God.
In his Great Canon, St Andrew addresses his own soul: My
soul, O my soul...
If that Great Righteous Hymnographer could criticise his
own soul for having Spiritually Fallen Asleep, what can
we say about ourselves?
ST ANDREW
OF
Our Holy Church Fathers often stated that in Spiritual Life,

there is a certain paradox an assertion that, at first
glance, seems self-contradictory, but which, in fact,
contains a profound philosophical meaning.
According to our Holy Fathers, the Spiritual Paradox rests
in the fact the Truth that we sinners regard
ourselves as being Righteous, while those who are truly
Righteous acknowledge themselves as being sinful.
We sinners see ourselves as being Righteous because we
do not know ourselves we do not know ourselves as
we truly are!!
CRETE COMPOSER & AUTHOR
OF THE
GREAT CANON
4 JULY 2015
The Righteous do really know themselves because they

focus their attention on their Spiritual Condition and
Welfare by constantly watching and deeply examining
themselves seeking and rooting out sins as they
appear within their heart, mind or soul.
Even the best of pagans recognise that we have to somehow
know how to look within ourselves in order to repair
and heal.
The ancient Greek Philosopher, Socrates or perhaps
another wise man spoke about ... know thyself!
With regard to our Christian understanding of that Truth,
there is, after all, a very good reason for us to
constantly pray throughout Great Lent: ... O Lord and
King, grant me to see my own faults...
If we see all our own faults clearly as we should there
would be no need for such Prayers.
A certain Righteous Man implored God to show him to what
depths sin had penetrated mankinds being to what
extent it had maimed humanity by filling and defeating
us.
When our Lord granted the Holy Ascetics humble Prayers
and showed him the extent to which our human nature
has been poisoned and maimed by sin, the terrified
Holy Elder felt that he was about to go completely
insane with grief and horror!
He pleaded with our Lord to remove that most frightening
Vision from his sight as soon as possible, for the Truth
was more than any human could bear!!
The deeper we delve into ourselves honestly, willingly and
sincerely the more accustomed we will become to
comprehending our internal state of being - and the
more clearly and painfully we realise the depth and
extent of the harm caused by our own sins, the more we
will be compelled to Truly Repent and radically change
our entire being!
It was for this Purpose and Reason that in their Prayers
Before Communion, St Basil the Great, St John
Chrysostom, St Andrew of Crete and other Great Saints
referred to themselves as being ...the worst of sinners,
unworthy to look upon the Heights of Heaven!
This was no rhetorical phrase-mongering no hyperbole!
They really did see themselves clearly as the worst of
sinners.
St Seraphim of Sarov, whom others saw as Spiritually
Radiant as the sun, and whom they had seen levitating
while in deep Prayer, likewise regarded himself as the
poor, wretched Seraphim.
Those who are truly Righteous genuinely acknowledge
themselves as being shameful sinners.
When a dirty rag is in a dark place, the dirt cannot be seen
but when light enters that place, the filth is immediately
perceptible.
The more Divine Light there is within us, the more clearly
visible our sins will be.
Therefore, the closer we draw to God and His Divine Light
of Truth, the more clearly can we see our sinfulness,
pluck it out and begin to Heal being restored to our

original created state of Goodness.
When we grow close to the Lord our God, our conscience is
Illumined and its Voice becomes clearer, like a bell
sounding reproach whenever we are in danger of
drifting away from God or doing anything that is
unfaithful or unworthy.
Unrepentant, stubborn and wilful sinners know neither
themselves nor their soul, and even when they partake
of the Holy Mystery of Repentance-Confession, they will
remain in ignorance of their True Spiritual Condition.
Such Spiritually Blind and Ignorant sinners are quick to
judge others and are exactly like the self-righteous
Pharisees, thinking to themselves: Well, at least I am
not like that!!
And they like to tell everyone else: I am not religious, but
I am spiritual! Or they declare: I dont consider myself
to be Righteous, and I am definitely not a Saint, but still I
am not as bad as others...!!
Truly Righteous Disciples of Christ regard themselves as
being Meek and Humble before the Lord our God, and
would never allow even the slightest hint of selfjustification to enter their soul.
For those who are Righteous in the Sight of God always are
Spiritually Alert and Watchful.
They perpetually seek out and destroy their own sins and
never judge nor even notice the faults or falls of others
whom they regard as being more worthy than
themselves.
St Andrew of Crete fully understood the extent and depth
of the human condition, but rather than judge others or
regard himself as being better that the rest of humanity,
he profoundly expressed his inner Spiritual Warfare,
which assists us all to follow his good example of selfexamination and Repentance-Confession, so that we
may all lance our Spiritual Wounds and be Restored to
our full potential, as God intends us to be.
Let us pray that our Lord Jesus Christ grants us the ability
to honestly and truthfully see our own transgressions
and let us Struggle ceaselessly against all temptation,
being far too occupied with our own Spiritual Battle to
concern ourselves with the errors of our neighbours.
Instead let us pray for each other, that God may Strengthen
us all so that we are able to resist the machinations of
the evil one.
And let us encourage, guide and assist our fellow sinners as
we all slowly strive to make progress worthily towards
Eternity.
Let us all learn how to properly examine ourselves from
within - every day - so that we might develop a good
Spiritual Insight to our sins and achieve True
Repentance,
thereby
restoring
our
wonderful
Relationship with our Loving and Benevolent God.
HTTPS://ORTHODOXWORD.WORDPRESS.COM/2011/03/06/ST-ANDREW-OFCRETE-GREAT-CANON-OF-REPENTANCE
ABBOT TRYPHON ON SELF-ESTEEM
A healthy self-esteem is centred in our Relationship with

God
In the first chapter of Genesis we read that man is made in
God's Image, and that we are Called to be like Him.
The Church Fathers say that this Image is mainly reflected
in our free will, and in our intelligence.
Our self worth is based on this Relationship with God Who
Loves us, and as long as we do not give ourselves over
to pride, a healthy self-esteem is simply an
acknowledgement that our worth is centred in our
Relationship with God.
To base our self-esteem in anything other than this
Relationship with Christ, would lead to narcissism, and
would be a clear sign that we are out of Spiritual
Balance.
Therefore, a healthy self-esteem must be based on the
acknowledgement that our strengths and weaknesses as
God's creatures, is being Redeemed by a loving Saviour
with Whom we receive Grace sufficient to live a Life that
is being Transformed into His Likeness.
As Orthodox Christians, our self-esteem must be
experienced in light of a Divine Perspective.
St John Cassian in the Philokalia tells us: "The angel
who fell from Heaven because of his pride bears
witness to this. He had been created by God and
4.
ST ANDREW
OF
adorned with every Virtue and all Wisdom, but he did

not want to ascribe this to the Grace of the Lord. He
ascribed it his own nature and as a result regarded
himself equal to God."
As Christians living in Repentance, we know that our worth
and self-esteem is solely based on our Relationship with
God. "Yet not I, but the Grace of God which was in
me." (1 CORINTHIANS 15:10).
When we put on Christ at Baptism and continue to live our
Life in Repentance, we become a Reflection of the Light
of Christ, and we are His creatures.
In our Relationship with Christ, we have no independent
existence, for we depend on God for all, and by His
Mercy we can have the Light of Christ indwell in us.
This is a Spiritual Reality revealed by Our Lord Jesus Christ
Himself, and the value of this is unfathomable.
Our personal self-worth is therefore directly related to this
Redeeming and Life Transforming Relationship.
THE MORNING OFFERING BY ABBOT TRYPHON (A HIGHLY RECOMMENDED DAILY BLOG!!)
CRETE COMPOSER & AUTHOR
OF THE
GREAT CANON
4 JULY 2015

All Glory, Honour and Worship to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy
Spirit, now and Forever, and unto the Ages of Ages. Amen
Remembering also our Most Holy, Most Pure, Most Blessed and Glorious Lady,
Mary, Theotokos yet Ever Virgin, together with all the Saints. And let us
commit ourselves and one another and our whole Life to Christ our God.
Amen.
5 July 2015
Tone 4
5th Sunday After Pentecost
5th Sunday of St Matthew
The Two Gergesene Demoniacs
Also the Feast of ST ATHANASIOS, FOUNDER OF THE GREAT LAVRA &
COENOBITIC MONASTICISM, & 6 VENERABLE DISCIPLES OF MOUNT ATHOS St
Sergios of Radonezh, Uncovering the Holy Relics St Anna of Rome
St Cyrilla of Cyrene, Libya St Lampados of Irenopolis St
Cyprianos of Mount Athos
RESURRECTION APOLYTIKION TONE 4
To
fedron tis Anastaseos Kirigma ek tou Angelou

Mathouse e tou Kyriou Mathitrie ke tin Progonikin
apofasin aporipsase, tis Apostolis kafhomene elegon.
Eskilefte O Thanatos, igerthi Hristos O Theos,
doroumenos to kosmo to Mega Eleos.
When
the Women Disciples of the Lord had learnt from

the Angels the Glad Tidings of the Resurrection that
had cast away the Condemnation of their Forefather,
they spoke exultingly to the Apostles: Death is no
more! Christ-God is Risen, granting to the world Great
Mercy.
FESTAL KONTAKION ST ATHANASIOS
Tin
en sarki Zoin sou kateplagisan, Angelon tagmata, pos

meta somatos, pros aoratou simplokas, ehorisas aidime,
ke katetravmatisas, ton demonon tas falangas. Othen
Ahtanasie, O Hristos Se imipsato dorees plousies. Dio
Pater Presveve, sothine tas psihas imon.
RESURRECTION
THE
ATHONITE -
TONE 3
The Order of Angels were astounded at Thy life in the

flesh, and how bodily, into Unseen Warfare Thou
ventured, O Ever Blessed, and wounded most
severely the hordes of demons.
Whence, O
Athanasios, Christ rewarded Thee with Abundant
Blessings. Therefore, O Father, Intercede so that our
souls may be Saved!
KONTAKION TONE 4
Sotir ke Ristis mou, apo tou Tafou, os Theos Anestisen,

ek ton desmon tous gigenis, ke pilas Adou sinetripse, ke
os Despotis, anesti trimeros.
KONTAKION -
THE
My
Saviour and Deliverer, from the Tomb as God raised

from their bonds those born of earth and smashed the
Gates of Hades and, as Master, Arose on the third day.
Prostasia


Thee!
RESURRECTION GOSPEL 5 LUKE 24 : 12 35

OUR RESURRECTED LORD JESUS CHRIST APPEARS ALONG THE ROAD
TO
EMMAUS
PROKEIMENON
O Lord, how manifold art Thy Works! Thou hast created them all in Wisdom!
Bless the Lord, O my soul!
ST PAULS EPISTLE
TO
GALATIANS 5 : 22 6 : 2
THE HOLY SPIRIT & HIS DIVINE FRUITS
Brethren: the Fruit of the Holy Spirit is Love, Joy, Peace, Longsuffering, Gentleness, Goodness, Faith, Meekness, Temperance.
Against these there is no Law. And they who are Christs have crucified the flesh with its affections and lusts. If we
live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one
another.
Brethren: if a man be overtaken by error, you who are Spiritual, must restore him in the Spirit of Meekness, considering
yourselves, lest you also be tempted.
Bear one anothers burdens, and so fulfil the Law of Christ.
THE HOLY SPIRIT GRANTS US THESE VIRTUES FOR OUR LIFE OF
St Paul listed THE SPIRITUAL FRUITS (SPIRITUAL CONSEQUENCES, RESULTS,
SPIRITUAL STRUGGLE while we endure this difficult
REWARDS OR VIRTUES) THAT ARE GRANTED TO US BY THE HOLY
SPIRIT WHO BY THE WILL OF GOD THE FATHER AND THROUGH
preparatory period before Eternity .
OUR SAVIOUR, JESUS CHRIST, ENABLES US TO ATTAIN GREAT
THINGS THAT ARE BEYOND OUR OWN PUNY HUMAN POWER
OR ABILITIES.
The wonderful FRUITS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT ARE VIRTUES OR

THE INDISPENSABLE QUALITIES ESSENTIAL TO OUR
SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT AND WELFARE - FOR THE
CONTINUATION OF GOOD, HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS
WITH GOD AND OUR FELLOW HUMAN BEINGS.
5TH AP 5TH
OF
THE ONLY VIRTUE WE NEED DURING AND AFTER THIS LIFE IS

THAT OF DIVINE LOVE AGAPE WITHOUT WHICH WE
CANNOT EXPECT TO PARTICIPATE IN THE ETERNAL LIFE
OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD A PERPETUAL SPIRITUAL
STATE OF PERFECT, DIVINE LOVE/AGAPE.
As Baptised Christians we are the adopted Children of

God and rightful Heirs to His Eternal Kingdom.
ST MATTHEW THE TWO GERGESENE DEMONIACS ST ATHANASIOS
OF
MOUNT ATHOS
5 JULY 2015
5.
Therefore, we are Christs HIS FAITHFUL DISCIPLES WHO

CONSTANTLY LEARN FROM HIM AND FOLLOW HIS PERFECT
EXAMPLE, having ...crucified (our) flesh with its
passions and desires... at our Baptism when we

were Renewed and Regenerated, having committed
ourselves to the New Covenant with God.
THE NEW COVENANT IS:
A N E T E R N A L H O L Y C O V E N A N T it is infinite. The
New Covenant with God is absolutely Perfect and
It takes us into Eternity.
A B L O O D L E S S C O V E N A N T Christ offered Himself as
the final, ultimate Blood Sacrifice that fulfilled all
requirements and is everlasting. There is no need
to make any further Blood Sacrifices (which were
only temporary anyway!) for the forgiveness of our
sins because now we have been granted THE HOLY
MYSTERY OF EUCHARIST THE MYSTICAL SUPPER OF
CHRIST WHICH GRANTS US FORGIVENESS OF SINS A N D
ETERNAL LIFE!
A S P I R I T U A L C O V E N A N T God Incarnate God
Himself has revealed and taught us THE TRUE
PURPOSE OF THIS LIFE.
This earthly existence is A SHORT PREPARATORY PERIOD
DURING WHICH WE HAVE TO DEVELOP OUR SPIRITUAL
STRENGTHS AND QUALITIES SO THAT WE MAY RETURN TO
GOD FROM WHOM WE ORIGINATED.
OUR PHYSICAL AND MENTAL STRUGGLES strengthen our souls,
which ARE ENABLED, ASSISTED, GUIDED AND INSPIRED BY
THE HOLY SPIRIT and this is how we ...walk in the
Spirit...
We must STRENGTHEN AND TRAIN OUR SOUL TO CONTROL THE
DESIRES OF OUR FLESH that is how we must ... live in
the (Holy) Spirit...

In other words, we must DEVELOP AND MAINTAIN OUR
SPIRITUAL PROFICIENCY THROUGH CONSTANT SPIRITUAL
STRUGGLE, WHICH IS GUIDED AND ASSISTED BY GOD, IN
ORDER TO CONTROL OUR PERSONAL PHYSICAL WEAKNESSES
THE DEMANDS OF THE FLESH THAT THREATEN TO
DOMINATE AND RULE US.
THIS IS THE ESSENTIAL PROCESS WHEREBY WE STRIVE TO

REGAIN OUR LOST LIKENESS TO GOD so that we may
return to His Eternal Kingdom of Love from

whence our first ancestors, Adam and Eve, were
banished due to their Disobedience to God.
Furthermore, AS WE GAIN SPIRITUAL MATURITY, WE MUST
WITH DEEP HUMILITY AND LOVE FOR OUR FELLOW SINNERS BESEECH GOD FOR HIS DIVINE GRACE AND WISDOM so that
we can properly and successfully advise, encourage,

support and assist those who are Spiritually Weak and
Lost,
as well as those who have fallen into a
dangerous state of Spiritual Death.
THE CRUCIAL VIRTUES BY DIVINE GRACE OF HUMILITY AND

LOVE, PREVENT US FROM BEING JUDGEMENTAL,
ARROGANT, DISPARAGING OR INSENSITIVE towards our
suffering and ailing Brethren.

Consequently, SUCH TACTLESS AND CONCEITED ATTITUDES
ARE SPIRITUAL PRIDE RESULTING IN THE LOSS OF DIVINE
GRACE AND CAUSING OUR OWN SPIRITUAL DEATH.
WE ARE ALL JOURNEYING THROUGH THIS TEMPORARY,
PREPARATORY LIFE TOGETHER AND WE ARE ALL SINNERS
WHO ARE STRUGGLING TOWARDS THE SAME ULTIMATE
DESTINATION ETERNITY WHETHER WE ARE BELIEVERS OR
NOT!
Every human being has the same Sacred Task of helping,

encouraging and supporting our fellow travellers.
AS BRETHREN IN CHRIST AND DISCIPLES OF CHRIST WE MUST

...bear each others burdens... BECAUSE, SOONER
OR LATER, WE ALL BECOME A LITTLE FATIGUED OR WEAK
OR DISCOURAGED BY THE OBSTACLES AND PROBLEMS
THAT WE MUST ENDURE.
SO THOSE WHO ARE STRONGER MUST NOT HESITATE TO HELP THE
WEAK AND AILING FOR THIS IS ... fulfilling the Law of
Christ ... WHICH IS THE ONLY SACRED PATH WHEREBY WE
CAN BENEFICIALLY ACCOMPLISH OUR LIFES JOURNEY AND
WHEREBY WE WILL BE JUDGED!
TO
ST MATTHEW
THE TWO GERGESENE DEMONIACS
8 : 28 9 : 1
At that time, when Jesus went into the country of the Gergesenes, two demoniacs met Him, coming out of the tombs,
exceedingly fierce, so that no one could pass that way. And suddenly they cried out, saying: What have we to do with
Thee, Jesus, Son of God? Hast Thou come there to torment us before the Time?
A good way off from them there was a herd of many swine grazing. The demons begged Him, saying: If Thou cast us out,
permit us to go away in the herd of swine. And He said to them: Go!
When they had come out, they went into the herd of swine. And suddenly the whole herd ran frantically down the steep
place into the sea, and perished in the water.
Those who kept them fled. And they went away into the city and told everything - including what had happened to the the
demoniacs. And behold: the whole city went out to meet Jesus. And when they saw Him, they begged Him to depart
from their region.
And He got into a boat, crossed over, and went to His own city.
OUR LORD JESUS CHRISTS CONTROL OVER ALL HIS CREATION IS
ANOTHER SIGN OF HIS DIVINITY AND PROOF THAT HE IS THE
TRUE MESSIAH.
THE DEMONS who had taken possession of the two
wretched men of Gergesene (or Gadarene)
IMMEDIATELY RECOGNISED OUR LORD JESUS AS THE WORD AND
SON OF GOD.
THEY KNEW GOD from the time when they were still His
Faithful Angels in Heaven before the terrible
rebellion of Satan due to his devastating, arrogant
sense of pride and disobedience to God and his
subsequent expulsion from Heaven together with all
those who had dared to rebel with him.
THEY ARE EXCRUCIATINGLY AWARE OF THE FACT THAT WHEN THE
FINAL DAY OF JUDGEMENT COMES, THEY WILL BE SENT TO THE
TERRIBLE ABYSS, THE OUTER DARKNESS, THE ETERNAL
CONDEMNATION OF ALIENATION FROM GOD AND EVERYTHING
GOOD, WHERE THEY BELONG.
ETERNAL HELL WILL BE SO HORRENDOUS THAT EVEN THE WICKED
DEMONS FEAR IT.
They also know that they may be able to tempt us and to
interfere with us in their constant obsessive hatred of
mankind, but they have no real power over anything
unless it is permitted by god according to his own
divine plans for us.
Although we may be subjected to their temptations,
WE COMMIT SIN ONLY ACCORDING TO OUR FREE WILL OUR
OWN CHOICE.
Therefore, God allows us to be tempted SO THAT WE MAY
GROW SPIRITUALLY STRONGER through our constant
resistance to the wicked temptations and draw
ever closer to God Who watches over us and
Whose Love protects us from harm.
6. 5 T H A P 5 T H
OF
SPIRITUAL WARFARE
LASTS THROUGHOUT OUR LIFE AND WE

DEPEND ON DIVINE GRACE FOR OUR SURVIVAL AND
SPIRITUAL PROGRESS.
Everything is according to Divine Grace and Providence

yet the demons were shocked when, seeing Christ
approaching, they thought their cruel torment of
people was being terminated even before the Last
Judgement.
Although the malice of the demons causes such fear and
suffering THEY CAN DO NOTHING AGAINST THE WILL OF GOD
so they had to beg our Lord Jesus to allow them to
enter the herds of swine.
KNOWING WHAT WOULD HAPPEN NEXT, WHICH WOULD BE A GREAT
LESSON TO THOSE WHO WITNESSED IT, CHRIST PERMITTED THEM
to do so and the instant the destructive demons
entered the swine, the poor animals went berserk,
stampeded right over the high cliffs and drowned in
the sea below.
Christ revealed His Incomparable Value of all human
beings whose ETERNAL SALVATION IS WORTH EVERY
SACRIFICE!
The immediate eradication of the wretched, forbidden
herds clearly showed how God had protected His
Beloved human beings who would otherwise have
perished under such lethal demonic influence.
Furthermore, it emphasised the illegality of the
swineherds, which the Judeans were forbidden to
keep or to eat.
Another conspicuous but very sad aspect of this
Miraculous Incident, was the fact that THE GERGESENES
WERE MORE CONCERNED WITH THE MATERIAL LOSS OF THEIR
FORBIDDEN SWINEHERDS THAN OVERJOYED AT THE RESTORATION
OF THE TWO MEN TO FULL SPIRITUAL HEALTH and the fact
OF
MOUNT ATHOS
5 JULY 2015
that THE REGION HAD BEEN FREED FROM THE INTIMIDATION

SUCH FIERCE DEMONS.
EVEN WHEN THEY CAME INTO THE VERY PRESENCE OF GOD, THEY
REJECTED
HIM in preference to their worldly
possessions, which they deeply resented having lost
so they begged Him to leave their region.
MANY OF US ARE THE SAME AS THE GERGESENES: we are
MORE CONCERNED WITH OUR OWN TEMPORARY, WORTHLESS
PLEASURES AND PERSONAL PROPERTY THAN developing a
closer, stronger and more intimate Relationship
5TH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST 5TH
OF
ST MATTHEW THE TWO GERGESENE DEMONIACS
In the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy
Spirit, Amen.
Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory Forever!
Brethren: Todays Sacred Lesson reminds me of a Priest
who told me a little story connected to this particular
Reading.
Every year, about this time of year, their Parish Priest would
take a vacation; and every year the same retired Priest
from Russia would cover for him.
The Retired Priest was well liked even though he could be
something of a curmudgeon (spoilsport).perhaps
thats why they liked him.
By some coincidence (or maybe not) every year when the
old Priest came to visit, it happened to be the 5th Sunday
After Pentecost the 5th Sunday of St Matthew the
account of the Gergesene Demoniacs and the forbidden
swineherds.
One year as he was about to begin his Homily on the Gospel
Reading, he signed deeply and was heard to mutter:
Again, with the pigs already! Always its the
pigs!.and that was the extent of his Homily that
year.
He had run out of significant material to preach after going
to that same church year after year.
He had given as many different spins on that particular
Sacred Lesson as there are ways to cook pork and as
we know only too well in the Souththats a lot of
Sermons!
Todays Gospel is, however, very important for us.
These particular events are recounted in three of the Holy
Gospels by St Matthew, St Mark and St Luke.
It is not by chance that this Encounter is one of the
prescribed Readings of our Orthodox Lectionary, for it
has significant Truths to which we need to pay careful
attention!
The first Truth that we hear concerns THE TRUE IDENTITY
OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST.
Without any kind of ambiguity, the demons instantly
identified and acknowledged the Eternal Word and Son
of God: What have we to do with Thee, Jesus, Son of
God?
Shortly before this Encounter, our Lord Jesus had calmed
the storm-tossed waters of the sea and those with Him
had asked the vital question: Who can this be, that
even the winds and the sea obey Him?
Even His Disciples some of whom had grown up with Him
were at times a bit confused as His True Identity.
St Peters Confession of our Lord Jesus being the Christ the Son of the Living God would occur later.
Now they were simply wondering in utter awe as to what
manner of Man this was Who could calm the stormy
seas with a mere word of command.
The demons immediately recognise and know exactly Who
Christ is and, due to their deep-seated wickedness, they
fear Him and the terrible consequences of their evil
existence. Hast Thou come there to torment us before
the Time?
It is important to note that demons always show their
great Fear of Christ, so that those who were against our
Lord could never say that the words the demons spoke
to Him was some sort of flattery.
Their fear of God reveals the depth of their enmity, for they
are neither His friends nor His Disciples or
followers.
The next Truth is the demons total lack of power over
Gods Creation or His beloved creatures, mankind.
Many may wonder what the herds of swine have to do with
anything or why they were involved at all - and why
were they destroyedpoor creatures.
The fact that the demons begged Christ to allow them to
enter the herds of swine is clear evidence that they are
5TH AP 5TH
OF
with God PREPARING OURSELVES FOR ETERNAL LIFE IN

GODS HEAVENLY KINGDOM.
Our Lord Jesus Christ had established Capernaum as His
own city, from whence He and His Apostles would set
out to spread His Divine Gospel of Love/Agape.
powerless, for they could not do so without Gods

permission.
However, the instant the demons enter those poor herds of
swine, the animals went berserk and stampeded right
over the high cliffs, and perished in the sea.
Those forbidden herds of swine were destroyed by the
infestation of the demons, yet the men were not.
Our Holy Church Fathers point out that the destruction of
the herds of swine shows how destructive demons are
for evil cannot create or build or preserve anything that
is good or worthwhile they can only deceive and
destroy or cause others to destroy themselves.
When the demons were confronted with Christ, they had
ask to be allowed to enter those poor animals, rather
than being sent to the hideous Eternal Abyss, where
they are destined to spend Eternity.
Then with one word, Go our Lord permits them, knowing
full well what was about to happen.
This confirms the Truth that everything is according to
Divine Providence.
St John Chrysostom commented: His Providence is not
only over all in common, but also over each in
particular
By this St John meant that GOD PAYS ATTENTION TO THE
MINUTEST DETAILS.
As Christ told His Disciples.even the hairs of their head
are numbered.
EVEN THOUGH HE PERMITS THE DEMONS TO ACT, (IN ORDER TO
TEST AND TO STRENGTHEN OUR FAITH) GOD LIMITS THE
EXTENT OF THEIR ABILITY TO HARM US AND THEY CAN
NEVER KILL US! (DEMONS DO TRY TO MAKE US DESTROY OR EVEN
KILL OURSELVES TO DO ANYTHING THAT WILL ALIENATE US FROM
GOD, HIS DIVINE LOVE AND ALL HIS GOODNESS.)
Even for the unbeliever and the sinner, our Lord restrains
the abilities of the devil, (for He Loves all mankind and His
Love and Benevolence is extended to all his creatures, great and
small.)
Although this Legion of demons could not destroy the
Gergesene men, the herds of swine did not have the
same degree of Divine Protection as we human beings,
for animals are not created in the Likeness and Image of
Almighty God as we are and being so, we are more
precious to God than his other earthly creatures.
We must understand that ALTHOUGH GOD ALLOWS CERTAIN
WICKED THINGS TO HAPPEN HE IS NEITHER THE INVENTOR NOR
THE CAUSE OF DESTRUCTION AND EVIL.
God permits certain negative things to happen because He
Loves us and has granted us free will to make choices
for ourselves.
We are permitted to choose good as well as evil, thereby
gaining experience and learning to make more
intelligent choices throughout this preparatory period.
Only when we have experienced the good and bad of life,
do we realise the difference between being close to God
and being alienated from His Divine Love and Grace.
The Divine Authority and Power of Almighty God is clearly
evident from the fact that the demons had to get
permission from Christ to enter into the unsuspecting
herds of swine.
Our free will to choose good or evil is also demonstrated by
the reaction of the Gergesenes (or Gadarenes) to the
Divine Presence of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Although they were intensely shocked and angry at the
destruction of their illegal herds of swine, they did not
rejoice at the full recovery of the two Demoniacs two
of their own citizens!
Neither did they welcome our Saviour into their midst, nor
did they seek forgiveness for for their sinful lifestyles.
Instead they asked our Lord Jesus Christ to immediately
leave their region - perhaps fearing His discovery of the
depth of their wickedness and depravity.
OF
MOUNT ATHOS
5 JULY 2015
7.
And because God never forces Himself on anyone, our Lord

left that place and returned to Capernaum.
The Gergesenes greed and obsession with earthly wealth
and possessions had hardened their heart and blinded
them to the Great Eternal Treasure Who stood before
them!
Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, is the Priceless, Perfect
Pearl, which they rejected, for they desired only
temporary wealth and self-indulgent, destructive
lifestyles instead.
When Christ sent His Disciples out into the countryside to
preach to the people, He instructed them to bestow His
Divine Peace upon those who were worthy those who
accepted His Divine Truth - but if the people were
unworthy
and
rejected
His
Teachings
and
Commandments, they were to ...shake the dust from
their sandals... signifying their denunciation of that
place.
Truly, I say to you: it will be more tolerable for the land
of Sodom and Gomorrah in the Day of Judgement
than for that city.
Pig farming in Palestine doesnt seem to have been such a
good idea back thenespecially if it meant losing
Eternal Salvation.
Nevertheless, the Gergesenes made their free choice, just
as we all do - every moment of the day and night.
Those who make temporary, self-indulgent and greedy
worldly choices rather than embracing the True
Teachings and Commandments of our Saviour, are like
the Gergesene demoniacs.
They may be fully clothed, and they may be active, mentally
healthy members of society, but in actuality they are
stripped naked of the True Glory of our Lord, and they
mutilate themselves - not with sharp stones as
mentioned by St Mark and St Luke - but with grievous
sins that are far worse and which have Eternal
Consequences!
Finally, we learn perhaps the most important Sacred
Lesson of all: our Lord Jesus Christ does not stay where
He is not wanted!
This is clearly evident from the fact that when the
Gergesenes wanted Him to leave their region
immediately, He did what they wanted.
God left the wilful, disobedient Gergesenes to their own
wicked devices.
However, He did not leave them without Hope.
In the Gospels according to St Mark and St Luke, only one
demoniac is mentioned.
Our Holy Church Fathers believe that this does not
contradict the same account of St Matthew, but that the
one demoniac who was mentioned in the other versions,

was the fiercer, more terrifying of the two Gergesene
demoniacs - being the one who made more of an
impression on the eyewitnesses.
According to St Mark and St Luke, the former demoniac
wanted to stay with Christ and to accompany them, for
he did not want to be separated from the Source and
Joy of his Salvation.
Nevertheless, our Lord Jesus did not allow him to follow
Him and His Disciples.
Instead our Saviour placed the man in the midst of those
who had rejected Him - instructing him: Go home to
your friends, and tell them what Great Things the
Lord has done for you, and how He has had
Compassion on you. (MARK 5:19).
According to St Luke, the restored Gadarene ...went his
way and proclaimed throughout the whole city what
Great Things Jesus had done for him.
Our infinitely Wise and Compassionate Lord God had made
the healed Gadarene, a Missionary of His Divine Truth!
Each of us, too, has similar stories to relate concerning the
wonderful Things that our Lord and Saviour, Jesus
Christ, has done for us.
We are always surrounded by many unbelievers and
sceptics.
This Gospel account of Gods Divine Love and Providence
for all mankind should encourage and inspire us.
We should not resist confessing the infinite Goodness of
God to all our neighbours to all with whom we come
into contact.
As Faithful Disciples of Christ, we should joyously proclaim
all His Goodness and Blessings all the great things and
even the small things that our Loving and Benevolent
Lord has granted us, as unworthy as we are!
We live in a Spiritually Starved and Thirsty world, so we
should inform others that there is far more than mere
pork to eat.
Indeed there is a Great Banquet, which not only satisfies
our Spiritual Hunger and Thirst, but which also grants
us Eternal Life!
Spirit, Amen.
Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory Forever!
Amen
ST PETER
MINDFULNESS MEDITATION
Feeling stressed and burdened with hectic schedules, many
people are flocking to meditation training centres.
A recent newspaper article reported: Meditation
primarily a 2,500 year old form called mindfulness
meditation that emphasises paying attention to the
present moment, has gone viral. The unrelenting siege
on our attention can take a good share of the credit.
Stress has bombarded people from executives on 24/7
schedules, to kids who feel the pressure to succeed even
before puberty. Meditation has been lauded as a way to
reduce stress, ease physical ailments like headaches, and
increase compassion and productivity.
Orthodox Christianity has a more definite, surer way of
finding a Joyful Lifestyle.
Instead of mindfulness meditation the Holy Church of
Christ teaches us the Way of Prayer especially the
Jesus Prayer - the Prayer of the Heart.
When this Prayer is based on our Faith in Jesus Christ, and
our full participation in the Mystical (Sacramental) Life
of the Holy Church, we find an even greater Peace than
can ever be found with mindfulness meditation.
Being mindful or Watchful as Orthodoxy teaches us is
extremely important to our Spiritual Well Being.
In order to be Watchful, we must have a mind that is
controlled and not easily swayed from East to West,
from heights to depths, based on the surrounding
stimulus we receive from our senses.
The form of Prayer that has been taught since the time
of Christ, is to repeat over and over with heartfelt
sincerity: O Lord, Jesus Christ, have Mercy on me,
a sinner!
OR
FATHER PHILIP KONTOS

APOSTLE ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN MISSION
ORTHODOX CHURCH IN AMERICA
JUPITER, FL
THE
PRAYER?
This is not a mantra. This is a short, powerful Prayer that

affirms and Confesses our Faith in Christ, and
acknowledges how far we are from the Way of Life in
Christ that our Saviour taught us, beseeching His Help,
Mercy and Forgiveness.
By repeating it over and over each morning, noon and night
for at least 15 minutes every day, then expanding it to
30 minutes, etc, the Prayer becomes programmed into
our physical and Spiritual Being through the
interconnection of the neurons in our brain.
Eventually the Prayer of the Heart becomes a Prayer that is
ceaselessly with us and part of us, linking all our words,
thoughts and deeds with the Divine Will of God.
We begin by praying this Prayer verbally, until when God
allows, we find we can say it in our mind with very few
distractions.
The Discipline of Sincere Prayer is to develop the ability to
reject the distractions the thoughts that try to distract
us from Prayer which takes much time and effort to
achieve.
Instead of spending time on mindfulness meditation, we
must use every precious moment for Prayer, and we will
soon realise the great benefits on all levels.
Many reject such Prayer, thinking that Spiritual Disciplines
are only for Monastics, but truly, if we are able to follow
the Teachings of Christ, we certainly need Divine Help,
plus making every effort to control our bodily passions,
which is why the Jesus Prayer and Fasting are
emphasised.
If we can control our mind with Divine Help, we will
receive more Divine Grace to do all He Commands!
http://orthodoxwayoflife.blogspot.com/2015/04
8.
TH
AP 5
TH
OF
OF
MOUNT ATHOS -
5 JULY 2015

All Glory, Honour and Worship to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and Forever, and
unto the Ages of Ages. Amen
7 July 2015
St Kyriake (Domnica) the Great Martyr of Nicomedia
Also the Feast of St Thomas of Mount Maleon St Akakios of Mount Sinai St
Evdokia/Euphrosyne, Grand Duchess of Moscow St Peregrinos, St Lucianos, St Pompeios, St
Hesychios, St Papios, St Saturninos & St Germanos of Dyrrachium, Macedonia St
Evangelikos, Bishop of Tomis, Constanta, Romania - St
FESTAL APOLYTIKION ST KYRIAKE TONE 4
Kyrion
ton Kyrion, ke Vasilea Hriston, ex olis igapisas,

Kyriaki tis psihis, ke herousa ithlisas.
Othen
Parthenomartis, par aftou doxasthisa, vriis tis se
timosin, iamaton tin Harin, tis pasin etoumeni,
ptesmaton sighorisin.
FESTAL APOLYTIKION
OF A
amnas Sou Iisou, krazi megali ti foni. Se Nimfie mou

potho, ke Se zitousa athlo, ke sistavroume, ke
sinthptome to Vaptismo Sou. Ke pasho dia Se, os
Vasilefso sin Si, ke thnisko iper sou, ina ke ziso en Si. All
os thisian amomomn, prosdehou tin meta pothou
tithisan Si. Aftis presvies, os eleimon, Soson tas psihas
imon.
KONTAKION
OF THE
The Lord of all Lords, and Christ the King thou loved, O
Kyriake, with all thy soul, and cheerfully contended
for; thus as a Virgin Martyr, by Him thou were glorified
and thou flow to all who honour thee, the Grace of
Healing, by beseeching for all, the forgiveness of their
faults.
FEMALE MARTYR
TONE
O my Lord Jesus, Thine Ewe-Lamb, with a loud voice calls

out: Thou, my Groom, do I long for, and suffer all in
search for Thee, and I am crucified and buried with
Thee in Baptism; and I suffer for Thy Sake, inorder to
reign with Thee, and give my life to Thee so that I may
live with Thee; but accept as pure Sacrifice, the one
who desired to give her life for Thee. Through her
Intercessions, O Most Compassionate, Save our souls!
Prostasia


Thee!
PROKEIMENON PSALM 103 TONE 4

How manifold art Thy Works, O Lord! In Wisdom Thou made them all.
Bless, O my soul, the Lord!
THE FIRST EPISTLE
OF
ST PAUL
TO THE
CORINTHIANS 1 : 1 9
Paul, Called to be an Apostle of Jesus Christ through the Will of God, and Sosthenes, our Brother unto the Church of
God, which is in Corinth - to those who are Sanctified in Christ Jesus Called to be Saints with all who in every place
call upon the Name of Jesus Christ our Lord both theirs and ours: Grace be unto you, and Peace, from God our
Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ.
I thank my God always on your behalf, for the Grace of God, which is granted to you by Jesus Christ, that in everything you
are Enriched by Him in all utterance, and in all Knowledge even as the Testimony of Christ was confirmed in you
so that you lack no Gift waiting for the Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who shall also confirm you unto the End,
that you may be Blameless in the Day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
God is Faithful, by Whom you were Called to the Fellowship of His Son Jesus Christ our Lord.

THE WHEAT
TO
ST MATTHEW 13 : 24 30
AND THE
TARES
At that time, our Lord narrated this Parable: The Kingdom of Heaven is like a Man Who sowed Good Seed in His Field.
While men slept, His enemy came, and sowed Tares among the Wheat, and went his way.
When the Wheat sprung up, and brought forth Fruit, the Tares also appeared. The Servants of the Householder said
to Him: Lord, did Thou not sow Good Seed in Thy Field? How then does it have Tares? He said to them: An enemy
has done this. The Servants said to Him: Does Thou want us to gather them up? He said: No. While you gather
up the Tares, you might also root up with them the Wheat. Let both grow together until the Harvest, and at the time
of the Harvest, I will say to the Reapers: Gather first the Tares, and bind them in bundles, which will be burnt. The
Wheat gather into My Barn.
ST KYRIAKE
THE
GREAT HOLY VIRGIN MARTYR
St Kyriake was the only child of St Dorotheos and St

Eusebia of Nicomedia, and as she was born on a Sunday
the Lords Day she was named Kyriake.
A wealthy Magistrate wanted the young, beautiful and
intelligent Kyriake to marry his son, and later, control
her inheritance, which was vast enough for him to
desire, but when he spoke to her parents concerning the
Betrothal, St Kyriake informed him that she had made a
Sacred Vow of Chastity and Obedience to God, for she
had already dedicated herself to the Holy Service of our
Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.
ST KYRIAKE
THE
OF
NICOMEDIA
The Magistrate was infuriated and insulted by the audacity

of the young woman who had dared to refuse his grand
offer of marriage to his son, so he wrote a report to the
wicked Roman Emperor, Diocletian, denouncing the
entire family as Christians who offended the gods by
refusing to offer sacrifices or to worship them.
Emperor Diocletian sent soldiers to arrest the family and
have them brought before him.
He asked them to explain exactly why they refused to
honour the Roman gods, which he himself honoured.
GREAT VIRGIN MARTYR
OF
NICOMEDIA
7 JULY 2014
9.
St Dorotheos told him that the Roman gods were false,

man-made and lifeless, whereas our Lord and Saviour,
Jesus Christ, is the one True, Living and Almighty God.
Immediately St Dorotheos was sentenced to severe torture
to persuade him to renounce Christ and worship the
Roman gods.
He was beaten until the torturers were too exhausted to
continue and since neither flattery nor torment had
any effect, Emperor Diocletian sent St Dorotheos and St
Eusebia to Melitene on the eastern border between
Cappadocia and Armenia.
He ordered St Kyriake to be interrogated by his son-in-law
and co-ruler, Maximian, at Nicomedia.
Emperor Maximian was immediately struck by her beauty,
serenity and wisdom, so he urged her not to throw her
life away, promising her great wealth and marriage to
one of Diocletian's relatives if only she would worship
the pagan gods.
St Kyriake responded to all his flattery and material offers
by declaring her unwavering Faith in our Saviour, and
that she would never ever renounce our Lord Jesus
Christ especially for worldly possessions and social
status that was merely fleeting and which had no
Spiritual Benefit for her Eternal Life.
Maximian was flabbergasted and deeply angered by this
young womans daring rejection of such immense offers
so he sentenced her to the humiliation of a public
flogging in order to force her to submit to his will.
Once again, the soldiers who were delegated to flog St
Kyriake, became fatigued, and had to be replaced three
times.
Emperor Maximian was deeply mortified and offended by
the steadfastness, courage and resilience of such a
young woman, so he was even more determined to
break her spirit completely.
With that purpose in mind, he ordered his soldiers to take
St Kyriake to Hilarion, the Eparch of Bithynia,
Chalcedon, whom he instructed to either convert her to
paganism or send her back to him.
St Kyriake was subjected to the same promises, threats and
punishment that Diocletian and Maximian had
attempted, but Hilarion was just as unsuccessful as
they had been.
St Kyriake had dared to challenge him to do his worst,
because she knew that our Almighty Christ would help
her to triumph over all their wickedness.
The executioners suspended by her hair for several hours,
while others burnt her body with torches.
Not only did St Kyriake endure all this, she also seemed to
become more courageous under torture.
Eventually, she was taken down and flung into a prison cell.
That night our Saviour appeared to her and Healed her
wounds and when Hilarion saw her the next day, he
LIVING
ST KYRIAKE
THE
ADAPTED & EDITED BY MP

HTTP://FULL-OF-GRACE-AND-TRUTH.BLOGSPOT.COM/2010
PEACEFUL LIFE
...WE HAVE LOST MUCH OF OUR SENSE OF OUR TRUE SPIRITUAL

NEEDS. Our Faith has become worldly because we have
forgotten the Teachings of our Lord Jesus and our Holy
Church Fathers especially those concerning how WE
MUST STRUGGLE TO OVERCOME OUR PASSIONS AND THE
DEMANDS AND DESIRES OF THIS WORLD.
St Seraphim of Sarov believed that the real Aim and
Purpose of this temporary life is TO ACQUIRE THE HOLY
SPIRIT TO ACQUIRE THEOSIS OR UNION WITH GOD.
When we learn how to acquire the Holy Spirit, we will be
able to meet all the challenges and difficulties without
despair - always find Comfort and Direction in the
Divine Grace of the Holy Spirit.
A full Life is lived in the Hope of our own Resurrection,
joyfully preparing now in great anticipation for a Life of
Union with God in His Kingdom.
We need to reflect on our Life, how we are living it, and
give priority to our Spiritual Needs.
The Orthodox Way of Life nurtures our Spiritual Growth,
leading us to a fulfilled Life - where our Purpose is
clear, finding Peace in all situations, and ceaselessly
giving Thanks to God for everything.
If we follow it with Faith, we will be fulfilled and energised,
knowing that we are preparing for an Eternal Life with
our God in Paradise.
1. PRAY DAILY: A regular Rule of Prayer that includes
Morning and Evening Prayers.
2. WORSHIP & PARTICIPATE IN THE HOLY MYSTERIES: Attend
and participate in all the Holy Services, especially
10.
loudly declared to all the gathered witnesses that she

had been healed by the gods because they pitied her.
Then Hilarion turned to St Kyriake and urged her to go to
the temple to give thanks to them.
She told him and all those who could hear her, that she had
definitely been Healed by Christ by our One True and
Living God and not by the lifeless idols.
However, she agreed to go to the temple and the Eparch
rejoiced, thinking that he had finally defeated her he
had succeeded where the previous two Emperors had
failed!
As she stood in the pagan temple, St Kyriake prayed
fervently that God would destroy the soulless, lifeless,
man-made idols.
Suddenly, there was a great earthquake that rocked the
ground and toppled all the idols, shattering them to
fragments.
Everyone fled the temple in fear, leaving Hilarion and St
Kyriake behind.
Instead of recognizing and acknowledging the Great Power
of Christ, the Eparch cursed and blasphemed God as the
Destroyer of his gods, whereupon a bolt of lightning
struck and killed him.
St Kyriake was again sentenced to brutal torture by
Apollonios, who succeeded Hilarion as Eparch.
The courageous young Martyr informed him: In no manner
can you turn me away from my Faith. If you throw
me into the fire, I have the example of the Three Holy
Youths [Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego]; if you
throw me before wild beasts, I have the example of
Daniel the Prophet; if you toss me into the sea, I have
the example of Jonah the Prophet; if you give me over
to the sword, I will remember the honourable
Forerunner [St John the Baptist]. Life for me is to die
for Christ."
And, indeed, by the Grace of God, when St Kyriake was cast
into fire, the flames were extinguished. When she was
thrown to wild beasts, they became tame and gentle.
Realising that they would never be able to forcibly convert
her to paganism, Apollonios sentenced her to death by
sword.
St Kyriake was permitted time to pray, so she asked God to
receive her soul, and to remember those who honoured
her Martyrdom.
Just as St Kyriake ended her Prayers, Angels of God took
her soul before the executioner could behead her.
Pious Christians reverently received her Relics and buried
them in a place of honour.
May her memory be Eternal and may she always Intercede
with Christ our God for the sake of our immortal soul.
WITH
PURPOSE
the Divine Liturgy, receiving Holy Communion as

well as Repentance-Confession regularly.
3. HONOUR & OBSERVE THE LITURGICAL CYCLE OF THE CHURCH:
Fully participate in all Fasts and Feasts.
4. CONSTANTLY RECITE THE JESUS PRAYER - PRAYER OF THE
HEART: Repeat our Lords Holy Name and the Prayer
O Lord Jesus Christ, have Mercy on me, a sinner!
throughout the day or night. (Or ceaselessly pray:
Kyrie Eleison - Lord, have Mercy)
5. SLOW DOWN & ORDER YOUR LIFE: Set priorities and reduce
the stress and friction caused by a hurried life.
6. BE SPIRITUALLY WATCHFUL: pay full attention to your
words, thoughts and deeds throughout the day and
night.
7. TAME THE PASSIONS: Control your physical passions and
desires with your soul by overcoming habitual sins,
attachment or obsession to Spiritually Unprofitable
things, and strive to achieve Virtue.
8. PUT GOD & OTHERS FIRST: Free yourself from your
selfishness and find Joy in helping others.
9. SPIRITUAL FELLOWSHIP: Regularly spend time with other
Orthodox Christians for support and inspiration.
10. READ HOLY SCRIPTURE & THE LIFE & TEACHINGS OF THE
SAINTS & OUR HOLY CHURCH FATHERS: Learn, be
encouraged and guided by the Divinely Inspired and
Eternally Wise Writings of those who are
Spiritually Experienced.
GREAT VIRGIN MARTYR
HTTP://ORTHODOXWAYOFLIFE.BLOGSPOT.COM/2012/04/LIVINGPEACEFUL-LIFE-WITH-PURPOSE.HTML
OF
NICOMEDIA
7 JULY 2015

8 July 2015
St Prokopios the Great Holy Martyr of Caesarea, Palestine
Also the Feast of St Theophilos the Myrrh-gusher of Zihnos, Macedonia St Anastasios,
Hieromartyr of Ioannina St Prokopios, Fool for Christ & Wonderworker of Ustiug, Vologda
St Epitetos the Presbyter & St Astion the Monk, of Halmyris & Bithynia Miracle of the
Annunciation Icon of our Lady Theotokos at Ustiug St Mirdat, King & Royal Martyr of
Kartli, Georgia
FESTAL APOLYTIKION HOLY MARTYR
Martyr, O Lord, in his courageous Contest for Thee

received Crowns of Incorruption and Life from Thee,
our God. Since he possessed Thy Strength, he cast
down the tyrants and destroyed the demons powerless
presumption. Through his Intercessions, O Christ our
God, Save our soul.
ST PROKOPIOS -
Agrevthis
follow Christ, O Boast of Martyrs, Prokopios.

Therefore, by the Power of the Cross, Thou were
excellently Perfected, and deposed Belial.
Save
unscathed from evil, those who praise Thee with
fervour.
FESTAL KONTAKION -
To Zilo
TONE 2
Zeal for Christ, devoutly aflamed, armed and
Hristou, to Thio pirpoloumenos, ke en to Stavro, to

Timio frouroumenos, ton ehtrhon to frigma, ke ta thrasi
kathiles Prokopie, ke tin septin Ekklisian ipsosas, ti Pisti
prokopton, ke Fotizon imas.
OF
TONE(5) PLAGAL 1
Led towards Heavenly Piety, Thou Rejoiced like Paul, to
Ouranothen pros tin efsevian, katikolouthisas

heron osper O Pavlos Hristo, ton Martyron kalloni
Martys Prokopie. Othen Dinami tou Stavrou, aristefsas
evkleos, katishinas ton Veliar, ou tis kakias atrotous,
Soze tou potho Se garerontas.
THE FIRST EPISTLE
CHRIST TONE 4
Thy
Martys Sou, Kyrie, en ti Athlisi Aftou to Stefos

ekomisato tis aftharsias ek Sou tou Theou imon. Ehon
gar tin Ishin Sou, tous tyrannous kathilen, ethrafse ke
demonon ta anishira thrasi. Aftou tes ikesies, Hriste O
Theos, Soson tas psihas imon.
FESTAL APOLYTIKION
OF
protected
by the Strength and Power of the Cross, Thou cast
down the insolence and boldness of the enemy, O
Prokopios, and
Thou exalted the Honourable
Church, excelling in Faith and granting Light to us
all.
ST PAUL
TO
ST
TIMOTHY 4 : 9 - 15
My Child, Timothy: this is Faithful Saying and worthy of all acceptance, for thus we both Labour and suffer reproach,
because we trust in the Living God, Who is the Saviour of all mankind, especially those who believe.
These Things command and teach. Let no one despise Thy youth; but be an example to Believers - in word, in conversation,
in Charity, in spirit, in Faith, in Purity.
Until I come, attend to reading, to exhortation, to Doctrine. Do not neglect the Gift this is in Thee, which was granted to
Thee by Prophecy, with the Laying on of the hands of the Presbytery. Meditate upon these things give Thyself wholly
to them that Thy progress may appear to all.
TO
ST LUKE 6 : 17-19;
9:1-2 & 10: 16 21
At that time, there went unto Jesus the company of His Disciples, and a great multitude of people out of all Judaea and
Jerusalem, and from the coast of Tyre and Sidon, which went to hear Him, and to be Healed of their diseases. And they
were vexed with unclean spirits; and they were Healed. And the whole multitude sought to touch Him, for there went
Power out of Him, and Healed them all.
He called His Twelve Disciples together, and granted them Power and Authority over all demons, and to Cure diseases.
And He sent them to preach the Kingdom of God, and to Heal the sick. And He said to them: He who hears you, hears
Me; and he who despises you, despises Me; and he that despises Me, despises Him Who sent Me.
And the Seventy returned again with Joy, saying: Lord! Even the demons are subject to us through Thy Name!
He said to them: I beheld Satan fall from Heaven like Lightning.
Behold, I grant unto you Authority to tread of
serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy.
And nothing shall by any means hurt you.
Notwithstanding this, do not rejoice that the spirits are subject to you rejoice rather because your names are
written in Heaven.
In that hour, Jesus rejoiced in Spirit, and said: I thank Thee, O Father, Lord of Heaven and Earth, that Thou hast
hidden these Things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them to babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed
Good in Thy Sight.

THE PARABLES
TO
OF OUR
LORD JESUS CHRIST
At that time, our Lord narrated this Parable: The Kingdom of Heaven is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took
and sowed in his field - the least of all seeds, but when it is grown, it is the greatest. And it becomes a tree, so that
the birds of the air come and lodge in its branches.
Another Parable that He narrated to them: The Kingdom of Heaven is like Leaven, which a woman took and hid in three
measures of meal, until the whole was leavened.
All these things Jesus spoke of in Parables to the multitudes, and he did not speak to them without a Parable.
Thus it was fulfilled, that which was spoken by the Prophet, saying: I will open My Mouth in Parables; I will utter things
that have been kept secret from the foundation of the world...
The multitudes were sent away, and Jesus went into the house.
ST PROKOPIOS
THE
GREAT HOLY MARTYR
OF
CAESAREA, PALESTINE
8 JULY 2015
11
ST PROKOPIOS
THE
GREAT HOLY MARTYR
St Prokopios was born in Jerusalem of a father who was

Christian and a mother who was pagan. They named
their son, Neanias.
Following the death of his father, Neanias was raised by his
pagan mother completely in the spirit of Roman
idolatry.
When Neanias matured, Emperor Diocletian noticed him
and, taking an immediate liking to him, he enlisted him
for military service at his palace.
When that nefarious Emperor began his brutal persecution
of Christians, he ordered Neanias to go to Alexandria
with a garrison of soldiers in order to exterminate the
Christian citizens.
However, along the way to Alexandria, something
extraordinary happened to Neanias - similar to that
which had occurred to St Paul on his way to Damascus.
In the Third Hour of the night there was a strong
earthquake and, at that moment, our Lord appeared
before him and His Voice was heard, saying: "Neanias,
where are you going and against whom are you rising
up?"
In great fear, Neanias asked: "Who art Thou, Lord? I am
unable to recognize Thee."
A glowing Cross - as if made of crystal - appeared floating
in the air, from which the Divine Voice spoke: "I Am
Jesus - the crucified Son of God... By this Sign that you
see before you, conquer your enemies - and My Peace
will be with you."
That Divine Encounter with our Lord and Saviour, Jesus
Christ, completely changed his life.
There and then he ordered a similar Cross to be made, and
instead arresting defenceless, innocent Christians he,
together with his soldiers, turned against the Agarians
who were attacking Jerusalem.
Finally he entered Jerusalem as a Victor.
He then declared his conversion to the Christian Faith to
his mother, whereupon she instantly denounced him to
the Roman Authorities.
He was duly arrested and presented before the court.
Neanias removed his Commander's Belt and sword, tossed
them disparagingly before the Judge declared himself to
OF
CAESAREA, PALESTINE
be the Faithful Soldier of Christ our Eternal King and

God.
He was sentenced to great tortures and cast into prison
where our Lord Jesus, again, appeared to him.
Christ our Saviour, Himself, Baptized him and named him
Prokopios.
One day twelve women went to his prison window and
called out to him: "We, too, are the servants of Christ."
As expected, they were immediately arrested, tried and
thrown into the same prison.
St Prokopios taught them the Divine Truth of our Lord and
Saviour, Jesus Christ - and he particularly explained
and encouraged them concerning their inevitable
Martyrdom for the Love of God and the Heavenly
Crowns of Incorruptibility and Eternal Life with which
they would soon be Rewarded.
(For that reason in the Service of Betrothal and Marriage St.
Prokopios is mentioned along with the God-crowned
Emperor, St Constantine, and Empress, St Helena.)
The following day those Twelve Women Martyrs were
viciously tortured and, having witnessed hideous
tortures and their inexplicable Courage, St Prokopios
mother, denounced her paganism and eagerly
proclaimed her belief in our True and Living God.
Consequently, she was arrested, tried and sentenced to
death together with the Twelve Holy Women Martyrs.
When St Prokopios was led to the scaffold, he raised his
hands toward the East and prayed to Almighty God for
all the poor, the destitute, the orphans and the widows and he especially prayed for the Holy Church of Christ that Her Divine Truth and Teachings would grow and
spread and Enlighten all mankind throughout the world
until the end of time.
St Prokopios heard a Voice from Heaven acknowledging his
fervent Prayers and laying his head under the sword he
went to our Lord in Eternal Joy.
St Prokopios honourably suffered in Caesarea, Palestine
and was worthily Crowned with the Glorious Wreath of
Immortality on 8 July 303.
(HTTP://WWW.ORTHODOX.NET/MENAION-JULY/08-THE-HOLY-GREATMARTYR-SAINT-PROKOPIOS.HTML)
HYMN OF PRAISE - SAINT PROKOPIOS

BY ST NIKOLAI VELIMIROVITCH
When it is the Will of the Omniscient God,
Persecutors become His servants,
Haters, His wonderful Apostles
Pagans, Zealots for the True Faith.
By God's Will, Saul became Saint Paul
And Neanias, became Saint Prokopios
Prokopios, against Christ had gone,
But as a Christian, to his mother he returned.
Executioners prepared,
and he, himself, received tortures,
All of a sudden, the Truth he had recognized
And before the Son of God, he bowed down -
The earthly King, he ceased to serve,

To the Heavenly King, a servant he became.
The King of Heaven to him a Gift bestowed The Gift of Might, the afflicted to help.
As at that time, so it is today:
By Prokopios, the afflicted are comforted
For today - as at one time - he helps.
(TRANSLATED FROM RUSSIAN)
(http://www.westsrbdio.org/prolog/prolog.htm)
ST PHILOTHEOS
Guarding the intellect with the Lord's Help requires much

Humility, first in relation to God and then in relation to
others. We ought to do all we can to crush and humble
the heart.
To achieve this we should scrupulously remember our
former life in the world, recalling and reviewing in
detail all the sins we have committed since childhood
(except carnal sins, for the remembrance of these is
harmful). This not only induces Humility but also
engenders Tears and moves us to give Heartfelt Thanks
to God.
OF
SINAI
Perpetual and vivid Mindfulness of Death has the same

effect: it gives birth to Grief accompanied by a certain
Sweetness and Joy, and to Watchfulness of intellect.
In addition, the detailed Remembrance of our Lord's
Passion, the recollection of what He Suffered, greatly
humbles and abashes our pride, and this, too, produces
Tears.
Finally, to recount and review all the Blessings we have
received from God is truly humbling. For our Battle is
against proud demons. [FORTY TEXTS ON WATCHFULNESS]
ABBOT TRYPHON ON HAPPINESS

All we need for happiness is right in front of us
It is easy to resist taking care of ourselves if we run at full
If we focus only on the things that haven't been done and
speed as though we are the only one who can get things
ignore the little things that bring Joy to our life, we'll
done.
find ourselves in a rut.
We all need to set priorities, making sure we focus on
If we are constantly thinking of where we'd rather be living,
Christ and not let that which is transitory rule our Life.
or the job we'd rather have, or the work that still needs
If we pay attention to our health, family and Spiritual Life,
to be completed, we'll wake up one day and realize all
everything else will take care of itself. We
we've needed for happiness has been right in front of
shouldn't let life be so full of work that we don't
us.
have time to focus on the things that bring us Joy.
We don't want to wait to enjoy what we already have.
We must pay attention when the Lord Calls us to slow
down.
12.
ST PROKOPIOS
THE
GREAT HOLY MARTYR
OF
CAESAREA, PALESTINE
8 JULY 2015

11 July 2015
The Miracle of St Euphemia at Chalcedon
Also the Feast of St Olga, Equal to the Apostles & Princess of Russia St Cindeos, Heiromartyr
of Pamphylia St Nikodemos of Albania St Barbara, Great Holy Martyr, Translation of Holy
Relics St Arcadios of Novotorsk St Nektarios, Hieromartyr of Vrioulon
FESTAL APOLYTIKION ST EUPHEMIA TONE 4
Lian
All the Orthodox, Thou greatly cheered, and Thou put to
efranas, tous Orthodoxous, ke katiskhinas, tous

kakodoxous, Effimia Hristou kalliparthene. This gar
Tetartis Sinodou ekirosas, I Pateres kalos edogmatisan.
Martis Endoxe, Hriston ton Theon iketeve, dorisasthe
imin to Mega Eleos.
shame the false believers, O fair Virgin of Christ,

Euphemia. For Thou confirmed what the Fathers well
Dogmatise, at the 4th Ecumenical Council. O Martyr
Glorious, entreat Christ our God to grant to us His
Great Mercy!
SEASONAL KONTAKION OUR LADY THEOTOKOS -
Prostasia

Piitin ametathete, mi Paridis, amartolon Deiseon fonas,
alla profthason os Agathi, is tin Voithian imon, ton
Pistos kravgazonton Si: Tahinon is Presvian, ke spefson
is ikesian, i prostatevousa ai, Theotoke, ton Timonton
Se.
Protector of the Christians Unashamable, Mediator to

Aid of all of us, who in Faith cry out to Thee: speed up
Thine Intercession, and present Thy Supplication, O
Theotokos who always Protects all those who Honour
Thee!
MATINS FESTAL GOSPEL ACCORDING

THE HEALING
OF
ST VERONICA
TO
ST MARK 5 : 24 24
HAEMORRHAGED
WHO HAD
TONE 4
FOR
TWELVE
YEARS
At that time, many people followed Jesus, and thronged Him. And there was a certain Woman who had had a flow of blood
for twelve years, and had suffered much from many Physicians. And she had spent all that she had and was not better,
but rather, grew worse.
When she heard that about Jesus, she went behind Him in the crowd and touched His garments. She had thought: If only I
may touch His clothes, I shall be made well.And immediately the source of her bleeding dried up, and she felt in her
body that she was healed of the affliction.
And Jesus - instantly knowing in Himself that Power had gone out of Him - turned around in the crowd and asked: Who
touched My clothes? And His Disciples said to Him: Thou see the multitude thronging Thee, and Thou ask: Who
touched Me? And He looked around to see her who had done this thing.
The Woman fearing and trembling knowing what had happened to her, went and fell down before Him and told Him the
whole truth. He said to her: Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in Peace, and be healed of your affliction.
THE SECOND EPISTLE

TH
OF ST PAUL THE CORINTHIANS

MARKS OF APOSTLESHIP
6 : 1 10
Brethren: we, then, as workers together with Him, also plead with you not to receive the Grace of God in vain. He said: In
an acceptable time I have heard you, and in the Day of Salvation I have helped you.
Behold! Now is the accepted time! Behold! Now is the Day of Salvation!
We give no offence in anything - that our Ministry many not be blamed.
In all things we commend ourselves as Ministers of God: in much Patience, in tribulations, in needs, in distresses, in
stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in Labours, in sleeplessness, in Fastings, by Purity, by Knowledge, by
Longsuffering, by Kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by sincere Love, by the Word of Truth, by the Power of God, by the
Armour of Righteousness on the right hand and on the left, by honour and dishonour, by evil report and Good Report;
as deceivers, and yet True; as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold we Live; as chastened, and yet not
killed; as sorrowful, yet always Rejoicing; as poor, yet Enriching many; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.

TH
FORGIVENESS
OF
TO ST LUKE 7
SINFUL WOMAN
: 36 50
At that time, one of the Pharisees asked our Lord Jesus to eat with him. And He went to the Pharisees house, and sat down
to eat.
And behold: A woman of the city, who was a sinner when she knew that Jesus sat at the table in the Pharisees house,
took an alabaster flask of fragrant Myrrh, and stood at His Feet, behind Him, weeping. She washed His Feet with her
tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head. And she kissed His Feet and anointed them with the fragrant Myrrh.
When the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he spoke to himself, saying: This Man if He were a Prophet would
know who and what manner of woman this is who is touching Him, for she is a sinner! And Jesus answering, said to
him: Simon, I have something to say to you. He said: Teacher, say it.
There was a certain Creditor who had two Debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other, fifty. Having
nothing with which to repay him, he freely forgave them both. Tell Me: which of them Love him more?
Simon answered and said: I suppose the one whom he forgave more. Jesus said to him: You have rightly judged.
And turning to the woman, He said to Simon: Do you see this woman? I entered your house - you gave Me no water
for My Feet. She has washed My Feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head. You gave Me no
kiss. Since she came in, She has not ceased kissing My Feet. You did not anoint My head with oil. She - with
fragrant Myrrh - has anointed My Feet. Therefore, I say to you: her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she
Loved much. To whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.
He said to her: Thy sins art forgiven. And those who dined with Him began to say within themselves: Who is This Who
forgives sins also? He said to the woman: Thy Faith hath Saved thee. Go in Peace.
THE MIRACLE
AT
CHALCEDON
OF
ST EUPHEMIA
THE
GREAT HOLY MARTYR
11 JULY 2015
13.
ST EUPHEMIA
THE
GREAT HOLY MARTYR- MODEL
FOR OUR
LIFE
BY PROTOPRESBYTER FATHER GEORGE PAPAVARNAVAS
St Euphemia was born in Chalcedon during the reign of

Emperor Diocletian, the fiercest persecutor of
Christians in the 3rd Century.
After being arrested and tried for treason, St Euphemia
endured indescribably cruel tortures, from which she
had miraculously by the Grace of God survived.
Finally, she surrendered her soul to our Lord Jesus Christ.
After her Repose, many Divine Miracles continued to
occur through her Intercessory Prayers.
Her Holy Relics are currently being kept at the Ecumenical
Patriarchate in Constantinople. (Istanbul)
Approximately two centuries after her Repose, in 451, St
Euphemia
made
another Confession
of
Faith
in
a
Miraculous manner,
when she upheld
the decisions of the
Fourth Ecumenical
Council, which was
held in Chalcedon,
and which condemned the heresy of the
Monophysites, who taught that our Lord Jesus Christ,
after the Union of His Divine and human Natures, His
human Nature was absorbed by His Divine Nature.
The venerable God-bearing Holy Fathers of the Church,
who had gathered for the Fourth Ecumenical Synod,
condemned their heresy.
They decided to be assured through a Divine Miracle, so
two scrolls - one with the Orthodox Teachings and
the other with the heretical teaching was placed inside
the casket of St Euphemia, which was then firmly
sealed and guarded.
After a few days of contemplation and Prayer, the casket
was unsealed and opened. Whereupon they beheld the
scroll of the heretics at her feet, while the scroll with
the Orthodox Teaching was held tightly in her arms.
In this manner the Divine Truth of Orthodox Faith was
maintained and confirmed: O Euphemia, Christs
comely Virgin, Thou filled the Orthodox with
Gladness, and covered with shame all the cacodox;
for at the Holy Fourth Synod in Chalcedon, Thou
confirmed what the Fathers decreed aright. O All
Glorious Great Martyr, Entreat Christ God that His
Great Mercy may be granted to us.
This Divine Miracle shows us that the Saints are alive
even after their Repose, and they hear our Prayers and
protect all those who call upon them.
Just as they showed their Love while alive, they do the
same after their Repose perhaps to a greater degree.
The way in which the Holy Church Fathers acted, shows
an Orthodox ethos.
The Saints have their Personal Experience of God and
uncovered Truth, and yet they take their Experiences
into account through that of the other Saints, to
receive Confirmation.
When those of God receive a Divine Revelation or Vision,
they do not reject it, nor do they believe it.
They ask the opinion of an Experienced Spiritual Father
and follow his advice.
Once, when the Blessed Athonite, Father Paisios, beheld a
Vision of St Euphemia, he did not believe it was the
Great Holy Martyr until he had authenticated it.
The reason for this is that the evil one can transform
himself in the appearance of an Angel of Light in
order to lead us into fatal Spiritual Delusion if
possible even the Elect.
Father Paisios passed in waves, as the saying goes, by
telling her to make the Sign of the Cross, to recite the
Creed of Faith, to Confess the Holy Trinity, to make
Prostrations and to kiss the Holy Icons, etc.
Only when he was fully satisfied that it was indeed St
Euphemia, could they begin to converse, and he
listened very carefully to what she told him.
There are some who claim to have seen Almighty God, or
our Lady Theotokos, or any one of the Saints or Holy
Martyrs, and to have conversed with them.
They have also been featured in the media, and they
have become quite aggressive when questioned
about their so-called Vision or Visitation.
14.
THE MIRACLE
AT
CHALCEDON
OF
ST EUPHEMIA
Once, someone who claimed to have seen God, thereby

making himself a God-seer, in a pack Church during
a Holy Service, with the anger of a raging bull, verbally
attacked the local Metropolitan during his Sermon.
Consequently, the question arises: is it possible for such
a person to have seen God and have within him the
Grace of the Holy Spirit the Agape (Love) of the Holy
Spirit?
May God guard us all from such dangerous delusions!
Those who truly receive Divine Revelations, do not rush
to reveal them, do not quarrel or fight, are not
contrarians, but rather are humble, modest and prefer
to hide from worldly attention.
They will only reveal such
Divine Revelations - with great
Humility
to
Discerning
Spiritual
Fathers,
and
are
prepared to receive and apply
their Paternal Advice.
The Holy Church of Christ
teaches that those who refuse to
accept advice and/or correction, and who are not
humble, but rather insist on their own will full of
arrogance, pride, disobedience and anger are in
delusion!
For this reason, those who do not understand promptings
and admonitions, should refer to the Church: If they
disobey the Church (through the Priest or Bishop),
let them be to you as a heathen or Tax Collector!
(MATTHEW 18:17)
In
other words, we must not have any Spiritual

Communication with them.
After the Great Miracle of St Euphemia, which clearly
showed that the Orthodox Faith is the Only True
Faith, one would have expected the heretics to have
Repented to have renounced their errors and
returned to the Bosom of the Holy Church of Christ.
Unfortunately, most of them refused to admit the error of
their ways and to Repent for they suffered from a
very great Spiritual Illness arrogance and pride
which does not allow the person to recover or Repent.
PRIDE IS TRULY A GREAT SPIRITUAL DISEASE, which, sadly, is
Healed only with the greatest difficulty, for the
bearers of this Grievous Sin WHICH PREVENTS OUR
HUMBLE OBEDIENCE TO CHRIST AND HIS TEACHINGS - IS A
SOURCE OF DISORDER FOR THE WIDER COMMUNITY.
May God grant us Wisdom through the Intercessory
Prayers of His Holy Saints, for those who are prudent,
according to the Teaching of the Holy Church, ...
accept advice, especially that of a Spiritual Father, who
counsels them in accordance with the Divine Will of
Almighty God. (ST THALASSIOS)
EKKLESIASTIKI PAREMVASI: MEGALOMARTYS EUPHIMIA JULY 1999 TRANSLATED
FROM GREEK INTO ENGLISH BY JOHN SANIDOPOULOS.
HTTP://WWW.JOHNSANIDOPOULOS.COM/2014/07/SAINT-EUPHEMIA-GREATMARTYR-AS-MODEL.HTML
OBEDIENCE FATHER ALEXANDER SCHMEMANN

Obedience, taken in itself, is not a Virtue. It is blind
submission and there is no Light in blindness.
ONLY LOVE FOR GOD, the Absolute Object of all Love, FREES
OBEDIENCE FROM BLINDNESS and makes it the Joyful
Acceptance of that alone, which is worthy of being
accepted.
But love without Obedience to God is ...the lust of the
flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life.
(1 JOHN 2:16),
It is the love claimed by Don Juan, which ultimately

destroys him.
ONLY OBEDIENCE TO GOD, the only Lord of Creation, GIVES
LOVE ITS TRUE DIRECTION - MAKES IT FULLY LOVE.
TRUE OBEDIENCE IS THUS TRUE LOVE FOR GOD - the true
response of Creation to its Creator.
Humanity is fully humanity when it is this response to
God - when it becomes the movement of TOTAL SELFGIVING AND OBEDIENCE TO HIM.
THE
GREAT HOLY MARTYR
11 JULY 2015

All Glory, Honour and Worship to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
now and Forever, and unto the Ages of Ages. Amen
Mary, Theotokos yet Ever Virgin, together with all the Saints. And let us commit
ourselves and one another and our whole Life to Christ our God. Amen.
Tone (5) Plagal 1

12 July 2015
6 Sunday After Pentecost
6th Sunday of St Matthew The Paralytic & Friends
th
Also the Feast of St Paisios the Elder of Mount Athos - St Proclos & St
Hilarion of Ancyra St Michael of Maleinos St Theodore the Varangia
& St John, his son, of Kiev - St Arsenios, Fool for Christ, of Novgorod St
Simon, Abbot of Volomsk Monastery St Mary Golinduc of Persia - St
John & St Gabriel the Georgians of Mount Athos - the Holy Icon of our
Lady Theotokos of the Three Hands, on Mount Athos St Veronica
(Bernice) the Haemorrhaging Woman Healed by Christ
RESURRECTION APOLYTIKION TONE (5) PLAGAL 1
Ton
The
sinanarhon Logon Patri ke Pnevmati, ton ek

Parthenou Tehthenta is Sotirian imon, animnisomen,
Pisti, ke Proskinisomen. Oti ivdokise sarki anelthin en to
Stavro ke Thanaton ipomine ke egire tous tethneotas en
ti Evdoxo Anastasi Aftou.
Word, Who with the Father and the Spirit has no

beginning, and Who, for our Salvation, was born of a
Virgin, let us faithful believers hymn and adore. For it
was His Good Pleasure to ascend the Cross in the
Flesh, and to Suffer Death, and through His own
Glorious Resurrection to raise the dead.
SEASONAL KONTAKION OUR LADY THEOTOKOS
Prostasia


Thee!
RESURRECTION GOSPEL 6 LUKE 24: 35 53

OUR
RESURRECTED
LORD JESUS APPEARS
FOR THE LAST TIME TO
HIS APOSTLES & ASCENDS
INTO
HEAVEN
PROKEIMENON PSALM 11- TONE (5) PLAGAL 1
O Lord, protect us and preserve us - both now and forever!

Save us, O Lord, for there is not one Godly man left!
THE EPISTLE
OUR LIFE
OF
OF
ST PAUL
UNITY
AND
TO THE
MERCY
IN
ROMANS 12 : 6 14
CHRISTS HOLY CHURCH
Brethren: having Gifts differing according to the Grace that is granted to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy
in proportion to our Faith; or Ministry, let us use it in our ministering; those who teach, in their teaching, those who
exhort, in exhortations; those who give, with liberality; those who lead, with diligence; those who show Mercy, with
cheerfulness.
Let Love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. Be kindly affectionate to one another with
Brotherly Love, in honour, giving preference to one another serving the Lord; rejoicing in Hope, Patient in tribulation,
continuing steadfastly in Prayer; distributing to the needs of the Saints, given to Hospitality.
Bless those who persecute you Bless and do not curse.
WE LIVE OUT OUR FAITHFUL RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD IN HIS HOLY
mentioned above, REPRESENT ALL THE INFINITE DIVINE
CHURCH, which is the Sacred Body of Christ, WITH
GIFTS OF GRACE that God has granted to His Faithful
HUMILITY, SOBER THOUGHTS, AND PROPER USE OF SPIRITUAL
Flock.
GIFTS, WHICH ARE GRANTED TO US BY THE DIVINE GRACE OF
While a Faithful Believer is Justified by Faith, this FAITH IS
INTIMATELY UNITED TO GOOD WORKS, WHICH ARE GENUINE
GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT.
Faithful and True Christian Ministry requires us to
AND SINCERE EXPRESSIONS OF OUR TRUE FAITH IN AND LOVE OF
FUNCTION TOGETHER IN ALL OUR DIVERSITY combining all
GOD.
our Holy Gifts that have been granted to us by God.
FAITH AND GOOD DEEDS OR WORKS CANNOT BE SEPARATED we
The Seven Holy Gifts of Divine Grace that St Paul
cannot have one without the other!!
mentioned should not be understood as being
exhaustive. Instead GODS GIFTS OF DIVINE GRACE as
THE HOLY GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST MATTHEW 9 : 1 8
THE FAITH
OF THE
PARALYTIC & HIS FRIENDS
At that time, our Lord Jesus got into a boat, crossed over, and went to His own city.
And, behold: they brought to Him a Paralytic lying on a bed.
And when Jesus saw their Faith, He said to the Paralytic: Son, be of good cheer your sins are forgiven you.
And behold: at once some of the Scribes said within themselves: He Blasphemes!
And Jesus knowing their thoughts said: Why do you think evil in your heart? For which is easier: to say: Your sins
are forgiven you, or to say: Arise, and walk? But that you may know that the Son of Man has Power on earth to
forgive sins...
He said to the Paralytic: Arise, take up your bed, and go to your house. And he arose and departed to his house.
When the multitude saw this, they marvelled and Glorified God Who had given such Power to men.
Capernaum was our Lord Jesus Christs own city, having
As shown by the Healing of the Paralytic, FAITH IS AN
set up His home base from there.
INDISPENSABLE AND ESSENTIAL ELEMENT OF SALVATION
BECAUSE TRUE FAITH IS COLLECTIVE AS WELL AS PERSONAL and
OF
ST MATTHEW THE FAITH
OF THE
PARALYTIC & FRIENDS - 12 JULY 2015
15.
consequently THE FAITH OF THE

HELPED IN HIS HEALING.
PARALYTICS FRIENDS ALSO
St Mark and St Luke also mentioned this particular

Miraculous Healing and through their Gospel
accounts, we learn how determined the Paralytic and
his friends were.
In order to be presented to Christ Whom the friends just
knew would Heal his paralysis and being unable to
get close to our Lord due to the multitude who filled
the house and the courtyard - they carried the pallet
with the Paralytic to the roof of the house, made a
great hole in the sun baked roof - having established
exactly where our Lord stood - and then lowered the

bed safely down to the ground right in front of our
Saviour.
In this account, THREE SIGNS OF OUR LORDS DIVINITY ARE
EVIDENT:
1. HE KNEW THE SECRET THOUGHTS OF THE HYPOCRITICAL
SCRIBES AND PHARISEES,
2. HE FORGIVES SINS A DIVINE POWER THAT BELONGS TO
GOD ALONE
3.
AND HE HEALS MERELY BY THE DIVINE POWER OF HIS
WORD!
6 TH S UNDAY A FTER P ENTECOST T HE F AITH

Spirit, Amen.
Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory forever!
In eight short verses, we heard a wonderful distillation of
the Holy Gospel, and in the Healing of the Paralytic, we
get a glimpse at our own Salvation, which works on
many different levels.
In the very first line: ... He got into a boat, crossed over,
and went to His own city... St Gregory Palamas saw the
Incarnation, the Resurrection and the Ascension.
In getting into the boat, St Gregory saw our Lord taking on
His human Nature.
Christ then ...crossed over... meaning that He passed
through this life on Earth, He died and was Resurrected
(in His human Nature), and then He ...went His own
city meaning that He Ascended to Heaven and sits at
the right Hand of the Father. [He resumed His Position of
Eternal, Divine Honour as One of the Three Persons of the Holy

Trinity. MP]
St Gregory Palamas even saw profound meaning in the fact
that our Lord is not described as leaving the boat, but
simply going to His own City thereby depicting an
intimation of His bodily Ascension.
Our Lord Jesus Christ our Divine Creator - took the clay of
humanity and carried it into the very Heavens in His
Incarnate, Resurrected Flesh, and sat down at the right
Hand of the Father. [the most honoured position as Divine
Equal in all His Godly Attributes to God the Father and God the
Holy Spirit. MP]
The next sentence relates how four men carried and
presented the Paralysed man to Christ our Saviour.
In this image, St Gregory Palamas saw the Holy Apostles,
Faithful Disciples and Evangelists carrying and
presenting the Gentiles - who have been paralyzed by
their sinful ways - to Christ for Healing and Restoration
to full Spiritual Health and Eternal Life.
Each one of these former pagans was brought to our Lord
and Saviour, Jesus Christ, and the weight of their sins
which paralyzed them and held them captive was
forgiven and removed from them.
Even more - as St Paul put it - we are made Co-Heirs with
Christ.
We become the adopted Children of God Children of Light
- which is expressed in our Lords Words to the
Paralytic, when He said: Son, be of good cheer
What a glorious way to look at the Gospel!
What a wonderful way to see the imagery of our own
Salvation brought into sharp focus.
What is more - when (not if!) we fall into sin after our
Baptism and Chrismation, we can be carried and return
to Christ again and again and every time we Confess
and Repent our sins, we will hear those most Joyful
Words: Son, (or Daughter), be of good cheer, your sins
are forgiven you.
The Spiritual Paralysis of our soul can be abolished over
and over again, as long as we Confess and Repent!
The pattern of our Salvation, which is found in todays
Sacred Lesson, can also be uncovered in a slightly
different way as well - and this is the order in which our
Healing takes place.
According to St Symeon the New Theologian, with the
Incarnation, with the Son and Word of God taking on
flesh, our souls were Healed.
If we look at how we Fell from Grace in the Garden of Eden,
we will note that it was through our soul, through our
free will, that we first sinned.
16.
OF
OF THE
P ARALYTIC &
HIS
F RIENDS
The consequences of this Fall from Divine Grace were a

darkening of our Spiritual Eyes and the corruption of
our body.
Thus our soul - our free will - sinned first and our body
bore the consequences of that sin.
Therefore, in the Incarnation of Christ our Saviour, the soul
of mankind is Healed first and then the body is Healed
by the Resurrection and the Fullness of our Salvation.
The Deification of human nature is shown by Christ
Ascending to Heaven in His Resurrected Body His
Resurrected human Nature - and sitting at the right
Hand of God the Father.
In the Healing of the Paralytic we have this same order of
Redemption: the man is forgiven his sins and then his
physical body is Healed.
Indeed, this same order is preserved in the manner
whereby people are brought into the Church.
First their sins are forgiven in the Font of Holy Baptism.
At that time we are made Co-Heirs with Christ and become
the adopted Children of God.
Finally, we will all be raised in a Radiant Resurrection Body
and we will no longer know pain nor suffering nor
travail.
This is the pattern of Divine Redemption: our Lord Heals
our soul and then our body.
Of the two, the Healing of our soul is the most important in
this life, for we can be free in the Lord and inherit
Eternal Life even in our broken body.
However, with a broken soul, an unrepentant and unhealed
soul, even the physically perfect body of a supermodel
or top athlete will not Save us.
Our Lord Jesus Christ Healed innumerable people and the
pattern was always the forgiveness of their sins and
then the Healing of their body.
Sometimes sin and sickness go hand in hand, because
Spiritual Disease an ailing soul - can reach out and
manifest itself in our body.
This is one of the reasons for our Lords Words of
Forgiveness before He Healed the body.
Although our maladies are sometimes the result of sin caused by immoderation or indulgence of harmful,
dangerous substances or activities - at other times they
are caused by our toxic environments or many other
unknown causes.
No human being passes through this temporary life without
suffering pain, illness or various other problems.
At times, although we suffer, we will not always be Healed but we will all ultimately be Healed and Raised on the
Final Day - the Day of the General Resurrection.
There will be times when some of us beseech God to be
Delivered from an illness or an affliction yet receive no
Redemption, which is an extremely difficult Cross to
bear.
However, by accepting our heavy Cross and the manner in
which we bear It, will have Eternal Consequences for
us.
When our request for Healing is denied, we will find
ourselves in very good company, for there have been
scores of Saints who bore their illnesses and sufferings
or great Spiritual Struggles with Joy because thereby we
share in Christs Suffering and so may Ascend with
Him.
St Paul, the Great Holy Apostle to the Gentiles, endured a
long, painful affliction, which he accepted and
understood as being for a specific Purpose.
He referred to his affliction as being ...a thorn in the
flesh... and he even admitted that ... I pleaded with the
Lord three times that it might depart from me.
OF THE
Our Lord responded to St Pauls pleas by telling him: My

Grace is sufficient for Thee, for My Strength is made
Perfect in weakness.
These are most difficult words to hear and to accept, but St
Paul needed to know this Divine Truth so that he would
never become proud of his Spiritual Experiences.
His infirmity was meant to keep him humble: ...Therefore
I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs,
in persecutions, in distress, for Christs sake. For
when I am weak, then I am Strong.
St Paul knew that if he had no infirmity, he would become
proud and arrogant, which would cause him to Fall
from Divine Grace and become Spiritually Weak and
even Spiritually Dead!
When we realise that we cannot rely on our own limited,
weak power or strength, we find Comfort and Strength
in our Lord God.
Only when we acknowledge our own powerlessness, do we
begin to accept, depend on and rest assured in Gods
Almighty, Loving Power.
For truly, as our Lord Jesus Christ told St Paul, only when
we are weak, can we become Spiritually Strong in God
Who holds us in His warm Embrace and carries us over
the worst part of our Journey.
The most difficult Sacred Lesson for us to learn, is to
accept our sufferings with Peace and Joy in Christ
rather than with devastating fear and grief.
Harder still is when we cannot understand why God would
allow us, or anyone, to suffer. But we must always
remember that there are many things that we can never
understand due to our limited human abilities for Gods
Divine Wisdom and Love are vastly different to anything
that we can understand.
The fact that pain and suffering can be for our Eternal
Salvation does not always make sense to us, but our
Lord alone knows why He permits something to happen
to us.
We cannot see the Big Picture but God does and He never
makes mistakes.
Our Holy Church Fathers teach us that everything that is
permitted to happen is due to the infinite Love of God,
Who has planned and provided for us to regain our lost
Divine Likeness so that we may re-enter His Paradise
and be with Him forevermore.
Our Holy Fathers teach us to embrace our suffering and
sometimes with Fasting and keeping long, prayerful
Vigils, we afflict ourselves although this self affliction
is not enough to free us from our sin.
Nevertheless, it does train us to resist temptation and sin,
but without involuntary suffering, as in St Pauls case,
the voluntary trials can even lead to pride!
INTENTIONAL
AND
Does it make a difference if we sin unintentionally or

intentionally?
St Paisios the Elder of Mount Athos believed that
the "...errors we fall into through carelessness are of a
less serious nature."
Sins, however, are sins, yet there can be extenuating
circumstances.
When we unintentionally fall into sin, God - in His Great
Mercy - will help us to make that error be put to some
good purpose.
St Paisios explained: ...This means that since we erred
unintentionally, God simply utilizes our fault for some
good. But when we plan ahead and err knowingly and
then Repent, we should also pray that no other harm
occurs from the consequences of our fault.
Some of us may face more temptations than others, and
God is accordingly Merciful.
Someone, for example, will set off for somewhere without
having any intention of committing a sin, but on his way
he is tempted and falls.
He then Repents, Struggles to avoid sin, but is tempted yet
again.
Such a person has extenuating circumstances, because he
does not want to commit any sin, but succumbs to
temptation and then Repents.
But whoever thinks: If I am to achieve a certain goal, I
must do wrong... and so forth, that person wilfully
commits sin he does so on purpose and intentionally.
In other words, he plans and lays out his scheme to commit
sin in cahoots with the devil!
OF
St Ilias the Presbyter wrotes in The Philokalia, that

...voluntary suffering must be wed to involuntary
suffering (which takes the form of sickness, material
losses and slander among others) so that the Sword of
the soul will be tempered by both fire and
water.otherwise it will be shattered by the events of
life.
The fire is voluntary and the water is the involuntary
suffering.
The soul who is unused to voluntary suffering will
surrender to temptations that may come along, and the
soul who is unused to involuntary sufferings of various
kinds will not know how to rely on God when
confronted by really big troubles.
Finally, it is just as our Lord Jesus Christ told St Paul: My
Strength is made Perfect in weakness.
We must ultimately put suffering into the perspective it
deserves, for any suffering is nothing compared to the
Glory that we shall receive from God.
The Paralytic was physically Healed so that those who were
present and witnessed first-hand the Event, would know
that our Lord God has the greatest Power - the Divine
Power to forgive all sins and Heal our soul.
Physical Healing has only temporal significance for us, for
it can only last for part of our lifetime (because our
body is mortal and we will all die of some cause,
eventually) - while the Healing of our immortal soul will
last for all Eternity!
Our True Independence from sin and corruption lies with
our Dependence on God.
Let us, in our weakness, hear our Lord call us His Children
and tell us that we are forgiven our sins!
As St Paul wrote to the Romans: ... you did not receive the
spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the
Spirit of Adoption by Whom we cry out: Abba!
Father!
[God the Holy] Spirit Himself bears witness with our
spirit that we are Children of God, and if Children,
then HeirsHeirs of God and joint Heirs with Christ,
if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be
Glorified together.
The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be
compared with the Glory that shall be revealed in us,
for the earnest expectation of Creation eagerly waits
for the revealing of the sons of God.
2010 FR. PHILIP KONTOS
ST PETER THE APOSTLE ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN MISSION
ORTHODOX CHURCH IN AMERICA
JUPITER, FL
HTTP://WWW.STPETERJUPITER.ORG/191.HTML
UNINTENTIONAL SINS
This is especially evil because its premeditated...
Such a person should never expect to be helped by God,
because he does not deserve Divine Assistance or
Deliverance and he will - in all likelihood - die
unrepentant!
Some people think they can wait until they are on their sick
bed to Confess their life-long sins.
Those who have committed intentional sins, however, are
unlikely or unable to carry out their death-bed
Confessions.
St Paisios the Elder narrated an account of a Contractor
who had such an idea.
The Contractor told everyone: When I grow old, I'll go to
the Holy Land and be Baptized in the River Jordan and
have all my sins washed away, and he continued his
unrepentant sinful life-style.
Finally, when he had no more energy and could barely
walk, he said to his trusted assistant: I have decided to
go to the Holy Land and be Baptized in the River Jordan
as a Pilgrim.
And the assistant responded boldly: Boss, if you are Clean
of heart you will certainly do so, but if you are not, you
will die along the way!
It was like a prophesy!
As soon as the Contractor arrived in Athens to prepare his
papers, he died!
Strangers took all his money and made the necessary
arrangements with Funeral Undertakers to have him
shipped back to his hometown in a coffin.
OF THE
17.
A Life of Repentance generally implies that we are trying

not to sin and to avoid committing any intentional sins.
We closely examine our inner being to seek out and to
eradicate our many flaws and errors - and we go to our
Spiritual Fathers for the Holy Mystery of RepentanceConfession of our sins that are caused by the ceaseless
temptations that confront us.
We can be assured that our Loving and Benevolent God will
be Merciful - if our intentions are pure!
Nevertheless, those who willingly commit sin - thinking that
they can Repent them later - may not find the same
Divine Deliverance!
Merely by thinking of putting off our RepentanceConfession and/or the partaking of Holy Eucharist
surely implies that we are comfortable with our
innumerable, deadly and ceaseless sins with our

wicked, self-indulgent and ungodly life-style!
This clearly states to all and sundry that we have no need
for Divine Grace, Assistance or Deliverance!!
We are stubborn, willing, self-destructive, disobedient and
rebellious sinners, who have no regard for the Eternal
Consequences of our personal choices!!
A Life of Repentance that is taught by and called for by our
Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, requires constant
attention to all our weaknesses and sins.
A Life in Christ a Life of Repentance and humble
Obedience to God - grants us all His Divine Blessings,
Love, Mercy and Goodness, which guides us towards
Eternal Salvation.
ELDER PAISIOS OF MOUNT ATHOS - SPIRITUAL COUNSELS III: SPIRITUAL STRUGGLES
THE DIFFICULT TASK OF TRUE THEOLOGY FATHER STEPHEN FREEMAN: GLORY TO GOD FOR ALL THINGS
Nothing is as difficult as True Theology.
Simply saying something correct is beside the point.
Correctness does not rise to the level of Theology.
Theology, rightly done, is a Path towards Union with God.
Theology is absolutely more than an academic exercise.
Theology is not the recitation of correct facts.
Theology is the apprehension and statement of Beauty.
It is this aspect of Liturgical Life that makes it truly
Theological.
It is also the failure of most contemporary Christian
worship efforts. Gimmicks, emotional manipulation and
a musical culture that barely rises above kitsch reveal
nothing of God and embarrassingly much about us.
This is equally a failure of Theological argumentation in
most quarters.
Authoritative sources - managed like so many hands of
trump cards - are deftly played in order to dominate
and destroy.
But words have a Divine origin, having preceded all of
Creation. They have a right Relationship with every
created thing.
Just as in the beginning, every Word brought something
into existence, so every word, in right Relationship,
reveals Creation to be what it truly is, and in so doing,
makes God known, even present.
Theology looks for the words, in the right Relationship, in
the right order, at the right time.
Written, spoken, sung, carved, inscribed, printed or lighting
a digital screen, they share and commune the
Relationship, in the right order, at the right time to the
right one.
Sometimes a single word suffices.
But every word has its own meaning, or expresses and
carries the Reality of a thing-in-relation.
All of Creation is the Words God spoke and speaks and
waits in expectation to be heard.
And this is the task of Theology: to hear the Words God
speaks and to write them down.
There were also other Words spoken not in the beginning
but soon: Has God indeed said, You shall not eat of
every Tree of the Garden?
These are counter-words, non-words. Words that abuse:
God; said; you; eat; Tree; Garden.
The right words, in the wrong order, to the wrong person,
at the wrong time.
A death of Theology, or a Theology of death.
I break here for a more prosaic set of thoughts.
Writing Theology, in whatever manner, must always strive

towards repeating the Words of God.
There are many things that use God-Words.
Sometimes they can even be the words of the Creed or
Councils or Beloved Fathers. They can give Life or they
breed Death. They can lift up or crush.
I frequently encounter a form of Spiritual Abuse: the use of
true words to do untrue things.
Words never stand by themselves.
You cannot simply place them before someone and
proclaim: The text says!
That a statement is true can also be used to pretend that
its every use is justified that truth de-weaponizes
any statement.
Tragically, the very Truth of a statement can give it the
power that makes its use as a weapon so devastating.
The reality is that truth wielded in such a fashion ceases
to be the Truth.
When Christians appropriately observe that ...Truth is a
Person... they should recognize that this extends far
beyond the recognition that Christ Himself is the Truth.
We should recognize that mere factual truth is insufficient.
It is relational (a fundamental reality of what it means to be
Person). It must be the right thing in the right way at
the right time, etc.
In short, this is the Union of Truth and Love. For the Christ
Who is the Truth, is also the God Who is Love, and they
cannot be separated.
The Truth that is Love is the content of another word:
Good.
Thus when St Paul stated that ...all things work together
for Good... he was describing the Apokatastasis - Gods
unfolding Salvation of the whole of Creation. (ACTS 3:21),
That unfolding is a movement towards Truth in Love.
All created things are becoming more fully what they are
meant to be in Relationship with God and all things
around them.
This movement is Good.
Theology, at its most profound level, participates in this
same movement.
Theology reveals - through the shared word - the Good
Work of God.
In doing this, Theology invites the one who understands to
participate - through self-offering and acceptance - in
the Life and Work of the Good God.
And that is True Beauty.
http://blogs.ancientfaith.com/glory2godforallthings/2015/05/19/the-difficulttask-of-true-theology/
NIKITAS STITHATOS
When you approach the mid-point of the initial stage of the

Spiritual Path you will experience the first form of
Dispassion, and through it the strain of your exertions
against the spirit of self-indulgence will be eased.
Your eyes opened, you will begin to perceive the inner
nature of things, and will now take up the Weapons of
Faith against the spirit of perfidious avarice.
You will exalt your intellect through Meditation on things
Divine and quicken your thought with the inner
essences of the created world, elucidating their true
nature.
In Faith you will lead your soul from what is visible to the
Heights of the invisible, assured that God, Who brings
ST MAXIMOS
Do not listen gleefully to gossip at your neighbours

expense nor chatter to a person who likes finding
18.
OF
all things from non-existence into existence, provides

for all that He has created.
In this way your whole aspiration will be directed towards
Life in God.
If you do not enter the Way of Renunciation in the right
spirit - if, that is to say, from the start you refuse to
accept a Teacher and Guide but, regarding yourself as
an adept, rely on your own judgment - you will make a
mockery of the Religious Life and in turn will be
mocked by what happens to you.
THE
CONFESSOR
fault. Otherwise you will fall away from Divine Love

and find yourself cut off from Eternal Life.
OF THE

Virgin, together with all the Saints. And let us commit ourselves and one another and our whole Life to Christ
our God. Amen.
15 July 2015
St Julitta & St Kyriakos of Iconium & Tarsos
Also the Feast of St Vladimir/Basil Enlightener of Russia & Equal to the Apostles St Abudimos of
the Isle of Tenedos
FESTAL APOLYTIKION ST JULITTA & ST KYRIAKOS TONE 4
Logiki Hristou Amnas, Ioulitta, Sin trieti Amno aftis to

Kyriko, dikastikou pro Vimatos paestisan, evtharsos
kirittontes, tin Hristonimon klisin, oudolos eptoithisan
apilas ton tyrannon, ke Stefifori nin en Ouranis,
Angalionte Hristo Paristameni.
The
Rational Ewe-lamb of Christ our God, Julitta, with

Holy Kyriakos, her three year old offspring, stood at
the Judgement Seat and with Authority and great
Boldness, they proclaimed the True Faith of Christians.
In no way were they afraid of the threats of the tyrants;
and now, in Heaven, wearing Precious Crowns, they
both Rejoice in the Presence of Christ our God.
FESTAL KONTAKION ST JULITTA & ST KYRIAKOS -
TONE 4
En agkales ferousa, i Hristomartys, Ioulitta Kyrikon, en to As the Martyr of Christ our God, the Chaste Julitta, in her
stadio mitrikos, agallomeni ekravgaze: Si ton Martyron,
Hriste to Krateoma!
arms bearing Kyriakos, cried out in the stadium with

manful Courage and Boundless Joy: Thou art the
Strength of the Martyrs, O Christ my God!
SEASONAL KONTAKION OUR LADY THEOTOKOS
Prostasia


Thee!
FESTAL PROKEIMENON PSALM 67 TONE 4
God is Marvellous in His Saints!

Bless the Lord in the Congregation!
THE FIRST EPISTLE
OF
ST PAUL
LOVE
THE
TO THE
GREATEST
OF
CORINTHIANS 13 : 11 14 : 5
ALL DIVINE GIFTS
Brethren: when I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child. When I became a man, I put
away childish things. Now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. I now know in part, but then I shall know
just as I also am known.
Now abide Faith, Hope, Love - of these three the greatest is Love. Pursue Love. Desire Spiritual Gifts especially that of
Prophesy. He who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God. However, he who speaks in the spirit, speaks
Mysteries. He who Prophesies to mankind speaks edification and exhortation and comfort. He who speaks in a tongue
edifies himself he who Prophesies edifies the Church.
I wish you all spoke with tongues, but even more, that you Prophesied. He who Prophesies is greater than he who speaks
with tongues, unless indeed, he interprets, that the Church may receive edification.
He urged us to make every effort to retain that Divine
The Wonderful Divine Gifts that are granted to us by
Love.
God the Holy Spirit are mostly temporary and
In order to find Agape we must strain ourselves to the
incomplete [with the exception of Divine, Unconditional,
Perfect and Absolute Love Agape which is essential for our
limit, and never cease our efforts until we ... have
Eternal Life in Gods Heavenly Kingdom of Love. Mp]
hold of It.
Concerning the speaking of tongues:
They are only for this short preparatory period before
Historically, God judged the builders of the Tower of
Eternity while we are still children in this existence
Babel, dividing their unity by confusing their
Spiritually Immature and not yet fully developed
language.
and Perfected Co-Heirs with Christ worthy Citizens
During Pentecost Vespers, we hear the words: ... of old,
of the Heavenly Kingdom.
there was confusion of tongues because of the
True Love - the greatest Divine Gift that is bestowed on
boldness of the tower builders... God condemned
us by our God of Love lasts forever.
the infidels...
Our Loving Relationships will continue into Eternity, for
However, on that Glorious Day of Pentecost at the
our sincere Love for each other will bind us forever.
Descent of the Holy Spirit ... the Vision of Tongues
Throughout this short life-span, the most important
has been Renewed...
Virtue we must strive for is Agape that Perfect Love
In the Holy Church of Christ, according to the New
that is above all human understanding.
Covenant of God, the Gift of Tongues was last on the
Having lost our Likeness to God i.e. Agape - as we
list of Divine Gifts, for it was intended for the initial
were originally created, this short life should be a
Teaching, Preaching and spread of the Holy Gospel
time of concerted Spiritual Struggle towards
of Christ the Divine Truth of God among all
regaining that Agape striving daily to make good
Ethnicities all the Nations of the known world.
Spiritual Progress and gain, step by step the vital
St John Chrysostom concluded that the Speaking of
Virtues that lead us to Divine Love.
Tongues were ... neither altogether useless, nor very
Thus St Paul urges us to desire the Divine Gifts of the
profitable!
Holy Spirit, but to pursue - to always strive for - the
Love of God.
Today, we are able to communicate in languages that
St John Chrysostom noted the difference, and he
are mutually understood, so the Gift of Tongues is no
longer necessary.
exhorted us to ...chase Love...
ST JULITTA & ST KYRIAKOS
OF
ICONIUM & TARSOS
15 JULY 2015
19
(We must question and be cautious of those who claim to speak

in tongues for unless it is a specific language essential to the
Teaching, Preaching and spreading of the Holy Gospel and
Divine Truth, it might even be a mockery of the Holy Spirit!
MP)
unbelievers repelling them instead and

suggesting that those Christians are insane or
possessed by evil spirits!
The Fruits or results of our Labours speak for themselves
and should eventually prove their worth for
whatever occurs by Divine Grace is always for the
good of everyone not merely a few unique souls!
The Spiritual Gifts of the Holy Spirit are for all mankind
both Christians and non-Christians.
However, these days, the speaking in tongues does not
edify most of us, and usually fails to convert
TO
ST MATTHEW 17: 24- 18:4
PAYING TAXES & CHILD LIKE FAITH
At that time, those who received the Temple Tax went to Peter and said: Does your Teacher not pay the Temple Tax? He
said: Yes.And when he had entered the house, Jesus anticipated him, saying: What do you think, Simon? From whom
do the Kings of the Earth take customs or taxes from their sons or from strangers? Peter said to Him: From
strangers. Jesus said to him: Then the sons are free. Nevertheless, lest we offend them, go to the sea, cast in a
hook and take the fish that comes up first. And when you have opened its mouth, you will find a piece of money.
Take that. Give it to them for Me and you.
At that time, the Disciples went to Jesus, saying: Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven? And Jesus called a little
child to Him, set him in the midst of them, and said: Truly, I say to you: unless you are Converted, and become like
little children, you will by no means enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this little child, is
the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.
Obedience
Temple Tax was an annual head tax on all male
Dependence on Gods Providence
Judeans who were over the age of twelve - with the
Lowliness
exception of Priests - which was for the maintenance
of the Great Temple of Jerusalem. (REFER TO THE BOOK OF
Simplicity
NUMBERS 3:43-51)
To Love and to be Loved
Since our Lord Jesus Christ is the Son of God, He is both
The small child was to become the great Hieromartyr St
the Proprietor and High Priest of the Temple and was
Ignatios of Antioch.
thus exempt from Temple Tax.
It that same young boy, who loved to accompany our
However, He paid it in order to avoid unnecessary
Lord Jesus Christ and His Disciples, who had offered
offence (mi skandalisomen aftous... in order not to
his small packed meal of five small bread rolls and
scandalise them) and thereby also showed how
two sardines when our Saviour instructed His Disciples
totally He identified Himself with mankind.
to feed the 5,000 Families who had spent the entire
His Disciples question : Who is the greatest in the
day with them.
(This multitude numbered
Kingdom of Heaven indicated an ignorant and
approximately 15,000 - 20,000 hungry men, women
selfish interest that was motivated by worldly, human
and children!)
standards.
This was the simple, profound Faith of a child that was
Using a small child as His model of True Discipleship, our
able to achieve great Miracles by the Grace and
Lord Jesus Christ emphasised the Virtues that are
Mercy of Almighty God which is what our Lord tried
essential for our Entrance into the Kingdom of Heaven
to make His Disciples and Apostles understand.
our re-entry into Paradise:
Humility
St Julitta and her young son, St Kyriakos, lived in the city

of Iconium in the Province of Lykaoneia in Asia Minor.
St Julitta was descended from an illustrious Christian
family and was widowed while she was still young.
She had raised her three-year old-son to the best of her
ability, especially in the Faith.
During Emperor Diocletians persecution of Christians, St
Julitta departed from Iconium with her son and two
trustworthy servants, leaving behind her home,
property, and various other servants.
Concealing her noble rank, she first hid at Seleucia, and
then at Tarsos.
In 305 she was recognized, arrested and brought to trial
before the Governor, Alexander.
Strengthened by our Lord, St Julitta fearlessly answered the
Judges questions, and firmly confessed her Faith in
Christ.
Governor Alexander sentenced St Julitta to be stripped
naked and beaten with rods.
Throughout the public humiliation of her torments, she
repeatedly declared: I am a Christian, and will not
offer sacrifice to demons!.
The little boy, St Kyriakos wept uncontrollably as he was
forced to watch his beloved mother being tortured, and
he wanted to go to her.
Governor Alexander tried to make him sit on his lap and be
quiet, but the little child broke free and shouted: Let
me go to my mother! I am a Christian!
ST JOHN CHRYSOSTOM:
OF
ICONIUM & TARSOS
The wicked Governor immediately flung the tiny boy down

from the high tribunal, and then kicked him all the way
down the stone steps.
The head of the Child Martyr struck against the sharp
edges of the steps and mercifully he died instantly.
St Julitta, realising that her battered, bruised and bleeding
son was dead, immediately gave Thanks to God that He
had permitted her beloved child to be Perfected before
her, and to receive the Unfading Crown of Martyrdom.
After many other hideous, cruel tortures St Julitta was
beheaded with a sword thereby also being Perfected
and receiving a Glorious Crown of Holy Martyrdom.
The relics of St Kyriakos and St Julitta were uncovered
during the reign of St Constantine the Great.
A Monastery was built near Constantinople in honour of
these two Holy Martyrs, and a church in honour of their
memory was constructed a short distance from
Jerusalem.
We pray to St Kyriakos and St Julitta for family happiness,
and for sick and ailing children to be restored to full
health.
May their memories be Eternal.
And may they ceaselessly intercede with Christ our God for
the sake of our soul.
http://oca.org/saints/lives/2015/07/15/102040-martyr-julitaulita-of-tarsus
ON BEING MEEK
AND
GENTLE
Every Virtue is a good thing, but most of all Gentleness and Meekness. This shows us men; this makes us to differ from
wild beasts; this makes us worthy to vie with Angels.
Wherefore Christ continually expended many words about this Virtue, bidding us be Meek and Gentle.
Nor does He merely expend words about it, but also teaches it by His Actions; at one time buffeted and bearing it, at
another reproached and plotted against; yet again coming to those who plotted against Him.
For those men who had called Him a demoniac, and a Samaritan and who had often desired to kill Him,
and had cast stones at Him, the same surrounded and asked Him, Art Thou the Christ?
Yet not even in this case did He reject them after so many and so great plots against Him, but answered
them with great Gentleness.
20.
OF
ICONIUM & TARSOS
15 JULY 2015

St Marina (Margarita) the Great Virgin Martyr

of Antioch, Pisidia
17 July 2015
Also the Feast of St Irenarchos of Solovki St Lazaros of Mount Galerios St Nicholas, St

Alexandra, St Alexis, St Olga, St Tatiana, St Anastasia, St Maria, New Imperial Holy Martyrs of
Russia St Leonid of Ustnedumsk
FESTAL APOLYTIKION - FEMALE MARTYRS TONE 4
Amnas Sou Iisou, krazi megali ti foni. Se Nimfie mou

potho, ke Se zitousa athlo, ke sistavroume, ke
sinthptome to Vaptismo Sou. Ke pasho dia Se, os
Vasilefso sin Si, ke thnisko iper Sou, ina ke ziso en Si.
All os thisian amomomn, prosdehou tin meta pothou
tithisan Si. Aftis Presvies, os eleimon, Soson tas psihas
imon.
O my Lord Jesus, Thine Ewe-Lamb, with a loud voice calls

out: Thou, my Groom, do I long for, and suffer all in
search for Thee, and I am crucified and buried with
Thee in Baptism; and I suffer for Thy Sake, in order to
reign with Thee, and give my life to Thee so that I may
live with Thee; but accept as Pure Sacrifice, the one
who desired to give her life for Thee. Through her
Intercessions, O Most Compassionate, Save our souls!
FESTAL APOLYTIKION - ST MARINA/MARGARITA TONE 1
Tou
While
Patros Sou ek vrefous apestrafis ta idola, ke tou

Olivriou tirannou tin oftin katepatisas, othen efhes sou
ton ofin edesmefsas, ke tin kefalin tou drakontos
epirmenin katethlasas, Megalomartis Marina; Presveve
Hristo to Theo Sothine tas psihas imon.
Prostasia
still an infant Thou rejected Thy fathers idols,

and trampled down the pride of the cruel tyrant
Olyvrios; thus through thy Prayers Thou put the
serpent in bondage, and the dragons proud head Thou
completely crushed, O Great Martyr Marina; Intercede
with Christ our God, that our souls may be Saved.
THE

pistos kravgazonton Si: Tahinon is Presvian, ke spefson
Se.

Theotokos who always protects all those who honour
Thee!

THE EPISTLE
OF
ST PAUL
TO THE
OUR ADOPTION AS CO-HEIRS WITH CHRIST THROUGH OUR FAITH AND HOLY BAPTISM
Brethren: before Faith came, we were kept under guard by the Law kept for the Faith that would afterward be revealed.
Therefore, the Law was our Tutor - to bring us to Christ, so that we might be Justified by Faith. After Faith has come,
we are no longer under a Tutor.
You are all sons of God through Faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were Baptised into Christ have put on Christ.
There is neither Jew nor Greek; there is neither slave nor free; there is neither male nor female. You are all one in
Christ Jesus. If you are Christs then you are Abrahams seed, and Heirs according to the Promise.
I say that the Heir as long as he is a child does not differ at all from a slave, although he is master of all, but is under
Guardians and Stewards until the time appointed by the Father. Even so, we when we were children were in bondage
under the elements of the world.
When the fullness of time had come, God sent forth His Son Born of a Woman, Born under the Law - to Redeem those who
were under the Law, that we might receive the Adoption as sons.
or Laws that Guide us towards Eternal Life and Protect
Faith IN Christ is also Faith OF Christ because two Faiths
are cooperating together:
us from falling into a state of permanent Spiritual
1. first and foremost, the Faith OF Christ, and
Death.
2. secondarily, the Faith IN Christ of those who
The Ten Commandments or Mosaic Law prepared the
believe.
Hebrew Nation for the Coming of God.
Although the people of the Old Covenant with God had
With Gods New Covenant, Christ revealed the True
complete Faith in God, they could not participate in
Nature of our Most Merciful, Loving and Benevolent
the Faith of Christ for our Saviour had not yet
God to us and taught us the Way to Eternal Life, which
appeared to them.
the ancient people of God only understood
The Holy Trinity is Omnipresent - Ever-Present there has
instinctively at first and then through the Teachings of
never been a time or place when God the Father, the
the Holy Prophets of God.
Son and the Holy Spirit was not present!
After His Death on the Cross in His human Nature, Christ
The only time we could actually see God was when Christ
in His Divine Nature, smashed open the imprisoning
the Word and Son of God became Man became
Doors of Hades.
Incarnate took on physical matter a human Body.
St John the Forerunner had already preached to the
The Purpose of our Life on Earth has always been a vital
dead both the wicked and the Righteous
Preparatory Period for Eternity.
concerning Repentance and our Lord Jesus Christ.
Because Gods Love of us is Infinite and Absolute, He
The Harrowing of Hades occurred when for that brief,
provided mankind with a set of Ten Commandments
unique moment, sinners could Repent their sins AFTER
ST MARINA (MARGARITA) THE GREAT VIRGIN MARTYR
OF
ANTIOCH
17 JULY 2015
21
DEATH and be set free, to rest in Peace in the reopened Paradise until Judgement Day.
In that Glorious Moment Christ our Saviour, in His Divine
Nature freed all humanity from the enslaving power
of evil.
Those wicked souls or spirits who stubbornly rejected Him
and all His Loving Goodness, remain in Hades where
they suffer the hideous Foretastes of the vileness and
torment of Eternal Alienation from God.
Our Faith in Christ is one of personal Commitment and
Allegiance to Him.
Through our Holy Baptism we have become Adopted
Heirs of God Co-Heirs with Christ to the Eternal
Heavenly Kingdom of God.
Not only have we been Baptised into Christianity into the
Christian Faith, but we have Vested ourselves with
Christ we have Put on Christ we have taken on
our Sacred Mission to become Christ-like to imitate
Christ Himself and thereby regain our lost Likeness to
God.
According to our New Covenant with Almighty God, there

is no distinction between social status, ethnicity or
gender because we are all equal in the Sight of God!
Saving Faith and being Baptised are interwoven we
cannot claim to have one without the other!
For as many of you as were Baptised into Christ have put
on Christ, is our ancient Baptism Hymn that is
chanted during the Procession of the Newly
Regenerated into the Assembly the Holy Church of
Christ.
We share one human nature in Christ.
Therefore, assessing people according to our own
opinion, attitude, value, gender or ethnicity is
forbidden in Christs Holy Church,
If we are genuinely trying to imitate Christ we must do so
without fail: God never discriminates against anyone
so how dare we do so!
Any discrimination, bigotry, intolerance or prejudice will
cause us serious Spiritual Condemnation, which unless we quickly correct ourselves with sincere
Repentance - will affect our Eternity!
We are all one in our human nature and equal in dignity.
THE HOLY GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST MARK 5: 24 34

THE HEALING OF THE BLEEDING WOMAN ON THE WAY TO JAIRUS DYING DAUGHTER
At that time, a great multitude followed our Lord Jesus and thronged Him. And a certain Woman had a flow of blood for
twelve years, and had suffered many things from many Physicians, and had spent all that she had and was no better
but rather grew worse.
When she heard about Jesus, she went behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment. She thought: If only I may
touch His garment, I shall be made well. And immediately the source of her bleeding dried up and she felt in her body
that she was Healed of the affliction.
And Jesus - immediately knowing in Himself that Power had gone out of Him - turned around in the crowd and asked:
Who touched My garment? And His Disciples said to Him: Thou see the multitude thronging Thee and Thou ask
Who touched Me?
And He looked around to see her who had done so. The woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what had happened to
her, went and fell down before Him and told Him the whole Truth. He said to her: Daughter, your Faith has made
you well. Go in Peace, and be Healed of your affliction.
Authority over Life and Death is by the Will of God alone
in Him so that others would learn from her and Glorify
and being of the same Divine Essence as God the
God.
Father, our Lord Jesus Christ possesses that same
Therefore, He loudly enquired Who touched My
Divine Authority.
garment? which astonished His Disciples since the
The Healing of the Bleeding Woman, St Veronica,
large crowd shoved and pushed one another to get
demonstrated our Lord Jesus Power to Cleanse us
closer to Christ and many would have brushed
from our sins and to Heal all our afflictions the
against Him or certainly touched His garments.
spiritual and the physical.
Although on His way to save the daughter of Jairus a
According to the Old Covenant Laws, any type of
Ruler of the Synagogue our Lord Jesus took His time
haemorrhaging caused ceremonial defilement,
to acknowledge the Healed Woman and to teach
which imposed religious and social restrictions upon
both her and all those who witnessed it his Divine
the sufferers because any contact with blood was
Truth:
strictly prohibited and avoided at all costs.
First He granted her Good cheer because of the proof
This wretched suffering woman regarded herself as
and consequences of her sincere Faith.
being unclean and had followed all the
Then He corrected her thinking for she could neither hide
requirements as a social outcast but she had
her actions from Him from God nor was she
reached such a degree of misery and desperation
excluded from Him because of her affliction.
that she risked further shame and humiliation in the
And finally, He revealed her Faith publically so that the
conviction that only Christ could Heal her.
witnesses might follow her good example.
It was a risk that she was willing to take after all what
Our Holy Church Fathers believed that St Veronica
more could she lose? People had already taken
symbolises human nature in general because all
everything she had, but now God would grant her
humanity constantly suffers and is subject to death,
what she really needed!
which was symbolised by her haemorrhaging.
Everything that is touched by God becomes Sanctified
The Physicians who could not heal her symbolise the
Holy and will pass that Sanctification onto the
various religions of the world, as well as the Old
Faithful.
Covenant Law, which are unable to grant Life to
So the instant St Veronica softly touched the Robes of
humanity they cannot Save us
Christ she was Healed and God knew her sincere
Only God can Save or Redeem us!
Faith in Him.
Only through our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, are we
Divine Energy or Power went from Christ to St Veronica
genuinely freed from suffering and bondage to sin!
and He wanted her to openly acknowledge her Faith
THE CONSTANT STRUGGLE BETWEEN SPIRITUAL DARKNESS & LIGHT
We are caught up in a perpetual Struggle between Spiritual

Darkness and Light - between corruption and
incorruption, between Death and Life, and thus between
Hell and Heaven. In such a constant predicament, we
fall and rise, and fall and rise again and again and
again. For this precise Purpose - even though our Lord
Jesus Christ ...presented Himself living... He also
established within His Holy Church the Mystery of
Repentance and Confession so that we can persistently
enjoy the right to assume, to make our own - the Life
of God Life in Christ. (ARCHIMANDRITE EMMILIANOS)
22.
Our Lord greatly Loves the Repenting sinner and mercifully

presses us to His Bosom: Where were you, My Child? I
have waited a long time for you! He Calls us all to
Himself with the Voice of the Gospel, which is heard
throughout the world: Come to Me, My Sheep. I
created you, and I Love you. My Love for you brought
Me to Earth, and I Suffered all things for the sake of
your Salvation, and I want you all to know my Love,
and say, like the Apostles on Mount Tabor: Lord, it is
good for us to be with Thee! (ST SILVANOS THE
ATHONITE)
ST MARINA (MARGARITA) THE GREAT VIRGIN MARTYR
OF
ANTIOCH
17 JULY 2015

All Glory, Honour and Worship to the Father, and to the Son, and to the
Holy Spirit, now and Forever, and unto the Ages of Ages. Amen
Remembering also our Most Holy, Most Pure, Most Blessed and Glorious
Lady, Mary, Theotokos yet Ever Virgin, together with all the Saints. And let
us commit ourselves and one another and our whole Life to Christ our
God. Amen.
Tone (6) Plagal 2
19 July 2015

7th Sunday of St Matthew Light of the World
Also the Feast of Our Holy Church Fathers of the Fourth
Ecumenical Council of Chalcedon in 451 St Makrina, sister of
St Basil the Great St Dios the Abbot of Antioch, Syria St
Seraphim of Sarov, Uncovering of his Holy Relics - St Roman
Olegovich of Ryazan St Paisios of the Kiev Far Caves Monastery St Stephen, King of Serbia & St Militsa, his mother
RESURRECTION APOLYTIKION TONE
Angelike
Dinamis epi to Mnima Sou ke i filassontes

apenekrothisan. Ke istato Maria en to tafo, zitousa to
ahranton Sou Soma. Eskilevsas ton Adin, mi pirasthis ip
aftou. Ipintisas ti Partheno, Doroumenos tin Zoin. O
Anastas ek to nekron, Kyrie, Doxa Si.
THE
Prostasia
The
Angelic Powers were in Thy Tomb, and the guards

became as dead men, and Mary stood by the Tomb
seeking Thy Most Pure Body. Thou led captive Hades,
yet were not tempted thereby: Thou Who art the
Bestower of Life came to meet the Woman. Glory to
Thee, O Lord, Who Rose again from the dead!

pistos kravgazonton Si: Tahinon is Presvian, ke spefson
Se.

Theotokos who always protects all those who honour
Thee!
RESURRECTION GOSPEL7: JOHN 20 : 1- 10

ST PETER & ST JOHN WITNESS
EMPTY TOMB
THE
OF OUR
RESURRECTED LORD
PROKEIMENON PSALM 31 TONE (8) PLAGAL 4
Be glad in the Lord, and Rejoice, all you Righteous!

Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven!
ST PAULS EPISTLE
TO
ST TITOS 3 : 8-15
MAINTAIN GOOD WORKS
To Titos: a True Son in our common Faith: This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that
those who have believed in God, should be careful to maintain Good Works. These things are good and profitable to
men.
Avoid foolish disputes, genealogies, contentions, and strivings about the Law. They are unprofitable and useless. Reject a
divisive man after the first and second admonition, knowing that such a person is warped and sinning, being selfcondemned.
When I send Artemas to you, or Tychikos, be diligent to come to me at Nicropolis. I have decided to spend the winter
there. Send Zenas the Lawyer and Apollos on their Journey with haste, that they may lack nothing.
Let our people also learn to maintain Good Works - to meet urgent needs - that they may not be unfruitful.
All who are with me greet you. Greet those who Love us in the Faith. Grace be with you all. Amen.
God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are in no way
When we pray although we may address one of the
confused here for St Paul had in mind one Person or
Holy Trinity in Person, it always includes the other two
Another. The Son, for example, cannot be the Holy
Persons of the Holy Trinity because everything is in
Spirit.
Perfect Harmony and Unity of the Holy Trinity:
The Spirit is specifically the Holy Spirit not an
by the Will of the Father,
impersonal Force although elsewhere in the New
through the Teachings and Revelations of the
Testament the term spirit occasionally refers to
Son and
the soul, a realm or a manner of existence.
by the Life-Giving enabling Power and Energy
In this instance, St Paul described how Almighty God
of the Holy Spirit!
reigns in our world.
The Work of the Holy Spirit grants us True Liberty
It does not describe the Eternal Relationship of the three
True Spiritual Freedom freeing us from the
separate and distinct Persons of the Holy Trinity:
constraints and shackles of Spiritual Darkness and
The Holy Spirit, for example, Proceeds from God the
sin so that we are able to behold God, have open
Father ALONE and not from God the Son.
access to Him at all times, and grow ever closer to
St Paul transformed the Old Covenant understanding
Him, thereby slowly regaining our Lost Spiritual
of one God the Lord God into the New
(Godly) Likeness.
Covenant Teaching of Christs Divine Revelation of
Having been created in Gods Image (and Likeness) we
are able to see His Uncreated Image God Incarnate
the Holy Trinity in one Divine Godhead three
Persons each of Whom is Lord Divine.
our Lord Jesus Christ in two ways:

Through the Sons Deified Humanity (1 CORINTHIANS
Consequently, when we turn to the Lord, we turn to the
13:12 & JAMES 1:23-35)
Father, through the Son and by the Power of the Holy
In the Power of the Holy Spirit.
Spirit.
OF
ST MATTHEW LIGHT
OF THE
WORLD 4TH ECUMENICAL COUNCIL 19 JULY 2015
23
As we grow closer to God and are able to truly behold

Him, we become what we were created by God to be
i.e. We regain our lost Holy Likeness.
God is Infinite there are no limitations to Almighty God,
so there are no limits to growing in His Image and
Likeness and the more we are Transformed into His
Likeness, the more clearly we shall see God!
A divisive person is one who picks and chooses from the
whole - complete and Perfect Truth of God.
DISCIPLES
OF
CHRIST
A sect is a group of people who follow their own ideas

and choices rather than being Obedient and Humble
before God.
They are isolated and independent of Gods Holy
Tradition and such incomplete or erroneous beliefs
result in immoral behaviour and a self-imposed
Spiritual Death and Alienation from Almighty God
Who never forces Himself on anyone waiting ever so
patiently for their return to His Divine Light through
sincere Repentance.
TO
ARE THE
ST MATTHEW 5: 14 - 19
LIGHT
OF THE WORLD
At that time, our Lord Jesus said to His Disciples: ...You are the Light of the world. A city that is set upon a hill cannot
be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are
in the house. Let your Light so shine before mankind, so that they may see your Good Works and Glorify your
Father in Heaven.
Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to Fulfil.
Truly, I say to you: until Heaven and Earth pass away, not one jot, nor one tittle, will pass from the Law until it is
fulfilled. Whoever, therefore, breaks one of the least of these Commandments, and teaches other so, shall be called
least in the Kingdom of Heaven. Whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the Kingdom of
Heaven.
Almighty God is the True and Uncreated Light.
Messiah, but after his Holy Martyrdom, he also
In the Old Testament, Light was symbolic of Almighty God,
prepared those who were imprisoned in Hades.
His Divine Law and Israel in contrast to all other
[After Christs Death and His own descent into Hades, our
Nations.
Lord Jesus set the Righteous souls free to Repose in
ISAIAH 60: 1 3 Shine, shine, O Jerusalem, for your
Paradise until the Final Judgement. This is known as
Light has come, and the Glory of the Lord has
The Harrowing of Hades.]
risen upon you. Behold: darkness and gloom
Although our Most Merciful God has offered His Divine
shall cover the earth upon the Nations, but the
Light to every human being, the fallen world and
Lord will shine on you and His Glory shall be
even many of His chosen people refuse to receive Him.
seen upon you. Kings shall come to your Light,
Thus they can neither know nor recognise Him. Those
and the Gentiles to your Brightness...
who accept Christ our Saviour, are granted His Divine
This is the Hymn that we sing during Holy Pascha in the
Light.
Liturgical Services for, as St John of Damascus
After having heard the reading of the Holy Gospel and
expressed it: ... the whole Creation rejoices and
having received the Holy Eucharist in Divine Liturgy,
exults, for Christ is Risen and Hades despoiled.
we sing: We have seen the True Light! We have
PSALM 118:105 - Thy Word is a Lamp to my feet and
received the Heavenly Spirit!
JOHN 8: 12 - Our Lord Jesus said: I Am the Light of
a Light to my paths.
In the New Testament, the Son of God is Light He is
the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in
Uncreated Light of Uncreated Light True God of True
darkness, but have the Light of Life.
God!
Our Lord used these words in the context of the great
JOHN 1: 4 9 ... In Him is Life, and the Life is the
lamps that were lit at the conclusion of the Feast of
Tabernacles in the Outer Court of the Temple in
Light of mankind. And the Light shines in the
darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend
Jerusalem.
It. There was a man sent from God, whose name
Consequently, Christ declares Himself as the Fulfilment
was John. This man came as a Witness, to bear
and the Divine object of all celebrations of Light.
witness of the Light, that all through him
In Holy Scripture, God the Father is Light a Divine
might believe. He was not that Light, but was
Attribute that He bestows upon His Faithful Flock. (JOHN
1:4-9 & 1 JOHN 1:5 MATTHEW 5:14 - PHILIPPIANS 2:15)
sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the
Furthermore, our Lord Jesus Christ confirms His claim by
True Light, which gives Light to everyone coming
performing the Great Miracle of creating eyes for the
into the world...
man who was born without any eyes at all. (JOHN 9 : 1-7
Only God has Life in Himself, thus our Lord Jesus
ESPECIALLY 9:5)
Christ, being God, is the Source of Life, together with
1 JOHN 1 : 5 - ... This is the message that we have
the Father and the Holy Spirit.
heard from Him and declare to you: that God is
The Life was the Light of mankind... St John now
Light and in Him is no darkness at all.
introduces mankind as Sanctified Receivers of the
For St John the Divine and Beloved Theologian and
Divine Light of God, who, by living in Christ, become
Apostle of Christ Light is Divine Energy, which
Children of the Light of God. (JOHN 12:36 EPHESIANS 5:8 1
manifested (revealed) Divine Truth i.e. True Teaching
THESSALONIANS 5:5)
Virtue and Holiness i.e. True Behaviour and Lifestyle
St Moses, our ancient Patriarch, saw the Divine
and Holy Communion with God in His Holy Church
Light in the Mysterious Burning Bush and the
i.e. True Spirituality.
whole Nation of Israel witnessed It at the
The strongest of all Weapons against Spiritual
parting of the Red Sea. (EXODUS 3: 2 & 13 :21)
Darkness and sin is our Love for God, which is a
St Isaiah beheld the Divine Light of God in his
strong, vibrant and Close Relationship with Him.
Heavenly Vision. (ISAIAH 6: 1 5)
Light is necessary for clear vision and for life itself.
The three Apostles of Christ witnessed the Divine
Faith relies on Divine Light and Faithful Believers
Light of God at our Lords Transfiguration on
become Sons of Light, who shine in a darkened
Mount Tabor. (MATTHEW 17 : 1 5)
and perverse world. (JOHN 12:36 - 1 THESSALONIANS 5:5
Darkness refers to Spiritual Darkness or Blindness due to
PHILIPPIANS 2 : 15)
unrepented sin. It is both Spiritual Ignorance and
At Holy Pascha the Divine Liturgy begins with the Priest
Satanic opposition to the Divine Light and Truth of
exiting the Holy Sanctuary and presenting a lit candle
Almighty God.
Those who hate Truth, prefer
into the darkened church - inviting the Congregation
ignorance for themselves and they strive to keep
to Come and receive the Light that is never
others ignorant as well.
overtaken by night! whereupon, one by one, our
Comprehend means both understand and overcome.
candles are lit and the entire church is quickly
Thus Spiritual Darkness can never overpower the
illuminated by the soft, golden light a wonderful
Divine Light and Truth of our Lord Jesus Christ, nor
way of reminding us how Gods Divine Light of Truth
can it understand the Way of Divine Love. (Agape)
and Love spread and Enlightened the entire world
John is a reference to St John the Baptist and Forerunner
forever!
to Christ the last and greatest of all the Old Covenant
Holy Prophets of God, who not only prepared the
Judeans on Earth for the Advent of Christ the True
24.
OF
ST MATTHEW LIGHT
OF THE
Christian Virtues have both a personal and public

function, for it can bring others to Glorify God and to
live in Christ forever.
Our Lord Jesus fulfilled the Law in Himself - in His
Words and in His Actions by performing Gods Will
in all its Fullness, by transgressing none of the
precepts of the Law, by declaring the Perfect
Fulfilment of the Law, which He was about to
deliver to them and by granting Righteousness
the Ultimate Goal of the Law to us.
He also fulfilled the Prophecies of all the Holy Prophets
of God, by being and carrying out everything they
had foretold centuries before.
Our Lord Jesus often used the term Truly or Assuredly
which means confirmed, or so be it Amen as a
solemn affirmation or form of Oath.
His use of this expression at the beginning of certain
Divine Proclamations (rather than at the end) is
unique and authoritative: He declares His Words
affirmed before they are even spoken!
OF
ST MATTHEW YOU
St Innocent, one of the greatest Russian Missionaries who

brought the Holy Gospel to Alaska in the 19th century,
admitted that his main problem in preaching to the
native peoples of Alaska was the terrible witness of his
fellow Russians - the fur traders and explorers.
When St Innocent preached the Good News to the native
Alaskans, they would ask: Arent these other Russian
workers Orthodox Christian? If yes, then why would we
want to be like them? They drink too much, they abuse
and take advantage of us, they are dishonest and
greedy. If that is what it means to be a Christian, then
we are not interested in your teachings!
Only after a long time, during which St Innocent offered a
different example, modelling authentic Christian Love,
Sacrifice, and Service, did the Alaskans finally come to
understand the Beauty and Truth of our Orthodox
Christian faith.
I Am the Light of the world... our Lord Jesus proclaimed,
...whoever believes in Me shall not walk in Darkness
but shall walk in the Light of Life.
We all know this vivid Image of Christ - the Source of Light
Whose Love and Truth shines forth in our world.
Yet in todays Gospel Lesson, Lord Jesus reminds all His
Disciples of another fundamental Truth.
Not only is HE the Light of the world, but Christ tells His
Followers YOU are the Light of the world Let YOUR
Light shine before others, that they may see your
Good Works and Glorify your Father in Heaven.
What an incredible privilege and responsibility we each
have!
Each one of us is a small Light, and God expects us to shine
our Light - His Light - through us, onto the rest of the
world.
When our family and friends, our neighbours and coworkers, and even strangers look at us and observe our
lives, do they see the Light of Christ - a Light of Love
and Compassion, Kindness and Mercy, Truth and Grace?
When the Alaskans looked at the Life of St Innocent, they
saw the Light of Gods Love and Hope, yet when they
looked at the Russian explorers and fur traders, they
saw hypocrisy and Darkness.
Do those who know us see a Light that helps them draw
closer to God and His Love, or do they see Darkness,
which pushes them away from the Path of Truth.
It is a sobering thought to realize that our own, personal
examples may cause others to either draw closer or fall
away from God!
We play a significant Role in the Path others take!
An inspiring illustration of shining Christs Light to others
occurred during the Second World War, when the
Russians began their counter-march against the Nazis.
A young Nazi soldier found himself behind Russian lines.
He was bleeding from a gun-shot wound in one arm.
Bewildered and afraid, he found his way into the home
of a poor Russian peasant.
She welcomed him into her humble home, and offered him
food and rest. He did not understand why she was so
kind, since he was her enemy, but before he departed,
he noticed how she would stand before her Icons of
Christ and the Saints, praying.
OF
A jot iota is the smallest letter in the Greek alphabet

while a tittle is the smallest stroke in certain Hebrew
letters.
Thus, without exception, the entire Law of God is
affirmed as the Sacred Foundation of Christs New
Covenant Teaching.
All is fulfilled is a reference to the Passion and
Resurrection of our Lord and Saviour.
Righteousness according to the Law is a unified
whole.
The observance of all the least Commandments of
God is to observe or keep or obey the whole
Divine Law of God,
while the violation of the least Commandment is
considered by God to be the violation of the
entire Divine Law of God!
It could not be made more definitive or clear to us than
this!!
ST MATTHEW LIGHT
ARE THE
LIGHT
OF THE
WORLD
This soldier recalled years later: I could see God living in

that home, even though I had never known Him before.
Before this, I believed that God didnt exist, but that the
State was my god. And this false god taught me to hate
those who didnt believe as I believed. Although I had
never even seen a Bible in my life, no less read one, from
the Witness of that woman, I came to realize that God
was alive because I saw Him in the Life of that poor
peasant woman.
A short time later, as this same soldier attempted to find
his way back to the German lines, he became lost and
returned to the home of this friendly Russian woman,
only to discover that her home had been burned down
because of what she had done to help an enemy soldier.
Well, the soldier did eventually find his way back to the
German side, but he found his way back as a New Man!
He had seen the Light of God!
After the war, he decided to dedicate his life to serving
Christ and trying to share the Light of our Lord Jesus
with others - all because he witnessed Gods Love and
Mercy through that humble Christian woman!
Let your Light so shine before others that they may see
your Good Works and give Glory to your Father in
Heaven.
Obviously, the Witness of the Saints throughout history has
always shone Gods Light onto the world around us!
One of my favourite quotes from the great Russian thinker,
Dostoyevsky, was when he said: The criminal in your
community may be less guilty for his crime than you, his
Christian neighbour, for you could have been a Light to
the evil doer, yet you were not. For the man remained
beside you in Darkness.
Had you been the kind of example you ought to have been
and allowed your Light to shine on that lost mans Path,
perhaps he might not have stumbled into his crime.
If you had Loved your neighbour as yourself and lavished
upon him some of the care you generously lavish upon
yourself, shared some of the Warmth God has privileged
you to possess, that criminal might have changed in
time.
This thought-provoking statement reminds us of the
Responsibility we have for our neighbour - for the
other - for those who surround us.
How easily we judge and condemn, instead of accepting
part of the responsibility to help those Struggling
against evil.
We human beings are all connected to one another - we are
Brothers and Sisters to one another - and if we truly
possess Divine Love, then we will be deeply concerned
for others!
Read the daily newspapers and see countless examples of
confused, hurting, desperate people who give in to
temptations of violence, aggression, immorality and
other vices.
Are we allowing Gods Divine Light to shine on these
people?
Do we accept part responsibility for their actions?
What are we concretely doing to reach out to such people?
What are we doing to try and change the structures that
lead people into poverty, violence, depression and
despair?
OF THE
25
We read this Gospel Lesson today as we remember the Holy

Fathers of the 4th Ecumenical Council, because the
reading summarizes two central aspects about the Lives
of these Holy Leaders.
First, we hear about the importance of allowing the Good
Works of our Life to shine forth in a dark and sinful
world.
Second, we remember that whatever Good Works we fulfil,
the result should always be only for the Glory of God to lead people back to God!
Let your light shine before others, that they may see
your Good Works and give Glory to your Father in
Heaven!
IS CHRISTIANITY JUST ANOTHER
Orthodox Christianity fulfils the search of all peoples for
meaning in life.
It is based on the Revelation of God and His Truth.
Bishop Augoustinos pointed out that it is the end all of all
religions as human constructions.
We do not follow the creation or teachings of any human
being, but God Himself.
This is the Essence of the Holy Gospel.
Orthodox Christianity is not just another religion!
In the Orthodox View,
Bishop Augoustinos wrote:
Christian Faith is not a religion (except in the
conventional everyday use of the word).
It is the Fulfilment of all religions in their search for Divine
Truth and human meaning as Inspired by Gods Law
written on human hearts.
In this understanding, Gods Gospel in Jesus Christ is the
end of all religions as human constructions, however
good and inevitable they are in their desire to deal with
lifes mysteries and to comprehend the Ways of God (or
the gods) and creatures in a demon-riddled, deathbound world.
Our Faith is not in conflict with reason and nature but is
beyond.
Our Faith is about the Mystery that is beyond all reason and
nature.
Christian Faith and Life, as witnessed in Apostolic Scripture
and the Lives and Teachings of the Saints, belongs to a
New Creation (GALATIANS 6:15 ; 2 CORINTHIANS 6:17).
It does not belong to this age whose ...form is passing
away. (1 CORINTHIANS 7:31).
It is from Above and leads always to what is beyond.
It is not from human beings, and it transcends human
history.
It is not contrary to nature and reason, but surpasses their
limitations.
It discloses the original nature and Purposes of things,
reveals their ultimate destiny, and Illumines human
minds and hearts to the Knowledge of the Truth about
God and all things in Him.
As such, Christian Faith and Life is Gods Gift of Divine
Truth, Light, Wisdom, and Power given to creatures as
completely and perfectly as is now possible within the
conditions of the corrupted cosmos.
LOOKING
FOR
LIGHT
Today, let us go home thinking about what Light we are

radiating from our lives and how we are influencing our
neighbours.
Let us imitate the Saints, past and present, who offered the
bright Light of Gods Love to everyone, and thereby
drew people closer to that Source of Love -God Himself!
Amen.
FATHER LUKE VERONIS, ST CONSTANTINE & ST HELEN GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH
WEBSTER MASSACHUSETTS - USA
http://www.schwebster.org/sermons/2013/shining-the-light-of-christ
RELIGION OF THE WORLD?

To think of the Holy Gospel as no more than one of many
books or many religions destroys the Truth of the
Gospel.
The Holy Gospel is the record of the Revelation of God's
Son Who came to Earth taking on Flesh from a Virgin
whom God prepared and who voluntarily accepted Her
Role.
The Holy Gospel is not a story book or a myth. It is about
the Revelation of God in history.
Father Thomas Hopko wrote: When Christians understand
Christs Gospel to be but one of humankinds many
religions - even the first, best, and greatest - the Gospel
ceases to be what it is.
It becomes but another product of sinful humanity in its
fallen form: good, true, and beautiful in many ways, yet
incomplete and dangerously deceptive.
As such, it is inevitably deformed into an ideological
mythology, or mythological ideology, employed to
promote and defend the merely human and, inevitable,
sinful persons and societies that use it for this deplorable
purpose.
This is so whether this Christian religion is fundamentalist
and sectarian, or whether it is relativistic and inclusive,
seeing itself as no better or worse, and essentially no
different from any other.
Christians are Blessed with the Record of God's Revelation
to His Chosen People.
It has been Revealed - not to compete with other religions but to lead people to Unity with God, to show them the
Way to Paradise.
The Son of God had no political power yet He had all the
Power of the world and more.
Our Lord Jesus Christ lived as a human Being and was able
to show us the Life that is possible if we follow His
Example and Unite our will with His.
The Gospel and the Events recorded in it are unique in
human history. They point us towards the Truth that
underlies all life.
DEACON CHARLES JOINER ST GEORGE GREEK ORTHODOX
CATHEDRAL, GREENVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA, USA
REFERENCE: FOLLOW ME BY BISHOP AUGOUSTINOS OF FLORINA,
GREECE. PP 46-47
http://orthodoxwayoflife.blogspot.com/2015/03
IN THE
DARKNESS
... the Light came into the world, but people preferred Darkness to Light, because their works were evil.
Between Darkness and Light, it is clear that Light is better.
Beyond this, we do not really even know ourselves very
People only prefer Darkness when they have a secret, when
well. When all is revealed, we will be just as surprised at
they have something to hide. We all have secrets. There
how our sins and our Good Works add up.
are things about each one of us that the world does not
When the Light comes, nothing will be hidden anymore.
know.
St John said that people preferred Darkness. He did not say
The question is whether we would welcome the Light that
...some people. We all prefer darkness. None of us
would reveal our works to the world. If our secrets are
have done such good things that we would stand up to
about things we are not proud of, we would rather have
the scrutiny of the Light. We would not mind if more
them stay in Darkness. If our secrets are about things
people knew how good we have been, so long as no one
that we are proud of, we will welcome the Light.
also knew how bad we have been.
For instance, perhaps you have helped someone. Maybe
What we need is Humility. When we have real Humility we
even that person never realized how much work you did
will no longer fear the Light, which is Truth.
to help them. Certainly no one else is aware of how
What is Truth? We are sinners, but God Loves us. Once we
helpful you were. You do not walk around bragging
have real Humility we will not put so much value
about helping people.
on hiding our sins and showing off our good works.
If, however, you have some secret sin that no one but God
When the Light comes, It will show how weak we are, but
knows about, you will not be glad to hear that
we will not be embarrassed.
everything you have done will be revealed to the world.
We will not be thinking about ourselves at all!
Real life is more complicated of course. We all have
HTTPS://THEINNERKINGDOM.WORDPRESS.COM/2012/03/31
secret sins of which we are ashamed. We all have
secret ways in which we were good that we would
be glad to have revealed.
26.
OF
ST MATTHEW LIGHT
OF THE

All Glory, Honour and Worship to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and
Forever, and unto the Ages of Ages. Amen
Remembering also our Most Holy, Most Pure, Most Blessed and Glorious Lady, Mary, Theotokos yet
Ever Virgin, together with all the Saints. And let us commit ourselves and one another and our
whole Life to Christ our God. Amen.
20 July 2015
St Elias/Elijah the Tishbite & Holy Prophet of God
Also the Feast of St Abramios of Galich, Disciple of St Sergios of Radonezh St
Athanasios of Brest-Litovsk, Uncovering of Holy Relics St Ilia Chavchavadze of
Georgia St Maria Skobtsova St Demetrios Klepinine, Hieromartyr St Alexei
Medvedkos, Hieromartyr St Salome of Jerusalem & Kartli, Georgia
FESTAL APOLYTIKION OF ST ELIAS THE TISHBITE & HOLY PROPHET OF GOD TONE 4
efsarkos Angelos, ton Profiton I kripis, O defteros

Prodromos tis parousias Hristou, Ilias O Endoxos,
anothen katapempsas, Elisseo tin Harin, nosous
apodioki, ke leprous katharizi; dio ke tis timosin afton
vrii iamata.
Angelic of body, Pillar of the Prophets and their

Corner Stone, the Forerunner of the Second Coming
of Christ, the Venerable and Glorious Elijah Thou
sent Grace from on High to Elisha to dispel
sicknesses and to purify lepers. Wherefore, he ever
overflows with healing to those who honour him.
FESTAL KONTAKION OF ST ELIAS THE TISHBITE & HOLY PROPHET OF GOD TONE 2
Profita
ke Proopta ton Megalourgion tou Theou, Ilia

Megalinime, O to fthegmati Sou stisas ta idatorrita
nefi, Presveve iper imon, pros ton Monon Filanthropon
Prophet and Foreseer of the Great Works of God, O

Greatly Renowned Elias (Elijah), who by Thy word
held back the clouds of rain, Intercede for us to the
Only Loving One.
SEASONAL KONTAKION - THE EVER BLESSED THEOTOKOS
Prostasia

Piitin ametathete, mi Paridis, amartolon deiseon
fonas, alla profthason os Agathi, is tin voithian imon,
ton Pistos kravgazonton Si: Tahinon is Presvian, ke
spefson is ikesian, i prostatevousa ai, Theotoke, ton
timonton Se.
THE EPISTLE
OF
Protector of the Christians unashamed, Mediator to

the Creator Immovable: despise not, the pleading
aid of all who in Faith cry out to Thee: hasten Thine
Intercession, and present Thy Supplication, O
Theotokos who always protects those who honour
Thee!
ST JAMES 5: 10 - 20
ENCOURAGEMENT TO THE OPPRESSED & HEALING THE WORK OF FAITH
My Brethren, take, as an example of Suffering and Patience the Prophets who spoke in the Name of the Lord. Indeed, we
count them Blessed who endure. You have heard of the Endurance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord that
the Lord is very Compassionate and Merciful.
Above all, my Brethren, do not swear neither by Heaven nor by Earth, or with any other oath. Let your yes be yes, and
your no be no, in case you fall into Judgement.
Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing Psalms. Is anyone among you sick? Let
him call for the Elders of the Church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with Oil in the Name of our Lord. And
the Prayer of Faith will Save the sick, and our Lord will raise him up. If he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.
Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for each other so that you may be Healed.
The effective, Fervent Prayer of a Righteous person avails much. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed
earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. And he prayed again,
and the Heavens gave forth rain, and the Earth produced its fruit.
Brethren, if any among you wanders from the Truth, and someone turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner
from the error of his way will Save a soul from Death and cover a multitude of sins.
The Faithful Holy Prophets who are certainly True Saints
Nor shall you swear by your head, because you
of God are our best Models or Examples of Suffering
cannot make one hair white or black. Let your yes
and Patience whom we should strive to imitate.
be yes, and your no be no, for whatever is more
Consequently, all Faithful Christians Disciples of Christ
than these is from the evil one.
and His New Covenant honour or venerate these Holy
With these Words, Christ our Saviour taught us how to
Prophets as well as all the Holy Saints and Martyrs,
honour our Divine Adoption as Heirs to Gods Eternal
thereby acknowledging them as being Most Blessed
Kingdom and as His Faithful Disciples.
with the Divine Grace of God.
Truth cannot be secured by swearing an Oath by things
A polemic (a strong argument) against a bad custom or
that are not in our possession anyway, but only by
simple Integrity!
habit stemming from bad faith is the common
Furthermore, in this Spiritually Dark and fallen
practice of swearing by God or something that
world of the Last Days, people swear without
signifies God as though swearing proved
any thought or regard for the Truth.
Truthfulness!
All too often, they commit two serious sins by Blaspheming
We may swear an Oath when absolutely necessary but
the Lord our Gods Holy Name attached to a blatant
the solution to the lack of trust is genuine Good Faith
lie!
proof of our personal Integrity and Truthfulness
Known habitual liars oaths are useless and futile
between us and God.
and each time they swear an oath, they
M A T T H E W 5 : 3 3 3 7 : . . . You have heard that it
condemn themselves more and more.
was said to those of old: You shall not swear falsely,
TRUST AND TRUTH ARE INSEPARABLE VIRTUES.
but shall perform your Oaths to the Lord. I say to
Only through our constant preservation and practice of
you: do not swear at all: neither by Heaven , for it is
Trust and Truth will others be able to take us at our
Gods Throne; nor by the Earth, for it is His Footstool;
word.
nor by Jerusalem, for it is the City of the Great king.
ST ELIAS/ELIJAH
THE
TISHBITE & HOLY PROPHET
OF
GOD
20 JULY 2015
27.
The instant that Sacred Trust is broken, we loose

our Integrity, our Authenticity and our
Legitimacy.
Those who habitually lie are more often than not
also habitual thieves due to the fact that they
lack Honesty and Ethics, and they always have
a ready excuse to justify themselves!
Lying and thieving are the noxious vices of Satan
and must be corrected immediately and most
determinedly through personal Discipline
and True Repentance and Confession.
There is no excuse for lying or stealing, which reveals a
Spiritual Darkness and Death from within and make
us murderers of Gods Divine Truth and slaves of the
evil one.
Thus we must be ever Watchful over the state of our
words, thoughts and deeds, ensuring that we quickly
correct our errors and emergent habits.
St James instructed us to seek the Fervent Prayers of the
Church Elders (or Priests) for our Spiritual and
physical Healing.
SALVATION DEALS WITH BOTH BODY AND SOUL OUR VISIBLE
AND INVISIBLE BEING.
Thus Holy Unction serves a double Purpose Healing and
the Forgiveness of sins.
Priests are granted certain Divine Gifts for the Holy
Ministry at their Ordination at the Laying on of
Hands.
1 T I M O T H Y 4 : 1 4 ...do not neglect the Gift that is
in you, which was given to you by Prophecy with the
Laying on of the Hands of the Eldership.
This referred to St Timothys Ordination into the Holy
Priesthood of Christ, which was conferred upon him
by the Holy Apostles of Christ, exactly as it is still done
today by the Bishops.
PRAYERS ARE COMBINED WITH OLIVE OIL, which was not
only the primary medicine of ancient times, but also
symbolised the Presence and Activity of the Holy Spirit
in the Church of Christ.
So it is that THE SINGLE HOLY MYSTERY OF UNCTION EFFECTS A
HEALING FOR OUR COMPLETE BEING physical and
Spiritual
Welfare
and
Healing
through
the
Forgiveness of our sins that enslave and sicken us.
The essential Elements of Holy Unction include
a PRIEST,
the PRAYERS of the Faith that Saves us,
connected to THE WORK OF CHRIST Himself, for our
Lord will raise us all up,
and THE HOLY SPIRIT manifested in the Blessed,
Sanctified Olive Oil,
as well as THE REPENTANCE-CONFESSION of personal
sins prior to the Anointing with Oil the Mystery
of Holy Unction.
This explains why St James wrote: ... If he has committed
sins, he will be forgiven.
In the Orthodox Church HOLY UNCTION IS GRANTED TO

ORTHODOX CHRISTIANS WHO ARE SICK OR AILING - WHETHER IN
DANGER OF DYING OR NOT.
Every year ON HOLY WEDNESDAY OF HOLY WEEK (before Holy
Pascha), ALL FAITHFUL ORTHODOX CHRISTIANS RECEIVE HOLY
UNCTION - HAVING PREPARED THEMSELVES CORRECTLY WITH
PRAYERS, SPIRITUAL SELF-EXAMINATION AND REPENTANCECONFESSION AS WELL AS (OF COURSE) HAVING KEPT THE GREAT
LENTEN FAST.
Although some people allege that confessing our sins to
God before a Priest is not Biblical, the ancient
Christian custom was to confess their sins
trespasses - to one another.
THE SINS OF THE EARLY CHRISTIANS WERE CONFESSED BEFORE THE
ENTIRE CONGREGATION AS AN ACT OF HUMBLE REPENTANCE.
But as the Holy Church grew, non-Christian i.e. the
uninitiated or untaught - visitors who were unfamiliar
with the Sanctity and Trust of Public Confession often
attended the Holy Services.
Consequently, it became more practical and efficient for
REPENTANT SINNERS to CONFESS THEIR SINS IN PRIVATE BEFORE
A PRIEST - WHO REPRESENTS OUR FELLOW HUMANITY AGAINST
WHOM WE CONSTANTLY TRESPASS - AND GOD.
PRIVATE CONFESSION ONLY TO GOD IS CERTAINLY NOT TAUGHT
IN HOLY SCRIPTURE !
By rejecting the Holy Mystery of Confession, we thereby
refuse to acknowledge our sin to the Christian
Community to our fellow sinners.
1 J O H N 1 : 8 1 0 : ...if we say we have no sin, we
deceive ourselves, and the Truth is not in us. If we
confess our sins, He is Faithful and Just to forgive us
our sins and to Cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a
liar, and His Word is not in us!
OUR FAITH IS REVEALED AND PROVED BY OUR ACTIONS OUR
WORDS, OUR THOUGHTS AND OUR DEEDS which must
produce Purity i.e. we must PRACTISE AND LIVE TRUTH,
WHICH VALIDATES OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD living
every moment in Holiness and Righteousness.
OUR FAITH COMPELS US TO SEEK FORGIVENESS and Spiritual
Cleansing for all our sins great and small.
Sin is our fallen, human condition but God has provided
us with a means to improve and correct ourselves
through constant Watchfulness and RepentanceConfession, which is the established basis for Spiritual
Growth towards Righteousness.
So, THROUGH OUR LIFE IN CHRIST WE STRUGGLE DAILY to follow
Him Faithfully - learning to recognise and resist the
onslaught of temptations - even though we will
continue to sin in varying degrees until we draw our
last breath.
SALVATION IN CHRIST IS A CONTINUOUS PROCESS and as long
as we do the best we can to fulfil the Will of God, we
need not fear our Final Judgement as much as those
who rebel and disobey God at every opportunity.

TH
TO ST LUKE
UNBELIEF OF NAZARETH
4 : 22 - 30
At that time, all bore witness and marvelled at the Gracious Words that proceeded out of the Mouth of our Lord Jesus. And
they said: Is this not Josephs Son? And He said to them: You will surely say this Proverb to Me: Physician, heal
Thyself! Whatever we have heard done in Capernaum, do also here in Thy country. He said: Assuredly, I say to
you: no Prophet is accepted in his own country. I tell you truly: many widows were in Israel in the days of Elijah,
when the Heaven was shut up for three years and six months, and there was a great famine throughout all the
land. And to none of them was Elijah sent except to Zarephath, in the region of Sidon, to a woman who was a
widow. And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Elisha the Prophet, and none of them was cleansed except
Naaman the Syrian.
And all those in the Synagogue were filled with wrath when they heard these things. And they rose up and thrust Him out
of the city. And they led Him to the brow of the hill on which their city was built, so that they might throw Him down
over the cliff. Passing through their midst He went His way.
The rejection of our Lord Jesus Christ in His own
The double-sided response of the Judeans with regard
country fulfilled the rejection of the Old Covenant
to our Lord Jesus Christ initially marvelling at His
Prophets of God such as St Elijah and St Elisha, and
profound Wisdom, Knowledge and Truth followed
foreshadowed His rejection by the entire Jewish
by their rejection and contempt to the point of
Nation at His unjust Trial before the Roman
wanting to kill Him - occurs frequently even to this
Governor, Pontios Pilate. (JOHN 19: 14 & 15)
day and until the end of time with those who
encounter Christ and His Divine Truth. (REFER LUKE
Our Lord Jesus accepted His Suffering and Death
11:14-16 & JOHN 9:16)
according to the Divine Will of His Eternal, Heavenly
The Spiritually Blind and Dead refuse to accept Christ
Father but not according to the wicked, misguided
and His Divine Truth, stubbornly preferring the
will of the Judeans.
Darkness and enslavement of ignorance and
On this particular day, however, the Hour of His
disobedience to everything that we were created to
Great Passion had not yet come, so they were
be.
unable to lift a finger to Him. (JOHN 8:20)
28.
ST ELIAS/ELIJAH
THE
TISHBITE & HOLY PROPHET
OF
GOD
20 JULY 2015

St Christina, Great Holy Martyr of Tyre
24 July 2015
Also the Feast of St Athenagoras St Theophilos of Zakythos St Boris/Romanos & St

Gleb/David, Holy Passion Bearers- St Polycarp, Archimandrite of Kiev Far Caves Monasteries
St Hilarion of Tvali, Abbot of Khakhuli Monastery, Georgia Synaxis of Smolensk Saints
FESTAL APOLYTIKION ST CHRISTINA TONE 4
Amnas Sou Iisou, krazi megali ti foni. Se Nimfie mou

potho, ke Se zitousa athlo, ke sistavroume ke
sinthaptome to Vaptismo Sou. Ke pasho dia Se, os
Vasilefso Sin Si, ke thnisko iper Sou, ina ke ziso en Si, all
os thisian amomon, prosdehou tin meta pothou tithisan
Si. Aftis presvies, os eleimon, Soson tas psihas imon.
Lord Jesus, unto Thee Thy Lamb cried with a great

voice: O my Bridegroom, Thee I Love; and seeking
Thee, I now Contest, and with Thy Baptism am
Crucified and Buried. I suffer for Thy Sake, that I may
reign with Thee; for Thy sake I die, that I may Live in
Thee. Accept me offered out of longing to thee as a
Spotless Sacrifice. Lord, Save our soul through her
Intercessions, since Thou art Great in Mercy.
FESTAL KONTAKION ST CHRISTINA -
Fotoidis
peristera egnoristhis, ehousa pterigas hrisas, ke

pros ipsos, ton Ouranon katepafsas Hristina semni.
Othen Sou tin Endoxon, eortin ekteloumen, Pisti
proskinountes Sou, ton lipsanon tin thikin, ex is pigazi
pasan alithos, iama Thion, psihis te ke Somatos.
TONE 4
O Dove of Golden Wings, Thou shone like lightning, and

flew up to the Height of the Heavens, august Christian.
Therefore we all celebrate Thy Glorious Festival, as we
faithfully reverence the worshipful Shrine wherein Thy
Pure Relics art treasured, whence Thou does truly well
forth to all Divine Cures both for body and soul.
SEASONAL KONTAKION - THE EVER BLESSED THEOTOKOS
Prostasia

Piitin ametathete, mi Paridis, amartolon deiseon
fonas, alla profthason os Agathi, is tin voithian imon,
ton Pistos kravgazonton Si: Tahinon is Presvian, ke
spefson is ikesian, i prostatevousa ai, Theotoke, ton
timonton Se.
Protector of the Christians unashamed, Mediator to

the Creator Immovable: despise not, the pleading
aid of all who in Faith cry out to Thee: hasten Thine
Intercession, and present Thy Supplication, O
Theotokos who always protects those who honour
Thee!
PROKEIMENON PSALM 31 TONE (8) PLAGAL 4
Be glad in the Lord, and Rejoice, all you Righteous!

Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven!
THE FIRST EPISTLE
OF
ST PAUL
TO THE
CORINTHIANS 11 : 8 23
Adelphi: man is not from woman, but woman from man. And man was not created for the woman, but woman for the
man. For this reason the woman ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the Angels. Nevertheless,
neither is man independent of woman, nor woman independent of man, in the Lord. As woman came from man, in the
Lord, even so man also comes through woman; but all things are from God.
Judge among yourselves: is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered? Does not even nature itself
teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonour to him? If a woman has long hair, it is a glory to her, for her
hair is given to her for a covering. But if anyone seems to be contentious, we have no such custom, nor do the churches
of God.
Now, in giving these instructions I do not praise you, since you come together not for the better but for the worse.
First of all, when you come together as a Church, I hear that there are divisions among you, and in part I believe it. There
must also be factions among you, that those who are approved may be recognised among you. When you come
together in one place, it is not to eat the Lords Supper. In eating, each one takes his own supper ahead of others; and
one is hungry and another is drunk. Do you not have houses in which to eat and drink? Do you despise the Church of
God and shame those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you in this? I do not praise you! For I
received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you...
the essential Agape the unconditional Divine Love
When the Corinthians gathered together as the Holy
Church of Christ, they revealed the fallen world, not
of God and one another.
The terms received (paralavon) and delivered, refer to
Heaven, for division (schismata) and factions
the Transmission of Holy Tradition the Divine Truth
(heresis) that are contrary to the Church, which is
one and indivisible.
that is passed from one generation to another.
These words were part of the Eucharistic Celebration in
St Paul found only one good thing in that ungodly
the first century of the Holy Church of Christ, as they
disorder of the Corinthian Church, which was Gods
approved Faithful who are shown to be Trustworthy.
remain to this very day.
THE HOLY EUCHARIST IS DONE IN REMEMBRANCE OF OUR LORD
The Agape Meal, held before or after the Lords Supper
JESUS CHRIST.
Holy Eucharist was intended to build and unify the
Community in Christ Jesus.
That Remembrance (Anamnesis) means far more than
It provided the rich opportunity to serve the poor and
thinking back or recalling something it is
destitute, for everyone brought food and shared it
PARTICIPATION!
IN THE HOLY EUCHARIST WE PARTICIPATE IN CHRISTS HUMAN
with each other.
NATURE HIS BODY AND BLOOD.
When the Corinthian Christians gathered together,
The Israelites were permitted to eat meat, but blood was
however, they experienced drunkenness and gluttony
forbidden, because LIFE IS IN BLOOD AND LIFE BELONGS
and certainly not Christ and His Body thereby
TO GOD ALONE.
manifesting self-love and self-indulgence rather than
ST CHRISTINA
THE
GREAT MARTYR
OF
TYRE
24 JULY 2015
29
ACCORDING TO OUR NEW COVENANT WITH ALMIGHTY GOD, AS THE

NEW ISRAEL, WE BREAK OUR FASTS BY FEASTING by eating
and drinking the Life-giving Body and Blood of Christ
in the Holy Mystery of Eucharist in the Divine Liturgy.
We proclaim and Remember our Lords Death and
Resurrection until He Reappears, for WE PRESENTLY
CELEBRATE THE HOLY EUCHARIST IN GODS INVISIBLE PRESENCE

ALTHOUGH IN ABSOLUTE REALITY WE FEAST WITH HIM IN HIS
ETERNAL, HEAVENLY KINGDOM OF LOVE.
THE GOSPEL ACCORDING
TO ST MATTHEW 17:
AFTER THE TRANSFIGURATION CONCERNING LACK OF FAITH
10 18
At that time, His Disciples asked Him, saying: Why do the Scribes say that Elijah must come first? Jesus answered and
said to them: Indeed, Elijah is coming first and will restore all things. I say to you that Elijah has come already.
And they did not know him, but did to him whatever they wished. Likewise the Son of Man is also about to suffer at
their hands.
The Disciples understood that He spoke to them of John the Baptist.
And when they had come to the multitude, a man went to Him, kneeling down to Him and saying: Lord, have Mercy on my
son, for he is an epileptic and suffers severely. He often falls into the fire and often into the water. And I brought him to
Thy Disciples, but they could not Cure him.
Jesus answered and said: O faithless and perverse generations! How long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear
with you? Bring him here to Me. And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it went out of him. And the child was Healed
from that very hour.
SICKNESS WAS OFTEN CONNECTED TO DEMONIC ACTIVITY.
THIS KIND OF DEMONIC POSSESSION REFERRED TO ALL POWERS OF
BY KNEELING DOWN BEFORE OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, THE FATHER OF
DARKNESS, not simply those that cause a particular
THE EPILEPTIC BOY SHOWED HIS SINCERE HUMILITY AND UTTER
illness.
LONGING FOR DELIVERANCE for his beloved son, although HE
THE EXORCISM AND BANISHMENT OF DEMONS REQUIRES ABSOLUTE
LACKED THE CONVICTION AND TRUST OF ABSOLUTE FAITH.
FAITH IN GOD, AND PRAYER AND FASTING.
Although the Disciples (who had remained behind while
WITHOUT THESE THERE IS NO HEALING - no Spiritual Victory in
Christ and His closest three Apostle had gone to Mount
this ceaseless Spiritual Battle against the evil one, that
Tabor) also lacked total Faith in God, OUR LORD JESUS
continues until we draw our last breath.
OUR LORD GOD HIMSELF CLEARLY INSTRUCTED US and,
REBUKED THE FATHER OF THE EPILEPTIC BOY FOR PLACING THE
BLAME ON HIS DISCIPLES WHEN IT WAS HIS OWN GREATER LACK OF
beginning with the Didache (the Teachings of the Holy
Apostles of Christ), our Holy Church Fathers have also
FAITH THAT PREVENTED HIS SONS HEALING.
always taught us that THOSE IN NEED OF HEALING AND THOSE
In effect, OUR LORD DEFENDED HIS DISCIPLES IN THE PRESENCE OF
WHO PERFORM THE HEALING MUST HAVE UNWAVERING FAITH IN
THE GREAT MULTITUDES but LATER, IN PRIVATE, HE REBUKED
GOD, MUST PRAY SINCERELY AND CONSTANTLY, AND FAST
THEM as well, for their own lack of Faith.
STRICTLY AS AND WHEN REQUIRED.
This is a Divine Lesson to us all - we ought to always AVOID
HUMILIATING ANYONE IN FRONT OF OTHERS when there is a
These are OUR GOD-GIVEN AND MOST POWERFUL WEAPONS, which
need for correction, which should be done in private.
ARE TO BE USED CEASELESSLY, AGAINST EVERYTHING THAT IS EVIL,
St John Chrysostom noted that THIS REBUKE WAS DIRECTED AT
- against everything that alienates us from God and all
His Goodness.
THOSE NINE DISCIPLES WHO COULD NOT CAST OUT THE DEMON,
whereas THE THREE PILLARS OF FAITH, ST PETER, ST JAMES
AND ST JOHN WERE EXCLUDED, having been with Christ on
Mount Tabor at His Transfiguration.
ST CHRISTINA,
THE
GREAT HOLY MARTYR
St Christina lived during the third century. She was born

into a rich family, and her father was Governor of Tyre.
By the age of 11 she was an exceptional beauty, and many
suitors wanted to marry her.
However, her father envisioned his daughter as a pagan
priestess.
In order to prepare her for becoming a priestess he placed
her in a special dwelling place where he had set up
many gold and silver idols, and had instructed her to
burn incense before them as sacred offerings.
Two servants attended the young girl and they were
expected to report her every move to her father.
In her solitude, St Christina began to wonder who had
created this beautiful world. From her high window she
was delighted and awed by the magnificent sight of the
stars at night and the colours of the countryside as far
as she could see during the day.
She constantly thought about the Great Creator of all the
world and she was convinced
that the voiceless,
inanimate gold and silver idols could never be able to
create anything at all, since they themselves were
sculpted by mere human hands.
She began to pray to the One Living and Life-giving God
with tears, entreating Him to reveal Himself to her.
The more she prayed the more her soul blazed with Love
for the Unknown God, and she intensified her Prayers
all the more, and combined them with Fasting.
One day St Christina was Visited by an Angel of God, who
instructed her in the True Faith of Christ, the Lord and
Saviour of the world. He called her a Bride of Christ
and told her about her future suffering.
St Christina smashed all the idols and threw them out the
window, and on one of his brief visits, Urbanos asked
her why all the idols had disappeared.
St Christina remained silent, but, having summoned the
servants, Urbanos heard what she had done, and in a
rage, he began to beat her.
St Christina confessed her unwavering Faith in the One
True, Living God, and that she herself had destroyed
the lifeless, useless idols, whereupon all her servants
30.
ST CHRISTINA
THE
OF
TYRE
were executed and she was brutally beaten and

imprisoned.
St Christinas mother tearfully implored her to renounce
Christ and to return to her ancestral beliefs, but St
Christina remained unyielding.
At her trial Urbanos urged her to seek forgiveness and to
offer worship to the gods. Instead, she steadfastly
loudly confessed her Faith in Christ in the Only Living
Almighty God!
The torturers tied her to a huge iron wheel, beneath which
they lit a fire. Her young body was rotated so that she
was severely burnt on all sides. After many excruciating
hours, St Christina was flung into a dungeon.
An Angel of God appeared during the night to Heal her
body and to strengthen and nourish her with food and
drink.
When Urbanos saw that she remained unharmed, he issued
orders to have her weighted with a heavy stone and
thrown into the sea to drown.
Once again, an Angel sustained St Christian as the stone
pulled her down, miraculously pulling her free of the
weight and out of the water.
St Christina appeared before her terrified father who
attributed her survival to sorcery and he was
determined to execute her in the morning but that night
he suddenly died and another Governor, Dion, replaced
him.
He commanded her to renounce Christ, but seeing her
unyielding Faith, he ordered more cruel tortures and a
lengthy period of imprisonment.
People flocked to St Christina who converted about 300 of
them to the True Faith in Christ.
A new Governor, Julian, resumed the hideous martyrdom of
St Christina who endured being locked into a red-hot
furnace, but who by Divine Grace, remained alive and
unharmed a Great Divine Miracle that caused
many to believe in Christ our Lord and Saviour.
Finally, out of patience and afraid of her influence,
the executioners unwittingly Perfected St Christina
by sword.
GREAT MARTYR
OF
TYRE
24 JULY 2015

25 July 2015
Dormition of St Anna
The Righteous Mother of our Lady Theotokos, Ever Virgin Mary
Also the Feast of St Olympias (Olympiada) the Deaconess of Constantinople St Eupraxia,

Virgin Martyr of Tabenna St Makarios, Abbot of Zheltovod & Unzha 165 Holy Fathers of the
Fifth Ecumenical Council
FESTAL APOLYTIKION DORMITION
OF
ST ANNA TONE 4
Zoin tin kiisasan, ekioforisas, Aganin theomitora, theofron Thou carried the very one who carried Life in Her Womb:
Anna; dio pros lixin Ouranion, entha efrenomenon,
katikia en doxi, herousa nin metestis, tis timosi se patho,
ptesmaton etoumeni ilasmon, aimakariste.
the Pure Mother of God, O God-minded Anna; thus to

a Heavenly Finish, where those who rejoice have their
Dwelling in Glory, with Joy Thou has been Translated,
seeking Forgiveness of errors, for those who eagerly
honour Thee, O Ever Blessed One.
FESTAL KONTAKION HOLY FOREFATHERS -
Progonon
TONE
The
Hristou, tin mnimin eortasomen, tin touton

Pistos, etoumeni voithian, tou risthine apantas, apo psis
thlipseos tous krazontas: O Theos genou meth imon, O
toutous doxasas os indokisas.
memory of Christs Forefathers let us celebrate, by

asking in Faith, for their assistance and their help, to
Deliver from every distress, all those who cry out: O
God be with us Who Glorified them as it pleased Thee

THE EPISTLE
TH
OF
ST PAUL
IFFERENCE
TO THE
BETWEEN
GALATIANS 4 : 22 27
SLA
VERY
AND
SONSHIP
Brethren: It is written that Abraham had two sons: the one by a Bondwoman and the other by a Freewoman. But he who
was of the Bondwoman was born according to the flesh - he of the Freewoman through Promise, which things are
symbolic. These are the two Covenants: the one from Mount Sinai, which gives birth to bondage, which is Hagar for
this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and corresponds to Jerusalem, which now is - in bondage with her children. The
Jerusalem Above is free, which is the Mother of us all.
It is written: Rejoice, O Barren, you who do not bear! Break forth and shout, you who are not in labour! For the desolate
has many more Children than she who has a husband.
By stating that Abrahams two sons and related events
According to St John Chrysostom, Isaac ... was the
are symbolic (allegoreo), St Paul did not imply that
issue of bodies that were dead, and of a womb
they were not historical.
that was dead. His conception was not by the
Rather, St Paul asserts that Old Covenant history
flesh, nor his birth by the seed, for the womb was
announced something far greater than itself.
dead both through age and barrenness
Hagar the Bondwoman and Mount Sinai symbolise
(infertility).
earthly Jerusalem, and the Judeans under the
But the Word of God fashioned him... He who was not
Law.
according to the flesh was more honourable than
Sarah, the Freewoman,
symbolises the Heavenly
he who was born after the flesh
Jerusalem i.e. the Church.
Therefore, let it not disturb you that you were not born
The desolute are those in Church, especially the
after the flesh. For from the very reason that you
Gentiles.
are not so born, are you most of all Abrahams
She who has a husband, is Israel.
kindred.
Furthermore, Sarah is a Type of Mary our Lady
Theotokos (Mother of God) for Sarahs son was
born through Divine Promise.
TO
ST LUKE 8 : 16 21
TAKE CARE OF HOW WE HEAR GODS DIVINE & PERFECT TRUTH
At that time, our Lord Jesus Christ said: ...No one, when he has lit a lamp, covers it with a vessel or puts it under a bed,
but sets it on a lampstand so that those who enter may see the light. For nothing is secret that will not be revealed,
nor anything hidden that will not be known and come to light. Take heed how you hear. For whoever has, to him
more will be given; and whoever does not have, even what he seems to have will be taken from him.
His Mother and Brothers went to Him, but could not approach Him because of the crowd. And He was told by some who
said: Thy Mother and Thy Brothers are standing outside, wanting to see Thee. He answered and said to them: My
Mother and My Brothers are these who hear the Word of God and do It.
EVERYONE SO THEY MUST BE GENUINE, SHINING ROLE
This is another Teaching of our Lord and Saviour Who
addressed these words to His Faithful Disciples,
MODELS.
urging them to FOLLOW A STRICT WAY OF LIFE and
Furthermore, when Teachers and devout Disciples are
teaching them to BE SERIOUS STRUGGLERS IN VIRTUE
examined by others some who genuinely seek
because they would be closely observed and
Gods Truth but some who seek a reason for
persecution of Christs Faithful nothing will be
imitated by so many others.
Our Lord warns us most seriously that ALL THOSE WHO
hidden because GODS TRUTH does not need to be
TEACH AND PREACH HIS DIVINE TRUTH ARE SEEN AND HEARD BY
hidden in darkness for It SHINES FORTH LIKE HIS DIVINE
LIGHT.
THE DORMITION
OF
ST ANNA, RIGHTEOUS MOTHER
OF OUR
LADY THEOTOKOS
25 JULY 2015
31
GOD IS TRULY THE LIGHT OF THE SPIRITUALLY DARKENED

WORLD AND HIS TRUTH EXPOSES THE LIARS, THE
FRAUDSTERS AND THE DECEIVERS.
We honour God and bring Him Glory and Worship when
His Truth is held up for all to see and hear.
Therefore, as Faithful Disciples of Christ, if we have
diligence and zeal, we will receive much Divine
Grace from God.
But THOSE WHO HAVE NEITHER DILIGENCE NOR ZEAL, by their
own negligence, WILL EXTINGUISH AND LOSE EVEN THAT
DIVINE GRACE that they appeared to have received
from God.
When the Ever Blessed Theotokos and the cousins of
Christ the children of St Joseph the Betrothed and
his late wife, Salome (the sister of St Anna) went to
see our Lord, it was apparent from Christs Words that
He was not in the company of His Relatives
according to the flesh. For He had left them in order
to devote Himself to His Spiritual Teaching.
Nevertheless, His Family had gone to Him and in this
example, we are taught that ANYONE WHO IS ENTRUSTED
WITH SERVING ALMIGHTY GOD MUST ALWAYS PUT GODS
SERVICE BEFORE EVERYTHING ELSE including our beloved
family and friends.
When someone told Christ that His Family had arrived either wanting to listen to His Teaching or to discuss
personal matters with Him, our Lord pointed out that
ST ANNA
THE
HIS FAMILY WAS NOT RESTRICTED TO THE FEW who were

indeed related to Him according to the Flesh.
This should under no circumstances be taken as being
insulting to either His Beloved Mother or to His
Relatives.
Instead our Lord emphasised that fact that HE HAD COME
TO SERVE ALL MANKIND AND TO MAKE EVERYONE MEMBERS OF
HIS DIVINE FAMILY.
This is accomplished by OUR PERSONAL ADOPTION AS
CHILDREN OF GOD AND CO-HEIRS WITH CHRIST AT OUR HOLY
BAPTISM.
Another important point that our Lord made was that by

merely listening to the Words of God will not Save
anyone - and could actually become a
Condemnation of us because ONLY THOSE WHO HEARD
THE DIVINE WORDS AND OBEYED THEM by putting them into
practise in their daily lives, WOULD ATTAIN HIS DIVINE
SALVATION AND ETERNAL LIFE.
READING ALL THE HOLY SCRIPTURES the Teachings and
Commandments of God and all the DivinelyInspired Writings and Teachings of our Holy Church
Fathers - and even endlessly studying Theology - WILL
DO US ABSOLUTELY NO GOOD WHATSOEVER UNLESS WE OBEY
GOD BY PUTTING INTO PRACTISE ALL HIS TEACHINGS
whether directly taught by Christ Himself or by His

Holy Church Fathers and Mothers!
RIGHTEOUS HOLY MOTHER
OF OUR
LADY THEOTOKOS
St Anna, a daughter of Mattham, a Levi Priest, was married

to St Joachim but they remained childless for about 50
years, which saddened them deeply.
They had vowed that should the Lord Bless them with a
child they would dedicate it to Him.
Hoping their Prayers would be answered, they made
innumerable offerings at the Lord's Temple in
Jerusalem - especally on the yearly Feast of the
Dedication (Hanukkah) and at the Feast of Lights.
A certain Priest, however, refused to accept their offerings,
since they were from a childless couple, and St Joachim
was treated scornfully and publicly humiliated.
St Joachim kept in mind St Abraham whom God had
granted a son in his old age, and he withdrew with his
flocks, into the wilderness to pray, while St Anna
returned to their home where she Fasted and prayed
ceaselessly for Divine Mercy.
One day the Archangel, St Gabriel, appeared before St
Joachim and informed him that their Prayers had been
heard, and that St Anna would give birth to a healthy
daughter who was to be named Mary (Miriam in
Hebrew Maria in Greek)
St Gabriel also reminded St Joachim that "...according to
Thy Vow, She shall be dedicated to the Lord from Her
infancy, and She shall be filled with the Holy Spirit,
even from Her mother's womb. Mary shall not eat or
drink anything unclean, nor shall Her conversation or
life be among the crowds of the people, but in the
Temple of the Lord, that it may not be possible to say,
or so much as to suspect, any evil concerning Her."
As St Joachim expressed it in his Inspired Hymn: "Joachim
on the mountain prayed to receive fruit from the
womb of Anna; and the Prayer of the Holy Man was
received."
St Anna, meanwhile, was in her garden under a laurel tree,
weeping sadly and praying fervently: "O God of our
Fathers, Bless me and hear my Prayer, as Thou
opened the womb of Sarah and granted her a son
Isaac..."
"Alas, who begot me? And what womb bore me, that I
should be thus accursed before the Children of Israel,
and that they should reproach and deride me in the
Temple of my God? Woe is me! To what can I be
compared? I am not like the fowls of the heavens,
because even the fowls of the heavens are productive
before Thee, O Lord. Alas! To what can I be
compared? I am not like the beasts of the Earth,
because even the beasts of the Earth are fruitful
before Thee, O Lord! Woe is me! To what can I be
compared? I am not comparable to the waves of the
sea; for these, whether they are calm, or in motion,
with the fishes, which are in them, praise Thee, O
Lord. Alas! To what have I been likened? I am not like
this Earth because even the Earth brings forth its
fruit in season and Blesses Thee, O Lord..."
Then St Gabriel, the Holy Archangel of God appeared to St

Anna, to comfort her by telling her: "I am the Angel
who has presented Thy Prayers and Alms before God;
and now I have been sent to Thee to announce that
Thou shalt bring forth a daughter, who shall be
named Mary, and who shall be Blessed above all
women. She shall be full of the Favour of the Lord,
even from her birth. She shall remain in her father's
house until she is weaned and, thereafter, she shall be
delivered to the Service of the Lord.
She shall serve God, day and night, in Fasting and
Prayers. She shall abstain from every unclean thing
and shall not depart from the Temple until she shall
reach the years of discretion.
She shall never know man, but alone and without
precedent, as an Immaculate and Undefiled Virgin,
without intercourse with man, she shall bring forth a
Son. She, His Handmaiden, shall bring forth the Lord,
both in Grace, and in Name, and in Work, the Saviour
of the world."
St Gabriel told St Anna: "Arise, therefore, and go up to
Jerusalem; and when you arrive at the gate that,
because it is plated with gold, is called 'Golden', there,
for a Sign, you shall meet your husband, for whose
safety you have been anxious.
When, therefore, you find these things accomplished,
believe that all the rest which I have told you shall
also undoubtedly be accomplished".
St Romanos Hymns states: "...the Prayer and groaning of
Joachim and Anna at their barrenness and
childlessness have proved acceptable, and have come
unto the Ears of the Lord; and they have put forth
Fruit that brings Life to the world. The one offered his
Prayer in the Mountain, the other bore her reproach
in the Garden. But with joy the Barren bears the
Theotokos who sustains our Life".
The following day, St Joachim presented his offerings at the
Temple, worshipped the Lord, and, after being reunited
with his beloved wife at the Golden Gate, they joyfully
returned home. A short while later there was great joy
and celebration when it was announced that St Anna
had conceived.
At the age of three, having just been weaned, our Lady
Theotokos the Ever Blessed, All Holy Virgin Mary was
presented at the Temple when St Anna and St Joachim
dedicated Her to the Lord our God, leaving her there as
instructed in order to be brought up with the other
young maidens at the Temple.
For the next seven years, St Anna and St Joachim visited her
often until they reposed first St Joachim and then St
Anna - leaving her an orphan in the care of the Temple
Priests, who watched over Her in utter amazement and
wonder.
32. T H E D O R M I T I O N
OF OUR
OF
ST ANNA, RIGHTEOUS MOTHER
http://www.orthodoxchristian.info/pages/anna.htm
LADY THEOTOKOS
25 JULY 2015

All Glory, Honour and Worship to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
now and Forever, and unto the Ages of Ages. Amen
Mary, Theotokos yet Ever Virgin, together with all the Saints. And let us commit
ourselves and one another and our whole Life to Christ our God. Amen.
Tone (7) Varys/Grave
26 July 2015

8th Sunday of St Matthew Feeding 5000 Families
Also the Feast of St Paraskevi, Great Holy Virgin Martyr of Rome St
Jacob Netsvetos, Enlightener of Alaska St Hermolaos, St Hermippos & St
Hermocrates of Nicomedia St Moses the Hungarian of Kiev Near Caves Monastery St Gerontios of St Anne Skete,
Mount Athos St Savva III of Serbia
RESURRECTION APOLYTIKION TONE
Katelisas to Stavro Sou ton Thanaton.
Ineoxas to listi ton

Paradison. Ton Miroforon ton thrinon metevales ke tis
sis Apostolis kirittin epetaxas, oti
Anestis, Hriste O
Theos, parehon to kosmo to Mega Eleos.
By
Thy Cross Thou destroyed Death;

Thou opened
Paradise to the Thief; Thou changed the funeral wail
of the Myrrh-bearing Women, and Commanded them
to announce to Thine Apostles that Thou had Risen
from the dead, O Christ our God, Who bestows upon
the world Great Mercy.
FESTAL APOLYTIKION - ST PARASKEVE - VIRGIN MARTYR
- TONE 1
Tin spoudin Sou ti klisi katallilon, ergasameni feronime, tin Having
worked with readiness befitting the Call, O One

Named After Readiness, Thou inherited as Dwelling,
the Faith which is Thy namesake, Paraskeve the Great
Victor; Wherefore Thou flowest forth Healings and
Intercede for the souls of all of us
omonimon Sou Pistin, is katikian keklirose, Paraskevi

Athlifore; othen proheis iamata, ke Presvevis iper ton
psihon imon.
Prostasia
THE


Thee!
RESURRECTION GOSPEL 8: JOHN 20:11-18

OUR RISEN LORD JESUS SPEAKS TO ST MARY MAGDALENE
PROKEIMENON PSALM 28 TONE 7
The Lord will give Strength to His People.

Bring unto the Lord, you sons of God, bring unto the Lord Glory and Honour!
THE EPISTLE
OF
ST PAUL
TO THE
OUR ADOPTION AS CO-HEIRS WITH CHRIST THROUGH OUR FAITH AND HOLY BAPTISM
Brethren: before Faith came, we were kept under guard by the Law kept for the Faith that would afterward be revealed.
Therefore, the Law was our Tutor - to bring us to Christ, so that we might be Justified by Faith. After Faith has come,
we are no longer under a Tutor.
You are all sons of God through Faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were Baptised into Christ have put on Christ.
There is neither Jew nor Greek; there is neither slave nor free; there is neither male nor female. You are all one in
Christ Jesus. If you are Christs then you are Abrahams seed, and Heirs according to the Promise.
I say that the Heir as long as he is a child does not differ at all from a slave, although he is master of all, but is under
Guardians and Stewards until the time appointed by the Father. Even so, we when we were children were in bondage
under the elements of the world. When the fullness of time had come, God sent forth His Son Born of a Woman, Born
under the Law - to Redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the Adoption as sons.
Because Gods Love of us is infinite and absolute, He
Faith IN Christ is also Faith OF Christ because TWO FAITHS
provided mankind with a set of TEN COMMANDMENTS OR
ARE COOPERATING together: first and foremost, the faith
of Christ, and secondarily, the Faith in Christ of those
LAWS that GUIDE US TOWARDS ETERNAL LIFE AND PROTECT US
who believe.
FROM FALLING INTO A STATE OF PERMANENT SPIRITUAL DEATH.
Although THE PEOPLE OF THE OLD COVENANT with God had
THE TEN COMMANDMENTS OR MOSAIC LAW prepared the
complete Faith in God, they COULD NOT PARTICIPATE IN
Hebrew Nation for the Coming of God. They STILL APPLY
THE FAITH OF CHRIST FOR OUR SAVIOUR HAD NOT YET APPEARED
TO US, THE NEW ISRAEL THE ADOPTED CHILDREN OF GOD.
TO THEM.
WITH GODS NEW COVENANT, CHRIST REVEALED THE TRUE NATURE
THE HOLY TRINITY IS OMNIPRESENT - ever-present there has
OF OUR MOST MERCIFUL, LOVING AND BENEVOLENT GOD TO
never been a time or place when God the Father, the
US AND TAUGHT US THE WAY TO ETERNAL LIFE, which the
Son and the Holy Spirit was not present!
ancient people of God only understood instinctively at
The only time WE COULD ACTUALLY SEE GOD WAS WHEN CHRIST
first and then through the Teachings of the Holy
the Word and Son of God became Man BECAME
Prophets of God.
INCARNATE took on physical matter a human body.
AT THE HARROWING OF HADES AFTER HIS DEATH ON THE CROSS IN
(St Abraham also saw the Holy Trinity as three identical Men
HIS HUMAN NATURE, CHRIST - IN HIS DIVINE, ALMIGHTY
NATURE - SMASHED OPEN THE IMPRISONING DOORS OF HADES,
Angels, Whom he addressed as Lord as one Being.)
AND FREED ALL HUMANITY FROM THE ENSLAVING POWER OF EVIL
THE PURPOSE OF OUR LIFE ON EARTH HAS ALWAYS BEEN A VITAL
HAVING ALREADY RE-OPENED PARADISE to THE FAITHFUL
PREPARATORY PERIOD FOR ETERNITY.
OF
ST MATTHEW FEEDING
OF THE
5000 FAMILIES
26 JULY 2015
33
where they could REPOSE IN PEACE UNTIL THE GENERAL

RESURRECTION AND OUR FINAL JUDGEMENT.
(The Repentant Thief, St Demas, was the first to enter Paradise since
the banishment of Adam and Eve.)
THOSE WHO STUBBORNLY REJECTED HIM, REMAIN IN HADES where
they suffer the hideous Foretaste of the vileness and
torment of Eternal Alienation from God,
OUR FAITH IN CHRIST IS ONE OF PERSONAL COMMITMENT AND
ALLEGIANCE to Him and through our Holy Baptism
WE HAVE BECOME ADOPTED HEIRS OF GOD CO-HEIRS
WITH CHRIST TO THE ETERNAL HEAVENLY KINGDOM OF
GOD.
Not only have WE BEEN BAPTISED into Christianity into the
Christian Faith, but WE HAVE VESTED OURSELVES WITH
CHRIST WE HAVE PUT ON CHRIST we have taken on
our Sacred Mission TO BECOME CHRIST-LIKE TO IMITATE
CHRIST Himself and thereby REGAIN OUR LOST LIKENESS TO
GOD
According to our New Covenant with Almighty God, THERE
IS NO DISTINCTION BETWEEN SOCIAL STATUS, ETHNICITY OR
GENDER because WE ARE ALL EQUAL IN THE SIGHT OF GOD!
THE HOLY GOSPEL
TH
MIRAC
ULOUS
OF
SAVING FAITH
AND BEING BAPTISED ARE INTERWOVEN we

cannot claim to have one without the other!
For as many of you as were Baptised into Christ have
put on Christ, is our ancient Baptism Hymn that is
chanted during the Procession of the Newly
Regenerated into the assembly the Holy Church of
Christ.
WE SHARE ONE HUMAN NATURE IN CHRIST.
Therefore, assessing people according to our own
opinion, attitude, value, gender or ethnicity is
forbidden in Christs Holy Church,
If we are genuinely trying to imitate Christ we must do so
without fail: He never discriminated against anyone
so how dare we do so!
ANY DISCRIMINATION, BIGOTRY, INTOLERANCE OR PREJUDICE WILL
CAUSE US SERIOUS SPIRITUAL CONDEMNATION, which unless we quickly correct ourselves with sincere
Repentance - will affect our Eternity!
We are all one in nature and equal in dignity.
FEEDING
OF
5000 FAMILIES
At that time, Jesus saw a great multitude, and He was moved with Compassion for them, and He healed their sick.
When it was evening, His Disciples went to Him, saying: This is a deserted place, and the hour is already late. Send the
multitude away, so that they may go into the villages and buy themselves food. Jesus said to them: They do not need
to go away. You give them something to eat! They said to Him: We have here only five loaves and two fish! He
said: Bring them to Me. And He commanded the multitudes to sit down on the grass.
And He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to Heaven, He Blessed and broke and gave the loaves to the
Disciples, and the Disciples gave to the multitudes. And they all ate and were filled, and they took up twelve baskets
full of the fragments that remained. Those who had eaten were about five thousand men besides the women and
children!
And immediately Jesus made His Disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the
multitudes away.
This great Divine Miracle, which was recorded by all four
TO THIS DAY WHEN A CENSUS IS TAKEN or when counting
Holy Evangelists, shows OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST FED A
masses of people ONLY MEN ARE COUNTED and
GREAT MULTITUDE OF HIS PEOPLE (5000 FAMILIES!) JUST AS
then the women and children are estimated relative
HE HAD FED THE WANDERING ISRAELITES FOR 40 YEARS in the
to the number of men. So FOR EVERY MAN THERE ARE AT
wilderness before they entered the Promised Land.
LEAST ANOTHER TWO OR THREE PEOPLE!
(EXODUS 16)
THUS THE MULTITUDE WHO WERE FED WITH THE CHILDS FOOD
Our Holy Church Fathers regard this Divine Event as AN
PARCEL MUST HAVE BEEN CLOSE TO 20 000 SOULS!
IMAGE OF THE HOLY EUCHARIST a concept made clear
A Spiritual Interpretation of our Holy Church Fathers
by St John the Beloved Apostle and Theologian in his
teaches us that:
Holy Gospel. (JOHN 6)

THE FIVE LOAVES INDICATE THE PENTATEUCH the five
ST MATTHEW MENTIONED ANOTHER DIVINE MIRACLE OF 4000
Holy Books of the Law according to the Old Covenant
FAMILIES FED WITH SEVEN LOAVES AND A FEW SMALL FISH.
Genesis to Deuteronomy which are broken open in
While certain modern scholars say that these two
Christ and which feed the Universe.
different accounts are merely one and the same story,

THE TWO FISH" REPRESENT THE HOLY GOSPEL AND THE
the True Witness and Testimony of the Holy Gospel is
EPISTLES OF THE NEW COVENANT the Divinely Inspired
quite clear that they are definitely TWO SEPARATE AND
Teachings of the simple Fishermen of Christ.
DISTINCT ACCOUNTS with Christ Himself referring to

The gathering of the ...TWELVE BASKETS FULL OF THE
both of them separately. (MATTHEW 16: 8 10)
FRAGMENTS... by the Holy Apostles shows that THE
OUR LORD HAS BEEN FREQUENTLY recorded as having been
TEACHINGS THAT WE ARE UNABLE TO GRASP OR UNDERSTAND
...moved by Compassion... by His Evangelists,
ARE NEVERTHELESS PRESERVED CAREFULLY AND REVERENTLY IN
thereby showing us that HIS POWER AND AUTHORITY IS
THE CONSCIOUSNESS OF THE HOLY CHURCH OF CHRIST FOR
EXTENDED TO ALL WHO SUFFER. (MATTHEW 20:34; MARK 1:41& 6:34;
THOSE WHO ARE ABLE TO MAKE GOOD USE OF THEM.
LUKE 7:13)
Once again, our Lord Jesus Christ shows by His own Good
An even more astonishing fact is that THE FIVE LITTLE LOAVES
Example that we NEVER PARTAKE OF ANYTHING UNLESS WE
AND TWO FISH WERE OFFERED TO CHRIST BY ONE OF HIS
HAVE FIRST EXPRESSED OUR SINCERE GRATITUDE TO ALMIGHTY
YOUNGEST DISCIPLES A LITTLE BOY WHOSE MOTHER HAD
GOD for His Great Mercy and infinite Blessings.
PACKED FIVE SMALL ROLLS AND TWO SARDINES for her
THE TERMINOLOGY THAT IS USED POINTS TOWARDS THE LAST SUPPER
son to sustain himself even though ALL THE ADULT
OR THE MYSTICAL SUPPER OF CHRIST, which leads us to a
DISCIPLES HAD BEEN INSTRUCTED NOT TO CARRY ANYTHING
Eucharistic interpretation of this Divine Miracle.
EXTRA WITH THEM so that they would learn to depend on
Just as His Faithful Disciples and Apostles distributed the
the Providence of God.
food amongst the great multitude, so also does OUR
THIS LITTLE BOYS FAITH WAS HELD UP AS AN EXAMPLE TO ALL THE
LORD JESUS CHRIST DISTRIBUTE HIS HOLY EUCHARIST TO HIS
OTHERS THE FAITH OF A CHILD which carried him
FAITHFUL FLOCK THROUGH THE HANDS OF HIS ORDAINED
throughout his life towards his eventual Martyrdom.
BISHOPS (OVERSEERS) AND PRIESTS (PRESBYTERS).
HE WAS ST POLYCARP OF SMYRNA - a faithful Disciple of Christ
since early childhood and later of St John the Divine
Theologian and Apostle.
OF
In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy
Spirit...
" ...You give them something to eat!" our Lord Jesus Christ
told His Disciples in answer to their suggestion: This is
a deserted place, and the hour is already late. Send the
multitude away, so that they may go into the villages
and buy themselves food.
Yet Christ insisted that they were to feed that vast
multitude of 5,000 families!
Understandably, the astonished Disciples protested and
said to Him: We have here only five loaves and two
fish! (A small childs food parcel for the day!)
Let us put ourselves in their position: there was a
tremendous crowd, probably close to 20,000 people
34. 8 T H S U N D A Y A F T E R P E N T E C O S T 8 T H
OF
ST MATTHEW FEEDING 5,000 FAMILIES
for the men alone were 5,000 and they did not count
the women and children who had accompanied them!
With the approach of evening, the places where bread or
food was sold would have been closed, and that huge
crowd of many thousands of people faced a hungry
night in the wilderness.
With them were little children and frail old people as well,
and throughout the preceding hours, while our Saviour
spoke to them and moved amongst them, all their
spiritual and physical needs had been satisfied.
However, He had fallen silent and the people were
beginning to realise how hungry they were.
What would happen next? People would become anxious
and uncomfortable, and the children would begin to
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cry and ask to be fed, and no one would be able to fall

asleep.
They would surely become despondent, disillusioned and
begin to murmur and complain.
They believed our Lord and they had come in search of His
Divine Wisdom, Truth and Healing.
He had promised them that God would grant them
whatever they needed, yet this Divine Promise was not
being fulfilled!
There was nothing for them to eat and satisfy their hunger
pangs and the darkness of night was fast approaching
and they had to still return to their homes.
Yes, we can all understand the serious concerns of His
Faithful Disciples and Apostles.
Their Love and devotion for our Lord had prompted them
to suggest to Him that He quickly dismissed the huge
crowd so that they could seek food and shelter
elsewhere.
Nevertheless, when they mentioned the fact that there were
only five loaves of bread (i.e. small rolls) and two fish
(two sardines) Christ had then commanded the people
to sit down on the grass in family groups, which
numbered 5,000.
When the Apostles had given our Lord the five small loaves
and the two sardines, He looked up to His Heavenly
Father to Whom He prayed, then He Blessed and broke
the loaves, and gave them to His Disciples and Apostles,
who in turn, distributed them among that vast
multitude who were all able to completely satisfy their
hunger and even leave enough over to fill twelve
baskets!
This was a great, unprecedented Divine Miracle!. And this
Miracle is historic!
The Power hidden in the five words of Christ: You give
them something to eat!" many times exceeds both the
physical filling of the crowd of many thousands as well
as the two thousand years, plus, which separate us from
that time.
You give them something to eat!"
This did not only mean physical food. It meant everything
that our Lord Jesus Christ the God-Man - has brought
to Earth: Salvation of the human race, Spiritual Food, all
the Holy Mysteries that He instituted and established,

and His entire Holy Church that is One, Catholic
(Universal) and Apostolic.
However, the Apostles were mortal whereas His Holy
Church is Eternal.
His Holy Apostles needed worthy successors: Deacons,
Priests, Bishops.
In such a way the Holy Church of Christ will exist Eternally
forever throughout the ages and beyond!
The Holy Church of Christ will continue forever to nurture
and to feed all Faithful Believers and She will grant to
all mankind forever, that which no one and nothing on
Earth, or elsewhere, can provide.
With His Divine Words: "You give them something to eat!" "
Christ made His Holy Church Apostolic.
And at that moment, when Christ commanded the people
to sit down on the grass in family groups it was a
great moment of the organization of His Holy Church,
which consists of separate groups Parishes which
all merge into one great and
Holy Catholic and
Apostolic Church.
In this way the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church of
Christ will always continue to exist.
Let us always strive to fulfil everything that is required of
us who are the essential members of our Lords Holy
Body His Holy Church His Holy Bride.
And if for any reason we cannot always abide in Her
physically, then let us always live psychologically and
spiritually within our Orthodox Family in Christ
Himself - to the best of our ability being nurtured and
nourished by Divine, Heavenly Bread that leads us into
Eternal Life.
Only in the Holy, Orthodox Church of Christ are we able to
receive the greatest Holy Mysteries of Christ and
especially the Great Holy Mystery of Eucharist, which is
His Great Banquet - His Precious Life-giving Body and
Blood - that forgives our Repented sins and bestows on
us Life Eternal in His Heavenly Kingdom of Love.
Amen
http://www.holytrinitymission.org/books/english/sermons
_archbishop_andrei.htm
WHAT MAKES THINGS BEAUTIFUL?
When we think of beautiful places we tend to think of a

seaside beach, a mountain peak, a high waterfall, a
beautiful flower, a beautiful home, a beautiful city and
so forth.
But what is beauty?
Our Lord Jesus Christ lived in a beautiful place - the city of
Capernaum on the edge of the Sea of Galilee, a large
lake in Israel through which flows the Jordan River.
Did our Saviour choose this place to live because of this
beauty? Probably not.
He was not like those who admire natural beauty alone and
who almost deify it, for He was attracted more to moral
beauty than natural beauty.
The natural beauty that we enjoy is not so significant when
compared with the beauty of a person worthy of the
name human.
An ancient Philosopher said: "What a beautiful being a
human is when he is human."
Bishop Augustinos of Florina in Greece wrote:
...There are very beautiful homes, mansions, and buildings.
We see them and are awestruck; but what good are they
if they are inhabited by families who, by the misdeeds of
their members and by their quarrelling and feuding,
have turned them into pits of Hell.
Then again, there are huts, contrary to their humble
external appearance, that contain miniature Paradises
insidepoor but Christian families whose members have
the Love of Christ.
There are beautiful cities, delights to the eyes, built
according to all the laws of architectural design, but
what good are they? In today's beautiful cities dwell
human animals more vicious than the ones in the
African jungle.
St John Chrysostom observed that cities are made beautiful
not by their buildings, but by the people living in them.
Are the people superior in thought and sentiment? Do they
Love God and do good for their community? If so, then
the city is a beautiful and good place in which to live.
If, however the city's people are not as God wants them to
beif they live in violation of the Commandments of
OF
moral law, both in private and in public, then the city,

according to St John Chrysostom, cannot be called
beautiful - rather it is a city that provokes God's
Abomination and the disgust of those who think and feel
in a godly way.
Our Lord Jesus resided in Capernaum because it was a
beautiful city in a moral sense.
One would have thought that He would have chosen
Jerusalem - a place with beautiful buildings and the
great Temple, a place where there were people with
political power, men of wealth and great Philosophers,
as the place to launch His New Kingdom.
While Jerusalem was a beautiful city in a physical sense, in
its great buildings there lived people like the wicked
and misguided Ananias, Caiaphas, Herod and Pontius
Pilate.
In the great Temple were corrupt Clergy who offered
sacrifices that turned the Holy Temple into a market
place and a den of thieves!
In Galilee, on the shores of the Lake, were cities that were
quite different. They contained poor, humble, hard
working people who lived by the sweat of their brows.
There were farmers, shepherds and fishermen.
It was these humble and simple people who first heard the
Sermons of the Incarnate Logos.
So what is beauty?
What do you think is beautiful?
If you only think of physical things or places you need to
think deeper.
To you what is ugly may in reality be the greatest of beauty.
What kind of Parish do you have?
Do people like it because of the beautiful building, the
glorious Holy Icons, the melodious voices of the Choir
or the Priest?
A beautiful Parish is one where there is harmony among the
members, where they Struggle together in Love, and
have respect for each other, helping one another
whenever needed.
A beautiful Parish is a Community where God is supreme in
the peoples thoughts. When the Parish Council meets
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35
they first discuss the moral nature of their Community

and how to help it grow to Live more congruently with
the Teachings of Christ.
How about your own family?
Are you known for the beauty of your house and its
possessions, or for the way each member behaves in
relation to others?
Do they radiate the Teachings and Love of Christ in their
actions in their words, thoughts and deeds?
When the family gathers for meals, is there a Common
Prayer of Thanksgiving?
In the evening is there a Collective Prayer giving Thanks to
God and seeking Forgiveness for the mistakes and sins
that were committed that day?
To understand True Beauty, we must think about these
things.
We must consider True Beauty in a moral and Spiritual
Sense instead of in a physical sense.
We can, of course, always appreciate the great wonder and
beauty of God's Creation, but this is only of benefit if it
leads to our Love of Him and our desire to fulfil His
THE SWEET SMOKE
OF
PRAYER
Commandments and Teachings, for only in this Way do

we become beautiful people.
We must always remember that we have been created in the
Image of God. We have Perfect Beauty within us.
Our entire lifespan concerns bringing our created potential
within us to fruition - so that the fullness of our created
potential will shine like a bright light through all our
actions by means of our words, thoughts and deeds.
We live a full Life in Christ of continual Repentance for we
know how imperfect we are, yet we also know the Great
Mercy of our Loving God.
We strive always to better our actions by seeking His Divine
Help, which we do through our Prayers, our Spiritual
Watchfulness and our regular participation
We do this through our prayer, our watchfulness, and our
participation in the sacramental life of the Church. In
this way we find the greatest beauty of all, being
perfected in the image of Christ.
Follow Me by Bishop Augoustinos of Florina, pp 3-9
://ORTHODOXWAYOFLIFE.BLOGSPOT.COM/2014
/07/WHAT-MAKES-THINGS-BEAUTIFUL.HTML
FATHER STEPHEN FREEMAN
HTTP
Let my Prayer arise in Thy Sight as incense, the lifting up of my hands as the Evening Sacrifice. (PSALM 141)
THERE IS VIRTUALLY NO ORTHODOX SERVICE THAT DOES NOT
Israel to engage in outward, Ritual Acts of Obedience
INCLUDE THE BURNING OF INCENSE, with the Priest or
because they were not yet ready for True, Inner,
Deacon making the circuit of the Church swinging the
Spiritual Worship, for THE OLD TESTAMENT ITSELF IS
Censer and offering the sweet-smelling smoke before
REPLETE WITH COMMANDMENTS REGARDING THE SO-CALLED
INNER LIFE.
the Icons.
(READ JOEL 2:13 ISAIAH 61:8 AMOS 5: 21-23)
ORTHODOX CHURCHES ARE PERMEATED WITH THIS SMELL OF
HOLINESS.
Such pronouncements are in no way an abolition of the
Incense, however, is largely foreign to the Protestant
Ritual Commandments of Israel.
They were not bad because they were material but because
Experience - often minimized or absent. There is even
the erroneous idea that it is Old Covenant, and thus
the heart that offered them was bad. THEY WERE WRONG
BECAUSE OF THE HYPOCRISY THAT SURROUNDED THEM.
should have disappeared along with animal sacrifices.
This is a sentiment deeply embedded in the modern mind
The quote in Isaiah lumps music together with burnt
that points to the strange world of the Two-Storey
offerings and grain offerings. Yet the modern critique
of ritual in worship never suggests that singing is a
Universe.
We read: Let my Prayer arise in Thy Sight as incense...
ritual.
Nor is there a valid critique of outward,
material forms of Worship and Prayer in the argument
but what we hear is: Let the incense be like my
from silence.
Prayer
The
New
Testament
never
mentions
offering
In the inverted world of modernity, ideas are considered
incensetherefore we do not use it. Of course THE NEW
spiritually real while actions and rituals are somehow
suspect.
TESTAMENT DOES MENTION THE USE OF INCENSE OFFERED IN
HEAVEN! ... which are the Prayers of the Saints.
If incense is like Prayer, then perhaps it is legitimate, we
reason. And this is precisely how it is often explained.
Again, it does not say that the incense is like the Prayers
Nevertheless, this reasoning inverts Holy Scripture because
of the Saints. It is the material form that takes
THE OFFERING OF INCENSE TO THE LORD IS SPIRITUAL
precedence. (REVELATION 5:8)
REALITY TO THE WRITER OF PSALM 141 - AN OBEDIENCE TO
There is also the Prophecy in Malachi that can only be
THE COMMAND OF GOD AND A FULFILMENT OF H IS DIVINE
fulfilled after the Coming of Christ, but these are all
WILL so it is Prayer that is suspect so much so that
simple historical arguments. (SEE MALACHI 1:11)
HE ASKED FOR HIS PRAYER TO BE ACCEPTED IN THE SAME
Concerning the mistaken notion that outward things,
MANNER AS INCENSE.
material things, are inferior to inward ideas and
attitudes, THE JUDGEMENTS IN THE B OOKS OF JOEL, ISAIAH
Modern ideas that material efforts are subordinate to
mental ones, reveals A SERIOUS FUNDAMENTAL CHANGE IN
AND AMOS ARE NOT JUDGMENTS ON ACTIONS THEMSELVES,
HOW OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD AND H IS TO THE WORLD
BUT ON THE DISCONNECTION BETWEEN OUTWARD ACTION
IS PERCEIVED.
AND INNER THOUGHT OR INTENTION.
During Roman persecutions the most common demand was
The Divine Commandment is to Love the Lord our God with
the offering of incense to a statue of the Emperor - as
all our mind, with all our heart, with all our strength
an act of worship thus FAITHFUL CHRISTIANS CHOSE
and all our soul.
MARTYRDOM INSTEAD, WHEREAS A MODERN CHRISTIAN
HEART IS AN INWARD MATTER STRENGTH IS AN OUTWARD
WOULD ARGUE THAT IT WAS ONLY INCENSE.
MATTER. SOUL IS THE UNION OF THE TWO.
OUR THOUGHTS BETRAY A DEEP DISCONNECTION BETWEEN THE
All of these are necessary to a healthy Spiritual Life in
MATERIAL WORLD AND OUR THOUGHTS. Ideas, with all of
Christ.
their abstract qualities, are seen as reality, while
It is commonplace in the Ascetical Teaching of the Holy
material things are somehow superficial and devoid of
Fathers to note that THE BODY WILL INWARDLY DO WHAT
content.
THE BODY DOES OUTWARDLY. So they direct us to FACE THE
What is significant for us is not matter itself but
EAST WHEN WE PRAY (while offering clear meanings for
the ideas with which we associate it. Thus nothing has
such an action) and to BOW OR KNEEL OR MAKE
any inherent meaning only imputed (attributed)
PROSTRATIONS IN THE SAME MANNER.
meaning and THINGS ARE ONLY VALUABLE AND
Our inward Prayer would be - for example: May the Prayer
IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE THINK THEY ARE, WHICH CREATES
of my heart be like the prostration that I make before
Thee.
AN INNER DISCONNECTION.
We imagine that we live in a material world of inert,
INWARD PRAYER IS AN OFFERING OF HUMILITY, FOR HUMAN
BEINGS ARE INTENDED TO LIVE WITH INTEGRITY.
meaningless objects whose worth, value, and
association with good or evil are completely dependent
Consequently, the PRAYERS OF A HUMBLE HEART THAT IS NOT
MATCHED BY THE ACTIONS OF A HUMBLED BODY, CAN OFTEN
on our thoughts. As such, the entire universe depends
on what we think of it. It is little wonder that we
BE SOMETHING FAR LESS THAN IT SHOULD BE (and vice versa).
stand on the edge of an Existential Abyss! One
And so we do both.
false thought and the universe passes into
Let my prayer arise in Thy Sight as incense; and the
oblivion!
lifting up of my hands as the Evening Sacrifice.
It is entirely false to assume that God instructed
.http://blogs.ancientfaith.com/glory2godforallthings/2014/10/27
36. 8 T H S U N D A Y A F T E R P E N T E C O S T 8 T H
OF
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27July 2015
St Panteleimon
Holy Unmercenary & Great Martyr
Also the Feast of St Nicholas Kochanov, Fool for Christ of Novgorod St Anthousa, Abbess &
90 Venerable Holy Sisters of Mantinea, Asia Minor - St Clement of Ochrid, Equal to the
Apostles & Bishop of Greater Macedonia, together with St Naum, St Savva, St Gorazd and St
Angelar
FESTAL APOLYTIKION ST PANTELEIMON TONE 4
Atholofore
O Holy Champion and Healer, Panteleimon, intercede with
Agie ke iamatike Panteleimon, presveve to

eleimoni Theo, ina ptesmaton afesin, paraskhi tes psihes
imon.
our Merciful God, that He may grant to our souls,

remission of our faults.
FESTAL KONTAKION ST PANTELEIMON -
TONE (5) PLAGAL 1
Mimitis iparhon tou Eleimonos, ke iamaton tin Harin par Imitator Thou were of the Merciful God.
Thou received as
Grace from Him the Art of Medicine. O Medallist and
Martyr of Christ our God, by Thy Prayers Thou cures
the disease of our soul. Drive the scandals of our age
old enemy away from those who unceasingly cry: Save
us O Lord!
aftou komisamenos, Athlofore ke Martys Hristou tou

Theou, tes evhes Sou, tas psihikas imon nosous
therapefson, apelavnon tou ai polemiou ta skandala, ek
ton voonton apafstos. Soson imas Kyrie.
SEASONAL KONTAKION TRANSFIGURATION -
Epi tou Orous Metemorfothis, ke os ehoroun i Mathite
Upon
Sou,
tin Doxan Sou Hriste O Theos etheasanto. Ina otan Se
idosi Stavoumenon, to me Pathos noisosin ekousion to de
kosmo kirixosin oti Si iparhis alithos, tou Patros to
Apavgasma!
the Mount Thou were Transfigured, and Thy

Disciples beheld Thy Glory, as far as they were able
to do, O Christ our God; so that when they would see
Thee Crucified, they would know that Thou Suffered
willingly; and thus proclaim to all the world: Thou
art truly the One Who is the Fathers Radiance!
MATINS GOSPEL ACCORDING

THE MARTYRDOM & PERSECUTION
OF
27 JULY 13 AUGUST
TO
ST LUKE 21: 12 19
CHRISTS FAITHFUL APOSTLES & DISCIPLES
At that time our Lord Jesus said to His Disciples:

... before all these things, men will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the Synagogues and
prisons. You will be brought before Kings and Rulers for My Names sake. It will turn out for you as an occasion
for Testimony. Therefore settle it in your heart not to meditate beforehand on what you will answer. I will give you
a mouth and Wisdom, which all your adversaries will not be able to contradict or resist. You will be betrayed even
by parents and brethren, relatives and friends.
And they will put some of you to death, and you will be hated by all for My Names sake. And not a hair of your head
shall be lost.
By your Patience possess your soul!
THE SECOND EPISTLE
OF
ST PAUL
BEING STRONG
IN
TO
ST TIMOTHY 2 : 1 10
DIVINE GRACE
Timothy, my Son: be strong in the Grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things that you have heard from me among many
witnesses commit these to Faithful men who will be able to teach others also. You therefore must endure hardship as a
Good Soldier of Jesus Christ.
No one engaged in Warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a
soldier. Also if anyone competes in athletics, he is not Crowned unless he competes according to the Rules. The
hardworking Farmer must be first to partake of the crops.
Consider what I say: may the Lord grant you Understanding in all things. Remember that Jesus Christ, of the Seed of
David, was raised from the dead according to my Gospel, for which I suffer trouble as an evildoer, even to the point of
chains. But the Word of God is not chained. Therefore, I endure all things for the sake of the Elect, that they also may
obtain the Salvation, which is in Christ Jesus with Eternal Glory.
STANDING
TO
ST JOHN 15 : 17 16 : 2
FIRMLY IN THE MIDST OF WORLDLY DARKNESS AND SIN
At that time, our Lord Jesus said to His Disciples: ... these things I command you, that you Love one another.
If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love
its own. Because you are not of the world for I chose you out of the world, the world hates you. Remember the
Word that I said to you: A servant is not greater than his Master.
If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My Word, they will keep yours also. But all these thing
they will do to you for My Names sake, because they do not know Him Who sent Me.
If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin. Now they have no excuse for their sin. He who hates
Me also hates My Father. If I had not done the Works among them - which no one else did they would have no sin.
Now they have seen and also hated both Me and My Father. Yet this happened so that the Word might be fulfilled,
which is written in their Law: They hated Me without a cause.
When the Helper comes Whom I shall sent to you from the Father the Spirit of Truth Who proceeds from the Father
He will Testify of Me. And you, too, will bear witness for you have been with Me from the beginning.
These things I have spoken to you, that you should not be made to stumble. They will put you out of the Synagogues.
But the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he serves God.
ST PANTELEIMON
THE
HOLY UNMERCENARY & GREAT MARTYR
27 JULY 2015
37
ST PANTELEIMON
THE
UNMERCENARY GREAT HOLY MARTYR
HIS EMINENCE, ARCHBISHOP PANTELEIMON (LAMPADARIOS)
During the end of the 3rd century St Panteleimon, the Great

Unmercenary Physician and Martyr, was born.
His father, Eustrogios, was not only very rich but was well
known for his zealous pagan worship, whereas his
mother, St Euboule, was a faithful Christian, full of the
Holy Spirit, Love and Kindness.
Her only interest was to guide her only son in the True
Faith and Virtuous Life, whose first name was
Pantoleon, but while he was still very young, she
Reposed and his father encouraged him to worship the
false gods of their ancestors.
He was educated under the guidance of the wise Physician,
Euphrosynos, and soon surpassed his other classmates
in Wisdom and all Virtues. Emperor Maximianos
admired his kind character, and he ordered
Euphrosynos to teach him all the secrets of Medicine,
enabling Pantoleon to become his own personal
Physician.
In Nicomedia, there was an old Christian Priest, Ermolaos,
who foresaw that the young Pantoleon would become a
Vessel of Christ's Grace, glorifying Him throughout his
life.
One day, as Pantoleon was passing by, he called the young
Physician to his house and asked him about his family
and religious beliefs. As noble as he was, Pantoleon,
answered all his questions with politeness.
St Ermolaos told him that the Medicine of which Asclepios,
Hippocrates and Galenos taught was of no value, as
were the gods that were not real, living, powerful gods,
but false, lifeless, powerless and man-made.
He then began to teach Pantoleon about the True Christian
Faith and that Christ is the only True, Almighty and
Living God, Who created Heaven and Earth.
He also reminded him that his mother believed in our Lord
Jesus and emphasised that Christ is our True Physician
of both soul and body, assuring him, that if he believed
in Him, he would cure all illnesses through God's
Healing Grace.
Pantoleon heard and kept all the wise words of St Ermolaos
in his heart, and one day, as he was returning home, on
the side of the road, he found a small boy who had died
after being bitten by a deadly viper.
Pantoleon prayed to Jesus Christ saying: 'If Thou art the
True God, let this boy rise from the dead and let the
viper die, and immediately the boy recovered and the
snake died.
He hastened to St Ermolaos and demanded to be Baptized.
From that day onwards, the young Physician preformed so
many Miracles in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ that
his fame soon travelled throughout the Roman Empire.
From far and wide - Asia Minor, Greece and Rome - people
sought the imperial Physician for Healing from their
variety of ailments for which he refused to accept any
payment, but rather requested them to believe in the
One True and Living God.
Unfortunately, when other Physicians realised that they
were losing their patients to St Panteleimon, they
maliciously denounced him to Emperor Maximianos,
who at first refused to believe their complaints, but was
eventually persuaded to send for St Panteleimon.
When St Panteleimon stood before the Emperor, he quietly
and confidently confessed his Faith in the One Living
and Almighty God , and in order to prove the falsehood
and uselessness of the lifeless man-made gods, St
Panteleimon cured a blind man who was well known by
the entire imperial court, yet Emperor Maximianos
refused to believe.
St Panteleimon was ordered to renounce Christ and offer a
sacrifice to the Roman gods, but when he adamantly
refused, the angry Emperor sentenced him to torture
and execution.
The executioners hanged him up before ripping his body
with iron claws, while burning him with flaming
torches.
When St Panteleimon continued to praise the Lord and
reject paganism, the brutal executioners flung him into
a container of molten lead but by Divine Grace and
Great Mercy he remained unharmed.
A heavy rock was tied to his neck and he was thrown
into the deep sea but instead of sinking to the dark
depths, St Panteleimon floated on the water.
38.
ST PANTELEIMON
THE
THE
KALYMNITE
OF
ANTINOES
He was tied him to a large wheel of sharp blades to be

sliced into pieces, yet again he remained unharmed and
when they cast him into a den of starving lions, the
ravenous wild beasts meekly licked his hands and feet.
The inhabitants of Nicomedia who had witnessed
St
Panteleimons Martyrdom and his Miraculous Protection
from harm, believed in Christ and the One True, Living
and Almighty God, and began to cry out: "Great is the
God of the Christians! He is indeed the One True God! Let
the Righteous One be set free!"
The Emperor realising that there was a threat of a popular
uprising, ordered the beheading of St Panteleimon on
27 July 304.
The executioners dragged St Panteleimon to the outskirts of
Nicomedia where they tied him to an old dry, olive tree
and the Holy Martyr of Christ asked for few moments to
pray.
Our Lord Jesus Christ appeared to him and said: 'From now
on thy name shall be Panteleimon, for in thy name I
shall work Signs and Wonders; and if anyone calls with
Faith upon thy name he shall be cured from any illness.
At the strike of the sword on St Panteleimon's neck, the
sword bent as though it was made out of wax.
Everyone was filled with fear, but St Panteleimon
encouraged them to carry out the Emperor's order, and
thus he was Perfected by sword.
As the Sanctified blood of St Panteleimon soaked the roots
of the dry olive tree, it immediately burst forth with
fresh new branches, leaves and olives.
That miraculous olive tree existed until l945, when the
Turks - after l640 years - cut it down.
This is the Life and the Martyrdom of the Great Holy Martyr
and Unmercenary Physician of Christ, St Panteleimon,
whom our Orthodox Church celebrates today.
Everything he did and lived for was for Christ's Glory.
He never surrendered to worshipping false gods or
teachings. He never placed worldly riches or pleasures
above his Love for Christ.
We, as Orthodox Christians, must recall and strive to
imitate the Lives of these heroes of our Orthodox
Christian Faith, because they are the living proof that
mankind can be Saved in Christ.
We must imitate their Faithfulness to our Lord and Saviour.
We must take their example of Virtuous Life and apply it to
our lifestyle, and thereby become Living Temples of our
True God.
We must testify to the world, which lives in the Darkness of
faithlessness and ignorance of the True Faith in Christ.
We must never forget, that our Orthodox Faith is True and
original, which leads all mankind to Eternal Salvation.
By this All Powerful Faith millions of Holy Martyrs, and
Faithful Disciples of Christ, receive Divine Strength,
Courage and Comfort that overcomes all trials,
persecutions, martyrdom and finally death itself.
Within our Orthodox Church we have the living proof of
millions of Saints, Holy Martyrs and Ascetics, who have
dedicated and offered their lives for Christ's sake.
With great Courage and Confidence in God, they stood
before powerful Kings and Rulers, and testified alike
that our Christian Faith the Divine Truth of Almighty
God - leads mankind to Sanctification and Salvation.
The Saints and Holy Martyrs of our Church are the True
Friends of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, who
proved their Love of Him sacrificed everything for His
Divine Glory, Honour and Worship.
Let us imitate them.
My Beloved Friends, today our Orthodox Church
throughout the world commemorates St Panteleimon's
Feast Day.
Let us on this Great and Holy Feast Day be filled with
zealous and Holy Love of God and let St Panteleimon
become our Guiding Light, to lead us towards our Most
Beloved Lord and Master.
Let his Virtuous Life shine as s bright and perfect example
of our own True Christian Life in Christ, and as we
strive and struggle to fulfil God's Commandments and
Teachings, let us ceaselessly Glorify Christ through our
words, thoughts and deeds, for only in such a manner
do we prove our Love of Him, Who Saved us from
Death and Who carries us to Eternal Life in His
Heavenly Kingdom of Love, Joy and Peace.
HOLY UNMERCENARY & GREAT MARTYR
27 JULY 2015

2015 - July Sacred Lessons

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Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria & All Africa

Archdiocese of Good Hope

St Kosmas & St Damianos, Wonder-Working

Also the Feast of St Potitos of Naples St Peter of Constantinople St Angelina the

FESTAL APOLYTIKION ST KOSMAS & ST DAMIANOS

Anargiri ke Thavmatourgi, episkepsasthe

ROME TONE (8) PLAGAL 4

Unmercenaries and Workers of Miracles, visit upon

FESTAL KONTAKION ST KOSMAS & ST DAMIANOS

tin Harin lavontes ton Iamaton, efaploute tin rosin tis en

ton Hristianon akateskhinte, mesitia pros ton

THE FIRST EPISTLE

obtained the Grace of Healing, grant Health to

EVER BLESSED THEOTOKOS

O Protection of the Christians unashamable, Mediation to

OF ST PAUL TO THE CORINTHIANS 12 : 27

AFTER OUR EXPULSION FROM PARADISE - GOD ALSO GRANTED US

that we lost after having fallen from Divine Grace

AGAPE - THAT HAS THE BEST RESULTS OF ALL OTHER DIVINE

THE HOLY GOSPEL ACCORDING

Thus, how we give, (cheerfully, out of Love and

ST KOSMAS & ST DAMIANOS,

Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria & All Africa

FESTAL APOLYTIKION ST ANDREW

Odige, evsevias Didaskale ke semnotitos, tis

CRETE - TONE (8) PLAGAL 4

model of Faith and the Image of Gentleness, the

FESTAL KONTAKION ST ANDREW

tranos, ta Thia melodimata, Edihthis Foster, to

ton Hristianon akateskhinte, mesitia pros ton

trumpeting forth the Songs of God with clarity,

EVER BLESSED THEOTOKOS

O Protection of the Christians unashamable, Mediation to

THE ADOPTED CHILDREN

THE HOLY GOSPEL ACCORDING

ST MATTHEW LEVI, TAX COLLECTOR

CRETE METROPOLITAN PHILARET (VOZNESENSKHY)

My soul, O my soul, rise up! Why art thou sleeping? The

Our Holy Church Fathers often stated that in Spiritual Life,

CRETE COMPOSER & AUTHOR

The Righteous do really know themselves because they

pluck it out and begin to Heal being restored to our

ABBOT TRYPHON ON SELF-ESTEEM

A healthy self-esteem is centred in our Relationship with

adorned with every Virtue and all Wisdom, but he did

CRETE COMPOSER & AUTHOR

Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria & All Africa

RESURRECTION APOLYTIKION TONE 4

fedron tis Anastaseos Kirigma ek tou Angelou

the Women Disciples of the Lord had learnt from

FESTAL KONTAKION ST ATHANASIOS

en sarki Zoin sou kateplagisan, Angelon tagmata, pos

The Order of Angels were astounded at Thy life in the

Sotir ke Ristis mou, apo tou Tafou, os Theos Anestisen,

Saviour and Deliverer, from the Tomb as God raised

EVER BLESSED THEOTOKOS

ton Hristianon akateskhinte, mesitia pros ton

O Protection of the Christians unashamable, Mediation to

RESURRECTION GOSPEL 5 LUKE 24 : 12 35

THE HOLY SPIRIT & HIS DIVINE FRUITS

The wonderful FRUITS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT ARE VIRTUES OR

THE ONLY VIRTUE WE NEED DURING AND AFTER THIS LIFE IS

As Baptised Christians we are the adopted Children of

ST MATTHEW THE TWO GERGESENE DEMONIACS ST ATHANASIOS