ON THIS DATE: From the Prologue to Ohrid/Ochrid

[尼古拉前执事]

1. THE HOLY APOSTLE SIMEON

Simeon was one of the Seventy Apostles. He was the son of Cleopas who was the brother of Joseph, the betrothed of the All-Holy Mother of God. Seeing the miracles of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, Simeon believed and was numbered among the Seventy Apostles. He preached the Gospel of Christ with great zeal and courage throughout Judea. When the nefarious Jews killed James, the brother of our Lord and first bishop of the Church of Jerusalem, by hurling him from the heights of the Temple and beat him over the head with a hoe, then this Simeon, a cousin of James, was appointed Bishop of Jerusalem. And Simeon, as the second bishop of the Holy City, governed the Church of God with wisdom and strength until a ripe old age. He was over one hundred years old when he suffered. His suffering was in this manner: during the reign of Emperor Trajan, a two-fold persecution began: one in Palestine against the descendants of David and the other persecution against the Christians. The wicked people accused Simeon of being both one and the other (a Jew and a Christian). St. Simeon endured enormous pains and finally was crucified on a cross, as was his Lord, Whom he faithfully served on earth.

1. VENERABLE STEPHEN, THE BISHOP OF VLADIMIR

Stephen was a disciple of St. Theodosius of the Monastery of the Caves in Kiev. For a while, Stephen was abbot of the Monastery of the Caves and labored much in the regulation and organization of the monastic life and in adornment of churches. The devil incited malice among the monks against Stephen and, not only did they remove him as abbot, but banished him from the monastery. God, Who does not abandon the righteous for long under the humiliation of the unrighteous, directed the life of Venerable Stephen so that he was elected as Bishop of Vladimir. As a hierarch of God, Stephen governed the Church until old age and died peacefully in the Lord in the year 1094 A.D.

1. THE BURNING OF THE RELICS OF SAINT SAVA

Sava was the Archbishop of the Serbs. The body of St. Sava was buried in Mileshevo Monastery. During the time of the Turkish tyranny, the Serbian people gathered around the relics of their saint to seek comfort and healing. Fearing that an insurrection might arise from that place against the Turks, Sinan Pasha of Belgrade ordered that the relics of St. Sava be translated to Belgrade and there to be burned on Vracar, April 27, 1594 A.D. With the burning of the relics of this saint, the rabid Pasha did not burn the saint who remained alive before the Throne of God in the heavens and in the hearts of his people on earth.

1. VENERABLE JOHN THE CONFESSOR

John was the Abbott of the Cathar Monastery. This monastery was established near Nicaea during the reign of Justin in the sixth century. Because of his veneration of icons and his defense for the veneration of icons, John suffered much at the hands of the Emperors Leo and Theophilus and died in exile around the year 832 A.D.

HYMN OF PRAISE
THE HOLY APOSTLE SIMEON

Simeon , glistening with youth and strength,
When he, the good Teacher approached
Saw not a relative, known to him according to the flesh
But, the unknown God in bodily form;
And the entire world became dark to him from this great light,
When he came to himself, with the world He parted
And as a powerful eagle in lofty flight
Toward heaven and the heavenly world, he raises his spirit.
He, through Christ, recognized the goodness of God,
And immortal life and immortal beauty
Yet through Christ, True Man he recognized,
That is why he scorns glory and the honor of this age;
As a honey bee, he devoted himself to labor,
Not grieving over youth, not grieving over the body,
But, to the end to fulfill the law of Christ
And to become worthy of Paradise divine.
And crucified on the Cross, the elder centenarian,
Did not feel the deadly sting,
For with the spirit, long ago he resurrected,
Now waits with the body to resurrect gloriously.

REFLECTION

The True Faith must be persecuted in this world. The Savior Himself said this clearly and openly to His apostles. St. Apollinaris of Hierapolis in writing against the Montanist heretics says: " Let them tell us before God who, out of all their prophets, beginning with Montanus and his wives, was persecuted by the Jews and killed by the ungodly? No one. Who, from among them was taken away for of the Name of Christ and was crucified on the cross? Again, no one. Have any one of the women ever been flogged or stoned in the Jewish synagogues? Nowhere and never." However, the Orthodox saint wants to say, that the True Faith must be persecuted in this world. Heresies are generally closer to the worldly and demonic spirit, which is why the world and the demon do not persecute their own. To be constantly persecuted, with brief intervals in between, is a characteristic of the Faith and of the Orthodox Church. This persecution existed throughout all of history, either from without or within; externally from unbelievers and internally from heretics.

CONTEMPLATION,

To contemplate the resurrected Lord Jesus:

1. How He commands that repentance and forgiveness of sins be preached in His Name;

2. How He commands His disciples to await the Father's promise of the power of the Holy Spirit from on high.

HOMILY

About the persecution of the pious

"It is necessary for us to undergo many hardships to enter the kingdom of God " ( Acts of the Apostles 14:22 ).

"In fact, all who want to live religiously in Christ Jesus will be persecuted " ( 2 Timothy 3:12 ).

The Lord Jesus prophesied this and by His example He proved it. The apostles also said this and by their examples they proved it. All the God-bearing Fathers of the Church, confessors and martyrs said this and they proved this by their example. Therefore, is there any need to doubt that, through a narrow door, one enters the kingdom of God? Should we hesitate for a moment that, " it is necessary for us to undergo many hardships to enter the kingdom of God ?" No, there is no basis nor justification for doubt. Can sheep live among the wolves and not be attacked by them? Can a candle burn in the midst of cross winds and not sway back and forth? Can a good fruit-bearing tree grow along side the road and not be disturbed by passersby? Thus, the Church of pious souls cannot but be persecuted and be persecuted by heathens, by idolaters, by heretics, by apostates, from passions and vices, from sin and transgressions, from the world and by demons. So it is that not one devout soul can remain without persecution, be it externally or internally, until it is separated from the body and the world. Someone might oppose this and prove it otherwise according to his calculation and according to his logic. But, in this case, neither the mind nor the logic of one man is of any avail. Thousands who were crucified speak otherwise, thousands burned alive cry out otherwise, thousands who were beheaded prove otherwise and thousands who were drowned witness otherwise. O my brethren, the Christian Faith is mighty not only when it agrees with sensory reasoning and sensory logic but when, and especially when, it contradicts sensory reasoning and sensory logic.

Those who want to live a godly-life will be persecuted. This the apostle prophesied at the beginning of the Christian era and twenty Christian centuries render a multi-voiced echo to confirm the truth of the prophecy.

O resurrected Lord, grant us light that we may be pious to the end and give us the strength to endure persecution to the end.

To You be glory and thanks always. Amen.

[尼古拉前执事]

1. THE HOLY APOSTLES JASON, SOSIPATER AND THE VIRGIN CERCYRA

The first two were of the Seventy Apostles and the latter was the daughter of a king from the island of Corfu. Jason and Sosipater are mentioned by St. Paul and he calls them his relatives. " Jason and Sosipater, my relatives " ( Romans 16:21 ). Jason was born in Tarsus as was the Apostle Paul and Sosipater was born in Achaea. The first was appointed bishop of Tarsus by the apostle and the other was appointed bishop of Iconium. Traveling about and preaching the Gospel these two apostles arrived on the island of Corfu, where they succeeded to build a church to the honor of St. Stephen the First-martyr and to win over some heathens to the Church. The king of the island threw them both into prison where seven thieves were also imprisoned. Their names were: Sagornius, Jakishol, Faustian, Januarius, Marsalus, Euphrasius and Mamminus. The apostles converted these seven to the Faith of Christ and turned these wolves into lambs. Upon hearing this, the king ordered that these seven be put to death in boiling pitch. Thus, they received the wreath of the martyrs. While the king was torturing the apostles, his daughter, the virgin Cercyra, watched from the window at the suffering of these men of God and learning for what reason they were being tortured, she declared herself a Christian and distributed all of her jewels to the poor. The king became enraged at his daughter and closed her in a special prison. Since he did not succeed to dissuade her from Christ by this imprisonment, he ordered that the prison be burned. The prison burned, but the virgin remained alive. Upon seeing this miracle many people were baptized. The infuriated king then ordered his daughter to be tied to a tree and Cercyra was slain by arrows. Those who believed in Christ fled from the terrible king to the nearest island and hid themselves. The king pursued them by boat in order to apprehend them, but the boat sank into the sea and thus the unrighteous one perished as did the one-time pharaoh. The new king embraced the Faith of Christ, was baptized and received the name Sebastian. Jason and Sosipater freely preached the Gospel and strengthened the Church of God in Corfu. They lived to a ripe old age and there ended their earthly life and took up habitation in the mansions of the Lord.

1. THE HOLY MARTYRS MAXIMUS, DADA AND QUINTILIAN

Maximus, Dada and Quintilian suffered during the reign of Diocletian. They were tried and tortured by Commander Tarquinius. After imprisonment and torturing, they were all beheaded.

1. THE HOLY MARTYR TIBALD

Tibald was a Slav from Pannonia. During the reign of Diocletian he was brutally tortured for the Faith of Christ and suffered in a place called Tsibal.

HYMN OF PRAISE
THE HOLY VIRGIN CERCYRA

The virgin Cercyra , both tender and pure,
From the imperial court, heard about the Name of Christ,
And that Holy Name overpowered her heart,
And ready was she to suffer for Him.
The father instructs his daughter, but how? And to what?
God is One, father, bow down to Him!
Through Christ is His love manifested,
With that love now I am seized
For myself I do not mourn, neither of torture am I afraid,
You do what you wish, before God I stand.
Cercyra the virgin in the flame stands,
Quiet, meek and radiant like a dove.
A crimson flame rages, the entire dungeon cracks,
Cercyra's heart beats unafraid,
Prayer and hope nests in her heart,
With that, the fire she overcame, and not the fire her,
With love divine, the virgin pierced with arrows,
From the vanity of the world, easily separated,
Her body, by deadly arrows shattered -
The soul of the virgin, the Lord received intact.

REFLECTION

The mystery of our salvation is concluded with the appearance of God among men in the human body. St. Meliton of Sardis writes: "The works of Christ, following His baptism, manifested and proved to the world that in His body, His divinity was hidden. Being God, He was also perfect man. He revealed to us His two natures. Divinity, by His miracles performed throughout the three years following His baptism and, His humanity, throughout those years when the weakness of the flesh hid the signs of His divinity, even though He was truly the Eternal God." The manner of the union of divinity with humanity is difficult to comprehend but the event of the appearance of God as a man among men is perfectly comprehensible from the concept of the love of God for man. Not even the creation of the world, as an event, is more comprehensible; one can say even less comprehensible--than the event above the events: the Incarnation of God.

CONTEMPLATION

To contemplate the Ascension of the Lord Jesus:

1. How He led His disciples to a hill toward Bethany;

2. How, with up-lifted hands, He blesses the disciples.

HOMILY
About seeking the face of the Lord

"Your presence, O Lord, I seek "( Psalms 27:8 ).

"Let Your face shine upon Your servant " ( Psalm 31:16 ).

King David sought that which the simple fishermen received without seeking. King David was reclining in darkness and was yearning to see the glowing face of the Lord, which was revealed to the simple fishermen in its complete radiance. King David belonged to the period of waiting, but the disciples belonged to the period of fulfillment. There [the period of waiting] it was only the announcement of the coming of the Lord , but here , [the period of fulfillment] the coming of the Lord .There a presentiment and day dreams about the face of the Lord, here radiance and beauty of that same face. The face of the Lord was radiant even before the resurrection and how much more radiant after the resurrection! The inextinguishable flame of Divinity hid behind the icon of His body and shown through that bodily icon. The disciples gazed upon Him fixedly and they rejoiced in their hearts. For forty days they gazed upon His glorified body and they rejoiced in their hearts!

O my brethren, let us also seek the radiant face of the Lord in order to feel the pleasure by which the angels of God become intoxicated. If we are going to seek Him with yearning in this life, then we will see Him, at least, in the other life. If we do not seek Him in this life, then we will not see him either in this life or in the other life. Brethren, let us yearn for the face of Christ! His every word shows us one feature of His face. Each of His apostles shows us some characteristic of His face. His every deed shows us some feature of His face. Each of His saints shows us some ray of His radiant face. With yearning brethren, let us exam the face of the Lord. Let us assemble ray after ray until it reveals the entire sun. Let us enshrine that Sun in the depths of our hearts, that it illuminates our bodily courts from within. Let us plant this inexpressible sweet vineyard in our heart that we may taste of that immortal drink by which the angels become intoxicated.

O Lord, bearer of light, show Your radiant face to us, Your servants.

To You be glory and thanks always. Amen.

[尼古拉前执事]

1. SAINT BASIL OF OSTROG

Basil was born in Popova, a village in Hercegovina of simple and God-fearing parents. From his youth, he was filled with love for the Church of God and when he reached maturity, he entered to the Monastery of the Dormition (Assumption) of the Birth-giver of God in Trebinje and there received the monastic tonsure. As a monk, he quickly became renown because of his genuine and rare ascetical life. Saint Basil took upon himself mortification upon mortification each one heavier and more difficult than the last. Later, against his will, he was elected and consecrated bishop of Zahumlje and Skenderia. As a hierarch, he first lived in the Monastery Tvrdosh and from there, as a good shepherd, strengthened his flock in the Orthodox Faith, protecting them from the cruelty of the Turks and the cunning ways of the Latins. When Basil was exceedingly pressed by his enemies and, when Tvrdosh was destroyed by the Turks, he moved to Ostrog, where he lived an austere ascetical life, protecting his flock by his ceaseless and fervent prayer.(*) He died peacefully in the Lord in the sixteenth century, leaving behind his incorruptible relics; incorruptible and miracle-working to the present day. The miracles at the grave of St. Basil are without number. Christians and Muslims alike come before his relics and find healing of their most grave illnesses and afflictions. A great people's assembly (pilgrimage) occurs there annually on the Feast of Pentecost.

(*) A new church was built upon the ruins of the old Tvrdosh Monastery in our day by Nikola Runjevac from the village of Poljica near Trebinje. A wonderful and glorious monumental church (Zaduzbina) before God and before His people.

1. THE NINE MARTYRS IN CYZICUS

These nine brave martyrs, enflamed with love for Christ, refused to offer sacrifices to the idols or to deny Christ the Lord, for which they were brutally tortured and finally beheaded. During the reign of Emperor Constantine, a church was built in Cyzicus in honor of these martyrs where their incorruptible relics were placed. Countless healings have taken place over their relics. Their names were: THEOGONIUS, RUFUS, ANTIPATER, THEOCTIST, ARTEMAS, MAGNUS, THEODOTUS, THAUMASILUS AND PHILEMON. All of them despised everything temporal for the eternal, the corruptible for the incorruptible. That is why the Lord led them to His eternal home and crowned them with unfading wreaths of glory. They suffered honorably and were glorified in the eighth century.

1. VENERABLE MEMNON THE WONDER-WORKER

From his youth Memnon dedicated himself to fasting, prayer and purified himself so much that he became a dwelling place for the Holy Spirit. He healed incurable diseases and worked many other miracles. He appeared on the tempests of the seas and rescued ships from disaster. He died peacefully in the Lord in the second century and took up habitation in the heavenly courts of the Lord.

HYMN OF PRAISE
SAINT BASIL OF OSTROG

Saint Basil , one chosen by God,
And of every affliction, wondrous healer,
With the power of your Christ, Whom you greatly loved,
The gravest of the ill, you were able to heal,
Even now, for anyone who honors you, you are able [to do]
And who firmly believe in the Living God.
O glory of the Serbian people, do not cease to help,
For the sinful, do not cease to pray.
In heavenly glory, you are a saint of God
And saints are men with a full healthy spirit,
In you [Basil] we see a true man,
Free from sin and overly filled with healing,
In whom the fire of the Holy Spirit burns,
In whom the love of the resurrected Christ stands.
To the All-powerful God and to you, we are grateful,
Because through you, God pours out abundant mercy,
Through His saint, glorious and of angelic face -
Basil the Serbian, God's chosen one!

REFLECTION

Nothing can be kept secret from our Omniscient God. At every moment, to Him is known all that is being done in the world; both in the external as well as in the internal, spiritual world. Not one intention, not one desire, not one thought of his can man conceal from God. How can you hide from God that which you cannot hide from men; from holy men! One day, Tsar Ivan the Terrible came to church to pray to God. In the church, Blessed Basil, "the fool for Christ," stood for prayer. It is true the Tsar was in church physically, but his thoughts were on the Hill of the Sparrow, a short distance from Moscow, upon which he had begun to construct a palace. Throughout the liturgical services the Tsar thought about how he could extend and complete his palace on that hill. After the services the Tsar noticed Basil and asked him: "Where have you been?" Basil replied: "In church." Basil then immediately asked the Tsar: "O Tsar and where were you?" "I, also, was in church, " answered the Tsar. To that the discerning saint replied: "You are not speaking the truth Ivanushka for I perceived how, in your thoughts, you were pacing about on the Hill of the Sparrow and building a palace."

CONTEMPLATION

To contemplate the Ascension of the Lord Jesus:

1. How the Lord, blessing His disciples, is raised above the earth and is ascending into Heaven;

2. How the disciples watched Him as He was ascending until a cloud hid Him from their sight.

HOMILY

About the incomparable love of Christ

"And to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge "(Ephesians 3:19 ).

"The love of Christ that surpasses knowledge !" Surpasses, not the knowledge of God, but surpasses the knowledge of man, darkened and embittered by sin. God's knowledge is equal to God's love and neither surpasses the other. But man's knowledge, alienated from God, does not comprehend God's love at all, shown through the Lord Jesus Christ. God understands man but man does not understand God. God attempted, by reason, to enable man to understand through nature and through the Old Revelation, through the Law and the prophets, but man did not want to submit to that knowledge. Then, God attempted to overcome men through love and through this love to draw them to Himself. From that [love] comes the Incarnation of the Son of God, from that [love] thence is His sacrifice and His suffering to the death. Such inexpressible love of God, beyond words and knowledge, have captured and returned many to God, i.e., made them to understand; gave them a new knowledge, pure and bright. But, it confused many of them, again, for it did not agree with their darkened and embittered understanding.

"And to know ," says the apostle. How can we brethren, know that which is beyond knowing and beyond understanding? In no other way than by a change of mind, awakening and sharpening of the mind, illumination and elevation of the mind: in brief, the acquiring of a new mind, which would have the capability to understand the love of Christ which is beyond the present sinful mind of men.

O the depth of God's wisdom and knowledge! Whoever even approaches just a little closer to You that one feels that You are, at the same time, the depth of the love of God.

O Lord, ascended into heaven, illumine our mind with Your understanding that we may more easily adopt Your unfathomable love toward mankind and weep--weep from sorrow because of our hardened hearts and because of our darkened and malicious minds and weep because of joy, because of Your love toward us, who are darkened and embittered.

To You be glory and thanks always. Amen.

[尼古拉前执事]

1. THE HOLY APOSTLE JAMES

James was the son of Zebedee, brother of John and one of the Twelve Apostles. At the invitation of the Lord Jesus, James left the fishermen's net, his father and, together with John, immediately followed after the Lord. He belonged to that trinity of apostles to whom the Lord revealed the greatest mysteries; before whom He was transfigured on Tabor and before whom He lamented before His agony in the Garden of Gethsemane. After receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit, he preached the Gospel in various places and traveled to Spain. Upon his return from Spain, the Jews began to quarrel with him concerning Holy Scripture and no one was able to withstand him, not even a certain magician Hermogenes. Hermogenes and his disciple Philip were defeated by the power of truth which James preached and, both of them were baptized. Then the Jews accused him before Herod and persuaded Josias to slander the apostle. Josias, seeing the brave conduct of James and listening to his clear explanation about the truth, repented and believed in Christ. When James was condemned to death, this same Josias was also condemned to death. Enroute to the place of execution, Josias implored James to forgive him the sin of slander. James embraced and kissed him and said: "Peace and forgiveness be to you!" Both of them bowed their heads under the sword and were beheaded for the Lord Whom they loved and Whom they served. Saint James suffered in Jerusalem in the year 45 A.D. His body was translated to Spain, where miraculous healings occurred over his grave and, do so even today.

1. SAINT DONATUS

Donatus was bishop of Evira in Albania. He was endowed by God with the great blessing of miracle-working, by which he performed many miracles for the benefit of the people. Donatus changed bitter water into sweet water; brought down rain during a drought; healed the king's daughter of insanity; and resurrected a man from the dead. This deceased man had repaid his debt to a certain creditor. This unscrupulous creditor wanted the debt to be repaid a second time and, wanting to benefit from the death of his debtor, he came to his widow and demanded that the debt be repaid immediately. The widow wept and complained to the bishop. St. Donatus warned the creditor to wait, at least, until the man was buried and then the debt would be discussed. The creditor angrily insisted his own. Then Donatus approached the dead man, touched him and cried out: "Arise brother and see what you have with your creditor!." The dead man rose and with a frightening glance looked at his lender and related to him the time, when and where he had repaid the debt. He also sought from the lender his written receipt. The frightened lender then placed a document into his hands and the enlivened deceased tore it up and again lay down and died. St. Donatus died peacefully in very old age and took up habitation with the Lord in the year 387 A.D. His relics repose in Evira, Albania and, even today, benefit the faithful.

1. THE HOLY FEMALE MARTYR ARGYRA

Argyra, this neo-martyr was born in Brusa, of devout parents. As soon as Argyra was married to a Christian, a certain Turk from the neighborhood fell in love with her and invited her to live with him. The Christ-loving Argyra rejected such a vile proposal of this Turk. He became so enraged and accused her before the judge saying that she had wanted to embrace Islam and later reneged. This holy Argyra spent fifteen years suffering for Christ, going from judge to judge and from prison to prison. She loved Christ above everything in this world. She finally died in prison in Constantinople in the year 1725 A.D.

HYMN OF PRAISE

THE HOLY APOSTLE JAMES

Zebedee's James , one of three was,

Who saw the most miraculous mysteries of Christ,

Who saw the Transfiguration of the Savior,

In clothing white, with a flaming countenance,

And again in the Garden they saw Him sorrowful,

As a helpless prisoner, in the cage of the world.

By this contradiction, James was confused,

Until, enlightened he was, by the light of the Resurrection.

And when the Lord arose, James believed;

Ripped asunder the doubts as a cloud of dreams!

And yet, when the Spirit descended and the power to him, He gave,

James , victorious commander he became.

Day and night, he began to wage war,

And with God's help, miracles to work.

All for the Name of Christ; all in the glory of Christ,

Until that Holy Name did glisten in the world.

In vain did bloody Herod behead him

His commander God, granted him eternal glory.

REFLECTION

A devout elder lay on his death bed. His friends gathered around him and mourned him. With that, the elder laughed three times. The monks asked him: "What are you laughing at?" The elder replied: "I laughed the first time, because all of you are afraid of death; the second time , for none of you are prepared for death; the third time , because I am going from labor to rest." Behold, how a righteous man dies! He is not afraid of death. He is prepared for death. He sees, that through death, he passes from the difficult life to eternal rest. When the nature of man imagines itself in its original state in Paradise then, death is unnatural, the same way that sin is unnatural. Death emanated from sin. Repented and cleansed from sin, man does not consider death annihilation, but the gate to life eternal. If, at times, the righteous prayed to God to prolong their earthly life, that was not because of love for this life nor because of the fear of death but solely that they would gain more time for repentance and cleansing from sin in order that they may present themselves before God, more sinless and more pure. Even if they showed fear before death, that was not out of fear of death but the fear of God's judgment. What kind of fear then must the unrepentant sinner have before death?

CONTEMPLATION

To contemplate the Ascension of the Lord Jesus:

1. How all the gravitational forces on earth were unable to keep down the body of the Lord from ascending;

2. How by his ascension, the Lord showed Himself to be above the laws of nature.

HOMILY

About the illumination of Christ

"Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light " ( Ephesians 5:14 ).

Saint Paul the apostle, similar to all the other apostles and Christian saints, whatever he teaches to others, he teaches from his own personal experience. For the Faith of Christ is an experience and proof and not a theory of human sophistry. Even Paul lay as one spiritually dormant and, he was spiritually dead while he opposed the Christian Faith. St. Paul was awakened, arose, resurrected in the spirit and was illumined by Christ. He knows himself from the time when he was spiritually dormant and from the time when he became awakened, and when he arose, and when he was resurrected by the Spirit and when he was illumined by Christ. That which he knows about himself as a Christian, he commends to others. As an apostle, he sees himself in a great light and believes that all other men, if they so desire, can be as bright as he is. The light is not his, but Christ's light. His is only the love for that Light, Who is Christ.

The illumination of Christ is necessary for man in the beginning as well as in the end. For without Christ's illumination man is unable either to awaken, or to arise, or to resurrect from the dead, as afterwards, he is unable to live alone by himself in faith or to die in hope. Christ is needed in the beginning as well as in the end. As to a drowning child the hand of the parent is needed to retrieve him from the water and afterward to lead him on dry land, protecting him and preventing him from drowning again; thus Christ is needed for those drowning in the waters of sin. The apostle himself received the illumination of Christ in the beginning on the road to Damascus and, again, he received it later. The first illumination was his conversion to Christ and the second illumination was the confirmation of himself in Christ. The first illumination we all receive through baptism and later, through faith, and the fulfilling of the commandments of the Lord. All of those who do not possess the illumination of Christ, either they have had it and lost it, are dormant as though dead.

O gentle Lord, awaken us, uplift us, resurrect us, for we cannot do any of these things without You.

To You be glory and thanks always. Amen.

[尼古拉前执事]

1. THE HOLY PROPHET JEREMIAH

Jeremiah was born about six hundred years before Christ in the village of Anathoth not far from Jerusalem. He began to prophesy at the age of fifteen during the reign of King Josiah. He preached repentance to the king and noblemen, false prophets and priests. During the reign of King Josiah, Jeremiah barely escaped death from the murdering hands of the enraged nobles. Concerning King Jehoiakim, he prophesied that the king's burial would be like the burial of an ass, i.e., his dead body would be tossed outside Jerusalem and that his body would be dragged along the ground without benefit of burial: " He shall be buried with the burial of an ass, drawn and cast forth beyond the gates of Jerusalem " ( Jeremiah 22:18 ). Because of this, Jeremiah was cast into a prison. Not being able to write in prison, Jeremiah invited Baruch [the son of Neriah], who stood near the small window of the prison and dictated to him. When this prophecy was read to the king, the enraged king grabbed the paper and threw it into a fire. Divine Providence saved Jeremiah from prison and the word of the prophet was fulfilled in Jehoiakim. Concerning King Jeconiah [son of Jehoiakim, King of Judah], Jeremiah prophesied that Jeconiah would be taken to Babylon with his entire family and that he would die there. All of which came about shortly: ". . . after that Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, had carried away captive Jeconiah, the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah " ( Jeremiah 24:1 ). " . . . when he carried away captive Jeconiah, the son of Jehoiakim, the king of Judah from Jerusalem to Babylon, and all the nobles of Judah and Jerusalem " ( Jeremiah 27:20 ). Under King Zedekiah, Jeremiah placed a yoke around his own neck and walked through Jerusalem prophesying the fall of Jerusalem and bondage under the yoke of the Babylonians. " Thus said the Lord to me; Make thee bonds and yokes and put them upon thy neck " ( Jeremiah 27:2 ). " I spoke also to Zedekiah, king of Judah, according to all these words saying, bring your necks under the yoke of the king of Babylon, and serve him and his people, and live " ( Jeremiah 27:12 ). To the Hebrew captives in Babylon, Jeremiah wrote telling them not to hope for a speedy return to Jerusalem for they would remain in Babylon for seventy years, which came to pass. " This whole land shall be a ruin and a desert. Seventy years these nations shall be enslaved to the king of Babylon " ( Jeremiah 25:11 ). In the valley of Topheth near Jerusalem [ the Valley of Slaughter ], where the Jews offered children as a sacrifice to the idols, Jeremiah took a potter's clay vessel in his hands and shattered it before the people prophesying the impending humbling of the kingdom of Judah. " Even so, I will break this people and this city, as one breaks a potter's vessel that cannot be made whole again " ( Jeremiah 19:11 ). The Babylonians shortly captured Jerusalem, slew King Zedekiah, plundered and destroyed the city, and beheaded a great number of Jews in the Valley of Topheth on the same spot where children were slaughtered for sacrifice to the idols and where the Prophet Jeremiah smashed the potter's vessel of clay. Jeremiah, with the Levites, removed the Ark of the Covenant from the Temple to Mt. Nebo where Moses died and there he hid the Ark in a cave. However, he hid the fire from the Temple in a deep well. Jeremiah was forced by some Jews to accompany them to Egypt where he lived for four years and was then stoned to death by his countrymen. To the Egyptians, Jeremiah prophesied the destruction of their idols and the arrival of the Virgin and the Christ-Child to Egypt. There is a tradition which states that King Alexander the Great visited the tomb of the Prophet Jeremiah. By order of King Alexander, the body of Jeremiah was translated and buried in Alexandria.

1. THE VENERABLE MARTYR ACACIUS, THE SANDAL-MAKER

Acacius was from the village of Neochorion near Thessalonica. Mistreated greatly by his master craftsman in Serres, Acacius converted to Islam. Later [he returned to the Faith] and as a penitent and monk, he lived in the Monastery Hilendar [Mt. Athos]. His needy and Christ-loving mother counseled him: "As you willingly denied the Lord, so now you must willingly and bravely accept martyrdom for the Sweet Jesus." The son followed the advice of his mother and with the blessings of the fathers of the Holy Mountain, Acacius traveled to Constantinople where the Turks beheaded him on May 1, 1816 A.D. His head is preserved in a reliquary in the Russian monastery, St. Panteleimon on Mt. Athos.

1. THE VENERABLE PAPHNUTIUS OF BOROVSK

Paphnutius, the son of a Tartar nobleman, later embraced the Christian Faith. At age twenty, Paphnutius was tonsured a monk and continued to live his life in a monastery until his ninety-fourth year, when he reposed in the Lord. Paphnutius was a virgin and an ascetic. Because of this, he became a miracle-worker and discerner. He died in the year 1478 A.D.

HYMN OF PRAISE

THE PROPHET JEREMIAH

Jeremiah , chaste one and prophet,

To men, the will of God he proclaims

When in sin, men decay

And the laws of God, they trampled.

The prophet cries out, weeps and threatens,

As a live flame, his words are,

Illumines the righteous, burns the sinners;

As the tears of a mother, his tears are

Over her dying offspring.

The prophet foresees it, punishment is coming,

A punishment, one-hundred fold deserved.

The mercy of God, into justice changes.

The prophet cries out, weeps and threatens,

The sinful people, calls to repentance.

To what the leaders say, the people listen,

And the leaders, at the prophet laugh,

And his words, as a lie they proclaimed!

But himself to be wearied, the prophet does not allow:

With sufferings, his words he seals;

Nefarious men, slew the prophet,

And forever, made him famous.

All the words of the prophet were fulfilled,

The kingdom fell; the prophet glorified.

REFLECTION

The Venerable Paphnutius of Borovsk said to his disciples that a man's soul and his hidden works can be known by the look in his eyes. To his disciples, this seemed unbelievable until this man of God confirmed this in reality on more than one occasion. Discerning the fate of others, Paphnutius also discerned his own fate. A week before, while still in good health, he prophesied that he would depart from this world on the following Thursday. When Thursday dawned, he cried out rejoicefully: "Behold, the day of the Lord, rejoice O you people; behold, the awaited day came!" Behold, this is how a man meets death; a man who, during his entire life, contemplated about separation from this world and about the encounter with God.

CONTEMPLATION

To contemplate the Ascension of the Lord Jesus:

1. How two angels appeared to the disciples while they were still gazing after the ascended Lord;

2. How the angels proclaim that the Lord will come in the same manner as the disciples saw Him ascending into heaven.

HOMILY

About the power of the Lord's word

"Is not My word like the fire, says the Lord, like a hammer shattering rocks " (Jeremiah 23:29 ).

Yes Lord, Your word is indeed like fire; like fire which warms the righteous and burns the unrighteous. And, indeed, Your word is like a hammer; a hammer which softens the stony hardness of the heart of a penitent and pulverizes the hearts of the unrepentant sinners into dust.

"Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us " ( St. Luke 24:32 ), the apostles asked after talking with the resurrected Lord? When the heart in man is correct, it burns from the word of the Lord and it melts from pleasure and expands with love. But, when the heart in man is not correct and hardened by sin, then the heart bakes from the word of the Lord and becomes even harder. " And pharaoh's heart was hardened " ( Exodus 8:19 ).

In vain do sinners fortify themselves in the fortresses of stone, in their fortresses of iron, in their fortresses of silver and gold and reject the armor of God's justice. As a powerful and irresistible hammer, such is the word of the Lord when He pronounces judgment upon these fortresses of stone in which sinners fortify themselves.

In vain does the unbeliever fortify his house with impregnable stones and the statesman fortifies the State, hardened with the wisdom of the world, and not hoping in the Living God. The word of the Lord comes down like a hammer upon all that was built apart from God or against God; as a powerful and irresistible hammer.

O brethren, let us not trust in our creations of stone, neither of marble nor of gold or of silver stones nor of the godless stones of our individual thoughts. All of these are weaker before the power of God than dust before the power of the wind.

O Lord Almighty, help us to receive Your word and, that on Your word, we may build our entire life both in this world and in the next world.

To You be glory and thanks always. Amen.

(*) The Egyptians almost deified St. Jeremiah. That is why they buried him as a king. Even after his death, they considered him a miracle-worker. They removed dust from his tomb as a cure against snake bites. Even today, many Christians invoke Jeremiah against serpents.

[尼古拉前执事]

1. THE HOLY MARTYRS HESPERUS, ZOE, CYRIAC AND THEODULUS

During the reign of Emperor Hardrian (117-138 A.D.), a pagan named Catallus purchased as slaves Hesperus, his wife Zoe and their sons Cyriac and Theodulus. Since they were steadfast Christians, they would not taste anything of the sacrifices to the idols and, that which was offered to them, they tossed to the dogs and they themselves hungered but endured. Learning of this, Catallus became enraged and began to cruelly torture his slaves. At first he tortured the children, but the children remained unwavering in the Faith and, even more, sought harsher torture from their persecutors. Finally, all four were thrown into a fiery furnace where, after prayers of thanksgiving, they gave up their souls to the Lord. Their bodies remained intact and were not consumed by the fire.

1. SAINT ATHANASIUS THE GREAT, ARCHBISHOP OF ALEXANDRIA

On this day the translation of the relics of St. Athanasius, as well as the miracles performed by his relics, is commemorated. The life and work of this great saint is recorded on January 18.

1. THE HOLY MARTYRS, SAINT BORIS AND SAINT GLEB

Boris and Gleb were the sons of the great Prince Vladimir, the baptizer of the Russian people. Until his baptism, Vladimir had numerous wives and many children by them. Boris and Gleb were brothers of the same mother. Before his death Vladimir divided up the State among all of his sons. But, Svyatpolk his eldest son, the Prince of Kiev, also desired to usurp the portions intended for Boris and Gleb. That is why he dispatched men to murder Boris who was in one place and to murder Gleb who was in another place. Both brothers were exceptionally pious and, in all things, pleasing to God. They encountered death with prayer and the uplifting of their hearts to God. Their bodies remained uncorrupt and fragrant. Boris and Gleb were buried in Vishgorod where, even today, a blessed power comes from their bodies, which heals men from various diseases and sufferings.

1. SAINT MICHAEL (BORIS), THE BULGARIAN TSAR

Boris was born and educated as a pagan and was baptized under the influence of his uncle Bojan and his sister. At baptism, he was given the name Michael. Patriarch Photius sent him priests who gradually baptized all the Bulgarian people. Many Bulgarian noblemen opposed this new Faith but the new Faith conquered and the Cross glistened on many churches built by the devout Tsar Michael. The Faith among the Bulgarians, as among the Serbs, was especially established by the Five Followers , the disciples of St. Cyril and St. Methodius, who preached to the people the knowledge of Christ in the vernacular: the Slavonic language.

In his old age Michael retreated to a monastery and was tonsured a monk. When his son Vladimir began to destroy his father's work and to exterminate Christianity, Michael again donned his military uniform, girded himself with a sword, ousted Vladimir from the throne and installed Simeon, his younger son, as Tsar. After that, he again clothed himself in the monastic habit and retreated in silence where, in mortification and prayer, he completed his earthly life "in the good faith; in the correct confession of our Lord Jesus Christ; great, honorable and devout," and took up habitation in the heavenly life on May 2, 906 A.D.

HYMN OF PRAISE

SAINT MICHAEL [BORIS] THE BULGARIAN

Michael the Bulgarian , the people with the Cross he baptized,

Numbered the pagans, into the flock of Christ,

And by his example, touched the hearts of men,

That the saving faith, men may love.

Built churches and paganism weeded out

And in himself, the Spirit of God glorified.

In addition, the glory and vanity of men, he abandoned,

To men, he taught truth and justice.

Did not himself, pity because of God's Name

And for the sake of the salvation of the Bulgarian people.

Wedded was he on earth with a wreath of reigning,

And in heaven, with a wreath of eternal rejoicing.

REFLECTION

Blessed Maksim, "fool for Christ," walked about unclad throughout the streets of Moscow in winter. In response to the advice of men that he dress and protect himself from the cold, Maxim was known to respond: "Yes, it is bitterly cold, but Paradise is sweet!" He also responded: "For patience, God grants salvation!" When Christ Himself did not feel sorrow to give Himself over to suffering and death, why should we feel sorry for ourselves because of ourselves? He [Christ] prescribed a recipe for us; a diet for our spiritual restoration to health and He called that " an easy yoke ." " For My yoke is easy and My burden is light " ( St. Matthew 11:30 ). The yoke which we impose upon ourselves is much heavier, for this yoke pulls us down deeper and deeper into spiritual illness. The earth seeks much greater sacrifices from us and does not promise us any reward after death. The earth seeks that we sacrifice even God, soul, conscience, mind and all of human and divine dignity to it and, for this, it shows a dark and putrid grave as the end of everything and reward for all. Christ seeks that we sacrifice only the earth, our beastliness and sin, vice and all wickedness and, for that, He promises resurrection and eternal life in Paradise. "Yes, it is bitterly cold, but Paradise is sweet!"

CONTEMPLATION

To contemplate the Ascension of the Lord Jesus:

1. How the disciples worship Him;

2. How they return to Jerusalem with great joy.

HOMILY

About the source of living water and the dry cistern

"Be amazed at this, O heavens, and shudder with sheer horror, says the Lord. Two evils have my people done: they have forsaken Me, the sourceof living waters. They have dug, themselves cisterns, broken cisterns that hold no water (Jeremiah 2: 12-13 )."

Is this spoken only for then or also for us today? Certainly for us today. Is this spoken only for the Jewish people or also for our people? Certainly for our people also. As it is said: Do not kill, do not steal, do not bear false witness. It was said not only for that time but also for all times and not only for the Jewish people but for all peoples. And so this also. This is valid today and always, for all peoples and for every man who turns his back on the source of living water in his own backyard and digs a cistern and drinks rain water from it.

The source of living water is the Lord Himself; inexhaustible, copius and sweet. The cistern is the work of every man which is performed in opposition to God and God's law and from which men expect progress, happiness and satisfaction for their hunger and thirst. Such a cistern is godless, avaricious, gluttonous, immoral, power-hungry, vain, idolatrous, soothsaying and everything else which has the devil as an advisor, sin as a digger and false hope for a water-carrier. " Be amazed at this O heavens, and shudder with sheer horror " says the Lord as to how man became senseless and began to forsake the living water and to dig a cistern in hot live coals which inflames his thirst even more!

O brethren, our people have also committed two evils for they forgot the Lord as the source of every good and because they went to seek, for themselves, good in evil and good through evil. Can water be found in fire? Or wheat in sand? It cannot; cannot, brethren. Even less can peace, happiness, joy and life or any other good be found in the cisterns of sin and godlessness.

O Lord, immortal source of every good which the heart of man can desire and which the mind of man can imagine, have mercy on us sinners and unworthy ones. With Your powerful right hand, turn us away from our godless and vain works and quench us with Your sweet and living water.

To You be glory and thanks always. Amen.

[尼古拉前执事]

1. THE HOLY MARTYRS TIMOTHY AND MAURA (*)

The fate of these two wonderful martyrs, husband and wife, is amazing! Because of their Christian Faith and only twenty days following their marriage, they were brought to court before Arrianus, the governor of Thebaid, during the reign of Diocletian. Timothy was a lector in his local church. The governor questioned him: "Who are you?" To that Timothy responded: "I am a Christian and a lector of God's Church." The governor further said to him: "Do you not see these instruments prepared for torture surrounding you?" Timothy replied: "And, do you not see all the angels of God who strengthen me?" Then the governor ordered an iron rod be pierced through his ears so that the pupils of his eyes protruded from pain. After that, they hung him upside down and placed a piece of wood in his mouth. At first, Maura was frightened because of Timothy's sufferings, but when her husband encouraged her, she also confessed her steadfast faith before the governor. The governor then ordered all the hairs of her head pulled out and after that severed the fingers from her hands. After many other tortures, from which they would have succumbed had not the Grace of God strengthened them, they were both crucified facing each other. Thus, hanging on the cross, they lived for nine days counseling and encouraging each other in perseverance. On the tenth day, they gave up their souls to their Lord for Whom they endured death on a cross and so were made worthy of His kingdom. They suffered honorably for Christ in the year 286 A.D.

1. THE VENERABLE THEODOSIUS OF THE CAVES IN KIEV

From his early youth, Theodosius shunned laughter and rejoicing and dedicated himself to godly-thoughts and prayers. Because of this, he was often abused by his mother, especially one day, when his mother noticed an iron belt around his naked body from which his shirt was bloodied. Having once read the words of the Savior in the Gospel " He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me " ( St. Matthew 10:37 ), Theodosius left the home of his parents and fled to the Monastery of the Caves in Kiev to see the Venerable Anthony. Anthony received him and, shortly afterwards, tonsured him a monk. When his mother found him and asked him to return home, he counseled his mother and she also entered a convent and was tonsured a nun. Theodosius shortly surpassed all the monks by his mortification, meekness and goodness, and became very dear to Anthony who installed him as abbot of the monastery. During the time that he was abbot, the brotherhood of the monastery greatly increased, churches and cells were built and the Constitution [the Rule] of the Studite Monastery was introduced in its entirety. God endowed Theodosius with abundant grace because of his virginal purity, great labor in prayer, love toward his fellow man and so this man of God possessed great power over unclean spirits, healed diseases and discerned the fate of men. Along with St. Anthony, Theodosius is considered the founder and organizer of monasticism in Russia. He died peacefully in the year 1074 A.D. His healing relics repose next to the relics of Anthony.

HYMN OF PRAISE
SAINT TIMOTHY AND SAINT MAURA

Timothy and Maura , crucified and pale,
Through the Lord Christ, looked at one another,
And by the spirit see each other better than with the eyes,
By pain exalted, above all things.
And Timothy speaks: Maura , my sister,
You are of a female nature, and your pain is greater!
By prayer be encouraged, do not despair sister,
All of your thoughts, affix to Christ.
Maura replied: Brother Timothy ,
The Spirit of God I feel, in my soul it waves
He keeps me strong, and helpless, He strengthens me,
And the Sweet Jesus, my pains alleviates,
But, about you, my glorious pride, I am concerned,
What kind of pains, with yours can be similar?
But just a little while, a little while, my sweet brother,
From the thorns of sufferings, then the roses will blossom,
To the entire heavenly host, the darling you will be,
Only endure, endure without sound and sobbing
Let us be alert brother, let us not fall asleep,
Perhaps the Lord might come, that we not be ashamed.
Behold, the entire heavens opened, I see
Unseen treasures for us prepared.
Then Timothy to Maura : O sister, wonderful,
Bride of Christ, glorious martyr,
For His glorious mercy, let us glorify God,
That such an honorable death, He permitted upon us.
O glory to You O Savior, Who for us suffered;
Our spirit, we now commend into Your hands.

REFLECTION

The Abba John the Short asked the monks: "Who sold Joseph?" One monk replied: "His brothers." To that, the elder replied: "No brethren, rather his humility. Joseph could have said that he is their brother and could have protested to being sold but he remained silent. His humility, therefore, sold him. Afterward, this same humility made him master over Egypt." In surrendering ourselves to the will of God, we defend ourselves too much from external unpleasantness, that is why we lose the good fruits which is harvested at the end of unpleasantness endured with humility. Abba Pimen wisely spoke: "We have abandoned the easy yoke, i.e., self-reproach and we have burdened ourselves with a heavy yoke, i.e., self-justification." The Christian accepts every unpleasantness as deserving of their present or their past sins; seeking in all, the will of God with faith and awaiting the end with hope.

CONTEMPLATION
To contemplate the ascended Lord Jesus:

1. How He began His saving work on earth as an ordinary humble worker;

2. How He completed His saving work by His miraculous and glorious ascension into heaven.

HOMILY
About how the idol-worshippers will be put to shame

"As the thief is ashamed when caught, so shall the house of Israel be ashamed: They who say to a piece of wood, 'You are my father' and to a stone 'You gave me birth:' They turn to Me their backs, not their faces; yet in time of trouble they cry out, `Rise up and save us !' " (Jeremiah 2: 26-27 ).

In truth brethren, they will all be put to shame who do not see beyond wood and stone and, who in their ignorance, say that man is composed entirely of plants and minerals and the same thing occurs to him as with plants and minerals. With their backs turned to the Creator, they are unable to see anything other than creation and, forgetting the Creator, they proclaim creation the Creator. They say that nature created and gave birth to man, that is why man is lesser than nature, lower than nature, the servant in the lap of nature, a slave on the chain of nature and a dead man in the grave of nature. They who speak like that will be shamed when they fall into misfortune and cry out to God: " Rise up and save us !"

Why do they cry out to God " Rise up " as though God is lying down? God is not lying down, but stands; stands and waits to be of service to everyone who, with faith and humility, request a favor from Him. But those who have become enamored with wood and stone, while they have trusted in their own power, have overturned Him in their lives and excluded Him from their lives. That is why when they are pressured by difficulties, they cry out to Him: " Rise up !"

But the Lord is meek and rises and comes to the aid of every penitent. Let the sinner truly repent and casting off his sinful love, return to God in love and God will help him. Let him turn his back on dead wood and stone and turn his face to the Living God and God will redeem him. For the Almighty is not vengeful and vindictive. Neither did He create man for death, but for life.

O brethren, let us not seek help in the helpless nor life in the lifeless. Let us turn our heads toward our living Creator Who gave us a face more radiant than the face of every earthly thing. Let us turn from the western ways to the eastern path, for on this path is salvation. Just let us hasten before our last day on earth is sunk into the darkness of the west.

O ascended Lord, raise our minds to heaven. Cleanse them from the darkness and unburden them of the earth, O our Light-bearing Creator.

To You be glory and thanks always. Amen.

(*) The name Maura[Mavra] means black. Therefore, in Macedonia, the feast day of these two saints is referred to as Black's Day or Black Day. On the island of Zacynthus, there exists a church dedicated to Saints Timothy and Maura in which many miracles of healing took place.