Daily Devotional

Scripture Readings

Paschalion — Movable Calendar

Friday of the Twenty-Ninth Week

Epistle

The Reading is from the Epistle of Saint Paul to the Hebrews [§ 317]. Brethren:

7 ¹⁸On the one hand there is an annulling of the foregoing commandment because of its weakness and unprofitableness, ¹⁹for the law made nothing perfect; but on the other hand there is the bringing in of a better hope, by which we draw near to God. ²⁰And inasmuch as not without taking an oath He was made priest (for they indeed have become priests without taking an oath, ²¹but He with the taking of an oath, by Him saying to Him, “The Lord swore and will not regret, ‘Thou art a priest forever according to the order of Melchisedek [Ps. 109(110):4]’”), ²²by so much Jesus hath become a surety of a better covenant. ²³And they on the one hand who have become priests are many, being hindered from continuing by reason of death; ²⁴but He on the other hand, because He abideth forever, hath the intransitive priesthood. ²⁵Wherefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He ever liveth to intercede on their behalf.

Gospel

The Reading is from the Holy Gospel according to Saint Mark [§ 41]. At that time:

9 ³³Jesus and His disciples came to Capernaum. And when He was in the house, He was questioning them, “What were ye discussing among yourselves on the way?” ³⁴But they were keeping silent; for on the way they discussed with one another who was greater. ³⁵And He sat down and called the twelve, and saith to them, “If anyone doth wish to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all.” ³⁶And He took a little child and set him in their midst. And after He took him into His arms, He said to them, ³⁷“Whosoever shall receive one of such little children in My name, receiveth Me; and whosoever shall receive Me, receiveth not Me, but the One Who sent Me forth.”

³⁸And John answered Him, saying, “Teacher, we saw someone who doth not follow us casting out demons in Thy name, and we hindered him, because he doth not follow us.” ³⁹But Jesus said, “Cease hindering him, for there is no one who shall do a work of power in My name, and be able quickly to speak evil of Me. ⁴⁰“For he who is not against us is for us. ⁴¹“For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in My name, because ye are of Christ, verily I say to you, in no wise shall he lose his reward.”

Menaion — Fixed Calendar

The commemoration of the holy Martyrs Efstratios, Afxentios, Evgenios, Mardarios, and Orestes.

Epistle

The Reading is from the Epistle of Saint Paul to the Ephesians [§ 233].

6 ¹⁰Brethren, keep on being empowered in the Lord and in the strength of His might. ¹¹Put on the full armor of God, for you to be able to stand against the wiles of the devil; ¹²because for us the wrestling is not against blood and flesh, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the cosmic rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of evil on account of the heavenly things. ¹³For this cause take up the full armor of God, in order that ye might be able to withstand in the evil day, and having counteracted all things, to stand. ¹⁴Stand therefore, having girt your loins with truth, and having put on for yourselves the breastplate of righteousness, ¹⁵and having shod your feet in readiness of the Gospel of peace; ¹⁶on the whole, take up the shield of faith, with which ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the evil one. ¹⁷And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

Gospel

The Reading is from the Holy Gospel according to Saint Luke [§ 106]. The Lord said to His disciples, “Be taking heed of men:

21 ¹²“For they shall lay their hands upon you and persecute you, delivering you up to synagogues and prisons, bringing you before kings and governors on account of My name; ¹³“but it shall prove to be a testimony for you. ¹⁴“Therefore settle it for yourselves in your hearts not to premeditate to make a defense; ¹⁵“for I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all those who oppose you shall not be able to contradict nor withstand. ¹⁶“And ye shall be delivered up also by parents, and kinfolk, and friends, and brethren; and they shall put some of you to death. ¹⁷“And ye shall be hated by all for My name’s sake. ¹⁸“But a hair of your head in no wise shall perish. ¹⁹“In your patience win your souls.”

Lives of the Saints (Prologue)

December 26th – Civil Calendar
December 13th – Church Calendar

1. The Holy Martyrs Evstratius, Auxentius, Evgenius, Mardarius and Orestes.

These five courageous men shone like five resplendent stars in the dark days of the anti-Christian Emperors Diocletian and Maximian. St. Evstratius was a Roman general in the city of Satalios, Evgenius (Eugene) was one of his comrades in arms and Orestes likewise a respected soldier. Auxentius was a priest and Mardarius a simple citizen who came, like Evstratius, from the town of Aravraca. The imperial governors, Lysias and Agricola, tortured Auxentius first as he was a priest. Beholding the innocent suffering of the Christians, Evstratius presented himself before Lysias and declared that he also was a Christian. While Evstratius was being tortured, Evgenius stood up before the judge and cried out: ‘I am a Christian too, Lysias!’ When they were driving Evstratius and the other martyrs through the town, Mardarius saw them from the roof of his house, and he took leave of his wife and two frail daughters and hastened after them, shouting into the faces of their tormentors: ‘I am a Christian too, like the Lord Evstratius!’ Orestes was a young and handsome soldier, who stood head and shoulders above all the other soldiers. One day, when he was at target practice in Lysias’ presence, the cross he was wearing fell from his breast, and Lysias realized that he was a Christian. Orestes openly confessed his faith, and was martyred with the others. Auxentius was beheaded, Evgenius and Mardarius died under torture, Orestes was exposed on a red-hot iron grid and Evstratius died in a flaming furnace. St. Vlasios (see Feb. 11th) gave Communion to St. Evstratius in prison before his death. Their relics were later taken to Constantinople, and are preserved in the church dedicated to them—The Holy Five Companions. They were seen alive in that church, and St. Orestes appeared to St. Dimitri of Rostov (see Oct. 28th). A beautiful prayer by St. Evstratius is extant, which is read at the Midnight Service on Saturdays: ‘I glorify Thy majesty, O Lord, for Thou hast regarded my lowliness and hast not shut me up in the hands of my enemies, but hast saved my soul from want...’

2. The Holy Martyr Lucy the Virgin.

With her mother, Lucy visited the grave of St. Agatha in Catania, and the saint appeared to her. Her mother, who had an issue of blood, was miraculously cured in the church at that time. Lucy gave away all her goods to the poor, and this embittered her betrothed, who denounced her to Paschasius the judge as a Christian. The wicked judge ordered that she be taken to a brothel and defiled, but by the power of God, she remained immovable, as if rooted to the earth, and not even a vast number of people was able to move her from the spot. An enraged pagan then ran her through the throat with a sword, and she commended her soul to God and entered into the kingdom of eternity. She suffered in the year 304.

3. The Hieromartyr Gavrilo (Gabriel), Patriarch of Serbia.

In the fearful period of Turkish rule in Serbia, this great hierarch went to Russia, where he took part in the Moscow Synod of 1655. When he returned to Serbia, he was denounced as a traitor. Certain wicked Jews also brought against him the charge of having converted several Jews to the Christian Faith. These Jews, in order to stir up the Turkish authorities, made a special point of the fact that he had worked for the Baptism of Turks. He was tried, and sentenced to forcible conversion to Islam. Since Gavrilo would have none of this, he was, after a period of imprisonment, sentenced to death and hanged in Prousa (Bursa) in 1659, and so went to his beloved Christ, to receive at His hands the double wreath of hierarch and martyr.

FOR CONSIDERATION

To give alms out of one’s own need is true almsgiving. Not even the most hardened sinner sins then, for it is an act precious before God. When St. Lucy had seen her sick mother miraculously healed, she suggested to her that her possessions be used as alms to the needy. Her mother replied that she was not willing to relinquish her goods until her death, but agreed that, when that happened, Lucy should use them in whatever way she wished. ‘First cover my eyes with earth,’ she said, ‘and then do what you will with them.’ Lucy said: ‘He who gives to God only what he cannot take with him into the grave, or make use of in this life, is not very pleasing to God. If you want to do something pleasing to Him, give Him that which you yourself need. In death, you can use nothing at all, and need from Him things that you cannot take with you. It is better to give to Christ that which you have while you are alive and well. Give to Him all that you have set aside for me, and do it now!’ The devout mother hearkened to her wise daughter, and did so.

When the torturer Paschasius was trying to force this holy maiden into carnal sin, Lucy tried to keep the thought of it from entering her will. When the torturer threatened that his men would defile her by force, saying with a smirk: ‘When you have been defiled, the Holy Spirit will flee from you,’ Lucy, full of grace, replied: ‘The body cannot be defiled without the consent of the mind,’ and holy Lucy went to her death having given away all her goods and having preserved her pure young body from defilement.

Daily Scripture Readings taken from The Orthodox New Testament, translated and published by Holy Apostles Convent, Buena Vista, Colorado, copyright © 2000, used with permission, all rights reserved.

Daily Prologue Readings taken from The Prologue of Ochrid, by Bishop Nikolai Velimirovic, translated by Mother Maria, published by Lazarica Press, Birmingham, England, copyright © 1985, all rights reserved. Edited by Dormition Skete.