Daily Devotional

Scripture Readings

Paschalion — Movable Calendar

Thursday of the Twenty-Eighth Week

Epistle

The Reading is from the Epistle of Saint Paul to Saint Titus [§ mid 300]. Child Titus:

For Gk. usage, see Tit. 1:5-14; for Sl. usage, see Tit. 1:5-2:1.

1 ⁵For this cause I left thee behind in Crete, in order that thou shouldest set right the things wanting, and ordain presbyters in every city, as I ordered thee— ⁶if one is blameless, a husband of one wife, having believing children with no accusation of prodigality or insubordination. ⁷For it is needful for the bishop to be blameless, as a steward of God, not self-willed, not inclined to anger, not given to wine, not a striker, not sordidly greedy of gain, ⁸but hospitable, a lover of good, of sound mind, just, holy, temperate, ⁹holding to the faithful word according to the teaching, in order that he may be able both to exhort with sound teaching and refute those who contradict. ¹⁰For there are many insubordinate and idle talkers and mind-deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, ¹¹whom it is necessary to stop up their mouths, who overturn whole houses, teaching what is not needful, on account of a sordid love of gain. ¹²One of them, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, idle gluttons.” ¹³This testimony is true. For which cause refute them severely, in order that they may be sound in the faith, ¹⁴not giving heed to Jewish fables and commandments of men who turn themselves away from the truth. ¹⁵All things indeed are pure to the pure, but to those who have been defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure, but even their mind hath been defiled, and their conscience. ¹⁶They confess to know God, but in works deny Him, being abominable and disobedient, and reprobate to every good work.

2 ¹But be speaking the things which become sound teaching.

Gospel

The Reading is from the Holy Gospel according to Saint Luke [§ 92]. At that time:

18 ³¹Jesus, after He took along His twelve disciples, said to them, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and all things which have been written by the prophets regarding the Son of Man shall be accomplished. ³²“For He shall be delivered up to the Gentiles, and shall be mocked and insulted and spat upon. ³³“And after they scourge Him, they shall kill Him. And on the third day He shall raise Himself.” ³⁴And they understood none of these things. And this saying was hidden from them, and they were not perceiving the things being said.

Menaion — Fixed Calendar

The commemoration of the wonderworking Icon of the Theotokos known as the Kursk-Root Icon of the Sign, and the Great-martyr Iakovos the Persian, and our venerable Father Palladios of Thessalonica.

Epistle

For the Icon:

The Reading is from the Epistle of Saint Paul to the Hebrews [§ 320]. Brethren:

9 ¹The first tabernacle also used to have both ordinances of worship and the sanctuary of this world. ²For a tabernacle was furnished: the first in which were both the lampstand and the table, and the laying forth of the loaves, which is called Holy; ³and after the second veil, a tabernacle which is called Holy of Holies, ⁴which hath a golden censer, and the ark of the covenant which hath been covered all around from every side with gold, in which was the golden jar having the manna, and the rod of Aaron that budded, and the tablets of the covenant; ⁵and above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat, concerning which now is not the time to speak severally. ⁶Now after these things were thus furnished, the priests, on the one hand, enter into the first tabernacle, performing worship services; ⁷on the other hand, into the second, the high priest entereth alone once for all every year, not without blood, which he offereth on behalf of himself and the faults of ignorance of the people.

For the Great-martyr:

The Reading is from the Second Epistle of Saint Paul to Saint Timothy [§ 292]. Child Timothy:

2 ¹Be thou empowered in the grace that is in Christ Jesus; ²and the things which thou heardest from me in the midst of many witnesses, commit thou these things to faithful men who shall be competent also to teach others. ³Thou therefore suffer hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. ⁴No one serving as a soldier is entangled with the affairs of life, in order that he might please the one who enlisted him. ⁵And if anyone also contend as an athlete in the games, he is not crowned unless he contend lawfully. ⁶The farmer who laboreth must be first to partake of the fruits. ⁷Be considering what I say; O may the Lord give thee understanding in all things! ⁸Be remembering Jesus Christ, of the seed of David, Who hath been raised from the dead, according to my Gospel, ⁹in which I suffer hardship even to bonds as a malefactor, but the word of God hath not been bound. ¹⁰On this account I endure all things for the sake of the elect, that they might also attain salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.

Sl. usage, see [Eph. 6:10-17].

Gospel

For the Icon:

The Reading is from the Holy Gospel according to Saint Luke [§ 54]. At that time:

10 ³⁸Jesus entered into a certain village. And a certain woman, by name Martha, received Him into her house. ³⁹And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat down beside the feet of Jesus, and was listening to His word. ⁴⁰But Martha was distracted about much serving, and she came up to Him and said, “Lord, is it no concern to Thee that my sister left me to serve alone? Speak to her therefore that she should help me.” ⁴¹And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, thou art anxious and troubled about many things. ⁴²“But there is need of one thing, and Mary chose the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”...

11 ²⁷And it came to pass, as He was speaking these things, a certain woman out of the crowd lifted up her voice and said to Him, “Blessed is the womb that bore Thee, and the breasts which Thou didst suck.” ²⁸But He said, “Yea rather, blessed are they who hear the word of God and keep it.”

For the Great-martyr:

For Gk. usage, see [Jn. 15:1-11]; for Sl. usage, see [Jn. 15:1-7].

The Reading is from the Holy Gospel according to Saint John [§ 50]. The Lord said to His disciples:

15 ¹“I am the vine, the true one, and My Father is the vinedresser. ²“Every branch in Me which beareth not fruit He taketh away; and every branch which beareth fruit, He pruneth it, in order that it may bear more fruit. ³“Already ye are clean by reason of the word which I have spoken to you. ⁴“Abide in Me, and I in you. Even as a branch is not able to bear fruit of itself, unless it abide in the vine, so neither can ye, unless ye abide in Me. ⁵“I am the vine, ye are the branches. The one who abideth in Me, and I in him, this one beareth much fruit; for apart from Me ye are not able to do anything. ⁶“Unless one abide in Me, he is cast out as the branch and is withered—and they gather them together and cast them into the fire—and is burned. ⁷“If ye abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ye shall ask for yourselves whatever ye will, and it shall come to pass for you. ⁸“In this is My Father glorified, that ye may bear much fruit, and shall become disciples to Me. ⁹“Even as the Father loved Me, I also loved you; abide in the love, that which is Mine. ¹⁰“If ye keep My commandments, ye shall abide in My love, even as I have kept the commandments of My Father, and abide in His love. ¹¹“These things I have spoken to you, that My joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be made full.”

Lives of the Saints (Prologue)

December 10th – Civil Calendar
November 27th – Church Calendar

1. The Holy Martyr Iakovos (James) the Persian.

Born in the Persian town of Elapa, or Vilat, of Christian parents, he was brought up in the Christian Faith and married a Christian wife. The Persian king, Yazdgird, loved Iakovos for his gifts and for his skill, and made him a noble at his court. Flattered by the king, Iakovos was deluded and offered sacrifice to idols, which the king also worshipped. His mother and wife, hearing of this, wrote him a reproachful letter in which they grieved over him as an apostate and one spiritually dead, begging him at the end of the letter to repent and return to Christ. Moved by this letter, Iakovos repented bitterly, and courageously confessed his faith in Christ the Lord before the king. The furious king condemned him to death, and added that his body was to be cut to pieces, little by little, until he changed his faith. The executioners fulfilled this command of the accursed king to the letter, and first cut off Iakovos’ fingers, then his toes, his legs and arms, his shoulders and finally his head. During the entire process, the repentant martyr gave thanks to God. A fragrance came from his wounds as of cypress. Thus this wonderful man repented of his sin, and his soul went to Christ his God in the heavenly kingdom. He suffered in about 400. His head is to be found in Rome, and a part of his relics in Portugal, where his memory is kept on May 22nd.

2. The Seventeen Holy Fathers Martyred in India.

These Christian monks suffered in India under King Abenner. Inflamed with anger against the elder Barlaam for having baptized his son Ioasaph, King Abenner sent men in pursuit of Barlaam. The pursuers did not catch him, but seized seventeen other monks and brought them before the king. The king condemned them to death, and their eyes were first put out, their tongues cut out and their arms and legs broken before they were beheaded with the sword. But the Christian Faith in the Indian kingdom was only the more strengthened by the blood of these glorious soldiers of Christ the Lord.

3. Our Holy Father Romanos the Wonder-worker.

He lived in asceticism in the vicinity of Antioch. He never kindled a fire in his cell, or lit a candle. He died peacefully, and was a wonder-worker both during his lifetime and after his death. He helps childless women when they ask his aid.

4. Our Holy Father Pinuphrios.

A contemporary of St. Cassian (Feb. 29th), he was a great Egyptian ascetic. He lived in the fourth century and followed the ascetic life in various places, fleeing the praise of men. He had many disciples, who strove to emulate the lofty example of their teacher.

5. Our Holy Father Nathanael.

A Nitrian monk, he prayed to God both day and night, and was enlightened by pondering on the things of God. He did not cross the threshold of his cell for thirty-eight years. He entered into rest in the Lord in the second half of the sixth century.

FOR CONSIDERATION

When the executioner cut off St. Iakovos’ right thumb, he said: ‘A vine is pruned thus, that new growth may come in its time.’ When they cut off the next finger, he said: ‘Receive, O Lord, the second branch of Thy sowing.’ As the third was cut off, he said: ‘I bless the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.’ As the fourth was cut off: ‘Thou Who acceptest praise from the four beasts, accept the suffering of these four fingers.’ At the fifth: ‘May my rejoicing be as great as that of the five wise virgins at the marriage.’ At the sixth: ‘Praise be to Thee, O Lord, Who didst at the sixth hour stretch out Thy most pure arms on the Cross, and hast made me worthy to offer Thee my six fingers.’ At the seventh: ‘Like David, who glorified Thee seven times a day, so do I today glorify Thee with these seven fingers, cut off for Thy sake.’ At the eighth: ‘Thou Thyself, O Lord, didst rest on the eighth day.’ At the ninth: ‘At the ninth hour, O Lord, Thou didst give Thy spirit into the hands of Thy Father, O my Christ, and I offer Thee thanks for the suffering of this ninth finger.’ At the tenth: ‘I sing to Thee, O Lord, upon a ten-stringed lute, and I bless Thee that Thou hast made me worthy to endure the cutting-off of the fingers of my two hands for the ten commandments written on the tablets of stone.’ Oh, what wonderful faith and love! Oh, the princely soul of this prince of Christ’s!

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.