Daily Devotional

Scripture Readings

Paschalion — Movable Calendar

Wednesday of the Tenth Week

Epistle

The Reading is from the First Epistle of Saint Paul to the Corinthians [§ 165]. Brethren:

16 ⁴If it be worthy for me also to go, they shall go with me. ⁵But I will come to you whenever I pass through Macedonia; for I am passing through Macedonia. ⁶And it may be that I will stay, or even spend the winter with you, that ye may send me forth wheresoever I may go. ⁷For I am not intending to see you while passing by; but I am hoping to tarry a certain time with you, if the Lord permit. ⁸But I will tarry in Ephesus until the Pentecost. ⁹For a great and effectual door hath opened to me, and they who oppose are many.

¹⁰Now if Timothy should come, be seeing to it that he might be with you without fear; for he worketh the work of the Lord, even as I do. ¹¹Let no one therefore despise him. But send him forth in peace, that he might come to me; for I await him with the brethren. ¹²Now concerning our brother Apollos, I besought him much that he should come to you with the brethren; but it was not at all his will that he should come now, but he will come whenever he should have opportunity.

Gospel

The Reading is from the Holy Gospel according to Saint Matthew [§ 86]. The Lord said this parable:

21 ²⁸“A certain man had two children, and he came to the first and said, ‘Child, go today and work in my vineyard.’ ²⁹“And he answered and said, ‘I will not’; but afterward he felt regret and went forth. ³⁰“And he came to the second and spoke in like manner. And he answered and said, ‘I go, sir’; and he went not forth. ³¹“Which of the two did the will of the father?” They say to Him, “The first.” Jesus saith to them, “Verily I say to you that the tax collectors and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you. ³²“For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not; but the tax collectors and the harlots believed him; and ye, having seen, felt no regret afterward in order to believe him.”

Menaion — Fixed Calendar

The commemoration of the Afterfeast of the Transfiguration, and the holy Martyrs Photios and Aniketos of Nicomedia, and our venerable Father Maximos the Confessor (transferred to this date on account of the Leaving-taking of the Feast).

Epistle

For the Confessor:

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.

For the Hierarch:

The Reading is from the Epistle of Saint Paul to the Hebrews [§ 318]. Brethren:

7 ²⁶Such a High Priest was fitting for us: holy, guileless, undefiled, Who hath been separated from the sinners and hath become higher than the heavens, ²⁷Who hath no need daily, even as the high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for his own sins, then for those of the people; for this He did once for all after He offered up Himself. ²⁸For the law appointeth men high priests who have weakness; but the word of the oath, which is after the law, appointeth the Son, Who hath been perfected forever.

8 ¹Now in reference to the things being spoken of, the chief point is: We have such a High Priest, Who sat down on the right of the throne of the majesty in the heavens, ²a Liturgist of the holies and of the tabernacle, the true one, which the Lord pitched, and not man.

Gospel

For the Hierarch:

The Reading is from the Holy Gospel according to Saint Matthew [§ 11]. The Lord said to His disciples:

5 ¹⁴“Ye are the light of the world. A city situated on the top of a mountain cannot be hid. ¹⁵“Nor do they light a lamp and put it under the bushel, but upon the lampstand, and it giveth light to all those in the house. ¹⁶“Thus, let your light shine before men, that they might see your good works, and might glorify your Father Who is in the heavens.

¹⁷“Do not begin to think that I came to abolish the law or the prophets; I came not to abolish, but to fulfill. ¹⁸“For verily I say to you, until the heaven and the earth shall have passed away, one iota or one tittle in no wise shall pass away from the law, until all shall have taken place. ¹⁹“Whosoever then shall break one of the least of these commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called least in the kingdom of the heavens; but whosoever shall do and teach them, this one shall be called great in the kingdom of the heavens.”

Lives of the Saints (Prologue)

August 25th – Civil Calendar
August 12th – Church Calendar

1. The Holy Martyrs Aniketas and Photius.

The Emperor Diocletian at one time visited the city of Nikomedia with the evil intention of utterly exterminating the Christians there. But, when he began his merciless torture of the Christians, St. Aniketas, one of the governors of the city, presented himself before him and courageously confessed before the emperor his faith in Christ the Lord, God incarnate in the flesh for our salvation. Aniketas also denounced the worship of idols as that of deaf and dumb stones, unworthily worshipped by ignorant men. The furious emperor commanded that his tongue be cut out, but Aniketas, by the power of God, continued to speak. Then a lion was let loose on him, which fawned about him. At that moment, the Temple of Hercules fell down. Photius, a kinsman of Aniketas,’ seeing the wonders and his kinsman’s endurance, embraced him, confessed that he himself was a Christian and cried out to the Emperor: ‘You should be ashamed, you idolater; your gods are nothing!’ The emperor ordered that he be beheaded immediately, but the executioner, lifting up his hand against St. Photius, gave himself a blow with his sword and died. After harsh torture, the two of them were thrown into prison, where they remained for three years. They were then taken out and thrown into an enormous burning furnace. Many other Christians, men, women and children, went into the flames voluntarily after them, and the prayers of the Christians were heard rising from the flames, thanking God for their death by martyrdom. They all suffered in about 305. St. Aniketas and St. Photius are invoked in the prayers at the blessing of oil and water.

2. The Hieromartyr Alexander, Bishop of Comana.

He lived in the town of Comana near Neocaesarea as a simple charcoal-burner. When the Bishop of Comana died, St. Gregory of Neocaesarea, the Wonder-worker (Nov. 17th), was invited to preside over the council to choose a new bishop. At the council there were both clergy and laymen. They were unable to come to agreement on one person, estimating the candidates they selected according to their outward worth and behaviour. St. Gregory told them that they must not give so much weight to the outward impression as to the soul and the spiritual aptitude. Then some wag called out mockingly: ‘Then let’s choose Alexander the charcoal-burner as bishop!’ and there was general laughter. St. Gregory asked who this Alexander was. Thinking that his name would not have come before the council except by the providence of God, he commanded that he be brought. Being a charcoal-burner, he was black with soot and in rags, and his appearance provoked further mirth in the council. Then Gregory took him aside and asked him to tell the truth about himself. Alexander told him that he had been a Greek philosopher, enjoying great honor and position, but that he had set it all aside, demeaned himself and made himself as a fool for Christ from the time that he had read and understood the holy Scriptures. Gregory commanded that he be bathed and clad in new clothes, then went into the council with him, and before them all, began to examine him in the Scriptures. All were filled with amazement at the wisdom and grace of Alexander’s words, and were quite unable to recognize the former charcoal-burner in this wise man. With one voice, they chose him as bishop, and he received the love of his flock for his holiness, his wisdom and his goodness. He died a martyr for Christ under Diocletian.

FOR CONSIDERATION

Learn to respect and love lowly and simple people. They are the greatest on earth, and are also the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. They have no pride, that basic folly from which the rich and powerful of this world suffer. They often accomplish their purpose in this world perfectly, and it seems odd to them that any should praise them for it, while the great on earth seek recognition for their least act, often not performed perfectly. St. Alexander was an eminent philosopher, but he left everything, hid himself from exalted company and earthly praise and mingled with the lowliest and the simplest as a charcoal-burner among charcoal-burners. In place of his former eminence and honor, he joyfully endured having children run after him, laughing at his soot and his rags. He was not the only one who elected to live with the lowly and the simple. Many kings and princes, coming to know the sweetness of the Christian Faith, have taken off their crowns and fled the vanity of noble birth among simple people. Did not the King of kings, our Lord Jesus Christ, reveal Himself among shepherds and fishermen? St. Zeno advises: ‘Do not choose a place of fame in which to live, nor associate with men of eminent name.’

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.