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Saturday of the Fifth Week
The commemoration of the holy Apostle Aquila of the Seventy.
14, 15. The commemoration of the Martyrs Julitta and her child Kyrikos.
According to Gk. usage, this service is commemorated on the 15th of July.
According to Sl. usage, the service to these saints has been transferred from the 15th to the 14th of July, due to the commemoration of St. Vladimir on the 15th of July.
No Fasting.
The Reading is from the Epistle of Saint Paul to the Romans [§ 97]. Brethren:
8 14As many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. 15For ye did not receive a spirit of bondage again to fear, but ye received a Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, “Abba, Father.” 16The Spirit Himself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are children of God: 17And if children, also heirs—on the one hand heirs of God, on the other hand joint-heirs of Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, in order that we might also be glorified together. 18For I reckon that the sufferings of the present time are not worthy in comparison to the future glory to be revealed in us. 19For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly awaiteth the revelation of the sons of God. 20For creation was subjected to vanity, not willingly, but on account of Him Who subjected it in hope, 21that the creation itself also shall be freed from the bondage of corruption into the glorious freedom of the children of God.
The Reading is from the Holy Gospel according to Saint Matthew [§ 30]. At that time:
9 9As Jesus passed by from that place, He saw a man called Matthew sitting at the custom-house. And He saith to him, “Follow thou Me.” And he rose up and followed Him. 10And it came to pass, as He reclined at table in the house, also behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining at table with Jesus and His disciples. 11And after the Pharisees saw Him, they said to His disciples, “Why eateth your Teacher with the tax collectors and sinners?” 12And Jesus, having heard it, said to them, “They who are strong have no need of a physician, but they who are ill. 13“But go and learn what this is, ‘I wish mercy, and not sacrifice [cf. Hos. 6:6]’: For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”
No readings given.
July 27th — Civil Calendar July 14th — Church Calendar
1. The Holy Apostle Aquila.
One of the Seventy, he was a Jew living in Italy with his wife Priscilla. When the Emperor Claudius decreed the exile of all Jews from Rome and Italy, Aquila moved to Corinth, where the Apostle Paul first made his acquaintance, staying eighteen months in his house and baptising him and his wife. Burning with zeal for the Christian faith, Aquila and Priscilla accompanied Paul to Ephesus and helped him in his apostolic work. From Ephesus, Paul wrote his first Epistle to the Corinthians, in which he says at the end: ‘Aquila and Priscilla salute you much in the Lord, with the church that is in their house’ (16:19). After the death of Claudius, Jews were permitted to return to Italy, and Aquila and Priscilla went back to Rome. Writing the Epistle to the Romans from Corinth after this, the Apostle sends greetings to his old friends and fellow-workers: ‘Greet Priscilla and Aquila my helpers in Christ Jesus, who have for my life laid down their own necks, unto whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles. Likewise greet the church that is in their house’ (16:3-5). We later see Aquila again in Ephesus, where he is working with St Timothy. In chains in Rome, Paul wrote to Timothy in Ephesus: ‘Greet Priscilla and Aquila’ (II Tim. 4:19). As a bishop, Aquila baptised many and consecrated them to the Faith, destroyed idols, built churches, made priests and spread among the people the glory of the incarnate Son of God. He was finally murdered by wicked pagans, and went to the Kingdom of Christ.
2. Our Holy Father Hellius.
An Egyptian monk of the fourth century, he devoted himself from early youth to monastic asceticism in the desert. He made monks and lay-folk marvel by his life and great miracles, and although he fled from human praise, he could not hide himself. He had fierce struggles with diabolical delusion, most especially during a long fast. The devil set before him sometimes honey and sometimes delicious apples, but he would not be enticed. He had insight into the hearts of men, revealing their passions and thoughts, and this not to make a parade of his inner knowledge but to set them on the right path.
FOR CONSIDERATION
Christians must arm themselves against the immorality of this world. They must be armed against every assault and temptation, so that all that is evil may rebound from them. Armour is not made in a day or two, but is carefully and laboriously forged by a lengthy process. What are all our virtues worth if we succumb at the first temptation? Speaking of this, St Gregory of Nyssa cites as an example a monkey in Alexandria, saying: ‘In Alexandria, an expert taught a monkey to perform a very nimble parody of a dancer on the stage. Visitors to the theatre praised the monkey, which dressed as a dancer, danced to the tempo of the music. But while the audience was occupied in watching this new spectacle, some comic decided to show everyone that the monkey was nothing but a monkey. While all were applauding the trained animal, the comic threw onto the stage the sort of sweets that a monkey especially loves. As soon as the monkey set eyes on them, it forgot the dance, the applause and its fine clothes and hurried with outstretched paw for the sweets. When its skirts hindered it, it began to tear at them with its nails, frenziedly ridding itself of them. And in place of the praise and wonder, the audience was convulsed with laughter.’ The monkey was revealed under the torn mask of the ‘dancer’.
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.
