From the Oropos & Fili website this morning:-
Our All-Holy Lady
“Swift to Hearken”
And
Eternal Mysteries Beyond the Grave ↡
Today we commemorate
HOLY MARTYR CHARITÍNA
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Since Charitína also brought others to the Christian Faith, Dometius, Emperor Diocletian's eparch, heard of her, sent soldiers to take her from her foster father, and brought her to trial. The judge questioned her: ``Is it true, young maiden, that you are a Christian, and that you deceive others, leading them to this profane Faith?'' Charitína courageously replied: ``It is true that I am a Christian, but it is a lie that I deceive others; rather, I lead those in error to the true path, by leading them to my Christ.'' The evil judge condemned her. Her hair was shorn and hot coals were poured onto her head. Even so, she was saved by the power of God. They threw her into the sea, but God delivered her again. They tied her to a wheel and began to turn it, but an angel of God stopped the wheel, and Charitína remained unharmed.
Then the depraved judge sent some dissolute young men to defile her. Fearing this dishonor, St. Charitína prayed to God to receive her soul before those degenerates could defile her virginal body. While she knelt, praying to God, her soul departed from her and was translated to the Immortal Kingdom of Christ.
ST. JOHN, BISHOP OF EVCHAḮTA;
ST. METHODÍA THE NEW OF KÍMOLOS
HYMN OF PRAISE
Tortured Charitína, covered with blood,
Prayed on her knees to the Most-high God:
"O Most High, All Merciful-my Creator-
Among Thy martyrs, number me also!
Sweet Christ, Thou didst suffer on the Cross for me,
And now for Thee I desire to suffer.
Be near to Thy virgin, O Savior,
And protect me, lest the evil ones defile me.
Better that they burn my body with cruel fire,
Better that they drown it in the azure sea,
Than that they profane it by a shameful deed,
Before the heavenly angels and the righteous saints.''
The Lord did according to Charitína's prayer,
And immediately received her soul into Paradise.
THE HOLY EPISTLE OF SAINT PAUL TO THE
PHILIPPEANS 1:8-14 KJV
PHILIPPEANS 1:8-14 KJV
8 For God is my record, how greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ.
9 And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment;
10 That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ.
11 Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.
12 But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel;
13 So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and in all other places;
14 And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.
THE HOLY GOSPEL ACCORDING TO
SAINT LUKE 6:37-45 KJV
SAINT LUKE 6:37-45 KJV
38 Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.
39 And he spake a parable unto them, Can the blind lead the blind? shall they not both fall into the ditch?
40 The disciple is not above his master: but every one that is perfect shall be as his master.
41 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but perceivest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
42 Either how canst thou say to thy brother, Brother, let me pull out the mote that is in thine eye, when thou thyself beholdest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to pull out the mote that is in thy brother's eye.
43 For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
44 For every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes.
45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.
Eternal Mysteries Beyond the Grave
Panteleimon, Archimandrite
In recognizing God, we are hindered not only by the natural limitations of our reason but also because our reason has been darkened by sin. “I am surprised at those numerous people,” says Symeon the New Theologian, “who do not tremble at occupying themselves with theology while they are full of sin. … We, who do not know either ourselves or that which is before our very eyes, are fearless enough to dare to philosophize about that which is incomprehensible to us; and especially when we are empty of the grace of the Holy Spirit, Who enlightens and teaches all.” There will come a time when many mysteries will be fully revealed to us, but to achieve this state we must cover a long and very demanding journey of correct spiritual development.
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