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Saint Luke 9:50 And Jesus said unto him, Forbid him not: for he that is not against us is for us.
from
HYMNS ON PARADISE
HYMNS ON PARADISE
by Saint Ephraem the Syrian of Nisibis
It has already been seen that the two Trees, of Life and
of Knowledge, have different positions on the Paradise
mountain, the former corresponding to the Holy of Holies,
the latter to the sanctuary veil. The Tree of Knowledge is
thus the "gate" leading to the Tree of Life.
St Ephrem, in common with a number of other early
Christian writers held the view that God created Adam and Eve
in an intermediate state: if they kept the commandment
not to eat the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge,
then they would be rewarded by being allowed to eat it
and would thereby be enabled to progress to the Tree of
Life, thus acquiring Divinity. In the event, however,
their unthinking greed led them to break
the commandment, and although they did thereby gain
knowledge, it was only a knowledge of what they had lost
by their disobedience.
In one of the Hymns on the Fast, St Ephrem puts it as follows:
Who is there who can expound that Tree
which caused those who sought it to go astray?
It is an invisible target, hidden from the eyes,
which wearies those who shoot at it.
It is both the Tree of Knowledge, and of the opposite;
it is the cause of knowledge, for by it humanity knows what was the gift that was lost
and the punishment that took its place.
Blessed is that Fruit which has mingled
a knowledge of the Tree of Life into mortals.
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Wednesday, October 20, November 2 ns 2022
WE COMMEMORATE
Holy Great Martyr Artémios,
St. Matróna of Chíos,
Translation of the Relics of St. Gerásimos of Cephallenía
St. Matróna of Chíos,
Translation of the Relics of St. Gerásimos of Cephallenía
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This glorious saint was an Egyptian by birth and the chief commander under Emperor Constantine the Great. When the victorious Cross, surrounded by stars, appeared to Emperor Constantine, Artémios also saw that Cross, believed in the Lord Christ and was baptized. Later, during the reign of Emperor Constantius, this emperor sent him to Greece to remove the relics of St. Andrew from Patras and St. Luke from Thebes, and to take them to Constantinople. Commander Artémios carried this out with joy. After that, Artémios was appointed as Augustalis and imperial prefect in Egypt. He remained in this position during the reign of Constantius, and for a period of time under Emperor Julian the Apostate. When the apostate emperor went to war against the Persians, he came through Antioch and commanded Artémios to come to Antioch with his army. Artémios came. Then the emperor subjected two Christian priests, Eugenius and Macarius, to torture. Seeing this, Artémios became greatly disturbed and, facing the emperor, said: "Why, O Emperor, why do you inhumanly torture these innocent and dedicated men of God, and why do you force them to renounce the Orthodox Faith?'' Artémios continued, prophesying: "Your death is near.'' The enraged emperor sent those two honorable priests into exile to Arabia, where they died shortly thereafter. He then stripped Commander Artémios of his military rank and ordered him to be flogged and torn asunder. Thoroughly wounded and bloodied, Artémios was thrown into prison, where the Lord Jesus Christ Himself appeared to him, and healed and comforted him. Then the emperor commanded that he be spread out on a stone, and that another heavy stone be placed upon him, so that his body would be smashed flat as a board. Finally, St. Artémios was beheaded. It was the year 362. Emperor Julian went out against the Persians and perished dishonorably, as St. Artémios had foretold.
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The Holy Epistle of Saint Paul to the
Colossians
1:18-23
KJV
19 For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell;
20 And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.
21 And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled
22 In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:
23 If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;
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The Holy Gospel According to
Saint Luke
9:44-50
9:44-50
KJV
45 But they understood not this saying, and it was hid from them, that they perceived it not: and they feared to ask him of that saying.
46 Then there arose a reasoning among them, which of them should be greatest.
47 And Jesus, perceiving the thought of their heart, took a child, and set him by him,
48 And said unto them, Whosoever shall receive this child in my name receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me receiveth him that sent me: for he that is least among you all, the same shall be great.
49 And John answered and said, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name; and we forbad him, because he followeth not with us.
50 And Jesus said unto him, Forbid him not: for he that is not against us is for us.
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