Saturday, November 7, 2026

Sunday Oct 26/Nov 8ns/2026 † Holy Great Martyr Demétrios the Myrrh-Gusher, Commemoration of the Great Earthquake 1st Matins Gospel: St. Matt. 28:16-20 Saint: II St.Tim. 2:1-10; St. Luke 8:26-39 - Homily CONFESSION/REPENTENCE by St Nikolai Velimirovich - Quote - GOD IS LOVE

HYMN OF PRAISE

FOR THE HOLY GREAT MARTYR

DEMETRIOS THE MYRR-GUSHER

St Nikolai Velimirovich

Thessalonica glorifies its wonderful saint-
St. Demetrios, servant of the Most-high God.

Demetrios, the commander,
Servant of the Creator and Lord.

St. Paul bedewed Thessalonica with tears, Demetrios watered it with his blood.

Demetrios, the commander,
Servant of the Creator and Lord.

The tears of the apostle and the blood of the martyr
Are the glory, salvation and pride of Thessalonica.

Demetrios, the commander,
Servant of the Creator and Lord.

Let us also glorify Christ's soldier,
The myrrh-gushing saint and courageous Holy Martyr.

Demetrios, the commander,
Servant of the Creator and Lord.

CHURCH OF THE GREAT MARTYR

IN THESSALONICA

TEMPLON

RELICS OF THE GREAT MARTYR

Saint Matthew 28:16-20 KJV

28:16 Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them.

17 And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted.

18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit:

20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

2 SaintTimothy 2:1-10 KJV

2 Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.

2 And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.

3 Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.

4 No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.

5 And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully.

6 The husbandman that laboureth must be first partaker of the fruits.

7 Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things.

8 Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel:

9 Wherein I suffer trouble, as an evil doer, even unto bonds; but the word of God is not bound.

10 Therefore I endure all things for the elect's sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.

Saint Luke 8:26-39 KJV

8:26 And they arrived at the country of the Gadarenes, which is over against Galilee.

27 And when he went forth to land, there met him out of the city a certain man, which had devils long time, and ware no clothes, neither abode in any house, but in the tombs.

28 When he saw Jesus, he cried out, and fell down before him, and with a loud voice said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God most high? I beseech thee, torment me not.

29 (For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For oftentimes it had caught him: and he was kept bound with chains and in fetters; and he brake the bands, and was driven of the devil into the wilderness.)

30 And Jesus asked him, saying, What is thy name? And he said, Legion: because many devils were entered into him.

31 And they besought him that he would not command them to go out into the deep.

32 And there was there an herd of many swine feeding on the mountain: and they besought him that he would suffer them to enter into them. And he suffered them.

33 Then went the devils out of the man, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the lake, and were choked.

34 When they that fed them saw what was done, they fled, and went and told it in the city and in the country.

35 Then they went out to see what was done; and came to Jesus, and found the man, out of whom the devils were departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid.

36 They also which saw it told them by what means he that was possessed of the devils was healed.

37 Then the whole multitude of the country of the Gadarenes round about besought him to depart from them; for they were taken with great fear: and he went up into the ship, and returned back again.

38 Now the man out of whom the devils were departed besought him that he might be with him: but Jesus sent him away, saying,

39 Return to thine own house, and shew how great things God hath done unto thee. And he went his way, and published throughout the whole city how great things Jesus had done unto him.

CONFESSION/REPENTANCE

Are you about to approach your confessor?

If so, don't neglect the preparation

provided by St. Nikolai.

Repent of your ways, inhabitants of the earth.

Behold, the eye of the Master of the world is keeping watch deep within you. Do not trust your seducible eyes, let the Eye illumine your way. Your eyes are curtains over the Eye of God.

Repentance is admission of the way of sin. Repentance opens up a new way. The penitent's eyes are open to two ways: to the way which he is going, and to the way he should be going.

There are more who feel repentant than there are who turn their wheels onto a new way. I tell you: the penitent must have two types of courage--he must have the courage to weep over his old way, and he must have the courage to prepare himself for a new way.

What good is it for you to feel repentant and still tread the old way? How do you describe a person who is drowning and shouts for help, but when help arrives will not grab hold of the life line? I liken such a person to you.

Repent of your yearning for this world and all that is in this world. For this world is the graveyard of your ancestors, which is gaping and waiting for you. Just a little longer and you will be ancestors and will yearn to hear the word "repentance," but you will not hear it.

Just as the wind begins blowing and carries off the mist before the sun, so will death carry you off before the face of God.

Repentance rejuvenates the heart and lengthens one's lifetime. The tears of a penitent wash darkness from his eyes, and give his eyes a childlike radiance. The eye of my lake is like the eye of a deer, always moist and radiant as a diamond. In truth, the moisture in the eyes drains the anger in the heart.

The soul in the penitent is like a new moon. A full moon must wane, a new moon must wax.

The penitent clears the weeds from the field of his soul, and the seed of goodness begins to grow.

Truly, the penitent is not one who laments over the evil deed he has committed, but one who laments over all the evil deeds that he is capable of committing. A wise landowner not only cuts the thornbush that has pricked him, but every thornbush on the field that is waiting to prick him.

O my Lord, make haste to show a new way to every penitent, after he scorns his old way.

O heavenly Mother, Bride of the All-Holy Spirit, bow down toward our heart, when we repent. Open the fountain of tears within us, that we may wash away the heavy clay, that saddens our eyes.

O All-Holy Spirit, blow and disperse the unclean stench from the soul of the penitent that has been choking him and lead him to repentance.

We bow down and beseech Thee, O Life-giving and Mighty Spirit!

Please note:

The Ascetical Homilies and Vignette portions of the PARAGON will no longer be linked/archived to PARADISE NOW since one need only scroll down for past posts which include homilies and vignettes.

When irregular sized fonts appear on the PARAGON, they are not always errors but often glitches created by Google.

Texts in blue are the comments made by the creator of the PARAGON.

About Ascetical Homilies: The saints urge those who have denied mammon, have taken up the cross, and are following Christ, to read and contemplate the homilies which are God-given rewards granted to those, who in ascetic practice from the Holy Apostles on, gave and give their very life, whether by breath or blood, out of love for Christ and His two salvific commands. If we, in acceptance of their guidance, contemplate and reflect on those homilies we will find crucial clarity in scripture but also clarity in definition of our spiritual status as we take up the Cross to transcend from transient darkness to the Eternal Light of the Holy Trinity.

Friday, November 6, 2026

Saturday Oct 25/Nov 7ns/ 2026 • Holy Martyrs Márcian and Martyrios, St. Tabitha the Almsgiver II Cor. 8:1-5; St. Luke 7:1-10 - Homily ON PRIDE by St John Cassian - Quote CEASELESS PRAYER by St Porphyrios of Athos - Vignette ON KNOWING GOD

The Holy Martyrs Marcian and Martyrios, were clergymen under Paul, the Patriarch of Constantinople, during the reign of Emperor Constantius. With the death of the great Emperor Constantine, the Arian heresy, which until then had been suppressed, revived and gained momentum. Even Emperor Constantius himself leaned toward this heresy. There were two influential noblemen at the emperor's court, Eusebius and Philip, both of whom were ardent Arians. Under their influence, Patriarch Paul was ousted from the patriarchal throne and banished to Armenia, where the Arians strangled him. Then the dishonorable Macedonius seized the patriarchal throne.

At that time Orthodoxy had two bitter struggles: against the pagans and against the heretics. Marcian and Martyrios interceded with all their strength and determination on the side of Orthodoxy. Marcian was a reader and Martyrios was a subdeacon at the cathedral church of Hagia Sophia; under Patriarch Paul they had been patriarchal notaries (secretaries). The Arians at first tried to bribe them, but when these holy men rejected this with scorn, the heretics condemned them to death. When they were brought to the executioner, they raised their hands and prayed to God, giving Him thanks for a martyr's end to their lives: "Lord, we rejoice that we depart from this life by such a death. Make us worthy to be partakers of eternal life. Thou art our life!'' They placed their necks beneath the sword and were beheaded in the year 355. Later, St. John Chrysostomos built a church in their name over their miracle-working relics.

2 Corinthians 8:1-5 KJV

8 Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia;

2 How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality.

3 For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves;

4 Praying us with much entreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints.

5 And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God.

Saint Luke 7:1-10 KJV

7 Now when he had ended all his sayings in the audience of the people, he entered into Capernaum.

2 And a certain centurion's servant, who was dear unto him, was sick, and ready to die.

3 And when he heard of Jesus, he sent unto him the elders of the Jews, beseeching him that he would come and heal his servant.

4 And when they came to Jesus, they besought him instantly, saying, That he was worthy for whom he should do this:

5 For he loveth our nation, and he hath built us a synagogue.

6 Then Jesus went with them. And when he was now not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to him, saying unto him, Lord, trouble not thyself: for I am not worthy that thou shouldest enter under my roof:

7 Wherefore neither thought I myself worthy to come unto thee: but say in a word, and my servant shall be healed.

8 For I also am a man set under authority, having under me soldiers, and I say unto one, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.

9 When Jesus heard these things, he marvelled at him, and turned him about, and said unto the people that followed him, I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.

10 And they that were sent, returning to the house, found the servant whole that had been sick.

by Saint John Cassian

That we may shortly gather up what has been said of this species of pride, as far as we can we shall bring together certain of its signs, so that we may exhibit to those who thirst for instruction in the way of perfection some of the marks of it, so to speak, taken from the outward acts… With roots of this passion thus laid bare and brought to the surface, seen plainly before our eyes and known for what they are, it will be more easily possible to tear them up, or to avoid them. For this deadly disease can be wholly averted when there is brought to bear against its fearful blasts and harmful onslaughts not a watchfulness that begins too late, namely, when it has already gained the ascendant,-but when, recognizing well its preliminary features, so to say, we come to meet it with far-sighted and wise discernment. For, … outward acts show the inner disposition of the man.

So, then, it is by these signs that this carnal pride of which we spoke is made manifest.
First, there is a loudness in the proud man’s talk, a bitterness in his silent moods; when he is pleased, his laughter is loud and profuse; when he is serious, he is gloomy beyond reason. There is rancor in his replies to questions, glibness in his speech; his words break out unrestrained by any seriousness of heart. Of patience he knows nothing; charity is a stranger to him; he is bold in insulting others, cowardly in bearing their insults. He does not easily render obedience save where the thing commanded fits in with his own wish and desire. He is not to be appeased when one admonishes him; he is weak in curtailing his own wishes, very stubborn when asked to yield to those of others. He is always doing his best to establish his own opinions, but never ready to bow to those of anyone else. Finally, although he is quite incapable of giving salutary counsel, he is always more ready to trust his own judgment than to that of the elders.

YOU BELIEVE BUT DO YOU WANT

YOU CAN KNOW GOD, IF YOU WANT!

And this is life eternal, that they might know Thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent St John 17: KJV

Please note:

The Ascetical Homilies and Vignette portions of the PARAGON will no longer be linked/archived to PARADISE NOW since one need only scroll down for past posts which include homilies and vignettes.

When irregular sized fonts appear on the PARAGON, they are not always errors but often glitches created by Google.

Texts in blue are the comments made by the creator of the PARAGON.

The saints urge those who have denied mammon, taken up the cross and are following Christ, to read and contemplate the homilies which are God-given rewards granted to those, who in ascetic practice from the Holy Apostles on, gave and give their very life, whether by breath or blood, out of love for Christ and His two salvific commands. If we, in turn, contemplate and reflect on those homilies we will find crucial clarity in scripture but also clarity in definition of our spiritual status as we take up the Cross to transcend from transient darkness to the Eternal Light of the Holy Trinity.

Thursday, November 5, 2026

Friday Oct 24/Nov 6ns/2026/ Holy Martyr Aréthas and Those With Him; St. Elesbaán, King of Ethiopia - Fast day - I Thess. 2:14-20; St. Luke 10:1-15

Fast day

Our Lord and Savior

was Crucified on Friday

If you could be with the One Who

ceaselessly gives the fullness of

love, joy and freedom;

With whom would you rather be?

Friday

Oct 23/Nov 5 ns

2026

Holy Martyr Aréthas and Those With Him;

St. Elesbaán, King of Ethiopia

The Holy Martyr Aréthas and those with him suffered for the Christian Faith with over four thousand Christians-priests, monks and nuns, men, women and children. Aréthas was the eparch in the town of Nagran, in the southern Arabian land of Omir. He was ninety-five years old when he suffered. Dunaan, a cruel Jewish persecutor of Christians, then governed Omir. Determined to eradicate all Christians from his land, he surrounded the Christian town of Nagran, and sent a message to the people saying he would put them all to death unless they renounced Christ. The citizens closed the gates, and Dunaan attacked the city wall for a long time without success. Then the iniquitous governor swore to the citizens that he would do nothing to them, if only they would open the gate for him to enter and receive the tribute that they owed him-and that he would take it and immediately withdraw. The Christians believed him and opened the gate. Then the oath-breaking Jew summoned the aged Aréthas, the clergy and other distinguished citizens and beheaded them all with the sword. He then perpetrated a horrible slaughter in the town. Learning of this, the Byzantine Emperor Justin was greatly grieved, and wrote a letter to the Ethiopian Emperor, Elesbaán, requesting him to set out with an army against Dunaan to avenge the innocent blood of the Christians. Elesbaán obeyed Justin, attacked the governor of Omir with his army, defeated him, slew his entire army, and beheaded him. By a revelation from God, a certain devout man named Abramios was installed as governor of Omir, and again by God's revelation, St. Gregory of Omir (December 19) was installed as archbishop. Christians rebuilt the Church of the Holy Trinity in Nagran that Dunaan had burned, and also built a church to the Holy Martyr Aréthas and the other martyrs of Nagran. St. Aréthas and the others suffered and received martyr's wreaths from the Lord in the year 523.

1 Thessalonians 2:14-20 KJV

2:14 For ye, brethren, became followers of the churches of God which in Judaea are in Christ Jesus: for ye also have suffered like things of your own countrymen, even as they have of the Jews:

15 Who both killed the Lord Jesus, and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they please not God, and are contrary to all men:

16 Forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved, to fill up their sins alway: for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost.

17 But we, brethren, being taken from you for a short time in presence, not in heart, endeavoured the more abundantly to see your face with great desire.

18 Wherefore we would have come unto you, even I Paul, once and again; but Satan hindered us.

19 For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?

20 For ye are our glory and joy.

Saint Luke 10:1-15 KJV

10 After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come.

2 Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.

3 Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves.

4 Carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes: and salute no man by the way.

5 And into whatsoever house ye enter, first say, Peace be to this house.

6 And if the son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon it: if not, it shall turn to you again.

7 And in the same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give: for the labourer is worthy of his hire. Go not from house to house.

8 And into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you:

9 And heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.

10 But into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you not, go your ways out into the streets of the same, and say,

11 Even the very dust of your city, which cleaveth on us, we do wipe off against you: notwithstanding be ye sure of this, that the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.

12 But I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable in that day for Sodom, than for that city.

13 Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon, which have been done in you, they had a great while ago repented, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.

14 But it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment, than for you.

15 And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted to heaven, shalt be thrust down to hell.

EDIFICATION
St Symeon Metaphrastis
Paraphrase of the Homilies of St Makarios of Egypt: Spiritual Perfection

'The Lord has scattered the bones of those who seek to please men', it says (Ps. 53:5. LXX); and: The Lord will abhor the bloody and deceitful man' (Ps. 5:6), thus making it clear that deceitfulness is just as abhorrent to God as murder. Again, it numbers among the 'workers of iniquity' those who 'speak peace to their neighbor but have evil in their hearts' (Ps. 28: 3), and elsewhere it speaks of those who commit lawless acts in their hearts (Ps. 58:2). It also says: 'Woe to you, when men speak well of you' (St Luke 6:26) - that is to say, when you want to hear people say good things about you and when you hang upon their glory and praise. It is true that those who do good cannot escape notice altogether. Indeed, the Lord Himself says: 'Let your light shine before men' (St Matt. 5:16), though here it is understood that we do good for the glory of God and not for our own glory or because we desire men's praise. If this is not the case, then we are lacking in faith, as the Lord makes clear when He says: 'How can you have faith when you receive honor from one another, and do not seek the honor that comes from the only God?' (St John 5:44). St Paul bids us to do everything, even to eat and to drink, for the glory of God; 'for.' he says, 'whether you eat or drink, or do anything else, do it for the glory of God' (1 Cor. 10:31). And St John equates hatred with murder when he says:
'Whoever hates his brother is a murderer' (1 John 3 : I 5).

*Ascetical homilies are the God-given rewards granted to those, who is asceticism, from the Holy Apostles on, gave and give their very life, whether by breath or blood, to their love of Christ and His two salvific commands.

If we, in turn, contemplate and reflect on those homilies we will find crucial clarity in scripture but also clarity in definition of our spiritual status as we take up the Cross to transcend from transient darkness to the Eternal Light of the Holy Trinity.