Friday June 20 /July 3 ns 2026 • Hodegétria Icon; Hieromartyr Methódios, Bishop of Patára; St. Kállistos I, Patriarch of Constantinople; St. Nicholas Cabasilas ~ Fast day ~ Rom. 16:1-16; St. Matt. 13:3-9 ~ REFLECTION: Prayers by the Lake - Wisdom; CONTEMPLATION: When the time comes?

F R I D A Y

June 20 / July 3 ns 2026

A P O S T L E S
F A S T

The Hodegétria Icon of the Theotokos; {"She who shows the Way"} She is depicted with the her hand
pointing at Christ, Who is "The Way".

and

The Hieromartyr Methódios,

Bishop of Patára;

St. Kállistos I, Patriarch of

Constantinople;

St. Nicholas Cabasilas

From his youth, Methódios dedicated himself to asceticism and, as a city on a hill, was seen and summoned to the episcopacy in the city of Patara in Lycia.
As a learned and eloquent hierarch, Methódios wrote against the heresy of Origen. His "God-inspired words shown throughout the entire world as lightning."
The pagans rose up against him, tortured him and beheaded him in Chalcis in Syria in the year 311 A.D.

Romans 16:1-16 KJV

16 I commend unto you Phebe our sister, which is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea:

2 That ye receive her in the Lord, as becometh saints, and that ye assist her in whatsoever business she hath need of you: for she hath been a succourer of many, and of myself also.

3 Greet Priscilla and Aquila my helpers in Christ Jesus:

4 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.

5 Likewise greet the church that is in their house. Salute my well-beloved Epaenetus, who is the firstfruits of Achaia unto Christ.

6 Greet Mary, who bestowed much labour on us.

7 Salute Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen, and my fellow-prisoners, who are of note among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me.

8 Greet Amplias my beloved in the Lord.

9 Salute Urbane, our helper in Christ, and Stachys my beloved.

10 Salute Apelles approved in Christ. Salute them which are of Aristobulus' household.

11 Salute Herodion my kinsman. Greet them that be of the household of Narcissus, which are in the Lord.

12 Salute Tryphena and Tryphosa, who labour in the Lord. Salute the beloved Persis, which laboured much in the Lord.

13 Salute Rufus chosen in the Lord, and his mother and mine.

14 Salute Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermas, Patrobas, Hermes, and the brethren which are with them.

15 Salute Philologus, and Julia, Nereus, and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints which are with them.

16 Salute one another with an holy kiss. The churches of Christ salute you.

Saint Matthew 13:3-9 KJV

3 And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow;

4 And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:

5 Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth:

6 And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.

7 And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them:

8 But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.

9 Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

Prayers by the Lake

Wisdom

St. Nikolai Velimirovich

Desist from your worldly wisdom, my neighbors. Wisdom is begotten, not made. As Wisdom is begotten in God, so is it begotten on earth. Begotten wisdom creates, but is not created. So, you braggarts brag about your intellect! What is your intellect except remembering many facts? And if you remember so much, how could you have forgotten the moments of the wondrous begetting of wisdom within you?

Sometimes I hear you talking about great thoughts that were born to you unexpectedly without any effort. Who bore these thoughts to you, intellectuals? How were they begotten without a father, if you admit that you did not father them? Truly I say to you: the father of these thoughts is the All Holy Spirit, and their mother survives as the virgin corner of your soul, where the All-Holy Spirit still dares to enter. Thus every wisdom in heaven and on earth is begotten of the Virgin and the All-Holy Spirit. The All-Holy Spirit hovered over the chastity of the first hypostasis, and the Ultimate Man, the Wisdom of God, was begotten.

The chastity of the Father is in heaven, the virginity of the Mother is on earth. The action of the Holy Spirit is in heaven, His action is on earth. The begetting of wisdom is in heaven, the begetting of wisdom is on earth. 

O my soul, my eternal surprise! What happened once in heaven and once on earth must happen to you. You must become a virgin, so that you can conceive the Wisdom of God. You must be a virgin, so that the Spirit of God may fall in love with you. All the miracles in heaven and on earth originate from the Virgin and the Spirit.

When the time comes?

It cannot be denied, ALL things are here today and gone tomorrow. Yes ALL! Yet is it not easy to temporarily create an escape from reality with a fantasy? 

And to make matters worse, there are many, even followers of Christ who think they can ignore God's directive to deny the SELF postponing the renunciation of adult toys until its time to leave.  

The joy we experience in things is Christ Himself, a condescension due to our error, a temporary gift of His compassion and love.  There is NO other joy but Him and He made us like Him - eternal! 

If anyone believes that he can give up attachments "when the time comes", let him be reminded of when that time is: Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? Saint Luke 12:20 KJV

Thursday June 19/July 2 ns 2026 • Holy Apostle Jude, Brother of God, of the Twelve; St. Paḯsios the Great; St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco ~ Fish, wine and olive oil are permitted. Apostle: St. Jude 1-25; St. John 14:21-24 ~ SYNAXIS: In Memory of the Veneration of the MAGI; FOR CONTEMPLATION: When the time comes?

T H U R S D A Y

June 19 / July 2 ns 2025

H O L Y

A P O S T L E S'

F A S T

f I S H, w & o

Today we praise

Holy Apostle Jude, Brother of God,

of the Twelve;

St. Paḯsios the Great;

St. John the Wonderworker

of Shanghai and San Francisco

  SAINT JUDE was one of the Twelve Apostles. He was the son of Joseph and Salome and the brother of James, the brother of the Lord. With Salome, the daughter of Angeja the son of Varahina, the brother of Zacharias, Joseph the carpenter had four sons: James, Hosea, Simon and Jude. This Jude is sometimes called: "Jude, the brother of James" because of his more famous brother (St. Luke 6:16 Acts 1:14).

St. Jude begins his epistle in this manner: "Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ and the brother of James" (St. Jude 1:1). Even though he could be called the brother of the Lord as much as James, he did not do this out of humility and shame for, in the beginning, he did not believe Christ the Lord. When the elder Joseph, before his death, wanted to leave a portion of his estate to Jesus as well as to his other children, all of them protested this, even Jude, only James voluntarily set aside a share of his portion and intended it for Jesus. Jude is also called Levi and Thaddeus. There is another Thaddeus of the Seventy Apostles (August 21) but this Thaddeus or Jude was one of the Great Apostles.

St. Jude preached the Gospel throughout Judea, Samaria, Galilee, Idumedia, Syria, Arabia, Mesopotamia and Armenia. In Edessa, the town of Abgar, he augmented the preaching of the other Thaddeus. When Jude preached throughout the regions around Ararat he was captured by pagans, crucified on a cross and killed by being shot throughout with arrows to eternally reign in the Kingdom of Christ.

Saint John's Prayer Corner

“This man, who appears weak is, in fact, a miracle of ascetic steadfastness and determination in our time of universal spiritual weakening.” - Metropolitan Anthony Khrapovitsky

“If you desire to see a living Saint, go to Bitol to Father John.” - Saint Nicholai Velimirovich

Saint John was born on the 4th of June 1896 on the country estate of his parents, descendants of nobility, Boris Ivanovich and Glaphira Mikhailovna Maximovitch in the little town of Adamovka in the Province of Kharkov. At Baptism he received his name in honour of Saint Michael the Archangel.

His paternal ancestors were of Serbian extraction. One of his ancestors, Saint John, Metropolitan of Tobolsk, was an ascetic of holy life, a missionary, and a spiritual writer. Saint John of Tobolsk lived in the first half of the 18th century and was glorified in 1916. His glorification was the last celebrated during the reign of the Tsar Martyr Nicholas.

Saint John was an obedient child; his sister recalls that it was very easy for his parents to raise him. Ruminating about his future during his youth, he could not make a definite decision as to a career, being unsure as to whether he should dedicate himself to military or civil service He only knew that his future life would be guided by an insuperable desire to stand up for the Truth, which was nurtured in him by his parents. He was inspired by the examples of those people who live their lives for the Truth.

He commenced his education at the Poltava Military Academy which, Vladyka himself would later say, “was dedicated to one of the glorious pages of the history of Russia.” He was an exemplary student, but he disliked two subjects; gymnastics and dancing. He was well liked at the academy, but nevertheless felt he should choose a different path. This idea was especially furthered by contact with the well known religious instructor at the academy, Archpriest Sergei Chetverikov, author of books about Saint Paisius Velichkovsky and the Holy Optina Elders, and with the rector of the local seminary, Archimandrite Varlaam. The day of Michael Maximovitch’s completion of the military academy coincided with that of Archbishop Anthony Khrapovitsky's investiture.

Saint Jude KJV

1 Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called:

2 Mercy unto you, and peace, and love, be multiplied.

3 Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.

4 For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.

5 I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not.

6 And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.

7 Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.

8 Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities.

9 Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.

10 But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves.

11 Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core.

12 These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots;

13 Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever.

14 And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints,

15 To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.

16 These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men's persons in admiration because of advantage.

17 But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ;

18 How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts.

19 These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit.

20 But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit,

21 Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.

22 And of some have compassion, making a difference:

23 And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.

24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,

25 To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.

Saint John 14:21-24 KJV 

21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.

22 Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world?

23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.

24 He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me.

SYNAXIS

In Memory of the Veneration of the MAGI

Hieromonk Makarios of Simonopetra Monastery Mt. Athos

At that time, three Magi from the East arrived in Jerusalem with a magnificent escort, asking after the newborn King, whom they had come to venerate. Priests and seers from among the pagan worshippers of the sun and the other stars, but nonetheless upright and endowed with wisdom, they investigated the heavenly bodies, not in order to predict the future but to trace the ways of Divine Providence; and they studied the secrets of nature in order to come to knowledge of the Truth. Full of these good intentions, not the demons, but the dead who await the resurrection.

Some say they came from Persia, others that they would more probably have come from Arabia, a country of Semitic language which was, at the time, the center of trade in the rare commodities they brought as gifts. While some commentators assume that they arrived on the very day of the Nativity, warned long in advance by the star, others are of the opinion that the star first appeared to them on this day, and that they arrived in Bethlehem from thirteen days to two years later. There are also those who maintain that the Magi saw the star appear on 24 Dec. and arrived in Jerusalem the next day transported by an angel, just as the Prophet Habakkuk had once been conveyed from Judea to Babylon to visit the Prophet Daniel (cf. 2 Dec.).

They had observed the sudden appearance in the firmament of a star which, drawing near the earth, shone with so brilliant a light as to be clearly visible even at midday, and which at night out-shone every other star.

From their knowledge of the sayings of the ancient Prophets, the Magi recalled the Prophecy about Israel pronounced long before by Balaam, the seer who came from Mesopotamia at the request of Balak, the King of Moab: I see Him but not now, I glorify Him, but not nigh; a Star shall come forth out of Jacob and a scepter shall rise out of Israel (Num. 24:17). They deduced that the King who would subdue the nations, the Messiah awaited by Israel had appeared, and they made ready for the long journey.


Being the first-fruits of the Gentiles and prefiguring the conversion of the peoples far removed from the revelation to Israel, they set out to bring Him their worship in advance of the stony-hearted Jews, and as they went, the star going before showed them the way.

Strange though it may seem, this luminary was no inanimate light, but one of the angelic powers of heaven which took the form of a star, to conform to the understanding of the Magi, who were accustomed to study the stars for clues to the attainment of knowledge of God. Unlike the planets that appear to move from East to West, this star, which was brighter than the sun, went before them from Persia in the North, southward to Jerusalem, and then disappeared for a while, before leading them to Bethlehem and stationing itself over the place where the Child lay (St Matt. 2:9).

It showed the way to the Magi, as the pillar of fire had shown the way to the people of Israel in the wilderness (Ex. 13:21); and it came down so close to the ground that the cave where the Savior lay was indicated clearly in its light. These extraordinary happenings, which astrology could not account for had the effect of driving doubt from the spirit of the Magi and of causing them to lay aside all mistrust so that, even while they were on their way, they gave up the worship of the stars for the adoration of the Sun of righteousness. Who has come into the world to shed upon mankind the light of true knowledge of God.

When they reached Jerusalem the star disappeared from their sight. Not knowing where to go, but believing that the Jews would be eager to recognize their King from on High, they made their way to the palace of Herod, the King of Judea, a cruel and depraved man who never hesitated to rid himself of anyone who might be a threat to his power. On learning from the Magi why they had come, he immediately gathered the scribes and doctors of the Law to find out who the King announced by the Prophets might be. The Elders assured him that the Messiah, the Liberator of Israel, was indeed expected at Bethlehem, the native town of King David. Then having called the Magi to a private audience, Herod directed them to Bethlehem and asked them to let him know on their return where the newborn King was to be found so that he too may come and do him homage, as he alleged (St Matt. 2:8), while really intending to do Him to death.

As soon as they left Jerusalem, the star appeared once again to the Magi and led them to the humble cave. Entering therein full of joy and holy fear as into the palace of the greatest of Kings, these rich and noble travelers from afar cast themselves to the ground before the Child enthroned in the manger, and opening the treasures of their hearts, they adored him and offered Him rare and precious gifts; gold to honour him as King, incense as befitting God, and myrrh—the aromatic oil used in the burial of the dead—for the Immortal One who was soon to suffer death for our Salvation."

Then warned in a dream of Herod's plan, they returned to their own country by another road, thereby teaching those who have once drawn near to Christ not to return to evil ways.

To Christ Jesus, Our Lord and Our Savior be Glory, now and forever and unto the ages of ages.

Amen.

When the time comes?

It cannot be denied, ALL things are here today and gone tomorrow. Yes ALL! Yet is it not easy to temporarily create an escape from reality with a fantasy? 

And to make matters worse, there are many, even followers of Christ who think they can ignore God's directive to deny the SELF postponing the renunciation of adult toys until its time to leave.  

The joy we experience in things is Christ Himself, a condescension due to our error, a temporary gift of His compassion and love.  There is NO other joy but Him and He made us like Him - eternal! 

If anyone believes that he can give up attachments "when the time comes", let him be reminded of when that time is: Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? Saint Luke 12:20 KJV

Wednesday June 18/July 1 ns 2026 • Holy Martyr Leóntios ~ Fast day ~ Rom. 15:7-16; St. Matt. 12:38-45 ~ HOMILY: Alienated from Reality; PHOTOS: The Glorification of Saint Glicherie; REFLECT: He who is within

~ The Uthra {maiden} Mariam Kecharitomene ~

The Most Pure Ever-Virgin Maiden is

Full of Grace

Wednesday

June 18/July 1 ns 2026

H O L Y

A P O S T L E S'

F A S T

The Holy Martyr Leontios

The Holy Martyr Leóntios was a Roman commander in Tripoli in Phoenicia (Phoenicia was an ancient civilization composed of independent city-states located along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea stretching through what is now Syria, Lebanon and northern Israel) during the reign of Emperor Vespasian.

He was born in Hellas [Greece] "of great physical stature, powerful, strong and brave in battles." Hadrian, the imperial deputy, sent a military detachment to arrest Leóntios, for Hadrian was a fierce adversary and persecutor of Christians. Hypátios, the senior officer of this detachment, became ill enroute with a bitter fever because of which the detachment had to slow down their march. One night an angel of God appeared to Hypátios and said to him: "If you want to be well, cry out three times toward heaven with all your soldiers: 'O God of Leóntios help me!' "

Hypátios informed his companions of his vision and all in unison cried out as the angel instructed and immediately Hypátios became well. This miracle astonished all but especially Theodulos. Hypatius and Theodulos then went ahead of the other soldiers to seek Commander Leóntios. Leóntios received them graciously and served them. When he expounded his faith in Christ to them, their hearts burned with love for Christ and, at that moment, a bright cloud descended upon Hypátios and Theodulos and dew from a cloud descended upon them. That was the Holy Spirit of God Himself baptizing these converted souls and St. Leóntios, at that moment, spoke these words: "In the name of the All-holy Trinity: Father, Son and Holy Spirit." The evil Hadrian, learning that Hypátios and Theodulos became Christians, ordered that they be scourged without mercy and following that to be beheaded with an axe. And so, these two spiritual children of Leóntios died.

Then Hadrian prescribed cruel tortures for Leóntios but Leóntios remained unwavering in his holy faith. His entire body was covered with wounds but he diligently prayed to God not to abandon him. In the midst of the cruelest torments, an angel of the Lord appeared to him, encouraged and comforted him. Finally, they knocked the martyr Leóntios to the ground and beat him until he gave up his soul to God. The sufferings of St. Leóntios was personally witnessed by Kir Notarius who recorded all that he saw on lead tablets and placed them in the martyr's grave.

St. Leóntios suffered honorably in the year 73 A.D.

Romans 15:7-16 KJV

7 Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God.

8 Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers:

9 And that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy; as it is written, For this cause I will confess to thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name.

10 And again he saith, Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with his people.

11 And again, Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles; and laud him, all ye people.

12 And again, Esaias saith, There shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles trust.

13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Spirit.

14 And I myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another.

15 Nevertheless, brethren, I have written the more boldly unto you in some sort, as putting you in mind, because of the grace that is given to me of God,

16 That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

Saint Matthew 12:38-45 KJV

38 Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee.

39 But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas:

40 For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

41 The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.

42 The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here.

43 When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none.

44 Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished.

45 Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.

Alienated from Reality

[How can one know if he is alienated?]

Saint Nikolai Velimirovich

Whenever we are outside the Grace of God, we are outside of ourselves and, compared with our Grace-filled nature, we do not find ourselves in a better condition than an insane man in comparison to a so-called healthy man. Only a blessed man is a natural man, i.e., a man of higher and unspoiled nature, in which the Grace of God rules and governs. 

St. Simeon the New Theologian says: "A lamp, even if it is filled with oil and possesses a wick, remains totally dark if it is not lighted with fire. So it is with the soul in appearance adorned with all virtues, if it does not have a light and the Grace of the Holy Spirit it, is extinguished and dark".  

As the great apostle also says: "But by the Grace of God I am what I am" (1 Corinthians 15:10). However to be without grace means to be alienated from God and alienated from the reality of our own individual being. Our being, our personality, confirms our reality and receives its fullness only in the nearness of God and by God. That is why we must look at sinners as we look upon the sick: as weak shadows, without reality and without a mind.

†
The Glorification of Saint Glicherie
of Romania June 15 Church Calendar 1997

Once the glorification began, all roofs of the monastery were covered with the faithful.

Reflect

He who is within is greater than he who is in the world. 1 St John 4:4.

Take every Tot and Tittle* of the love you give to every single thing and everyone, and The Kingdom of Heaven, i.e. our Creator, Who is within will blossom before your eyes.

*Tot and Tittle:  Every single aspect of love—down to the tiniest drop—must be included.