THE PARAGON Tuesday April 8/21 ns 2026 • Holy Apostles Herodion et al., of the Seventy; St. Celestine, Pope of Rome ~ Acts 4:1-10; St. John 3:16-21 ~ SEPARATED FROM GOD? A portion from St Gregory Palamas to the Most Reverend Nun Xenia

Tuesday

April 8/21 ns 

2026

Holy Apostles Herodion

et al., of the Seventy;

St. Celestine, Pope of Rome

They were all numbered among the Seventy [Lesser] Apostles.

Allwere mentioned by the Apostle Paul in his epistles. Herodian was a kinsman of Paul. "Greet," writes St. Paul to the Romans, "my relative Herodian" (Romans 16:11). As the Bishop of Neo-Parthia, Herodian suffered much at the hands of the Jews. They beat him over the head with rods, they struck him on the mouth with stones and stabbed him with knives. After they left him for dead, St. Herodian arose and continued to serve the apostles. He assisted the Apostle Peter in Rome and was beheaded along with many other Christians the same day that St. Peter was crucified.

St. Agabus possessed a prophetic spirit. Two of his prophecies are recorded in the Acts of the Apostles. First, he prophesied a great famine throughout the world which came true during the reign of Caesar Claudius: "And one of them named Agabus stood up and predicted by the Spirit that there would be a severe famine all over the world and it happened under Claudius" (Acts of the Apostles 11:28). Second, when he met with the Apostle Paul in Caesarea, who was enroute to Jerusalem, Agabus took Paul's belt and bound his own hands and feet saying: "Thus says the Holy Spirit: This is the way the Jews will bind the owner of this belt in Jerusalem, and they will hand him over to the Gentiles" (Acts of the Apostles 21:11).

St. Rufus was a Bishop of Thebes in Greece. St. Paul also mentions him. "Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord" (Romans 16:13).
St. Asyncritus was Bishop of Hyrcania in Asia and is mentioned along with the others in Romans 16:14.

St. Phlegon is also mentioned in the same epistle. "Greet ASYNCRITUS, PHLEGON, HERMES, PATROBAS and HERMAS and the brothers who are with them" (Romans 16:14). He was a bishop in the Thracian city of Marathon.

St. Hermas, mentioned with the others, was a bishop in Dalmatia.

All of them, like bees for Christ, spread the honey of the Gospel into the various regions, suffering much for the love of Christ. All were translated into the eternal kingdom of Christ the beloved.

Acts 4:1-10 KJV

4 And as they spake unto the people, the priests, and the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees, came upon them,

2 Being grieved that they taught the people, and preached through Jesus the resurrection from the dead.

3 And they laid hands on them, and put them in hold unto the next day: for it was now eventide.

4 Howbeit many of them which heard the word believed; and the number of the men was about five thousand.

5 And it came to pass on the morrow, that their rulers, and elders, and scribes,

6 And Annas the high priest, and Caiaphas, and John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the kindred of the high priest, were gathered together at Jerusalem.

7 And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, By what power, or by what name, have ye done this?

8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel,

9 If we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man, by what means he is made whole;

10 Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole.

Saint John 3:16-21 KJV

16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.

21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

SEPARATED FROM GOD?

A portion from St Gregory Palamas
to the Most Reverend Nun Xenia

The Son of God, who in His compassion became man, died so far as His body was concerned when His soul was separated from His body; but this body was not separated from His divinity, and so He raised up His body once more and took it with Him to heaven in glory.

Similarly, when those who have lived here in a godly manner are separated from their bodies, they are not separated from God, and in the resurrection they will take their bodies with them to God, and in their bodies they will enter with inexpressible joy there where Jesus has preceded us (Heb. 6:20) and in their bodies they will enjoy the glory that will be revealed in Christ (1 St. Pet. 5:1). Indeed, they will share not only in resurrection, but also in the Lord's Ascension and in all divine life.

THE PARAGON Monday March 7/20 ns 2026 • Holy Martyr Kalliópios; St. George, Bishop of Mytiléne ~ Acts 3:19-26; St. John 2:1-11 ~ QUOTE: St. Seraphim of Sarov ! DESPAIR; ~ QUOTE: Saint Isaac the Syrian GUIDED BY A NOD ~ A N E C D O T E S: Repeated from Sunday April 6/19 ns 2026

GREAT ART THOU O LORD AND MARVELOUS

ARE THY WORKS AND WORDS CANNOT

SUFFICE TO SING THE PRAISES 

OF THY WONDERS

Monday

April 7/20 ns 

2026

Holy Martyr Kalliópios;

St. George, Bishop of Mytiléne

Kalliópios was an only son granted by God to a senator from Perga in Pamphylia after the senator had shed many tears in prayer. From his early youth his devout mother, Theoclea, taught him to respect God and to live a chaste life. GGwas still a youngster when a terrible persecution began during the reign of Emperor Maximian. To spare him from death, his mother placed him in a boat, gave him an ample amount of money and saw him off to the city of Pompeiopolis. However, God in His Divine Providence, planned it otherwise. Landing in Pompeiopolis he fell into the midst of a tumultuous polytheistic celebration. When Kalliópios refused to participate in this ridiculous feast, at the insistence of the crazed mob, he was pushed toward Maximus the commander, before whom Kalliópios confessed that he was a Christian. The commander ordered that Kalliópios be beaten with lead canes and burned by fire. Wounded throughout, they cast him into prison. Learning about the tortures of her son, Theoclea distributed her entire estate to the poor and needy and with a paltry sum of money hurried to her son in prison. Upon entering the prison, Theoclea bowed down before her son and dressed his wounds. Finally, the commander pronounced the ultimate sentence. Kalliópios was to be crucified on a cross. Joy and pain intermingled in the heart of his mother. When they brought her son to the place of execution, she slipped five pieces of gold to the executioners to have her son crucified, not as the Lord was, but rather upside down. Theoclea did this out of humility before the Lord. Kalliópios was crucified upside down on Holy Thursday. His mother stood beneath the cross-giving praise to God. One the second day when they removed his lifeless body from the cross, she fell upon her son and she, herself, died. Thus, these two went before the Throne of the King of Glory together. They honorably suffered in the year 304 A.D.

Acts 3:19-26 KJV

19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.

20 And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you:

21 Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.

22 For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you.

23 And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people.

24 Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days.

25 Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed.

26 Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities.

Saint John 2:1-11 KJV

2 And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there:

2 And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage.

3 And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine.

4 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come.

5 His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it.

6 And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece.

7 Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim.

8 And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it.

9 When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was: (but the servants which drew the water knew;) the governor of the feast called the bridegroom,

10 And saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now.

11 This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him.

St. Seraphim of Sarov: . . . the devil strives to lead a man into despair. . . .

Just as the Lord is solicitous about our salvation, so too the murder of men, the devil, strives to lead a man into despair.

A lofty and sound soul does not despair over misfortunes, of whatever sort they may be. Our life is as it were a house of temptations and trials; but we will not renounce the Lord for as long as He allows the tempter to remain with us and for as long as we must wait to be revived through patience and secure passionless!

Judas the betrayer was fainthearted and unskilled in battle, and so the enemy, seeing his despair, attacked him and forced him to hang himself, but Peter, a firm rock, when he fell into great sin, like one skilled in battle did not despair nor lose heart, but shed bitter tears from a burning heart, and the enemy, seeing these tears, his eyes scorched as by fire, fled far form him wailing in pain.

And so brothers, St. Antioch teaches, when despair attacks us let us not yield to it, but being strengthened and protected by the light of faith, with great courage let us say to the evil spirit: “What are you to us, estranged from God, a fugitive from heaven and evil servant? You dare do nothing to us. Christ, the Son of God, has authority both over us and over everything. It is against Him that we have sinned, and before Him that we will be justified. And you, destroyer, leave us. Strengthen by His venerable Cross, we trample under foot your serpent’s head”

Guided By A Nod

Saint Isaac the Syrian

The man who is conscious of his sins is greater than he who profits the whole world by the sight of his countenance. The man who is deemed worthy to see himself is greater than he who is deemed worthy to see the angels, for the latter has communion through his bodily eyes but the former through the eyes of the soul. The man who follows Christ in solitary mourning is greater than he who praises Christ amid the congregations of men. Let no one object here, citing what was said by the Apostle, "I would wish that myself were anathema from Christ for my brethren."

He who has received the power of Paul is enjoined to do this. But Paul was guided by the nod that was made to him so that he should profit the whole world as he himself bore witness, for he did not do this of his own will. "For necessity is laid upon me", he says, "yes, woe to me if I preach not the Gospel." And the election of Paul had in view not the course of his own repentance, but the preaching of the gospel to mankind and he received a superabundant power.

A N E C D O T E S:  Repeated from yesterday

If we do as Christ says, we reunite with Him. What do you think happens then?

It is said the St. John the Wonderworker of Shanghai and San Francisco blessed everything, including his mailbox. In the photo above the children see St. John but they feel the fragrance Christ.

If you ask our Lord, from your heart, to bless everyone as you encounter them, will He not send others to you so they may feel His fragrant love and thereby be blest?

CEASELESS PRAYER
AND
YOU'RE ALREADY THERE

Adam was in ceaselessly in communion with God but having been given free will, he chose to use it to disobey his Creator's one, single instruction and in doing so became prideful, which alienated him,
since God is meek and lowly.
Many are and remain alienated from God through pride.
{Anon}

The PARAGON isn't static. It makes additions, deletions and corrections occasionally within the same day. If you're even a little focused on knowing where your actions are leading you, checking it more than once a day is not a bad idea.

THE PARAGON April 6/19 ns 2026 † 2nd SUNDAY OF PASCHA (THE HOLY APOSTLE THOMAS) • St. Evtychios, Patriarch of Constantinople; St. Gregory the Sinaite ~1st Matins Gospel: St. Matt. 28:16-20 Acts 5:12-20 (2nd Sunday of Acts); St. John 20:19-31

 

 2nd S U N D A Y   OF    P A S C H A 

T H E   H O L Y   A P O S T L E 

T H O M A S

April 6/19 ns 2026

• St. Evtychios, Patriarch of Constantinople; 

• St. Gregory the Sinaite

Thomas was one of the Twelve Apostles. Through his doubt in the Resurrection of Christ the Lord, a new proof was given of that wonderful and saving event. The resurrected Lord appeared to His disciples a second time, in order to convince Thomas.

The Lord said to Thomas: Reach hither thy finger, and behold My hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into My side: and be not faithless, but believing. And Thomas replied: My Lord and my God (St. John 20:27-28).

After the descent of the Holy Spirit, when the apostles cast lots to see where they would each go to preach, the lot fell to Thomas to go to India. He was a little saddened that he had to go so far away, but the Lord appeared to him and encouraged him. In India, St. Thomas converted many, both aristocrats and poor, to the Christian Faith, and established the Church there, appointing priests and bishops.
Among others, Thomas converted two sisters to the Faith-Tertiana and Migdonia-both wives of Indian princes. Because of their faith, both sisters were ill-treated by their husbands, with whom they no longer wanted to live after their baptism. Eventually, they were allowed to go. Being freed of marriage, they lived God-pleasing lives until their repose. Dionysius and Pelagia were betrothed, but when they heard the apostolic preaching they did not marry, but devoted themselves to the ascetic life. Pelagia ended her life as a martyr for the Faith, and Dionysius was ordained a bishop by the apostle. Prince Mazdai, Tertiana's husband, whose son, Azan, was also baptized by Thomas, condemned the apostle to death. Mazdai sent five soldiers to kill Thomas. They ran him through with their five spears, and thus the Holy Apostle Thomas rendered his soul into the hands of Christ.

Before his death, he and the other apostles were miraculously brought to Jerusalem for the burial of the Most-holy Theotokos. Arriving too late, he wept bitterly, and the tomb of the Holy Most-pure One was opened at his request. The Theotokos' body was not found in the tomb: the Lord had taken His Mother to His heavenly habitation. Thus, in his tardiness St. Thomas revealed to us the wondrous glorification of the Mother of God, just as he had once confirmed faith in the Resurrection of the Lord by his unbelief.

She is

Kecharitomene

'Full of Grace'

Orthros Saint Matthew 28:16-20 KJV

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 Ghost:

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.

Acts 5:12-20 KJV

12 And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people; (and they were all with one accord in Solomon's porch.

13 And of the rest durst no man join himself to them: but the people magnified them.

14 And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.)

15 Insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them.

16 There came also a multitude out of the cities round about unto Jerusalem, bringing sick folks, and them which were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed every one.

17 Then the high priest rose up, and all they that were with him, (which is the sect of the Sadducees,) and were filled with indignation,

18 And laid their hands on the apostles, and put them in the common prison.

19 But the angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them forth, and said,

20 Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life.

Saint John 20:19-31 KJV

19 Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.

20 And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord.

21 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.

22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:

23 Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.

24 But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.

25 The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.

26 And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you.

27 Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.

28 And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.

29 Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.

30 And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book:

31 But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.

BEHAVIOR IN ACCORDANCE TO

ONE'S CALLING

Saint Nikolai Velimirovich

"… that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering"
(Ephesians 4:1-2).

Be not proud, be not angry, be not faint-hearted; for these are unworthy of a Christian calling.
This calling is so elevated and wonderful that it is difficult for a man to safeguard himself from pride; yet it is difficult to keep oneself above faint-heartedness when dangers and losses occur. Against these three unhealthy states, the Apostle emphasizes three healthy states: against pride, lowliness; against anger, meekness; against faint-heartedness, longsuffering.

It must be said that these three virtues—lowliness, meekness and longsuffering—do not express in full measure the loftiness of the Christian calling. But then, nothing in this world can fully express the height of the Christian calling.

The preciousness and richness of this calling cannot be seen here on earth: it is like a closed chest that a man carries through this world, but only opens it and avails himself of its riches in the other world. Only someone who could raise himself to the highest heavens and see Christ the Lord in glory with the angels and the saints could assess the loftiness of the Christian calling; for there is the victorious assembly of all God’s chosen ones from earth who were made worthy of this exceedingly high honor.

O Lord Jesus Christ our God, Thy name is the name most dear to us.

God resisteth the proud,

but giveth grace unto the humble.

St. James 4:6

Without question this child is beautiful,

more beautiful than her purity & meekness?

CEASELESS PRAYER

AND

YOU'RE ALREADY THERE

Adam was in ceaselessly in communion with God
but having been given free will, he chose to use
it to disobey his Creator's one, single instruction and
in doing so became prideful, which alienated him,
since God is meek and lowly.
Many are and remain alienated from God through pride.
{Anon}


Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.
PSALM 51:5

 A N E D O T E

ARE YOU EAGER FOR THE RIGHT THING?

Or now are we back to the "same old" since the Great Fast has ended?
Are you eager to have things, to go here and there, eager for anything in Creation and all while only minimally attentive that the Creator of all things wants all of your being, all of your heart?
You can indeed gain much from this mortal, temporary life but you at what cost and to what end? There WILL be those who will hear:
"I never knew you!" St. Matthew 7:21-23 KJV

In other words, they knew the Lord only wit their lips.
Ask yourself: Do you believe Him when He says that all of the hairs of your head are numbered? Do you believe He knew every thought you would have before He made you? Can a disfigured mind, a mind that is blind to the Oneness of all things, begin to know or even grasp such a God?
Ask yourself, did He make this fallen and temporal "life" void of joy etc.? No! Because He is loves and infinitely loves His children, He made it incomprehensively glorious! And is He not clear about what He expects from us in return? Do we lack eagerness for Him like those who live in a fantasy thinking subconsciously that they will live forever, or at least live in an all-consuming fashion all you can with no thought about your judgement date; a date of which you have no say, other than by self termination.
And let us reflect on His incarnation.  We know with certainty that He did so in order for us to believe that we, yes, we, who are temporarily in this world, can live, die to this life, and yet resurrect to ascend into a an ending Life with Him in Paradise!
If we are not eager for it, then what?

However, if we do as Christ says, we reunite with Him. What do you think happens then?

It is said the St. John the Wonderworker of Shanghai and San
Francisco blessed everything, even his mailbox.  In the photo above of the children see St. John but they smell the fragrance Christ. 

If you ask our Lord, from your heart, to bless everyone you encounter, will He not send others to you so they may feel His fragrant love and thereby be blest?

The PARAGON isn't static.  It makes additions, deletions and corrections occasionally within the same day. If you're even a little focused on knowing where your actions are leading you, checking it more than once a day is not a bad idea.