Monday Nov. 18/Dec. 1 ns 2025 • Holy Martyrs Pláton and Romanós ~ Wine and olive oil are permitted ~ I St. Tim. 1:1-7; St. Luke 17:20-25

Whatsoever He saith unto you,

do it.

Monday Nov. 18/Dec. 1 ns 2025

Nativity Fast

permitted today

Holy Martyrs Pláton and Romanós

✠ Platon was from the town of Ancyra in Galatia. He was a Christian by birth and upbringing. While in his youth, he showed great perfection in every virtue. Platon did not conceal his faith in Christ the Lord, but preached it openly, denouncing idolaters because of their worshiping lifeless objects in place of the Living Creator. For this, he was brought to trial before Governor Agrippinus, and was interrogated and harshly tortured by him. When the governor counseled him to avoid death and save his life by worshiping the idols, Platon said: ``There are two deaths, the one temporal and the other eternal; so also are there two lives, one of short duration and the other without end.'' Then Agrippinus subjected him to even harsher tortures. Among other tortures, red-hot cannon balls were set on the saint's naked body; then they cut strips from his skin. ``Torture me more harshly,'' the martyr cried out to the torturers, ``so that your inhumanity and my endurance may be seen more clearly.'' When the torturer reminded the martyr that his namesake, Plato the philosopher, was a pagan, the martyr replied: ``I am not like Plato, nor is Plato like me except in name. I learn and teach the wisdom of Christ, but Plato was a teacher of wisdom that is foolishness to God.'' After that, Platon was thrown into prison, where he remained for eighteen days without food and water. When the guards were amazed that Platon was able to live in hunger for so long, he told them: ``You are satisfied by meat, but I, by holy prayers. Wine gladdens you, but Christ the True Vine gladdens me.'' Platon was beheaded in about the year 266 and received his wreath of eternal glory.

✠ St. Romanos was a deacon of the church in Caesarea and zealously preached the Gospel in Antioch. One day, there was an idolatrous feast. The Eparch of Antioch, Asclypiades, went to enter a pagan temple to offer sacrifices, but Romanus stood in the way and said: ``You sin, O Governor, when you go to the idols. The idols are not gods-Christ is the only true God.'' The enraged eparch subjected Romanos to tortures and had him flogged and scraped without mercy. During this, St. Romanos saw a child by the name of Barulas, and said to Asclypiades: ``Even this small child has more understanding than you, old man, for he knows the true God and you do not.'' The eparch questioned Barulas about his faith, and he confessed Christ the Lord as the One True God, contrary to false idolatry. Asclypiades commanded that young Barulas be beheaded, and St. Romanos be strangled in prison. Thus, both of these martyrs inherited the Kingdom of Christ in the year 303.

Holy Epistle

1 Saint Timothy 1:1-7

King James Version

1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Saviour, and Lord Jesus Christ, which is our hope;

2 Unto Timothy, my own son in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord.

3 As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine,

4 Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do.

5 Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned:

6 From which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling;

7 Desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm.

Holy Gospel

Saint Luke 17:20-25

King James Version

20 And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation:

21 Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.

22 And he said unto the disciples, The days will come, when ye shall desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, and ye shall not see it.

23 And they shall say to you, See here; or, see there: go not after them, nor follow them.

24 For as the lightning, that lighteneth out of the one part under heaven, shineth unto the other part under heaven; so shall also the Son of man be in his day.

25 But first must he suffer many things, and be rejected of this generation.

Lest Jesus Withdraws

Because of Evil Thoughts

Saint Philotheos of Sinai

With all our strength let us hold fast to Christ, for there are always those who struggle to deprive our soul of His presence; and let us take care lest Jesus withdraws because of the evil thoughts that crowd our soul (cf. John 5:13). Yet we will not manage to hold Him without great effort on the soul's part. 

Let us study His life in the flesh, so that in our own life we may be humble. Let us absorb His sufferings, so that by emulating Him we may endure our afflictions patiently. Let us savor His ineffable incarnation and His work of salvation on our behalf, so that from the sweet taste in our soul we may know that the Lord is bountiful (cf. Ps. 34:8). Also, and above all, let us unhesitatingly trust in Him and in what He says; and let us daily wait on His providence towards us. And whatever form it takes, let us accept it gratefully, gladly and eagerly, so that we may learn to look only to God, who governs all things in accordance with the divine principles of His wisdom. If we do all these things, we are not far from God; for godliness is 'perfection that is never complete', as one who was divinely inspired and-spiritually perfect has said.'

Ansel Adams Photography

SUNDAY Nov. 17/30 ns 2025 • St. Gregory, Bishop of Neocæsaréa, the Wonder-Worker; 8th & 9th Œcumenical Synods; St. Gennadios I, Patriarch of Constantinople ~ Wine and olive oil are permitted ~ 3rd Mat. Gospel: St. Mark 16:9-20; Eph. 4:1-7 (25th Sun. Epistles); St. Lk. 12:16-21, 8:8

I know thee as the protection of my life and most safe fortification, O Virgin; disperse the horde of my many temptations, and put to silence demonic audacity; unceasingly I pray to thee:

From corruption of passions deliver me.

SUNDAY Nov. 17/30 ns 2025

Nativity Fast 2025

permitted today

SUGGESTION

You read the following yesterday,

now scroll down to the bottom and read from
St. Symeon the New Theologian

As it has been said, one day we will no longer be able to satisfy our passions.

The Church, in her love for her children, established periods of fasting to temper our desire and calm the passions in preparation for separation. With this at the forefront of our minds and hearts, not as an opportunity to lose weight or to comply with a duty, let's rejoice with faith, trusting in the Lord's promise of the Life to come where all sickness, sighing and sorrow, are no longer.
May our Precious Lord and His All Embracing Holy Mother strengthen all of us.

Our God, Who is omnipotent and omniscient does what He pleases, but His omniscience and omnipotence are but a cobweb compared to His Love.

Saint Gregory, Bishop of Neocæsaréa, the Wonder-Worker;
St. Lazarus, the Iconographer
and Confessor;

St. Gennadios I, Patriarch of  Constantinople

This man of God and powerful wonderworker was called a second Moses. Gregory was born of pagan, but eminent and wealthy, parents. He studied Hellenic and Egyptian philosophy and became aware of the meagerness and insufficiency of pagan philosophy. He then turned to Christian teachers, particularly Origen of Alexandria, with whom he studied for several years and from whom he received baptism.

Pure in body and soul, he wanted to dedicate himself solely to Christ God, for which reason he withdrew to the wilderness, where he spent much time in rigorous asceticism. His fame spread everywhere.

Bishop Phaedimus of Amasea wanted to consecrate him Bishop of Neocaesarea. The clairvoyant Gregory perceived Phaedimus's intention and hid from the bishop's emissaries in the wilderness. Finally, Phaedimus consecrated him in a strange way, and Gregory had to accept the office of bishop.

Repeats in scripture readings occasionally occur  on the Calendar of the

Church of the Genuine Orthodox Christians of America

and subsequently on the PARAGON

where they are copied and pasted.

Holy Orthros Gospel

Saint Mark 16:9-20

King James Version

9 Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils.

10 And she went and told them that had been with him, as they mourned and wept.

11 And they, when they had heard that he was alive, and had been seen of her, believed not.

12 After that he appeared in another form unto two of them, as they walked, and went into the country.

13 And they went and told it unto the residue: neither believed they them.

14 Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen.

15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;

18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.

19 So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.

20 And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.

Holy Epistle

Ephesians 4:1-7

King James Version

4 I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,

2 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;

3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

4 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;

5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism,

6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

7 But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.

Holy Divine Liturgy Gospel

Saint Luke 12:16-21;8:8

King James Version

16 And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully:

17 And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?

18 And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.

19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.

20 But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?

21 So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.

8 And other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit an hundredfold. And when he had said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

Saint Symeon the New Theologian

As it has been said, one day we will no longer be able to satisfy our passions.

For someone who loves the body, mortal life, sensual pleasure, and the material world, separation from them is death; but for someone who loves holiness, the immaterial world and virtue, true death is for the mind to be separated from them even briefly. 

If the eyes of a person who can see sensible light are closed for an instant or covered by someone else, he suffers and is distressed and cannot bear it, especially if he was looking at something important or unusual. But if someone is illumined by the Holy Spirit and, whether asleep or awake, sees spiritually those blessings that 'the eye has not seen, and the ear has not heard, and man's heart has not grasped' (1 Cor. 2:9), and 'that angels long to glimpse' (1 St. Pet. 1:12), how much more will he suffer and be tormented if he is torn away from the vision of these things? For this will seem to him like death, a veritable exclusion from eternal life.

Saturday Nov. 16/29ns † Holy Apostle and Evangelist Matthew, of the Twelve ~ Wine and olive oil are permitted ~ I Cor. 4:9-16; St. Matt. 9:9-13

All my hope do I set in thee,

O Mother of God;

protect me under thy shelter

Saturday Nov. 16/29 ns 2025

~ Wine and olive oil ~

are permitted today

Nativity Fast 2025

As it has been said, one day we will no longer be able to satisfy our passions.

The Church, in her love for her children, established periods of fasting to temper our desire and calm the passions in preparation for separation. With this at the forefront of our minds and hearts, not as an opportunity to lose weight or to comply with a duty, let's rejoice with faith, trusting in the Lord's promise of the Life to come where all sickness, sighing and sorrow, are no longer.
May our Precious Lord and His All Embracing Holy Mother strengthen all of us.

Our God, Who is omnipotent and omniscient does what He pleases, but His omniscience and omnipotence are but a cobweb compared to His Love.

Holy Apostle and Evangelist

Matthew of the 12

WHEN THE VOICE OF GOD SAYS COME AND THE EAR OF THE SOUL IS ATTENTIVE . . .

...and he saith unto him, Follow me.
And he arose, and followed him.

Matthew, son of Alphaeus, was a tax collector when the Lord saw him in Capernaum and said: Follow Me. And he arose, and followed Him (St. Matthew 9:9). After that, Matthew prepared a reception for the Lord in his home and thus provided the occasion for the Lord to express several great truths about His coming to earth.

After receiving the Holy Spirit, Matthew preached the Gospel to the Parthians, Medes and Ethiopians. In Ethiopia he appointed his follower Plato as bishop, and withdrew to prayerful solitude on a mountain, where the Lord appeared to him. Matthew baptized the wife and the son of the prince of Ethiopia, at which the prince became greatly enraged and dispatched a guard to bring Matthew to him for trial. The soldiers returned to the prince saying that they had heard Matthew's voice, but could not see him with their eyes. The prince then sent a second guard. When this guard approached the apostle, he shone with a heavenly light so powerful that the soldiers could not look at him; filled with fear, they threw down their weapons and returned. The prince then went himself. Matthew radiated such light that the prince was instantly blinded. However, the holy apostle had a compassionate heart; he prayed to God, and the prince was given back his sight. Unfortunately, he saw only with physical eyes and not spiritual eyes. He arrested Matthew and subjected him to cruel tortures. Twice, a large fire was lighted on his chest, but the power of God preserved him alive and unharmed. Then the apostle prayed to God and gave up his spirit. The prince commanded that the martyr's body be placed in a lead coffin and thrown into the sea. The saint appeared to Bishop Plato and told him where the coffin bearing his body could be found. The bishop retrieved the coffin with Matthew's body from the sea. Witnessing this new miracle, the prince was baptized and received the name Matthew. After that, the prince left all the vanity of the world and became a presbyter and served the Church in a God-pleasing way. When Plato died, the Apostle Matthew appeared to the presbyter Matthew and counseled him to accept the episcopacy. He accepted the bishopric and, for many years, was a good shepherd until the Lord called him to His Immortal Kingdom. St. Matthew the Apostle wrote his Gospel in the Aramaic language. It was soon after translated into Greek and the Greek text has come down to us, while the Aramaic text has been lost. It is said of this evangelist that he never ate meat, but only vegetables and fruit.

Holy Epistle

1 Corinthians 4:9-16

King James Version

9 For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men.

10 We are fools for Christ's sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye are honourable, but we are despised.

11 Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwellingplace;

12 And labour, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it:

13 Being defamed, we intreat: we are made as the filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things unto this day.

14 I write not these things to shame you, but as my beloved sons I warn you.

15 For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.

16 Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me.

Holy Gospel

Saint Matthew 9:9-13

King James Version

9 And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose, and followed him.

10 And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples.

11 And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners?

12 But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick.

13 But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

 THE DEMON  

OF
SELF-ESTEEM

Saint Evagrios the Solitary

He who has attained spiritual knowledge and has enjoyed the delight that comes from it will no longer succumb to the demon of self-esteem, even when he offers him all the delights of the world; for what could the demon promise him that is greater than spiritual contemplation? But so long as we have not tasted this knowledge, let us devote ourselves eagerly to the practice of the virtues, showing God that our aim in everything is to attain knowledge of Him.