Friday Jan 4 /17 2025 ns ~ Great and Royal Hours for Theophany • Synaxis of the Seventy Holy Apostles, St. Theóktistos of Cucomo in Sicily ~ No Fasting ~ Apostles: I Cor. 4:9-16; Forefeast: St. John 1:18-28 ~ What is Your Disposition? from our Holy Father Dorotheos of Gaza

Rejoice, Sweet Scent

of the fragrance of Christ

Great and Royal Hours for Theophany

Synaxis of the Seventy Holy Apostles

St. Theóktistos of Cucomo in Sicily

~ No Fasting ~ 

Besides the Twelve Greater Apostles, the Lord chose Seventy Lesser Apostles and sent them to preach the Gospel, "After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place He intended to visit, He said to them, ` The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest.' Go on your way: behold, I am sending you like lambs among wolves. Carry no money bag, no sack, no sandals; and greet no one along the way. Into whatever house you enter, first say, `Peace be to this household' " (St. Luke 10:1-5). 

But, as Judas, one of the Twelve, fell away from the Lord, so it was with some of the Seventy who abandoned the Lord not with the intention of betrayal but because of human weakness and faintheartedness. "As a result of this, many of His disciples returned to their former way of life and no longer accompanied Him" (St. John 6:66). As Judas' place was filled by another apostle, "So they [The Apostles] proposed two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also known as Justus, and Matthias. Then they prayed, `You, Lord, Who knows the hearts of all, show which one of these two You have chosen to take the place in this apostolic ministry from which Judas turned away to go to his own place'. Then they gave lots to them, and the lot fell upon Matthias, and he was counted with the eleven apostles" (Acts of the Apostles 1:23-26); so also were the places of these lesser apostles filled by others that were chosen. 

These Seventy Lesser Apostles labored at the same work as did the Twelve Great Apostles; they were co-workers with the Twelve in spreading and establishing the Church of God in the world. They endured many sufferings and malevolent acts from men and demons, but their strong faith and fervent love for the resurrected Lord made them victors over the world and inheritors of the Kingdom of Heaven.

1 Corinthians 4:9-16 KJV

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.

Saint John 1:18-28 KJV

18 No man hath seen God at any time, the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.

19 And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou?

20 And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ.

21 And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No.

22 Then said they unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself?

23 He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias.

24 And they which were sent were of the Pharisees.

25 And they asked him, and said unto him, Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet?

26 John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not;

27 He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe's latchet I am not worthy to unloose.

28 These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing.

What is Your Disposition?

from our Holy Father Dorotheos of Gaza

Now there are 3 dispositions of the soul in a man.

There is he who indulges his passions openly and without inhibition, 

he who does not allow his passions to manifest themselves at all, 

and he who uproots them.

• He who indulges his passions is one who conforms his life to them and satisfied them. 
• He who does not allow himself to indulge his passions is one who does not give them free rein and who overcomes them by controlling his desire and will, when he is tempted by them. But he also has not uprooted them, but maintains them within himself.
• And he who uproots the passions is one who struggles continually and does the very opposite of the passions dictate to him.

Thursday Jan 3 / 16 2025 ns • Holy Prophet Malachi, Holy Martyr Górdios, St. Thomaḯs of Lésbos, St. Geneviève of Paris, St. Peter of Atroa ~ No Fasting ~ Forefeast: II St. Tim. 4:5-8; St. Mark 1:1-8 ~ MYSTIC TREATISES BY SAINT ISAAC OF NINEVEH

Holy Prophet Malachi, Holy Martyr Górdios,  St. Thomaḯs of Lésbos, St. Geneviève of Paris,  St. Peter of Atroa

 ~NO FASTING~

♛ Malachi was the last of the prophets in time. He was born after the return of the Hebrews from the Babylonian Captivity in 538 B.C. He was unusually handsome in countenance. According to legend, the people called him an angel, perhaps because of his external beauty or because of his spiritual purity, or even, perhaps because of his association with an angel of God. On many occasions he spoke face to face with an angel. When this occurred, others heard the voice of an angel; but they were not worthy to see the face of the angel. That which the angel proclaimed, the young Malachi prophesied. He cried out against ungrateful Israel and against the lawless priests.

Five hundred years before Christ, Malachi clearly prophesied the coming and the mission of John the Baptist: "Lo, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me" (Malachi 3:7). Mainly, he is the prophet of the day of the Dreadful Judgment. "Before the day of the Lord comes, the great and terrible day" (Malachi 3: 23-24). He presented himself to the Lord while still young. Following him, there were no more prophets in Israel until John the Baptist.

2 Saint Timothy 4:5-8 KJV

5 But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.

6 For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.

7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:

8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

Saint Mark 1:1-8 KJV

1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God;

2 As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.

GREATEST PROPHET BELOVED JOHN

WHO LAID HIS HAND ON THE HEAD

OF GOD

3 The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.

4 John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.

5 And there went out unto him all the land of Judaea, and they of Jerusalem, and were all baptized of him in the river of Jordan, confessing their sins.

6 And John was clothed with camel's hair, and with a girdle of a skin about his loins; and he did eat locusts and wild honey;

7 And preached, saying, There cometh one mightier than I after me, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose.

8 I indeed have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit.

MYSTIC TREATISES
BY SAINT ISAAC OF NINEVEH

{Edited version}

If you haven't entirely exchanged your life for the will of God, do not think that your behavior has accomplished something, until tears come forth; for the hidden being still ministers to the world.

This means, that you are basically on the same stage of with the outward man, still on the surface of God and the inward man is still without food. His fruits begin at the point which I have indicated - with tears.

When thou has reached the place of tears then understand that the spirit has left the prison of this world and set his foot on the way towards the new world. 

AGAIN:  When thou has reached the place of tears then understand that the spirit has left the prison of this world and set his foot on the way towards the new world. 

Then it begins to breathe the wonderful air which is there, and to spend tears, for now the throws caused by the spiritual child within become ardent, and grace, the common mother, hastily delivers as it were, the soul, God's image unto the light of the world to come and when the time of Earth is come, then the mind will perceive something belonging to that world like a faint perfume which the child has received in the members into which it has grown.

Wednesday January 2 / 15 2025 ns • St. Sylvester, Pope of Rome; St. Seraphim of Sarov; St. Juliana of Lazarevo ~ No Fasting ~ Forefeast: Heb. 5:4-10; St. John 3:1-15 ~ THE PRAYER OF JESUS

St. Sylvester, Pope of Rome;

St. Seraphim of Sarov;

St. Juliana of Lazarevo

~ No Fasting ~

Sylvester was born in Rome and from his early youth was learned in worldly wisdom and in the Faith of Christ. He always conducted his life according to the Gospel commandments. He benefited much from the instruction of Timothy the priest whose death for the Faith Sylvester himself witnessed and, observing the example of the heroic sacrifice of his teacher, was imbued with such a spirit throughout his entire life. At age thirty, he became the Bishop of Rome. He amended the customs of Christians. For example, he dispensed the fast on Saturdays, which was practiced by many Christians up to that time, and ordered that fasting be observed only on Holy and Great Saturday as well as on those Saturdays that fall within the fasting seasons. 

By his prayers and miracles Sylvester assisted in bringing Emperor Constantine and his mother Helena into the True Faith. They were later baptized. He participated with the Empress Helena in finding the Honorable Cross. He governed the Church of God for twenty years. His earthly life ended honorably and he was translated into the heavenly Kingdom.

Seraphim was one of the greatest Russian ascetics, discerners and miracle-workers. He was born in 1759 A.D and died in 1833 A.D. Seraphim was distinguished by great humility. When the entire world praised him, he referred to himself as "the wretched Seraphim."

Hebrews 5:4-10 KJV

4 And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron.

5 So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten thee.

6 As he saith also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.

7 Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared;

8 Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;

9 And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;

10 Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec.

Saint John 3:1-15 KJV

3 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:

2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.

3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?

5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.

9 Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?

10 Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?

11 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness.

12 If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?

13 And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.

14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:

15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

THE PRAYER OF JESUS

+ Saint Barsanouphrios of Optina

Lord Jesus Christ Son of God have mercy on me a sinner

The prayer of Jesus is of tremendous importance in the life of a Christian. This is the shortest path to reaching the Kingdom of Heaven, although this path is not easy, and, having entered upon it, we must be ready for sorrow. True, other prayers are also of considerable importance, and a person who is praying the Jesus prayer, hears prayers and hymns in the Church, makes the necessary [home or] cell rules. And yet, it is the Jesus prayer that most quickly leads a person to a penitential mood and shows him his infirmity, therefore, bringing him closer to God. 

Man begins to feel that he is the greatest sinner, and this is all God needs.