A P O S T L E S' F A S T
Saturday June 18/July 1 ns 2023
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 6:11-17 kjv
11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.
16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.
SAINT MATTHEW 8:14-23 KJV
14 And when Jesus was come into Peter's house, he saw his wife's mother laid, and sick of a fever.
15 And he touched her hand, and the fever left her: and she arose, and ministered unto them.
16 When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick:
17 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.
18 Now when Jesus saw great multitudes about him, he gave commandment to depart unto the other side.
19 And a certain scribe came, and said unto him, Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest.
20 And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.
21 And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.
22 But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.
23 And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him.
MENTAL CONVERSATION WITH GOD
by Saint Theophan the Recluse
In order to begin this task, one must first, during the course of the day, cry out to God more often, even if only with a few words, according to need and the work of the day.
When beginning anything, for example, say ‘Bless, O Lord!’ When you finish something, say, ‘Glory to Thee, O Lord’, and not only with your lips, but with feeling in your heart.
Attached to things in this life?
When beginning anything, for example, say ‘Bless, O Lord!’ When you finish something, say, ‘Glory to Thee, O Lord’, and not only with your lips, but with feeling in your heart.
If passions arise, say, ‘Save me, O Lord, I 'm perishing.’Say such prayers as often as possible, always making the effort for them to come from your heart, as if squeezed out of it. When we do this, we will frequently ascend to God in our hearts, making frequent petitions and prayers.
If the darkness of disturbing thoughts comes up, cry out: ‘Lead my soul out of prison.’
If dishonest deeds present themselves and sin leads you to them, pray, ‘Set me, O Lord, in the way’, or ‘do not give up my feet to stumbling.’
If sin takes hold of you and leads you to despair, cry out with the voice of the publican, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner.’ Do this in every circumstance, or simply say often, ‘Lord, have mercy’, ‘Most Holy Theotokos save us”, ‘Holy Angel, my guardian, protect me’, or other such words.
Such increased frequency will bring about the habit of mental conversation with God.
REPEAT
Such increased frequency will bring about the habit of mental conversation with God.
The best prayer is the one you say with your own words. Reading a prayer is not enough
Saint Ephraim of Katounakia
Saint Ephraim of Katounakia
Attached to things in this life?
IT'S EASY TO FORGET THAT
It's a sinking ship!
The passage I just read was most helpful to me in that I always ask Fth what to say or how to say it. This gives examples of what to to say to help yourself to talk more to God and learn to converse with him regularly. When you have not done this and gotten the habit I am in hopes it’s never to late and God give me strength to practice these things and my own way of asking God for help. The more I read things like this the more helpful it is to do them. It’s a long learning process and I, myself welcome all the help I can get. Thank you God for everything I have…I feel good about this.
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