Friday July 15/28 ns 2023 • Holy Martyrs Kérykos and Julítta; St. Vladimir, Equal-to-the-Apostles  Fast day > I Cor. 13:11–14:5; St. Matt. 17:24–18:4 > CEASELESS PRAYER by Saint Basil the Great and Saint Peter of Damascus

 

Holy Martyrs Kérykos and Julítta
St. Vladimir, Equal-to-the-Apostles 

• Fast day •

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Saint Julítta was of noble birth. She was widowed at an early age with her newborn child Kérykos. She lived in Iconium in the town of Lycaonia and was completely devoted to the Faith of Christ. She immediately baptized her son after his birth and when he was three years old instructed him in the Faith and taught him to pray as much as a child of that age was capable. 

When Diocletian decreed the persecution of the Christians in the town of Iconium, much innocent blood was shed. Julítta took her son and hid from the wrath of the heathen in the city of Seleucid. It was not any better there. Julítta was arrested and, as a Christian, was brought before the judge. Since Julítta courageously confessed her faith in the Lord Jesus, the judge, in order to make her feel sorrow and cause her to waver, took the child in his arms and began to caress him. Kérykos cried out loudly: "I am a Christian, release me to my mother!" Kérykos turning his face away from the judge began to scratch him with his hands. The judge became so enraged that he hurled the child to the ground and pushed him with his feet. The child slid along the stone stairs and gave up his holy and innocent soul to God. Seeing how Kérykos suffered before her eyes, St. Julítta was joyful and gave thanks to God because He made her son worthy of the martyr's wreath. After much suffering, Julítta was beheaded in the year 304 A.D. The relics of Saints Kérykos and Julítta, even today, are miracle working. Part of the relics of these saints is to be found in Ohrid (Northern Macedonia) in the hospital chapel of the Holy Birth-giver of God.

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1 Corinthians 13:11-14:5 (KJV

11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity (love), these three; but the greatest of these is charity.
14 Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy.
2 For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries.
3 But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort.
4 He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church.
5 I would that ye all spake with tongues but rather that ye prophesied: for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying.

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Saint Matthew 17:24-18:4(KJV)

24 And when they were come to Capernaum, they that received tribute money came to Peter, and said, Doth not your master pay tribute?

25 He saith, Yes. And when he was come into the house, Jesus prevented him, saying, What thinkest thou, Simon? of whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute? of their own children, or of strangers?
26 Peter saith unto him, Of strangers. Jesus saith unto him, Then are the children free.
27 Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them for me and thee.

18 At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?  

2 And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them,

3 And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

4 Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

CEASELESS PRAYER

from the Hexaëmeron*

Saint Basil the Great

As thou takest thy seat at table, pray. As thou liftest the loaf, offer thanks to the Giver. When thou sustainest thy bodily weakness with wine, remember Him Who supplies thee with this gift, to make thy heart glad and to comfort thy infirmity. Has thy need for taking food passed away? Let not the thought of thy Benefactor pass away too.

As thou art putting on thy clothing, thank the Giver of it. As thou wrappest thy coat about thee, feel yet greater love to God, Who alike in summer and in winter has given us coverings convenient for us, at once to preserve our life, and to cover what is unseemly.

Is the day done? Give thanks to Him Who has given us the sun for our daily work, and has provided for us a fire to light up the night, and to serve the rest of the needs of life. Let night give the other occasion of prayer.

When thou lookest up to heaven and gazest at the beauty of the stars, pray to the Lord of the visible world; pray to God the Arch-artificer of the universe, Who in wisdom hath made them all.

When thou seest all nature sunk in sleep, then again worship Him Who gives us even against our wills release from the continuous strain of toil, and by a short refreshment restores us once again to the vigor of our strength. Let not night herself be all, as it were, the special and peculiar property of sleep.

Let not half thy life be useless through the senselessness of slumber. Divide the time of night between sleep and prayer. Nay, let thy slumbers be themselves experiences in piety; for it is only natural that our sleeping dreams should be for the most part echoes of the anxieties of the day. As have been our conduct and pursuits, so will inevitably be our dreams. 

Thus wilt thou pray without ceasing; if thou prayest not only in words, but unitest thyself to God through all the course of life and so thy life be made one ceaseless and uninterrupted prayer.

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CEASELESS PRAYER

from 

A TREASURY OF DIVINE KNOWLEDGE

by Saint Peter of Damascus

If anyone through the virtues of body and soul has received knowledge of things, and of the mysteries hidden in the words of the holy fathers, of the divine Scriptures, and especially of the Holy Gospels, he will never lose his longing or cease from shedding the tears that come to him unbidden.  

And we, too, who do no more than listen to the Scriptures, should devote ourselves to them and meditate on them so constantly that through our persistence a longing for God is impressed upon our hearts, as St. Maximos says. For this is what the holy fathers did before they acquired direct spiritual knowledge. All the longing of the martyrs was directed solely toward God. They were united to Him through love and sang His praises, as St. John of Damaskos says of the three holy children: 'These most blessed children, risking their lives in Babylon for their ancestral laws, disdained the foolish commandment of their king; cast into the flames yet not consumed, they sang a hymn worthy of the One who kept them safe.' This is quite natural; for when a person truly perceives God's marvels he is wholly beside himself and is oblivious of this transient life because he has understood the divine Scriptures, as St. Isaac puts it.

*The Hexaëmeron (“Six Days”), nine Lenten sermons on the days of the Creation, Saint Basil speaks of the varied beauty of the world as reflecting the splendor of God.