Friday July 22/August 4 ns 2023 • St. Mary Magdalene, Equal-to-the-Apostles; Holy Virgin-Martyr Markélla of Chíos; Holy New Hieromartyr Joseph of Desphina > Wine and olive oil are permitted > I Cor. 9:2–12; St. Luke 8:1–3 > About the Inexorable Justice of God

SAINT MARY MAGDALENE
Equal-to-the-Apostles
Holy Virgin-Martyr Markella of Chios

Holy New Hieromartyr Joseph of Desphina

Friday July 22/August 4 ns 2023

FAST DAY

One of the myrrh-bearing women and "equal to the apostles," Mary was born in the town of Magdala, along the shore of Lake Gennesaret, and was of the tribe of Issachar. 

She was tormented by seven evil spirits--from which she was freed by the Lord Jesus and made her whole. She was a faithful follower and servant of the Lord during His earthly life. She stood beneath the Cross on Golgotha, and grieved bitterly with the All-Holy Birth-giver of God. After the death of the Lord she visited His sepulcher three times. When the Lord rose again she saw Him on two occasions: once by herself, and once with the other myrrh-bearing women. She traveled to Rome and appeared before Tiberias Caesar, presenting him with a red-colored egg, and giving him the salutation: "Christ is Risen!" She also denounced Pontius Pilate to Caesar for his unjust condemnation of the Lord Jesus. Caesar accepted her accusation and transferred Pilate from Jerusalem to Gaul where, in disfavor with the emperor, this unjust judge died of a dread disease. After this, she returned from Rome to Ephesus, to assist St. John the Theologian in the work of preaching the Gospel. 

With great love toward the resurrected Lord, with great zeal for the Faith and as a true apostle of Christ, she proclaimed the Holy Gospel to the world. She died peacefully in Ephesus. According to tradition, the cave she was buried in was the same cave in which the Seven Youths (August 4) later slept a wondrous sleep for hundreds of years, then came to life and again died. The relics of St. Mary Magdalene were later transferred to Constantinople. There is a beautiful Russian Orthodox convent dedicated to St. Mary Magdalene near the Garden of Gethsemane.

THE HOLY MARTYR MARKELLA

Saint Markella is greatly venerated on the island of Chios. In the church dedicated to her there, miracles occur every year. However, her life is not known. According to tradition Markella was an unusually pious girl who was left motherless at an early age. Her bestial, pagan father wanted to live with his daughter as with a wife. Markella fled from her father, but he, enraged like a wild beast, caught up with her and cut her into pieces. In the proximity of her church, there are certain stones that, from time to time, become as if covered with blood. People take these stones, bring them to church, and pray to St. Markella . They then touch the sick with them, who are thereby healed.

THE EPISTLE OF THE HOLY APOSTLE PAUL

1 Corinthians 9:2-12 KJV

2 If I be not an apostle unto others, yet doubtless I am to you: for the seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord.

3 Mine answer to them that do examine me is this,

4 Have we not power to eat and to drink?

5 Have we not power to lead about a sister, a wife, as well as other apostles, and as the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas?

6 Or I only and Barnabas, have not we power to forbear working?

7 Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock?

8 Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also?

9 For it is written in the law of Moses, thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen?

10 Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope.

11 If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things?

12 If others be partakers of this power over you, are not we rather? Nevertheless we have not used this power; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ.

THE HOLY GOSPEL ACCORDING TO 

Saint Luke 8:1-3 KJV

8 And it came to pass afterward, that he went throughout every city and village, preaching and shewing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God: and the twelve were with him,

2 And certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils,

3 And Joanna the wife of Chuza Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others, which ministered unto him of their substance.

SAINT MARY MAGDALENE

Magdalene, in dark sorrow, was shrouded

Because of the bloody death of the Son of God.

Sorrow from love is most bitter sorrow--

In the world she had neither consolation nor friend.

Her tears were her comfort, and pain was her only friend.

For Saint Magdalene, to darkness the world was turned.

As a weak human, she sought light,

And without hope, in the darkness Mary groped.

Even His tomb to her was light--but lo! the tomb is empty!

"He has been stolen," she thought, "naked and unanointed!"

Bitterly she wept, and to her weeping there was no end.

Then, the voice of a man beside her, she heard:

Woman, why are you weeping? Whom do you seek?

"Whom do I seek, you ask? To calm me, do you wish?

If you have taken His body, tell me where you have put it."

As she wept and sorowed, Jesus looked upon her

And in a sweet voice called to her: "Mary!"

In Mary's heart, light shone forth:

O voice now recognized, incomparably sweet,

O voice overflowing with life and power!

With this voice the Lord healed the sick,

With this voice He raised the dead.

O Life-giving voice--O wondrous voice!

Mary sprang up and turned around:

"Rabboni!" she cried as the sun arose.

A New Day dawned for Mary and for the world.

About the Inexorable Justice of God

Saint Nikolai of Zicha

"For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment; and spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly; and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an example unto those that after should live ungodly" (2 St. Peter 2: 4-6).  Oh, how then will the sinful man be spared? [He] spared not the old world but saved Noah, the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly; and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them with an overthrow (2 St. Peter 2:5-6). 

Therefore, O sinful man, how then can you be spared? Are you dearer and more precious to Him than millions of angels, or so many people drowned by the Flood [Deluge] or living in those densely populated cities? When the angels were cast into the darkness of hades, people were drowned by the Flood, and cities were burned to ashes--in what do you hope, who are sinning continually and not turning away from sin? In the mercy of God, you say.  But is God more merciful now that He was then? Does God change as man does? Do not hope without measure, but according to the measure of your efforts regarding the improvement of your life should you hope. Truly, God's mercy is great, His patience is long, and His love is infinite. Behold--God is kinder to you and loves you more than you love yourself, and He desires your salvation even more than you yourself do. But as for him who mocks God's mercy to the end, who laughs at God's patience to the end, and who opposes God's love to the end--will God force him to enter His kingdom and make him a fellow citizen with the angels and saints?

How terrible is the darkness of hades--  Those who mocked the mercy of God and opposed the love of God suffer it.

Do you want to go there, O prodigal soul? God does not desire that you go there; the angels mourn that you are headed there; the saints pray that you will return; the Holy Church offers sacrifices for you, that you would come to your senses! If you despise all this--Oh, why would you despise it all?--then what kind of mercy do you expect from God?

O righteous Lord, help us that we may quickly turn away from the path leading to the darkness of hades; bring us to our senses and strengthen us in goodness before You send Your angel to take away our souls.

To Thee glory and praise forever. Amen.

TOMORROW • Translation of the relics of the Holy Hieromartyr Phocás, Holy Prophet Ezekiel, St. Pelagía of Tenos, Holy Hieromartyr Apollinaris of Ravenna