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The Holy Hieromartyr Lúcian, Presbyter of Antioch;
St. Evthymios the new, of Mount Peristerás
The Holy Hieromartyr Lúcian, Presbyter of Antioch was born of noble parents in the Syrian city of Samosata. In his youth, he acquired a very broad education, both secular and spiritual. He was a man distinguished in learning, as well as in the austerity of his ascetic life.
Having distributed his goods to the poor, Lúcian supported himself by compiling instructive works, and thus fed himself by the work of his hands. He performed a great service to the Church in that he corrected many Hebrew texts in Holy Scripture (that heretics, in accordance with their own false teaching, had distorted). Because of his learning and spirituality, he was ordained a presbyter in Antioch.
During Maximian's persecution, when St. Ánthimos of Nicomedia and St. Peter of Alexandria were tortured, St. Lúcian was on the list of those the emperor wanted to kill. Lúcian fled the city and hid, but an envious heretical priest, Pancratios, reported him. The persecution was horrible and not even young children were spared. Two boys who did not want to eat food sacrificed to idols were thrown into a boiling bath, where in torments they gave up their holy souls to God. A disciple of Lúcian named Pelagía (October 8) preserved her virginal purity from dissolute attackers by praying to God on her roof-top: she gave up her soul to Him, and her body fell from the roof.
Lúcian was brought to Nicomedia before the emperor. Along the way, his counsels converted forty soldiers to the Christian Faith, and all died a martyr's death. Following interrogation and flogging, St. Lúcian was cast into prison where he suffered starvation. St. John Chrysostomos writes of St. Lúcian: "He scorned the power of the stomach that we may, when the time that requires such courage comes for us, be prepared in advance by the help of a lesser ascesis, to show ourselves glorious at the time of battle.'' He received Holy Communion in prison on the Feast of Theophany, and on the following day rendered his soul to God. St. Lúcian suffered on January 7, 311.
Lúcian was brought to Nicomedia before the emperor. Along the way, his counsels converted forty soldiers to the Christian Faith, and all died a martyr's death. Following interrogation and flogging, St. Lúcian was cast into prison where he suffered starvation. St. John Chrysostomos writes of St. Lúcian: "He scorned the power of the stomach that we may, when the time that requires such courage comes for us, be prepared in advance by the help of a lesser ascesis, to show ourselves glorious at the time of battle.'' He received Holy Communion in prison on the Feast of Theophany, and on the following day rendered his soul to God. St. Lúcian suffered on January 7, 311.
2 Corinthians 3:12-18
12 Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech:
13 And not as Moses, which put a veil over his face, that the children of Israel could not steadfastly look to the end of that which is abolished:
14 But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ.
15 But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart.
16 Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away.
17 Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
Saint Luke 6:1-10 KJV
6 And it came to pass on the second sabbath after the first, that he went through the corn fields; and his disciples plucked the ears of corn, and did eat, rubbing them in their hands.
2 And certain of the Pharisees said unto them, Why do ye that which is not lawful to do on the sabbath days?
3 And Jesus answering them said, Have ye not read so much as this, what David did, when himself was an hungred, and they which were with him;
4 How he went into the house of God, and did take and eat the shewbread, and gave also to them that were with him; which it is not lawful to eat but for the priests alone?
5 And he said unto them, That the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.
6 And it came to pass also on another sabbath, that he entered into the synagogue and taught: and there was a man whose right hand was withered.
7 And the scribes and Pharisees watched him, whether he would heal on the sabbath day; that they might find an accusation against him.
8 But he knew their thoughts, and said to the man which had the withered hand, Rise up, and stand forth in the midst. And he arose and stood forth.
9 Then said Jesus unto them, I will ask you one thing; Is it lawful on the sabbath days to do good, or to do evil? to save life, or to destroy it?
10 And looking round about upon them all, he said unto the man, Stretch forth thy hand. And he did so: and his hand was restored whole as the other.
ON DETACHMENT
Abba Zosimas
Who is ignorant of the fact that the human body is more precious than anything else that we may have? Then, how is that, when circumstances demand, we are ordered to despise it? (St. Matt, 18:8)? If this is what happens with the body, how much more so does it apply to external matters? just as it is not appropriate to disregard material things unnecessarily, for no reason at all is also not proper to throw oneself before death. Four, this would be foolishness. Rather, we are called to await appropriate time in order that we may be prepared.
He remembered the brother who owned some vegetables and used to say: "Did he not sow the seed, or toil and labor, or plant and nurture their growth? Did he perhaps uproot them or throw them away? No. Yet, he possessed these vegetables as if he did not in fact own them (Cor. 7:30-31). He was not therefore worried when his elder, wishing to test him, began to destroy them. This appeared as nothing to him; instead, he concealed his feelings. Moreover, when one root remained, he said to his elder: 'Father, if you wish, you may leave it, so that we may share a meal. 'Then, that holy elder understood that his disciple was genuinely a servant of God and not of the vegetables. So he told him: 'The spirit of God has found rest upon you brother.'
Now, if the brother had been attached to the vegetables, this would immediately have become apparent, because he would have been afflicted and troubled. Instead, he showed that he possessed them without actually owning them.
Abba Zosimas also used to say that the demons pay attention to these matters. In addition, if they notice someone not being attached to things, because they are neither afflicted nor troubled by them, then they know that such a person may walk on this earth but does not in fact have an earthly mentality.
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