Thou didst ascend the cross O Jesus
Thou Who didst descend from heaven
Thou camest unto death O Life Immortal
Thou camest unto those in darkness
Thou Who are the True Light
Thou camest unto the fallen O Resurrection of us all
Our Light and Savior Glory to Thee
PRAYER FOR THE WORLD
Holy Martyr Charitína
St. John, Bishop of Evchaïta;
St. Methodía the New of Kímolos
FAST DAY
Having been orphaned in infancy, Charitína was adopted by an eminent Christian man named Claudius, who raised her as his own daughter. Charitína was meek, humble, obedient and quiet. She studied the Law of God day and night, and vowed to live her life in chastity, as a true bride of Christ.
Since Charitína also brought others to the Christian Faith, Dometius, Emperor Diocletian's eparch, heard of her, sent soldiers to take her from her foster father, and brought her to trial. The judge questioned her: "Is it true, young maiden, that you are a Christian, and that you deceive others, leading them to this profane Faith?'' Charitína courageously replied: "It is true that I am a Christian, but it is a lie that I deceive others; rather, I lead those in error to the true path, by leading them to my Christ.''
The evil judge condemned her. Her hair was shorn and hot coals were poured onto her head. Even so, she was saved by the power of God. They threw her into the sea, but God delivered her again. They tied her to a wheel and began to turn it, but an angel of God stopped the wheel, and Charitína remained unharmed. Then the depraved judge sent some dissolute young men to defile her. Fearing this dishonor, St. Charitína prayed to God to receive her soul before those degenerates could defile her virginal body. While she knelt, praying to God, her soul departed from her and was translated to the Immortal Kingdom of Christ.
Philippians 2:24-30 KJV
25 Yet I supposed it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, and companion in labor, and fellow soldier, but your messenger, and he that ministered to my wants.
26 For he longed after you all, and was full of heaviness, because that ye had heard that he had been sick.
27 For indeed he was sick nigh unto death: but God had mercy on him; and not on him only, but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow.
28 I sent him therefore the more carefully, that, when ye see him again, ye may rejoice, and that I may be the less sorrowful.
29 Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness; and hold such in reputation:
30 Because for the work of Christ he was nigh unto death, not regarding his life, to supply your lack of service toward me.
Saint Luke 6:46-7:1 KJV
47 Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like:
48 He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.
49 But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.
7 Now when he had ended all his sayings in the audience of the people, he entered into Capernaum.
On Love
by Saint Maximos the Confessor
The person who loves God cannot help loving every man as himself, even though he is grieved by the passions of those who are not yet purified. But when they amend their lives, his delight is indescribable and knows no bounds.
The person who loves God values knowledge of God more than anything created by God, and pursues such knowledge ardently and ceaselessly.
Sometimes men are tested by pleasure, sometimes by distress or by physical suffering. By means of His prescriptions the Physician of souls administers the remedy according to the cause of the passions lying hidden in the soul.
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