Monday October 24 / November 6 ns 2023

 CLICK HERE FOR PAGES  

Holy Martyr Aréthas and those with him;

St. Elesbaán, King of Ethiopia

 

Aréthas suffered for the Christian Faith with over four thousand Christians-priests, monks and nuns, men, women and children. Aréthas was the eparch in the town of Nagran, in the southern Arabian land of Omir. He was ninety-five years old when he suffered. 

Dunaan, a cruel Jewish persecutor of Christians, then governed Omir. Determined to eradicate all Christians from his land, he surrounded the Christian town of Nagran, and sent a message to the people saying he would put them all to death unless they renounced Christ. The citizens closed the gates, and Dunaan attacked the city wall for a long time without success. Then the iniquitous governor swore to the citizens that he would do nothing to them, if only they would open the gate for him to enter and receive the tribute that they owed him-and that he would take it and immediately withdraw. The Christians believed him and opened the gate. Then the oath-breaking Jew summoned the aged Aréthas, the clergy and other distinguished citizens and beheaded them all with the sword. He then perpetrated a horrible slaughter in the town. Learning of this, the Byzantine Emperor Justin was greatly grieved, and wrote a letter to the Ethiopian Emperor, Elesbaán, requesting him to set out with an army against Dunaan to avenge the innocent blood of the Christians. Elesbaán obeyed Justin, attacked the governor of Omir with his army, defeated him, slew his entire army, and beheaded him. 

By a revelation from God, a certain devout man named Abramios was installed as governor of Omir, and again by God's revelation, St. Gregory of Omir (December 19) was installed as archbishop. Christians rebuilt the Church of the Holy Trinity in Nagran that Dunaan had burned, and also built a church to the Holy Martyr Aréthas and the other martyrs of Nagran. St. Aréthas and the others suffered and received martyr's wreaths from the Lord in the year 523.

1 Thessalonians 1:1-5 KJV

1 Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians which is in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.

2 We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers;

3 Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father;

4 Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God.

5 For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake.

Saint Luke 10:22-24 KJV

22 All things are delivered to me of my Father: and no man knoweth who the Son is, but the Father; and who the Father is, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him.

23 And he turned him unto his disciples, and said privately, Blessed are the eyes which see the things that ye see:

24 For I tell you, that many prophets and kings have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.

GRATITUDE

St. Theophan the Recluse

All Good Things Come From Our Lord

After he was healed, the Gadarene demoniac cleaved to the Lord and wished to remain with Him always. Then, upon hearing His will, he went and preached throughout the whole city the good things he had received. The Benefactor attracted him; His will became law for the recipient of the benefaction, and the man's tongue could not resist proclaiming what had been received from Him.

If only we kept in mind all the good things that we have received and are receiving from the Lord, there would be no ungrateful people among us. There would be no transgressors of His holy Will, nor would there be people who do not love Him more than all else.

Through baptism we are saved from our ancestral sin and all of its misfortune. In repentance we are washed from the sins that incessantly cling to us. Through God’s Providence we are preserved from dangers that often are not visible to us, and we receive a direction for our life which is safer for us and favorable to our goals. Besides, all that we possess is from the Lord. That is why we must cleave to the Lord with our whole soul, fulfil His Will in all things, and glorify His most holy Name—especially in our life and deeds—so that we might not fall behind the Gadarene demoniac, who immediately proved himself to be so wise that he became an example worthy of everyone’s imitation.