THE PARAGON Sunday January 8 / 21 ns 2024 † Sunday after the Theophany • St. George the Chozebite, St. Domníca, St. Joseph the New of Cappadocia, Martyrs Julian and Basílissa and those with them -11th Matins Gospel: St. John 21:14-25 Eph. 4:7-13; St. Matt. 4:12-17 - Father George Florovsky On the Catholicity of the Church

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Sunday after the Theophany
• St. George the Chozebite, St. Domníca, St. Joseph the New of Cappadocia, Martyrs Julian and Basílissa and those with them

George sowed with tears,
At the proper time he reaped cheerfulness.

Our holy Father George was born in Cyprus towards the middle of the sixth century. After the death of his devout parents, desiring to embrace the ascetic life and to escape the marriage arranged for him by his uncle and tutor, he fled to the Holy Land, where his elder brother Heraclides had already been living for some years as a hermit in the Lavra of Calamon on the banks of the Jordan. Finding him still too young for eremitic life, his brother took him to the Monastery of the Mother of God at Chozeba on the road from Jerusalem to Jericho, which had been founded in the previous century by Bishop John of Ceasarea (Oct. 3). After receiving the monastic tonsure, he was placed with an elder from Mesopotamia, who was severe and unjust; but his disciple obeyed him meekly, patiently and humbly, as if the Lord Himself manifested His presence through him. One day, as he was late bringing water from the stream, his elder struck him a violent blow in the presence of the whole community, whereupon his hand immediately withered, seized with paralysis, and he recovered the use of it only at the prayer of his disciple before the tomb of the Saints of the monastery. To escape the vain admiration of men, Saint George then fled and made his way to Calamon, where for many years he shared his brother's cell and admirable way of life. He was obedient to him in everything and regarded him as his father in God rather than as his brother according to the flesh. With never an idle word, they persevered ceaselessly in prayer, and for food they made do with moldy leftovers covered in worms that were kept for them from week to week. George's prayer soon found such favor with God that he was able to make a barren tree bear fruit or approach a formidable lion without fear. Heraclides fell asleep in peace at the age of seventy, renowned as the very model of humility, and George, alone in their cell now, carried on in his brother's footsteps, while always remaining ready to serve his brethren in the Lavra.

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Holy Martyrs Julian and B{V}asilissa

Bound by marriage, more bound with Christ,

A spiritual union, a union more lasting.

In the Book of the Living, their names the Spirit wrote:

"Brother Julian and Sister Basilissa."

Forsook all and after Christ they followed,

And when the hour chimes, their lives they gave up

For the love of God, the love of the Triune sun,

Glory, they despised, all the glory of the world;

Themselves, they glorified with the love of God;

And a wonderful example to us, they left.

The treasure of the Church, adornment and honor:

The wonder-working blood of these martyrs, wondrous.

Saint John 21:14-25 KJV

14 This is now the third time that Jesus shewed himself to his disciples, after that he was risen from the dead.

15 So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.

16 He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

17 He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

18 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdest thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not.

19 This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me.

20 Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following; which also leaned on his breast at supper, and said, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee?

21 Peter seeing him saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do?

22 Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me.

23 Then went this saying abroad among the brethren, that that disciple should not die: yet Jesus said not unto him, He shall not die; but, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee?

24 This is the disciple which testifieth of these things, and wrote these things: and we know that his testimony is true.

25 And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.

Ephesians 4:7-13 KJV

7 But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.

8 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.

9 (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?

10 He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)

11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;

12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

Saint Matthew 4:12-17 KJV

12 Now when Jesus had heard that John was cast into prison, he departed into Galilee;

13 And leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is upon the sea coast, in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim:

14 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying,

15 The land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles;

16 The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up.

17 From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Father George Florovsky
On the Catholicity of the Church

“The quality of love is such that the loving and the beloved are no more two but one man”. Even more: true Christian love sees in every one of our brethren “Christ Himself.” Such love demands self-surrender, self-mastery. Such love is possible only in a catholic expansion and transfiguration of the soul. The commandment to be catholic is given to every Christian. The measure of his spiritual manhood is the measure of his catholicity. The Church is catholic in every one of its members, because a catholic whole cannot be built up or composed otherwise than through the catholicity of its members. No multitude, every member of which is isolated and impenetrable, can become a brotherhood. Union can become possible only through the mutual brotherly love of all the separate brethren.

What is the Bible? 

Is it a book like any other intended for any occasional reader, who is expected to grasp at once its proper meaning? Rather, it is a sacred book addressed primarily to believers. Of course, a sacred book can be read by anyone as well, just 'as literature'. But this is rather irrelevant to our immediate purpose. We are concerned now not with the letter but with the message. St. Hilary put it emphatically: Scriptura est non in legendo, sed in intelligendo. [Scripture is not in the reading, but in the understanding.] Is there any definite message in the Bible, taken as a whole, as one book ? And again, to whom is this message; if any, properly addressed? To individuals, who would be, as such, entitled to understand the book and to expound its message? Or to the community, and to individuals only in so far as they are members of that community? - Father George Florovsky