Thursday, May 9, 2024

THE PARAGON April 27/May 10 ns 2024 † BRIGHT FRIDAY; THE LIFE-GIVING SPRING • St. Symeon, Bishop of Jerusalem, kinsman of the lord ~ No Fasting ~ LINKS TODAY: ON GUARDING THE INTELLECT by Saint Isaiah the Solitary; ETERNAL LIFE IS FOR THOSE WHO OBEY CHRIST by St Gregory Palamas

C H R I S T   I S   R I S E N 

Life-Giving Spring

St. Symeon, Bishop of Jerusalem,

Kinsman of the Lord

NO FASTING



Symeon was one of the Seventy Apostles. He was the son of Cleopas who was the brother of Joseph, the betrothed of the All-Holy Mother of God. Seeing the miracles of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, Symeon believed and was numbered among the Seventy Apostles. He preached the Gospel of Christ with great zeal and courage throughout Judea.

When the nefarious Jews killed James, the brother of our Lord and first bishop of the Church of Jerusalem, by hurling him from the heights of the Temple and beat him over the head with a hoe, then this Symeon, a cousin of James, was appointed Bishop of Jerusalem. And Symeon, as the second bishop of the Holy City, governed the Church of God with wisdom and strength until a ripe old age. He was over one hundred years old when he suffered. His suffering was in this manner: during the reign of Emperor Trajan, a two-fold persecution began: one in Palestine against the descendants of David and the other persecution against the Christians. The wicked people accused Symeon of being both one and the other (a Jew and a Christian). St. Symeon endured enormous pains and finally was crucified on a cross, as was his Lord, Whom he faithfully served on earth.


Acts 3:1-8 KJV

3 Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour.

2 And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple;

3 Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms.

4 And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us.

5 And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them.

6 Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.

7 And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.

8 And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.

Saint John 2:12-22 KJV

12 After this he went down to Capernaum, he, and his mother, and his brethren, and his disciples: and they continued there not many days.

13 And the Jews' passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

14 And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting:

15 And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers' money, and overthrew the tables;

16 And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father's house an house of merchandise.

17 And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up.

18 Then answered the Jews and said unto him, What sign shewest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things?

19 Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.

20 Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days?

21 But he spake of the temple of his body.

22 When therefore he was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this unto them; and they believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said.

ON GUARDING THE INTELLECT
by Saint Isaiah the Solitary


 An excerpt from Saint Gregory Palamas
To the Most Reverent Nun Xenia
ETERNAL LIFE IS FOR THOSE WHO OBEY CHRIST
{the Condition of our Souls and Bodies}



















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