PARAGON: Tuesday July 31/August 13 ns 2024 • St. Evdókimos the Righteous, Righteous Joseph of Arimathæa

Monday, August 12, 2024

Tuesday July 31/August 13 ns 2024 • St. Evdókimos the Righteous, Righteous Joseph of Arimathæa - I Cor. 10:5-12; St. Matt. 16:6-12

Saint Evdókimos the Righteous,

Righteous Joseph of Arimathæa

Evdókimos was born in Cappadocia of devout parents, Basil and Eudocia. At the time of the Emperor Theóphilos (829-842 A.D.), Evdókimos was a young officer in the army. Even as an officer, he exerted all effort to live according to the commandments of the Holy Gospel. Preserving his purity undefiled, he avoided conversing with any woman, except his mother; he was merciful toward the misfortunate and needy, conscientious in reading holy books and more conscientious in his prayers to God. He avoided vain gatherings and verbosity. "Among the throngs and worldly vanity, he was a lily among thorns and as gold in the fire."

Because of his unusual good works, the emperor appointed him as the commander of Cappadocia. In this high position, Evdókimos strived to be just before God and before men. According to the Providence of God he died at an early age, in his thirty-third year.

His relics were found to possess healing properties. An insane man touched his grave and immediately became whole; a child also touched his grave and was made whole. After eighteen months, his mother opened his coffin and found his body as though it were still alive, without any signs of decay or corruption. A wonderful aroma emitted from the body of the saint.

His relics were later translated to Constantinople and buried in the new church of the Holy Theotokos which the parents of this righteous Evdókimos built.

H Y M N O F P R A I S E

Righteous Joseph of Arimathea

Joseph, a noble and rich man,
Of Christ the Crucified, did not scandalize,
But when the sun darkened and the earth shook,
He to Pilate went and brought him news
That the Lord died, the Life-giving Lord,
The secret disciple thus became public.
When the public one hid, the secret became public,
Thus Joseph the wise, in a day became famous.
And together with Nicodemus, the body of Christ

In his garden in a new tomb placed it.
The Jewish spies heard, reported it,
The righteous Joseph in chains they placed.
In the darkened dungeon, Joseph languished
While his Lord in Hades glowed.
Joseph pondered his remembrance of Christ,
Mentioning his miraculous works,
Miracles and words and prophecies many,

Before Him, he stood in the presence of God,
And now darkness everywhere from without and within,
Dark days, nights, evenings and mornings

After a glowing flash, than the sun, more radiant,
O desperate darkness, darker than Hades!
But behold suddenly in the dungeon dawned:
The Resurrected One appeared to the shackled servant.
O Joseph brave and noble
Neither of the Resurrected One did you scandalize.
About the dead Christ, you to Pilate informed

And recognized and glorified the Resurrected One.
Let the land of Britain honorably glorify you,
You, for her, planted the first seed of salvation.

1 Corinthians 10:5-12 KJV

5 But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness.

6 Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.

7 Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.

8 Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand.

9 Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents.

10 Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer.

11 Now all these things happened unto them for examples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.

12 Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.

Saint Matthew 16:6-12 KJV

6 Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.

7 And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have taken no bread.

8 Which when Jesus perceived, he said unto them, O ye of little faith, why reason ye among yourselves, because ye have brought no bread?

9 Do ye not yet understand, neither remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets ye took up?

10 Neither the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many baskets ye took up?

11 How is it that ye do not understand that I spake it not to you concerning bread, that ye should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees?

12 Then understood they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.

THE EVERGETINOS

From St. Diadochos

1. Self-control is the generic name for all of the virtues; therefore, one who exercises self-control must do so in all things. For just as the whole of a man’s body becomes disfigured when one member, no matter how small it may be, is removed from it, so also he who neglects one virtue without realizing it destroys all of his self-control.

2. It is necessary, therefore, to cultivate not only those virtues which pertain to the body, but also those which have the capacity to purify our inner man. For what profit is there in preserving one’s body in virginity if one lets his soul commit adultery with the demon of disobedience?

3. Or, how will he who has refrained from gluttony and all bodily desire receive a crown, if he has not sedulously fought against conceit and pride and cannot endure even the slightest affliction?

4. For the scales of justice on the Day of Judgment are going to reward with the light of righteousness only those who have accomplished works of righteousness in a spirit of humility.

WHY WE BLESS GRAPES AND FRUIT
ON HOLY TRANSFIGURATION

“It signifies the ultimate flowering and fruitfulness of all creation in the Paradise of God's Kingdom of Life where all will be transformed by the Glory of the Lord”

The Orthodox Church blesses grapes as part of the feast of Holy Transfiguration to express gratitude to God for the sun and rain that allow for a bountiful harvest. The blessing also represents an offering of the fruits of the earth to God and emphasizes the eucharistic and doxological nature of the offering.

The tradition of blessing grapes on Transfiguration is rooted in the Old Testament, where the Bible mentions bringing fruit to the temple for consecration. In the New Testament, the 12 Apostles continued this tradition in the Church. In Greece, people have long brought grapes and corn to the temple for consecration and as a way to give thanks to God.

The blessing of grapes also has theological significance. Christians see grapes as a biblical image of Jesus as the Vine. The fruit of the vine, wine, was blessed by Christ in Cana, and it is also used in the Mystical Supper. During the Divine Liturgy, the wine is transformed into the Lord's Blood through grace. Some say that the grapes represent the harvest of the world, and that our lives should produce more than the wild grapes of earthly existence, but rather the cultivated grapes of a transfigured, heavenly existence.

On the day of Transfiguration, people traditionally bring grapes to church to be blessed after the Divine Liturgy.