Friday August 30
Saint Alexander (icon), John and Paul, Patriarchs of Constantinople, lived at different times, but each of them happened to clash with the activities of heretics who sought to distort the teachings of the Church. Saint Alexander (325-340) was a vicar bishop during the time of Saint Metrophánes (June 4), the first Patriarch of Constantinople.
Because of the patriarch’s extreme age, Alexander substituted for him at the First Ecumenical Synod at Nicaea (325). Upon his death, Saint Metrophánes left instructions in his will to elect his vicar to the throne of Constantinople. During these times His Holiness Patriarch Alexander had to contend with the Arians and with pagans. Once, in a dispute with a pagan philosopher the saint said to him, “In the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ I command you to be quiet!” and the pagan suddenly became mute. When he gestured with signs to acknowledge his errors and affirm the correctness of the Christian teaching, then his speech returned to him and he believed in Christ together with many other pagan philosophers. The faithful rejoiced at this, glorifying God Who had given such power to His saint.
Galatians 2:6-10 KJV
6 But of these who seemed to be somewhat, (whatsoever they were, it maketh no matter to me: God accepteth no man's person:) for they who seemed to be somewhat in conference added nothing to me:
7 But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter;
8 (For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles:)
9 And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision.
10 Only they would that we should remember the poor; the same which I also was forward to do.
Saint Mark 5:22-24, 35-43,6:1 KJV
22 And, behold, there cometh one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name; and when he saw him, he fell at his feet,
23 And besought him greatly, saying, My little daughter lieth at the point of death: I pray thee, come and lay thy hands on her, that she may be healed; and she shall live.
24 And Jesus went with him; and much people followed him, and thronged him.
35 While he yet spake, there came from the ruler of the synagogue's house certain which said, Thy daughter is dead: why troublest thou the Master any further?
36 As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he saith unto the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe.
37 And he suffered no man to follow him, save Peter, and James, and John the brother of James.
38 And he cometh to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and seeth the tumult, and them that wept and wailed greatly.
39 And when he was come in, he saith unto them, Why make ye this ado, and weep? the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth.
40 And they laughed him to scorn. But when he had put them all out, he taketh the father and the mother of the damsel, and them that were with him, and entereth in where the damsel was lying.
41 And he took the damsel by the hand, and said unto her, Talitha cumi; which is, being interpreted, Damsel, I say unto thee, arise.
42 And straightway the damsel arose, and walked; for she was of the age of twelve years. And they were astonished with a great astonishment.
43 And he charged them straitly that no man should know it; and commanded that something should be given her to eat.
6 And he went out from thence, and came into his own country; and his disciples follow him.
Sin, Hell and Repentance
by St. Isaac the Syrian
"If zeal had been appropriate for putting humanity right, why did God the Word clothe himself in the body, using gentleness and humility in order to bring the world back to his Father?
"Sin is the fruit of free will. There was a time when sin did not exist,
and there will be a time when it will not exist.
"God's recompense to sinners is that, instead of a just recompense, God
rewards them with resurrection.
"O wonder! The Creator clothed in a human being enters the house of tax
collectors and prostitutes. Thus the entire universe, through the beauty of the
sight of him, was drawn by his love to the single confession of God, the Lord
of all.
“Will God, if I ask, forgive me these things by which I am pained and by whose
memory I am tormented, things by which, though I abhor them, I go on
backsliding? Yet after they have taken place the pain they give me is even
greater than that of a scorpion's sting. Though I abhor them, I am still in the
middle of them, and when I repent of them with suffering I wretchedly return to
them again.”
"This is how many God-fearing people think, people who foster virtue and
are pricked with the suffering of compunction, who mourn over their sin; yet
human prosperity compels them to bear with the backsliding which results from
it. They live between sin and repentance all the time. Let us not be in doubt,
O fellow humanity, concerning the hope of our salvation, seeing that the One
who bore sufferings for our sakes is very concerned about our salvation; God's
mercifulness is far more extensive than we can conceive, God's grace is greater
than what we ask for.
"Repentance is given us as grace after grace, for repentance is a second
regeneration by God. That of which we have received an earnest by baptism, we
receive as a gift by means of repentance. Repentance is the door of mercy,
opened to those who seek it. By this door we enter into the mercy of God, and
apart from this entrance we shall not find mercy."
"Blessed is God who uses corporeal objects
continually to draw us close in a symbolic way to a knowledge of God's
invisible nature. O name of Jesus, key to all gifts, open up for me the great
door to your treasure-house, that I may enter and praise you with the praise
that comes from the heart."
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