Kecharitomene (Gr.)
"Highly Favored/Full of Grace"
Although our Lord grants His love to bless and sustain us while in our fallen state, our souls continually desire what only oneness with Him can give - not a jot or a tittle less.
For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
Thursday January 0/22 ns 2026
Holy Martyr Polyeuctos;
Holy Hieromartyr Philip,
Metropolitan of Moscow
"the Faithful".
The Armenian city of Melitene was drenched with the blood of Christians as was the entire country of Armenia. The first blood shed for Christ in this city was that of Saint Polyeuctos in the year 259 A.D. during the reign of Valerian.
In this city [Melitene] were two friends: both Nearchus and Polyeuctos were officers, Nearchus baptized and Polyeuctos unbaptized. When the command of the emperor was sent out concerning the persecution of the Christians, Nearchus prepared for death; but he was in great sorrow because he had not succeeded in converting his friend Polyeuctos to the True Faith. When Polyeuctos learned of the reason for Nearchus' sorrow, he promised to embrace the Faith. The following day Polyeuctos related his dream to Nearchus: the Lord Himself appeared to him in light, removed Polyeuctos' old clothes from him and dressed him in radiant new clothes and sat him in the saddle of a winged horse. After this, Polyeuctos went to town, shredded the emperor's decree concerning the torturing of Christians, and destroyed many statues of the idols. He was tortured and was condemned to death. When he was brought to the place of execution, he looked at Nearchus in the throng of people and joyfully cried out to him: "Save yourself my dear friend! Remember the vow of love confirmed between the two of us!" Later, Saint Nearchus died as a martyr for Christ by fire. The commemoration of the feast of St. Nearchus is April 22.
2 Saint Timothy 2:1-10 KJV
2 Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
2 And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.
3 Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
4 No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.
5 And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully.
6 The husbandman that laboureth must be first partaker of the fruits.
7 Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things.
8 Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel:
9 Wherein I suffer trouble, as an evil doer, even unto bonds; but the word of God is not bound.
10 Therefore I endure all things for the elect's sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.
Saint Mark 1:9-15 KJV
9 And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in Jordan.
10 And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him:
11 And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
12 And immediately the spirit driveth him into the wilderness.
13 And he was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted of Satan; and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered unto him.
14 Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God,
15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.
DOES HE HEAR?
by St. Nikolai
Do not ever think that God does not hear you when you pray to Him. He hears our thoughts, just as we hear the voices and the words of one another. And if He does not act immediately according to your prayer, it is either because you are praying to Him in an unworthy manner, or because you ask something of Him which would be detrimental to you, or because He, in His wisdom and providence, delays the fulfillment of your petition until the proper moment. Father John of Kronstadt writes: “As by means of the electric telegraph we speedily communicate with persons who are far away from us, so likewise, by means of lively faith—as though through telegraph wires—we speedily communicate with God, with the angels and saints. As we trust entirely in the speed of the electric current and in its reaching its destination, so likewise should we completely trust in the speed of the prayer of faith and in its reaching its destination. Send your petition to God and the saints by means of the telegraph of faith, and you will speedily obtain an answer.” And again, in another place, St. John writes: “God and the created spirits, and the souls of the departed—as well as those of the living—are sentient beings; and thought is rapid and in some manner omnipresent. Think of them with your whole heart, and they will be present with you. God will surely be with you always; and the others, by the gift and power of God, will also be with you.”
ASK AND RECEIVE
O Lord, grant me, Thine unworthy servant, Thy salvation upon my bed. Enlighten my mind with the light of understanding of Thy Holy Gospel; my soul, with the love of Thy Cross; my heart, with the purity of Thy word; my body, with Thy passionless Passion. Keep my thought in Thy humility, and raise me up at the proper time for Thy glorification.
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