Tuesday
March 4/17 ns 2026
Great Lent
Fast Day
Saint Gerásimos of the Jordan
Gerásimos first learned about the ascetical life in the Egyptian Thebaid. He then went to the Jordan and there founded a community in which there were seventy monks. This community still exists today. He instituted a special Constitution [Rule] for his monastery by which the monks spent five days in their cells weaving baskets, reeds and rush mats. They were never allowed to light a fire in their cells. For five days they ate only a little dry bread and dates. The monks were required to keep their cells open so that when they went out, anyone could enter and remove whatever he needed from their cells.
On Saturdays and Sundays they gathered in the monastic church. They had a common meal with a few vegetables and a little wine to the glory of God. Each monk would then bring in and place before the feet of the abbot that which he had made during the past five days. Each monk had only one robe. St. Gerásimos was an example to all. During the Great Lenten Fast he did not eat anything except what he received in Holy Communion.
Holy Prophet Isaiah 25:1-9 KJV
25 O Lord, thou art my God; I will exalt thee, I will praise thy name; for thou hast done wonderful things; thy counsels of old are faithfulness and truth.
2 For thou hast made of a city an heap; of a defenced city a ruin: a palace of strangers to be no city; it shall never be built.
3 Therefore shall the strong people glorify thee, the city of the terrible nations shall fear thee.
4 For thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall.
5 Thou shalt bring down the noise of strangers, as the heat in a dry place; even the heat with the shadow of a cloud: the branch of the terrible ones shall be brought low.
6 And in this mountain shall the Lord of hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined.
7 And he will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering cast over all people, and the vail that is spread over all nations.
8 He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the Lord hath spoken it.
9 And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the Lord; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.
Genesis 9:8-17 KJV
8 And God spake unto Noah, and to his sons with him, saying,
9 And I, behold, I establish my covenant with you, and with your seed after you;
10 And with every living creature that is with you, of the fowl, of the cattle, and of every beast of the earth with you; from all that go out of the ark, to every beast of the earth.
11 And I will establish my covenant with you, neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood; neither shall there any more be a flood to destroy the earth.
12 And God said, This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations:
13 I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth.
14 And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud:
15 And I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh.
16 And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth.
17 And God said unto Noah, This is the token of the covenant, which I have established between me and all flesh that is upon the earth.
Proverbs 12:8-22 KJV
8 A man shall be commended according to his wisdom: but he that is of a perverse heart shall be despised.
9 He that is despised, and hath a servant, is better than he that honoureth himself, and lacketh bread.
10 A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast: but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.
11 He that tilleth his land shall be satisfied with bread: but he that followeth vain persons is void of understanding.
12 The wicked desireth the net of evil men: but the root of the righteous yieldeth fruit.
13 The wicked is snared by the transgression of his lips: but the just shall come out of trouble.
14 A man shall be satisfied with good by the fruit of his mouth: and the recompence of a man's hands shall be rendered unto him.
15 The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise.
16 A fool's wrath is presently known: but a prudent man covereth shame.
17 He that speaketh truth sheweth forth righteousness: but a false witness deceit.
18 There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise is health.
19 The lip of truth shall be established for ever: but a lying tongue is but for a moment.
20 Deceit is in the heart of them that imagine evil: but to the counsellors of peace is joy.
21 There shall no evil happen to the just: but the wicked shall be filled with mischief.
22 Lying lips are abomination to the Lord: but they that deal truly are his delight.
25 O Lord, thou art my God; I will exalt thee, I will praise thy name; for thou hast done wonderful things; thy counsels of old are faithfulness and truth.
2 For thou hast made of a city an heap; of a defenced city a ruin: a palace of strangers to be no city; it shall never be built.
3 Therefore shall the strong people glorify thee, the city of the terrible nations shall fear thee.
4 For thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall.
5 Thou shalt bring down the noise of strangers, as the heat in a dry place; even the heat with the shadow of a cloud: the branch of the terrible ones shall be brought low.
6 And in this mountain shall the Lord of hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined.
7 And he will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering cast over all people, and the vail that is spread over all nations.
8 He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the Lord hath spoken it.
9 And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the Lord; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.
Genesis 9:8-17 KJV
8 And God spake unto Noah, and to his sons with him, saying,
9 And I, behold, I establish my covenant with you, and with your seed after you;
10 And with every living creature that is with you, of the fowl, of the cattle, and of every beast of the earth with you; from all that go out of the ark, to every beast of the earth.
11 And I will establish my covenant with you, neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood; neither shall there any more be a flood to destroy the earth.
12 And God said, This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations:
13 I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth.
14 And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud:
15 And I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh.
16 And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth.
17 And God said unto Noah, This is the token of the covenant, which I have established between me and all flesh that is upon the earth.
Proverbs 12:8-22 KJV
8 A man shall be commended according to his wisdom: but he that is of a perverse heart shall be despised.
9 He that is despised, and hath a servant, is better than he that honoureth himself, and lacketh bread.
10 A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast: but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.
11 He that tilleth his land shall be satisfied with bread: but he that followeth vain persons is void of understanding.
12 The wicked desireth the net of evil men: but the root of the righteous yieldeth fruit.
13 The wicked is snared by the transgression of his lips: but the just shall come out of trouble.
14 A man shall be satisfied with good by the fruit of his mouth: and the recompence of a man's hands shall be rendered unto him.
15 The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise.
16 A fool's wrath is presently known: but a prudent man covereth shame.
17 He that speaketh truth sheweth forth righteousness: but a false witness deceit.
18 There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise is health.
19 The lip of truth shall be established for ever: but a lying tongue is but for a moment.
20 Deceit is in the heart of them that imagine evil: but to the counsellors of peace is joy.
21 There shall no evil happen to the just: but the wicked shall be filled with mischief.
22 Lying lips are abomination to the Lord: but they that deal truly are his delight.
Q & A
Saint Symeon the 'God-Receiver' said to the Virgin: "A spear will pierce your side"
The following question is submitted by the PARAGON
What does the saint's comment mean to you?
Response from an Orthodox Christian:
To me it means that as a mother she would view and share emotionally her sons suffering on the cross, the spear and death.
Thank you for your response. A consensus considers your response most accurate.
The following question was submitted by an Orthodox Christian:
Why is the curtain drawn only half way during a portion of the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts?
Thank you for your question.
Response from the PARAGON
The partially-closed curtain indicates that the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts is not a full Divine Liturgy. Specifically, it lacks the Anaphora (the consecration of the bread and wine), as the Eucharist has already taken place in a previous Divine Liturgy.
Do you have a question? Submit it HERE
ON THE LAW OF GOD
by St. Philaret of New York
Section 22
THE ORTHODOX FAMILY
THE ORTHODOX FAMILY
The basic task of Orthodox Christianity is to teach people to live according to God's will so that, through it, they will be brought to eternal blessedness. Some people vainly wish to reduce Christianity to a mere narrowly-individualized sphere of religious experiences. Christianity, however, is life; it is a new seal on all the vital relationships of people. No impartial person would doubt or contradict the fact of its influence on life. It is sufficient to point out that even though life and the behavior of people on earth have not strayed far from Christian ideals, nevertheless, their concepts and views were formulated on the Christian type. The work of many of the best artists and scientists bears a clearly Christian imprint upon them. Further, such consoling phenomena as the disappearance of slavery, the appearance of a whole series of institutions of charity and enlightenment, and much else, are undoubtedly obligated to Christianity for their beginnings. But perhaps the transforming and elevating influence of Christianity has been experienced most of all by the first cell of the order of social life - the family.
The great responsibility for an Orthodox Christian person is to choose a friend for life. God's word says of the Christian marriage, "be two in one flesh," that is, in marriage two people form one organism, one common life. An Orthodox Christian wife think first of all about her husband, and then about herself. Likewise, the husband first cares for his wife, then for himself. The Lord tempered such a Christian marital union by His Divine word, "What God unites, let man not separate." It is noteworthy that in such a Christian marriage, the love of the partners has that very same selfless, self-denying character by which purely Christian love is distinguished. With good reason, Apostle Paul compares the marital union with the union of Christ and the Church, and he says, "Husbands, love your wives as Christ loved the Church and gave Himself up for her." In Christian marriage, the unification of loving personalities becomes so all-comprehensive and full, the mutual dedication of the spouses so deep and absolute, that they resemble each other in everything, and sometimes (in old age) they even come to resemble each other externally. And their life passes in full accord, in full dedication to the will of Christ the Savior and His Holy Church.
But it becomes so heavy in our own days to see the precipitous, thoughtlessly careless and completely un-Christian disposition of contemporary youth to this most serious question. One must now repeatedly observe how marriages are concluded not through a serious, deep, examined feeling of love, but through enamorousness, a feeling which is not deep, and is very low in moral relationship. Often, the content of such an enamoured state is, alas, in essence only animal passions, only an "agitation of young blood" (and sometimes not young, but old and dirty). Together with this, in the pre-wedding time of such marriages, one constantly observes deceit and self-embellishing of both body and soul, a hypocritical desire not to be, but to seem to be better and more beautiful. Life, however, can be built only on truth; it cannot survive on falsehood. From this, there ensues the disenchantment of spouses with each other and the aberration of divorces.
Christian marriage is a single life lived by two in unification. With the years, marital life only strengthens, becomes deeper, more spiritual. Of course, passionate love, connected with each person's natural sexual inclination and purely physical attraction, also enters into Christian marital love. In a truly Christian marriage, however, such passionate love enters into the attachment only incidentally, and never has such a significance and strength as in non-Christian marital unions. In the lives of saints, we see a multitude of examples in which Christian spouses, through mutual agreement, renounced sexual life, either from the very beginning of the marriage or even after forty years. It is noteworthy that in such a marriage, when the ascetic-spouses live "as brother and sister," their mutual love is distinguished by a special strength of devotion, all-embracing fidelity and mutual respect. Thus does Christianity consecrate, elevate and transform a marriage union.
In a Christian family, not only the relationship of husband and wife is considered, but also that of children and parents. Christianity again places its imprint on this inner relationship.
In each good family there must, without fail, be a single family life. "Our" must always take precedence to the personal "my" in such a relationship. It is not in vain that all members of the family bear one common surname, for they must live a common, cordial life. The head of the family is the husband. The well-being of the family is formed on him and on his toils. The family is his first duty. Of those who do not look after their own family, Apostle Paul says bluntly and quite clearly. "If anyone does not care for his own, and especially for his own household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever" (1 Tm.5:8).
It often happens that, in directing their children to one or another path, parents act so strongly against the will of a child's inclinations and heart's desire that they are generally unjust. Apostle Paul speaks against this, pointedly saying: "Parents, do not anger your children so that they do not despair, but raise them in the Lord's teaching and instruction" (Col. 3:21; Eph. 6:4). To demand of children what exceeds their strength only plunges them into despondency. There is an even greater injustice: for a child, the father is the highest authority, and woe if their authority betrays that feeling of trust, a feeling which is far stronger in a child than in an adult. This is followed by a situation which is simply inescapable for the child. It is even worse, however, when the parents spoil their children too much, are too condescending toward them and often leave them without supervision. The child can receive a great moral ruin from this; as we have seen, God's word orders parents to raise and instruct children in the Lord's law.
The matter of raising children falls primarily on the mother. This is natural, since no one else is so close to the soul and heart of the child as its mother. It is not without reason that a child runs directly to its mother, crying, "Mama" when it is hurt. There is a great task before the mother: to raise a son or daughter as a believing Christian, good, responsive, work-loving, useful to the Church and society, and to raise the child thus by word and example and love and strictness. This is the sanctuary of her service to the Lord; her work is no less important than the husband's work for the family. Shame and dishonor to those mothers who shirk from the raising of their children and give them over to be cared for by hired persons, forgetting that it is so easy to ruin or soil the child's soul. Moreover, can anyone really replace a child's mother?
But children must understand their responsibilities no less than the parents. Everyone knows the fifth commandment of Gas law, about honoring the parents. Apostle Paul enjoins children to "submit to your parents in the Lord, for justice requires this." And, of course, this requirement is brought forth precisely by justice. For, children are obligated in all things to their parents who take care of them, loving, toiling, denying themselves in much, raising their children by their own love, often helping them even when they have already become adults and independent people.
How often, though, is the fifth commandment violated among us! Even those children who are convinced that they sincerely and deeply love their parents, often do not heed them, which means that they do not honor them. Love is always united with obedience. And the older children become, the more self-willed they become, alas, affronting their parents, reproaching them to their face for their "backwardness" and not considering their authority in anything. Is this respect for parents?
Thus, in its basic sense, the fifth commandment speaks of honoring parents. Nevertheless, it also speaks in consideration of all those who occupy similar positions for a Christian: teachers, educators, etc; and especially, the representatives of lawful authority who preserve the order of society. Apostle Paul directed us to pray: "for rulers and all those in authority," and in many places in his epistles, he taught to submit to the authorities. More important, of course, for the Christian, is the honoring of Church authorities - the pastors of the Church, especially the bishops, and also the pastor who is his spiritual father and answers before God for his soul. Apostle Paul says, "Submit yourselves (to your spiritual instructors,) for they watch over your souls and must give account." And the Lord Himself said to His apostles, and in their persons to the pastors of the Church, "Whoever listens to you, listens to Me, but whoever does not listen to you, does not listen to Me."
From
The Hymns on Paradise
Saint Ephraem the Syrian
Blessed is He who, with His keys
has opened up the Garden of Life
In the evening the world sleeps, closing its eyes,
while in the morning it arises.
He who repays is distant as it were but a night's length away;
now light dawns and He is coming.
Worry not, my brethren,
nor suppose
that your struggle will last long,
or that your resurrection is far off,
for our death is already behind us,
and our resurrection before us.
T O D A Y ' S
A N E C D O T E
Yesterday, an orchestra, a great symphony or a famous band with a genius composition was required to overwhelm the listener; But today only one note is necessary.
ARCHIVED
Woman: God made her from Adam but the smile He gave is all her her own.
A measurement of God's love: God's love is so deep that He can endure and love all of His creation - past, present and future, men and women, who pay no attention to Him at all.
Isn't it time to admit and show regret and sorrow? We have a lifetime to do so! How long is that?
Only He Who is beyond male or female can Create male and female.
Make no mistake, to put on Christ through Holy Baptist is a wedding garment. We can no less than be married to our Lord Jesus Christ in order to be one with Him. The pearls, jewels and embroidery on this wedding garment are the jewels and ornaments of self-denial, the Cross lying across our shoulders, the same Cross of the same love and forgiveness Christ showed all mankind no matter how brutal, no matter how hateful, no matter how estranged from Him we are.
Make no mistake, this is a garment that cannot be put on at the last moment when we meet our Creator Christ - it will not fit over the obesity of our attachments to the temporary life, to the attachments of our desire for material things, all of which must have been shed.
Make no mistake !! This life, although only somewhat of a facsimile, since it is temporary, is not a life of continual fear but one that can blossom into the love of God and neighbor - our ticket to entry into the bridal chamber called Paradise Eternal. In unfailing love, we remain clothed in our baptismal garment throughout our lives and therefore found to radiantly beautiful in the image of Christ when we meet Him face to face.
Our Lord inspired those who would hear Him with words and acts that would guard and protect, that would guide us and help us maintain our wedding garments. If you have no use for their words or example, what are you saying to Christ? Are you saying He inspired them in vain?
En guarde! Satan never sleeps and never prays. He hates God and hates every one of us. He lurks in the shadows,; silently and relentlessly attacking. He doesn't want us to hear God but wants us to hear and obey only him. He knows Christ speaks to us continually but can only be heard in stillness.
Make no mistake, this is a garment that cannot be put on at the last moment when we meet our Creator Christ - it will not fit over the obesity of our attachments to the temporary life, to the attachments of our desire for material things, all of which must have been shed.
Make no mistake !! This life, although only somewhat of a facsimile, since it is temporary, is not a life of continual fear but one that can blossom into the love of God and neighbor - our ticket to entry into the bridal chamber called Paradise Eternal. In unfailing love, we remain clothed in our baptismal garment throughout our lives and therefore found to radiantly beautiful in the image of Christ when we meet Him face to face.
Our Lord inspired those who would hear Him with words and acts that would guard and protect, that would guide us and help us maintain our wedding garments. If you have no use for their words or example, what are you saying to Christ? Are you saying He inspired them in vain?
En guarde! Satan never sleeps and never prays. He hates God and hates every one of us. He lurks in the shadows,; silently and relentlessly attacking. He doesn't want us to hear God but wants us to hear and obey only him. He knows Christ speaks to us continually but can only be heard in stillness.
Why do you read what they saints say? Why do you believe what thy say? Simple: because you believe God speaks through the prophets! No? You claim you do! Reread the Nicene Creed!
The Apostles Creed vs the Nicene Creed? - Ask
Anyone who has fallen in love knows that once it happens, it needs no reminding, no prompting, no reasoning, no examination because it is unfathomably simple and constantly experienced/treasured and inexplicable. You wake in it, you sleep in it, it never wavers. And in many cases, it is mutual.
Such it is with Christ. However, when we seek with all our heart to love Him, it tis the ecstasy of worship and is always mutual.
If and again if desired, a taste is given and one is on the way.
Such it is with Christ. However, when we seek with all our heart to love Him, it tis the ecstasy of worship and is always mutual.
If and again if desired, a taste is given and one is on the way.
Christ gave you a head start didn’t He? How? In His love He gave you life didn’t He?
Don't judge yourself by how well you follow the rules or how poorly others do, simply love God with all your heart and you will follow Him as you should because when you genuinely love Him, He will correct any failure you make, and, in addition He will confirm for you that you have pleased Him and that you really do love Him and all others! Do you want to feel you truly love God or would you rather than He, Himself confirm it for you directly? Can we ask for more?
Now wait just a minute!
Saint John 15:5 KJV
5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
If we can do nothing without Christ why do we credit or glorify ourselves for our accomplishments? He quickens all of us and all things. Pleasing Him is a great form of gratitude.
From where does fruit get its color, its sweetness, its nutrients? Is it not by accepting what comes from the vine that it becomes beautiful, delicious and nutritious! Are we who follow Christ, expected to be like Him. Did He not say that we are made in His image?
We must stop giving ourselves credit. What we have, has been given as a gift otherwise why would our Lord say, "... for without me you can do nothing.". What we do with what He gives, is what's profitable because it glorifies the Giver who is Christ our Father Who in turn glorifies us because it is His pleasure.
We must stop giving ourselves credit. What we have, has been given as a gift otherwise why would our Lord say, "... for without me you can do nothing.". What we do with what He gives, is what's profitable because it glorifies the Giver who is Christ our Father Who in turn glorifies us because it is His pleasure.
No comments:
Post a Comment