MONDAY
September 29
October 12 ns
2026
2026
St. Kyriakós the Anchorite
Going to Jerusalem, Saint Kyriakós found Saint Evthymios who made him a monk and sent him to Saint Gerásimos the Jordanite. Saint Evthýmios and Saint Gerásimos are great names in the history of asceticism. Saint Kyriakós lived with them, particularly Saint Gerásimos, from whom he was inseparable. When Saint Gerásimos fell asleep in the Lord, Saint Kyriakós returned to Saint Evthymios. But wherever he was, Saint Kyriakós performed his duties willingly and without complaint. since he always had in mind God’s words: “Cursed be they who do the works of the Lord without care” [Jer. 31, 10 (Septuagint)]
When he returned to the monastery of Saint Evthymios, Saint Kyriakós was ordained a priest. He remained there for many years and was so gentle and ascetic that no one ever saw him angry, nor even eating. He ate just enough to keep body and soul together, when night began to fall in his cell. When he was seventy-seven years old, Saint Kyriakós left the monastery for the desert and, at the age of ninety-nine left that for an even more remote spot. He always had a lion with him for company and protection.
Saint Kyriakós fell asleep in the Lord at the age of one hundred and seven, and was, until the end, just as ascetic and robust in body. In the depths of old age, he had all his faculties, just as if he were still young. He was a well-built, handsome person, with manly grace, most venerable and imposing to those who approached him. And everyone came to him, because he was gentle and kindly. Since he didn’t stay in one place and one monastery, but went from Saint Evthymios to Saint Gerásimos, back to Saint Evthymios and out into the desert, then into another desert, he was given the name of “anchorite” [from the Greek verb αναχωρέω, meaning “to withdraw”].
12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
14 Do all things without murmurings and disputings:
15 That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;
16 Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.
Saint Luke 4:38-44 KJV
38 And he arose out of the synagogue, and entered into Simon's house. And Simon's wife's mother was taken with a great fever; and they besought him for her.
39 And he stood over her, and rebuked the fever; and it left her: and immediately she arose and ministered unto them.
40 Now when the sun was setting, all they that had any sick with divers diseases brought them unto him; and he laid his hands on every one of them, and healed them.
41 And devils also came out of many, crying out, and saying, Thou art Christ the Son of God. And he rebuking them suffered them not to speak: for they knew that he was Christ.
42 And when it was day, he departed and went into a desert place: and the people sought him, and came unto him, and stayed him, that he should not depart from them.
43 And he said unto them, I must preach the kingdom of God to other cities also: for therefore am I sent.
44 And he preached in the synagogues of Galilee.
Excerpt from the Kontakion of St. Romanos:
"On Adam's Lament"
THE EXPULSION OF ADAM AND EVE FROM PARADISE
The Guide of wisdom, Leader of prudence, Chastener of the senseless, and the Defender of the poor: fortify, grant understanding to my heart, O Master. Give me a word, O Word of the Father, for behold, I do not hold back my lips from crying out to You: O Merciful, have mercy on the fallen.
Adam sat and wept across from the delight of Paradise, and beating his eyes with his hands, he said: "O Merciful, have mercy on the fallen."
When Adam beheld the Angel turning him back, and closing the gate of the divine garden, he groaned greatly, and said: "O Merciful, have mercy on the fallen."
O Paradise, bear pain together with your master, who has been impoverished of you, and through the sound of your leaves, entreat the Fashioner to not close you. "O Merciful, have mercy on the fallen."
O Paradise full of virtue, all-holy, all-joyous, which was planted for Adam and was shut from Eve, entreat God for the fallen. "O Merciful, have mercy on the fallen."
Please note: Many of the quotes from the Saints and others are not permanent and will be removed in time, so if one attracts, anchor it to your memory so you can apply it to your heart and actions.
Also, the vignettes are not attributable but simply the opinion of the blogger.
GOD, US AND ANIMALS - A DISCUSSION
After a discussion with an individual concerning the relationship of God and animals I came to the following:
I have to agree with those who say that animals do not know God as we do.
And, although illumination isn't available to them, it appears they function with each other and their environment as though governed, and without question, without wavering and are admirably remarkably adherent as one would expect from a servant and his or her mater .
I think God is their Lord, but they don't know God as Lord, Savior or the Son of the Father.
Rather than go too far with this, yet I feel confident to say in conclusion, that they are not, in any way, capable of the following: "Thou shalt have no other gods before me" {Exodus 20:3 KJV}
S I N
What did Adam and Eve do to lose Eternal Life in Paradise with their/our Creator?
Turn it around and what do you have?
F R E E W I L L
Can our Lord force omnipotence and omniscience on us?
Why did the Lord give us the choice{free will} to love Him
when He could have forced us to love Him?
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