(Church Calendar)
Saints of the Day
July 31 / August 13. Forefeast of the Procession of the Precious and Life-giving Cross of the Lord. Righteous Eudocimus of Cappadocia {Gal 5:22-6:2; Matt 11:27-30]. Righteous Joseph of Arimathea. Martyr Julitta at Caesarea. St. Germanus, Bishop of Auxerre. (Greek Calendar: Consecration of the Church of the Most Holy Theotokos of Blachernae. Twelve Martyrs of Rome. Translation of the Relics of Apostle Philip to Cyprus.) Repose of Elder Gerasim the Younger of Kaluga’s St. Sergius Skete (1918).
Photo of the Day
One of the numerous kiosks around the grounds of the Monastery.
A Word from the Archbishop:
Archbishop Kyrill’s Appeal Concerning the Drought and Forest Fires in Russia
[August 8, 2010] Dear Fathers, Brothers and Sisters of the Western American Diocese!
A terrible misfortune has come upon the Russian Land. Many parts of Russia are in a state of disaster due to an unbelievable heat wave, drought and uncontrollable fires. As a result of the drought, smoke in the air and fires many people have died, hundreds left without homes and thousands without any income to live upon. We cannot be simple bystanders and observers in these circumstances. We must not only pray to God for rain in the Russian Land, for all the people who have lost everything in the fires and for those who are fighting the fires and providing emergency help around the clock, but must open our hearts and provide concrete financial help to the suffering ones. I call upon all the parishes in our Western American Diocese throughout all of August to collect money for the homeless and needy victims of the forest fires. The collected sums should be forwarded to the diocesan treasurer no later than September 10, 2010.
“Let Thy mercy, O Lord, be upon us, according as we have hoped in Thee” (Psalm 32, 22).
+KYRILL, Archbishop of San Francisco and Western America
Scripture Readings for the Day:2 Corinthians 7:10-16
10 For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death. 11 For observe this very thing, that you sorrowed in a godly manner: What diligence it produced in you, what clearing of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what vehement desire, what zeal, what vindication! In all things you proved yourselves to be clear in this matter. 12 Therefore, although I wrote to you, I did not do it for the sake of him who had done the wrong, nor for the sake of him who suffered wrong, but that our care for you in the sight of God might appear to you.
The Joy of Titus
13 Therefore we have been comforted in your comfort. And we rejoiced exceedingly more for the joy of Titus, because his spirit has been refreshed by you all. 14 For if in anything I have boasted to him about you, I am not ashamed. But as we spoke all things to you in truth, even so our boasting to Titus was found true. 15 And his affections are greater for you as he remembers the obedience of you all, how with fear and trembling you received him. 16 Therefore I rejoice that I have confidence in you in everything.
Mark 2:18-22
Jesus Is Questioned About Fasting
18 The disciples of John and of the Pharisees were fasting. Then they came and said to Him, “Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but Your disciples do not fast?”
19 And Jesus said to them, “Can the friends of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them they cannot fast. 20 But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast in those days. 21 No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; or else the new piece pulls away from the old, and the tear is made worse. 22 And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; or else the new wine bursts the wineskins, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But new wine must be put into new wineskins.”