“If you want to be free of your passions, your medicine is to be simple, humble; to take in, like the good earth, both the rain and the hail along with the rubbish and the spittle. When one accepts external humiliations, he’s quickly freed from his old self…Blessed one, when you are given an opportunity for humility, accept it. This is how humility is acquired.”
St. Paisios The Athonite
(The icon of St. Paisios at the end of the video is by Shayne Swenson https://shayneswenson.com/iconography)
Friday November 15, 2024 / November 2, 2024
21st Week after Pentecost. Tone three.
Fast. By Monastic Charter: Strict Fast (Bread, Vegetables, Fruits)
Martyrs Acindynus, Pegasius, Aphthonius, Elpidephorus, and Anempodistus of Persia (341).
New Hieromartyrs Constantine and Anania priests (1918).
New Hieromartyrs Bishop Victorin and Priest Basil Luzgin of Glazomicha (1918).
Venerable Marcian of Cyrrhus (388).
“Shuiu-Smolensk” Wonderworking Icon of the Mother of God (1654-1655).
Blessed Cyprian of Storozhev, former outlaw (Olonets) (16th c.).
St. Erc, bishop of Slane, Ireland (512) (Celtic & British).
St. Anthony the Confessor, archbishop of Thessalonica (844).
Women-Martyrs Cyriaca, Domnina and Domna (Greek).
Martyrs of senatorial rank beheaded under Marcus Aurelius (Greek).
The Scripture Readings
1
For I want you to know what a great conflict I have for you and those in Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh,
2
that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, and attaining to all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ,
3
in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
4
Now this I say lest anyone should deceive you with persuasive words.
5
For though I am absent in the flesh, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ.
6
As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him,
7
rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.
2
For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, nor hidden that will not be known.
3
Therefore whatever you have spoken in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have spoken in the ear in inner rooms will be proclaimed on the housetops.
4
And I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.
5
But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, fear Him!
6
Are not five sparrows sold for two copper coins? And not one of them is forgotten before God.
7
But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.
8
Also I say to you, whoever confesses Me before men, him the Son of Man also will confess before the angels of God.
9
But he who denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God.
10
And anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but to him who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven.
11
Now when they bring you to the synagogues and magistrates and authorities, do not worry about how or what you should answer, or what you should say.
12
For the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.