Full of Virtues
“My child, try to complete your morning prayers, do your prostrations, and read the Gospel. In the evening read the Supplicatory Canon. Before retiring for the night, say your prayers again and do your prostrations. Remember God constantly! Always keep Him in mind. Say the Jesus Prayer and expel evil thoughts. When someone carries out these directions, he fills the page of each day with earnings. If, however, you never go to consult with a spiritual father, and he does not put things in order for you, then as the spool of life is slowly reeled in, you will reach the end of your rope, and you will not have many things in your possession. This is why a person’s life is enriched when he is obedient to a spiritual father. At some point in the future, such a person will appear before God full of virtues, as a tree whose branches are heavy and abounding with plentiful fruit.”
Geronda Ephraim of Arizona
#virtue #spiritual #prayer
Friday November 29, 2024 / November 16, 2024
23rd Week after Pentecost. Tone five.
Nativity (St. Philip’s Fast). Food with Oil
Holy Apostle and Evangelist Matthew (60).
New Hieromartyrs Theodore Korolev priest and with him Martyr Ananius Boykov and Michael Boldakov (1929).
New Hieromartyrs John, Nicholas, Victor, Basil, Makarius and Michael priests, Hieromartyr Panteleimon (1937).
Martyr Demetrius (1938).
New Hieromartyr Philumenus (1978).
St. Fulvianus, prince of Ethiopia, in holy baptism Matthew (1st c.).
Hieromartyr Hipatius bishop of Gangra (360).
Venerable Sergius, abbot, of Malopinega (1585).
St. Eucherius of Lyons (449).
St. Lubuinus, missionary to Friesland (773) (Neth.).
St. Otmar, abbot and monastic founder in Switzerland (759).
The Scripture Readings
John 21:15-25 Matins Gospel
15
So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Feed My lambs.”
16
He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Tend My sheep.”
17
He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep.
18
Most assuredly, I say to you, when you were younger, you girded yourself and walked where you wished; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish.
19
This He spoke, signifying by what death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, “Follow Me.”
20
Then Peter, turning around, saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following, who also had leaned on His breast at the supper, and said, “Lord, who is the one who betrays You?”
21
Peter, seeing him, said to Jesus, “But Lord, what about this man?”
22
Jesus said to him, “If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me.”
23
Then this saying went out among the brethren that this disciple would not die. Yet Jesus did not say to him that he would not die, but, “If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you?”
24
This is the disciple who testifies of these things, and wrote these things; and we know that his testimony is true.
25
And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Amen.
14
For you, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God which are in Judea in Christ Jesus. For you also suffered the same things from your own countrymen, just as they did from the Judeans,
15
who killed both the Lord Jesus and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they do not please God and are contrary to all men,
16
forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they may be saved, so as always to fill up the measure of their sins; but wrath has come upon them to the uttermost.
17
But we, brethren, having been taken away from you for a short time in presence, not in heart, endeavored more eagerly to see your face with great desire.
18
Therefore we wanted to come to you-even I, Paul, time and again-but Satan hindered us.
19
For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Is it not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming?
15
And He said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God.
16
The law and the prophets were until John. Since that time the kingdom of God has been preached, and everyone is pressing into it.
17
And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one tittle of the law to fail.
18
Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced from her husband commits adultery.
1
Then He said to the disciples, “It is impossible that no offenses should come, but woe to him through whom they do come!
2
It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.
3
Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him.
4
And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying, ‘I repent,’ you shall forgive him.
1 Corinthians 4:9-16 Apostle
9
For I think that God has displayed us, the apostles, last, as men condemned to death; for we have been made a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men.
10
We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are distinguished, but we are dishonored!
11
To the present hour we both hunger and thirst, and we are poorly clothed, and beaten, and homeless.
12
And we labor, working with our own hands. Being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure;
13
being defamed, we entreat. We have been made as the filth of the world, the offscouring of all things until now.
14
I do not write these things to shame you, but as my beloved children I warn you.
15
For though you might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.
16
Therefore I urge you, imitate me.
Matthew 9:9-13 Apostle
9
As Jesus passed on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, “Follow Me.” So he arose and followed Him.
10
Now it happened, as Jesus sat at the table in the house, that behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Him and His disciples.
11
And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to His disciples, “Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
12
When Jesus heard that, He said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.
13
But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice.’ For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.
https://old.bitchute.com/video/8y4wsC45rCco/
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