I Am The Deeper Cause
“No one is completely innocent. God loves us. He protects us and covers us. He does not leave us at the mercy of others. If God allows us to suffer something, it means that we need it, and we can take the situation and say, ‘Lord since this situation happened, I must have needed it. Something was not going right in me, so I am the deeper cause. Forgive the person who hurt me and what they did.'”
Archimandrite Symeon Kragiopoulos
#love #forgiveness #god
Thursday February 6, 2025 / January 24, 2025
33rd Week after Pentecost. Tone seven.
Venerable Xenia of Rome and her two female slaves (5th c.).
St. Xenia of Petersburg, fool-for-Christ (18th c.).
Martyr Nicholas (1918).
St. Gerasimus, bishop of Perm (1441).
Martyr John of Kazan (1529).
Martyrs Babylas of Sicily and his two disciples Timothy and Agapius (3rd c.).
Venerable Macedonius, hermit of Syria (ca. 420).
Translation of the relics (632) of St. Anastasius the Persian (628).
Venerable Dionysius of Olympus and Mt. Athos (1541) (Greek).
St. Felician, bishop of Foligno in Italy (254).
St. Lupicinus of Lipidiaco (500) (Gaul).
St. Neophytus the Recluse of Cyprus (1214) (Greek).
Martyrs Hermogenes and Mamas (Greek).
Martyrs Paul, Pausirius, and Theodotian, of Egypt (3rd c.).
St. Philo, bishop of Carpasia in Cyprus (5th c.).
The Priest Martyr Philippikos the Presbyter and Martyr Barsima of Syria and his two brothers.
Venerable Zosimas, bishop of Babylon in Egypt (6th c.).
The Scripture Readings
Matthew 11:27-30 Matins Gospel
27
All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.
28
Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
29
Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
30
For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.
12
Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you;
13
but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.
14
If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified.
15
But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people’s matters.
16
Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter.
17
For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God?
18
Now “If the righteous one is scarcely saved, Where will the ungodly and the sinner appear?”
19
Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator.
1
The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed:
2
Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly;
3
nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock;
4
and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away.
5
Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.”
38
Then He said to them in His teaching, “Beware of the scribes, who desire to go around in long robes, love greetings in the marketplaces,
39
the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts,
40
who devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation.
41
Now Jesus sat opposite the treasury and saw how the people put money into the treasury. And many who were rich put in much.
42
Then one poor widow came and threw in two mites, which make a quadrans.
43
So He called His disciples to Himself and said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury;
44
for they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had, her whole livelihood.
Galatians 5:22-6:2 Venerable Xenia of Petersburg
22
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23
gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
24
And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
25
If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
26
Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.
1
Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.
2
Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
Luke 6:17-23 Venerable Xenia of Petersburg
17
And He came down with them and stood on a level place with a crowd of His disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem, and from the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear Him and be healed of their diseases,
18
as well as those who were tormented with unclean spirits. And they were healed.
19
And the whole multitude sought to touch Him, for power went out from Him and healed them all.
20
Then He lifted up His eyes toward His disciples, and said: Blessed are you poor, For yours is the kingdom of God.
21
Blessed are you who hunger now, For you shall be filled. Blessed are you who weep now, For you shall laugh.
22
Blessed are you when men hate you, And when they exclude you, And revile you, and cast out your name as evil, For the Son of Man’s sake.
23
Rejoice in that day and leap for joy! For indeed your reward is great in heaven, For in like manner their fathers did to the prophets.
https://old.bitchute.com/video/eNuRw9nkmw5S/
https://rumble.com/v6f8fu7-i-am-the-deeper-cause.html