Help Comes In Time
“God always helps. He always comes in time, but patience is necessary. He hears us immediately when we cry out to Him, but not in accordance with our own way of thinking.”
Saint Joseph the Hesychast
#help #patience #God
Tuesday February 11, 2025 / January 29, 2025
Week of the Publican and the Pharisee. Tone eight.
Fast-free Week. Fast-free
Translation of the relics of Hieromartyr Ignatius the God-bearer, bishop of Antioch (107).
New Hieromartyrs John and Leontius priests, Constantine deacon and with them 5 Martyrs (1920).
St. Laurence, recluse of the Kiev Caves and bishop of Turov (1194).
Sts. Gerasimus (1441), Pitirim (1455), and Jonah (1470), bishops of Perm.
Synaxis of All Saints of Komi.
Martyrs Romanus, James, Philotheus, Hyperechius, Abibus, Julian and Paregorius at Samosata (297)
Martyrs Silvanus, bishop of Emesa, Luke the Deacon, and Mocius (Mucius) the Reader (312).
Synaxis of All Saints of Yekaterinburg.
New Martyr Demetrius of Chios (1802) (Greek).
Venerable Aphrahates of Persia, monk (370).
St. Barsimaeus the Confessor, bishop of Edessa (2nd c.).
Martyrs Sarbelus and his sister Bebaia of Edessa (115) (Greek).
Venerable Sulpicius Severus, disciple of St. Martin of Tours (406) (Gaul).
Venerable Gildas the Wise, abbot of Rhuys, Brittany (ca. 570) (Celtic & British).
St. Ashot Kuropalates of Tao-Klardjeti (829) (Georgia).
St. Ignatius, bishop of Smolensk (1210).
Venerable Andrew (Rublev) of Russia, iconographer (1430).
The Scripture Readings
9
then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment,
10
and especially those who walk according to the flesh in the lust of uncleanness and despise authority. They are presumptuous, self-willed. They are not afraid to speak evil of dignitaries,
11
whereas angels, who are greater in power and might, do not bring a reviling accusation against them before the Lord.
12
But these, like natural brute beasts made to be caught and destroyed, speak evil of the things they do not understand, and will utterly perish in their own corruption,
13
and will receive the wages of unrighteousness, as those who count it pleasure to carouse in the daytime. They are spots and blemishes, carousing in their own deceptions while they feast with you,
14
having eyes full of adultery and that cannot cease from sin, enticing unstable souls. They have a heart trained in covetous practices, and are accursed children.
15
They have forsaken the right way and gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;
16
but he was rebuked for his iniquity: a dumb donkey speaking with a man’s voice restrained the madness of the prophet.
17
These are wells without water, clouds carried by a tempest, for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.
18
For when they speak great swelling words of emptiness, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through lewdness, the ones who have actually escaped from those who live in error.
19
While they promise them liberty, they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by whom a person is overcome, by him also he is brought into bondage.
20
For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning.
21
For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them.
22
But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: “A dog returns to his own vomit,” and, “a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire.”
14
So when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not (let the reader understand), “then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.
15
Let him who is on the housetop not go down into the house, nor enter to take anything out of his house.
16
And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes.
17
But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days!
18
And pray that your flight may not be in winter.
19
For in those days there will be tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the creation which God created until this time, nor ever shall be.
20
And unless the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake, whom He chose, He shortened the days.
21
Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or, ‘Look, He is there!’ do not believe it.
22
For false christs and false prophets will rise and show signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.
23
But take heed; see, I have told you all things beforehand.
Wednesday Reading
2 Peter 3:1-18
1
Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle (in both of which I stir up your pure minds by way of reminder),
2
that you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior,
3
knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts,
4
and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.”
5
For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water,
6
by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water.
7
But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.
8
But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
9
The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
10
But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.
11
Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness,
12
looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat?
13
Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.
14
Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless;
15
and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation-as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you,
16
as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures.
17
You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked;
18
but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.
24
But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light;
25
the stars of heaven will fall, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.
26
Then they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.
27
And then He will send His angels, and gather together His elect from the four winds, from the farthest part of earth to the farthest part of heaven.
28
Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender, and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near.
29
So you also, when you see these things happening, know that it is near-at the doors!
30
Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place.
31
Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.
Hebrews 4:14-5:6 Hieromartyr Ignatius
14
Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.
15
For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.
16
Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
1
For every high priest taken from among men is appointed for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins.
2
He can have compassion on those who are ignorant and going astray, since he himself is also subject to weakness.
3
Because of this he is required as for the people, so also for himself, to offer sacrifices for sins.
4
And no man takes this honor to himself, but he who is called by God, just as Aaron was.
5
So also Christ did not glorify Himself to become High Priest, but it was He who said to Him:”You are My Son, Today I have begotten You.”
6
As He also says in another place:”You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek”;
Mark 9:33-41 Hieromartyr Ignatius
33
Then He came to Capernaum. And when He was in the house He asked them, “What was it you disputed among yourselves on the road?”
34
But they kept silent, for on the road they had disputed among themselves who would be the greatest.
35
And He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, “If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all.”
36
Then He took a little child and set him in the midst of them. And when He had taken him in His arms, He said to them,
37
Whoever receives one of these little children in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me, receives not Me but Him who sent Me.
38
Now John answered Him, saying, “Teacher, we saw someone who does not follow us casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow us.”
39
But Jesus said, “Do not forbid him, for no one who works a miracle in My name can soon afterward speak evil of Me.
40
For he who is not against us is on our side.
41
For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in My name, because you belong to Christ, assuredly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.