God of the Strange
“The days are coming when more and more the world will become a strange and odder and odder place, but Christ will come and reach out to people in those odd and strange places.”
Saint Nektary of Optina
#jesuschrist #strange #orthodoxy
Wednesday May 14, 2025 / May 1, 2025
Mid-Pentecost or Prepolovenie. Tone three.
Fast. Fish Allowed
“Mozdok” and “Dubensk-Krasnogorodsk” (17th c.) Icons of the Most Holy Theotokos (movable holiday on the Prepolovenie – Mid-Pentecost).
Prophet Jeremiah (650 B.C.).
Venerable Paphnutius, abbot of Borovsk (1477).
Virgin-martyr Nina (1938).
Hieromartyr Macarius, metropolitan of Kiev (1497).
Venerable Gerasimus, abbot of Boldino (1557).
Martyr Batas of Nisibis (395).
St. Tamara, queen of Georgia (1213).
New Martyrs Euthymius, Ignatius (1814), and Acacius the Serbian of Mt. Athos (1815).
The Tsarevokokshaisk, or “Myrrh-Bearing” (1647), Andronikos (14th c.), “Unexpected Joy” and Byzantine Icons of the Mother of God.
Asaph or Asa Bishop of Llanelwy (6th – 7th c.) (Celtic & British).
St. Panaretus, archbishop of Paphos in Cyprus (1791) (Greek).
Venerable Nicephorus of Chios, monk (1821) (Greek).
Martyr Sabbas (1821) (Greek).
St. Ultan, founderof Fosse (680) (Neth.).
St. Zosimas, bishop of Kumurdo (15th c.) (Georgia).
New Monk-martyr Romanus of Raqqa (780).
New Martyr Maria of Merambelos on Crete (1826).
St. Brioc, abbot of Sain Brieuc.
St. Corentin, bishop of Quimper.
Translation of the relics of St. Walburga, Abbess of Heidenheim.
St. Pholosophos.
The Scripture Readings
6
they became aware of it and fled to Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and to the surrounding region.
7
And they were preaching the gospel there.
8
And in Lystra a certain man without strength in his feet was sitting, a cripple from his mother’s womb, who had never walked.
9
This man heard Paul speaking. Paul, observing him intently and seeing that he had faith to be healed,
10
said with a loud voice, “Stand up straight on your feet!” And he leaped and walked.
11
Now when the people saw what Paul had done, they raised their voices, saying in the Lycaonian language, “The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!”
12
And Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul, Hermes, because he was the chief speaker.
13
Then the priest of Zeus, whose temple was in front of their city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates, intending to sacrifice with the multitudes.
14
But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard this, they tore their clothes and ran in among the multitude, crying out
15
and saying, “Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men with the same nature as you, and preach to you that you should turn from these useless things to the living God, who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and all things that are in them,
16
who in bygone generations allowed all nations to walk in their own ways.
17
Nevertheless He did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good, gave us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.
18
And with these sayings they could scarcely restrain the multitudes from sacrificing to them.
14
Now about the middle of the feast Jesus went up into the temple and taught.
15
And the Jews marveled, saying, “How does this Man know letters, having never studied?”
16
Jesus answered them and said, “My doctrine is not Mine, but His who sent Me.
17
If anyone wills to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I speak on My own authority.
18
He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who seeks the glory of the One who sent Him is true, and no unrighteousness is in Him.
19
Did not Moses give you the law, yet none of you keeps the law? Why do you seek to kill Me?
20
The people answered and said, “You have a demon. Who is seeking to kill You?”
21
Jesus answered and said to them, “I did one work, and you all marvel.
22
Moses therefore gave you circumcision (not that it is from Moses, but from the fathers), and you circumcise a man on the Sabbath.
23
If a man receives circumcision on the Sabbath, so that the law of Moses should not be broken, are you angry with Me because I made a man completely well on the Sabbath?
24
Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.
25
Now some of them from Jerusalem said, “Is this not He whom they seek to kill?
26
But look! He speaks boldly, and they say nothing to Him. Do the rulers know indeed that this is truly the Christ?
27
However, we know where this Man is from; but when the Christ comes, no one knows where He is from.
28
Then Jesus cried out, as He taught in the temple, saying, “You both know Me, and you know where I am from; and I have not come of Myself, but He who sent Me is true, whom you do not know.
29
But I know Him, for I am from Him, and He sent Me.
30
Therefore they sought to take Him; but no one laid a hand on Him, because His hour had not yet come.