Be Silent
“If you are praised, be silent. If you are scolded, be silent. If you incur losses, be silent. If you receive profit, be silent. If you are satiated, be silent. If you are hungry, also be silent. And do not be afraid that there will be no fruit when all dies down; there will be! Not everything will die down. Energy will appear; and what energy!”
St. Feofil
#silence #energy #orthodoxy
Monday December 30, 2024 / December 17, 2024
28th Week after Pentecost. Tone two.
Nativity (St. Philip’s Fast). Wine and Oil Allowed.
Holy Prophet Daniel (600 B.C.) and the Three Holy Youths: Ananias, Azarias, and Misael.
New Hieromartyrs Alexander, Nicholas and Sergius priests (1918).
New Hieromartyrs Peter and John priests (1937).
Venerable Daniel the Confessor (in schema Stephen) of Spain and Egypt (10th c.).
St. Dionysius of Zakynthos, archbishop of Aegina (1622).
New Hieromartyr Paisius, abbot of Turnovo, and Martyr Abbacum the Deacon at Belgrade (1814).
Martyrs Patermuthius, Coprius and Alexander the Soldier of Egypt (361).
St. Sturm, abbot and founder of Fulda monastery (779) (Germany).
Sts. Athanasius, Nicholas, and Anthony, founders of Vatopedi Monastery (10th c.).
New Martyr Nicetas of Nyssa (1300).
St. Misael of Abalatsk, hieromonk (1797).
The Scripture Readings
20
But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor.
21
Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work.
22
Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
23
But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife.
24
And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient,
25
in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth,
26
and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.
42
But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea.
43
If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed, rather than having two hands, to go to hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched-
44
where ‘Their worm does not die, And the fire is not quenched.’
45
And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame, rather than having two feet, to be cast into hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched-
46
where ‘Their worm does not die, And the fire is not quenched.’
47
And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire-
48
where ‘Their worm does not die, And the fire is not quenched.’
49
For everyone will be seasoned with fire, and every sacrifice will be seasoned with salt.
50
Salt is good, but if the salt loses its flavor, how will you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace with one another.
1
Then He arose from there and came to the region of Judea by the other side of the Jordan. And multitudes gathered to Him again, and as He was accustomed, He taught them again.
Hebrews 11:33-12:2 Prophet
33
who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,
34
quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.
35
Women received their dead raised to life again. Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection.
36
Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment.
37
They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented-
38
of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth.
39
And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise,
40
God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us.
1
Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
2
looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Luke 11:47-12:1 Prophet
47
Woe to you! For you build the tombs of the prophets, and your fathers killed them.
48
In fact, you bear witness that you approve the deeds of your fathers; for they indeed killed them, and you build their tombs.
49
Therefore the wisdom of God also said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they will kill and persecute,’
50
that the blood of all the prophets which was shed from the foundation of the world may be required of this generation,
51
from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah who perished between the altar and the temple. Yes, I say to you, it shall be required of this generation.
52
Woe to you lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge. You did not enter in yourselves, and those who were entering in you hindered.
53
And as He said these things to them, the scribes and the Pharisees began to assail Him vehemently, and to cross-examine Him about many things,
54
lying in wait for Him, and seeking to catch Him in something He might say, that they might accuse Him.
1
In the meantime, when an innumerable multitude of people had gathered together, so that they trampled one another, He began to say to His disciples first of all, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.