Good Intentions
“I have seen and experienced in many ways that if the grace of God does not enlighten a person, no matter how much you speak to him, you cannot help him. For a moment he will listen, but then the next minute he is re-captivated by his old ways. If, however, grace acts at once through your words, a change occurs at that time with the help of his good intentions.”
-St. Joseph the Hesychast
#change #God #listen
Monday December 16, 2024 / December 3, 2024
26th Week after Pentecost. Tone eight.
Nativity (St. Philip’s Fast). Fast.
Prophet Zephaniah (Sophonias) (635 B.C.).
Venerable Sabbas, abbot of Zvenigorod, disciple of St. Sergius of Radonezh (1406).
New Hieromartyr Andrew priest (1920).
New Hieromartyr Nicholas priest (1930).
St. Gregory confessor (1960).
Venerable Theodulus, eparch of Constantinople (440).
Venerable John the Silent of St. Sabbas’ monastery (558).
Hieromartyr Theodore, archbishop of Alexandria (606).
Venerable Gregory of Chernik (Romania).
New Hieromartyr Gabriel, bishop of Ganos (1659) (Greek).
St. Birinus, bishop of Dorchester (649-650) (Celtic & British).
New Martyr Angelos of Chios (1813) (Greek).
Venerable Cosmas of St. Anne’s Skete, Mt. Athos.
St. Sola, Anglo-Saxon missionary priest under St. Boniface (790-794) (Germany).
St. Nicetius, bishop of Lyons (Gaul).
St. Lucius, king of Britain who requested missionaries for his people in A.D. 187.
Martyrs Agapius, Seleucus and Mamas (Greek).
The Scripture Readings
1
Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, by the commandment of God our Savior and the Lord Jesus Christ, our hope,
2
To Timothy, a true son in the faith:
Grace, mercy, and peace from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord.
3
As I urged you when I went into Macedonia-remain in Ephesus that you may charge some that they teach no other doctrine,
4
nor give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which cause disputes rather than godly edification which is in faith.
5
Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith,
6
from which some, having strayed, have turned aside to idle talk,
7
desiring to be teachers of the law, understanding neither what they say nor the things which they affirm.
27
Then some of the Sadducees, who deny that there is a resurrection, came to Him and asked Him,
28
saying: “Teacher, Moses wrote to us that if a man’s brother dies, having a wife, and he dies without children, his brother should take his wife and raise up offspring for his brother.
29
Now there were seven brothers. And the first took a wife, and died without children.
30
And the second took her as wife, and he died childless.
31
Then the third took her, and in like manner the seven also; and they left no children, and died.
32
Last of all the woman died also.
33
Therefore, in the resurrection, whose wife does she become? For all seven had her as wife.
34
Jesus answered and said to them, “The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage.
35
But those who are counted worthy to attain that age, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage;
36
nor can they die anymore, for they are equal to the angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection.
37
But even Moses showed in the burning bush passage that the dead are raised, when he called the Lord ‘the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’
38
For He is not the God of the dead but of the living, for all live to Him.
39
Then some of the scribes answered and said, “Teacher, You have spoken well.”
40
But after that they dared not question Him anymore.
41
And He said to them, “How can they say that the Christ is the Son of David?
42
Now David himself said in the Book of Psalms: ‘The LORD said to my Lord, Sit at My right hand,
43
Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.” ‘
44
Therefore David calls Him ‘Lord’; how is He then his Son?
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