“You have to hold onto the spirit. The letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life (II Cor. 3:6). If in monasticism one sees only the form, then it’s not just hard to live, but horrible. Hold fast to the spirit. Look at what unbelief, nihilism, and carrion there is in the seminaries and theological academies. And this is all because it’s all just cramming without feeling or meaning. The revolution in Russia proceeded from the seminaries. To a seminarian it’s strange and incomprehensible to go to church alone, stand off to the side, weep and come to a state of compunction – to him this is wild. For a high school student such a thing is possible, but not with a seminarian. The letter kills.”
-St. Barsanuphius of Optina
St. Barsanuphius was referring to pre-Communist Revolution seminaries in Russia. Seminaries are NOT inherently negative, but they can go bad. I know and love many seminarians, and, generally speaking, Orthodox seminaries across the world are not in such a poor state. But: we must hold on to the Spirit!
Tuesday October 15, 2024 / October 2, 2024
17th Week after Pentecost. Tone seven.
Hieromartyr Cyprian, Virgin-martyr Justina and Martyr Theoctist of Nicomedia (304).
Blessed Andrew, fool-for-Christ at Constantinople (911).
St. Theodore of Sanaskar (Ushakov), admiral of the Russian Navy (1817).
Virgin-martyr Alexandra (1938).
Venerable Anna of Kashin (1338).
Venerable Cassian, monk, of Uglich (1504).
Martyrs David and Constantine, princes of Argveti, Georgia (740) (Georgia).
Blessed Cyprian of Suzdal, fool-for-Christ (1622).
New Martyr George of Philadelphia in Asia Minor (Mt. Athos) (1794) (Greek).
Venerable Damaris of Athens (1st c.) (Greek).
Great-martyr Theodore (Gavra) of Atran in Chaldia of Pontus (1180) (Greek).
Venerable Theophilus the Confessor (Greek).
The Scripture Readings
19
Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,
20
having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone,
21
in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord,
22
in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.
1
For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles-
2
if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which was given to me for you,
3
how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I have briefly written already,
4
by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ),
5
which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets:
6
that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel,
7
of which I became a minister according to the gift of the grace of God given to me by the effective working of His power.
37
Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.
38
Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.
39
And He spoke a parable to them: “Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into the ditch?
40
A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher.
41
And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the plank in your own eye?
42
Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me remove the speck that is in your eye,’ when you yourself do not see the plank that is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.
43
For a good tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit.
44
For every tree is known by its own fruit. For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush.
45
A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.
Monday Reading
Ephesians 1:22-2:3
22
And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church,
23
which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.
1
And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins,
2
in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience,
3
among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.
24
But woe to you who are rich, For you have received your consolation.
25
Woe to you who are full, For you shall hunger. Woe to you who laugh now, For you shall mourn and weep.
26
Woe to you when all men speak well of you, For so did their fathers to the false prophets.
27
But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,
28
bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you.
29
To him who strikes you on the one cheek, offer the other also. And from him who takes away your cloak, do not withhold your tunic either.
30
Give to everyone who asks of you. And from him who takes away your goods do not ask them back.
1 Timothy 1:12-17 Saints
12
And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry,
13
although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.
14
And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus.
15
This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.
16
However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life.
17
Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
John 10:9-16 Saints
9
I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.
10
The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
11
I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.
12
But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them.
13
The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep.
14
I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own.
15
As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep.