Pushed Into Paradise
“The person that is struggling to the best of his abilities, who has no desire to live a disorderly life, but who, in the course of the struggle for faith and life, falls and rises again and again, God will never abandon. And if he has the slightest will not to grieve God, he will go to Paradise with his shoes on.
The benevolent God will, surprisingly, push him into Paradise. God will ensure that he takes him at his best, in repentance. He may have to struggle all his life, but God will not abandon him; He will take him at the best possible time.”
Saint Paisios of Mount Athos
Friday April 4, 2025 / March 22, 2025
Fifth Week of the Great Lent. Tone seven.
Great Lent. Food with Oil
Hieromartyr Basil, presbyter of Ancyra (362).
Martyr Drosida (Drosis) of Antioch, and five virgins (104).
Venerable Isaac, founder of the Dalmatian Monastery at Constantinople (383).
Martyrs Callinica and Basilissa of Rome (2nd c.).
Venerable Euthymius of Constantinople.
“The Izborsk” Icon of the Mother of God (1657).
St. Paul, bishop of Narbonne, Brittany (3rd c.) (Celtic & British).
New Martyr Euthymius of Mt. Athos (1814) (Greek).
New Martyr Basil (Zelentsov) bishop of Priluk (1930).
New Martyr Schema-abbess Sophia of Kiev (1941) and her priest Demetrius Ivanov (1934).
The Scripture Readings
Isaiah 45:11-17 (6th Hour)
11
Thus says the Lord, The Holy One of Israel, and his Maker: “Ask Me of things to come concerning My sons; And concerning the work of My hands, you command Me.
12
I have made the earth, And created man on it. I—My hands—stretched out the heavens, And all their host I have commanded.
13
I have raised him up in righteousness, And I will direct all his ways; He shall build My city And let My exiles go free, Not for price nor reward,” Says the Lord of hosts.
14
Thus says the Lord: “The labor of Egypt and merchandise of Cush And of the Sabeans, men of stature, Shall come over to you, and they shall be yours; They shall walk behind you, They shall come over in chains; And they shall bow down to you. They will make supplication to you, saying, ‘God is with you only, and there is no other; no god besides him.’
15
Truly You are God, who hide Yourself, O God of Israel, the Savior!
16
They shall be ashamed And also disgraced, all of them; They shall go in confusion together, Who are makers of idols.
17
But Israel shall be saved by the Lord With an everlasting salvation; You shall not be ashamed or disgraced Forever and ever.
Genesis 22:1-18 (Vespers, 1st Reading)
1
Now it came to pass after these things that God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.”
2
Then He said, “Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.”
3
So Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son; and he split the wood for the burnt offering, and arose and went to the place of which God had told him.
4
Then on the third day Abraham lifted his eyes and saw the place afar off.
5
And Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; the lad and I will go yonder and worship, and we will come back to you.”
6
So Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife, and the two of them went together.
7
But Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” Then he said, “Look, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?”
8
And Abraham said, “My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering.” So the two of them went together.
9
Then they came to the place of which God had told him. And Abraham built an altar there and placed the wood in order; and he bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, upon the wood.
10
And Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son.
11
But the Angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” So he said, “Here I am.”
12
And He said, “Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.”
13
Then Abraham lifted his eyes and looked, and there behind him was a ram caught in a thicket by its horns. So Abraham went and took the ram, and offered it up for a burnt offering instead of his son.
14
And Abraham called the name of the place, The-Lord-Will-Provide; as it is said to this day, “In the Mount of the Lord it shall be provided.”
15
Then the Angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time out of heaven,
16
and said: “By Myself I have sworn, says the Lord, because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son—
17
“blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies.
18
“In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.”
Proverbs 17:17-18:5 (Vespers, 2nd Reading)
17
I have perfumed my bed With myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
18
Come, let us take our fill of love until morning; Let us delight ourselves with love.
19
For my husband is not at home; He has gone on a long journey;
20
He has taken a bag of money with him, And will come home on the appointed day.”
21
With her enticing speech she caused him to yield,
22
Immediately he went after her, as an ox goes to the slaughter, Or as a fool to the correction of the stocks,
23
Till an arrow struck his liver. As a bird hastens to the snare, He did not know it would cost his life.
24
Now therefore, listen to me, my children; Pay attention to the words of my mouth:
25
Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways, Do not stray into her paths;
26
For she has cast down many wounded, And all who were slain by her were strong men.
27
Her house is the way to hell, Descending to the chambers of death.
1
Does not wisdom cry out, And understanding lift up her voice?
2
She takes her stand on the top of the high hill, Beside the way, where the paths meet.
3
She cries out by the gates, at the entry of the city, At the entrance of the doors:
4
“To you, O men, I call, And my voice is to the sons of men.
5
O you simple ones, understand prudence, And you fools, be of an understanding heart.