Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory to Him forever!
Saturday of the Akathist
Saints of the Day:
March 7 / 20. Hieromartyr of Cherson: Basil, Ephraim, Capito, Eugene, Aetherius, Elpidius, and Agathadorus. St. Paul the Confessor, Bishop of Plusias in Bithynia. St. Paul the Simple of Egypt, disciple of St. Anthony the Great. St. Emilian of Rome. (Greek Calendar: Saints Nestor and Arcadius, bishops of Tremithus. St. Laurence, founder of the Monastery of the Mother of God in Salamina. Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos ‘Surety for sinners’. Repose of Schemamonk Sisoes of Valaam (1931).
Photo of the Day
The library corner, as seen from the bookstore porch.
Quote of the Day
“God is the teacher of prayer; true prayer is the gift of God. To him who prays constantly and with contrition of spirit, with the fear of God and with attention, God Himself gives gradual progress in prayer. From humble and attentive prayer, spiritual action and spiritual warmth make their appearance and quicken the heart. The quickened heart draws the mind to itself and becomes a temple of grace-given prayer and a treasury of the spiritual gifts which are procured by such prayer as a matter of course.”
Bishop Ignatius Brianchaninov “On the Prayer of Jesus”
Scripture Readings for the Day
Hebrews 9:24-28
24 For Christ has not entered the holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us; 25 not that He should offer Himself often, as the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood of another— 26 He then would have had to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now, once at the end of the ages, He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. 27 And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, 28 so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.
Mark 8:27-31
Peter Confesses Jesus as the Christ
27 Now Jesus and His disciples went out to the towns of Caesarea Philippi; and on the road He asked His disciples, saying to them, “Who do men say that I am?”
28 So they answered, “John the Baptist; but some say, Elijah; and others, one of the prophets.”
29 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
Peter answered and said to Him, “You are the Christ.”
30 Then He strictly warned them that they should tell no one about Him.
Jesus Predicts His Death and Resurrection
31 And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.
Wonderful beyond words, thanks be to God!