Daily Devotional

Scripture Readings

Paschalion — Movable Calendar

Wednesday of the First Week

Epistle

The Reading is from the Epistle of Saint Paul to the Romans [§ 80]. Brethren:

1 ¹⁸The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven upon all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold back the truth in unrighteousness, ¹⁹because that which is known of God is manifest in them; for God manifested it to them. ²⁰For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being perceived by the things which are made, both His eternal power and divinity, so that they are without excuse, ²¹because, having known God, they glorified Him not as God, nor were thankful, but were brought to nought in their reasonings, and their heart, void of understanding, was darkened; ²²asserting to be wise, they became foolish, ²³and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into a likeness of an image of corruptible man, and of birds, and of quadrupeds, and of creeping things. ²⁴Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness in the desires of their hearts, that their bodies be dishonored among themselves, ²⁵who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and reverenced and worshipped the creature beyond Him Who created, Who is blessed to the ages. Amen. ²⁶For this reason God gave them up to passions of dishonor. For both their females exchanged the natural use into that contrary to nature, ²⁷and in like manner also the males left the natural use of the female, and were burned up in their lust one toward another, males with males working out that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves the recompense which was fitting of their error.

Gospel

The Reading is from the Holy Gospel according to Saint Matthew [§ 12]. The Lord said to His disciples:

5 ²⁰“I say to you, that unless your righteousness should exceed more than that of the scribes and Pharisees, in no wise shall ye enter into the kingdom of the heavens. ²¹“Ye heard that it was said to the ancients, ‘Thou shalt not murder [Ex. 20:13],’ and whosoever shall murder shall be liable to the judgment. ²²“But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother without just cause shall be liable to the judgment. And whosoever shall say to his brother, ‘Raca’ shall be liable to the sanhedrin; but whosoever shall say, ‘Thou fool,’ shall be liable to the Gehenna of the fire. ²³“If, then, thou offerest thy gift on the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath something against thee, ²⁴“leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way. First be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. ²⁵“Be well-disposed with thine adversary quickly, whilst thou art in the way with him, lest ever the adversary should deliver thee up to the judge, and the judge deliver thee up to the officer, and thou shalt be cast into prison. ²⁶“Verily, I say to thee, in no wise shalt thou come out from that place, until thou shouldest pay the last quadrans.”

Menaion — Fixed Calendar

The commemoration of Hieromartyr Eftychios (or Eftychous), Bishop of Melitene, and our holy father among the saints, Niketas, Bishop of Chalcedon.

No readings given.

Lives of the Saints (Prologue)

June 10th – Civil Calendar
May 28th – Church Calendar

1. St. Niketas the Confessor, Bishop of Chalcedon.

He renounced the world in his youth and withdrew to follow the path of monastic asceticism. He shone like the sun with virtue and came to the attention of the ecclesiastical authorities, being raised to the episcopal throne of Chalcedon. He was, as a hierarch, particularly compassionate to the poor and cared for many orphans, widows and beggars. When the wicked Emperor Leo the Armenian made his stand against the icons, St. Niketas came courageously to their defence, denouncing the emperor and expounding their meaning. He was finally driven into exile for his confession of the Faith, and after much hardship and suffering, went to the Lord to receive a wreath of glory in the kingdom of God.

2. The Holy Martyr Heliconis.

She was born in Thessalonica and educated in Christian piety. She went to Corinth in the time of Gordian and Philip, where she outspokenly denounced all who sacrificed to idols. When the governor, Perinos, urged her to offer sacrifice to Aesculapius, Christ’s martyr said to him: ‘Hear me, and know that I am a servant of Christ; as for Aesculapius, I do not know who he is. Do what you will.’ She was brought to trial for these words and terribly tortured. She was thrown into the flames, but a great gush of blood poured from her body and extinguished it, and she remained alive. She was thrown to the lions, but they would not touch her and instead fawned round her. Thrust into a temple for at least the semblance of offering sacrifice to idols, she smashed the idols, thereby arousing still greater hatred in her tormentors. Lying in prison covered all over with wounds, she saw the Lord Himself with the Archangels Michael and Gabriel. He healed her wounds, comforting and encouraging her. Later, she was led out to the scaffold to be beheaded with the sword. Before her beheading, Heliconis raised her arms high and prayed that God accept her and bring her into the company of His flock in the heavenly fold. When she had finished her prayer, a voice was heard from heaven: ‘Come, make haste; a crown and a throne are prepared for thee.’ She was finally beheaded and received a wreath of glory from the Lord, for Whose love she was sacrificed like an innocent and pure lamb.

3. St. Ignatius (Ignaty), Bishop of Rostov.

This hierarch guided the flock of Christ for twenty-six years with great love and compassion. When he died and his body was placed in the church, some of those present saw him leave his coffin and rise up in the air above the church. He blessed the people and the city from on high, and then returned to his coffin. Many other miracles were wrought at his grave. He went to the Lord on May 28th, 1288.

FOR CONSIDERATION

From The Paradise of the Fathers: The brethren said, “If a man attaineth unto purity of heart what is the sign thereof? And when will he know himself if the heart is coming to purity?” The elder said, “When he seeth that all men are fair, and when no man appeareth to him to be unclean or polluted; whosoever is thus indeed standeth with purity. And if this be not the case, how can he fulfill the word of the apostle which saith, ‘When a man standeth wholly with purity, he will think that every man is better than he in heart and in truth,’ unless it be that he attaineth to the state of him of whom it is said, ‘He whose eyes are pure seeth not wickedness.’”

Daily Scripture Readings taken from The Orthodox New Testament, translated and published by Holy Apostles Convent, Buena Vista, Colorado, copyright © 2000, used with permission, all rights reserved.

Daily Prologue Readings taken from The Prologue of Ochrid, by Bishop Nikolai Velimirovic, translated by Mother Maria, published by Lazarica Press, Birmingham, England, copyright © 1985, all rights reserved. Edited by Dormition Skete.