Daily Devotional

Scripture Readings

Paschalion — Movable Calendar

Wednesday of the Fifteenth Week

Epistle

The Reading is from the Epistle of Saint Paul to the Galatians [§ 207].

3 ¹⁵Brethren, I am speaking in accordance with human example: all the same, no one setteth aside or maketh additions to a man’s will which hath been ratified. ¹⁶Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his Seed. He saith not, “And to seeds,” as upon many; but as of One, “And to thy Seed [Gen. 13:15],” Who is Christ. ¹⁷And I say this: A covenant which hath been ratified before by God to Christ, the law, which hath come into being after four hundred and thirty years, doth not invalidate, so as to abolish the promise. ¹⁸For if the inheritance is by means of the law, it is no longer by means of a promise; but God hath graciously granted it to Abraham through a promise. ¹⁹Why then the law? It was added on account of transgressions, until the Seed should come to whom promise hath been made, having been disposed through angels in a Mediator’s hand. ²⁰Now the Mediator is not of one, but God is one. ²¹Then is the law against the promises of God? May it not be! For if a law was given which was able to give life, verily righteousness would have been by means of the law. ²²But the Scripture closed up all things under sin, in order that the promise by means of faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.

Gospel

The Reading is from the Holy Gospel according to Saint Mark [§ 23]. At that time:

6 ⁷Jesus calleth to Himself His twelve disciples, and began to send them forth two by two; and He was giving them authority over the spirits, the unclean ones. ⁸And He commanded them that they may take nothing for the journey, except a staff only—no leathern pouch, no bread, no money in their belt; ⁹but be shod with sandals, and not to put on two tunics. ¹⁰And He was saying to them, “Wheresoever ye enter into a house, be lodging there until ye go forth from that place. ¹¹“And as many as will not receive you, nor hear you, when ye go out from that place, shake off the dust which is under your feet, for a testimony to them. Verily I say to you, it shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city.” ¹²And they went out and proclaimed that all should repent. ¹³And they were casting out many demons, and anointing with oil many sick, and curing them.

Menaion — Fixed Calendar

The commemoration of the deposition of the precious belt of our most holy Lady Theotokos.

Epistle

The Reading is from the Epistle of Saint Paul to the Hebrews [§ 320]. Brethren:

9 ¹The first tabernacle also used to have both ordinances of worship and the sanctuary of this world. ²For a tabernacle was furnished: the first in which were both the lampstand and the table, and the laying forth of the loaves, which is called Holy; ³and after the second veil, a tabernacle which is called Holy of Holies, ⁴which hath a golden censer, and the ark of the covenant which hath been covered all around from every side with gold, in which was the golden jar having the manna, and the rod of Aaron that budded, and the tablets of the covenant; ⁵and above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat, concerning which now is not the time to speak severally. ⁶Now after these things were thus furnished, the priests, on the one hand, enter into the first tabernacle, performing worship services; ⁷on the other hand, into the second, the high priest entereth alone once for all every year, not without blood, which he offereth on behalf of himself and the faults of ignorance of the people.

Gospel

The Reading is from the Holy Gospel according to Saint Luke [§ 54]. At that time:

10 ³⁸ Jesus entered into a certain village. And a certain woman, by name Martha, received Him into her house. ³⁹And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat down beside the feet of Jesus, and was listening to His word. ⁴⁰But Martha was distracted about much serving, and she came up to Him and said, “Lord, is it no concern to Thee that my sister left me to serve alone? Speak to her therefore that she should help me.” ⁴¹And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, thou art anxious and troubled about many things. ⁴²“But there is need of one thing, and Mary chose the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”...

11 ²⁷And it came to pass, as He was speaking these things, a certain woman out of the crowd lifted up her voice and said to Him, “Blessed is the womb that bore Thee, and the breasts which Thou didst suck.” ²⁸But He said, “Yea rather, blessed are they who hear the word of God and keep it.”

Lives of the Saints (Prologue)

September 13th – Civil Calendar
August 31st – Church Calendar

1. The Feast of the Belt (Cincture) of the Holy Mother of God.

At her dormition, the most holy Mother of God left her belt to the holy Apostle Thomas. This belt was later taken to Constantinople and kept there in a sealed casket in the church of the Mother of God at Vlachernai, founded by the Empress Pulcheria. This casket was never opened until the time of the Emperor Leo the Wise (886-912). Leo’s wife, the Empress Zoe, was taken sick in soul, and as the result of a mysterious vision, desired that the belt of the holy Mother of God be placed upon her. The emperor asked the patriarch, and the casket was opened. The belt was taken out and placed upon the sick empress, who immediately recovered. This feast was instituted as a memorial of this wonder. One part of this belt is to be found in Georgia, in Zugdid. This came about as follows: The daughter of the Emperor Romanos was healed by the aid of this belt, and later, when her father gave her to King Abuchaz of Georgia, she took a part of this belt with her. By order of the Russian Tsar Alexander I, a special church was built in Mingrelia in Zugdid, where this piece of the wonder-working raiment of the holy Mother of God is kept.

2. St. Gennadios, Patriarch of Constantinople.

He followed St. Anatolios as patriarch, and was a contemporary of St. Marcian (Jan. 10th) and St. Daniel the Stylite (Dec. 11th). The famous monastery of the Studion was founded in his time, thus named for the Roman senator Studius, who came to Constantinople, and with Patriarch Gennadios’ blessing, built the church of St. John the Forerunner and the monastery beside it. Gennadios was very gentle and abstinent. He was never willing to ordain any man who did not know the whole Psalter by heart. He presided at a local Council in Constantinople at which simony in the Church was anathematised. He worked miracles, and learned of his death in a vision. He governed the Church for thirteen years, and went peacefully to the Lord in 471.

3. The Hieromartyr Cyprian.

He was born of unbelieving parents, and was himself reared in paganism. He became known in Carthage as a teacher of philosophy and rhetoric. He was married, but when he became a Christian, he stopped living with his wife and gave himself to an unceasing study of the holy Scriptures and the perfecting of his character. For his rare virtues, he was ordained priest and very soon consecrated bishop. He was both compassionate to Christians and firm with heretics. He wrote a number of learned books, guided by the Spirit of God, writing especially strongly against idolatry, Judaism and the Novatian heresy. His writings on virginity, martyrdom, alms, patience, prayer to God and so forth are beautiful and gentle. He suffered in the time of Valerian, in 258. At the time of his death, he prayed to God, blessed the people and left twenty-five gold pieces for the executioner who would behead him. See the matchless generosity and greatness of a true Christian!

4. St. John, Metropolitan of Kiev.

A Bulgarian, he went to Kiev in 1080 and at once achieved such eminence that he was quickly raised to the rank of metropolitan. He wrote a letter to Pope Clement, in which he denounced him for certain practices that the Roman Church had introduced. He governed the Church for eight years, and entered peacefully into rest in 1089.

FOR CONSIDERATION

Christians do not believe in kismet, in fate. Though God determines the chief lines of our life, He is willing, by our prayers and virtue, to change them. Thus, He prolonged King Hezekiah’s life by fifteen years (Is. 38), and our holy father Dios (July 19th) also had his life lengthened by a similar period. God extended the life of Basil the Great by one day, at the saint’s prayers, so that he could baptize his Jewish doctor, Joseph. But, as God can, in response to prayer, lengthen life, so He can, through sin, shorten it.

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.