Daily Devotional

Scripture Readings

Paschalion — Movable Calendar

Monday of the Thirty-Fifth Week or Meatfare Week

Epistle

The Reading is from the First General Epistle of Saint John [§ 71]. Brethren:

For Gk. usage, see 1 Jn. 2:18-3:8; for Sl. usage, see 1 Jn. 2:18-3:10.

2 ¹⁸It is the last hour; and even as ye heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have arisen, from which we know that it is the last hour. ¹⁹They went out from among us, but they were not of us; for if they were of us, they would have remained with us; but that they might be made manifest that they are all not of us. ²⁰And ye have an anointing from the Holy One, and ye know all things. ²¹I did not write to you because ye do not know the truth, but because ye do know it, and because every lie is not of the truth. ²²Who is the liar, except the one denying, saying that “Jesus is not the Christ”? This is the antichrist, the one denying the Father and the Son. ²³Everyone who denieth the Son, neither doth he have the Father. ²⁴As for you, therefore, what ye heard from the beginning, let it keep on abiding in you. If what ye heard from the beginning should abide in you, ye also shall abide in the Son and in the Father. ²⁵And this is the promise which He Himself promised us—the Life, the Eternal One. ²⁶These things did I write to you concerning those who are trying to lead you astray. ²⁷But the anointing which ye received from Him abideth in you, and ye have no need that anyone be teaching you; but as the same anointing teacheth you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and even as it taught you, ye shall abide in Him. ²⁸And now, little children, keep on abiding in Him, that whenever He should be made manifest, we may have boldness, and not be made to shrink away in shame from Him in His coming. ²⁹If ye know that He is righteous, ye know that everyone who doeth righteousness hath been born of Him.

3 ¹Behold of what manner of love the Father hath given to us, that we should be called children of God. On this account the world knoweth us not, because it knew Him not. ²Beloved, now are we children of God, and it was not yet made manifest what we shall be; but we know that if He should be made manifest, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him even as He is. ³And everyone who hath this hope upon Him purifieth himself, even as that One is pure. ⁴Everyone who doeth sin also doeth lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness. ⁵And ye know that He was made manifest that He might take away our sins, and sin is not in Him. ⁶Everyone who abideth in Him sinneth not; everyone who sinneth hath not seen Him, and knoweth Him not. ⁷Little children, let no one be leading you astray. The one doing righteousness is righteous, even as that One is righteous. ⁸The one doing sin is of the devil; for the devil hath been sinning from the beginning. For this the Son of God was made manifest, that He might undo the works of the devil. ⁹Everyone who hath been born of God doeth no sin, because His seed abideth in him; and he is not able to sin, because he hath been born of God. ¹⁰In this are manifest the children of God and the children of the devil. Everyone who doeth not righteousness is not of God, and neither is the one who loveth not his brother.

Gospel

The Reading is from the Holy Gospel according to Saint Mark [§ 49]. At that time:

11 ¹When Jesus drew near to Jerusalem, to Bethphage and Bethany, toward the Mount of Olives, He sendeth forth two of His disciples, ²and saith to them, “Go ye into the village, the one opposite you; and straightway as ye enter into it, ye shall find a colt which hath been tied, on which no man hath sat. Loose it and bring it. ³“And if anyone should say to you, ‘Why do ye do this?’ say, ‘The Lord hath need of it’; and straightway he will send it here.” ⁴And they departed, and found the colt which was tied at the door outside in the street; and they loose it. ⁵And some of those who stood there began saying to them, “What are ye doing, loosing the colt?” ⁶And they spoke to them even as Jesus commanded them; and they permitted them. ⁷And they brought the colt to Jesus, and cast their garments upon it, and He sat upon it. ⁸And many spread their garments in the way; and others were cutting leafy branches from the trees and strewing them in the way. ⁹And those going before and those following were crying out, saying, “‘Hosanna, blessed is He Who cometh in the name of the Lord [cf. Ps. 117(118):25(26)].’ ¹⁰“Blessed be the kingdom of our father David, which cometh in the name of the Lord: Hosanna in the highest.” ¹¹And Jesus entered into Jerusalem and into the temple. And after He looked about for Himself at all things, as it was already the evening hour, He went out to Bethany with the twelve.

Menaion — Fixed Calendar

The commemoration of our holy and venerable Father Ephraim the Syrian.

Epistle

The Reading is from the Epistle of Saint Paul to the Galatians [§ 213]. Brethren:

5 ²²The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faith, ²³meekness, self-control; against such things there is no law. ²⁴But they who are of the Christ crucified the flesh with the passions and the lusts. ²⁵If we live by the Spirit, let us also be walking by the Spirit. ²⁶Let us not become vainglorious, provoking one another, envying one another.

6 ¹Brethren, even if a man should be overtaken in some transgression, ye, the spiritual ones, be restoring such a one in the spirit of meekness, looking out for thyself, lest thou also be tempted. ²Keep on bearing one another’s burdens, and thus fill up the law of the Christ.

Gospel

The Reading is from the Holy Gospel according to Saint Luke [§ 24]. At that time:

6 ¹⁷Jesus stood upon a level place. And there was a crowd of His disciples, and a great multitude of the people from all of Judæa and Jerusalem and the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear Him, and to be healed of their diseases— ¹⁸even those who were troubled by unclean spirits; and they were cured. ¹⁹And all the crowd was seeking to touch Him, for power was coming forth from Him and healing all. ²⁰And He lifted up His eyes to His disciples, and began to say:
   “Blessed are the poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.
   ²¹“Blessed are ye who hunger now, for ye shall be filled.
Blessed are ye who weep now, for ye shall laugh.
   ²²“Blessed are ye whenever men hate you, and whenever they separate you, and reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man.
   ²³“Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in the heavens.”

for Sl. usage, see [Mt. 11:27-30].

Lives of the Saints (Prologue)

February 10th – Civil Calendar
January 28th – Church Calendar

1. Our Holy Father Ephraim the Syrian.

Born in Syria of poor parents in the reign of the Emperor Constantine the Great, his early youth was spent somewhat tempestuously, but he suddenly underwent a spiritual crisis and began to burn with love for the Lord Jesus. He was a disciple of St. Jacob of Nisibis (Jan. 13th). By the great grace of God, wisdom flowed from his tongue like a stream of honey and from his eyes tears flowed unceasingly; so much so, that his eyelashes fell out. Loving work like a bee, Ephraim was constantly either writing books or teaching the monks in the monastery or the people in the city of Edessa, or was giving himself to prayer and contemplation. His books are numerous; his prayers are beautiful. The best-known of the latter is the prayer in the Great Fast: ‘O Lord and Master of my life...’ When they wished to take him by force and make him bishop, he feigned madness and began to run through the city of Edessa, trailing his garments along behind him. Seeing him mad, they left him in peace. He was a contemporary and friend of St. Basil the Great. St. Ephraim was especially the apostle of repentance. Even today his writings soften many hearts, strengthen them against sin and turn them back to Christ. He entered into rest at a great age in 373.

2. Our Holy Father Isaac the Syrian.

Born in Nineveh, he began at an early age to live the ascetic life in the monastery of Mar-Matthew near Nineveh. When he became known for his holy life and miracles, he was chosen as bishop of Nineveh and forced to accept this state. But after only five months he left his episcopate and fled secretly to the desert monastery of Rabban-Shapur. He was the author of many works, of which about a hundred homilies on the spiritual life and asceticism, written mainly from his own experience, have come down to us. He was without equal as a writer and guide in the spiritual life. He entered into rest at a great age at the end of the seventh century.

3. Our Holy Father Palladios.

He was a Syrian hermit, a great ascetic and wonder-worker. One morning the corpse of a rich man whom brigands had killed and robbed was found lying outside his cell. Palladios was tried for this crime, and in order to clear up the difficulty, prayed to God and by his prayers raised up the dead man. He entered into rest during the fourth century.

4. Our Holy Father Ephraim of the Kiev Caves.

St. Ephraim instituted the Feast of the Translation of the Relics of St. Nicholas to Bari on May 9th. He departed this life in 1096.

FOR CONSIDERATION

The saints’ freedom from envy is a wonderful phenomenon. The saints not only did not allow envy to conquer their hearts, but exerted themselves greatly to ensure that their friends be exalted and they themselves debased. When St. Hilarion of Palestine once visited St. Anthony in Egypt, St. Anthony exclaimed: ‘Welcome, O morning star!’ To this, St. Hilarion replied: ‘And greetings to thee, thou pillar of light that supports the universe.’ When St. Makarios was praised as a monk, the saint replied: ‘Forgive me, my brethren! I am not a monk, but I have seen those who are.’ When some people told St. Sisoës that he was the equal of St. Anthony in perfection, he replied: ‘Were I to have but one single thought such as Anthony’s, I would be all of flame.’

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.