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 the holy Martyr Vasiliskos of Comana.

No readings given.

Lives of the Saints (Prologue)

June 4th – Civil Calendar
May 22nd – Church Calendar

1. The Holy Martyr Vasiliskos.

A kinsman of St. Theodore the Tyro, he was martyred together with Eftropios and Kleonikos (March 3rd). When these two were crucified and gave up the spirit, Vasiliskos was taken back to prison. A change of governors occurring at this time, Vasiliskos remained a long time confined in prison. He besought God with tears that He would not deprive him of a martyr’s death for His sake. After he had prayed at length, the Lord Jesus appeared to him and promised to fulfill his desire, sending him to his village to say farewell to his mother and brothers. Thereupon the new governor, Agrippa, arrived and sent to have Vasiliskos brought from the village immediately. On the way to the city of Amaseia, the Lord worked great wonders through His martyr, bringing many of the people to faith in Christ. Agrippa ordered the martyr to offer sacrifice to Apollyon. ‘“Apollyon” means “Destroyer”,’ said Vasiliskos, and with fervent prayer, he knocked the idol to dust and burned the temple with fire from heaven. The terrified Agrippa attributed this all to magic, and ordered that Vasiliskos be beheaded with the sword. Agrippa immediately became insane, and in his madness, went to the place of execution, found a little of the martyr’s blood in the dust and smeared it on himself under his belt, being restored to health by it. Having come to his senses, he was baptized. Later, a certain Marinus, a citizen of Comana (the place of Vasiliskos’ execution) built a church over the martyr’s relics, and many of the sick found healing there.

2. The Holy Martyr John (Jovan) Vladimir, King of Serbia.

He came of a princely family from Zahumlje. His grandfather was named Hvalimir and his father Petrislav. He was a wise ruler—merciful, meek, chaste and courageous. He was fervent in prayer and a devoted builder and benefactor of churches. But he had major battles to fight, both inside and outside his realm; internally with heretics and Bogomils, and externally with invaders, with King Samuel of Bulgaria and the Emperor Basil. Samuel captured him by guile and threw him into prison. While he was in prison, an angel of God appeared to him and foretold that he would soon be released from prison, but that he would die a martyr’s death. Getting to know Vladimir better, Samuel became attached to him and gave him his daughter Kosara in marriage. When Samuel died, his son Radomir became king, but his twin brother Radislav killed him and then summoned Vladimir on some pretext and beheaded him as well, in 1015. The relics of this holy martyr-king are preserved incorrupt in his monastery near Elbasan, and numerous wonders have been worked over them through the ages and to this day. In 1925, a church was built to this royal martyr near the monastery of St. Naum, which famous monastery he founded.

3. The Second Ecumenical Council.

This council was held in Constantinople in 381, in the time of the Emperor Theodosios the Great. Its purpose was to confirm the teaching of the Orthodox Church about the Holy Spirit. Makedonios (Macedonius), Bishop of Constantinople (d. 362), had taught wrongly that the Holy Spirit is God’s creature and not a divine Person, equal to the Persons of the Father and the Son and one in being with Them. Makedonios was condemned by this council and the Nicene Creed was amplified with teaching on the Holy Spirit.

4. Holy and Righteous Melchisedek, King of Salem.

He was a contemporary of our forefather Abraham. According to the Apostle Paul, he was, as king and priest, a type of the Lord Jesus (Heb. 7).

FOR CONSIDERATION

How was Moses able to fast for forty days? How were many Christian ascetics able to live, and live long, with prolonged periods of abstinence from food and drink? A carnal man, unacquainted with the spiritual life, finds this impossible to believe. It is impossible to prove it to him, for it can be understood only from experience. When St. Vasiliskos’ torturers left him for three days without food or water, and then urged him to eat, he refused, saying that he was not hungry. ‘I am,’ he said, ‘filled with immortal nourishment and will not receive mortal food. Earthly bread feeds you, but I am fed by the heavenly word of God; the universe gives you wine, but I receive the grace of the Holy Spirit. You are nourished by meat, but I by fasting; bodily power strengthens you, but me the Cross of Christ; gold enriches you, but me the love of Christ; clothing beautifies you, but me good works. You are made merry by laughter, but I am comforted in my spirit through prayer.’ Behold this man, one of many, in whom the words of Christ are confirmed: ‘Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God’ (Matt. 4:4).

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.