From dynamospublications.org, rongolini.com, biblegateway.com and antiochan.org:
Daily Readings:
Saints/Martyrs/Feasts/Fasts to be observed/commemmorated/celebrated: The Week of Forgiveness, Memory of the holy Martyr Eudocia
Scriptural Readings:
Jude 1:1-10
Jude 1:1-10 (King James Version)
Jude 1
1Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called:
2Mercy unto you, and peace, and love, be multiplied.
3Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.
4For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.
5I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not.
6And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.
7Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.
8Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities.
9Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.
10But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves.
Saint Luke 22:39-42, 45-23:1 (3/1-3/14) Tuesday of the Week of Forgiveness
Fasting II ~ Strength: Saint Luke 22:39-42, 45-23:1, especially vs. 69: “Hereafter the Son of Man will sit on the right hand of the power of God.” Whipped, lashed, blindfolded, blasphemed, and mocked, the Lord Jesus stands among those ‘trying’ Him (and among us), declaring that soon He will assume the full ‘power of God’ [meaning, God the Father]. He manifest amazing human restraint and strength in will, heart and soul. Be attentive! Such is the strength He is offering us now as well as the ‘power of God’ hereafter (vs. 69). Fasting helps attain this gift.
Let us look beyond incidental weakening of the body and soul brought about when we abstain and fast. Ascetic practices to defeat vice and develop virtue are carried out primarily to attain the strength of “...the kingdom of God and His righteousness” (Mt. 6:33). As Bishop Kallistos Ware says, fasting “...is directed, not against the body, but against the flesh. Its aim is not destructively to weaken the body, but creatively to render the body more spiritual.” In fasting we seek ‘a restoration of the natural powers’ that God intends for our spirits, souls and bodies, a gaining of strength with restraint over uncontrolled lusts, appetites and provocations.
The present passage from Saint Mark portrays the Lord Jesus in His final hours. It starts in the Garden of Gethsemane and concludes as the Sanhedrin sets out to obtain an order for Jesus’ execution from Pontius Pilate. Observe our Lord in the early stages of His Passion, and you will discern the very power that God intends us to gain. The means to this kind of strength include fasting, prayer for victory over temptation, meekness when facing the powers of darkness, and health of spirit that enables one to stand before the opponents of God like our Lord did. When God’s life flows through ours, we, too, may witness to the human potential that God gives.
Coming to the Garden, the Lord Jesus urges us with all disciples to “...pray that you may not enter into temptation” (Lk. 22:40). The Eleven were not able to sustain their prayers at this critical time, even when the Lord kindly repeats His admonition (vs. 46). The Evangelist explains why: “He found them sleeping from sorrow” (vs. 45). Perhaps as a result of the Lord Jesus’ warnings, the Disciples were overcome with sorrow at His predictions of His blood being shed (Lk. 22:20), of His betrayal (Lk. 22:21-22), of their own imminent failure to stand with Him (Lk. 22:31-34), and of His being “...numbered with the transgressors” (Lk. 22:37).
Let us pray! Since we aim to empower our lives by fasting, let the failure of the Eleven remind us that true strength comes from God. We may restrain our desires confidently, for God is in charge of the events of the present and of all that involves His Son - past, present, and future. Temptation and sorrow will subside as the strength of God grows within us.
Indeed, fasting strengthens the spirit to meet the power of darkness with the same God-given meekness and inner strength that the Lord Jesus displayed when the authorities arrested Him (Lk. 22:47-54). He permitted Judas’ kiss (vss. 47,48). He stopped all resistance by a command (vs. 51). He immediately healed the servant of the High Priest (vs. 51). He quietly allowed officials to arrest Him and lead Him to the High Priest’s house (vs. 54). The strong in spirit, those whose hearts are empowered through union with Christ and who know God’s infinite love, are able to stand pure and strong in terrible circumstances. That’s strength!
Fasting reveals human weakness, but, more, it shows Christ’s almighty strength. Fasting can help make us indomitable before His opponents and ours. At Jesus’ arrest, Peter failed. But, by the Lord’s power, we can attain the strength to face Christ-hating assaults as Peter did later.
O Compassionate One, help us to hasten to the subjugation of the flesh by abstinence as we approach the divine battlefield of blameless fasting, and shower us with forgiveness.
The Synaxarion:
This month has thirty-one days with twelve hours of day and twelve hours of night.
March 1
Memory of the holy Martyr Eudocia
(beginning of the Second century)
A native of Heliopolis in Phoenicia, Saint Eudocia lived in the times of Emperor Trajan (98-117). At first she led a licentious life, enticed a large number of men to evil by her rare beauty, and amassed riches of great value. Having heard a certain Germanus, a monk, speak on religion and repentance, she was converted to Christ and baptized by Bishop Theodotos, thus obeying celestial apparitions which were made to her. Enraptured in ecstasy one day, she saw herself led to heaven by an angel. The heavenly spirits rejoiced over her conversion but a black creature with a terrible glance moaned and cried out that it was unjust to deliver such a sinner. After having distributed her goods to the poor, the Saint retired to a monastery and there practiced all the ascetical exercises. She was brought before Emperor Adrian (117- 138), accused by the very ones whom she had formerly corrupted. Working miracles and curing the Emperor's son, she converted the latter to the Christian faith. Some time later she was again obliged to appear before Diogenes, the governor of Heliopolis, but her miracles gave her another release. Finally she was beheaded under Vicentius, Diogenes' successor.
Fifth Class Feast.
Daily Readings:
Saints/Martyrs/Feasts/Fasts to be observed/commemmorated/celebrated: The Week of Forgiveness, Memory of the holy Martyr Eudocia
Scriptural Readings:
Jude 1:1-10
Jude 1:1-10 (King James Version)
Jude 1
1Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called:
2Mercy unto you, and peace, and love, be multiplied.
3Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.
4For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.
5I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not.
6And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.
7Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.
8Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities.
9Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.
10But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves.
Saint Luke 22:39-42, 45-23:1 (3/1-3/14) Tuesday of the Week of Forgiveness
Fasting II ~ Strength: Saint Luke 22:39-42, 45-23:1, especially vs. 69: “Hereafter the Son of Man will sit on the right hand of the power of God.” Whipped, lashed, blindfolded, blasphemed, and mocked, the Lord Jesus stands among those ‘trying’ Him (and among us), declaring that soon He will assume the full ‘power of God’ [meaning, God the Father]. He manifest amazing human restraint and strength in will, heart and soul. Be attentive! Such is the strength He is offering us now as well as the ‘power of God’ hereafter (vs. 69). Fasting helps attain this gift.
Let us look beyond incidental weakening of the body and soul brought about when we abstain and fast. Ascetic practices to defeat vice and develop virtue are carried out primarily to attain the strength of “...the kingdom of God and His righteousness” (Mt. 6:33). As Bishop Kallistos Ware says, fasting “...is directed, not against the body, but against the flesh. Its aim is not destructively to weaken the body, but creatively to render the body more spiritual.” In fasting we seek ‘a restoration of the natural powers’ that God intends for our spirits, souls and bodies, a gaining of strength with restraint over uncontrolled lusts, appetites and provocations.
The present passage from Saint Mark portrays the Lord Jesus in His final hours. It starts in the Garden of Gethsemane and concludes as the Sanhedrin sets out to obtain an order for Jesus’ execution from Pontius Pilate. Observe our Lord in the early stages of His Passion, and you will discern the very power that God intends us to gain. The means to this kind of strength include fasting, prayer for victory over temptation, meekness when facing the powers of darkness, and health of spirit that enables one to stand before the opponents of God like our Lord did. When God’s life flows through ours, we, too, may witness to the human potential that God gives.
Coming to the Garden, the Lord Jesus urges us with all disciples to “...pray that you may not enter into temptation” (Lk. 22:40). The Eleven were not able to sustain their prayers at this critical time, even when the Lord kindly repeats His admonition (vs. 46). The Evangelist explains why: “He found them sleeping from sorrow” (vs. 45). Perhaps as a result of the Lord Jesus’ warnings, the Disciples were overcome with sorrow at His predictions of His blood being shed (Lk. 22:20), of His betrayal (Lk. 22:21-22), of their own imminent failure to stand with Him (Lk. 22:31-34), and of His being “...numbered with the transgressors” (Lk. 22:37).
Let us pray! Since we aim to empower our lives by fasting, let the failure of the Eleven remind us that true strength comes from God. We may restrain our desires confidently, for God is in charge of the events of the present and of all that involves His Son - past, present, and future. Temptation and sorrow will subside as the strength of God grows within us.
Indeed, fasting strengthens the spirit to meet the power of darkness with the same God-given meekness and inner strength that the Lord Jesus displayed when the authorities arrested Him (Lk. 22:47-54). He permitted Judas’ kiss (vss. 47,48). He stopped all resistance by a command (vs. 51). He immediately healed the servant of the High Priest (vs. 51). He quietly allowed officials to arrest Him and lead Him to the High Priest’s house (vs. 54). The strong in spirit, those whose hearts are empowered through union with Christ and who know God’s infinite love, are able to stand pure and strong in terrible circumstances. That’s strength!
Fasting reveals human weakness, but, more, it shows Christ’s almighty strength. Fasting can help make us indomitable before His opponents and ours. At Jesus’ arrest, Peter failed. But, by the Lord’s power, we can attain the strength to face Christ-hating assaults as Peter did later.
O Compassionate One, help us to hasten to the subjugation of the flesh by abstinence as we approach the divine battlefield of blameless fasting, and shower us with forgiveness.
The Synaxarion:
This month has thirty-one days with twelve hours of day and twelve hours of night.
March 1
Memory of the holy Martyr Eudocia
(beginning of the Second century)
A native of Heliopolis in Phoenicia, Saint Eudocia lived in the times of Emperor Trajan (98-117). At first she led a licentious life, enticed a large number of men to evil by her rare beauty, and amassed riches of great value. Having heard a certain Germanus, a monk, speak on religion and repentance, she was converted to Christ and baptized by Bishop Theodotos, thus obeying celestial apparitions which were made to her. Enraptured in ecstasy one day, she saw herself led to heaven by an angel. The heavenly spirits rejoiced over her conversion but a black creature with a terrible glance moaned and cried out that it was unjust to deliver such a sinner. After having distributed her goods to the poor, the Saint retired to a monastery and there practiced all the ascetical exercises. She was brought before Emperor Adrian (117- 138), accused by the very ones whom she had formerly corrupted. Working miracles and curing the Emperor's son, she converted the latter to the Christian faith. Some time later she was again obliged to appear before Diogenes, the governor of Heliopolis, but her miracles gave her another release. Finally she was beheaded under Vicentius, Diogenes' successor.
Fifth Class Feast.
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