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| 23rd Week after Pentecost. Demetrius’ Saturday. Commemoration of the Dead. Tone 5. |  Fast-free period.
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Martyrs Marcian and Martyrius the Notaries, of Constantinople (355).
St. Tabitha, the widow resurrected by Apostle Peter (1st c.). Martyr Anastasius the Fuller, at Salona in Dalmatia (3rd c.). St. Martyrius, deacon, and St. Martyrius, recluse, of the Kiev Caves (13th-14th c.).
St. Matrona (Vlasova) the Confessor, of Diveyevo (1963).
St. Front, bishop of Perigueux (2nd c.). Martyr Miniatus of Florence (251). Sts. Crispinus and Crispinianus, Romans, martyred under Diocletian at Soissons (289). St. George, bishop of Amastris (ca. 805) (Gr. Cal). St. Macarius, bishop of Paphos on Cyprus (Gr. Cal).
Thoughts for Each Day of the Year
According to the Daily Church Readings from the Word of God
By St. Theophan the Recluse
Saturday. [II Cor. 5:1-10; Luke 7:2-10]
What a bright person the centurion is! How did he reach such faith that he surpassed with it all Israelites, raised with revelation, prophesies and miracles? The Gospels do not indicate how, but only describe his faith and tell of how the Lord praised him. The path of faith is a secret, concealed path. Who can even explain within himself how the convictions of faith are composed in the heart [cf. Lk. 2:19]? Best of all, the holy Apostle resolved this by calling faith God’s gift. Faith truly is God’s gift, but unbelievers are not without responsibility, and, consequently, they themselves are at fault for the fact that this gift is not given them. If there is no recipient for this gift, it is not given, for there is nothing to receive it with; while in such a case to give is the same as to spend in vain. How a soul is made a worthy recipient of the gift of faith is difficult to determine. Extreme humility could be seen in the centurion, despite the fact that he was a man of power, virtuous and sensible. Is it not through humility in general that this great mercy, which gives faith, is attracted? This is not at all surprising. At the very least it is known to everyone that unbelievers always are of a proud spirit, and that faith most of all requires the submission of the mind beneath its yoke.