Forefeast of the Entry of the Most Holy Theotokos into the Temple. St. Gregory of Decapolis (816). St. Proclus, archbishop of Constantinople (446-447).
Martyr Dasius of Dorostolum in Moesia (284-305). Martyrs Eustace, Thespesius, and Anatolius, of Nicaea (312). Hieromartyr Nerses, bishop of Shahrqart (Kirkuk), and his disciple Martyr Joseph, and those martyred with them in Persia: Hieromartyrs John, Shapur, and Isaac, bishops of Seit Selok; Martyrs Guhshtazad, eunuch, Mari, Sasan, Tima, Noah, and Zaun, of Lashom; and Bautha, Denachis, Thecla, Dinaq, Tatun, Mama, Mazakya, Ana, Abyat, and Hatay (343). Venerable Diodorus the Abbot of Yuregorsk (1633). St. Parasceva (Rodimtseva), abbess of Toplovsky Convent (Simferopol) (1928).
New Hieromartyrs Macarius (Karmazin), bishop of Dnepropetrovsk, Arsenius (Dmitriev), abbot, of the Tikhvin Monastery, Eutychius (Kachur), abbot, of the St. Marcian Skete (Ukraine), and Hilarion (Pisarets), hieromonk of Glinsk Hermitage (1937). New Nun-martyr Ioannikia (Kozhevnikova), abbess of the Convent of the Entry of the Theotokos (Tikhvin) (1937).
St. Isaac, bishop of Armenia (440). St. Theoctistus the Confessor, of Constantinople (855). Martyr Edmund, king of East Anglia (869). St. Sozomen of Cyprus (12th c.).
Twenty Sixth Sunday After Pentecost. [Eph. 5:9-19; Luke
12:16-21]
Having spoken the parable about the man
who became rich and planned to just eat, drink and be
merry, and for this was struck with death, not remaining
alive for the supposed pleasures, the Lord concluded:
So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is
not rich toward God. “So”—that is,
such occurs, or such a lot befalls both these and others.
Those who become rich and forget about God only think
about pleasures of the flesh. Let those who desire to
avoid this bitter lot “lay up” not “unto
themselves, but be rich only toward God.” Since
riches come from God, then devote them to God when they
flow, and holy riches will come of it. Divide all surplus
with the needy: this will be the same as returning to God
what was given by God. He who gives to a poor person gives
to God. Seemingly exhausting his riches, such a person
becomes truly rich—rich through good deeds, rich for
God. In pleasing Him he becomes rich in God, and by
attracting His good will, he becomes rich from God, Who
makes one who is faithful over a few things, ruler over
many things. He becomes rich toward God, and not toward
himself, for he does not consider himself to be master of
the house, but only a steward and accountant, whose entire
concern consists of satisfying all who come to him in
need. But he fears spending anything in particular on
himself, considering it to be an improper usage of
property entrusted to him.