St. Bessarion the Great, wonderworker, of Egypt (4th c.-5th c.). St. Hilarion the New, abbot, of the Dalmatian Monastery (845).
Virgin-martyrs Archelais, Thecla, and Susanna, beheaded at Salerno (293). St. Jonah, bishop of Perm (1470). St. Paisius, abbot, of Uglich (1504). St. Jonah, founder of Klimets Monastery (Olonets) (1534).
New Hiero-confessor Raphael (Sheichenko), hieromonk of Optina Monastery (1957).
St. Justus, bishop of Alexandria (130). Martyrs Amandus, Amantius, Alexander, Lucius, Alexander, Alexandria, Donatus, and Peregrinus at Noviodunum (Niculitel) (320). St. Jarlath, first bishop of Tuam, founder of the monastery of Cluain Fois (Ireland) (ca. 540). St. Claudius of Besancon, Gaul (699).
Repose of Eldress Raisa of Serafimovich village near Volgograd (1957) and Schemanun Macaria of Temkino in the Smolensk region (1993).
Tuesday. [Rom. 10:11-11:2; Matt. 11:16-20]
The Lord says that we, not heading the
Gospels, are like those to whom merry songs are sung, but
they do not dance; sad songs are sung, and they do not
cry. You cannot do anything with them. We are promised the
heavenly Kingdom, most bright and joyous, but we are
unmoved, as if they were not speaking to us. We are
threatened with impartial judgment and unending torments,
but we are not alarmed; it is as if we do not hear.
Downtrodden, we have lost all feeling of true
self-preservation. We move as ones being led directly to
destruction, and haven’t a care for our destiny. We
have lost heart, given ourselves over to
carelessness—what will be, will be! Look at our
state! Isn’t this why suicides are so frequent? It
is the fruit of modern teachings and views on man and his
[in]significance! There is progress for you! There is
enlightenment! It would be better to be totally ignorant,
but save your soul with fear of God, than, having attained
the title of an enlightened person, to perish unto the
ages, never thinking your entire life about what will
happen after death. Not a single jot shall pass from the
word of God, which describes both the heavenly kingdom and
hell—all will be as it is written. Take this to
heart, everyone, as something which touches you
personally; and take care for yourself, with all your
strength, and as long as time remains.