Holy Prophet and God-seer Moses (1531 b.c.). Hieromartyr Babylas, bishop of Antioch, with Martyrs Urban, Prilidian, and Epolonius, and their mother Christodula (251). New Hieromartyr Parthenius, abbot, of Kiziltash Monastery in the Crimea (1867). Uncovering of the relics of St. Ioasaph, bishop of Belgorod (1911). Second uncovering of the relics (1989) of St. Metrophanes (Macarius in schema), bishop of Voronezh. Synaxis of the Saints of Voronezh.
Martyr Hermione, daughter of Apostle Philip the Deacon (ca. 117). Martyrs Theodore, Ammianus, Julian, Oceanus, and Centurionus, of Nicomedia (288). Martyr Babylas of Nicomedia, and with him 84 children (4th c.). New Hieromartyr Peter, metropolitan of Dabro-Bosnia (1941).
New Hieromartyrs Gregory (Lebedev), bishop of Schlisselburg, Sergius (Druzhinin), bishop of Narva, and Stephen (Kuskov), hieromonk, of Nikolskoye (Tver) (1937).
Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos “The Unburnt Bush.” (1680)
St. Petronius of Egypt, disciple of St. Pachomius the Great (346). St. Symeon, abbot and wonderworker of Gareji (1773). St. Anthimus the Blind, new ascetic, of Cephalonia (1782).
Monday. [Eph. 1:22-2:3; Mark 10:46-52]
The blind man of Jericho raised up his
voice when he learned that the Lord was walking past. His
wail reached the Lord; nothing surrounding the Lord could
interfere with His hearing it, and the Lord called the
blind man over and returned his sight. At every time and
in every place the Lord does not just walk by, but is
there; He governs the whole world. As human thinking would
have it, this means that He has many cares; furthermore,
multitudes of angels surround Him with doxologies. But if
you are able to raise up your voice like the blind man of
Jericho, nothing will stop your wail from reaching the
Lord; He will hear and fulfil your petition. It does not
depend on the Lord; He Himself is near, and all that is
necessary for you is already prepared in Him; now all that
is wanting is you. Manage to raise up your voice to the
measure of the Lord’s hearing, and you will
immediately receive everything. What then is this measure?
Faith, hope, devotion to God’s will. But even these
measures have their own measures. What then should these
measures be? Ask the one who has prayed and received what
he requested; he will say to you: “I prayed about
this and about that and I received according to my
request; now I need this, I have been praying and have not
received it, and I know why: because I cannot in any way
ascend to that measure of prayer which I had
earlier.” It turns out that it is impossible to
determine this measure with literal preciseness. Only one
thing is definitely true, that the matter depends upon us,
and not on the Lord. As soon as you reach the point where
you are capable of acceptance, you will unquestionably
receive.