Old Style
August 10
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Sunday |
New Style
August 23
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11th Sunday after Pentecost.
Tone 2.
Успенский пост.
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Wine and oil allowed.
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Holy Hieromartyrs Archdeacon Lawrence and Pope Sixtus, deacons Felicissimus and Agapitus, and Martyrs Romanus the Soldier and others, at Rome (258). Blessed Lawrence, fool-for-Christ, of Kaluga (1515). Synaxis of New Martyrs and Confessors of Solovki.
Synaxis of the Saints of Valaam Monastery.
Thoughts for Each Day of the Year
According to the Daily Church Readings from the Word of God
By St. Theophan the Recluse
Eleventh Sunday After Pentecost. [I Cor. 9:2-12; Matt.
18:23-35]
The Lord concluded the parable about
the two debtors with the following words: So likewise
shall My Heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your
hearts forgive not every one his brother their
trespasses. It would seem that such a small thing is
needed: forgive and you will be forgiven. When you are
forgiven, you are brought into mercy; and when you are
brought into mercy, you have become a participant in all
the treasures of mercy. So here is salvation, and
paradise, and eternal bliss. What a great acquisition for
such a small thing as forgiving!…Yes, it is a small
thing, but for our self-love there is nothing more
difficult than to forgive. We still perhaps forgive some
unintentional annoyance dealt us in private so that nobody
sees; but if it is just a bit more sensitive, and in front
of people, do not even ask—no forgiveness. There are
circumstances when whether you want to or not, you are not
allowed to express your displeasure—and so you
remain silent. However, only your tongue is
silent—meanwhile your heart speaks and builds evil
plans. Raise the annoyance yet another degree—and
there is no restraint. Neither shame, nor fear, nor loss,
nor any other thing will restrain you. Egoism which has
reached the boiling point makes a person as though insane,
and he who gives in to it begins to talk foolishness. The
people most subject to this misfortunate state are usually
not just anybody—the more civilized one is, the more
sensitive he is to insults, and the less forgiving.
Relations will often remain smooth on the surface, but
inwardly there is clearly discord. Meanwhile, the Lord
requires that we forgive with our whole heart.
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