Afterfeast of the Nativity of the Theotokos. Holy and Righteous Ancestors of God Joachim and Anna. Martyr Severian of Sebaste (320). St. Joseph, founder of Volokolamsk (Volotsk) Monastery (1515). Uncovering and translation of the relics of St. Theodosius, archbishop of Chernigov (1896).
St. Theophanes, confessor and faster, of Mt. Diabenos (299). Commemoration of the Third Ecumenical Council (431). Blessed Nicetas the Hidden, of Constantinople (12th c.). St. Onuphrius of Vorona, Moldavia (1789).
New Hieromartyr Zachariah (Lobov), archbishop of Voronezh (1937). New Hieromartyr Andronicus (Surikov), hieromonk, of Moscow (1938)
St. Kieran (Ciaran) of Clonmacnois (Ireland) (ca. 545). St. Omer, bishop of Therouanne (670). St. Joachim, founder of Opochka Monastery (Pskov) (ca. 1550). St. Joachim, monk of the St. Nicholas- Shartomsk Monastery in Suzdal (1625). St. Cyriacus of Tazlau Monastery, Moldavia (1660).
Repose of Elder Joachim of St. Anne’s Skete, Mt. Athos (1950).
Friday. [Eph. 1:7-17; Mark 8:1-10]
Having filled four thousand with seven
loaves of bread, the Lord straightway entered into a
ship, and came into the parts of Dalmanutha as if
nothing particular was done. Such is the true doing of
good—to do it continually, not paying attention to
what has been done, and always forgetting what is past, to
stretch towards what is ahead. This comes naturally for
those who are filled with goodness. Just as a strong man
lifts heavy weights without noticing while a weak man who
has lifted up a small weight cannot seem to forget it, so
one who is strong in goodness does every good without
strain, whenever the occasion arises, while one who is
poor in goodness cannot manage without straining. He
remembers the good, and he keeps looking back and glancing
at it. A good heart craves to do good, and is not
satisfied until it has done good in abundance, as a man is
not satisfied until he has eaten his fill. While hunger is
felt, dinner is remembered, but when the hunger is
satisfied, all is forgotten: so with a truly good person a
good deed is remembered while it is not yet done; but once
it is done, it is forgotten.