Hieromartyrs Hermolaus, Hermippus, and Hermocrates, at Nicomedia (ca. 305).
Nun-martyr Parasceva of Rome (138-161). St. Moses the Hungarian, of the Kiev Caves (ca. 1043). St. Theodosius of the Caucasus (1948). St. Isaac, hieromonk of Svyatogorsk Monastery (1903).
New Hieromartyr Sergius Strelnikov, archpriest, of Orshanka (Vyatka) (1937).
Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos “Of Emvolon” in Constantinople.
Martyr Oriozela of Reuma, near the Bosphorus (ca. 250). Virgin-martyr Jerusalem, near the Bosphorus (3rd c.). St. Gerontius, founder of St. Anne’s Skete, Mt. Athos (13th c.). St. Sava III, archbishop of Serbia (1316). St. Iakov Netsvetov of Atka Island and Ikogmute, missionary priest to the Yup’ik on the Yukon River (1867). St. Ignatius, monk, of Mt. Steirion. St. Callinicus, metropolitan of Edessa and Pella (1984).
Repose of Elder Theophanes of Solovki (1819) and Archimandrite Nathaniel (Pospelov) of Pskov Caves Monastery (2002).
Thursday. [I Cor. 7:24-35; Matt. 15:12-21]
Out of the heart proceed evil
thoughts. From whence in the heart? Their root lies in
sin which lives within us, and their branching out,
multiplying and particular appearance in each person come
from that person’s own will. What should one do?
First, cut off all that comes from your will. This will be
like someone tearing off leaves from a tree, cutting off
branches and twigs, and chopping the trunk almost to its
roots. Then, do not allow new sprouts to come up, and the
root itself will dry up; that is, do not allow evil
thoughts to proceed from your heart, and repel and drive
off those that do, and the sin which lives in us, not
receiving sustenance, will slacken and completely grow
weak. In this lies the essence of the commandment: be
sober, be vigilant (1 Peter 5:8). Take heed unto
thyself (1 Tim. 4:6). Gird up the loins of thy
mind 1 Peter 1:13.” Together with attentiveness
one must have discernment. From the heart not only bad
things proceed, but also good things; yet, one should not
fulfil every good thing suggested by the heart. What one
should truly fulfil is determined by discernment.
Discernment is a gardener’s knife; some branches it
cuts off, while others it grafts in.
Friday. [I Cor. 7:35-8:7; Matt. 15:29-31]
Without attentiveness in everyday
affairs you cannot do anything properly; but in spiritual
matters—it comes first. It notices what is bad and
brings it before the inner judge; sets the guard of the
inner chamber, where the best course of action is
discussed, and then protects the one who carries out the
decisions. This is not surprising, because the spiritual
life in its fullness is called a sober life, and in
patristic writings we meet mostly words about soberness or
attentiveness, for they are one and the same. Therefore,
how important it is to make a habit of attentiveness! The
initial labor of those who have begun to be concerned
about their souls is usually directed toward this. And
their work only begins to resemble work from the point
where attentiveness begins to be gathered within
themselves; usually the attentiveness is all external, and
not internal. From this moment the inner life is conceived
and with this attentiveness it ripens and strengthens.
What does this mean? It means standing with the mind in
the heart before the Lord and consciously discussing all,
and undertaking all before His face. This job, obviously,
is complicated. It becomes successful with prayer, and is
as much strengthened by it, as it strengthens prayer
itself.