Martyrs Marcian and Martyrius the Notaries, of Constantinople (355).
St. Tabitha, the widow resurrected by Apostle Peter (1st c.). Martyr Anastasius the Fuller, at Salona in Dalmatia (3rd c.). St. Martyrius, deacon, and St. Martyrius, recluse, of the Kiev Caves (13th-14th c.).
St. Matrona (Vlasova) the Confessor, of Diveyevo (1963).
St. Front, bishop of Perigueux (2nd c.). Martyr Miniatus of Florence (251). Sts. Crispinus and Crispinianus, Romans, martyred under Diocletian at Soissons (289). Martyrs Valentine and Engratia, at Sepulveda (Spain) (ca. 715). St. George, bishop of Amastris (ca. 805). St. Macarius, bishop of Paphos on Cyprus.
Thursday. [I Thess. 2:9-14; Luke 11:14-23]
When a strong man armed keepeth his
palace, his goods are in peace: But when a stronger than
he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from
him all his armor wherein he trusted, and divideth his
spoils. This allegory explains how demonic power over
souls is destroyed by the Lord. While a soul is in sin,
its evil spirit possesses it, although it may not always
clearly show it. The evil spirit is stronger than the
soul; this is why it does not fear an uprising on the
soul’s part, rules over and tyrannizes it without
resistance. But when the Lord comes to a soul, attracted
by faith and repentance, He tears apart all of
satan’s bonds, casts out the demon and deprives it
of all power over this person’s soul. And while this
soul serves the Lord, demons cannot prevail over it, for
the soul is strong through the Lord, stronger than they.
When the soul takes a false step and roams away from the
Lord, the demon again attacks and overcomes, and for the
soul, the poor thing, the last state is worse than before.
This is a universal, invisible order of phenomena in the
spiritual world. If only the eyes of our mind would open,
we would see a world-wide battle of spirits with souls:
first one side, then the other side overcomes, depending
upon whether the soul communicates with the Lord through
faith, repentance and zeal for good deeds, or falls back
from Him through carelessness, lack of concern and
coolness toward good.