Afterfeast of the Dormition.
Martyrs Florus and Laurus, of Illyria (2nd c.).
Martyrs Hermes, Serapion, and Polyaenus, of Rome (2nd c.). Hieromartyr Emilian, bishop of Trebia in Umbria, and Martyrs Hilarion, Dionysius, Hermippus, and others (about 1,000), in Italy (ca. 300). Sts. John (674) and George (683), patriarchs of Constantinople. St. Macarius, abbot of the Pelecete Monastery (Bithynia) (840). Repose of St. John, founder of Rila Monastery (Bulgaria) (946). Synaxis of the Saints of Kemerovo.
New Hieromartyrs Augustine, archimandrite, of Orans Monastery, and Nicholas, archpriest, of Nizhni- Novgorod, and 15 people with them (1918).
St. Christodulus the Philosopher, called “the Ossetian,” of Georgia (12th c.). St. Barnabas and his nephew St. Sophronius, monks, of Mt. Mela near Trebizond (13th c.). St. Christopher, abbot, of Mt. Mela Monastery (1694). St. Sophronius of St. Anne’s Skete, Mt. Athos (18th c.). Martyr Juliana, near Strobilus. Martyr Leo, drowned near Myra in Lycia.
Repose of Schemamonk Nicholas “the Turk,” of Optina Skete (1893).
Twelfth Sunday After Pentecost. [I Cor. 15:1-11; Matt.
19:16-26]
A rich man shall hardly enter into the Kingdom of
Heaven. Here is meant a rich man who sees in
his own self many methods and many powers unto his own
prosperity. But as soon as one who has many possessions
cuts off all attachment to them, extinguishes within
himself all reliance on them, and ceases to see them as
his substantial support, then in his heart he is the same
as one who possesses nothing—for thus is the road to
the kingdom open. Riches are then not only a hindrance,
but a help, for they provide the means for charitable
works. Riches are not the misfortune, but rather reliance
upon them and attachment to them. This thought can be
generalized in this way: whoever relies on something and
is attached to something is rich in that thing. Whoever
relies on God alone and cleaves to Him with all his heart
is rich in God, Whoever relies on something else turns his
heart to it instead of God—such a person is rich in
this other thing, but not in God. From this it follows
that he who is not rich in God has no entrance into the
kingdom of God. Here are meant such things as birth,
connections, mind, rank, circle of activities and so
forth.