Today's Readings

Acts of the Apostles 19:1-8

Prokeimenon. Grave Mode.
Psalm 98.9,1
Exalt the Lord our God.
Verse: The Lord reigns; let the people tremble.

The reading is from Acts of the Apostles 19:1-8

In those days, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the upper country and came to Ephesus. There he found some disciples. And he said to them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" And they said, "No, we have never even heard that there is a Holy Spirit." And he said, "Into what then were you baptized?" They said, "Into John's baptism." And Paul said, "John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus." On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came on them; and they spoke with tongues and prophesied. There were about twelve of them in all. And he entered the synagogue and for three months spoke boldly, arguing and pleading about the kingdom of God.

John 1:29-34

Synaxis of John the Holy Glorious Prophet, Baptist, & Forerunner
The Gospel According to John 1:29-34

At that time, John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is he of whom I said, 'After me comes a man who ranks before me, for he was before me.' I myself did not know him; but for this I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel." And John bore witness, "I saw the Spirit descend as a dove from heaven, and it remained on him. I myself did not know him; but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, 'He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.' And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God."

_________________
«Русскому человеку лучше всего удаётся невозможное!»
***
Только нашей земли не разделит
На потеху себе супостат:
Богородица белый расстелет
Над скорбями великими плат».

Анна Ахматова

Amen

Amen

14 New Year’s Resolutions for Orthodox Christians

Around this time of year, many people start thinking about ways they can change for the better. While New Year’s resolutions are not particularly a feature of the Orthodox faith, change certainly is, and resolving to change based on times and seasons is certainly part of our liturgical tradition. So adapting the cultural custom of New Year’s resolutions to become a better Orthodox Christian seems perfectly fine to me. Anyway, here are some suggestions for Orthodox Christians resolving to change for the better in the New Year, things every Orthodox Christian can do.

Fr. Andrew Stephen Damick

https://blogs.ancientfaith.com/asd/2014/12/14/14-new-years-resolutions-orthodox-christians/?fbclid=IwAR3YmjXLfVTKIgf_TYFqUUPhpDG3_FOZG58enkdSNvHYWfo35XuXyC2b23U

_________________
«Русскому человеку лучше всего удаётся невозможное!»
***
Только нашей земли не разделит
На потеху себе супостат:
Богородица белый расстелет
Над скорбями великими плат».

Анна Ахматова

Reordering our life
so that Jesus Christ becomes the Rule of our life...
as the Beginning and the End of every part of our life...
is the ONLY BLESSED WAY to find fulfillment in the New Year.
May God grant each of us a Blessed 2023!

_________________
«Русскому человеку лучше всего удаётся невозможное!»
***
Только нашей земли не разделит
На потеху себе супостат:
Богородица белый расстелет
Над скорбями великими плат».

Анна Ахматова

_________________
«Русскому человеку лучше всего удаётся невозможное!»
***
Только нашей земли не разделит
На потеху себе супостат:
Богородица белый расстелет
Над скорбями великими плат».

Анна Ахматова

бога нет

On January 1 in 404 A.D., an angry Roman gladiator stabbed to death the monk Telemachus because he tried to stop a brutal gladiatorial duel. The martyrdom of Telemachus led to Emperor Honorius declaring an end to the duels. Here is a brief account of what happened:
"It was at a time of a festival in Rome. They were celebrating a triumph over the Goths. And he followed a crowd into the Colosseum, and then there in the midst of this great crowd, he saw the gladiators come forth, stand before the Emperor, and say, 'We who are about to die salute you.' And he realized they were going to fight to the death for the entertainment of the crowds. And he cried out, 'In the name of Christ, stop!' And his voice was lost in the tumult there in the great Colosseum.

"And as the games began, he made his way down through the crowd and climbed over the wall and dropped to the floor of the arena. Suddenly the crowds saw this scrawny little figure making his way out to the gladiators and saying, over and over again, 'In the name of Christ, stop.' And they thought it was part of the entertainment, and at first they were amused. But then, when they realized it wasn't, they grew belligerent and angry. And as he was pleading with the gladiators, 'In the name of Christ, stop!' one of them plunged his sword into his body. And as he fell to the sand of the arena in death, his last words were, 'In the name of Christ, stop!'
"And suddenly, a strange thing happened. The gladiators stood looking at this tiny form lying in the sand. A silence fell over the Colosseum. And then, someplace up in the upper tiers, an individual made his way to an exit and left, and others began to follow. And in the dead silence, everyone left the Colosseum. That was the last battle to the death between gladiators in the Roman Colosseum. Never again did men kill each other for the entertainment of the crowd."

One tiny voice that could hardly be heard above the tumult. 'In the name of Christ, stop!' It is something we could be saying to each other throughout the world today.

FrDouglas Wyper

_________________
«Русскому человеку лучше всего удаётся невозможное!»
***
Только нашей земли не разделит
На потеху себе супостат:
Богородица белый расстелет
Над скорбями великими плат».

Анна Ахматова

How to Become an Orthodox Christian (Pencils & Prayer Ropes)

In this video we explore how does one one convert to Eastern Orthodox Christianity: the phases, common pitfalls and tips. We also have an Orthodox priest sharing his experiences and input on the conversion experience!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uREUBIeuDDk

_________________
«Русскому человеку лучше всего удаётся невозможное!»
***
Только нашей земли не разделит
На потеху себе супостат:
Богородица белый расстелет
Над скорбями великими плат».

Анна Ахматова

Today's Readings
John 20:19-31

St. Paul's Letter to the Colossians 3:4-11

Luke 17:12-19


The Gospel According to John 20:19-31

On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being shut where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with you." When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent Me, even so I send you." And when He had said this, He breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained." Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them, "Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and place my finger in the mark of the nails, and place my hand in His side, I will not believe." Eight days later, His disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. The doors were shut, but Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you." Then He said to Thomas, "Put your finger here, and see My hands; and put out your hand, and place it in My side; do not be faithless, but believing." Thomas answered Him, "My Lord and My God!" Jesus said to him, "Have you believed because you have seen Me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe." Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing, you may have life in His name.

Prokeimenon. Mode Plagal 2.
Psalm 27.9,1
O Lord, save your people and bless your inheritance.
Verse: To you, O Lord, I have cried, O my God.

The reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Colossians 3:4-11

Brethren, when Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: fornication, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience. In these you once walked, when you lived in them. But now put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and foul talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old nature with its practices and have put on the new nature, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. Here there cannot be Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free man, but Christ is all, and in all.

12th Sunday of Luke
The Gospel According to Luke 17:12-19

At that time, as Jesus entered a village, he was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance and lifted up their voices and said: "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us." When he saw them he said to them, "Go and show yourselves to the priests." And as they went they were cleansed. Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; and he fell on his face at Jesus's feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan. Then said Jesus: "Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?" And he said to him: "Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well."

_________________
«Русскому человеку лучше всего удаётся невозможное!»
***
Только нашей земли не разделит
На потеху себе супостат:
Богородица белый расстелет
Над скорбями великими плат».

Анна Ахматова

See, Zhopadia, Jesus wished peace to his disciples. And what are you doing?? Promoting the war

Sometime in 372 AD, the Roman Emperor Valens, who denied the divinity of Christ, sent the prefect Modestos to Caesarea to make Basil conform to imperial policies and accept Arianism or be removed from the episcopacy. Modestos, who bore the title Count of the East, possessed only a little less power than the Emperor. He summoned Basil before an imperial tribunal in Caesarea and fortunately, we have a record of their conversation.

"Basil," Modestos shouted, ignoring Roman protocol and omitting all of Basil's titles and honors, "how dare you defy imperial power? Do you know what I can do to you? Don't you fear my power?"

"What can you do?" Basil answered quietly.

"What! You dare say that to me!
I can confiscate your possessions, banish you, torture you and put you to death!"

"Is that all?" Basil replied.
"None of these things bother me. You cannot confiscate my property and possessions because I have none, unless you want to take the clothes that I'm wearing and the few books that I have. Banishment and exile – what have these to do with me? I am at home everywhere on God's earth. You cannot exile me from the grace of God! I am already a pilgrim and sojourner in this life. To be put to death is the only power you have over me. As for death, it is welcome to me, for it will bring me all the sooner into His blessed Presence, close to Him whom I already serve."

Startled, Modestos said: "No one ever spoke to me in such a manner until now."

"No doubt," retorted Basil. "You've probably never met a bishop until now."

_________________
«Русскому человеку лучше всего удаётся невозможное!»
***
Только нашей земли не разделит
На потеху себе супостат:
Богородица белый расстелет
Над скорбями великими плат».

Анна Ахматова

Absolutely right

"Final" is not a word you often hear in Christian teaching. Most Christians leave the final things until, well, the End. But this is not the language of the fathers nor of the Church. A good illustration can be found in the Orthodox service of Holy Baptism. During the blessing of the waters the priest prays: And grant to the grace of redemption, the blessing of Jordan....

https://blogs.ancientfaith.com/glory2godforallthings/2023/01/06/the-final-destruction-of-demons-holy-baptism-2/?fbclid=IwAR3WTARLVnbm60ep3PmP3Z9HY6A_zYIYjpMKZQA-qx5Im21cUth5aegNb9s

_________________
«Русскому человеку лучше всего удаётся невозможное!»
***
Только нашей земли не разделит
На потеху себе супостат:
Богородица белый расстелет
Над скорбями великими плат».

Анна Ахматова

To help you decide whether or not your house needs to be blessed this Theophany season

_________________
«Русскому человеку лучше всего удаётся невозможное!»
***
Только нашей земли не разделит
На потеху себе супостат:
Богородица белый расстелет
Над скорбями великими плат».

Анна Ахматова