8/21/2019 2015 - July Sacred Lessons
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/2015-july-sacred-lessons 1/38S T K O S M A S &   S T D  A M I A N O S ,   T H E H O L Y U N M E R C E N A R I E S O F R O M E 1   J U L Y 2015 1.
G r e e k O r t h o d o x P a t r i a r c h a t e o f A l e x a n d r i a & A l l A f r i c a A r c h d i o c e s e o f G o o d H o p e
 All Glory, Honour and Worship to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and Forever, and unto the Ages of Ages. Amen Remembering also our Most Holy, Most Pure, Most Blessed and Glorious Lady, Mary, Theotokos  yet Ever Virgin, together with all the Saints. And let us commit ourselves and one another and our  whole Life to Christ our God. Amen.
1   J u l y 2015
 St Kosmas & St Damianos, Wonder-Working Holy Unmercenary Physic ians of Rome  
 Also the Feast of St Potitos of Naples – St Peter of Constantinople – St Angelina the
Princess of Albania & Serbia – St John of Rila, Translation of Holy Relics – St Leontios of
Radauti, Moldavia, Founder of St Laurence’s Monastery -
F E S T A L  A P O L Y T I K I O N –   S T K O S M A S &   S T D  A M I A N O S O F R O M E – T O N E ( 8 )   P L A G A L 4
A gii Anargiri ke Thavmatourgi, episkepsasthe tas
asthenias imon. Dorean elavete dorean dote imin
Holy Unmercenaries and Workers of Miracles, visit upon
all our ailments and weaknesses, a Gift have you received, a Gift do give to us. 
F E S T A L K O N T A K I O N –   S T K O S M A S &   S T D  A M I A N O S  
I tin Harin lavontes ton Iamaton, efaploute tin rosin tis en
anagkes, Iatri Thavmatorgi Endoxi. Alla ti imin
episkepsi, ke ton polemion ta thrasi katavalete, TON
K OSMON IOMENI EN TIS T HAVMASI .
Having obtained the Grace of Healing, grant Health to
those in need! O Kosmas and Damianos, Physicians
and Most Glorious Wonderworkers, Visit us, putting down the insolence of our enemies, And by Your Miracles, BRING H EALING TO THE U NIVERSE !  
S E A S O N A L K O N T A K I O N -   T H E E V E R B L E S S E D T H E O T O K O S   
P rostasia ton Hristianon akateskhinte, mesitia pros ton
Piitin ametathete, mi Paridis, amartolon deiseon fonas, alla profthason os agathi, is tin voithian imon, ton pistos kravgazonton Si: Tahinon is presvian, ke spefson is ikesian, i prostatevousa ai, Theotoke, ton timonton Se.
O Protection of the Christians unashamable, Mediation to
the Creator Immovable, despise not, the pleading voices of those in sin, but hasten O Good One, to the Aid of all who in Faith cry out to Thee: speed up Thine Intercession, and press on Thy Supplication, O Theotokos who forever protects all those who honour Thee!
T H E F I R S T E P I S T L E O F S T P  A U L T O T H E C O R I N T H I A N S 1 2   :   2 7   –   1 3   :   8 T H E D I V I N E G I F T O F L O V E I S T H E M O S T S U P E R I O R O F A L L G I F T S   
Brethren: You are the Body of Christ, and members individually. And God has appointed these in the Church: first
Apostles, second Prophets, third Teachers, after that Miracles, then Gifts of Healings, Helps, Administrations, varietiesof Tongues. Are all Apostles? Are all Prophets? Are all Teachers? Are all Workers of Miracles? Do all have Gifts of Healings? Do all
speak with Tongues? Do all interpret? Earnestly desire the best Gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent Way: Although I speak with the Tongues of men and of Angels, but have not Love, I
have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And although I have the Gift of Prophecy, and understand all Mysteries and all Knowledge, and although I have all Faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not Love, I am nothing! And although I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and although I give my body to be burnt, but have not Love, it profits me nothing!
Love suffers long and is kind. Love does not envy. Love does not parade itself, is not puffed up, does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil, does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the Truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
Love never fails. But whether there are tongues – they will cease; whether there is Knowledge – it will vanish away...”
There has always been a Hierarchy of Honour in the
Church of the New Covenant. THE A POSTOLIC W ORK OF THE BISHOP SETS THE PACE FOR ALL THE
REST. When the oversight is in order, the rest of the Holy Church is free to function at its optimal level.
But even with all the Divine Gifts in place and operative, there is SOMETHING “MORE EXCELLENT ” – THE LOVE OF GOD – 
 A GAPE  – THE TRUE SIGN OF THE V ERY PRESENCE OF THE HOLY
SPIRIT! St Basil the Great taught us THAT THERE ARE THREE REASONS – 
 ALL BIBLICAL AND ALL GOD-GIVEN – FOR FOLLOWING OUR LORD
JESUS CHRIST.   FEAR – P R O V E R B S 1 : 7 : “The Fear of God is the
beginning of Wisdom. And there is good Understanding in all who practise it. And Godliness towards God is the beginning of Perception, but the ungodly despise Wisdom and Instruction.”  
 W ISDOM BEGETS “THE F EAR OF G OD ”  IN “SIMPLE”  PEOPLE  – i.e.  those who are beginners on the Spiritual Path towards Eternal Life in the Kingdom of God.
This HOLY FEAR IS THE BEGINNING OF  WISDOM,  GODLINESS 
TOWARDS GOD AND THE BEGINNING OF PERCEPTION.  As SPIRITUAL BEGINNERS practise this Fear of God, they  GROW
IN GOOD UNDERSTANDING OF DIVINE  W ISDOM AND DIVINE
 V IRTUES.
On the contrary, THE UNGODLY ARE THOSE WHO DESPISE DIVINE
 W ISDOM AND GOD’S INSTRUCTIONS,  FOR THEY CLAIM TO
BELIEVE IN GOD BUT THEY NEITHER KNOW GOD’S W ISDOM NOR
DO THEY LIVE A V IRTUOUS LIFE IN CHRIST – A LIFE OF GENUINE
HUMILITY AND OBEDIENCE.  Consequently , THEY DO NOT TRULY BELIEVE IN GOD.   OBEDIENCE   –  A RECOGNITION THAT BECAUSE HE IS
OMNIPRESENT AND A LMIGHTY GOD WE MUST FOLLOW HIM.   A C T S 5   :   2 9 : “... Peter and the other Apostles answered
and said: ‘We ought to O BEY G OD RATHER THAN MEN .”  While God commands our Obedience to Governing
 Authorities, OBEDIENCE TO GOD COMES FIRST  – before anything else in this earthly life!
 W HEN THE TWO ARE IN CONFLICT F AITHFUL AND TRUE DISCIPLES OF
CHRIST MUST FOLLOW GOD AND BE WILLING TO ACCEPT THE
(TEMPORARY BUT OFTEN DEVASTATING) CONSEQUENCES – such as martyrdom. (REFER ALSO LUKE 20:25 & ROMANS 13 : 1 – 7)
  LOVE – 1   J O H N 4   :   1 9 ”We Love God for He first
Loved us !” GOD HAS ALWAYS LOVED US UNCONDITIONALLY  – even though
 we are habitual sinners! So EVEN BEFORE GOD BEGAN HIS MAGNIFICENT CREATION,  WE
HUMAN BEINGS –  WHO ARE INTELLECTUAL BEINGS TOGETHER
 WITH HIS HEAVENLY A NGELS – WERE PROVIDED FOR. NOT ONLY WERE WE PUT IN CHARGE OF THIS WORLD AND ALL ITS
CREATURES –  TO PROTECT AND TO TAKE CARE OF IT -  BUT – 
8/21/2019 2015 - July Sacred Lessons
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/2015-july-sacred-lessons 2/382.  S T K O S M A S &   S T D  A M I A N O S ,   T H E H O L Y U N M E R C E N A R I E S O F R O M E 1   J U L Y 2 0 1 5   
 AFTER OUR EXPULSION FROM P ARADISE - GOD ALSO GRANTED US
THE UNDERSTANDING,   W ISDOM,  KNOWLEDGE AND MEANS
 WHEREBY WE ARE ABLE TO REGAIN OUR LOST LIKENESS TO GOD  that we lost after having fallen from Divine Grace through Spiritual Rebellion and Disobedience.
E VERY IMMORTAL SOUL IS BELOVED BY GOD W HO WANTS ONLY THE
BEST OF EVERYTHING FOR US – His Great Mercy and Eternal Life in His Everlasting Kingdom of Love, Joy and Peace.
GOD NEVER STOPS LOVING US AND HE NEVER ABANDONS US.  Instead,  WHENEVER WE WILFULLY SIN,  WE DISTANCE
OURSELVES FROM GOD AND ALL HIS GOODNESS. ONLY WHEN WE ACKNOWLEDGE AND CORRECT OUR ERRORS DO WE
RETURN TO GOD’S PRESENCE – to His Warm and Protective Embrace.
GOD HAS GRANTED US FREE WILL TO CHOOSE whether we want to live in His Divine Light and Love - or to surrender to the enslavement and ultimate devastation of the evil one who – due to his obsessive hatred of all mankind - relentlessly tempts or lures us away from God and all Good Things.
 W HILE WE MUST ALWAYS AIM TO DO ALL THINGS OUT OF OUR LOVE
OF GOD,  WE ALSO MUST NEVER CEASE “FEARING”  GOD AND
OBEYING HIM  – i.e. We must always show our deepest respect and Love of God through an eager and  willing Obedience to all His Teachings and Commandments, according to which we will all eventually be judged on the final day.
 Above everything else – above all the other Divine Gifts – St Paul emphasised THE SUPERIORITY OF DIVINE LOVE - 
 A GAPE   -  THAT HAS THE BEST RESULTS OF ALL OTHER DIVINE
GIFTS  –  outshining even Prophecy and Faith, and  which is far greater value than even the Miraculous ability to “remove mountains !”
Our Lord Jesus Christ urged us to “give to the poor ” and even to lay down or offer our own lives for the sake of others – yet even such SELFLESS ACTS,  IF DONE WITHOUT
TRUE LOVE –  A GAPE – WOULD BE OF NO BENEFIT WHATSOEVER – 
 ARE EMPTY GESTURES WITH NO SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS AT ALL! St Paul clearly explains the actual meaning of Divine
Love – ending with the fact that the ONE THING THAT
LOVE CANNOT DO, IS TO FAIL!  Otherwise, LOVE MAKES EVERYTHING POSSIBLE –  FOR GOD IS
INDEED DIVINE LOVE ITSELF!!  THE W ONDERFUL GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT ARE ONLY TEMPORARY
 AND FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS PREPARATORY PERIOD –  WITH
THE EXCEPTION OF  A GAPE ,  WHICH WE CARRY THROUGH TO
ETERNITY . Consequently, A GAPE IS THE MOST ESSENTIAL V IRTUE OF ALL  to
possess for it enables us to obtain Eternal Life in God’s Heavenly Kingdom.
Thus: THOSE WHO HAVE NO LOVE, HAVE NOTHING AT  ALL  for they shall not be Blessed with the Bliss and Peace of Eternal Life but rather be condemned to exile in Outer Darkness – the Deep Abyss – total alienation from God and all His Goodness – according to their very own choices throughout their life! 
T H E H O L Y G O S P E L  A C C O R D I N G T O S T M  A T T H E W 1 0   :   1 ,   5   –   8C H R I S T O U R S A V I O U R C H O S E &   I N S T R U C T E D H I S T W E L V E  A P O S T L E S  
At that time, when our Lord Jesus had Called His Twelve Disciples to Him, He gave them Power over unclean spirits – to cast them out – and to Heal all kinds of disease. These Jesus sent out, having commanded them: “Do not go into the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter a city of the Samaritans. Go to the Lost Sheep of the House of Israel. Go, preach, saying: ‘The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!’ Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons.
“Freely you have received – freely give.”  
The terms “Disciples ” and “ Apostles ” are often interchangeable concerning the Twelve Holy Apostles of Christ:
“D ISCIPLE ” means ONE WHO LEARNS AND IS DISCIPLINED  or guided by another more experienced person.
“ A POSTLE ” means ONE WHO IS SENT OUT TO TEACH DIVINE
 W ISDOM AND TRUTH TO OTHERS BY THE GRACE AND
 
OUR LORD JESUS GRANTS HIS F AITHFUL A POSTLES AND DEVOUT
DISCIPLES SOME OF HIS DIVINE POWER TO PERFORM
MIRACLES AND TO FULFIL THEIR HOLY C ALLING.   A S THE A LMIGHTY CREATOR, ALL HIS DIVINE W ONDERS ARE BY HIS
OWN DIVINE POWER,  ACCORDING TO THE  W ILL OF HIS
HEAVENLY F ATHER,  AND THROUGH THE LIFE-GIVING
 A CTIVATION OF GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT. THE  A POSTLES’  HOLY MISSION WAS SIMILAR TO OUR LORD JESUS’ 
DIVINE MISSION:  TO PREACH AND TO HEAL THE HEBREW
N ATION, so that after Christ’s Resurrection, His enemies
could not blame any of them for going to “uncircumcised men.” (ACTS 11:3)
OUR LORD PREPARED THEM TO BE SINGLE-MINDED IN THEIR S ACRED
MISSION of preaching and healing by reminding them that HIS DIVINE POWER  WAS FREELY GRANTED TO THEM AS A
GIFT OF GOD  and furthermore, they were not to carry any money with them so that they could not be accused of greed – and especially so that they learnt to DEPEND ON THE DIVINE PROVIDENCE OF  A LMIGHTY GOD  –
and THEY OFTEN DID MANUAL LABOUR FOR OTHERS TO SUPPORT
THEMSELVES SO AS NOT TO BE A BURDEN TO ANYONE ELSE.  
Christ said: “Freely you have received – freely give !”  Which was the Holy Rule whereby all Holy Unmercenaries have served God.
 We, too, should KEEP THIS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT DIVINE
INSTRUCTION IN MIND AT ALL TIMES so that we may share everything we have with others – especially those who are far less Blessed than we.
UPON THIS IMPORTANT SACRED LESSON WILL WE ALL BE JUDGED!
T H E F E A S T O F S T K O S M A S &   S T D  A M I A N O S –   W O N D E R W O R K E R S &   H O L Y U N M E R C E N A R Y P H Y S I C I A N S   
Every 1 July, our Holy Orthodox Church honours the Holy Unmercenary Healers, St Kosmas and St Damianos.
These Saints were from Rome, and as Physicians, they freely treated and Healed their patients in the Name or Christ, asking for nothing in return.
Thus, the title ‘Unmercenary’   (Anargyroi ) was bestowed on them.
They obeyed the Divine Commandment of Christ: “Freely  you have received – freely give.”  
St Kosmas and St Damianos ended their earthly Life in Martyrdom in the late third century, thus, Glorifying God by freely giving of themselves and their God-given Gift of Healing.
Giving of ourselves is a Holy Act. The more we give without expecting anything in return, the more we regain our lost Likeness to God.
In the Divine Liturgy, we pray to Almighty God - the ultimate Giver “...Thou art Holy and Most Holy, Thou and Thine Only-begotten Son and Thy Holy Spirit. Thou art Holy and Most Holy, and Sublime is Thy Glory. Thou so Loved Thy world that Thou gave Thine
Only Begotten Son so that whoever believes   in Him should not perish, but have Eternal Life...”
Freely, God has given and continues to give to us due to His infinite Love for us, and we are reminded
 by St Paul that “...God Loves a cheerful giver.” (2
CORINTHIANS. 9:7).  Thus, how we give, (cheerfully, out of Love and
without ‘compulsion’) is just as important as the act of giving itself.
So let us ask ourselves:   “Am I a cheerful giver ?”   “Have I made a concerted effort to give of my God- 
given talents and treasure in building up the Body of Christ, the Church? ”
  “Have  I reached out in Love to my Brethren - especially the ‘...least of these...’ knowing that my Salvation is dependent on the Holy Act of giving without expecting anything in return?”
Let us follow the Holy Path and make the most of the time we have to find more opportunities to give.
The world teaches us to expect (and even demand) something in return for giving.
The Church, however, teaches us to freely give without expectation.
St Kosmas and St Damianos were Glorified for freely giving their healing powers in Christ.
Consequently, we must seek out those who today need our time, our support, our financial resources – whatever is
necessary. We must freely and cheerfully give whatever is required of
us and we will certainly enjoy the Eternal Blessings of Almighty God.
PRESBYTER ANASTASIOS KOUSOULAS ST. ANNA GREEK ORTHODOX
CHURCH FLEMINGTON, NJ
8/21/2019 2015 - July Sacred Lessons
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/2015-july-sacred-lessons 3/38  S T  A N D R E W O F C R E T E –   C O M P O S E R &   A U T H O R O F T H E G R E A T C  A N O N 4   J U L Y 2 0 1 5 3
G r e e k O r t h o d o x P a t r i a r c h a t e o f A l e x a n d r i a & A l l A f r i c a A r c h d i o c e s e o f G o o d H o p e
 All Glory, Honour and Worship to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and Forever, and unto the Ages of Ages. Amen Remembering also our Most Holy, Most Pure, Most Blessed and Glorious Lady, Mary, Theotokos yet Ever  Virgin, together with all the Saints. And let us commit ourselves and one another and our whole Life to Christ our God. Amen.
 4   July 2015
 St Andrew of Crete Composer of the Great Canon (of Repentance)
 Also the Feast of St Michael Honiati, Bishop of Athens - St Andrew Rublev the Iconographer
– St Martha, Venerable Mother of St Symeon Stylites the Younger of Wonderful Mountain,
of Antioch – St Andrew the God-Loving Prince – St Euthymios the Wonder-working
 Archimandrite of Suzdal – St Theodotos & St Theodotia of Caesarea, Cappadocia – St
Theodore the Bishop & St Cyprilla, St Lucia and St Aroa, as well as all who had been
Baptised by St Theodore, of Cyrene, Libya – St Tikhon, St Basil & St Nikon, Monks of Solovki
– St Platon the New Hiero-Martyr of Banjaluka – St George the Hieromartyr – St Sava,
Bishop of Gornjikarlovci -  
F E S T A L  A P O L Y T I K I O N –   S T  A N D R E W O F C R E T E -   T O N E ( 8 )   P L A G A L 4
O rthodoxias Odige, evsevias Didaskale ke semnotitos, tis
ikoumenis O Fostir, Arhiereon Theopnefston egkallopisma, Andrea Sofe, tes didahes Sou pantas efotisas, lira tou Pnevmatos. Presveve Hristo to Theo, sothine tas psihas imon.
A  model of Faith and the Image of Gentleness, the
Example of Thy Life has shown Thou forth to Thy Sheepfold to be a Master of Temperance. Thou obtained thus through being lowly, Gifts from on High, and Riches through Poverty. Andrew, our Father and Priest of Priests: Intercede with Christ our God that He may Save our soul.
F E S T A L K O N T A K I O N –   S T  A N D R E W O F C R E T E –   T O N E 2
S alpisas tranos, ta Thia melodimata, Edihthis Foster, to
kosmo tilavgestatos, to Foti Lampomenos, tis Triados Andrea Osie. Othen pantes voomen Si. Mi pafsi Presvevon tou Sothine imas.
While trumpeting forth the Songs of God with clarity,
Thou also proved to be a Blazing Light for the all the world, O Most Righteous Andrew, who shone with the Light of the Trinity. Wherefore we all cry to Thee: Cease not Interceding for our Salvation.
K O N T A K I O N -   T H E E V E R B L E S S E D T H E O T O K O S   
P rostasia ton Hristianon akateskhinte, mesitia pros ton
Piitin ametathete, mi Paridis, amartolon deiseon fonas, alla profthason os agathi, is tin voithian imon, ton pistos kravgazonton Si: Tahinon is presvian, ke spefson is ikesian, i prostatevousa ai, Theotoke, ton timonton Se.
O Protection of the Christians unashamable, Mediation to
the Creator Immovable, despise not, the pleading voices of those in sin, but hasten O Good One, to the Aid of all who in Faith cry out to Thee: speed up Thine Intercession, and press on Thy Supplication, O Theotokos who forever protects all those who honour Thee!
T H E E P I S T L E O F S T P  A U L T O T H E R O M A N S 8   :   1 4   –   2 1 T H E  A D O P T E D C H I L D R E N O F G O D  
Brethren: as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For you have not received the spirit of  bondage again to fear; but you have received the Spirit of Adoption, whereby we cry: ‘Abba, Father!’  
The Spirit Himself bears Witness with our spirit, that we are the Children of God. If the Children, then Heirs – Heirs of God - Joint-Heirs with Christ, if we suffer with Him, so that we may also be Glorified together.
It is logical that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the Glory that shall be revealed in us. The Earnest Expectation of the creature waits for the Manifestation of the sons of God. For the creature was created subject to vanity - not willingly, but by reason of Him Who has subjected the same in Hope, because the
creature itself also shall be Delivered from the bondage of corruption into the Glorious Liberty of the Children of God. T H E H O L Y G O S P E L  A C C O R D I N G T O S T M  A T T H E W 9   :   9   –   1 3
T H E C  A L L I N G O F S T M  A T T H E W L E V I ,   T  A X C O L L E C T O R   
At that time, as Jesus passed by, He saw a man named ‘Matthew’ sitting at the customs house, and he sait to him: “Follow me.” And he arose, and followed Him.
And it came to pass, Jesus sat eating in the house, and behold: many Publicans and sinners went and sat down with Him and His Disciples. And when the Pharisees beheld them, they said to His Disciples: “Why does your Master eat with Publicans and sinners?”
When Jesus heard, He said to them: “Those who are whole do not need a Physician, but those who are sick do. Go, learn what it means: ‘...I desire Mercy, and not Sacrifice...’ I have not come to Call the Righteous, but sinners to Repentance!”
S T  A N D R E W O F C R E T E –   M E T R O P O L I T A N P H I L A R E T ( V O Z N E S E N S K H Y  ) “My soul, O my soul, rise up! Why art thou sleeping? The
End draws near, and soon thou shalt be troubled...” In a sense, these words are at the core of the Great
Penitential Canon, which was composed by St Andrewof Crete – one of the Great Saints of God. In his Great Canon, St Andrew addresses his own soul: “My
soul, O my soul...” If that Great Righteous Hymnographer could criticise his
own soul for having Spiritually Fallen Asleep, what can we say about ourselves?
Our Holy Church Fathers often stated that in Spiritual Life, there is a certain paradox – an assertion that, at first glance, seems self-contradictory, but which, in fact,
contains a profound philosophical meaning.According to our Holy Fathers, the Spiritual Paradox rests in the fact – the Truth – that we sinners regard ourselves as being Righteous, while those who are truly Righteous acknowledge themselves as being sinful.
We sinners see ourselves as being ‘Righteous’ because we do not know ourselves – we do not know ourselves as we truly are!!
8/21/2019 2015 - July Sacred Lessons
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/2015-july-sacred-lessons 4/384. S T  A N D R E W O F C R E T E –   C O M P O S E R &   A U T H O R O F T H E G R E A T C  A N O N 4   J U L Y 2 0 1 5   
The Righteous do really know themselves because they focus their attention on their Spiritual Condition and Welfare by constantly watching and deeply examining themselves – seeking and rooting out sins as they appear within their heart, mind or soul.
Even the best of pagans recognise that we have to somehow know how to look within ourselves in order to ‘repair’ and heal.
The ancient Greek Philosopher, Socrates – or perhaps another wise man – spoke about “... know thyself!”
With regard to our Christian understanding of that Truth, there is, after all, a very good reason for us to
constantly pray throughout Great Lent: “... O Lord andKing, grant me to see my own faults...” If we see all our own faults clearly – as we should – there
would be no need for such Prayers. A certain Righteous Man implored God to show him to what
depths sin had penetrated mankind’s being – to what extent it had maimed humanity by filling and defeating us.
When our Lord granted the Holy Ascetic’s humble Prayers and showed him the extent to which our human nature has been poisoned and maimed by sin, the terrified Holy Elder felt that he was about to go completely insane with grief and horror!
He pleaded with our Lord to remove that most frightening Vision from his sight as soon as possible, for the Truth was more than any human could bear!!
The deeper we delve into ourselves – honestly, willingly and sincerely – the more accustomed we will become to comprehending our internal state of being - and the more clearly and painfully we realise the depth and extent of the harm caused by our own sins, the more we will be compelled to Truly Repent and radically change our entire being!
It was for this Purpose and Reason that in their Prayers Before Communion, St Basil the Great, St John Chrysostom, St Andrew of Crete and other Great Saints referred to themselves as being “...the worst of sinners, unworthy to look upon the Heights of Heaven!”
This was no rhetorical phrase-mongering – no hyperbole! They really did see themselves clearly as the worst of
sinners. St Seraphim of Sarov, whom others saw as Spiritually
Radiant as the sun, and whom they had seen levitating while in deep Prayer, likewise regarded himself as “the poor, wretched Seraphim.”
Those who are truly Righteous genuinely acknowledge themselves as being shameful sinners.
When a dirty rag is in a dark place, the dirt cannot be seen  but when light enters that place, the filth is immediately perceptible.
The more Divine Light there is within us, the more clearly visible our sins will be.
Therefore, the closer we draw to God and His Divine Light of Truth, the more clearly can we see our sinfulness,
pluck it out and begin to Heal – being restored to our original created state of Goodness.
When we grow close to the Lord our God, our conscience is Illumined and its Voice becomes clearer, like a bell sounding reproach whenever we are in danger of drifting away from God or doing anything that is unfaithful or unworthy.
Unrepentant, stubborn and wilful sinners know neither themselves nor their soul, and even when they partake of the Holy Mystery of Repentance-Confession, they will remain in ignorance of their True Spiritual Condition.
Such Spiritually Blind and Ignorant sinners are quick to
 judge others and are exactly like the self-righteousPharisees, thinking to themselves: “Well, at least I am not like that!!”
And they like to tell everyone else: “I am not ‘religious,’ but I am ‘spiritual!’”  Or they declare: “I don’t consider myself to be Righteous, and I am definitely not a Saint, but still I am not as bad as others...!!”
Truly Righteous Disciples of Christ regard themselves as  being Meek and Humble before the Lord our God, and would never allow even the slightest hint of self-
 justification to enter their soul. For those who are Righteous in the Sight of God always are
Spiritually Alert and Watchful. They perpetually seek out and destroy their own sins – and
never judge nor even notice the faults or falls of others whom they regard as being more worthy than
themselves. St Andrew of Crete fully understood the extent and depth
of the human condition, but rather than judge others or regard himself as being better that the rest of humanity, he profoundly expressed his inner Spiritual Warfare, which assists us all to follow his good example of self- examination and Repentance-Confession, so that we may all lance our Spiritual Wounds and be Restored to our full potential, as God intends us to be.
Let us pray that our Lord Jesus Christ grants us the ability to honestly and truthfully see our own transgressions – and let us Struggle ceaselessly against all temptation,
 being far too occupied with our own Spiritual Battle to concern ourselves with the errors of our neighbours.
Instead let us pray for each other, that God may Strengthen us all so that we are able to resist the machinations of
the evil one. And let us encourage, guide and assist our fellow sinners as
we all slowly strive to make progress worthily towards Eternity.
Let us all learn how to properly examine ourselves from within - every day - so that we might develop a good Spiritual Insight to our sins and achieve True Repentance, thereby restoring our wonderful Relationship with our Loving and Benevolent God.
HTTPS://ORTHODOXWORD.WORDPRESS.COM/2011/03/06/ST-ANDREW-OF-
CRETE-GREAT-CANON-OF-REPENTANCE 
 A B B O T T R Y P H O N –   O N S E L F - E S T E E M    A healthy self-esteem is centred in our Relationship with
God
In the first chapter of Genesis we read that man is made inGod's Image, and that we are Called to be like Him. The Church Fathers say that this Image is mainly reflected
in our free will, and in our intelligence. Our self worth is based on this Relationship with God Who
Loves us, and as long as we do not give ourselves over to pride, a healthy self-esteem is simply an acknowledgement that our worth is centred in our Relationship with God.
To base our self-esteem in anything other than this Relationship with Christ, would lead to narcissism, and would be a clear sign that we are out of Spiritual Balance.
Therefore, a healthy self-esteem must be based on the acknowledgement that our strengths and weaknesses as God's creatures, is being Redeemed by a loving Saviour
with Whom we receive Grace sufficient to live a Life that is being Transformed into His Likeness.
As Orthodox Christians, our self-esteem must be experienced in light of a Divine Perspective.
St John Cassian in the Philokalia   tells us: "The angel who fell from Heaven because of his pride bears witness to this. He had been created by God and
adorned with every Virtue and all Wisdom, but he did not want to ascribe this to the Grace of the Lord. He
ascribed it his own nature and as a result regardedhimself equal to God."   As Christians living in Repentance, we know that our worth
and self-esteem is solely based on our Relationship with God. "Yet not I, but the Grace of God which was in me." (1 CORINTHIANS 15:10). 
When we put on Christ at Baptism and continue to live our Life in Repentance, we become a Reflection of the Light of Christ, and we are His creatures.
In our Relationship with Christ, we have no independent existence, for we depend on God for all, and by His Mercy we can have the Light of Christ indwell in us.
This is a Spiritual Reality revealed by Our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and the value of this is unfathomable.
Our personal self-worth is therefore directly related to this Redeeming and Life Transforming Relationship. 
“T HE M ORNING O FFERING ”  BY A BBOT T RYPHON (A  HIGHLY RECOMMENDED DAILY BLOG !!)  
8/21/2019 2015 - July Sacred Lessons
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/2015-july-sacred-lessons 5/385  T H 
  AP  –  5  T H 
  O F S T M  A T T H E W –   T H E T W O G E R G E S E N E D E M O N I A CS –  S T  A T H A N A S I O S O F M O U N T  A T H O S 5  J U L Y 2015    5. 
G r e e k O r t h o d o x P a t r i a r c h a t e o f A l e x a n d r i a & A l l A f r i c a A r c h d i o c e s e o f G o o d H o p e
 All Glory, Honour and Worship to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and Forever, and unto the Ages of Ages. Amen Remembering also our Most Holy, Most Pure, Most Blessed and Glorious Lady, Mary, Theotokos yet Ever Virgin, together with all the Saints. And let us commit ourselves and one another and our whole Life to Christ our God.  Amen.
5 July  2015  Tone 4
 5th Sunday After Pentecost  5th Sunday of St Matthew  The Two Gergesene Demoniacs
 Also the Feast of S T  A THANASIOS ,  F OUNDER OF THE G REAT L AVRA &  
C OENOBITIC M ONASTICISM , &  6  V ENERABLE D ISCIPLES OF M OUNT A THOS – St
Sergios of Radonezh, Uncovering the Holy Relics – St Anna of Rome
– St Cyrilla of Cyrene, Libya – St Lampados of Irenopolis – St
Cyprianos of Mount Athos
R E S U R R E C T I O N  A P O L Y T I K I O N –   T O N E 4
T o fedron tis Anastaseos Kirigma ek tou AngelouMathouse e tou Kyriou Mathitrie ke tin Progonikin apofasin aporipsase, tis Apostolis kafhomene elegon. Eskilefte O Thanatos, igerthi Hristos O Theos, doroumenos to kosmo to Mega Eleos.
When the Women Disciples of the Lord had learnt fromthe Angels the Glad Tidings of the Resurrection that had cast away the Condemnation of their Forefather, they spoke exultingly to the Apostles: Death is no more! Christ-God is Risen, granting to the world Great Mercy. 
F E S T A L K O N T A K I O N –   S T  A T H A N A S I O S T H E  A T H O N I T E - T O N E 3
T in en sarki Zoin sou kateplagisan, Angelon tagmata, pos
meta somatos, pros aoratou simplokas, ehorisas aidime, ke katetravmatisas, ton demonon tas falangas. Othen Ahtanasie, O Hristos Se imipsato dorees plousies. Dio Pater Presveve, sothine tas psihas imon.
The Order of Angels were astounded at Thy life in the
flesh, and how bodily, into Unseen Warfare Thou ventured, O Ever Blessed, and wounded most severely the hordes of demons. Whence, O Athanasios, Christ rewarded Thee with Abundant Blessings. Therefore, O Father, Intercede so that our souls may be Saved!
R E S U R R E C T I O N K O N T A K I O N –   T O N E 4
O  Sotir ke Ristis mou, apo tou Tafou, os Theos Anestisen, ek ton desmon tous gigenis, ke pilas Adou sinetripse, ke os Despotis, anesti trimeros.
My Saviour and Deliverer, from the Tomb as God raised from their bonds those born of earth and smashed the Gates of Hades and, as Master, Arose on the third day.
K O N T A K I O N -   T H E E V E R B L E S S E D T H E O T O K O S   
P rostasia ton Hristianon akateskhinte, mesitia pros ton
Piitin ametathete, mi Paridis, amartolon deiseon fonas, alla profthason os agathi, is tin voithian imon, ton pistos kravgazonton Si: Tahinon is presvian, ke spefson is ikesian, i prostatevousa ai, Theotoke, ton timonton Se.
O Protection of the Christians unashamable, Mediation to
the Creator Immovable, despise not, the pleading voices of those in sin, but hasten O Good One, to the Aid of all who in Faith cry out to Thee: speed up Thine Intercession, and press on Thy Supplication, O Theotokos who forever protects all those who honour Thee!
R E S U R R E C T I O N G O S P E L 5   L U K E 2 4   :   1 2   –   3 5 O U R R E S U R R E C T E D L O R D J E S U S C H R I S T  A P P E A R S  A L O N G T H E R O A D T O E M M A U S   
P R O K E I M E N O N   
O  Lord, how manifold art Thy Works! Thou hast created them all in Wisdom!
Bless the Lord, O my soul!
S T P  A U L ’ S E P I S T L E T O G  A L A T I A N S 5   :   2 2   –   6   :   2 T H E H O L Y S P I R I T &   H I S D I V I N E F R U I T S   
Brethren: the Fruit of the Holy Spirit is Love, Joy, Peace, Longsuffering, Gentleness, Goodness, Faith, Meekness, Temperance. Against these there is no Law. And they who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.
Brethren: if a man be overtaken by error, you who are Spiritual, must restore him in the Spirit of Meekness, considering yourselves, lest you also be tempted.
Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the Law of Christ.
St Paul listed THE SPIRITUAL FRUITS (SPIRITUAL CONSEQUENCES, RESULTS,
REWARDS OR VIRTUES)  THAT ARE GRANTED TO US BY THE HOLY
SPIRIT WHO BY THE WILL OF GOD THE FATHER AND THROUGH
OUR SAVIOUR, JESUS CHRIST, ENABLES US TO ATTAIN GREAT THINGS THAT ARE BEYOND OUR OWN PUNY HUMAN POWER
OR ABILITIES.
  The wonderful FRUITS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT ARE VIRTUES OR
THE INDISPENSABLE QUALITIES ESSENTIAL TO OUR
SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT AND WELFARE  - FOR THE
CONTINUATION OF GOOD, HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS
 WITH GOD AND OUR FELLOW HUMAN BEINGS.
THE HOLY SPIRIT GRANTS US THESE VIRTUES FOR OUR LIFE OF
SPIRITUAL STRUGGLE  while we endure this difficult
preparatory period before Eternity .
 
THE ONLY VIRTUE WE NEED DURING AND AFTER THIS LIFE IS
THAT OF DIVINE LOVE – AGAPE – WITHOUT WHICH WE
CANNOT EXPECT TO PARTICIPATE IN THE ETERNAL LIFE
OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD – A PERPETUAL SPIRITUAL
STATE OF PERFECT, DIVINE LOVE/AGAPE.
 As Baptised Christians we are the adopted Children of
God and rightful Heirs to His Eternal Kingdom.
8/21/2019 2015 - July Sacred Lessons
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/2015-july-sacred-lessons 6/386. 5  T H 
  AP  –   5  T H 
  O F S T M  A T T H E W –   T H E T WO G E R G E S E N E D E M O N I A CS –  S T  A T H A N A S I O S O F M O U N T  A T H O S 5  J U L Y 2015  
Therefore, we “are Christ’s ” – HIS FAITHFUL DISCIPLES WHO
CONSTANTLY LEARN FROM HIM AND FOLLOW HIS PERFECT
EXAMPLE, having “...crucified (our) flesh with its
passions and desires...”   at our Baptism when we
 were Renewed and Regenerated, having committed
ourselves to the New Covenant with God.
THE NEW COVENANT IS:
   A N E TE RNA L H O L Y C O VEN A NT   – it is infinite. The
New Covenant with God is absolutely Perfect and
It takes us into Eternity.
   A B L OO D L ESS CO VEN AN T  – Christ offered Himself as
the final, ultimate Blood Sacrifice that fulfilled all
requirements and is everlasting. There is no need to make any further Blood Sacrifices (which were
only temporary anyway!) for the forgiveness of our
sins because now we have been granted THE HOLY
MYSTERY OF EUCHARIST – THE MYSTICAL SUPPER OF
CHRIST – WHICH GRANTS US FORGIVENESS OF SINS  AN D
ETERNAL LIFE !     A SP I RI TU A L C O VENA N T – God Incarnate – God
Himself – has revealed and taught us THE TRUE
PURPOSE OF THIS LIFE.
STRENGTHS AND QUALITIES SO THAT WE MAY RETURN TO
GOD FROM WHOM WE ORIGINATED.
OUR PHYSICAL AND MENTAL STRUGGLES strengthen our souls,
 which  ARE ENABLED, ASSISTED, GUIDED AND INSPIRED BY
THE HOLY SPIRIT  – and this is how we “...walk in the
Spirit...”   We must STRENGTHEN AND TRAIN OUR SOUL TO CONTROL THE
DESIRES OF OUR FLESH – that is how we must “... live in
the (Holy) Spirit...”  
SPIRITUAL PROFICIENCY THROUGH CONSTANT SPIRITUAL
STRUGGLE, WHICH IS GUIDED AND ASSISTED BY GOD, IN
ORDER TO CONTROL OUR PERSONAL PHYSICAL WEAKNESSES
– THE DEMANDS OF THE FLESH - THAT THREATEN TO
DOMINATE AND RULE US.
REGAIN OUR LOST LIKENESS TO GOD so that we may
return to His Eternal Kingdom of Love from
 whence our first ancestors, Adam and Eve, were
banished due to their Disobedience to God. 
Furthermore,  AS WE GAIN SPIRITUAL MATURITY, WE MUST –
 WITH DEEP HUMILITY AND LOVE FOR OUR FELLOW SINNERS -
BESEECH GOD FOR HIS DIVINE GRACE AND WISDOM so that
 we can properly and successfully advise, encourage,
support and assist those who are Spiritually Weak and
Lost,  as well as those who have fallen into a
dangerous state of Spiritual Death.
 
THE CRUCIAL VIRTUES BY DIVINE GRACE OF HUMILITY AND LOVE, PREVENT US FROM BEING JUDGEMENTAL,
 ARROGANT, DISPARAGING OR INSENSITIVE towards our
suffering and ailing Brethren.
 ARE SPIRITUAL PRIDE RESULTING IN THE LOSS OF DIVINE
GRACE AND CAUSING OUR OWN SPIRITUAL DEATH.
 WE ARE ALL JOURNEYING THROUGH THIS TEMPORARY,
PREPARATORY LIFE TOGETHER AND WE ARE ALL SINNERS
 WHO ARE STRUGGLING TOWARDS THE SAME ULTIMATE
DESTINATION – ETERNITY – WHETHER WE ARE BELIEVERS OR
NOT!
Every human being has the same Sacred Task of helping, encouraging and supporting our fellow travellers.
   AS BRETHREN IN CHRIST AND DISCIPLES OF CHRIST WE MUST
“...bear each other’s   burdens...”   BECAUSE, SOONER
OR LATER, WE ALL BECOME A LITTLE FATIGUED OR WEAKOR DISCOURAGED BY THE OBSTACLES AND PROBLEMS
THAT WE MUST ENDURE.
SO THOSE WHO ARE STRONGER MUST NOT HESITATE TO HELP THE
 WEAK AND AILING FOR THIS IS  “... fulfilling the Law of Christ   ...”  WHICH IS THE ONLY SACRED PATH WHEREBY WE
CAN BENEFICIALLY ACCOMPLISH OUR LIFE’S JOURNEY – AND
WHEREBY WE WILL BE JUDGED!   
T H E H O L Y G O S P E L  A C C O R D I N G T O S T M  A T T H E W 8   :   2 8   –   9   :   1 T H E T W O G E R G E S E N E D E M O N I A C S   
At that time, when Jesus went into the country of the Gergesenes, two demoniacs met Him, coming out of the tombs, exceedingly fierce, so that no one could pass that way. And suddenly they cried out, saying: “What have we to do with Thee, Jesus, Son of God? Hast Thou come there to torment us before the Time?”
A good way off from them there was a herd of many swine grazing. The demons begged Him, saying: “If Thou cast us out,
permit us to go away in the herd of swine.” And He said to them: “Go !” When they had come out, they went into the herd of swine. And suddenly the whole herd ran frantically down the steep
place into the sea, and perished in the water. Those who kept them fled. And they went away into the city and told everything - including what had happened to the the
demoniacs. And behold: the whole city went out to meet Jesus. And when they saw Him, they begged Him to depart from their region.
And He got into a boat, crossed over, and went to His own city. 
OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST’S CONTROL OVER ALL HIS CREATION IS
 ANOTHER SIGN OF HIS DIVINITY AND PROOF THAT HE IS THE
TRUE MESSIAH. THE DEMONS  who had taken possession of the two
 wretched men of Gergesene (or Gadarene) IMMEDIATELY RECOGNISED OUR LORD JESUS AS THE W ORD AND
SON OF GOD. THEY KNEW GOD  from the time when they were still His
Faithful Angels in Heaven – before the terrible
rebellion of Satan due to his devastating, arrogant sense of pride and disobedience to God and his subsequent expulsion from Heaven together with all those who had dared to rebel with him.
THEY ARE EXCRUCIATINGLY AWARE OF THE FACT THAT WHEN THE
FINAL D AY OF JUDGEMENT COMES, THEY WILL BE SENT TO THE
TERRIBLE  A BYSS,  THE OUTER D ARKNESS,  THE ETERNAL
CONDEMNATION OF A LIENATION FROM GOD AND EVERYTHING
GOOD, WHERE THEY BELONG. ETERNAL HELL WILL BE SO HORRENDOUS THAT EVEN THE WICKED
DEMONS FEAR IT. They also know that they may be able to tempt us and to
interfere with us in their constant obsessive hatred of mankind, but they have no real power over anything unless it is permitted by god according to his own divine plans for us.
   Although we may be subjected to their temptations,
 
Therefore, God allows us to be tempted SO THAT WE MAY
 
DEPEND ON DIVINE GRACE FOR OUR SURVIVAL AND
SPIRITUAL PROGRESS. Everything is according to Divine Grace and Providence
 yet the demons were shocked when, seeing Christ approaching, they thought their cruel torment of people was being terminated even before the Last Judgement.
 Although the malice of the demons causes such fear and
suffering THEY CAN DO NOTHING AGAINST THE W ILL OF GOD  so they had to beg our Lord Jesus to allow them to enter the herds of swine.
KNOWING WHAT WOULD HAPPEN NEXT, WHICH WOULD BE A GREAT
LESSON TO THOSE WHO WITNESSED IT, CHRIST PERMITTED THEM  to do so and the instant the destructive demons entered the swine, the poor animals went berserk, stampeded right over the high cliffs and drowned in the sea below.
Christ revealed His Incomparable Value of all human beings whose ETERNAL S ALVATION IS WORTH EVERY
SACRIFICE! The immediate eradication of the wretched, forbidden
herds clearly showed how God had protected His Beloved human beings who would otherwise have perished under such lethal demonic influence.
Furthermore, it emphasised the illegality of the
swineherds, which the Judeans were forbidden tokeep or to eat.  Another conspicuous but very sad aspect of this
Miraculous Incident, was the fact that THE GERGESENES
 WERE MORE CONCERNED WITH THE MATERIAL LOSS OF THEIR
FORBIDDEN SWINEHERDS THAN OVERJOYED AT THE RESTORATION
OF THE TWO MEN TO FULL SPIRITUAL HEALTH – and the fact
8/21/2019 2015 - July Sacred Lessons
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/2015-july-sacred-lessons 7/385  T H 
  AP  –  5  T H 
  O F S T M  A T T H E W –   T H E T W O G E R G E S E N E D E M O N I A CS –  S T  A T H A N A S I O S O F M O U N T  A T H O S 5  J U L Y 2015    7. 
that THE REGION HAD BEEN FREED FROM THE INTIMIDATION
SUCH FIERCE DEMONS. E VEN WHEN THEY CAME INTO THE  V ERY PRESENCE OF GOD,  THEY
 
M ANY OF US ARE THE SAME AS THE GERGESENES: we are MORE CONCERNED WITH OUR OWN TEMPORARY, WORTHLESS
PLEASURES AND PERSONAL PROPERTY THAN developing a closer, stronger and more intimate Relationship
 with God – PREPARING OURSELVES FOR ETERNAL LIFE IN
GOD’S HEAVENLY KINGDOM. Our Lord Jesus Christ had established Capernaum as His
“own city ,” from whence He and His Apostles would set out to spread His Divine Gospel of Love/ Agape .
5 T H    S U N D A Y  A F T E R P E N T E C O S T –   5 T H 
  O F S T M  A T T H E W –   T H E T W O G E R G E S E N E D E M O N I A C S    In the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy
Spirit, Amen.
Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory Forever! Brethren: Today’s Sacred Lesson reminds me of a Priest
who told me a little story connected to this particular Reading.
Every year, about this time of year, their Parish Priest would take a vacation; and every year the same retired Priest from Russia would cover for him.
The Retired Priest was well liked even though he could be something of a curmudgeon (spoilsport)….perhaps that’s why they liked him.
By some coincidence (or maybe not) every year when the old Priest came to visit, it happened to be the 5 th Sunday After Pentecost – the 5th  Sunday of St Matthew – the account of the Gergesene Demoniacs and the forbidden swineherds.
One year as he was about to begin his Homily on the Gospel Reading, he signed deeply and was heard to mutter: “Again, with the pigs already! Always it’s the pigs!” ….and that was the extent of his Homily that year.
He had run out of significant material to preach after going to that same church year after year.
He had given as many different spins on that particular Sacred Lesson as there are ways to cook pork – and as we know only too well in the South…that’s a lot of Sermons!
Today’s Gospel is, however, very important for us. These particular events are recounted in three of the Holy
Gospels by St Matthew, St Mark and St Luke. It is not by chance that this Encounter is one of the
prescribed Readings of our Orthodox Lectionary, for it
has significant Truths to which we need to pay carefulattention!   The first Truth that we hear concerns THE TRUE IDENTITY
OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST. Without any kind of ambiguity, the demons instantly
identified and acknowledged the Eternal Word and Son of God: “What have we to do with Thee,  Jesus, Son of God ?”
Shortly before this Encounter, our Lord Jesus had calmed the storm-tossed waters of the sea and those with Him had asked the vital question: “Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?”  
Even His Disciples – some of whom had grown up with Him – were at times a bit confused as His True Identity.
St Peter’s Confession of our Lord Jesus being ‘the Christ - the Son of the Living God’ would occur later.
Now they were simply wondering in utter awe as to what manner of Man this was Who could calm the stormy seas with a mere word of command.
The demons immediately recognise and know exactly Who Christ is and, due to their deep-seated wickedness, they fear Him and the terrible consequences of their evil existence. “Hast Thou come there to torment us before the Time?”  
It is important to note that demons always show their great Fear of Christ, so that those who were against our Lord could never say that the words the demons spoke to Him was some sort of ‘flattery.’
Their fear of God reveals the depth of their enmity, for they are neither His friends nor His Disciples or followers.
  The next Truth is the demons’ total lack of power over
God’s Creation or His beloved creatures, mankind. Many may wonder what the herds of swine have to do with
anything or why they were involved at all - and why were they destroyed…poor creatures.
The fact that the demons begged Christ to allow them to enter the herds of swine is clear evidence that they are
powerless, for they could not do so without God’s permission.
However, the instant the demons enter those poor herds of swine, the animals went berserk and stampeded right over the high cliffs, and perished in the sea.
Those forbidden herds of swine were destroyed by the infestation of the demons, yet the men were not.
Our Holy Church Fathers point out that the destruction of the herds of swine shows how destructive demons are – for evil cannot create or build or preserve anything that is good or worthwhile – they can only deceive and destroy or cause others to destroy themselves.
When the demons were confronted with Christ, they had ask to be allowed to enter those poor animals, rather than being sent to the hideous Eternal Abyss, where they are destined to spend Eternity.
Then with one word, “Go” our Lord permits them, knowing full well what was about to happen.
This confirms the Truth that everything is according to Divine Providence.
St John Chrysostom commented: “His Providence is not only over all in common, but also over each in particular…”  
By this St John meant that GOD PAYS ATTENTION TO THE
MINUTEST DETAILS. As Christ told His Disciples….even the hairs of their head
are numbered. EVEN THOUGH HE PERMITS THE DEMONS TO ACT,  (IN ORDER TO
TEST AND TO STRENGTHEN OUR FAITH)  GOD LIMITS THE
EXTENT OF THEIR ABILITY TO HARM US –  AND THEY CAN
NEVER KILL US! (DEMONS DO TRY TO MAKE US DESTROY OR EVEN
KILL OURSELVES – TO DO ANYTHING THAT WILL ALIENATE US FROM
GOD, HIS DIVINE LOVE AND ALL HIS GOODNESS.)
Even for the unbeliever and the sinner, our Lord restrainsthe abilities of the devil, (for He Loves all mankind and His
Love and Benevolence is extended to all his creatures, great and
small.)  Although this Legion of demons could not destroy the
Gergesene men, the herds of swine did not have the same degree of Divine Protection as we human beings, for animals are not created in the Likeness and Image of Almighty God as we are and being so, we are more precious to God than his other earthly creatures.
We must understand that ALTHOUGH GOD ALLOWS   CERTAIN
WICKED THINGS TO HAPPEN HE IS NEITHER THE INVENTOR NOR
THE CAUSE OF DESTRUCTION AND EVIL. God permits certain negative things to happen because He
Loves us and has granted us free will to make choices for ourselves.
We are permitted to choose good as well as evil, thereby gaining experience and learning to make more intelligent choices throughout this preparatory period.
Only when we have experienced the good and bad of life, do we realise the difference between being close to God and being alienated from His Divine Love and Grace.
The Divine Authority and Power of Almighty God is clearly evident from the fact that the demons had to get permission from Christ to enter into the unsuspecting herds of swine.
Our free will to choose good or evil is also demonstrated by the reaction of the Gergesenes (or Gadarenes) to the Divine Presence of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Although they were intensely shocked and angry at the destruction of their illegal herds of swine, they did not rejoice at the full recovery of the two Demoniacs – two
of their own citizens! Neither did they welcome our Saviour into their midst, nor
did they seek forgiveness for for their sinful lifestyles. Instead they “asked” our Lord Jesus Christ to immediately
leave their region - perhaps fearing His discovery of the depth of their wickedness and depravity.
8/21/2019 2015 - July Sacred Lessons
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/2015-july-sacred-lessons 8/388. 5  T H 
  AP  –   5  T H 
  O F S T M  A T T H E W –   T H E T W O G E R G E S E N E D E M O N I A CS –  S T  A T H A N A S I O S O F M O U N T  A T H O S -   5  J U L Y 2015  
And because God never forces Himself on anyone, our Lord left that place and returned to Capernaum.
The Gergesenes’ greed and obsession with earthly wealth and possessions had hardened their heart and blinded them to the Great Eternal Treasure Who stood before them!
Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, is the Priceless, Perfect Pearl, which they rejected, for they desired only temporary wealth and self-indulgent, destructive lifestyles instead.
When Christ sent His Disciples out into the countryside to preach to the people, He instructed them to bestow His
Divine Peace upon those who were worthy – those whoaccepted His Divine Truth - but if the people were unworthy and rejected His Teachings and Commandments, they were to “...shake the dust from their sandals...”   signifying their denunciation of that place.
“Truly, I say to you: it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the Day of Judgement than for that city.”  
Pig farming in Palestine doesn’t seem to have been such a good idea back then…especially if it meant losing Eternal Salvation.
Nevertheless, the Gergesenes made their free choice , just as we all do - every moment of the day and night.
Those who make temporary, self-indulgent and greedy worldly choices rather than embracing the True
Teachings and Commandments of our Saviour, are like the Gergesene demoniacs.
They may be fully clothed, and they may be active, mentally healthy members of society, but in actuality they are stripped naked of the True Glory of our Lord, and they mutilate themselves - not with sharp stones as mentioned by St Mark and St Luke - but with grievous sins that are far worse and which have Eternal Consequences!
Finally, we learn perhaps the most important Sacred Lesson of all: our Lord Jesus Christ does not stay where He is not wanted!
This is clearly evident from the fact that when the Gergesenes wanted Him to leave their region immediately, He did what they wanted.
God left the wilful, disobedient Gergesenes to their own
wicked devices. However, He did not leave them without Hope. In the Gospels according to St Mark and St Luke, only one
demoniac is mentioned. Our Holy Church Fathers believe that this does not
contradict the same account of St Matthew, but that the
one demoniac who was mentioned in the other versions, was the fiercer, more terrifying of the two Gergesene demoniacs - being the one who made more of an impression on the eyewitnesses.
According to St Mark and St Luke, the former demoniac wanted to stay with Christ and to accompany them, for he did not want to be separated from the Source and Joy of his Salvation.
Nevertheless, our Lord Jesus did not allow him to follow Him and His Disciples.
Instead our Saviour placed the man in the midst of those who had rejected Him - instructing him: “Go home to
 your friends, and tell them what Great Things theLord has done for you, and how He has had Compassion on you.”  (MARK 5:19). 
According to St Luke, the restored Gadarene “...went his way and proclaimed throughout the whole city what Great Things Jesus had done for him.”
Our infinitely Wise and Compassionate Lord God had made the healed Gadarene, a Missionary of His Divine Truth!
Each of us, too, has similar stories to relate concerning the wonderful Things that our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, has done for us.
We are always surrounded by many unbelievers and sceptics.
This Gospel account of God’s Divine Love and Providence for all mankind should encourage and inspire us.
We should not resist confessing the infinite Goodness of
God to all our neighbours – to all with whom we come into contact.
As Faithful Disciples of Christ, we should joyously proclaim all His Goodness and Blessings – all the great things and even the small things that our Loving and Benevolent Lord has granted us, as unworthy as we are!
We live in a Spiritually Starved and Thirsty world, so we should inform others that there is far more than mere pork to eat.
Indeed there is a Great Banquet, which not only satisfies our Spiritual Hunger and Thirst, but which also grants us Eternal Life!
In the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, Amen.
Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory Forever! Amen
F  A T H E R P H I L I P K O N T O S    S T P E T E R T H E  A P O S T L E O R T H O D O X C H R I S T I A N M I S S I O N   
O R T H O D O X C H U R C H I N  A M E R I CA    J UP I T E R  ,   FL  
‘ M I N D F U L N E S S M E D I T A T I O N  ’   O R P R A Y E R  ? Feeling stressed and burdened with hectic schedules, many
people are flocking to meditation training centres. A recent newspaper article reported: “Meditation –
primarily a 2,500 year old form called ‘mindfulness meditation’ – that emphasises paying attention to the present moment, has gone viral. The unrelenting siege on our attention can take a good share of the credit. Stress has bombarded people – from executives on 24/7
schedules, to kids who feel the pressure to ‘succeed’ even before puberty. Meditation has been lauded as a way to reduce stress, ease physical ailments like headaches, and increase compassion and productivity.”
Orthodox Christianity has a more definite, surer way of finding a Joyful Lifestyle.
Instead of ‘mindfulness meditation’ the Holy Church of Christ teaches us the Way of Prayer – especially the ‘Jesus Prayer’ - ‘the Prayer of the Heart.’
When this Prayer is based on our Faith in Jesus Christ, and our full participation in the Mystical (Sacramental) Life of the Holy Church, we find an even greater Peace than can ever be found with ‘mindfulness meditation.’
Being ‘mindful’ – or ‘Watchful’ as Orthodoxy teaches us – is extremely important to our Spiritual Well Being.
In order to be Watchful, we must have a mind that is
controlled and not easily swayed from East to West, from heights to depths, based on the surrounding stimulus we receive from our senses.
The form of Prayer that has been taught since the time of Christ, is to repeat over and over with heartfelt sincerity: “O Lord, Jesus Christ, have Mercy on me, a sinner!”
This is not a ‘mantra.’ This is a short, powerful Prayer that affirms and Confesses our Faith in Christ, and acknowledges how far we are from the Way of Life in Christ that our Saviour taught us, beseeching His Help, Mercy and Forgiveness.
By repeating it over and over each morning, noon and night for at least 15 minutes every day, then expanding it to 30 minutes, etc, the Prayer becomes programmed into
our physical and Spiritual Being through the interconnection of the neurons in our brain.
Eventually the Prayer of the Heart becomes a Prayer that is ceaselessly with us and part of us, linking all our words, thoughts and deeds with the Divine Will of God.
We begin by praying this Prayer verbally, until when God allows, we find we can say it in our mind with very few distractions.
The Discipline of Sincere Prayer is to develop the ability to reject the distractions – the thoughts that try to distract us from Prayer – which takes much time and effort to achieve.
Instead of spending time on ‘mindfulness meditation,’ we must use every precious moment for Prayer, and we will soon realise the great benefits on all levels.
Many reject such Prayer, thinking that Spiritual Disciplines
are only for Monastics, but truly, if we are able to follow the Teachings of Christ, we certainly need Divine Help, plus making every effort to control our bodily passions,
which is why the Jesus Prayer and Fasting are emphasised. If we can control our mind with Divine Help, we will receive more Divine Grace to do all He Commands! http://orthodoxwayoflife.blogspot.com/2015/04 
8/21/2019 2015 - July Sacred Lessons
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/2015-july-sacred-lessons 9/38. S T K Y R I A K E T H E G R E A T V I R G I N M  A R T Y R O F N I C O M E D I A 7   J U L Y 2 0 1 4    9.
G r e e k O r t h o d o x P a t r i a r c h a t e o f A l e x a n d r i a & A l l A f r i c a A r c h d i o c e s e o f G o o d H o p e
 All Glory, Honour and Worship to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and Forever, and unto the Ages of Ages. Amen Remembering also our Most Holy, Most Pure, Most Blessed and Glorious Lady, Mary, Theotokos yet Ever  Virgin, together with all the Saints. And let us commit ourselves and one another and our whole Life to Christ our God. Amen.
 7 July 2015
 St Kyriake (Domnica) the Great Martyr of Nicomedia Also the Feast of St Thomas of Mount Maleon – St Akakios of Mount Sinai – St Evdokia/Euphrosyne, Grand Duchess of Moscow – St Peregrinos, St Lucianos, St Pompeios, St Hesychios, St Papios, St Saturninos & St Germanos of Dyrrachium, Macedonia – St Evangelikos, Bishop of Tomis, Constanta, Romania - St
F E S T A L  A P O L Y T I K I O N –   S T K Y R I A K E –   T O N E 4
K  yrion ton Kyrion, ke Vasilea Hriston, ex olis igapisas, Kyriaki tis psihis, ke herousa ithlisas. Othen Parthenomartis, par’ aftou doxasthisa, vriis tis se timosin, iamaton tin Harin, tis pasin etoumeni, ptesmaton sighorisin. 
The Lord of all Lords, and Christ the King thou loved, O Kyriake, with all thy soul, and cheerfully contended for; thus as a Virgin Martyr, by Him thou were glorified and thou flow to all who honour thee, the Grace of Healing, by beseeching for all, the forgiveness of their faults.
F E S T A L  A P O L Y T I K I O N O F A F E M A L E M  A R T Y R –   T O N E  
I amnas Sou Iisou, krazi megali ti foni. Se Nimfie moupotho, ke Se zitousa athlo, ke sistavroume, ke sinthptome to Vaptismo Sou. Ke pasho dia Se, os Vasilefso sin Si, ke thnisko iper sou, ina ke ziso en Si. All os thisian amomomn, prosdehou tin meta pothou tithisan Si. Aftis presvies, os eleimon, Soson tas psihas imon.
O my Lord Jesus, Thine Ewe-Lamb, with a loud voice callsout: Thou, my Groom, do I long for, and suffer all in search for Thee, and I am crucified and buried with Thee in Baptism; and I suffer for Thy Sake, inorder to reign with Thee, and give my life to Thee so that I may live with Thee; but accept as pure Sacrifice, the one who desired to give her life for Thee. Through her Intercessions, O Most Compassionate, Save our souls!
K O N T A K I O N O F T H E E V E R B L E S S E D T H E O T O K O S   
P rostasia ton Hristianon akateskhinte, mesitia pros ton
Piitin ametathete, mi Paridis, amartolon deiseon fonas, alla profthason os agathi, is tin voithian imon, ton pistos kravgazonton Si: Tahinon is presvian, ke spefson is ikesian, i prostatevousa ai, Theotoke, ton timonton Se.
O Protection of the Christians unashamable, Mediation to
the Creator Immovable, despise not, the pleading voices of those in sin, but hasten O Good One, to the Aid of all who in Faith cry out to Thee: speed up Thine Intercession, and press on Thy Supplication, O Theotokos who forever protects all those who honour
Thee! P R O K E I M E N O N –   P S A L M 1 0 3   –   T O N E 4
How manifold art Thy Works, O Lord! In Wisdom Thou made them all.
Bless, O my soul, the Lord!
T H E F I R S T E P I S T L E O F S T P  A U L T O T H E C O R I N T H I A N S 1   :   1   –   9 Paul, Called to be an Apostle of Jesus Christ through the Will of God, and Sosthenes, our Brother – unto the Church of
God, which is in Corinth - to those who are Sanctified in Christ Jesus – Called to be Saints with all who in every place call upon the Name of Jesus Christ our Lord – both their’s and ours: Grace be unto you, and Peace, from God our Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ.
I thank my God always on your behalf, for the Grace of God, which is granted to you by Jesus Christ, that in everything you are Enriched by Him – in all utterance, and in all Knowledge – even as the Testimony of Christ was confirmed in you – so that you lack no Gift – waiting for the Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who shall also confirm you unto the End, that you may be Blameless in the Day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
God is Faithful, by Whom you were Called to the Fellowship of His Son – Jesus Christ our Lord.
T H E H O L Y G O S P E L  A C C O R D I N G T O S T M  A T T H E W 1 3   :   2 4   –   3 0 T H E W H E A T A N D T H E T  A R E S  
At that time, our Lord narrated this Parable: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a Man Who sowed Good Seed in His Field. While men slept, His enemy came, and sowed Tares among the Wheat, and went his way.
“When the Wheat sprung up, and brought forth Fruit, the Tares also appeared. The Servants of the Householder said to Him: ‘Lord, did Thou not sow Good Seed in Thy Field? How then does it have Tares?’ He said to them: ‘An enemy has done this.’ The Servants said to Him: ‘Does Thou want us to gather them up?’ He said: ‘No. While you gather up the Tares, you might also root up with them the Wheat. Let both grow together until the Harvest, and at the time of the Harvest, I will say to the Reapers: ‘Gather first the Tares, and bind them in bundles, which will be burnt. The Wheat gather into My Barn.’”  
S T K Y R I A K E T H E G R E A T H O L Y V I R G I N M  A R T Y R O F N I C O M E D I A    St Kyriake was the only child of St Dorotheos and St
Eusebia of Nicomedia, and as she was born on a Sunday – the Lord’s Day – she was named ‘Kyriake.’
A wealthy Magistrate wanted the young, beautiful and intelligent Kyriake to marry his son, and later, control her inheritance, which was vast enough for him to desire, but when he spoke to her parents concerning the Betrothal, St Kyriake informed him that she had made a Sacred Vow of Chastity and Obedience to God, for she had already dedicated herself to the Holy Service of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.
The Magistrate was infuriated and insulted by the audacity of the young woman who had dared to refuse his grand offer of marriage to his son, so he wrote a report to the wicked Roman Emperor, Diocletian, denouncing the entire family as Christians who offended the gods by refusing to offer sacrifices or to worship them.
Emperor Diocletian sent soldiers to arrest the family and have them brought before him.
He asked them to explain exactly why they refused to honour the Roman gods, which he himself honoured.
8/21/2019 2015 - July Sacred Lessons
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/2015-july-sacred-lessons 10/3810. S T K  Y R I A K E T H E G R E A T  V I R G I N M A R T Y R O F N I C O M E D I A    7   J U L Y 2 0 1 5  
St Dorotheos told him that the Roman ‘gods’ were false, man-made and lifeless, whereas our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, is the one True, Living and Almighty God.
Immediately St Dorotheos was sentenced to severe torture to ‘persuade’ him to renounce Christ and worship the Roman ‘gods.’
He was beaten until the torturers were too exhausted to continue – and since neither flattery nor torment had any effect, Emperor Diocletian sent St Dorotheos and St Eusebia to Melitene on the eastern border between Cappadocia and Armenia.
He ordered St Kyriake to be interrogated by his son-in-law
and co-ruler, Maximian, at Nicomedia.Emperor Maximian was immediately struck by her beauty, serenity and wisdom, so he urged her not to ‘throw her life away,’ promising her great wealth and marriage to one of Diocletian's relatives if only she would worship the pagan gods.
St Kyriake responded to all his flattery and material offers  by declaring her unwavering Faith in our Saviour, and that she would never ever renounce our Lord Jesus Christ – especially for worldly possessions and social status that was merely fleeting and which had no Spiritual Benefit for her Eternal Life.
Maximian was flabbergasted and deeply angered by this young woman’s daring rejection of such immense offers so he sentenced her to the humiliation of a public flogging in order to force her to submit to his will.
Once again, the soldiers who were delegated to flog St Kyriake, became fatigued, and had to be replaced three times.
Emperor Maximian was deeply mortified and offended by the steadfastness, courage and resilience of such a young woman, so he was even more determined to
 break her spirit completely. With that purpose in mind, he ordered his soldiers to take
St Kyriake to Hilarion, the Eparch of Bithynia, Chalcedon, whom he instructed to either convert her to paganism or send her back to him.
St Kyriake was subjected to the same promises, threats and punishment that Diocletian and Maximian had attempted, but Hilarion was just as unsuccessful as they had been.
St Kyriake had dared to challenge him to do his worst,
 because she knew that our Almighty Christ would help her to triumph over all their wickedness.
The executioners suspended by her hair for several hours, while others burnt her body with torches.
Not only did St Kyriake endure all this, she also seemed to  become more courageous under torture.
Eventually, she was taken down and flung into a prison cell. That night our Saviour appeared to her and Healed her
wounds – and when Hilarion saw her the next day, he
loudly declared to all the gathered witnesses that she had been healed by ‘the gods’ because they pitied her.
Then Hilarion turned to St Kyriake and urged her to go to the temple to give thanks to them.
She told him and all those who could hear her, that she had definitely been Healed by Christ – by our One True and Living God – and not by the lifeless idols.
However, she agreed to go to the temple and the Eparch rejoiced, thinking that he had finally defeated her – he had succeeded where the previous two Emperors had failed!
As she stood in the pagan temple, St Kyriake prayed
fervently that God would destroy the soulless, lifeless,man-made idols. Suddenly, there was a great earthquake that rocked the
ground and toppled all the idols, shattering them to fragments.
Everyone fled the temple in fear, leaving Hilarion and St Kyriake behind.
Instead of recognizing and acknowledging the Great Power of Christ, the Eparch cursed and blasphemed God as the Destroyer of his ‘ gods,’ whereupon a bolt of lightning struck and killed him.
St Kyriake was again sentenced to brutal torture by Apollonios, who succeeded Hilarion as Eparch.
The courageous young Martyr informed him: ‘In no manner can you turn me away from my Faith. If you throw me into the fire, I have the example of the Three Holy
Youths [Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego]; if you throw me before wild beasts, I have the example of Daniel the Prophet; if you toss me into the sea, I have the example of Jonah the Prophet; if you give me over to the sword, I will remember the honourable Forerunner [St John the Baptist]. Life for me is to die for Christ ."
And, indeed, by the Grace of God, when St Kyriake was cast into fire, the flames were extinguished. When she was thrown to wild beasts, they became tame and gentle.
Realising that they would never be able to forcibly convert her to paganism, Apollonios sentenced her to death by sword.
St Kyriake was permitted time to pray, so she asked God to receive her soul, and to remember those who honoured her Martyrdom.
Just as St Kyriake ended her Prayers, Angels of God took her soul before the executioner could behead her.
Pious Christians reverently received her Relics and buried them in a place of honour.
May her memory be Eternal and may she always Intercede with Christ our God for the sake of our immortal soul.
 ADAPTED & EDITED BY MP
HTTP://FULL-OF-GRACE-AND-TRUTH.BLOGSPOT.COM/2010 
L I V I N G A P E A C E F U L L I F E W I T H P U R P O S E    ...WE HAVE LOST MUCH OF OUR SENSE OF OUR TRUE SPIRITUAL
NEEDS. Our Faith has become ‘worldly’ because we have forgotten the Teachings of our Lord Jesus and our Holy Church Fathers – especially those concerning how WE
MUST STRUGGLE TO OVERCOME OUR PASSIONS AND THE
DEMANDS AND DESIRES OF THIS WORLD.St Seraphim of Sarov believed that the real Aim and Purpose of this temporary life is TO ACQUIRE THE HOLY
SPIRIT – TO ACQUIRE THEOSIS OR UNION WITH GOD. When we learn how to acquire the Holy Spirit, we will be
able to meet all the challenges and difficulties without despair - always find Comfort and Direction in the Divine Grace of the Holy Spirit.
A full Life is lived in the Hope of our own Resurrection,  joyfully preparing now in great anticipation for a Life of Union with God in His Kingdom.
We need to reflect on our Life, how we are living it, and give priority to our Spiritual Needs.
The Orthodox Way of Life nurtures our Spiritual Growth, leading us to a fulfilled Life - where our Purpose is clear, finding Peace in all situations, and ceaselessly giving Thanks to God for everything.
If we follow it with Faith, we will be fulfilled and energised, knowing that we are preparing for an Eternal Life with our God in Paradise.
1.  PRAY DAILY: A regular Rule of Prayer that includes Morning and Evening Prayers.
2.  WORSHIP & PARTICIPATE IN THE HOLY M YSTERIES: Attend and participate in all the Holy Services, especially
the Divine Liturgy, receiving Holy Communion as well as Repentance-Confession regularly. 
3.  HONOUR & OBSERVE THE LITURGICAL C YCLE OF THE CHURCH: Fully participate in all Fasts and Feasts. 
4.  CONSTANTLY RECITE THE ‘JESUS PRAYER’  - PRAYER OF THE
H EART
: Repeat our Lord’s Holy Name and the Prayer“O Lord Jesus Christ, have Mercy on me, a sinner!”   throughout the day or night. (Or ceaselessly pray: “Kyrie Eleison - Lord, have Mercy ”) 
5.  SLOW DOWN & ORDER YOUR LIFE: Set priorities and reduce the stress and friction caused by a hurried life. 
6.  BE SPIRITUALLY WATCHFUL: pay  full attention to your words, thoughts and deeds throughout the day and night. 
7.  TAME THE PASSIONS: Control your physical passions and desires with your soul by overcoming habitual sins, attachment or obsession to Spiritually Unprofitable things, and strive to achieve Virtue. 
8.  PUT GOD &  OTHERS FIRST: Free yourself from your selfishness and find Joy in helping others. 
9.  SPIRITUAL FELLOWSHIP: Regularly spend time with other Orthodox Christians for support and inspiration. 
10.  
READ HOLY SCRIPTURE &  THE LIFE &  TEACHINGS OF THE SAINTS &  OUR HOLY CHURCH FATHERS: Learn, be encouraged and guided by the Divinely Inspired and
Eternally Wise Writings of those who are Spiritually Experienced. 
HTTP://ORTHODOXWAYOFLIFE.BLOGSPOT.COM/2012/04/LIVING-
PEACEFUL-LIFE-WITH-PURPOSE.HTML
8/21/2019 2015 - July Sacred Lessons
 
G r e e k O r t h o d o x P a t r i a r c h a t e o f A l e x a n d r i a & A l l A f r i c a A r c h d i o c e s e o f G o o d H o p e
 All Glory, Honour and Worship to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and Forever, and unto the Ages of Ages. Amen Remembering also our Most Holy, Most Pure, Most Blessed and Glorious Lady, Mary, Theotokos yet Ever  Virgin, together with all the Saints. And let us commit ourselves and one another and our whole Life to Christ our God. Amen.
8 July 2015
 St Prokopios the Great Holy Martyr of Caesarea, Palestine  Also the Feast of St Theophilos the Myrrh-gusher of Zihnos, Macedonia – St Anastasios,
Hieromartyr of Ioannina – St Prokopios, Fool for Christ & Wonderworker of Ustiug, Vologda –
St Epitetos the Presbyter & St Astion the Monk, of Halmyris & Bithynia – Miracle of the
 Annunciation Icon of our Lady Theotokos at Ustiug – St Mirdat, King & Royal Martyr of
Kartli, Georgia
F E S T A L  A P O L Y T I K I O N –   H O L Y M  A R T Y R O F C H R I S T –   T O N E 4
O Martys Sou, Kyrie, en ti Athlisi Aftou to Stefos
ekomisato tis aftharsias ek Sou tou Theou imon. Ehon gar tin Ishin Sou, tous tyrannous kathilen, ethrafse ke demonon ta anishira thrasi. Aftou tes ikesies, Hriste O Theos, Soson tas psihas imon.
Thy Martyr, O Lord, in his courageous Contest for Thee
received Crowns of Incorruption and Life from Thee, our God. Since he possessed Thy Strength, he cast down the tyrants and destroyed the demons’ powerless presumption. Through his Intercessions, O Christ our God, Save our soul.
F E S T A L  A P O L Y T I K I O N –   S T P R O K O P I O S -   T O N E ( 5 )   P L A G A L 1
A grevthis Ouranothen pros tin efsevian, katikolouthisas
heron osper O Pavlos Hristo, ton Martyron kalloni Martys Prokopie. Othen Dinami tou Stavrou, aristefsas evkleos, katishinas ton Veliar, ou tis kakias atrotous, Soze tou potho Se garerontas.
Led towards Heavenly Piety, Thou Rejoiced like Paul, to
follow Christ, O Boast of Martyrs, Prokopios. Therefore, by the Power of the Cross, Thou were excellently Perfected, and deposed Belial. Save unscathed from evil, those who praise Thee with fervour.
F E S T A L K O N T A K I O N - T O N E 2
T o Zilo Hristou, to Thio pirpoloumenos, ke en to Stavro, to
Timio frouroumenos, ton ehtrhon to frigma, ke ta thrasi kathiles Prokopie, ke tin septin Ekklisian ipsosas, ti Pisti prokopton, ke Fotizon imas.
Zeal for Christ, devoutly aflamed, armed and protected
 by the Strength and Power of the Cross, Thou cast down the insolence and boldness of the enemy, O Prokopios, and Thou exalted the Honourable Church, excelling in Faith and granting Light to us all.
T H E F I R S T E P I S T L E O F S T P  A U L T O S T T I M O T H Y 4   :   9   -   1 5 My Child, Timothy: this is Faithful Saying and worthy of all acceptance, for thus we both Labour and suffer reproach,
 because we trust in the Living God, Who is the Saviour of all mankind, especially those who believe. These Things command and teach. Let no one despise Thy youth; but be an example to Believers - in word, in conversation,
in Charity, in spirit, in Faith, in Purity. Until I come, attend to reading, to exhortation, to Doctrine. Do not neglect the Gift this is in Thee, which was granted to
Thee by Prophecy, with the Laying on of the hands of the Presbytery. Meditate upon these things – give Thyself wholly to them – that Thy progress may appear to all. 
T H E H O L Y G O S P E L  A C C O R D I N G T O S T L U K E 6   :   1 7 - 1 9 ;   9 : 1 - 2    &   1 0 :   1 6   –   2 1
At that time, there went unto Jesus the company of His Disciples, and a great multitude of people out of all Judaea and Jerusalem, and from the coast of Tyre and Sidon, which went to hear Him, and to be Healed of their diseases. And they were vexed with unclean spirits; and they were Healed. And the whole multitude sought to touch Him, for there went Power out of Him, and Healed them all.
He called His Twelve Disciples together, and granted them Power and Authority over all demons, and to Cure diseases. And He sent them to preach the Kingdom of God, and to Heal the sick. And He said to them: “He who hears you, hears
Me; and he who despises you, despises Me; and he that despises Me, despises Him Who sent Me.”And the Seventy returned again with Joy, saying: “Lord! Even the demons are subject to us through Thy Name!” He said to them: “I beheld Satan fall from Heaven like Lightning. Behold, I grant unto you Authority to tread of
serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy. And nothing shall by any means hurt you. Notwithstanding this, do not rejoice that the spirits are subject to you –rejoice rather because your names are written in Heaven.”
In that hour, Jesus rejoiced in Spirit, and said: “I thank Thee, O Father, Lord of Heaven and Earth, that Thou hast hidden these Things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them to babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed Good in Thy Sight.”
T H E H O L Y G O S P E L  A C C O R D I N G T O S T M  A T T H E W 1 3   :   3 1   –   3 6 T H E P  A R A B L E S O F O U R L O R D J E S U S C H R I S T   
At that time, our Lord narrated this Parable: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field - the least of all seeds, but when it is grown, it is the greatest. And it becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in its branches.”
Another Parable that He narrated to them: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like Leav