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Daily Orthodox - January 28th, 2025

Today is Tuesday of the 32nd Week after Pentecost.

Fasting Obligations

  • OCA, GOARCH, Antioch: No fasting obligations.

Today, we commemorate...

  1. The Venerable Ephraim the Syrian

Ephraim was born in Syria of poor parents during the reign of Emperor Constantine the Great. He spent his youth rather tempestuously, but suddenly a change took place in his soul, and he began to burn with love for the Lord Jesus. Ephraim was a disciple of St. James of Nisibis (January 13). Due to the great grace of God, wisdom flowed from his tongue like a stream of honey, and ceaseless tears flowed from his eyes. Industrious as a bee, Ephraim continually wrote books, orally taught the monks in the monastery and the people in the town of Edessa, and dedicated himself to prayer and contemplation. Numerous are his books and beautiful are his prayers, the most famous of which is his prayer recited during the season of Great Lent: "O Lord and Master of my life, a spirit of idleness, despondency, ambition and idle talking give me not; but rather a spirit of chastity, humility, patience and love bestow upon me. Yea, O Lord and King, grant me to see my own faults and not condemn my brother; for blessed art Thou unto the ages of ages. Amen." When they wanted to appoint him a bishop by force, he pretended to be insane and began to race through the city of Edessa, dragging his garment behind him. Seeing this, the people left him in peace. Ephraim was a contemporary and friend of St. Basil the Great. St. Ephraim is especially considered to be the apostle of repentance. Even today, his works soften many hearts hardened by sin and return them to Christ. He reposed in extreme old age in the year 378.

  1. The Venerable Isaac the Syrian, bishop of Nineveh (7th c.)

Isaac was born in Nineveh, and in his youth he lived an ascetic life in the Monastery of Mar Matthew, in the proximity of Nineveh. When Isaac became known because of the sanctity of his life and his many miracles, he was elected Bishop of Nineveh and was forced to accept that rank. After only five months, however, he left the bishopric and secretly withdrew into the wilderness, to the Monastery of Rabban-Shabur. He compiled many works, of which about a hundred homilies on the spiritual life and asceticism, written primarily from his personal experience, have come down to us today. He was unequaled as a psychologist and director in the spiritual life. Even such saints as St. Simeon of the Wonderful Mountain sought counsel from him. Isaac reposed in extreme old age toward the end of the seventh century.

[footnote: He is absent from the Greek hagiographical collections but is commemorated in the Slav synaxaria. Some historians suppose that Abba Isaac would have belonged to the Nestorian Church, which alone was present at that time in Syria-Mesopotamia. However, it should be noted that there is no trace of heresy in his writings. Moreover his preeminent authority in the Orthodox spiritual tradition justifies his inclusion in the Synaxarion.]

  1. The Venerable Palladius, Hermit of Syria

Palladius was a great ascetic and miracle-worker. Once, the corpse of a certain wealthy man, whom brigands had killed and robbed, was found in front of his cell. Palladius was accused of the crime. When Palladius was brought to court, he prayed to God in order to be spared misfortune, and through prayer he resurrected the dead man. Palladius reposed in the fourth century.

  1. The Venerable Ephraim of the Monastery of the Kiev Caves

Ephraim reposed in 1096. He instituted the Feast of the Translation of the Relics of St. Nicholas to Bari [Italy], which is celebrated on May 9.

  1. St. Valerius, bishop of Saragossa (315)

  2. St. John of Reomans (Gaul) (544)

  3. St. Ephraim, founder of the Sts. Boris and Gleb Monastery (Novotorzhok) (1053)

  4. St. Theodosius, founder of Totma Monastery (Vologda) (1568)

  5. New Hiero-confessor Arsenius (Stadnitsky), metropolitan of Tashkent and Turkestan (1936)

  6. New Hieromartyrs Ignatius (Sadkovsky), bishop of Skopin; Vladimir Pischulin, priest, at Simferopol, and Bartholomew (Ratnykh), hieromonk, at Feodosia (Crimea) (1938)

  7. New Hiero-confessor Archimandrite Leontius (Stasevich) of Jablechna (Poland), who reposed at Mikhailovsk (Ivanovo) (Russia) (1972)

  8. The Holy Martyr Chariss, who died after his feet were cut off

  9. (Greek cal.: St. James the Ascetic, of Porphyreon in Palestine)

For more information on today's saints or commemorations not provided, see https://www.oca.org/saints/lives (Slavic) and/or https://www.goarch.org/chapel (Greek).

Daily Scriptures

Slavic
  • Epistle: James 3:1-10

<1> My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment. <2> For we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body. <3> Indeed, we put bits in horses' mouths that they may obey us, and we turn their whole body. <4> Look also at ships: although they are so large and are driven by fierce winds, they are turned by a very small rudder wherever the pilot desires. <5> Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things. See how great a forest a little fire kindles! <6> And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell. <7> For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind. <8> But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. <9> With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. <10> Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so.

  • Gospel: Mark 11:11-23

<11> And Jesus went into Jerusalem and into the temple. So when He had looked around at all things, as the hour was already late, He went out to Bethany with the twelve. <12> Now the next day, when they had come out from Bethany, He was hungry. <13> And seeing from afar a fig tree having leaves, He went to see if perhaps He would find something on it. When He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. <14> In response Jesus said to it, "Let no one eat fruit from you ever again." And His disciples heard it. <15> So they came to Jerusalem. Then Jesus went into the temple and began to drive out those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. <16> And He would not allow anyone to carry wares through the temple. <17> Then He taught, saying to them, "Is it not written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations'? But you have made it a 'den of thieves.'" <18> And the scribes and chief priests heard it and sought how they might destroy Him; for they feared Him, because all the people were astonished at His teaching. <19> When evening had come, He went out of the city. <20> Now in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots. <21> And Peter, remembering, said to Him, "Rabbi, look! The fig tree which You cursed has withered away." <22> So Jesus answered and said to them, "Have faith in God. <23> For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.

Greek
  • Epistle: Galatians 5:22-6:2

<22> But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, <23> gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. <24> And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. <25> If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. <26> Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another. <1> Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. <2> Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

  • Gospel: Luke 6:17-23

<17> And He came down with them and stood on a level place with a crowd of His disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem, and from the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear Him and be healed of their diseases, <18> as well as those who were tormented with unclean spirits. And they were healed. <19> And the whole multitude sought to touch Him, for power went out from Him and healed them all. <20> Then He lifted up His eyes toward His disciples, and said: "Blessed are you poor, For yours is the kingdom of God. <21> Blessed are you who hunger now, For you shall be filled. Blessed are you who weep now, For you shall laugh. <22> Blessed are you when men hate you, And when they exclude you, And revile you, and cast out your name as evil, For the Son of Man's sake. <23> Rejoice in that day and leap for joy! For indeed your reward is great in heaven, For in like manner their fathers did to the prophets.

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