Daily Orthodox - November 17th, 2024
Today is the 21st Sunday after Pentecost.
Fasting Obligations
- OCA, GOARCH, Antioch: Fish, wine, and oil permitted.
Today, we commemorate...
1. Saint Gregory the Wonderworker, Bishop of Neo-Caesarea
This man of God and powerful wonderworker was called a second Moses. Gregory was born of pagan, but eminent and wealthy, parents. He studied Hellenic and Egyptian philosophy and became aware of the meagerness and insufficiency of pagan philosophy. He then turned to Christian teachers, particularly Origen of Alexandria, with whom he studied for several years and from whom he received baptism. Pure in body and soul, he wanted to dedicate himself solely to Christ God, for which reason he withdrew to the wilderness, where he spent much time in rigorous asceticism. His fame spread everywhere. Bishop Phaedimus of Amasea wanted to consecrate him Bishop of Neocaesarea. The clairvoyant Gregory perceived Phaedimus' intention and hid from the bishop's emissaries in the wilderness. Finally, Phaedimus consecrated him in a strange way, and Gregory had to accept the office of bishop. The Most-holy Theotokos and St. John the Theologian appeared to him in a vision, and St. John, at the command of the Theotokos, gave him the Symbol of Faith that is known by Gregory's name. Who can enumerate all the miracles of this second Moses? He had power over evil spirits, and over mountains and waters, healed every pain and infirmity, could become invisible to his persecutors, and clairvoyantly perceived distant events and men's thoughts. He ended his earthly life in the year 270, in great old age. When he arrived in Neocaesarea as bishop, he found only seventeen Christians in that pagan city. When he departed this life, he left the city Christian, with only seventeen pagans, and received the wreath of glory from his Lord in the Heavenly Kingdom.
2. The Venerable Nikon of Radonezh
Nikon was a disciple of St. Sergius of Radonezh, and his successor as abbot. When barbarians attacked Russia, Nikon prayed to God to remove this misfortune from the Russian people. Then St. Sergius appeared to him with St. Peter and St. Alexis (the reposed Metropolitans of Moscow) and told him not to grieve, for the assault was by God's permission and was for their good, but would pass and peace would reign once more. Nikon renovated the Monastery of the Holy Trinity and served as an example to many of asceticism. He entered into rest on November 17, 1426.
3. The Venerable Gennadius of Vatopedi
Gennadius was a monk of Vatopedi on Mount Athos, and had the obedience of being steward. During his time as steward an empty barrel was miraculously filled with oil. This miracle is ascribed to the Most-holy Theotokos, to whom the monastery is dedicated, and especially to her icon, which was nearby.
4. Hieromartyr Basil, bishop of Hamah (ca. 282)
5. Martyrs Zachariah the Cobbler and his wife Mary (3rd c.)
6. Martyrs Gregory, Victor, and Geminus, of Heracleon in Thrace (304)
7. 150 philosophers converted by St. Catherine and martyred at Alexandria (305)
8. St. Longinus of Egypt (4th c.)
9. St. Maximus (Maximian), archbishop of Constantinople (434)
10. St. Vulfolaic, stylite, of Trier (6th c.)
11. St. Gregory, bishop of Tours (594)
12. St. Hilda, abbess of Whitby (680)
13. St. John the Cobbler, of Olumba, Cairo, and Sinai (7th c.)
14. St. Lazarus the Iconographer, of Constantinople (857)
15. Martyrs Gobron and 133 soldiers, of Georgia (914)
16. St. Sebastian of Jackson and San Francisco, archimandrite and missionary (1940)
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).
Reflection
Reflections are added when it includes additional stories from the life of a saint commemorated today.
Let the following examples from the Life of St. Gregory show how God guards and saves the righteous from assaults. While he was still at the school of philosophy in Alexandria, St. Gregory preserved the purity of his soul and his body, as he preserved it to the end of his life. In this, he was an exception among the dissolute youth of that time. This evoked envy and hatred among his companions. In order to debase Gregory, they found a harlot to help them carry out an evil plan. Once, when Gregory was standing in the square with eminent teachers and philosophers, the foul woman approached him and loudly demanded that Gregory pay her the remainder due for impure relations with her. Some of the people present were scandalized, while others were angry at this shameless woman and began to chase her away; but she shouted even louder, demanding money. The innocent Gregory blushed, as any decent man would before such coarse slander, but he displayed neither anger nor hatred, and asked a friend to give her the amount that she sought so she would leave. The friend heeded Gregory, and gave her the money she wanted. But at that moment God let an evil spirit enter the woman and she fell to the ground and began writhing and convulsing, gnashing her teeth, and foaming at the mouth. Seeing this, everyone was terrified. But St. Gregory, innocent as a lamb, prayed to God for her, and the woman was healed and arose. Thus, instead of humiliation, Gregory acquired even greater glory.
Another example: When a bitter persecution of Christians took place, St. Gregory counseled Christians to hide, and he and his deacon hid on a hill. But the imperial soldiers caught sight of them and pursued them. When they were almost upon them, Gregory prayed to God for help, and God rendered them invisible to their pursuers. The soldiers searched for them in vain, and finally left without them.
Daily Scriptures
Slavic and Greek
- Epistle: Galatians 2:16-20
<16> knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified. <17> But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is Christ therefore a minister of sin? Certainly not! <18> For if I build again those things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor. <19> For I through the law died to the law that I might live to God. <20> I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
- Gospel: Luke 12:16-21
<16> Then He spoke a parable to them, saying: "The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully. <17> And he thought within himself, saying, 'What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?' <18> So he said, 'I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods. <19> And I will say to my soul, "Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry."' <20> But God said to him, 'Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?' <21> "So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God."