Sunday, 15 September 2024

Sunday after Elevation

12th Sunday after Pentecost

133 days after Pascha · Tone 3 · Black squigg (6-stich typikon symbol) · No Fast

Saints commemorated

★ Holy Great Martyr Nicetas the Goth

372

The Holy Great Martyr Nicetas was a Goth, born and living on the banks of the Danube River. He suffered for Christ in the year 372. Saint Nicetas believed in Christ and was baptised by the Gothic bishop Theophilos, who had participated in the First Ecumenical Council. When pagan Goths began to oppose the spread of Christianity a civil war broke out among them. After Fritigern, leading a Christian army, defeated the pagan Athanaric, the Christian faith continued to spread among the Goths. Saint Nicetas worked tirelessly among his fellow Goths, teaching them about Christ. By his life and preaching he led many to the faith. Athanaric, returning to power, again raised persecution against Christians, and Nicetas was seized. He endured many tortures and was finally cast into a fire. Although his body was not burned, he surrendered his soul to God, and his relics were illumined by a radiant light. A friend named Marian recovered the body and carried it to Cilicia, where it was buried with honour.

Saint Philotheus the Presbyter, Wonderworker of Asia Minor

The holy presbyter and wonderworker Philotheus lived in the tenth century in the village of Mravin, also rendered Myrmix, in Bithynia in Asia Minor. He was a married priest and had children. From his youth he devoted himself to deeds of prayer and fasting and to works of charity, exhorting his people by both word and example. Because of his holy life, Saint Philotheus received from God the gift of working miracles. The ascetic continually fed the hungry and helped the needy of his region, hiding nothing of his own from those in want. He fell asleep in peace in old age, and after his repose myrrh flowed from his relics, by which many sick were healed.

Saint Symeon, Archbishop of Thessalonica

Saint Symeon was a monastic, theologian and Archbishop of Thessalonica during the early fifteenth century. Born in the second half of the fourteenth century in Constantinople, he took the name Symeon at his monastic tonsure; his secular name has not been preserved. Before his elevation to the episcopate he lived as a hieromonk in the imperial city, closely linked to the Xanthopouloi brothers and the hesychast community they had gathered. He was installed as Archbishop of Thessalonica in 1416 or early 1417, arriving as Ottoman forces pressed upon the walls of the city. Through years of siege, plague and famine, he strengthened his flock by tireless preaching, the celebration of the divine services and a great body of writing on the liturgy, the sacraments and the dogmas of the Church. His commentaries on the Liturgy, the temple and the Mysteries became foundational texts of Orthodox liturgical theology. He fell asleep in the Lord in the middle of September 1429, shortly before the city finally fell to the Ottomans in March 1430. He was glorified by the Church of Constantinople in April 1981.

Holy Martyr Porphyrius

361

“An actor, he first mocked at Christians before Julian the Apostate. On one occasion, when he was mimicking the Christian mystery of Baptism, he was dipped into the water, pronouncing the words: ‘In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.’ When he emerged from the water, he cried out: ‘Now I am a Christian!’ Everyone thought that this was in jest, as always, but he held firm to it, stopped mocking Christians and finally suffered for Christ. He was beheaded in 361, and entered into the Kingdom of Christ.” (Prologue) We rightly condemn worship that is purely external; but the life of St Porphyrius reminds us in a striking way that the ‘externals’ of the Faith have a power that can work to convert the heart of man. St Porphyrius used the words of Holy Baptism not only carelessly but mockingly, yet by God’s grace he emerged from the waters truly renewed into Christ.

Daily readings

1st Matins Gospel

Matthew — Matthew 28.16-20

¹⁶Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them.

¹⁶But the eleven disciples went into Galilee, unto the mountain where Jesus had appointed them. ¹⁷And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted. ¹⁷And when they saw him, they worshipped him; but some doubted. ¹⁸And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. ¹⁸And Jesus came to them and spake unto them, saying, All authority hath been given unto me in heaven and on earth. ¹⁹Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit:

¹⁹Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: ²⁰Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. ²⁰teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.

Epistle

— Sunday after Elevation weekly cycle

Galatians — Galatians 2.16-20

¹⁶yet knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, even we believed on Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ, and not by the works of the law: because by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. ¹⁶Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. ¹⁷But if, while we sought to be justified in Christ, we ourselves also were found sinners, is Christ a minister of sin? God forbid. ¹⁷But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid. ¹⁸For if I build up again those things which I destroyed, I prove myself a transgressor. ¹⁸For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor. ¹⁹For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God. ¹⁹For I through the law died unto the law, that I might live unto God. ²⁰I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I that live, but Christ liveth in me: and that life which I now live in the flesh I live in faith, the faith which is in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself up for me. ²⁰I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

Epistle

1 Corinthians — 1 Corinthians 15.1-11

¹Now I make known unto you brethren, the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye received, wherein also ye stand,

¹Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; ²by which also ye are saved, if ye hold fast the word which I preached unto you, except ye believed in vain. ²By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. ³For I delivered unto you first of all that which also I received: that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; ³For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; ⁴and that he was buried; and that he hath been raised on the third day according to the scriptures; ⁴And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: ⁵and that he appeared to Cephas; then to the twelve; ⁵And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: ⁶After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. ⁶then he appeared to above five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain until now, but some are fallen asleep; ⁷After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. ⁷then he appeared to James; then to all the apostles; ⁸and last of all, as to the child untimely born, he appeared to me also. ⁸And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time. ⁹For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. ⁹For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. ¹⁰But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not found vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. ¹⁰But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. ¹¹Whether then it be I or they, so we preach, and so ye believed. ¹¹Therefore whether it were I or they, so we preach, and so ye believed.

Gospel

— Sunday after Elevation weekly cycle

Mark — Mark 8.34-9.1

³⁴And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. ³⁴And he called unto him the multitude with his disciples, and said unto them, If any man would come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. ³⁵For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it. ³⁵For whosoever would save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s shall save it. ³⁶For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? ³⁶For what doth it profit a man, to gain the whole world, and forfeit his life? ³⁷Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? ³⁷For what should a man give in exchange for his life? ³⁸Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels. ³⁸For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of man also shall be ashamed of him, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.

¹And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That there be some of them that stand here, which shall not taste of death, till they have seen the kingdom of God come with power.

¹And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, There are some here of them that stand by, who shall in no wise taste of death, till they see the kingdom of God come with power.

Gospel

Matthew — Matthew 19.16-26

¹⁶And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?

¹⁶And behold, one came to him and said, Teacher, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? ¹⁷And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. ¹⁷And he said unto him, Why askest thou me concerning that which is good? One there is who is good: but if thou wouldest enter into life, keep the commandments. ¹⁸He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, ¹⁸He saith unto him, Which? And Jesus said, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, ¹⁹Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. ¹⁹Honor thy father and thy mother; and, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. ²⁰The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet? ²⁰The young man saith unto him, All these things have I observed: what lack I yet? ²¹Jesus said unto him, If thou wouldest be perfect, go, sell that which thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me. ²¹Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me. ²²But when the young man heard the saying, he went away sorrowful; for he was one that had great possessions. ²²But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.

²³Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven.

²³And Jesus said unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, It is hard for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven. ²⁴And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. ²⁴And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. ²⁵When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved? ²⁵And when the disciples heard it, they were astonished exceedingly, saying, Who then can be saved? ²⁶But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible. ²⁶And Jesus looking upon them said to them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.