Thursday, 19 December 2024

Thursday of the 26th week after Pentecost

228 days after Pascha · Tone 8 · Liturgy · Nativity Fast (Wine and Oil are Allowed)

Saints commemorated

Holy Martyr Boniface

290

He lived in Rome during the reign of Diocletian. He was slave to Aglais, the daughter of a Senator, and served as steward of her household and her large fortune. He also lived in fornication with her, and was addicted to drink. Despite these sins, he was kind, hospitable to strangers, and generous toward the needy. In time, Aglais became troubled in her conscience over her way of life, and began to think of the account that she would have to give to God for her sins. Some Christians told her of the holy Martyrs and, moved by their accounts, she ordered Boniface to travel to Tarsus and bring back relics of these holy ones. Boniface, still deaf and blind to the things of God, said jokingly, “And will you honor me as a Saint if I bring back my own body to you as a relic?” Boniface traveled to Tarsus with a large escort, well supplied with gold. He went straightaway to the Amphitheater, where he beheld a number of Martyrs being subjected to awful torments for the pleasure of the crowd, but bearing them all with patience and serenity. At the sight, the dissolute steward was touched by grace and felt his heart melt within him. He ran to the Martyrs, fell at their feet and kissed their chains, and loudly declared that he too was a disciple of Christ. So he too was put in chains, subjected to frightful tortures, and finally beheaded, rejoicing and praising God. Boniface’s escort, mystified by his long absence, made inquiries and were astonished to discover that their godless and sinful companion had met a Martyr’s death the day before. They paid fifty pounds in gold for his body and brought it back to Rome, thus fulfilling Boniface’s own unwitting prophecy. An angel of the Lord appeared to Aglais and said, “Arise and go to meet him who was once your servant and companion in sin, but has now become our brother. Receive him as your master for, thanks to him, all your sins are to be forgiven.” Rejoicing, Aglais received her former lover’s holy relics and built a church in his honor, where many miracles were wrought. Aglais gave away her fortune, devoted herself to ascesis and prayer, and was herself granted the grace to work miracles. She reposed in peace thirteen years later, assured that the sins of her past had been effaced through the intercessions of the holy Boniface.

Holy martyr Boniface of Tarsus

Saint Boniface was a slave in the household of Aglaida, a noble Roman woman with whom he lived in sin. Despite this, he was charitable, hospitable to strangers and merciful to the poor. Aglaida, repenting of her life, desired to obtain the relics of the holy martyrs to bless her household, and she sent Boniface with much money and rich linens to Tarsus in Cilicia, where Christians were being tortured. Arriving there, he was so moved by the courage of the martyrs that he openly confessed himself a Christian. Boldly rebuking the proconsul Simplicius, he was tortured cruelly: molten lead was poured into his mouth and he was cast into a cauldron of boiling pitch, but he remained unharmed. He was at last beheaded around the year 290, his blood mingling with milk as a sign of his purified soul. His companions, who had come with him from Rome, ransomed his body and brought it back to Aglaida, who built a church in his honour.

Holy martyrs Elias, Probus and Ares

The holy martyrs Elias, Probus and Ares were Egyptian Christians who suffered for Christ in Cilicia during the persecution of the emperor Maximinus around the year 308. Having visited Christian confessors who had been condemned to labour in the mines of Cilicia, they were arrested on their return as they sought to encourage the faithful. Brought before the governor at Ascalon, they boldly confessed Christ and refused to sacrifice to the idols. Elias and Probus were beheaded after long tortures, and Ares was burned alive. Their relics were taken up secretly by the faithful and were honoured for the working of miracles.

Righteous Aglaida of Rome

Saint Aglaida was a Roman noblewoman, daughter of an eminent proconsul, who in her youth lived in great wealth but in dissolute fashion, keeping her household servant Boniface as a companion. Awakening to the emptiness of her life, she conceived a desire for repentance and sent Boniface to Tarsus to obtain the relics of holy martyrs that they might pray for her. When he himself was crowned with martyrdom and his body was returned to her, she received it with great reverence, built a church to enshrine the holy relics, and from that day forsook her former manner of life. She gave away her wealth to the poor, freed her slaves, and lived for the rest of her days in fasting, prayer and almsgiving. She was granted the gift of casting out unclean spirits and reposed in peace fifteen years after her servant's martyrdom.

Saint Gregentius, archbishop of the Homerites

Saint Gregentius was born in the country of the Avars and from his youth shone with the radiance of grace, having been granted visions of angels and saints. After ascetic struggles in Italy and at Rome, where he was warned by an angel of his future ministry, he sailed to Alexandria. The patriarch, instructed by a heavenly vision, ordained him archbishop and sent him to the land of the Homerites in southern Arabia at the request of the Ethiopian king Elesbaan, who had defeated the Jewish king Dhu Nuwas in vengeance for the martyrs of Negran. Arriving in Taphar, Saint Gregentius set the church in order, preached to pagans and Jews, baptised many, and drew up a body of just laws known as the Nomoi for the new Christian kingdom. He held a famous public debate with a learned Jew named Herban, and at its conclusion the appearance of Christ in the heavens caused Herban and his fellow Jews to receive baptism. He reposed in peace around the middle of the sixth century.

Daily readings

Epistle

weekly cycle

1 Timothy — 1 Timothy 3.1-13

¹Faithful is the saying, If a man seeketh the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.

¹This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. ²A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach; ²The bishop therefore must be without reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, orderly, given to hospitality, apt to teach; ³Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous; ³no brawler, no striker; but gentle, not contentious, no lover of money; ⁴one that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity; ⁴One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity; ⁵(but if a man knoweth not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?) ⁵(For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?) ⁶Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil. ⁶not a novice, lest being puffed up he fall into the condemnation of the devil. ⁷Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil. ⁷Moreover he must have good testimony from them that are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil. ⁸Deacons in like manner must be grave, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre; ⁸Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre; ⁹Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience. ⁹holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience. ¹⁰And let these also first be proved; then let them serve as deacons, if they be blameless. ¹⁰And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless. ¹¹Women in like manner must be grave, not slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things. ¹¹Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things. ¹²Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well. ¹²Let deacons be husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well. ¹³For they that have used the office of a deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus. ¹³For they that have served well as deacons gain to themselves a good standing, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.

Gospel

weekly cycle

Mark — Mark 10.17-27

¹⁷And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?

¹⁷And as he was going forth into the way, there ran one to him, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life? ¹⁸And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God. ¹⁸And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good save one, even God. ¹⁹Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother. ¹⁹Thou knowest the commandments, Do not kill, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor thy father and mother. ²⁰And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth. ²⁰And he said unto him, Teacher, all these things have I observed from my youth. ²¹Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me. ²¹And Jesus looking upon him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me. ²²But his countenance fell at the saying, and he went away sorrowful: for he was one that had great possessions. ²²And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions.

²³And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto his disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!

²³And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto his disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God! ²⁴And the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them, Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God! ²⁴And the disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them, Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God! ²⁵It 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. ²⁵It is easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. ²⁶And they were astonished out of measure, saying among themselves, Who then can be saved? ²⁶And they were astonished exceedingly, saying unto him, Then who can be saved? ²⁷And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible. ²⁷Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for all things are possible with God.