1. COMMEMORATION OF THE APPEARANCE OF THE HONORABLE CROSS OVER JERUSALEM
During the reign of Emperor Constantius, the son of St. Constantine, and Cyril the Patriarch of Jerusalem, the Honorable Cross appeared about 9:00 a.m. stretching out from Golgotha to above the Mount of Olives. This cross was brighter than the sun and more beautiful than the most beautiful rainbow. All the people, both believing and unbelieving, left their work and, in fear and amazement, observed this heavenly sign. Many unbelievers converted to the Faith of Christ, and so also did many Arian heretics abandon their evil heresy and returned to Orthodoxy. About this sign Patriarch Cyril wrote a letter to Emperor Constantius [337-361 A.D.] who leaned toward Arianism. This occurred on May 7, 357 A.D. Thus, even on this occasion it was demonstrated that the Christian Faith is not worldly theorizing, according to sensual understanding of man, but rather in God's power, demonstrated through numerous miracles and signs.
2. THE HOLY MARTYR ACACIUS
St. Acacius was a Roman officer during the reign of Emperor Maximian. Answering for his faith in Christ at the trial he said that he inherited this devout Faith from his parents and was strengthened in it by witnessing the many miraculous healings from the relics of Christian saints. After courageously enduring great tortures in the Thracian city of Pyrrinthus, Acacius was taken to Byzantium where he endured new tortures until he was finally beheaded. He suffered honorably and took up habitation in the eternal kingdom of joy in the year 303 A.D.
3. THE VENERABLE FATHERS OF GEORGIA
In the sixth century and two hundred years after St. Nina preached the Good News in Georgia, the All-Holy Mother of God appeared to John, an Antiochian ascetic, and commanded that he select twelve of his disciples and go to Georgia to strengthen the Faith of Orthodoxy. And so he did. Arriving in Georgia, these twelve missionaries were solemnly received by the prince of that country and the Catholicos Eulalius and immediately began their work with zeal. The people gathered around them in masses and they strengthened them in the Faith with great wisdom and many miracles. The head of these Christ-loving missionaries was St. John Zedazneli and the names of the others were: Abidus, Anthony, David, Zeno, Thaddeus, Jesse, Isderius, Joseph, Michael, Pyrrus, Stephen and Shio. With apostolic zeal they all confirmed the Faith of Christ in Georgia, established many monasteries and left many disciples after them. Thus, they were made worthy of glory in the heavens and power on earth.
HYMN OF PRAISE
THE HOLY MARTYR ACACIUS
Acacius, soldier of the King Most High
For death, Acacius prepares,
With the incense of prayer, the soul censes;
And the godless judge asks him:
Why does not Christ, the faithful redeem?
Why does He not your tormentors punish,
When, Almighty God, you call Him?
The martyr to him, meekly replies:
Great in mercy, the Lord Christ is,
And in mercy and in patience, long,
Awaits repentance, from the sinner,
And patient suffering from the faithful
If the sinners, He immediately punished
How would His mercy, He proclaim?
And the righteous, if they would not suffer
By what would they show the power of God?
And by what would they before the world shine?
The word said - the head beheaded
Into Paradise, the soul ascended.
REFLECTION
"I recognized that I was indebited more and that I was forgiven much. I was called to the priesthood from juridical and public offices and that is why I am afraid that I not be seen ungrateful if I would love less than what was forgiven me." These are the words of St. Ambrose who was unexpectedly called by God to change vocations from a secular judge to become archbishop of Christ's Church. With these words the saint demonstrated how the priestly calling is greater than the secular calling; how to the priestly vocation he comes by God's calling and how he who is called owes thanksgiving to God. The debt of thanksgiving to God, all the saints considered as their main debt. Without thanksgiving to God there can be no progress in the spiritual life. Thanksgiving to God, without ceasing, is the fruitful seed from which, if it is watered by the tears of continual repentance, a beautiful fruit blossoms - love toward God.
CONTEMPLATION
To contemplate the Descent of God the Holy Spirit upon the holy apostles:
1. How the apostles stand in one mind at prayer;
2. How, suddenly, there came a sound from heaven as a rushing mighty wind.
HOMILY
About how by sins good is being turned back from man
"Your sins have turned back these blessings from you" (Jeremiah 5:25).
If you do not possess good in abundance, O people, that means you have sin in abundance. Your sins have turned your good from you. O people, if you wish good for yourself, reject sin and do not sin anymore and you will travel toward good, and good will come to you and good will not depart from you.
O man, if you do not have good, it means that you have sin. Good cannot dwell in the same house with sin just as light and darkness cannot exist in the same place at the same time. When light departs, darkness settles in and when the darkness departs, the light shines. Thus, sin and good can be interchanged but they cannot dwell together.
O my brethren, "Your sins have turned back these blessings from you." These words were not spoken by only one prophet, to one people only, rather every true prophet spoke these words to his people. False prophets flatter the sins of their people, and thus, assist them even more to turn back good from their people. The true prophets go against the sins of the people, for they go along with good and cry out against sin, in order to be able to introduce good, which is from God, in the souls of their people. If the beehive begins to smell, will the honey carrying bees enter it and deposit their honey in it? No! And when the irrational bees do not want to enter in a putrid and smoke-ridden beehive, then how will the rational Spirit of God enter a soul, putrid and smoke-ridden from sin? And the Spirit of God is the possessor and the dispenser of all good gifts.
O Lord, Holy Spirit, help Your people by Your irresistible power that they drive away sin from their soul; so that You would be able to enter inside with Your life-creating gifts.
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