Friday, August 20 / 7 (Church Calendar)
Saints of the Day:
Saints of the Day:
August 7 / 20. Afterfeast of the Transfiguration. Martyr Dometius of Persia and two disciples. Martyrs Marinus the soldier and Asterius the senator at Caesaria in Palestine. St. Poemen (Pimen) the Much-ailing of the Kiev Caves. St. Hor (Horus) of the Thebaid. St. Pimen, faster of the Kiev Caves. Translation of the Relics of St. Metrophanes, first Bishop of Voronezh. Virgin Potamia. St. Dometius of Philotheou Monastery on Mt. Athos. St. Mercurius, Bishop of Smolensk (Kiev Caves). Elder Anthony of Optina (1865). (Greek Calendar: Holy Ten Thousand Ascetics of Thebes. Hieromartyr Narcissus of Jerusalem. St. Hyperechius of the Paradise. St. Sozon of Nicomedia. St. Theodosius the New, healer of Peloponnesus. St. Nicanor, Wonderworker of Mt. Calistratus.) Repose of Elder Adrian of South Dorotheus Monastery (1853), and Schemamonk John the Blind of Valaam (1894). Repose of Elder Callinicus the Hesychast of Mt. Athos (1930).
Photo of the Day:
Finally got to fly in Edward Pierson's airplane. This is by far the smallest plane I've EVER been in, and it afforded me the chance to take the photographs I've been wanting to take. What a wonderful way to celebrate the afternoon of the Feast of the Transfiguration!
Quote for the Day:
"Without God (without His omnipresence) there cannot be any single motion of my thought or heart: if there is an action, there must be a reason; if there is a consequence, there must be an origin. This is why the Apostle says: 'Not that we are sufficient of ourselves' (capable) 'to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God' (2 Cor. 3:5). God Himself lives, and that is why my soul also lives."
St. John of Kronstadt
Scripture Readings for the Day:
2 Corinthians 11:5-21
Paul and False Apostles
5 For I consider that I am not at all inferior to the most eminent apostles. 6 Even though I am untrained in speech, yet I am not in knowledge. But we have been thoroughly manifested among you in all things.
7 Did I commit sin in humbling myself that you might be exalted, because I preached the gospel of God to you free of charge? 8 I robbed other churches, taking wages from them to minister to you. 9 And when I was present with you, and in need, I was a burden to no one, for what I lacked the brethren who came from Macedonia supplied. And in everything I kept myself from being burdensome to you, and so I will keep myself. 10 As the truth of Christ is in me, no one shall stop me from this boasting in the regions of Achaia. 11 Why? Because I do not love you? God knows!
12 But what I do, I will also continue to do, that I may cut off the opportunity from those who desire an opportunity to be regarded just as we are in the things of which they boast. 13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. 14 And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. 15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.
Reluctant Boasting
16 I say again, let no one think me a fool. If otherwise, at least receive me as a fool, that I also may boast a little. 17 What I speak, I speak not according to the Lord, but as it were, foolishly, in this confidence of boasting. 18 Seeing that many boast according to the flesh, I also will boast. 19 For you put up with fools gladly, since you yourselves are wise! 20 For you put up with it if one brings you into bondage, if one devours you, if one takes from you, if one exalts himself, if one strikes you on the face. 21 To our shame I say that we were too weak for that! But in whatever anyone is bold—I speak foolishly—I am bold also.
Mark 4:1-9
The Parable of the Sower
1 And again He began to teach by the sea. And a great multitude was gathered to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat in it on the sea; and the whole multitude was on the land facing the sea. 2 Then He taught them many things by parables, and said to them in His teaching:
3 “Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow. 4 And it happened, as he sowed, that some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds of the air came and devoured it. 5 Some fell on stony ground, where it did not have much earth; and immediately it sprang up because it had no depth of earth. 6 But when the sun was up it was scorched, and because it had no root it withered away. 7 And some seed fell among thorns; and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no crop. 8 But other seed fell on good ground and yielded a crop that sprang up, increased and produced: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.”
9 And He said to them, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”
Photo of the Day:
Finally got to fly in Edward Pierson's airplane. This is by far the smallest plane I've EVER been in, and it afforded me the chance to take the photographs I've been wanting to take. What a wonderful way to celebrate the afternoon of the Feast of the Transfiguration!
"Without God (without His omnipresence) there cannot be any single motion of my thought or heart: if there is an action, there must be a reason; if there is a consequence, there must be an origin. This is why the Apostle says: 'Not that we are sufficient of ourselves' (capable) 'to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God' (2 Cor. 3:5). God Himself lives, and that is why my soul also lives."
Quote for the Day:
St. John of Kronstadt
Scripture Readings for the Day:
2 Corinthians 11:5-21Paul and False Apostles
5 For I consider that I am not at all inferior to the most eminent apostles. 6 Even though I am untrained in speech, yet I am not in knowledge. But we have been thoroughly manifested among you in all things.
7 Did I commit sin in humbling myself that you might be exalted, because I preached the gospel of God to you free of charge? 8 I robbed other churches, taking wages from them to minister to you. 9 And when I was present with you, and in need, I was a burden to no one, for what I lacked the brethren who came from Macedonia supplied. And in everything I kept myself from being burdensome to you, and so I will keep myself. 10 As the truth of Christ is in me, no one shall stop me from this boasting in the regions of Achaia. 11 Why? Because I do not love you? God knows!
12 But what I do, I will also continue to do, that I may cut off the opportunity from those who desire an opportunity to be regarded just as we are in the things of which they boast. 13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. 14 And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. 15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.
Reluctant Boasting
16 I say again, let no one think me a fool. If otherwise, at least receive me as a fool, that I also may boast a little. 17 What I speak, I speak not according to the Lord, but as it were, foolishly, in this confidence of boasting. 18 Seeing that many boast according to the flesh, I also will boast. 19 For you put up with fools gladly, since you yourselves are wise! 20 For you put up with it if one brings you into bondage, if one devours you, if one takes from you, if one exalts himself, if one strikes you on the face. 21 To our shame I say that we were too weak for that! But in whatever anyone is bold—I speak foolishly—I am bold also.Mark 4:1-9
The Parable of the Sower
1 And again He began to teach by the sea. And a great multitude was gathered to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat in it on the sea; and the whole multitude was on the land facing the sea. 2 Then He taught them many things by parables, and said to them in His teaching:3 “Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow. 4 And it happened, as he sowed, that some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds of the air came and devoured it. 5 Some fell on stony ground, where it did not have much earth; and immediately it sprang up because it had no depth of earth. 6 But when the sun was up it was scorched, and because it had no root it withered away. 7 And some seed fell among thorns; and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no crop. 8 But other seed fell on good ground and yielded a crop that sprang up, increased and produced: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.”
9 And He said to them, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”
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