The holy martyrs Manuel, Sabel, and Ishmael were brothers from an illustrious Persian family in the 7th century. Their father was a pagan, but their mother was a Christian who baptized them and raised them with firm faith in Christ the Savior. The brothers received their crowns of martyrdom after refusing to worship pagan gods during their service in the imperial army.
O Lord our God, your holy martyrs have deserved the crown of immortality on account of their good fight. Armed with your strength, they have vanquished their persecutors and crushed Satan’s dreadful might. Through their supplications, O Christ our God, save our souls.
O blessed martyrs, because of your perfect faith in Christ, you drank the cup of sufferings with generous hearts. You renounced the idols of Persia and proclaimed your belief in the Holy Trinity. O trinity of martyrs, intercede for us at all times.
Romans 11: 2b-12
Brothers and sisters: Do you know what Scripture says about Elijah, how he pleaded with God against Israel? “Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have torn down your altars; I alone am left and they are seeking my life.” How does God answer him? “I have left for myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” Just so, in the present time there is a remnant chosen by the grace of God. But if the choice is by grace, it is not because of their works – otherwise grace would not be grace. What then are we to say? Just this: Israel did not obtain what she was seeking, but those who were chosen did. The rest became blind, as Scripture says: “God gave them a spirit of stupor; blind eyes and deaf ears, and it is so to this day.” David says: “Let their table become a snare and a trap, a stumbling stone and a retribution: let their eyes be darkened so that they may not see. Bow down their back forever.”
I further ask, does their stumbling mean that they are forever fallen? Not at all! Rather, by their transgression salvation has come to the Gentiles to stir Israel to envy. But if their transgression and their diminishing have meant riches for the Gentile world, how much more their full number!
Matthew 11: 20-26
At that time Jesus began to reproach the towns where most of his miracles had been worked, with their failure to reform: “It will go ill with you, Chorazin! And just as ill with you Bethsaida! If the miracles worked in you had taken place is Tyre and Sidon, they would have reformed in sackcloth and ashes long ago. I assure you, it will go easier for Tyre and Sidon than for you on the day of judgment. As for you, Capernaum, ‘Are you to be exalted to the skies? You shall go down to the realm of death!’ If the miracles worked in you had taken place in Sodom, it would be standing today. I assure you, it will go easier for Sodom than for you on the day of judgment.”
On one occasion Jesus spoke thus: “Father, Lord of heaven and earth, to you I offer praise; for what you have hidden from the learned and clever you have revealed to the merest children. Father, it is true. You have graciously willed it so.”
Icon courtesy of Jack Figel, Eastern Christian Publications – ecpubs.com
Tuesday, June 16 –
