The holy bishop martyr Autonomous fled Italy during the Diocletian persecution and settled in Asian Bithynia at a place called Soreoi. There, he converted many to Christianity, and built a church for them dedicated to the holy Archangel Michael. Autonomous lived in the home of a devout Christian, Cornelius, whom he first ordained as a presbyter, and then consecrated to the episcopacy. Not far from Soreoi there was a place called Limnae, inhabited entirely by pagans. St. Autonomous went to this place and soon enlightened many with the Gospel of Christ. This embittered the pagans, and one day they rushed into the Church of the Holy Archangel Michael in Soreoi during the divine service and slew Autonomous in the sanctuary, and killed many other Christians in the church.
The Church calls us to celebrate your holy memory with faith, O splendid and glorious Autonomous, who pleased the Trinity. She rejoices and praises you. Pray for us to God, the only Lover of Mankind.
O most wise one, you worthily offered the Divine Mysteries, You became an acceptable offering, O God-blessed one. You drank from the cup of Christ, O most glorious one, O light of the whole world, pray unceasingly for all of us.
Readings for Saturday before Exaltation of the Cross
1 Corinthians 2: 6-9
Brothers and sisters: There is, to be sure, a certain wisdom which we express among the spiritually mature. It is not a wisdom of this age, however, nor of the rulers of this age, who are men headed for destruction. No, what we utter is God’s wisdom: a mysterious, a hidden wisdom. God planned it before all ages for our glory. None of the rulers of this age knew the mystery; if they had known it, they would never have crucified the Lord of glory. Of this wisdom it is written: “Eye has not seen, ear has not heard, nor has it so much as dawned on man what God has prepared for those who love him.”
Matthew 10: 37-42, 11:1
The Lord said: “Whoever loves father or mother, son or daughter, more than me is not worthy of me. He who will not take up his cross and come after me is not worthy of me. He who seeks only himself brings himself to ruin, whereas he who brings himself to nought for me discovers who he is.
“He who welcomes you welcomes me, and he who welcomes me welcomes him who sent me. He who welcomes a prophet because he bears the name of prophet receives a prophet’s reward; he who welcomes a holy man because he is known to be holy receives a holy man’s reward. And I promise you that whoever gives a cup of cold water to one of these lowly ones because he is a disciple will not want for his reward.”
When Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he left that locality to teach and preach in their towns.
1 Corinthians 10: 23-28
Brothers and sisters: “All things are lawful,” but not all are advantageous. “All things are lawful” –which does not mean that everything is constructive. No man should seek his own interest but rather that of his neighbor. Eat whatever is sold in the market without raising any question of conscience. [Scripture says,] “The earth and its fullness are the Lord’s.” If an unbeliever invites you to his table and you want to go, eat whatever is placed before you, without raising any question of conscience. But if someone should say to you, “This was offered in idol worship,” do not eat it, both for the sake of the one who called attention to it and on account of the conscience issue–not your own conscience but your neighbor’s.
Matthew 24: 34-37 & 42-44
The Lord said to his disciples: “I assure you, the present generation will not pass away until this (stress) takes place. The heavens and the earth will pass away but my words will not pass. As for the exact day or hour, no one knows it, neither the angels in heaven nor the Son, but the Father only. The coming of the Son of Man will repeat what happened in the time of Noah.
Stay awake, therefore! You cannot know the day your Lord is coming. Be sure of this: If the owner of the house knew when the thief was coming he would keep a watchful eye and not allow his house to be broken into. You must be prepared in the same way. The Son of Man is coming at the time you least expect.”
Icon courtesy of Jack Figel, Eastern Christian Publications – ecpubs.com
Friday, September 11 –
