The hieromartyr Pancratius, Bishop of Taormina, was born when our Lord Jesus Christ yet lived upon the earth. The parents of Pancratius were natives of Antioch. Hearing the good news of Jesus Christ, Pancratius’ father took his young son with him to Jerusalem to see the greater Teacher for himself. It was during this period that the young Pancratius got to know the Apostle Peter. After the Ascension of our Lord, one of the apostles came to Antioch and baptized the parents of Pancratius together with all the household. When his parents died, Pancratius left behind his inherited possessions and went to Pontus and began living in a cave. He spent his days in prayer and deep contemplation. The holy Apostle Peter, while passing through those parts, visited Pancratius at Pontus. He took him along to Antioch, and then to Sicily, where the holy Apostle Paul then was. There, Saints Peter and Paul made St. Pancratius the bishop of Taormina in Sicily.
Like an arrow on fire, you were aimed at Taormina to kill the godless and to bring light to the faithful. You strengthened them in the faith by your preaching, and you finished your work by spilling your blood. O martyred priest Pancratius, pray for your flock and for all who cherish your memory.
You appeared to the people of Taormina as a star, and you became a priest-martyr for Christ, O Pancratius. As you stand before Him, pray for us who love you.
1 Corinthians 7: 24-35
Brothers and sisters, each of you should continue before God in the condition of life that was his when he was called. With respect to virgins, I have not received any commandments from the Lord, but I give my opinion as one who is trustworthy, thanks to the Lord’s mercy. It is this: In the present time of stress it seems good to me for a person to continue as he is. Are you bound to a wife? Then do not seek your freedom. Are you free of a wife? If so, do not go in search of one. Should you marry, however, you will not be committing sin. Neither does a virgin commit a sin if she marries. But such people will have trials in this life, and these I should like to spare you.
I tell you, brothers and sisters, the time is short. From now on those with wives should live as though they had none; those who weep should live as though they were not weeping, and those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing; buyers should conduct themselves as though they owned nothing, and those who make use of the world as though they were not using it, for the world as we know it is passing away.
I should like you to be free of all worries. The unmarried man is busy with the Lord’s affairs, concerned with pleasing the Lord; but the married man is busy with this world’s demands and occupied with pleasing his wife. This means he is divided. The virgin – indeed, any unmarried woman – is concerned with things of the Lord, in pursuit of holiness in body and spirit. The married woman, on the other hand, has the cares of this world to absorb her and is concerned with pleasing her husband. I am going into this with you for your own good. I have no desire to place restrictions on you, but I do want to promote what is good, what will help you to devote yourselves entirely to the Lord.
Matthew 15: 12-21
At that time the disciples approached Jesus and said, “Do you realize the Pharisees were scandalized when they heard your pronouncement?” Jesus replied, “Every planting not put down by my heavenly Father will be uprooted. Let them go their way; they are blind leaders of the blind. If one blind man leads another, both will end in a pit.”
Then Peter spoke up to say, “Explain the parable to us.” Jesus asked, “Are you, too, still incapable of understanding? Do you not see that everything that enters the mouth passes into the stomach and is discharged into the latrine, but what comes out of the mouth originates in the mind? It is things like these that make a man impure. From the mind stem evil designs–murder, adulterous conduct, fornication, stealing, false witness, blasphemy. These are the things that make men impure. As for eating with unwashed hands – that makes no man impure.”
Then Jesus left that place and withdrew to the district of Tyre and Sidon.
Icon courtesy of Jack Figel, Eastern Christian Publications – ecpubs.com
Wednesday, July 8 –
