The holy martyr Agapius and his companions: the holy martyrs Timolaus, Dionysius, Pausis, Romulus, Alexander, and another Alexander. They all suffered in Caesarea in Palestine at the hand of Prince Urban during the reign of the Emperor Diocletian. All seven were extremely young men, and none of them were Christians except Agapius. Neither were they baptized with water, but theirs was a baptism by blood. One day these seven young men were observing how Christians were being tortured: one in the fire, another on the gallows, and a third before wild beasts. Seeing with what great forbearance these Christians endures all their pain and suffering, these seven became inflamed with a zeal for Christ. They tied their hands behind their backs and came before Urban, saying: “We also are Christians.” The flattery and threats of Urban were in vain. These young men were joined by a distinguished citizen of this town, Agapius, who had previously suffered much for Christ. They became all the more inflamed in their faith and love for the Lord. All were beheaded in the year 303.
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.
These seven martyrs endured much for the Trinity, and by grace they destroyed many scheming devils. By their spirit they have been joined to the holy ones. By their prayers, O Lord, be generous to us.
Genesis 22: 1-18
After these things God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” He said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains that I shall show you.” So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac; he cut the wood for the burnt offering, and set out and went to the place in the distance that God had shown him. On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place far away. Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; the boy and I will go over there; we will worship, and then we will come back to you.” Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. So the two of them walked on together. Isaac said to his father Abraham, “Father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” He said, “The fire and the wood are here, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” Abraham said, “God himself will provide the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So the two of them walked on together.
When they came to the place that God had shown him, Abraham built an altar there and laid the wood in order. He bound his son Isaac, and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to kill his son. But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven, and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.” And Abraham looked up and saw a ram, caught in a thicket by its horns. Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. So Abraham called that place “The Lord will provide”; as it is said to this day, “On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.”
The angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven, and said, “By myself I have sworn, says the Lord: Because you have done this, and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will indeed bless you, and I will make your offspring as numerous as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of their enemies, and by your offspring shall all the nations of the earth gain blessing for themselves, because you have obeyed my voice.”
Proverbs 17:17 – 18:5
A friend loves at all times, and kinsfolk are born to share adversity.
It is senseless to give a pledge, to become surety for a neighbor.
One who loves transgression loves strife; one who builds a high threshold invites broken bones.
The crooked of mind do not prosper, and the perverse of tongue fall into calamity.
The one who begets a fool gets trouble; the parent of a fool has no joy.
A cheerful heart is a good medicine, but a downcast spirit dries up the bones.
The wicked accept a concealed bribe to pervert the ways of justice.
The discerning person looks to wisdom, but the eyes of a fool to the ends of the earth.
Foolish children are a grief to their father and bitterness to her who bore them.
To impose a fine on the innocent is not right, or to flog the noble for their integrity.
One who spares words is knowledgeable; one who is cool in spirit has understanding.
Even fools who keep silent are considered wise; when they close their lips, they are deemed intelligent.
The one who lives alone is self-indulgent, showing contempt for all who have sound judgment.
A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing personal opinion.
When wickedness comes, contempt comes also; and with dishonor comes disgrace.
The words of the mouth are deep waters; the fountain of wisdom is a gushing stream.
It is not right to be partial to the guilty, or to subvert the innocent in judgment.
Icon courtesy of Jack Figel, Eastern Christian Publications – ecpubs.com
Thursday, March 14 –
