Our venerable father Joseph the Hymnographer, priest, who, was a monk, when the destroyers of holy icons were raging in the later part of the 9th century, was sent to Rome to seek the protection of the Apostolic See, and, after he had been afflicted with many trials, finally took custody of the holy vessels of the Church of Holy Wisdom.
Our venerable father George of Maleon lived during the 9th century. His parents arranged a marriage for him, but he refused to marry the woman they had chosen. Instead, he entered the monastery on Maleon in the Peloponnesus, and many disciples gathered around him. He was able to see the future and predicted his death three years before it occurred. In service to him, St. George is called an earthly angel and a wonderworker.
Troparion
O God of our ancestors, You always deal with us according to your everlasting compassion, take not your mercy away from us; but through the prayers of our ancestors, guide our lives along the ways of peace.
Kontakion for Joseph
You are a never-ending fountain of lasting penance, an unending river of comfort, and a depth of goodness, O Joseph. Give us tears of celestial repentance by which we might cry in seeking your help and find comfort from God through you, O holy one.
Kontakion for George
You sought to be a friend of Christ, and so you turned from worldly distraction. You lived like an angel on earth, O George. Therefore, we are in awe of your holy passing. Beg Christ our God to have mercy on us.
Epistle
Acts 2: 38-43
In those days, Peter addressed the people: “You must reform and be baptized, each one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, that your sins may be forgiven; then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. It was to you and your children that the promise was made, and to all those still far off whom the Lord our God calls.”
In support of his testimony he used many other arguments, and kept urging, “Save yourselves from this generation which has gone astray.” Those who accepted his message were baptized; some three thousand were added that day.
They devoted themselves to the apostles’ instruction and the communal life, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. A reverent fear overtook them all, for many wonders and signs were performed by the apostles.
Gospel
John 3: 1-15
At that time a certain Pharisee named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish Sanhedrin, came to him at night. “Rabbi,” he said, “we know you are a teacher come from God, for no man can perform signs and wonders such as you perform unless God is with him.” Jesus gave this answer: “I solemnly assure you, no one can see the reign of God unless he is begotten from above.”
“How can a man be born again once he is old?” retorted Nicodemus. “Can he return to his mother’s womb and be born over again?” Jesus replied: “I solemnly assure you, no one can enter into God’s kingdom without being begotten of water and spirit. Flesh begets flesh. Spirit begets spirit. Do not be surprised that I tell you that you must all be begotten from above. The wind blows where it will. You hear the sound it makes but you do not know where it comes from, or where it goes. So it is with everyone begotten of the Spirit.”
“How can such a thing happen?” asked Nicodemus. Jesus responded: “You hold the office of teacher of Israel and still you do not understand these matters? I solemnly assure you, we are talking about what we know, we are testifying to what we have seen, but you do not accept our testimony. If you do not believe when I tell you about earthly things, how are you to believe when I tell you about those of heaven? No one has gone up to heaven except the One who came down from there– the Son of Man who is in heaven. Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that all who believe may have eternal life in him.”
Icon courtesy of Jack Figel, Eastern Christian Publications – ecpubs.com
Thursday, April 4 –
