Our venerable father Simeon of Saba in Persia, bishop of Seleucis and Ctesiphon, who, by the order of Sapor II, king of the Persians, was arrested and loaded with chains when he refused to adore the sun. Instead, he bore testimony to our Lord Jesus Christ with a bold and most steadfast voice. First he was tormented in a prison workhouse for a while with a hundred other companions from among bishops, priests, and other orders of clergy. Then, on the Friday of the Passion of our Lord, all of them were slain by the sword before the eyes of Simeon, who ardently encouraged each one. Finally he was beheaded.
The venerable Acacius, bishop of Melitene in Armenia. At the Council of Ephesus, he defended the orthodox faith against Nestorius and was then unjustly deposed from his See.
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.
Your memory has become clearer than sunlight, O holy Simeon and blessed Acacius. As good pastors you enlighten the faithful. We now keep your memory and cry out: Beg the only true Lover of Humankind to save us.
Acts 5: 1-11
In those days, a man named Ananias and his wife Sapphira sold a piece of property. With the connivance of his wife he put aside a part of the proceeds for himself; the rest he took and laid at the feet of the apostles. Peter exclaimed:” Ananias, why have you let Satan fill your heart so as to make you lie to the Holy Spirit and keep for yourself some of the proceeds from that field? Was it not yours so long as it remained unsold? Even when you sold it, was not the money still yours? How could you ever concoct such a scheme? You have lied not to men but to God!” At the sound of these words, Ananias fell dead. Great fear came upon all who later heard of it. Some of the young men came forward, wrapped up the body, and carried it out for burial. Three hours later Ananias’ wife came in, unaware of what had happened. Peter said to her, “Tell me, did you sell that piece of property for such and such an amount?” She answered, “Yes, that was the sum.” Peter replied, “How could you two scheme to put the Spirit of the Lord to the test? The footsteps of these men who have just buried your husband can be heard at the door. They stand ready to carry you out too.” At that, she fell dead at his feet. The young men came in, found her dead, and carried her out for burial beside her husband. Great fear came on the whole church and on all who heard it.
John 5: 30-47, 6: 1-2
The Lord said, “I cannot do anything myself. I judge as I hear and my judgment is honest because I am not seeking my own will but the will of him who sent me. If I witness on my own behalf, you cannot verify my testimony; but there is another who is testifying on my behalf, and the testimony he renders me I know can be verified. You have sent to John, who has testified to the truth. (Not that I myself accept such human testimony – I refer to these things only for your salvation.)
“He was the lamp, set aflame and burning bright, and for a while you exulted willingly in his light. Yet I have testimony greater than John’s, namely, the works the Father has given me to accomplish. These works which I perform testify on my behalf that the Father has sent me. Moreover, the Father who sent me has himself given testimony on my behalf. His voice you have heard, his form you have never seen, neither do you have his word abiding in your hearts because you do not believe the One he has sent. Search the Scriptures in which you think you have eternal life — they also testify on my behalf. Yet you are unwilling to come to me to possess that life.
“ It is not that I accept human praise — it is simply that I know you, and you do not have the love of God in your heart. I have come in my Father’s name, yet you do not accept me. But let someone come in his own name and him you will accept. How can people like you believe, when you accept praise from one another you do not seek the glory that comes from the One (God)? Do not imagine that I will be your accuser before the Father; the one to accuse you is Moses on whom you have such your hopes. If you believed Moses you would then believe me, for it was about me that he wrote. But if you do not believe what he wrote, how can you believe what I say?”
Later on, Jesus crossed the Sea of Galilee to the shores of Tiberias; a vast crowd kept following him because they saw the signs he was performing for the sick.
Icon courtesy of Jack Figel, Eastern Christian Publications – ecpubs.com
Thursday, April 16 –
