The holy martyrs, wonderworkers, and unmercenary healers Cosmas and Damian were brothers born in Rome, and physicians by profession. They led strict chaste lives and were granted by God the gift to heal the sick. By their generosity and exceptional kindness, the brothers converted many to Christ. Their spiritual influence attracted the attention of the Roman authorities, and soldiers sought out the brothers to arrest them. Local Christians convinced the brothers to go into hiding to prevent their capture. Other Christians were arrested in their place which caused Cosmas and Damian to surrender themselves to the soldiers on the condition the others who had been arrested because of them be released. They confessed in front of the emperor Carnius (283-284), who became blind through the power of the saints’ prayers. All present were converted, even Carnius, who begged the saints to heal him. The martyrs met their end at the hands of their former teacher who grew jealous as the fame of his former pupils grew as word of their holy acts spread.
Today the people sing to God on high because He gave us doctors who practiced without fee. Let us sing to the holy Cosmas and glorious Damian: Since you have been given the grace to cure so freely, distribute it freely among those who venerate you.
Receiving the grace to heal from the source of miracles, you generously used it for those who called on you. Visit us in our spiritual and physical needs, holy doctors Cosmas and Damian, and seek mercy from Christ our God for us.
1 Corinthians 5:9 – 6:11
Brothers and sisters: I wrote to you a letter not to associate with immoral persons. I was not speaking of association with immoral people in this world, or the covetous or thieves or idolaters. To avoid them, you would have to leave the world! What I really wrote about was your not associating with anyone who bears the title “brother” if he is immoral, covetous, an idolater, an abusive person, a drunkard, or a thief. It is clear that you must not eat with such a man. What business is it of mine to judge outsiders? Is it not those inside the community you must judge? God will judge the others. (Scripture says,) “Expel the wicked man from your midst.”
How can anyone with a case against another dare bring it for judgment to the wicked and not to God’s holy people? Do you not know that the believers will judge the world? If the judgment of the world is to be yours, are you to be thought unworthy of judging in minor matters? Do you know that we are to judge angels? Surely, then, we are up to deciding everyday affairs. If you have such matters to decide, do you accept as judges those who have no standing in the church? I say this in an attempt to shame you. Can it be that there is no one among you wise enough to settle a case between one member of the church and another? Must brother drag brother into court, and before unbelievers at that? Why, the very fact that you have lawsuits against one another is disastrous for you. Why not put up with injustice, and let yourselves be cheated? Instead, you yourselves injure and cheat your very own brothers. Can you not realize that the unholy will not fall heir to the kingdom of God? Do not deceive yourselves: no fornicators, idolaters, or adulterers, no sodomites, thieves, misers, or drunkards, no slanderers or robbers will inherit God’s kingdom. And such were some of you; but you have been washed, consecrated, justified in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.
Matthew 12: 54-58
At that time, Jesus went to native place and spent his time teaching them in their synagogues. They were filled with amazement, and said to one another, “Where did this man get such wisdom and miraculous powers? Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t Mary known to be his mother and James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas his brothers? Aren’t his sisters our neighbors? Where did he get all this?” They found him altogether too much for them. Jesus said to them, “No prophet is without honor except in his native place, indeed in his own house.” And he did not work many miracles there because of their lack of faith.
Icon courtesy of Jack Figel, Eastern Christian Publications – ecpubs.com
Sunday, June 30 –
