The holy prophet Elisha was a disciple of the prophet Elijah, and was himself a prophet in Israel from the time of King Joram to the days of Jehoash. Though his oracles do not remain, he nevertheless, by working miracles for foreigners, announced the coming of salvation for all people.
Our holy father Methodius, patriarch of Constantinople. While he was a monk, he betook himself to Rome to Pope St. Paschal the First in defense of the holy icons. Elevated to the episcopate, he solemnly celebrated the triumph of the orthodox faith with the restoration of the holy icons.
The glorious Elijah, an angel in the flesh, the greatest of the prophets and second forerunner of Christ’s coming, dispels diseases, purifies lepers, and showers all kinds of healing upon those who honor him, by sending a blessing from heaven upon Elisha.
Burning with zeal for the holy icons, O most wise saint, you boldly opposed the malice of the king. You were locked in a tomb and suffered torment, and for your labors you were exiled. Do not forget us who sing of your fame, O most blessed pastor Methodius.
O blessed Elisha, you lived the life of a prophet of God. You received an abundance of graces, and now together with Elijah, you intercede fervently with Christ our God for all of us.
You fought like an angel on earth and inherited heaven for a reward, O Methodius. Having clearly revealed the reverence that was due icons, you were subjected to agonies and terrible hardships. But this did not deter you from your path of truth as you condemned those who cast out the icons of Christ.
Romans 11: 25-36
Brothers and sisters: I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery lest you be conceited: blindness has come upon part of Israel until the full number of Gentiles enter in, and then all Israel will be saved. As Scripture says: “Out of Zion will come the deliverer who shall remove all impiety from Jacob; and this is the covenant I will make with them when I take away their sins.” In respect to the gospel, the Jews are enemies of God for your sake; in respect to the election, they are beloved by him because of the patriarchs. God’s gift and his call are irrevocable.
Just as you were once disobedient to God and now have received mercy through their disobedience, so they have become disobedient – since God wished to show you mercy – that they too may receive mercy. God has imprisoned all in disobedience that he might have mercy on all.
How deep are the riches and the wisdom and the knowledge of God! How inscrutable his judgments, how unsearchable his ways! For, [Scripture says:] who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor? Who has given him anything so as to deserve return? For from him and through him and for him all things are. To him be glory forever. Amen.
Matthew 12: 1-8
Once on the sabbath Jesus walked through the standing grain. His disciples felt hungry, so they began to pull off the heads of grain and eat them. When the Pharisees spied this, they protested: “See here! Your disciples are doing what is not permitted on the sabbath.” Jesus replied: “Have you not read what David did when he and his men were hungry, how he entered God’s house and ate the holy bread, a thing forbidden to him and his men to anyone other than priests? Have you not read in the law how the priests on temple duty can break the sabbath rest without incurring guilt? I assure you, there is something greater than the temple here. If you understood the meaning of the text, ‘It is mercy I desire and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned these innocent men. The Son of Man is indeed Lord of the sabbath.”
Icon courtesy of Jack Figel, Eastern Christian Publications – ecpubs.com
Thursday, June 13 –
