The holy martyr Agrippina was a Roman by birth. She did not wish to marry, and totally dedicated her life to God. During the time of persecution against Christians under the emperor Valerian (253-259) the saint went before the court and bravely confessed her faith in Christ, for which she was given over to torture. They beat the holy virgin with sticks so severely that they broke her bones. Afterwards, they put St. Agrippina in chains, but an angel freed her from her bonds. The holy confessor died from the tortures she endured. The Christians Bassa, Paula, and Agathonike secretly took the body of the holy martyr and transported it to Sicily, where many miracles were worked at her grave. In the 11th century the relics of the holy martyr Agrippina were transferred to Constantinople.
You were overcome with love of the heavenly Lord and turned from the world and care of the flesh. You endured the afflictions imposed on you, saying: Receive me into your love, O Christ, King of ages, for I am being consumed for You. Make those who honor you happy in his mercy, O most praiseworthy martyr Agrippina.
The radiant day of your shining virtues has arrived. On this day the Church of God honors you and calls all to cry out joyfully: Rejoice, O virgin and martyr, most honorable Agrippina.
Romans 14: 9-18
Brothers and sisters: Christ died and came to life again, that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living. But you, how can you sit in judgment on your brother? Or you, how can you look down on your brother? We shall all have to appear before the judgment seat of God. It is written, “As surely as I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bend before me and every tongue shall give praise to God.”
Everyone of us will have to give an account of himself before God. Therefore we must no longer pass judgment on one another. Instead you should resolve to put no stumbling block or hindrance in your brother’s way. I know with certainty on the authority of the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself; it is only when a man thinks something unclean that it becomes so for him. If, then, your brother feels remorse for the food he has eaten, you have ceased to follow the rule of love. You must not let the food you eat bring to ruin him for whom Christ died; neither may you allow your privilege to become an occasion for blasphemy. The kingdom of God is not a matter of eating or drinking, but of justice, peace, and the joy that is given by the Holy Spirit. Whoever serves Christ in this way pleases God and wins the esteem of men.
Matthew 12: 14-16, 22-30
At that time the Pharisees began to plot against Jesus to find a way to destroy him. Jesus was aware of this, and so he withdrew from that place.
Many people followed him and he cured them all, though he sternly ordered them not to make public what he had done.
Then a possessed man who was blind and mute was brought to Jesus. Jesus cured the man so that he could speak and see. All in the crowd were astonished. “Might this not be David’s son?” they asked. When the Pharisees heard this, they charged, “This man can expel demons only with the help of Beelzebub, the prince of demons.” Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said to them; “A kingdom torn by strife is headed for a downfall. A town or household split into factions cannot last for long. If Satan is expelling Satan, he must be torn by dissension. How, then, can his dominion last? If I expel demons with Beelzebub’s help, by whose help do your people expel them? Let them be the ones who judge you. But if it is by the Spirit of God that I expel demons, then the reign of God has overtaken you. How can anyone enter a strong man’s house and make off with his property unless he first ties him securely? Only then can he rob his house. He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters.”
Icon courtesy of Jack Figel, Eastern Christian Publications – ecpubs.com
Monday, June 22 –
