Our venerable father Alexis was born in Rome to the pious and poverty-loving parents Euphemianus and Aglais. The couple was childless for a long time and they constantly prayed to the Lord to grant them a child, so the Lord consoled them with the birth of their son Alexis. After he moved to Edessa, Alexis sold everything he had, distributed the money to the poor, and began to live near the church of the Most Holy Theotokos under a portico. The saint used a portion of the alms he received to buy bread and water, and he distributed the rest to the aged and infirm. St. Alexis dwelt in Edessa for seventeen years. He secretly boarded a ship bound for Cilicia, intending to visit the church of St. Paul in Tarsus, but God ordained otherwise. A storm took the ship far to the west and it reached the coast of Italy. He journeyed to Rome and decided to live in his own house. Unrecognized, he humbly asked his father’s permission to settle in some corner of his courtyard. Euphemianus settled Alexis in a specially constructed cell and gave orders to feed him from his table. St. Alexis dwelt at the house of his parents for seventeen years and the Lord revealed to him the day of his death. Then the saint, taking paper and ink, wrote certain things that only his wife and parents would know. He also asked them to forgive him for the pain he had caused them.
Rich in poverty and clean of heart by virtue, you adorned your life by partaking in the passion. With a clean conscience you took up fasting and persevered in prayer like an angel. You glowed like the sun on the world, O most blessed Alexis.
You made your parents’ home that of a stranger, and you lived in its shelter as a beggar. When you passed from this life you were crowned in glory, and your reputation has become magnificent on earth. Rejoice, O Alexis, man of God and joy of angels.
Genesis 6: 9-22
These are the descendants of Noah. Noah was a righteous man and blameless in his generation; Noah walked with God. Noah begot three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japeth.
But the earth was corrupt in the view of God and full of lawlessness. When God saw how corrupt the earth had become, since all mortals had corrupted their ways on earth, God said to Noah: I see that the end of all mortals has come, for the earth is full of lawlessness because of them. So I am going to destroy them with the earth.
Make yourself an ark of gopherwood, equip the ark with various compartments, and cover it inside and out with pitch. This is how you shall build it: the length of the ark will be three hundred cubits, its width fifty cubits, and its height thirty cubits. Make an opening for daylight and finish the ark a cubit above it. Put the ark’s entrance on its side; you will make it with bottom, second and third decks. I, on my part, am about to bring the flood waters on the earth, to destroy all creatures under the sky in which there is the breadth of life; everything on earth shall perish. I will establish my covenant with you. You shall go into the ark, you and your sons, your wife and your sons’ wives with you. Of all living creatures you shall bring two of every kind into the ark, one male, one female, to keep them alive along with you. Of every kind of bird, of every kind of animal, and of every kind of thing that crawls on the ground, two of each will come to you, that you may keep them alive. Moreover, you are to provide yourself with all the food that is to be eaten, and store it away, that it may serve as provisions for you and for them. Noah complied; he did just as God commanded him.
Proverbs 8: 1-21
Does not Wisdom call, and Understanding raise her voice?
On the top of the heights along the road, at the crossroads she takes her stand;
By the gates at the approached of the city, in the entryways she cries aloud:
“To you, O people, I call; my appeal is to you mortals.
You naive ones, gain prudence, you fools, gain sense.
Listen! For noble things I speak; my lips proclaim honest words.
Indeed, my mouth utters truth, and my lips abhor wickedness.
All of them are straightforward to the intelligent, and right to those who attain knowledge.
Take my instruction instead of silver, and knowledge rather than choice gold.
[For Wisdom is better than corals, and no treasure can compare with her.]
I, Wisdom, dwell with prudence, and useful knowledge I have.
[The fear of the Lord is hatred of evil;] Pride, arrogance, the evil way, and the perverse mouth I hate.
Mine are counsel and advice; mine is strength; I am understanding.
By me kings reign, and rulers enact justice;
By me princes govern, and nobles, all the judges of the earth.
Those who love me I also love, and those who seek me find me.
With me are riches and honor, wealth that endures, and righteousness.
My fruit is better than gold, even pure gold, and my yield than choice silver.
On the way of righteousness I walk, along the paths of justice,
Granting wealth to those who love me, and filling their treasuries.”
Icon courtesy of Jack Figel, Eastern Christian Publications – ecpubs.com
Sunday, March 16 –
