The holy wonder-workers and Unmercenary Physicians Cosmas and Damian and their mother, St. Theodota, were natives of Asia Minor (some sources say Mesopotamia). Their pagan father died while they were still quite small children. Their mother raised them in Christian piety. Through her own example, and by reading holy books to them, St. Theodota preserved her children in purity of life according to the commands of the Lord, and Cosmas and Damian grew up into righteous and virtuous men. Trained and skilled as physicians, they received from the Holy Spirit the gift of healing people’s illnesses of body and soul by the power of prayer. They even treated animals. With fervent love for both God and neighbor, they never took payment for their services. They strictly observed the command of our Lord Jesus Christ, “Freely have you received, freely give.”(Mt. 10:8). The fame of Saints Cosmas and Damian spread throughout the surrounding region, and people called them unmercenary physicians.
Holy unmercenary healers and wonderworkers, Cosmas and Damian, treat us in our weakness; freely you received, so freely give to us.
O most glorious physicians and wonderworkers who have received the grace of healing, you grant health to those in need. By your visitation, defeat our shameless enemies and by your miracles heal the world.
Ephesians 2: 4-10
Brothers and sisters: God is rich in mercy; because of his great love for us he brought us to life with Christ when we were dead in sin. By this favor you were saved. Both with and in Christ Jesus he raised us up and gave us a place in the heavens, that in the ages to come he might display the great wealth of his favor, manifested by his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. I repeat, it is owing to his favor that salvation is yours through faith. This is not your own doing, it is God’s gift; neither is it a reward for anything you have accomplished, so let no one pride himself on it. We are truly his handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to lead the life of good deeds which God prepared for us in advance.
Luke 8: 26-39
At that time when Jesus and his disciples came to the land of the Gerasenes which is opposite Galilee, they were met by a man from the town who was possessed by demons. For a long time he had not worn any clothes; he did not live in a house, but among the tombstones. On seeing Jesus he began to shriek; then the man fell at the feet of Jesus and exclaimed at the top of his voice, “Jesus, Son of God Most High, why do you meddle with me? Do not torment me, I beg you.” By now Jesus was ordering the unclean spirit to come out of the man. This spirit had taken hold of him many a time. The man used to be tied with chains and fetters, but he would break his bonds and the demon would drive him into places of solitude. “What is your name?” Jesus demanded. “Legion,” he answered, because the demons who had entered him were many. They pleaded with Jesus not to order them back to the abyss. It happened that a large herd of swine was feeding nearby on the hillside, and the demons asked Jesus to permit them to enter the swine. This he granted. The demons then came out of the man and entered the swine, and the herd charged down the bluff into the lake, where they drowned.
When the swineherds saw what had happened, they took to their heels and brought the news to the town and country roundabout. The people went out to see for themselves what had happened. Coming on Jesus, they found the man from whom the devils had departed sitting at the feet of Jesus dressed and in his full senses; this sight terrified them. They were told by witnesses how the possessed man had been cured. Shortly afterward, the entire population of Gerasene territory asked Jesus to leave their neighborhood, for a great fear had seized them; so he got into the boat and went back across the lake.
The man from whom the devils had departed asked to come with Jesus, but Jesus sent him away with the words, “Go back home and recount all that God has done for you.” The man went all through the town making public what Jesus had done for him.
Icon courtesy of Jack Figel, Eastern Christian Publications – ecpubs.com
Saturday, October 31 –
