August: Day 27: Venerable Poemen the Great

August: Day 27:
Venerable Poemen the Great
 
(On Non-Condemnation)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. The Venerable Poemen, an Egyptian by birth, whose memory is celebrated today, was born about the year 340 A.D. While still young, he took a vow of silence and renunciation of the world and began to struggle in a desert skete near Diocles. His brothers also struggled with him: the elder, Anubius, and the younger, unknown by name.

Thus, Venerable Poemen strictly kept his vow of renunciation of the world, that he even refused to meet with his mother when she came one day to visit her children in the skete, and only at the insistent persuasion of the brethren, Poemen, approaching the door behind which his mother stood, said to her: "If you graciously endure this temporary separation from us, then in the life to come you shall see us; thus we hope for God's benevolence!" And comforted by this promise, the mother left the skete, no longer striving to see her children and not distracting them from the feat of the life they had chosen.

August: Day 26: Teaching 2: Feast of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God

August: Day 26: Teaching 2:
Feast of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God
 
(The History of the Celebrated Event With an Indication of the Power of the Intercession of the Mother of God for the Human Race)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. This day is ever-memorable for the Church and our Fatherland because of the following great historical event.

At the end of the 14th century AD, in the depths of Asia, a brave military leader named Tamerlane managed to unite numerous Tatar tribes under his rule into one huge horde, in order to conquer all the kingdoms with this horde. Indeed, not a single nation that existed at that time could withstand the onslaught of the wild natives of the Asian steppes. Like locusts, the Tatars, led by the fierce Tamerlane, crushed everything that came their way. Thousands of flourishing cities of Asia were reduced to ashes by them, and populous states became deserts. Tamerlane, called the scourge of God by his contemporaries, moved more and more towards Europe and first of all turned his predatory gaze on our fatherland. 

August: Day 26: Teaching 1: Holy Martyrs Adrian and Natalia

August: Day 26: Teaching 1:
Holy Martyrs Adrian and Natalia
 
(On Modern Women Raised Without Christian Piety)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. The Holy Martyrs Adrian and Natalia, celebrated today by the Holy Church, were a married couple and were united in marriage for only one year. They lived during the reign of Emperor Maximian, in Bithynia of Nicomedia. This emperor, having raised a persecution of Christians, promised rewards to those who would indicate Christians in hiding or would bring them themselves. Many denunciations were made. At this time, according to a denunciation, 23 Christians were arrested in a cave near Nicomedia. They were tortured, then forced to worship idols. Among others, Adrian was captured. The emperor ordered that he be thrown into prison. One of Adrian's servants reported to Natalia that her husband was imprisoned. Natalia was frightened, but when she learned that Adrian was suffering for Christ, she rejoiced, because she herself was a secret Christian, and hastened to him in prison with words of encouragement: “Blessed are you, my lord, that you have believed in Christ. You are acquiring a great treasure. Do not lament your youth and beauty: our mortal body is food for worms; do not think about wealth: it will not bring benefit on the day of the Dread Judgment. Only good deeds and faith are accepted by God.” Saint Adrian told his wife to go home, and promised to inform her of the time of his execution. 

Homily on the Eleventh Sunday After Pentecost (Righteous Alexei Mechev)

Homily on the Eleventh Sunday of Pentecost*

By Righteous Alexei Mechev

(Delivered on August 10, 1914)

One slave owed the king 10 thousand talents (about 26 million rubles). The king forgave the slave this debt. But the slave turned out to be extremely angry and ungrateful: one of his companions owed him a hundred denarii (21 rubles 50 kopecks), and he did not want to forgive him or wait for the debt to be paid, and for this he was forever imprisoned.

Friends! The Heavenly Father acts with us, sinners, in the same way as this generous and merciful King. But we often, like this evil slave, do not want to forgive anything to our neighbor, and for that we will be severely punished.

Forgiving others for their guilt is necessary for our salvation. After all, we are all sinners without exception. Each of us has offended God many thousands of times. We are consoled by the paternal indulgence and mercy of God and hope for forgiveness. And it is truly given to us. God Himself offers it to us. But He set conditions, and if we do not fulfill these conditions, then, despite God's mercy, we die in sin.

August: Day 25: Holy Apostle Titus

 

August: Day 25:
Holy Apostle Titus
 
(How to Use the Word of God?)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. The Holy Apostle Titus, whose memory is celebrated today, came from Crete, today's Candia, from pagan parents of noble origin. From his youth he loved reading Greek philosophers and poets, thinking to find the truth in them; he led a virtuous and chaste life. When he was a youth of 20, Titus twice heard a voice in a dream saying the words: "Titus! You must leave here and save your soul, for Greek education and pagan wisdom will not save you; read Hebrew books." Then Titus learned Hebrew and began to read the prophetic books, especially the Prophet Isaiah. From them he understood the insignificance of paganism and believed in the true God. 

At this time, rumors of Jesus Christ, His miracles and teachings reached the island of Crete. The ruler of the island, Titus' uncle, sent him to Jerusalem to verify the truth of the rumor. Saint Titus, having seen the Lord, became His disciple. Having been converted to Christ, the Apostle Paul loved Titus very much, and he accompanied the Apostle to preach to the nations in various countries. The Apostle Paul, having visited Crete, made Titus bishop there. From Nicopolis, in Macedonia, he wrote him a letter about the duties of a shepherd.