Epistle Reading of the Day

St. Paul's Letter to the Galatians 2:16-20

Brethren, knowing that a man is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ, and not by works of the law, because by works of the law shall no one be justified. But if, in our endeavor to be justified in Christ, we ourselves were found to be sinners, is Christ then an agent of sin? Certainly not! But if I build up again those things which I tore down, then I prove myself a transgressor. For I through the law died to the law, that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me; and the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Gospel Reading for the Day

The Gospel according to Luke 8:41-56

At that time, there came to Jesus a man named Jairus, who was a ruler of the synagogue; and falling at Jesus' feet he besought him to come to his house, for he had an only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she was dying. As he went, the people pressed round him. And a woman who had had a flow of blood for twelve years and had spent all her living upon physicians and could not be healed by anyone, came up behind him, and touched the fringe of his garment; and immediately her flow of blood ceased. And Jesus said, "Who was it that touched me?" When all denied it, Peter and those who were with him said, "Master, the multitudes surround you and press upon you!" But Jesus said, "Some one touched me; for I perceive that power has gone forth from me." And when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling, and falling down before him declared in the presence of all the people why she had touched him, and how she had been immediately healed. And he said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace." While he was still speaking, a man from the ruler's house came and said, "Your daughter is dead; do not trouble the Teacher any more." But Jesus on hearing this answered him, "Do not fear; only believe, and she shall be well." And when he came to the house, he permitted no one to enter with him, except Peter and John and James, and the father and mother of the child. And all were weeping and bewailing her; but he said, "Do not weep; for she is not dead but sleeping." And they laughed at him, knowing that she was dead. But taking her by the hand he called, saying, "Child, arise." And her spirit returned, and she got up at once; and he directed that something should be given her to eat. And her parents were amazed; but he charged them to tell no one what had happened.

Απόστολος της Ημέρας

Πρὸς Γαλάτας 2:16-20

Ἀδελφοί, εἰδότες ὅτι οὐ δικαιοῦται ἄνθρωπος ἐξ ἔργων νόμου, ἐὰν μὴ διὰ πίστεως Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, καὶ ἡμεῖς εἰς Χριστὸν Ἰησοῦν ἐπιστεύσαμεν, ἵνα δικαιωθῶμεν ἐκ πίστεως Χριστοῦ, καὶ οὐκ ἐξ ἔργων νόμου· διότι οὐ δικαιωθήσεται ἐξ ἔργων νόμου πᾶσα σάρξ. Εἰ δέ, ζητοῦντες δικαιωθῆναι ἐν Χριστῷ, εὑρέθημεν καὶ αὐτοὶ ἁμαρτωλοί, ἆρα Χριστὸς ἁμαρτίας διάκονος; Μὴ γένοιτο. Εἰ γὰρ ἃ κατέλυσα, ταῦτα πάλιν οἰκοδομῶ, παραβάτην ἐμαυτὸν συνίστημι. Ἐγὼ γὰρ διὰ νόμου νόμῳ ἀπέθανον, ἵνα θεῷ ζήσω. Χριστῷ συνεσταύρωμαι· ζῶ δέ, οὐκέτι ἐγώ, ζῇ δὲ ἐν ἐμοὶ Χριστός· ὃ δὲ νῦν ζῶ ἐν σαρκί, ἐν πίστει ζῶ τῇ τοῦ υἱοῦ τοῦ θεοῦ, τοῦ ἀγαπήσαντός με καὶ παραδόντος ἑαυτὸν ὑπὲρ ἐμοῦ.

Ευαγγέλιον της Ήμέρας

Τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ, ἄνθρωπός τις προσῆλθε τῷ Ἰησοῦ ᾧ ὄνομα ᾿Ιάειρος, καὶ αὐτὸς ἄρχων τῆς συναγωγῆς ὑπῆρχε· καὶ πεσὼν παρὰ τοὺς πόδας τοῦ ᾿Ιησοῦ παρεκάλει αὐτὸν εἰσελθεῖν εἰς τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ, ὅτι θυγάτηρ μονογενὴς ἦν αὐτῷ ὡς ἐτῶν δώδεκα, καὶ αὕτη ἀπέθνησκεν. ᾿Εν δὲ τῷ ὑπάγειν αὐτὸν οἱ ὄχλοι συνέπνιγον αὐτόν. καὶ γυνὴ οὖσα ἐν ῥύσει αἵματος ἀπὸ ἐτῶν δώδεκα, ἥτις ἰατροῖς προσαναλώσασα ὅλον τὸν βίον οὐκ ἴσχυσεν ὑπ᾿ οὐδενὸς θεραπευθῆναι, προσελθοῦσα ὄπισθεν ἥψατο τοῦ κρασπέδου τοῦ ἱματίου αὐτοῦ, καὶ παραχρῆμα ἔστη ἡ ῥύσις τοῦ αἵματος αὐτῆς. καὶ εἶπεν ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς· τίς ὁ ἁψάμενός μου; ἀρνουμένων δὲ πάντων εἶπεν ὁ Πέτρος καὶ οἱ σὺν αὐτῷ· ἐπιστάτα, οἱ ὄχλοι συνέχουσί σε καὶ ἀποθλίβουσι, καὶ λέγεις τίς ὁ ἁψάμενός μου; ὁ δὲ ᾿Ιησοῦς εἶπεν· ἥψατό μού τις· ἐγὼ γὰρ ἔγνων δύναμιν ἐξελθοῦσαν ἀπ᾿ ἐμοῦ. ἰδοῦσα δὲ ἡ γυνὴ ὅτι οὐκ ἔλαθε, τρέμουσα ἦλθε καὶ προσπεσοῦσα αὐτῷ δι᾿ ἣν αἰτίαν ἥψατο αὐτοῦ ἀπήγγειλεν αὐτῷ ἐνώπιον παντὸς τοῦ λαοῦ, καὶ ὡς ἰάθη παραχρῆμα. ὁ δὲ εἶπεν αὐτῇ· θάρσει, θύγατερ, ἡ πίστις σου σέσωκέ σε· πορεύου εἰς εἰρήνην.῎Ετι αὐτοῦ λαλοῦντος ἔρχεταί τις παρὰ τοῦ ἀρχισυναγώγου λέγων αὐτῷ ὅτι τέθνηκεν ἡ θυγάτηρ σου· μὴ σκύλλε τὸν διδάσκαλον. ὁ δὲ ᾿Ιησοῦς ἀκούσας ἀπεκρίθη αὐτῷ λέγων· μὴ φοβοῦ· μόνον πίστευε, καὶ σωθήσεται. ἐλθὼν δὲ εἰς τὴν οἰκίαν οὐκ ἀφῆκεν εἰσελθεῖν οὐδένα εἰ μὴ Πέτρον καὶ ᾿Ιωάννην καὶ ᾿Ιάκωβον καὶ τὸν πατέρα τῆς παιδὸς καὶ τὴν μητέρα. ἔκλαιον δὲ πάντες καὶ ἐκόπτοντο αὐτήν. ὁ δὲ εἶπε· μὴ κλαίετε· οὐκ ἀπέθανεν, ἀλλὰ καθεύδει. καὶ κατεγέλων αὐτοῦ, εἰδότες ὅτι ἀπέθανεν. αὐτὸς δὲ ἐκβαλὼν ἔξω πάντας καὶ κρατήσας τῆς χειρὸς αὐτῆς ἐφώνησε λέγων· ἡ παῖς, ἐγείρου. καὶ ἐπέστρεψε τὸ πνεῦμα αὐτῆς, καὶ ἀνέστη παραχρῆμα, καὶ διέταξεν αὐτῇ δοθῆναι φαγεῖν. καὶ ἐξέστησαν οἱ γονεῖς αὐτοῖς. ὁ δὲ παρήγγειλεν αὐτοῖς μηδενὶ εἰπεῖν τὸ γεγονός.

ΑΓΙΟΛΟΓΙΟ ΚΑΙ ΕΟΡΤΕΣ

ΑΓΙΟΙ ΑΝΑΡΓΥΡΟΙ ΚΟΣΜΑΣ και ΔΑΜΙΑΝΟΣ και της μητρός αυτών Θεοδότης - (1 Νοεμβρίου) - Κατάγονταν απο την Ασία. Σε μικρή ηλικία έμειναν ορφανοί από πατέρα.΄Εκτοτε η μητέρα τους Θεοδότη αφιέρωσε τη ζωή της στην ανατροφή και την μόρφωση των παιδιών της. Τα δύο αδέλφια διδάχθηκαν πολλές επιστήμες, αφιερώθηκαν όμως στην ιατρική, την οποίαν εξασκούσαν θεραπεύοντες τους φτωχούς ανθρώπους χωρίς ποτέ να ζητούν αμοιβή.΄Οποιος μπόρεσε να απαλλαγεί απο την αγάπη προς το χρήμα, απο τη φιλαργυρία, νίκησε το πρώτο και μεγάλο κακό στη ζωή, ξερίζωσε από μέσα του τη ρίζα «πάντων των κακών».Σήμερα η Εκκλησία αναπέμπει τις δεήσεις της, στους αγίους αυτούς, οι οποίοι ανάλωσαν τη ζωή τους στην υπηρεσία του ανθρώπινου πόνου με τη δύναμη της πίστεώς τους στον Χριστό. Μια ζωή προσφοράς στο συνάνθρωπο δίχως υλικές αμοιβές, παρά μόνο το λαμπρό φωτοστέφανο των αγίων. Η ζωή των αγίων είναι η ίδια η ζωή του Χριστού, η οποία επαναλαμβάνεται με διάφορο τρόπο σε κάθε άγιο. Γι’ αυτό και η Εκκλησία μας όχι, χωρίς λόγο και με βαθύτερη σημασία έδωσε τον τίτλο των «αναργύρων» στους αγίους Κοσμά και Δαμιανό.

Η ΕΛΕΗΜΟΣΥΝΗ - είναι φάρμακο των αμαρτημάτων μας. Η χαρά που αισθάνεται ο ελεήμων δεν συγκρίνεται με καμμιά χαρά του κόσμου. Είναι το ευχαριστώ του ιδίου του Χριστού,Τον οποίον ελεήσαμε στο πρόσωπο του πάσχον τος αδελφού μας.

Η ΟΡΘΟΔΟΞΙΑ - ο εκχριστιανισμός Ελληνισμός δεν είναι άλλος απο αυτό που ονομάστηκε «Ορθοδοξία”. Ορθοδοξία είναι στην ουσία της ελληνικής: βάση της είναι ο εκχριστιανισμός απο τους Πατέρες, ελληνισμός και δεν συμβιβάζεται με καμμιάς μορφής εθνικισμό.

Η ΥΠΑΚΟΗ - είναι η πρώτη απαίτηση του πλάστη Θεού από τα δημιουργήματά του.

Η ΜΕΤΑΝΟΙΑ - στην ελληνική γλώσσα σημαίνει κατά λέξη «αλλαγή σκέψεως - μεταβολή του νού». Μετανοώ σημαίνει μεταβάλλω γνώμη. Παίρνω την ειλικρινμή απόφαση να μην ξαναγυρίσω στα αμαρτωλά έργα μου, και στρέφω την ζωή μου προς τον Θεό.

Το αποτέλεσμα της Προσευχής: Προπαντός στις δύσκολες στιγμές έχουμε ανάγκη την προστασία του Θεού, που μας δίνεται όχι μόνο σαν αποτέλεσμα της προσευχής, αλλά και κατά τη διάρκεια της, σαν δώρο παρηγοριάς και ενισχύσεως.

READINGS OF OUR ORTHODOX SAINTS

Saints Kosmas and Damian the Unmercenaries and

their mother St. Theodoti - Nov. 1

"Kosmas and Damian were unmercenaries and miracle-workers. They were brothers both in the flesh and in the spirit, born somewhere in Asia Minor of a pagan father and a Christian mother. After their father's death, their mother Theodotia devoted all her time and effort to educating her sons and raising them as true Christians. God helped her, and her sons matured as sweet fruit and luminaries of the world. They were learned in the art of medicine and ministered to the sick without payment, not so much with medicine as by the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. They were called ``unmercenary physicians,'' that is, unpaid physicians, for they healed freely and thus fulfilled the commandment of Christ: Freely ye have received, freely give (Matthew 10:8). So careful were they in healing men free of charge that Cosmas became very angry with his brother Damian because he accepted three eggs from a woman, Palladia, and ordered that he not be buried alongside his brother Damian after his death. In fact, St. Damian did not accept these three eggs as a reward for healing the ailing Palladia, but rather because she adjured him in the name of the Most-holy Trinity to accept these three eggs. Nevertheless, after their death in the town of Fereman, they were buried together according to a revelation from God. The holy brothers were great miracle-workers both during their life and after their death. A snake crawled through the mouth and into the stomach of a certain farm laborer during his sleep, and the unfortunate man would have died in the greatest pain had he not, in the last moment, invoked the help of Saints Cosmas and Damian. Thus, the Lord glorified forever the miracle-working of those who glorified Him on earth by their faith, purity and mercy."

Sts. Kosmas and Damian, and all the Holy Unmercenaries are invoked in the service of Holy Unction in the Orthodox Church, and hymns to them are traditionally chanted after the service while the faithful receive the Holy Oil. They are also the patron saints of the "Philoptochos" ("love for or frends of the poor") organization of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese, which does many philanthropic acts. They are great Saints of our Church, and may we honor them while emulating their faith, voluntary poverty and charity, and zeal and love for Christ and service to others.

“The only hope of salvation from the delusions and the heresies, the innovations and the traps of wicked people and of the devil is prayer, repentance and humility.”

+Elder Joseph the Hesychast