Daily Bread

Wednesday, March 19, 2025

Mar 19, 2025

Metropolitan Anthony (Khrapovitsky) – The Sunday of the Triumph of Orthodoxy and the Sorrow of Orthodox Christians. :: The Missionary Center in the name of The Martyr Athanasius, the Abbot of Brest

“Error never shows itself in its naked reality, in order not to be discovered. On the contrary, it dresses elegantly, so that the unwary may be led to believe that it is more truthful than truth itself.”

St. Irenaeus of Lyons

Isaiah 10:12-20

When the Lord has finished all his work on Mount Zion and on Jerusalem he will punish the arrogant boasting of the king of Assyria and his haughty pride. For he says: “By the strength of my hand I have done it, and by my wisdom, for I have understanding; I have removed the boundaries of peoples, and have plundered their treasures; like a bull I have brought down those who sat on thrones. My hand has found like a nest the wealth of the peoples; and as men gather eggs that have been forsaken so I have gathered all the earth; and there was none that moved a wing, or opened the mouth, or chirped.” Shall the axe vaunt itself over him who hews with it, or the saw magnify itself against him who wields it? As if a rod should wield him who lifts it, or as if a staff should lift him who is not wood! Therefore the Lord, the LORD of hosts, will send wasting sickness among his stout warriors, and under his glory a burning will be kindled, like the burning of fire. The light of Israel will become a fire, and his Holy One a flame; and it will burn and devour his thorns and briers in one day. The glory of his forest and of his fruitful land the LORD will destroy, both soul and body, and it will be as when a sick man wastes away. The remnant of the trees of his forest will be so few that a child can write them down. In that day the remnant of Israel and the survivors of the house of Jacob will no more lean upon him that smote them, but will lean upon the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, in truth.

Genesis 7:6-9

Noah was six hundred years old when the flood of waters came upon the earth. And Noah and his sons and his wife and his sons’ wives with him went into the ark, to escape the waters of the flood. Of clean animals, and of animals that are not clean, and of birds, and of everything that creeps on the ground, two and two, male and female, went into the ark with Noah, as God had commanded Noah.

Proverbs 9:12-18

If you are wise, you are wise for yourself; if you scoff, you alone will bear it. A foolish woman is noisy; she is wanton and knows no shame. She sits at the door of her house, she takes a seat on the high places of the town, calling to those who pass by, who are going straight on their way, “Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!” And to him who is without sense she says, “Stolen water is sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant.” But he does not know that the dead are there, that her guests are in the depths of Sheol.

Martyrs Chrysanthus and Daria, and those with them at Rome

Saint Chrysanthus came from a pagan family who had moved to Rome from Alexandria. He received a fine education, and among the books he read were those in which pagans discussed Christianity. The young man, however, wanted to read books written by Christians themselves. He finally managed to find a copy of the New Testament, which enlightened his rational soul.

Seeking someone to instruct him in the Holy Scriptures, he found the presbyter Carpophoros hiding from persecution, and received holy Baptism from him. After this, he began to preach the Gospel. Chrysanthus’ father tried to turn his son from Christianity, and finally married him to Daria, a priestess of Minerva.

Saint Chrysanthus managed to convert his wife to Christ, and the young couple mutually agreed to lead celibate lives. After the death of the father, they began to live in separate houses. Saint Chrysanthus converted several young men to Christ, and many pious women gathered around Saint Daria.

The people of Rome complained to the eparch Celerinus that Saints Chrysanthus and Daria were preaching celibacy and attracting too many young men and women to monasticism. Saint Chrysanthus was sent to the tribune Claudius for torture.

The torments, however, did not shake the bravery of the young martyr, since the power of God clearly aided him. Struck by this, the tribune Claudius himself came to believe in Christ and accepted holy Baptism together with his wife Hilaria, their sons Jason and Maurus, and all his household and soldiers. When news of this reached the emperor Numerian (283-284), he commanded them all to be executed. The Martyr Claudius was drowned in the sea, and his sons and soldiers were beheaded. Christians buried the bodies of the holy martyrs in a nearby cave, and Saint Hilaria constantly went there to pray. Once, they followed her and led her off for torture. The saint asked that they give her a few moments to pray, and as soon as she finished, she gave up her soul to God. A servant buried the saint in the cave beside her sons.

Legendary Christian Martyrs Chrysanthus and Daria Proved To Be Real | Ancient Origins

The torturers sent Saint Daria to a brothel, where she was protected by a lion sent by God. A certain man who tried to defile the saint was knocked to the ground and pinned down by the lion, but the lion did not kill him. The martyr preached to them about Christ and set them to the path of salvation.

They threw Saint Chrysanthus into a foul-smelling pit, into which all the filth of the city flowed. But a heavenly light shone on him, and the pit was filled with a sweet fragrance.

Then the emperor Numerian ordered Saints Chrysanthus and Daria to be turned over to the executioners. After many cruel tortures, the martyrs were buried alive in the ground.

In a cave near the place of execution, Christians began to gather to honor the anniversary of the saints’ martyrdom. They celebrated Church services and partook of the Holy Mysteries. Learning of this, the pagan authorities sealed the entrance to the cave, and those within received the crown of martyrdom. Two of these martyrs are known by name: the Presbyter Diodorus and the Deacon Marianus.

The struggle against sin

Saint Tikhon of Zadonsk

Every person’s history comprises various phases, some pleasant, others not so. When we reflect on them, it may be that we’d rather some of them hadn’t happened and I recognize that the struggle against this enemy is difficult; but it’s necessary. Lots of people wage wars and defeat other people, but are yet prisoners and slaves to their passions. There’s no more glorious victory than that over ourselves. And there’s no victory without a struggle.

My brother, let’s engage in this struggle and, with the help of Christ, gain victory, earning from him the crown of virtue so that we may triumph eternally in his kingdom.

ON CHASTITY: TWO LETTERS TO A STRUGGLING MONK by Giacomo Sanfilippo | ORTHODOXY IN DIALOGUE

Let’s now set out a few thoughts that give help and support in the struggle.

Listen to the word of God and try to understand it. That’s where sin and virtue are revealed to us, so that we may avoid the former and pursue the latter. ‘All Scripture is God-inspired and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work’ (2 Tim. 3, 16-17). The word of God is the ‘sword of the Spirit’ (Eph. 6, 17), by which the enemy of the soul is slain.
God is everywhere. Wherever we are, he’s beside us. Anything we do is done before him.
So how can we sin and trample on his holy will before his very eyes?
You quail and are afraid to act with impropriety before the king and the lowliest representative of earthly power. How much more should you feel the same before God. Don’t forget that every sin is impiety and transgression against him.
Remember your end, which is death, Christ’s judgment, Hades, and the kingdom of heaven. That will keep you away from sin. Sirach says: ‘In all your words, remember your last days and …you will not sin’ (Wis. of Sir. 7, 36).
Stay away from situations that you know will lead you off into sin, such as, for instance, banquets, revels, and inappropriate conversations. ‘Bad company ruins good morals’ (1 Cor. 15, 33).
Bear in mind and in your memory that it’s possible for someone to die at the moment of sin and then that person will be lost eternally. Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, pursued the Israelites, wishing to return them to slavery. And while engaged in the unlawful task, he died (Ex. 14, 27-28). Absalom, the son of David, sought to kill his holy father and died in the attempt (2 Sam. 18, 14).
In other words, God’s righteous judgement strikes sinners, so that we may fear it and not sin.
Consider that Christ was tortured and died for your sins. ‘But he was wounded on account of our sins and bruised because of our iniquities’ (Is. 53, 5). And will you, a Christian, do that for which Christ drank of the bitter cup of the Passion and will you crucify the Son of God again? (Heb. 6, 6).
Let’s not look at what other people are doing, but what the words of God enjoins us to do. In that way, we’ll not be affected by the temptations of the world. ‘Great peace have those who love your law; nothing can make them stumble’ (Ps. 118, 165). Love God’s law and the temptations of society won’t harm you.
Our efforts and struggles against sin aren’t effective without God’s assistance. So what’s required is a combination of struggle and prayer, so that the Lord can help us in this serious matter. God helps the assiduous, strengthens the fighters and crowns the victors.

My brother. You see the enemies of our soul who wish to destroy us not temporarily but eternally. And you also see God’s help in our battle against them. So let’s take a stand- ‘Let us stand aright’- and let’s arm ourselves with the power of Jesus Christ, the Almighty. Let’s never allow them to overcome us. In this way, we’ll receive the crown of victory from the Lord.

Lord Jesus, victor over death and Hades, help us. Without you we can do nothing; with you, everything.

This week’s calendar reminders:

Monday 3/17: Lenten Matins 8:30 am
Tuesday 3/18: no services or events
Wednesday 3/19: Presanctified Liturgy 6:30 pm (potluck meal to follow)
Thursday 3/20: Lenten Matins 8:30 am
Friday 3/21: Paraklesis to the Theotokos 8:30 am
Saturday 3/22: Memorial Liturgy for the Departed 9:15 a.m.; Catechumen Class 4:30 pm; Choir Rehearsal 4:30 pm; Great Vespers 6 pm
Sunday 3/23: Divine Liturgy 9:15am;