Daily Bread
Saturday, February 15, 2025
“The Most Holy Mother of God prays for us ceaselessly. She is always visiting us. Whenever we turn to her in our heart, she is there. After the Lord, she is the greatest protection for mankind. How many churches there are in the world that are dedicated to the Most Holy Mother of God! How many healing springs where people are cured of their ailments have sprung up in places where the Most Holy Theotokos appeared and blessed those springs to heal both the sick and the healthy! She is constantly, by our side, and all too often we forget her.”
-Elder Thaddeus of Serbia
2 Timothy 3:1-9 (Epistle)
1 But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come:
2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good,
4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,
5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!
6 For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts,
7 always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
8 Now as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, disapproved concerning the faith;
9 but they will progress no further, for their folly will be manifest to all, as theirs also was.
Luke 20:46-21:4 (Gospel)
46 “Beware of the scribes, who desire to go around in long robes, love greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts,
47 who devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation.”
1 And He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury,
2 and He saw also a certain poor widow putting in two mites.
3 So He said, “Truly I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all;
4 for all these out of their abundance have put in offerings for God, but she out of her poverty put in all the livelihood that she had.”
Apostle of the Seventy Onesimus (ca. 109)
Saint Onesimus, Apostle of the Seventy in his youth was a servant of Philemon, a Christian of distinguished lineage, living in the city of Colossae, Phrygia. Guilty of an offense against his master and fearing punishment, Saint Onesimus fled to Rome, but as a runaway slave he wound up in prison. In prison he encountered the Apostle Paul, was enlightened by him, and was baptized.
In prison Saint Onesimus served the Apostle Paul like a son. Saint Paul was personally acquainted with Philemon, and wrote him a letter filled with love, asking him to forgive the runaway slave and to accept him like a brother. He sent Saint Onesimus with this letter to his master, depriving himself of help, of which he was very much in need.
After he received the letter, Saint Philemon not only forgave Onesimus, but also sent him back to Rome to the apostle. Saint Philemon (January 4, February 19, and November 22) was afterwards consecrated bishop of the city of Gaza.
After the death of the Apostle Paul, Saint Onesimus served the apostles until their end, and he was made a bishop. After the death of the holy apostles he preached the Gospel in many lands and cities: in Spain, Carpetania, Colossae, Patras. In his old age, Saint Onesimus occupied the bishop’s throne at Ephesus, after the Apostle Timothy. When they took Saint Ignatius the God-Bearer (December 20) to Rome for execution, Bishop Onesimus came to meet with him with other Christians, as Saint Ignatius mentions in his Epistle to the Ephesians.
During the reign of the emperor Trajan (89-117), Saint Onesimus was arrested and brought to trial before the eparch Tertillus. He held the saint in prison for eighteen days, and then sent him to prison in the city of Puteoli. After a certain while, the eparch sent for the prisoner and, convincing himself that Saint Onesimus maintained his faith in Christ, had him stoned, after which they beheaded the saint with a sword. A certain illustrious woman took the body of the martyr and placed it in a silver coffin. This took place in the year 109.
Hawaii’s Myrrh-Streaming Iveron Icon in Stratford, CT this morning, Saturday February 15
The myrrh-streaming icon from Hawaii, the ‘Iveron Icon’ is in Stratford, CT this morning, Saturday February 15 at the ‘Church of the Presentation of Christ in the Temple’ at 5 Wheeler Terrace in Stratford, Connecticut. This is a ROCOR (Old Calendar) church, so they will be having their parish feast day of the Meeting of the Lord today at 9 am.
Story of the Iveron Icon of the Mother of God
Adapted from the official website for the Orthodox Hawaiian Iveron Icon Association
In June of 2008, the “Hawaiian” Myrrh-streaming Iveron Icon was officially recognized by the Russian Orthodox Church as miraculous and worthy of veneration, and was given the blessing and encouragement to travel to the various churches and monasteries of Holy Orthodoxy. The original “owner” of the Icon, Reader (now Priest) Nectarios, was charged by the Russian Orthodox Church to be Her guardian, and provide for the safety and care of this Wonderworking Icon of Christ’s Holy Church.
The “Hawaiian” Iveron Icon of the Mother of God travels and brings the Grace of God to various places. Since June of 2008, the Iveron Icon has been to over 1000 churches in North America of all (canonical) jurisdictions, and has been venerated by millions of people throughout the United States, Canada, Europe and the world. In many cities, the holy Icon is taken from one parish to another, being venerated by all the Orthodox clergy, and helping to establish and heal relationships amongst the Orthodox faithful, and also strengthening and fostering ties between the sister parishes. Requests have now been made for the Wonderworking Icon to be brought to Russia, Ukraine, Greece, Cyprus, South America, Europe, the Holy Land, Romania, Mount Athos, and Serbia. When the Holy Icon was taken to the Republic of Georgia in 2014 at the request of the Catholicos-Patriarch ILIA II of Georgia, over a million faithful came to venerate the “Panagia of Hawaii.” A number of miracles, including the healing of cancer, were reported to the Georgian Patriarchate.
Numerous miracles have been attributed to the Theotokos through this “humble little Icon”, hundreds of verified accounts were collected, and are indeed miraculous. Physical and spiritual healings have included the healing of blindness and eye disease, cancer, demonic possession, paralysis, kidney disease, chronic pain, and debilitating viruses.
Yet, wherever the holy Icon goes, the Grace of Our Lord Jesus Christ and His Holy Mother abound. People have commented that just being in the presence of this Icon, you feel such an abundance of love and joy. It is truly indescribable. We are so very blessed that God has shown His love toward us by allowing us a small forbearance of what the saints call, “the true odour of sanctity.” The true meaning of the Icon’s appearance is known only to God, time will reveal all things. Yet, what we do know is this: God loves us. And that is all that matters.
This week’s calendar reminders:
Monday 2/10: Matins 8:30 am; Stewards Meeting 6:30 pm
Tuesday 2/11: no services or events
Wednesday 2/12: no services or events
Thursday 2/13: Matins 8:30 am
Friday 2/14: Matins 8:30 am
Saturday 2/15: Catechumen Class 4:30 pm; Choir Practice 5 pm; Great Vespers 6 pm
Sunday 2/16: Divine Liturgy 9:15am
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Christ the Savior Orthodox Church is located in Southbury, Connecticut, and is part of the New England Diocese of the Orthodox Church of America.
Mailing address: Christ the Savior Church, 1070 Roxbury Road, Southbury, CT 06488
PLEASE DONATE to help our parish do the work of the Lord, thrive and grow, and extend the Kingdom of God. May the Lord bless your generosity!
Fr. Moses Locke can be reached at frmoseslocke@gmail.com