12th Week of Pentecost

Acts 28:16-22
When he entered Rome, Paul was allowed to live by himself, with the soldier who was guarding him. Three days later he called together the leaders of the Jews. When they had gathered he said to them, “My brothers, although I had done nothing against our people or our ancestral customs, I was handed over to the Romans as a prisoner from Jerusalem. After trying my case the Romans wanted to release me, because they found nothing against me deserving the death penalty. But when the Jews objected, I was obliged to appeal to Caesar, even though I had no accusation to make against my own nation. This is the reason, then, I have requested to see you and to speak with you, for it is on account of the hope of Israel 5 that I wear these chains.” They answered him, “We have received no letters from Judea about you, nor has any of the brothers arrived with a damaging report or rumor about you. But we should like to hear you present your views, for we know that this sect is denounced everywhere.”

Luke 13:18-21
Then he said, “What is the kingdom of God like? To what can I compare it? It is like a mustard seed that a person took and planted in the garden. When it was fully grown, it became a large bush and ‘the birds of the sky dwelt in its branches.'” Again he said, “To what shall I compare the kingdom of God? It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed (in) with three measures of wheat flour until the whole batch of dough was leavened.”

Readings for the Divine Liturgy – Friday of the Twelfth Week of Pentecost
Acts 28:16-22 Lk. 13:18-21

Prayer of the Faithful, vol. III
SAFRO – SECOND PRAYER
Lord, have mercy on us and save us.
O Good Master and Ruler of all,
your kindness is felt even by evil doers.
Grant that we may always respond to your goodness and
accomplish deeds of justice.
On the Day of the great manifestation of your justice
may we not be cursed,
rather, let your grace surround and protect us.
Glory be to you forever.
Amen.

Saint of the Day: Ananias of Damascus. According to Acts 9:10, Ananias was living in Damascus. In Paul’s speech in Acts 22, he describes Ananias as “a devout man according to the law, having a good report of all the Jews” that dwelt in Damascus (Acts 22:12). According to F. F. Bruce, this indicates that he was not one of the refugees from the persecution in Jerusalem described in Acts 8:1.
During his conversion experience, Jesus had told Paul (who was then called Saul) to go into the city and wait. Jesus later spoke to Ananias in a vision, and told him to go to the “street which is called Straight”, and ask “in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus”. (Acts 9:11) Ananias objected that Saul had been persecuting “thy saints”, but the Lord told him that Saul was “a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel”. (Acts 9:15). When Ananias went in to Saul and laid his hands on him, the “scales” of dead tissue on the surface of his eyes fell off, and he looked up at Ananias. After additional instruction, Saul was baptized. (Acts 9:18; 22:16)

Meditation:
4. This is the Son of the carpenter, Who skilfully made His cross a bridge over Sheol that swallows up all, and brought over mankind into the dwelling of life. And because it was through the tree that mankind had fallen into Sheol, so upon the tree they passed over into the dwelling of life. Through the tree then wherein bitterness was tasted, through it also sweetness was tasted; that we might learn of Him that among the creatures nothing resists Him. Glory be to You, Who laid Your cross as a bridge over death, that souls might pass over upon it from the dwelling of the dead to the dwelling of life!
5. The Gentiles praise You that Your Word has become a mirror before them, that in it they might see death, secretly swallowing up their lives. But graven images were being adorned by their artificers; and by their adornments were disfiguring their adorners. But You drew them to Your cross; and while the beauties of the body were disfigured upon it, the beauties of the mind shone forth upon it. Then, as for the Gentiles who used to go after gods which were no gods, He Who was God went after them, and by His words, as by a bridle, turned them from many gods to the One. This is that Mighty One, Whose preaching became a bridle in the jaws of the Gentiles, and led them away from idols to Him that sent Him. But the dead idols, with their closed mouths, used to feed on the life of their worshippers. On this account You mingled in their flesh that blood of Yours, by which death was enfeebled and laid low; that the mouths of their devourers might be driven away from their lives. Also because Israel slew You and was defiled by Your blood, that idolatry, that had been engrafted upon him was driven away from him on account of Your blood. For he was weaned from that heathenism through Your blood; because that from it, he had never before been weaned.
– St. Ephrem the Syrian, Homily on Our Lord