Lives of the Saints
1. SAINT BASIL OF OSTROG
By birth from Popovo Selo in Herzegovina, of parents simple but pious. From childhood he was filled with love for the Church of God, and when he grew older he went to the Trebinje Monastery of the Dormition of the Theotokos and received the monastic tonsure. As a monk he quickly became renowned for his serious and rare ascetical life. For he laid upon himself struggle after struggle, each heavier than the last. Later he was elected and consecrated as Bishop of Zahumlje and Skenderija, against his own will. As a hierarch he first dwelt in the Monastery of Tvrdos, and from there as a good shepherd he strengthened his flock in the Orthodox faith, guarding it from the cruelty of the Turks and the cunning of the Latins. And when he was too sorely pressed by enemies, and when Tvrdos was destroyed by the Turks, Basil moved to Ostrog, where he struggled firmly, protecting his flock with his unceasing and fervent prayers. He reposed peacefully in the Lord in the sixteenth century, leaving behind his whole and healing relics, incorrupt and wonderworking to this day. The miracles at the grave of Saint Basil are countless. To his relics both Christians and Muslims come, and find healing in their most grievous illnesses and afflictions. A great national assembly at Ostrog takes place every year at Pentecost.
2. THE HOLY NINE MARTYRS OF CYZICUS
These nine courageous martyrs, warmed by the love of Christ, refused to offer sacrifice to idols or to renounce Christ the Lord, for which they were bitterly tortured and finally beheaded by the sword. In the time of Emperor Constantine a church was built in Cyzicus in honor of these martyrs, where their incorrupt relics were placed. Countless healings occurred over their relics. Their names are Theognius, Rufus, Antipater, Theostichus, Artemas, Magnus, Theodotus, Thaumasius, and Philemon. They all despised everything temporal for the sake of the eternal, and the corruptible for the sake of the incorruptible. Therefore the Lord led them into His eternal habitations and crowned them with crowns of unfading glory. They suffered and were glorified honorably in the third century.
3. VENERABLE MEMNON THE WONDERWORKER
From his youth Memnon gave himself over to fasting and prayer, and so greatly did he purify himself that he became a dwelling-place of the Holy Spirit. He healed the incurably sick and worked many other miracles. He appeared in storms at sea and saved ships from destruction. He reposed peacefully in the Lord in the second century and passed into the heavenly courts of the Lord.
Hymn of Praise
SAINT BASIL OF OSTROG
O Saint Basil, pleaser of God,
And from every affliction wondrous healer,
By the power of thy Christ, Whom thou didst greatly love,
The most grievous of the sick thou wast able to cure,
And this thou canst still do for everyone who honors thee
And in the living God firmly believes.
Cease not to help, O glory of the Serbian race,
Cease not to pray to the Lord for sinners.
Thou art a saint of God in heavenly glory,
And saints are people whole and healthy in spirit.
In thee we see a true man,
Free from sin, and full of healing,
In whom the fire of the All-Holy Spirit burns,
In whom the love of the Risen Christ abides.
We are thankful to thee, and to God Almighty,
Who through thee pours forth grace most abundant,
Through His wondrous and angel-like saint --
Basil the Serbian, pleaser of God!
“In whom the fire of the All-Holy Spirit burns, in whom the love of the Risen Christ abides.”
Reflection
Nothing can be concealed from God the All-Knowing. At every moment He knows all that happens in the world, both in the outer world and in the inner, spiritual world. Not a single intention, not a single desire, not a single thought can a man hide from God. How can that be hidden from God which cannot be hidden even from men, from holy men! Tsar Ivan the Terrible came one day to pray to God. In the church stood also Basil the Blessed, the fool-for-Christ, at prayer. The Tsar was in body truly in the church, but in mind he was on Sparrow Hills, not far from Moscow, where he had begun to build a palace. And during the entire divine service the Tsar was thinking how to continue and finish his palace on that hill. After the service the Tsar saw Basil and asked him where he had been. "In church," answered Basil, and immediately asked the Tsar: "And where were you, O Tsar?" "I too was in church," answered the Tsar. To this the clairvoyant saint said to him: "You do not speak the truth, Ivanushka, for I watched you as you walked in thought upon Sparrow Hills, building a palace."
“Not a single intention, not a single desire, not a single thought can a man hide from God.”
Contemplation
Contemplate the Ascension of the Lord Jesus, namely:
1. How the Lord, while blessing His disciples, is raised from the earth and ascends into heaven;
2. How the disciples gaze after Him as He ascends, until a cloud hides Him from their eyes.
Homily
on the incomparable love of Christ
That ye might be able to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge (Eph. 3:19)
The love of Christ which passeth knowledge! Not the knowledge of God, but the knowledge of man, darkened and embittered by sin. For God's knowledge is equal to God's love, and neither surpasses the other. But human knowledge, estranged from God, in no wise grasps the love of God, shown through the Lord Jesus Christ. God understands men, but men do not understand God. God tried to bring men to understanding through reason, through nature and through the Old Revelation, through the Law and the Prophets, but men would not be brought to understanding. Then God tried to overcome men by love, and to draw them to Himself by love. Hence the Incarnation of the Son of God, His self-sacrifice, and His suffering unto death. Such inexpressible love of God, above words and understanding, captivated many and returned them to God -- that is, brought them to understanding, gave them a new mind, pure and bright; but it also confounded many, for it did not accord with their darkened and embittered reason. That ye might be able to know, says the apostle. How shall we, brethren, know that which is above knowledge and above reason? In no other way than by a change of mind, by the awakening and clearing of the mind, by the enlightenment and elevation of the mind, by the purification and deification of the mind -- in a word, by the acquisition of a new mind, which would have the capacity to understand the love of Christ, which surpasses the present sinful mind of man.
O depth of the wisdom and knowledge of God! Whoever even slightly draws near to Thee feels that Thou art at the same time the depth of the love of God!
O Lord, ascended into heaven, illumine our mind with Thy mind, that we might more easily embrace Thy incomprehensible love for mankind, and weep -- weep from sorrow over our hardened hearts, over our darkened and embittered minds, and weep from joy over Thy love for us, dark and malicious as we are. To Thee be glory and praise forever. Amen.
“The love of Christ which passeth knowledge! God tried to overcome men by love, and to draw them to Himself by love.”