St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church

Daily Notification

September 30 | Gregory the Illuminator, Bishop of Armenia

This Saint, a Parthian by race, was the son of Anak. He was born about the year 240 and was taught the Faith of Christ in Caesarea of Cappadocia. He entered the service of Tiridates, King of Armenia, but when discovered to be a Christian, he was subjected to many horrible torments at the King's hands, then was cast into a pit of mire with poisonous serpents and left to die. By the power of God, however, he abode there unharmed for fourteen years, his needs provided by a certain widow, until he was made known by revelation and set free. He converted to piety innumerable multitudes of Armenians, including Tiridates himself, and was consecrated bishop by Leontius, Archbishop of Caesarea, to shepherd the vast flock he had gained for Christ. He spent the last part of his life in retirement in the ascetical discipline, and reposed in peace about the year 325. Saint Gregory is honoured as the Illuminator of Armenia. From the GOARCH Website

September 29 | The Fruit of Love

Patient endurance is the fruit of love, for 'love patiently endures all things' (I Cor. 13:7),and teaches us to achieve such endurance by forcing ourselves so that through patience we may attain love... St. Gregory Palamas

September 28 | God knows!

God knows when to give us what we ask for, so we won't be harmed spiritually. Sometimes we ask God for something, but we have no patience and are troubled. Elder Paisios of Mount Athos

September 27 | Do not give up

Do not be surprised that you fall every day; do not give up, but stand your ground courageously. And assuredly, the angel who guards you will honour your patience. St. John Climacus

September 26 | The Falling Asleep of St. John the Evangelist and Theologian

This Apostle was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and was the son of Zebedee and Salome, and the brother of James the elder. First a fisherman by trade, he became an Apostle and the beloved Disciple of Christ. Only he of all the Disciples followed Him even to the Cross, and was entrusted with the care of our Saviour's Mother, as it were another son to her, and a brother of Christ the Teacher. After this, he preached throughout Asia Minor, especially in Ephesus. When the second persecution against the Christians began in the year 96 during the reign of Domitian, he was taken in bonds to Rome, and there was cast into a vat filled to the brim with boiling oil. Coming forth therefrom unharmed, he was exiled to the island of Patmos, where he wrote the Book of Revelation. Returning again to Ephesus after the death of the tyrant, he wrote his Gospel (after the other Evangelists had already written theirs) and his three Catholic Epistles. In all, he lived ninety-five years and fell asleep in the Lord during the reign of Trajan in the year 100. He was called Theologian because he loftily expounded in his Gospel the theology of the inexpressible and eternal birth of the Son and Word of God the Father. It is for this cause that an eagle-a symbol of the Holy Spirit, as Saint Irenaeus says-is depicted in his icon, for this was one of the four symbolic living creatures that the Prophet Ezekiel saw (Ezek. 1:10). From the GOARCH Website

September 25 | When prayer comes first

Action before thought contains pride. One must not be in a hurry to act; one must first think and pray before acting. When prayer comes first, then it is not the froth of the mind, its frivolity, but the sanctified mind that will guide the process. Elder Paisios of Mount Athos

September 24 | We will receive the glory from God

A person who does not concentrate on his work and on prayer feels slothful and discontented. When the nous is idle, then the hands will remain idle. We do our handiwork for God and not for any person. We will receive the glory from God. Gerondissa Makrina (Vassopoulou)

September 23 | The Soul is Warmed

A little spiritual reading or study, when carried out prior to prayer, is very helpful because the soul is warmed and the mind is transported to the spiritual realm. St. Paisios of Mount Athos

September 22 | Present our complaint to Him

...let us present our complaint to Him and ask His mercy with the greatest quietness and humility, from the very depth of our soul. Such prayer is particularly powerful. St. Ignatius Brianchaninov

September 21 | Pray to God

...it is only needful to say that when you are praying to God with your own words the soul trembles with joy, it becomes wholly inflamed, vivified, and beatified. You will utter few words, but you will experience such blessedness as you would not have obtained from saying the longest and most touching prayers of others, pronounced out of habit and insincerely. St. John of Kronstadt

September 20 | Eustathios the Great Martyr, his wife and two children

The holy Martyr Eustathius before his baptism was an illustrious Roman general named Placidas in the days of the Emperor Trajan. While hunting in the country one day, he was converted to the Faith of Christ through the apparition of an uncommonly majestic stag, between whose antlers he saw the Cross of Christ, and through which the Lord spoke to him with a human voice. Upon returning home, he learned that his wife Tatiana had also had a vision in which she was instructed to become a Christian. They sought out the Bishop of the Christians and were baptized, Placidas receiving the name Eustathius, and Tatiana the name Theopiste; their two sons were baptized Agapius and Theopistus. The family was then subjected to such trials as Job endured. Their servants died, all their goods were stolen, and on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem they were scattered abroad, each not even knowing if the others were still alive. By the providence of God, they were united again after many years, and returned to Rome in glory. Nevertheless, when they refused to sacrifice to the idols-a public sacrifice from which no Roman general could be absent-the Emperor Hadrian, who had succeeded Trajan, had them put into a large bronze device in the shape of a bull, which was heated with fire until they died. When their holy bodies were removed, they were found to be without harm. They suffered martyrdom about the year 126. From the GOARCH Website

September 19 | Repetition of Prayer

...it is not by the variety of prayers that the soul is strengthened, but by their repetition, and by their being brought into our hearts, our will or activity, and into our whole life. St. John of Kronstadt

September 18 | So that He might free you

"But I say to you," the Lord says, "love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, pray for those who persecute you." Why did he command these things? So that he might free you from hatred, sadness, anger and grudges, and might grant you the greatest possession of all, perfect love, which is impossible to possess except by the one who loves all equally in imitation of God. St. Maximus the Confessor

September 17 | Christ Helps Us Bear Our Cross

Glory to God for all things! Whatever He allows, He will also give us the patience to endure, because we cannot carry our cross alone. Christ bears it with us. +Gerondissa Makrina (Vassopoulou)

September 16 | Bear Your Cross

Every morning, we have to prepare ourselves to bear our cross. When we go to work, to our obedience, to pray, we will take up our little cross and follow our Bridegroom. Today, we will bear this cross; next time, we will bear another cross. +Gerondissa Makrina (Vassopoulou)