Those who do not have Christ in them are full of anxiety. But when man grasps the deepest meaning of life, then all his anxiety goes away and the Divine consolation comes and heals.

And when a man is freed from stress then all kinds of people rest near him.
Do not worry about anything. Anxiety is the devil.
When you see anxiety, know that it’s the devil’s work. When we feel anxious in our struggle, let us know that we are not moving in the space of God. God is not a tyrant to drown us.
♰Saint Paisios of Mount Athos

The Readings from the Regular Cycle

The Epistle

Monday of the 34th Week

The reading is from Peter’s Second Universal Letter.

2 Pet. 1:20 – 21, 2:1 – 9

Beloved, first of all you must understand this, that no prophecy of scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, because no prophecy ever came by the impulse of man, but moved by the Holy Spirit holy men of God spoke. But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their licentiousness, and because of them the way of truth will be reviled. And in their greed they will exploit you with false words; from of old their condemnation has not been idle, and their destruction has not been asleep. For if God did not spare the angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to chains of nether gloom to be kept until the judgment; if he did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a herald of righteousness, with seven other persons, when he brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly; if by turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to ashes he condemned them to extinction and made them an example to those who were to be ungodly; and if he rescued righteous Lot, greatly distressed by the licentiousness of the wicked (for by what that righteous man saw and heard as he lived among them, he was vexed in his righteous soul day after day with their lawless deeds), then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trial, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment.[RSV]

The Gospel

Monday of the 17th Week of Luke

The reading is from the holy Gospel according to Mark.

Mk. 13:9 – 13

The Lord said to his disciples, “Take heed to yourselves; for they will deliver you up to councils; and you will be beaten in synagogues; and you will stand before governors and kings for my sake, to bear testimony before them. And the gospel must first be preached to all nations. And when they bring you to trial and deliver you up, do not be anxious beforehand what you are to say; but say whatever is given you in that hour, for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit. And brother will deliver up brother to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death; and you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved.”

On 6 December, the children of the Russian Orthodox Church commemorate the Holy Right-believing Prince Alexander Nevsky. In his life, he accomplished multiple outstanding feats. We laud his deserts as a military leader, battlefield commander, diplomat and politician. Yet the basis of his brilliant statesmanship was the great Christian virtues of humility, integrity and self-denial, and their exercise made his whole life a great Christian exploit.
With integrity and self-denial, he built military and political alliances essential for his country’s survival. He joined forces with the Mongol Khan to repel the crusaders from the West and won the support of the proud people of Novgorod, who were highly critical of him at the beginning.
With humility and a strong sense of purpose, he endured severe trials and made hard political choices for the long-term survival of his country and faith. The people of Novgorod rebelled against the Mongol Khan and killed the Khan's tax collectors. The Khan demanded revenge, and Russia was too weak to resist his armies. So Alexander Nevsky punished the killers of the tax collectors. What did it make him seem in the eyes of the people of Novgorod? A traitor? A self-interested ruler clinging on to power?
His life shows us the meaning of what it is to serve God. It means to be pure at heart, pray to know and follow His will, and look towards eternity. He became an instrument of the Divine providence, even when he made unpopular choices.
In today’s gospel reading, the Lord tells us to bear one another’s burdens, and so we will fulfil the law of Christ (Gal 6:2). Saint Alexander Nevsky bore his country's burdens; he took them close to his heart and worked hard to relieve them.
He died while visiting the Khan of the Golden Horde. His death was so unexpected and premature that many believed that he had been poisoned. Yet the people appreciated the wisdom of his choices and glorified his name.
For his piety, integrity and loyalty, the Lord endowed him with the gifts of wisdom and good statesmanship. He used his talent with great love for his country and people. Today, he is still one of the most beloved saints of the Russian people who invoke his name in their prayers.

Kirill, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia
December 06, 2024

https://orthochristian.com/165245.html