-- James 1:17 --

=C2=A0-- James 1:17 --

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father
of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D
How sad to be in a senseless world without a changeless God. We have a
God with whom there is no variation nor shadow of turning. He doesn't
have shifting moods, bad days, "oops" moments, momentary breakdowns,
or changes of mind or heart. He's as consistent as a plumb line, as
steady as a rock, and as unchanging as eternity. He is as he has
always been and will always be. Forever he is enthroned in the
highest, and forever his Word is fixed in the heavens. Culture
changes. Churches change. Life changes. GOD DOESN'T CHANGE.

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September 16th - St. Euphemia of Chalcedon

The Holy Great Martyr Euphemia the All-Praised was the daughter of
Christians, the senator Philophronos and Theodosia. She suffered for
Christ in the year 304 in the city of Chalcedon, on the banks of the
Bosphorus opposite Constantinople.

The Chalcedon governor Priscus circulated an order to all the
inhabitants of Chalcedon and its surroundings to appear at a pagan
festival to worship and offer sacrifice to an idol of Ares,
threatening grave torments for anyone who failed to appear. During
this impious festival, 49 Christians were hidden in one house, where
they secretly attended services to the True God.

The young maiden Euphemia was also among those praying there. Soon the
hiding place of the Christians was discovered, and they were brought
before Priscus to answer for themselves. For nineteen days the martyrs
were subjected to various tortures and torments, but none of them
wavered in their faith nor consented to offer sacrifice to the idol.
The governor, beside himself with rage and not knowing any other way
of forcing the Christians to abandon their faith, sent them for trial
to the emperor Diocletian. He kept the youngest, the virgin Euphemia,
hoping that she would not remain strong if she were all alone.

St. Euphemia, separated from her brethren in faith, fervently prayed
the Lord Jesus Christ, that He strengthen her in her impending ordeal.
Priscus at first urged the saint to recant, promising her earthly
blessings, but then he gave the order to torture her.

The martyr was tied to a wheel with sharp knives, which cut her body.
The saint prayed aloud, and as it happened, the wheel stopped by
itself and would not move even with all the efforts of the
executioners. An angel of the Lord, came down from Heaven, removed
Euphemia from the wheel and healed her of her wounds. The saint gave
thanks unto the Lord with gladness.

Not perceiving the miracle that had occurred, the torturer ordered
soldiers Victor and Sosthenes to take the saint to a red-hot oven. The
soldiers, seeing two fearsome angels in the midst of the flames,
refused to carry out the order of the governor and became believers in
the God Whom Euphemia worshipped. Boldly proclaiming that they too
were Christians, Victor and Sosthenes bravely went to suffering. They
were sent to be eaten by wild beasts. During their execution, they
cried out for mercy to God, asking that the Lord would receive them
into the Heavenly Kingdom. A heavenly Voice answered their cries, and
they entered into eternal life. The beasts, however, did not even
touch their bodies.

St. Euphemia, cast into the fire by other soldiers, remained unharmed.
With the help of God she emerged unharmed after many other tortures
and torments. Ascribing this to sorcery, the governor gave orders to
dig out a new pit, and filling it with knives, he had it covered over
with earth and grass, so that the martyr would not notice the
preparation for her execution.

Here also St. Euphemia remained safe, easily passing over the pit.
Finally, they sentenced her to be devoured by wild beasts at the
circus. Before execution the saint began to implore that the Lord deem
her worthy to die a violent death. None of the beasts, set loose at
her in the arena, attacked her. Finally, one of the she-bears gave her
a small wound on the leg, from which came blood, and immediately the
holy Great Martyr Euphemia died. During this time there was an
earthquake, and both the guards and the spectators ran in terror, so
that the parents of the saint were able to take up her body and
reverently bury it not far from Chalcedon.

A majestic church was afterwards built over the grave of the Great
Martyr Euphemia. At this temple the sessions of the Fourth Ecumenical
Council took place in the year 451. At that time, the holy Great
Martyr Euphemia confirmed the Orthodox confession in a miraculous
manner, and exposed the Monophysite heresy. Details of this miracle
are related under July 11.

With the taking of Chalcedon by the Persians in the year 617, the
relics of the holy Great Martyr Euphemia were transferred to
Constantinople (in about the year 620). During the Iconoclast heresy,
the reliquary with the relics of St. Euphemia appears to have been
thrown into the sea. Pious sailors recovered them. They were
afterwards taken to the Island of Lemnos, and in the year 796 they
were returned to Constantinople.


Saint Quote:
"It is written, 'God is not mocked.' (Gal. vi, 7.) Indeed God cannot
be mocked, nor circumvented, nor deluded by any man's astute deceit. .
. Let each of you, then, I beg you, brethren, confess his fault while
the sinner is yet in this world, while confession is still possible,
while the satisfaction and remission granted by the priests is still
acceptable to God."
--St. Cyprian

Bible Quote:
As one that taketh off a garment in cold weather, and as vinegar upon
soda, So is he that singeth songs to a heavy heart. [Pro 25:20 ]


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Sighing for the Holy Spirit
O MILDEST Comforter, Holy Spirit, come to me. My soul sighs for Thee!
My heart thirsts for Thee! Thou alone canst satisfy my longing; Thou
alone canst make me happy. Despise not, O Divine Bridegroom, the
dwelling of my poor heart.
My heart, alas, is unclean, but Thou canst purify it.
My heart is dark, but Thou canst illuminate it.
My heart is wicked, but Thou canst penetrate it with love.
My heart is sad, but Thou canst comfort it.
My heart is weak, but Thou canst strengthen it.
My heart is cold, but Thou canst inflame it.
My heart clings to earth, but Thou canst fill it with heavenly desires.
My heart is full of sin, but Thou canst adorn it with all virtues.
My heart is inconstant and wayward, but Thou canst make it docile.
Come then, O Holy Spirit, Thou Father of the poor,
come and fill me with Thy love. Amen.
Father, Father, send us the promised Paraclete,
through Jesus Christ Our Lord.