فیلیپیان ۱.۲۷-۲.۴ (رساله)

۲۷فقط از شما می‌خواهم که به شیوۀ شایسته انجیل مسیح رفتار کنید، تا خواه بیایم و شما را ببینم و خواه در غیابم از احوالتان بشنوم، خاطرم آسوده باشد که در یک روح استوارید و چون یک تن، دوش به دوش برای ایمان انجیل مجاهده می‌کنید، ۲۸و در هیچ چیز از مخالفان هراسی ندارید، که همین در مورد آنان نشان هلاکت است، امّا نشان نجات شماست، و این از خداست. ۲۹زیرا این افتخار نصیب شما شده که نه تنها به مسیح ایمان آورید، بلکه در راه او رنج هم ببرید. ۳۰چراکه شما را همان مجاهده است که مرا مشغول به آن دیدید و اکنون می‌شنوید که هنوز هم بدان مشغولم. ۱پس اگر در مسیح دلگرمید، اگر محبت او مایۀ تسلی شماست، اگر در روحْ رفاقت دارید، و اگر از رحم و شفقت برخوردارید، ۲بیایید شادی مرا به کمال رسانید و با یکدیگر وحدت‌نظر و محبت متقابل داشته، یکدل و یکرأی باشید. ۳هیچ کاری را از سَرِ جاه‌طلبی یا تکبّر نکنید، بلکه با فروتنی دیگران را از خود بهتر بدانید. ۴هیچ‌یک از شما تنها به فکر خود نباشد، بلکه به دیگران نیز بیندیشد.

لوقا ۱۱.۲۳-۲۶ (انجیل)

۲۳هر که با من نیست، بر ضد من است، و هر که با من جمع نکند، پراکنده سازد. ۲۴«هنگامی که روح پلید از کسی بیرون می‌آید، به مکانهای خشک و بایر می‌رود تا جایی برای استراحت بیابد. امّا چون نمی‌یابد با خود می‌گوید: ”به خانه‌ای که از آن آمدم، بازمی‌گردم.“ ۲۵امّا چون به آنجا می‌رسد و خانه را رُفته و آراسته می‌بیند، ۲۶می‌رود و هفت روح بدتر از خود نیز می‌آورد، و همگی داخل می‌شوند و در آنجا سکونت می‌گزینند. در نتیجه، سرانجامِ آن شخص بدتر از حالت نخست او می‌شود.»

شهید آناستاسیا رومی (۲۵۶)

She lived in Rome during the reigns of the Emperors Decius and Valerian. At an early age she left all to embrace a life of unceasing prayer, entering a small monastery in Rome, directed by a nun named Sophia. For her Christian faith, she was seized and brought before the governor Probus and, when she boldly confessed Christ and refused to honor the idols, was subjected to a series of vicious tortures, under which she died. An angel led Sophia to retrieve her holy relics, which are now venerated at the monastery of Grigoriou on Mt Athos.

We are sometimes told that monasticism developed in the Church after Christianity became accepted and grew more worldly. The story of St Anastasia is one of many evidences in the lives of the Saints that what we now call monasticism was present from the earliest days of the Church.

پدر مقدس ما آبرامیوس (۳۶۶) و او خواهرزاده مریم (۳۷۱) بین‌النهرین

Abramius was a Christian of noble birth who, early in life, left all (including a young bride) to live as a solitary monk. This he did for fifty years. When Abramius’ brother died, leaving his seven-year-old daughter Mary orphaned and alone, The Saint took her under his care, giving her a monastic cell near his own. Though Mary devoted herself joyfully to the monastic life, when she was about twenty she fell into sin with a corrupt monk who visited the hermitage. Far worse, she then fell into despair, thinking that she had cast away her salvation, and fled the hermitage to become a harlot in a nearby town. Abramius, unaware of what had happened or where she had gone, prayed constantly for her safety and to be shown where she had fled.

One day a traveler told Abramius what had become of his niece. Immediately he rose up, dressed himself as a soldier and went to the brothel where Mary worked, “for the salvation of a soul meant more to him than hermitage, Habit, ascesis or prayer itself” (Synaxarion). Still disguised, he ordered a meal, his first wine and meat for fifty years, then went with Mary to her room. Only then did he reveal himself, and with tears, not accusing her at all, pleaded with her to leave that place and return with him. “Let us go, my child; let us return to our hermitage. Let your fault be mine. I will answer for it before Christ on the day of judgment.” She returned with him and, with repentance, prayed so ardently that she was soon granted not only assurance of forgiveness but the power to work miracles. St Abramius reposed in peace in great old age; Mary followed him into eternal joy five years later.