اول تسالونیکیان ۱.۶-۱۰ (رساله)

۶شما از ما و از خداوند سرمشق گرفتید و در رنج بسیار، کلام را با آن شادی که روح‌القدس می‌بخشد، استقبال کردید. ۷بدین‌گونه شما برای همۀ ایمانداران مقدونیه و اَخائیه سرمشقی بر جای گذاشتید، ۸زیرا کلام خداوند به واسطۀ شما نه تنها در مقدونیه و اَخائیه طنین افکند، بلکه ایمان شما به خدا در همه جا بر سر زبانهاست، آن‌گونه که دیگر نیازی نیست ما چیزی بگوییم. ۹زیرا آنان خود از استقبال گرم شما از ما سخن می‌گویند، و از اینکه چگونه از بتها دست کشیده، به سوی خدا بازگشتید تا خدای زنده و حقیقی را خدمت کنید ۱۰و در انتظار آمدن پسر او از آسمان باشید، که از مردگان برخیزانیدش، یعنی عیسی، که ما را از غضب آینده رهایی می‌بخشد.

لوقا ۱۱.۳۴-۴۱ (انجیل)

۳۴چشم تو، چراغ بدن توست. اگر چشمت سالم باشد، تمام وجودت روشن خواهد بود. امّا اگر چشمت فاسد باشد، تمام وجودت را تاریکی فرا خواهد گرفت. ۳۵پس به‌هوش باش مبادا نوری که در توست، تاریکی باشد. ۳۶چه اگر تمام وجودت روشن باشد و هیچ جزئی از آن تاریک نباشد، آنگاه همچون زمانی که نورِ چراغ بر تو می‌تابد، به‌تمامی در روشنایی خواهی بود.» ۳۷چون عیسی سخنان خود را به پایان رسانید، یکی از فَریسیان او را به صرف غذا دعوت کرد. پس به خانۀ او رفت و بنشست. ۳۸امّا فَریسی چون دید که عیسی دستهایش را پیش از غذا نشست، تعجب کرد. ۳۹آنگاه خداوند خطاب به او گفت: «شما فَریسیان بیرونِ پیاله و بشقاب را پاک می‌کنید، امّا از درون آکنده از طمع و خباثت هستید! ۴۰ای نادانان، آیا آن که بیرون را آفرید، درون را نیز نیافرید؟ ۴۱پس از آنچه در درون است صدقه دهید تا همه چیز برایتان پاک باشد.

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.