You Say Mohamet, I say ICXC NIKA

When the Saracens told the generals that Mahomet was a true prophet and Christ was not, the generals asked them:

“If two men were to quarrel about a field, with one saying:’It’s mine!,’ and the other saying: ‘No; it’s mine!,’ and one had many witnesses that it was his field and the other had not a single witness but himself, what would you say – whose field was it?”

The Saracens replied: “His, of course, who had the many witnesses.”

“You have judged right,” the generals answered them.

“So it is with Christ and Mahomet. Christ has many witnesses: the ancient prophets, whom you also recognise, from Moses to John the Baptist, witnessed to Him, but Mahomet only witnesses to himself that he is a prophet, and has no other witness.”

The Saracens were confounded, but attempted then to defend their faith thus:

“That our faith is better than Christianity is seen in this: that God has given us victory over you, that He gives us the best lands on earth and an empire much greater than the Christian.”

To this the generals replied:

“If that were so, then the idol-worship of Egypt and Babylon, and of Greece and Rome, and the fire-worship of Persia, would have been true faiths, for at some time each of these peoples has conquered others and governed them. It is obvious that your victory and power and wealth do not prove the truth of your faith. We know that God sometimes gives victory to Christians, and sometimes leaves them in torture and suffering to correct them and bring them to repentance and cleansing from sin.”
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TROPARION IN THE THIRD TONE
Let us honor the forty-two martyrs, the chosen
company of God the Word; they fought with
one accord. United in grace and faith, they
stood in invincible array. They proved to be
heirs of Christ when they bore witness to His grace.

KONTAKION IN THE FOURTH TONE
Let us crown with praises the new warriors of the
Faith who have zealously contended for Christ. As
pillars and guardians of all Christians they intervene
with Him for us.
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The Holy Forty-Two Martyrs of Amorion, commemorated on March 6th, are worthy for us to call upon for patient endurance in affliction.
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For this day, March 6th, St Nikolai (Velimirovic) offered the following REFLECTION:

For as long as you are on earth, consider yourself a guest in the Household of Christ. If you are at the table, it is He who treats you. If you breathe air, it is His air you breathe. If you bathe, it is in His water you are bathing. If you are traveling, it is over His land that you are traveling. If you are amassing goods, it is His goods you are amassing. If you are squandering, it is His goods that you are squandering. If you are powerful, it is by His permission that you are strong. If you are in the company of men, you and the others are His guests. If you are out in nature, you are in His garden. If you are alone, He is present. If you set out or turn anywhere, He sees you. If you do anything, He remembers. He is the most considerate Householder by Whom you were ever hosted. Be careful then toward Him. In a good household, the guest is required to behave. These are all simple words but they convey to you a great truth. All the saints knew this truth and they governed their lives by it. That is why the Eternal Householder rewarded them with eternal life in heaven and glory on earth.
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ICXC NIKA

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