St. Macrina the Younger

You have heard that it was said, 'You shall not commit adultery;' but I tell you that everyone who gazes at a woman to lust after her has committed adultery with her already in his heart. If your right eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out and throw it away from you. For it is more profitable for you that one of your members should perish, than for your whole body to be cast into Gehenna. If your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off, and throw it away from you. For it is more profitable for you that one of your members should perish, than for your whole body to be cast into Gehenna. 'It was also said, 'Whoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorce,' but I tell you that whoever puts away his wife, except for the cause of sexual immorality, makes her an adulteress; and whoever marries her when she is put away commits adultery. 'Again you have heard that it was said to them of old time, 'You shall not make false vows, but shall perform to the Lord your vows,' but I tell you, don't swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is the throne of God; nor by the earth, for it is the footstool of his feet; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. Neither shall you swear by your head, for you can't make one hair white or black. But let your 'Yes' be 'Yes' and your 'No' be 'No.' Whatever is more than these is of the evil one. 'You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.'* But I tell you, don't resist him who is evil; but whoever strikes you on your right cheek, turn to him the other also. If anyone sues you to take away your coat, let him have your cloak also. Whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. Give to him who asks you, and don't turn away him who desires to borrow from you. 'You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor,* and hate your enemy.*' But I tell you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who mistreat you and persecute you, that you may be children of your Father who is in heaven.

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	St. Macrina the Younger

St. Macrina (c.327-79) was the oldest of ten children of St. Basil the Elder and St. Emmelia, and was born at Caesarea in Cappadocia. She was educated by her mother, who both taught her to read and exercised vigilance over how she used that accomplishment. At the age of twelve she was betrothed, but her fiancé died suddenly. After this, although very beautiful, she refused all other suitors and devoted herself to a Christian life. Initially she educated her brothers and sisters. St. Basil the Great, St. Peter of Sebastea, St. Gregory of Nyssa and the rest learned from her contempt of the world, dread of its dangers, and application to prayer and the word of God; St. Gregory relates how St. Basil returned from Athens University as a very conceited young man, and his sister taught him humility; while to St. Peter, the youngest, she was 'father, teacher, guide, mother, giver of good advice', for their father died just as he was born. St. Basil the Great then established his mother and St. Macrina on an estate by the river Iris in Pontus, and there they were joined by other women in an ascetic communal life.

After the death of St. Emmelia, St. Macrina disposed of all her property in favour of the poor, and lived on what she earned by the labour of her hands. St. Basil the Great died in the beginning of 379 AD, and she fell ill nine months later. St. Gregory of Nyssa, making her a visit after eight years absence, found her sick, lying on two boards for her bed. Although she found it difficult to talk, her discussion of the future life was recorded by St. Gregory in On the Soul and the Resurrection. Her poverty was absolute and her preparation was death was complete. She died at the time of Vespers after praying, 'You have made the end of this life the beginning of true life. One day you will take again what you have given, transfiguring with grace and immortality our mortal and unsightly remains. May my soul be received into your hands, spotless and undefiled, as an offering before you'. She was buried amid widespread lamentation.

Source: http://www.orthodoxchristian.info

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