1 Thessalonians 2.20-3.8 (Epistle)

20Da, voi sunteţi slava şi bucuria noastră. 1De aceea, fiindcă nu mai puteam răbda, am socotit mai bine să fim lăsaţi singuri în Atena 2şi v-am trimis pe Timotei, fratele nostru şi slujitorul lui Dumnezeu în Evanghelia lui Hristos, ca să vă întărească şi să vă îmbărbăteze în credinţa voastră, 3pentru ca nimeni din voi să nu se clatine în aceste necazuri; căci ştiţi singuri că la aceasta suntem rânduiţi. 4Şi, când eram la voi, v-am spus mai dinainte că vom avea să suferim necazuri, ceea ce s-a şi întâmplat, cum bine ştiţi. 5Astfel, în nerăbdarea mea, am trimis să-mi aducă ştiri despre credinţa voastră, de teamă ca nu cumva să vă fi ispitit ispititorul, şi osteneala noastră să fi fost degeaba. 6Dar chiar acum a venit Timotei de la voi la noi şi ne-a adus veşti bune despre credinţa şi dragostea voastră, că totdeauna păstraţi o plăcută aducere aminte despre noi şi că doriţi să ne vedeţi, cum dorim şi noi să vă vedem pe voi. 7De aceea, fraţilor, în toate strâmtorările şi necazurile noastre am fost mângâiaţi cu privire la voi, prin credinţa voastră. 8Acum, da, trăim, fiindcă voi staţi tari în Domnul.

Luke 20.27-44 (Gospel)

27Unii din saduchei, care zic că nu este înviere, s-au apropiat şi au întrebat pe Isus: 28„Învăţătorule, iată ce ne-a scris Moise: „Dacă moare fratele cuiva, având nevastă, dar fără să aibă copii, fratele lui să ia pe nevasta lui şi să ridice urmaş fratelui său.” 29Au fost, dar, şapte fraţi. Cel dintâi s-a însurat, şi a murit fără copii. 30Pe nevasta lui, a luat-o al doilea; şi a murit şi el fără copii. 31A luat-o şi al treilea şi tot aşa toţi şapte; şi au murit fără să lase copii. 32La urma tuturor, a murit şi femeia. 33Deci, la înviere, nevasta căruia dintre ei va fi femeia? Fiindcă toţi şapte au avut-o de nevastă.” 34Isus le-a răspuns: „Fiii veacului acestuia se însoară şi se mărită; 35dar cei ce vor fi găsiţi vrednici să aibă parte de veacul viitor şi de învierea dintre cei morţi, nici nu se vor însura, nici nu se vor mărita. 36Pentru că nici nu vor putea muri, căci vor fi ca îngerii. Şi vor fi fiii lui Dumnezeu, fiind fii ai învierii. 37Dar că morţii învie, a arătat însuşi Moise, în locul unde este vorba despre „Rug” când numeşte pe Domnul: „Dumnezeul lui Avraam, Dumnezeul lui Isaac şi Dumnezeul lui Iacov.” 38Dar Dumnezeu nu este un Dumnezeu al celor morţi, ci al celor vii, căci pentru El toţi sunt vii.” 39Unii din cărturari au luat cuvântul şi au zis: „Învăţătorule, bine ai zis.” 40Şi nu mai îndrăzneau să-I mai pună nicio întrebare. 41Isus le-a zis: „Cum se zice că Hristosul este fiul lui David? 42Căci însuşi David zice în cartea Psalmilor: „Domnul a zis Domnului meu: „Şezi la dreapta Mea, 43până voi pune pe vrăjmaşii Tăi sub picioarele Tale.” 44Deci David Îl numeşte Domn; atunci cum este El fiul lui?”

Holy Prophet Habbakuk (Abbacum) (7th c. BC).

He prophesied in the time of Joachim, just before the Jewish people were taken into captivity in Babylon. He himself escaped captivity, and after Jerusalem was destroyed, returned to his homeland. Once he was taking some food to his harvesters when an Angel transported him to Babylon to feed the Prophet Daniel in the lions’ den, then bore him back to Judea (this is told in the full version of the book of Daniel, ch. 6 LXX). The third chapter of his prophecy is used as the Fourth Ode of the Matins Canon(the Ode is usually sung in full only in monasteries during Lent, but the eirmos of the Fourth Ode, sung in many parishes, usually refers to the Prophet). His holy relics were found through a revelation in Palestine during the reign of Theodosius the Great, and a chapel built there. His name means “Father of the Resurrection.”

Holy Martyr Myrope (Myropea) of Chios (251)

She was born in Ephesus. At baptism, she was consecrated by her mother to serve at the shrine of St Hermione, one of the four daughters of the Apostle Philip. Many pilgrims came to be anointed with a miracle-working myrrh that flowed from St Hermione’s body — and from her service at the shrine Myrope received the name by which she is known. Later, she and her mother went to the island of Chios to flee the persecution of the Emperor Decius.

When the holy martyr Isidore (May 14) was beheaded, Myrope secretly recovered his body and gave it honorable burial. The governor Numerius was furious, and ordered his soldiers to find the body or themselves be beheaded. Unable to let innocent people suffer for her act, Myrope presented herself to the governor and told him where she had buried the body. At Numerius’ order, the holy girl was tortured and thrown in prison. There a heavenly light illuminated her cell and St Isidore himself appeared to her with a company of angels, saying ‘Peace to thee, Myrope: thy prayer has ascended to God, and thou shalt soon be with us and receive the crown prepared for thee.’ Myrope, filled with joy, gave up her soul to God at that moment. One of the guards who had witnessed these events believed in Christ, and not long afterward was baptized and received a martyr’s death.

Our Holy Father Athanasius "the Resurrected," Recluse of the Kiev Caves (1176)

After many years of ascetic struggle, Athanasius died and was prepared for burial. After lying dead for two full days, he inexplicably came back to life: the monks who came to bury him were astonished to find him sitting up and weeping. The brethren gathered around him and asked him many questions about what he had seen of the next world, but he would only answer ‘Save yourselves!’ When they pressed him further, he said ‘If I told you, you would not believe me or want to listen to me.’ His final reply was ‘Repent every moment, and pray to the Lord Jesus Christ and to His most pure Mother.’ He then shut himself in his cell and lived another twelve years, taking only bread and water and never speaking again to anyone.

Saint (Stephen) Uroš, King of Serbia (1367)

“The son of King Dušan, he ruled during the difficult time of the fall of the Kindom of Serbia. Humble, pious and gentle, he refused to attempt to restrain the power of the powerful nobles by force. Amongst these was Vukašin, who brought about his death. Good King Uroš suffered a martyr’s death on December 2nd, 1367, at the age of thirty-one. Killed by men, he was glorified by God. His wonderworking relics were preserved in the monastery of Jazak in the Fruška Gora, whence they were taken to Belgrade in 1942, during the Second World War, and placed in the Cathedral beside the bodies of Prince Lazar and Despot Stephen Štiljanovic. During the reign of this benevolent king, the monastery of St Nahum was built beside Lake Ochrid by one of Uroš’s nobles, Grgur.” (Prologue)

Saint Porphyrios of Kavsokalyvia (1991) (Nov. 19 OC)

One of the true God-bearing Elders of our own time, he was glorified by the Church in 2013.