Mark 16.9-20 (3rd Matins Gospel)

9A Isus ustavši rano u prvi dan nedjelje javi se najprije Mariji Magdalini, iz koje je istjerao sedam ðavola. 10A ona otide te javi onima što su bili s njim, koji plakahu i ridahu. 11I oni èuvši da je živ i da ga je ona vidjela ne vjerovaše. 12A potom javi se na putu dvojici od njih u drugome oblièju, kad su išli u selo. 13I oni otišavši javiše ostalima; i ni njima ne vjerovaše. 14A najposlije javi se kad njih jedanaestorica bijahu za trpezom, i prekori ih za njihovo nevjerje i tvrðu srca što ne vjerovaše onima koji su ga vidjeli da je ustao; 15I reèe im: idite po svemu svijetu i propovjedite jevanðelje svakome stvorenju. 16Koji uzvjeruje i pokrsti se, spašæe se; a ko ne vjeruje osudiæe se. 17A znaci onima koji vjeruju biæe ovi: imenom mojijem izgoniæe ðavole; govoriæe novijem jezicima; 18Uzimaæe zmije u ruke, ako i smrtno što popiju, neæe im nauditi; na bolesnike metaæe ruke, i ozdravljaæe. 19A Gospod pošto im izgovori uze se na nebo, i sjede Bogu s desne strane. 20A oni iziðoše i propovijedaše svuda, i Gospod ih potpomaga, i rijeè potvrðiva znacima koji su se potom pokazivali. Amin.

Romans 13.11-14.4 (Epistle)

11I znajuæi ovo vrijeme da je veæ èas došao da ustanemo od sna; jer nam je sad bliže spasenije negoli kad vjerovasmo. 12Noæ proðe a dan se približi: da odbacimo dakle sva djela tamna, i da se obuèemo u oružje vidjela. 13Da hodimo pošteno kao po danu: ne u žderanju i pijanstvu, ne u kurvarstvu i neèistoti, ne u svaðanju i zavisti; 14Nego se obucite u Gospoda našega Isusa Hrista; i tijelu ne ugaðajte po željama.

1A slaboga u vjeri primajte lijepo, da se ne smeta savjest. 2Jer jedan vjeruje da smije svašta jesti, a koji je slab jede zelje. 3Koji jede neka ne ukorava onoga koji ne jede; i koji ne jede neka ne osuðuje onoga koji jede; jer ga Bog primi. 4Ko si ti koji sudiš tuðemu sluzi? On svojemu gospodaru stoji ili pada. Ali æe ustati; jer je Bog kadar podignuti ga.

Matthew 6.14-21 (Gospel)

14Jer ako opraštate ljudima grijehe njihove, oprostiæe i vama otac vaš nebeski. 15Ako li ne opraštate ljudima grijeha njihovijeh, ni otac vaš neæe oprostiti vama grijeha vašijeh. 16A kad postite, ne budite žalosni kao licemjeri; jer oni naèine blijeda lica svoja da ih vide ljudi gdje poste. Zaisto vam kažem da su primili platu svoju. 17A ti kad postiš, namaži glavu svoju, i lice svoje umij, 18Da te ne vide ljudi gdje postiš, nego otac tvoj koji je u tajnosti; i otac tvoj koji vidi tajno, platiæe tebi javno. 19Ne sabirajte sebi blaga na zemlji, gdje moljac i rða kvari, i gdje lupeži potkopavaju i kradu; 20Nego sabirajte sebi blago na nebu, gdje ni moljac ni rða ne kvari, i gdje lupeži ne potkopavaju i ne kradu. 21Jer gdje je vaše blago, ondje æe biti i srce vaše.

Hieromartyr Theodotus, bishop of Cyrenia (326)

Known for his wisdom and virtue, he was chosen as Bishop of Cyrenia on the island of Cyprus. When a persecution broke out against the Christians under the Emperor Licinius, Theodotus was arrested and subjected to many tortures. His torturer Sabinus urged him repeatedly to renounce Christ and worship the idols, but Theodotus replied, ‘If you knew the goodness of my God, who, it is my hope, will by these brief tortures make me worthy of eternal life, you would wish to suffer for Him as I do.’ The pagans then drove nails into his body, for which he thanked God. Believing that his death was approaching, he calmly gave counsel and instruction to the Christians around him. By God’s providence, an order came from the new Emperor Constantine to free all Christians who were being held for the sake of Christ. Thus Theodotus was freed and, though greatly weakened by his torments, served his flock faithfully for two more years before reposing in peace.

The Four Hundred and Forty Martyrs of Lombardy (579)

Forty of them were beheaded in one place in Lombardy (in Italy) because they refused to eat food offered to idols. Another four hundred were massacred because they refused to join with the Lombard pagans’ practice of dancing around a goat’s head that had been brought for sacrifice to the idols. Their deaths are recorded by St Gregory the Dialogist (Gregory the Great).

We sometimes imagine that the Roman Empire converted almost overnight to Christianity during the reign of St Constantine the Great. This incident, more than two hundred years into Europe’s ‘Christian era’, reminds us that the progress of the Faith among the people was often slow and halting, and that paganism remained a force for many centuries.

Holy Martyr Euthalia (257)

She was a pagan maiden living in Sicily with her mother (also named Euthalia) and her brother Sermilianus. When Euthalia’s mother became ill with an issue of blood, the holy martyrs Alphius, Philadelphus and Cyrinus (May 10) appeared to her in a dream and told her that she would only be healed if she were baptised in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Heeding the dream, she believed, was baptized, and was healed. Her daughter Euthalia, seeing this wonder, was also baptised. Sermilianus, despising and hating the Christian faith, first mocked his mother and sister for their conversion, then threatened them. The mother fled the house in fear. Euthalia remained, saying to her brother ‘I am a Christian, and have no fear of death.’ The cruel Sermilianus persecuted her more and more harshly until finally, enraged by the futility of his threats, he beheaded his own sister by his own hand, unknowingly procuring for her a crown of eternal glory. “And thus in this example were fulfilled the words of Christ that He was bringing a sword among men which would divide those of one blood but not those of one faith (Matt. 10:34-35).” (Prologue)