Acts 14.20-27 (Epistle)

20A kad ga opkoliše uèenici njegovi, ustade i uðe u grad, i sjutradan iziðe s Varnavom u Dervu. 21I propovjedivši jevanðelje gradu onome i nauèivši mnoge vratiše se u Listru i Ikoniju i Antiohiju 22Utvrðujuæi duše uèenika i svjetujuæi ih da ostanu u vjeri, i da nam kroz mnoge nevolje valja uæi u carstvo Božije. 23I postavivši im starješine po svijem crkvama, i pomolivši se Bogu s postom, predadoše ih Gospodu koga vjerovaše. 24I prošavši Pisidiju doðoše u Pamfiliju. 25I govorivši rijeè Gospodnju u Perzi siðoše u Ataliju. 26I odande otploviše u Antiohiju, odakle bijahu predani blagodati Božijoj na djelo koje svršiše. 27A kad doðoše i sabraše crkvu, kazaše sve šta uèini Bog s njima, i kako otvori neznabošcima vrata vjere.

John 9.39-10.9 (Gospel)

39I reèe Isus: ja doðoh na sud na ovaj svijet, da vide koji ne vide, i koji vide da postanu slijepi. 40I èuše ovo neki od fariseja koji bijahu s njim, i rekoše mu: eda li smo i mi slijepi? 41Reèe im Isus: kad biste bili slijepi, ne biste imali grijeha, a sad govorite da vidite, tako vaš grijeh ostaje.

1Zaista, zaista vam kažem: ko ne ulazi na vrata u tor ovèij nego prelazi na drugom mjestu on je lupež i hajduk; 2A koji ulazi na vrata jest pastir ovcama: 3Njemu vratar otvora, i ovce glas njegov slušaju, i svoje ovce zove po imenu, i izgoni ih; 4I kad svoje ovce istjera, ide pred njima, i ovce idu za njim, jer poznaju glas njegov. 5A za tuðinom neæe da idu, nego bježe od njega, jer ne poznaju glasa tuðega. 6Ovu prièu kaza im Isus, ali oni ne razumješe šta to bijaše što im kaza. 7Tada im reèe Isus opet: zaista, zaista vam kažem: ja sam vrata k ovcama. 8Svi koliko ih god doðe prije mene lupeži su i hajduci; ali ih ovce ne poslušaše. 9Ja sam vrata; ko uðe kroza me spašæe se, i uæi æe i iziæi æe, i pašu æe naæi.

Hieromartyr Basiliscus of Comana (308)

He was from Amasea on the Black Sea, and was a nephew of St Theodore the Tyro (February 17). He was a fellow-martyr of Eutropius and Cleonicus (March 3), but is commemorated because, after they were crucified, he was shut in prison. A new governor replaced the one who had killed Basiliscus’ companions, and Basiliscus prayed in tears that he not be deprived of a martyr’s death. The Lord Jesus appeared to him, promised that his prayer would be answered, and told him to go to his village to say farewell to his mother and brothers. The new governor, Agrippa, sent soldiers to the village and had Basiliscus brought back to him. On the way to Amasea, many wonders were worked throught the Saint, and many were brought to Christ. Brought before the governor, Basiliscus again refused to worship the idols or deny Christ: he was beheaded in Comana and his body thrown into the river. Upon the holy Saint’s execution, Agrippa instantly went mad, remaining so until he smeared himself with some of the Martyr’s blood, which immediately healed him. Convinced by this wonder of the truth of the Faith, Agrippa was baptised. All of this happened during the reign of Diocletian.

Righteous Melchizedek, king of Salem.

He was a “priest of the most high God” (Genesis 14:18-20), who blessed our Forefather Abraham and “brought forth bread and wine,” prefiguring the Holy Eucharist, centuries before the Law was given to Moses or Christ became incarnate. The Epistle to the Hebrews (ch. 7) reveals Melchizedek, the Priest-King, to be a type of Christ.

Commemoration of the Second Ecumenical Council (381).

The council was called by the Emperor Theodosius the Great, primarily to clarify the Church’s teaching on the Holy Spirit. Macedonius, bishop of Constantinople, had falsely taught that the Spirit is a creature rather than a Divine Person “Who together with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified.” Partly to correct this error, the council revised and expanded the text of the Nicene Creed into the form that we know today.