Romans 8.14-21 (Epistle)

14Jer koji se vladaju po duhu Božijemu oni su sinovi Božiji. 15Jer ne primiste duha ropstva, opet da se bojite; nego primiste Duha posinaèkoga, kojijem vièemo: Ava, oèe! 16Ovaj Duh svjedoèi našemu duhu da smo djeca Božija. 17A kad smo djeca i našljednici smo: našljednici dakle Božiji, a sunašljednici Hristovi: jer s njim stradamo da se s njim i proslavimo. 18Jer mislim da stradanja sadašnjega vremena nijesu ništa prema slavi koja æe nam se javiti. 19Jer èekanje tvari èeka da se jave sinovi Božiji. 20Jer se tvar pokori propadljivosti ne od svoje volje nego za volju onoga koji je pokori) na nad, 21Da æe se i sama tvar oprostiti od ropstva raspadljivosti na slobodu slave djece Božije.

Matthew 9.9-13 (Gospel)

9I odlazeæi Isus odande vidje èovjeka gdje sjedi na carini, po imenu Mateja, i reèe mu: hajde za mnom. I ustavši otide za njim. 10I kad jeðaše u kuæi, gle, mnogi carinici i grješnici doðoše i jeðahu s Isusom i s uèenicima njegovijem. 11I vidjevši to fariseji govorahu uèenicima njegovijem: zašto s carinicima i grješnicima uèitelj vaš jede i pije? 12A Isus èuvši to reèe im: ne trebaju zdravi ljekara nego bolesni. 13Nego idite i nauèite se šta znaèi: milosti hoæu, a ne priloga. Jer ja nijesam došao da zovem pravednike no grješnike na pokajanje.

Holy Martyrs Proclus and Hilarius (2nd c.)

Proclus was the uncle of Hilarius; both were from Kallippi in Asia during the reign of Trajan. When Proclus was brought to be tried as a Christian, the judge asked him ‘Of what race are you?’ Proclus answered ‘I am of the race of Christ, and my hope is in my God.’ When the judge threatened to torture him, he said ‘When you are afraid to transgress the Emperor’s commands and risk falling into temporal punishment, how much more do we Christians fear to transgress against God’s commands and fall into eternal torment!’ When Proclus was given over to torture, his nephew Hilarius came forward and proclaimed ‘I too am a Christian.’ After torture, both were condemned to death; Proclus was crucified and Hilarius beheaded.

Imagine how the Orthodox Church would benefit if, when we were asked ‘Of what race are you?’ the first answer that came to mind was not ‘I am Greek, Russian, Serbian…’ but ‘I am of the race of Christ!’

St Veronica, the woman with the issue of blood who was healed by the Savior

See Matthew ch. 9, Mark ch. 5, and Luke ch. 8. After the events told in the Gospel, she spent the remainder of her life as a follower of Christ and reposed in peace.

Saint Païsios of the Holy Mountain (1994) (June 29 OC)

‘The future Elder Paisius was born in 1924 and baptized by St. Arsenius of Cappadocia. He spent his youth as a carpenter until WW II, during which he repeatedly distinguished himself in the army by his bravery and self-sacrifice. In 1950 he went to Mt. Athos for eight years, where he was tonsured. Then he was asked to spend some time in his home village of Epirus, in order to defend the faithful against Protestant proselytism. He returned to Mt. Athos in 1964 and stayed in several monasteries, eventually settling in the Panagouda hermitage of Koutloumousiou Monastery, where he remained for fifteen years. Here his reputation as a holy elder and guide grew, and he tirelessly received those thirsting for spiritual direction, allowing himself only two or three hours of sleep each day. He reposed in 1994, one of the most well-known and beloved contemporary elders. Many of his counsels and other writings have been published.’ (St Herman Calendar, 1994)

Elder Païsios was glorified by the Church in 2015; he is commemorated on the anniversary of his repose.