Romans 16.17-24 (Epistle)

17Molim vas pak, braæo, èuvajte se od onijeh koji èine raspre i razdore na štetu nauke koju vi nauèiste, i uklonite se od njih; 18Jer takovi ne služe Gospodu našemu Isusu Hristu nego svojemu trbuhu, i blagijem rijeèima i blagoslovima prelašæuju srca bezazlenijeh. 19Jer vaše slušanje razglasi se svuda. I radujem se za vas; ali hoæu da ste vi mudri na dobro a prosti na zlo. 20A Bog mira da satre sotonu pod noge vaše skoro. Blagodat Gospoda našega Isusa Hrista s vama. Amin. 21Pozdravlja vas Timotije, pomoænik moj, i Lukije i Jason i Sosipatar, roðaci moji. 22Pozdravljam vas i ja Tertije, koji napisah ovu poslanicu u Gospodu. 23Pozdravlja vas Gaj, domaæin moj i cijele crkve. Pozdravlja vas Erast, haznadar gradski, i brat Kvart. 24Blagodat Gospoda našega Isusa Hrista sa svima vama. Amin.

Matthew 13.10-23 (Gospel)

10I pristupivši uèenici rekoše mu: zašto im govoriš u prièama? 11A on odgovarajuæi reèe im: vama je dano da znate tajne carstva nebeskoga, a njima nije dano. 12Jer ko ima, daæe mu se, i preteæi æe mu; a koji nema, uzeæe mu se i ono što ima. 13Zato im govorim u prièama, jer gledajuæi ne vide, i èujuæi ne èuju niti razumiju. 14I zbiva se na njima proroštvo Isaijno, koje govori: ušima æete èuti, i neæete razumjeti; i oèima æete gledati, i neæete vidjeti. 15Jer je odrvenilo srce ovijeh ljudi, i ušima teško èuju, i oèi su svoje zatvorili da kako ne vide oèima, i ušima ne èuju, i srcem ne razumiju, i ne obrate se da ih iscijelim. 16A blago vašijem oèima što vide, i ušima vašijem što èuju. 17Jer vam kažem zaista da su mnogi proroci i pravednici željeli vidjeti što vi vidite, i ne vidješe; i èuti što vi èujete, i ne èuše. 18Vi pak èujte prièu o sijaèu: 19Svakome koji sluša rijeè o carstvu i ne razumije, dolazi neèastivi i krade posijano u srcu njegovom: to je oko puta posijano. 20A na kamenu posijano to je koji sluša rijeè i odmah s radosti primi je, 21Ali nema korijena u sebi, nego je nepostojan, pa kad bude do nevolje ili ga potjeraju rijeèi radi, odmah udari natrag. 22A posijano u trnju to je koji sluša rijeè, no briga ovoga svijeta i prijevara bogatstva zaguše rijeè, i bez roda ostane. 23A posijano na dobroj zemlji to je koji sluša rijeè i razumije, koji dakle i rod raða, i donosi jedan po sto, a jedan po šeset, a jedan po trideset.

Apostle Aquila of the Seventy, and St Priscilla (1st c.).

He, along with his wife Priscilla, is mentioned in the book of Acts and in St Paul’s Epistle to the Romans. He and his wife were Jews who moved to Corinth when the Emperor Claudius expelled all Jews from Italy. They were working as tentmakers in Corinth when they met and worked with St Paul, also a tentmaker by trade, who brought them to faith in Christ. From that time onward they worked diligently to spread the Gospel of Christ. The Prologue says that they died at the hands of pagans, the Great Horologion that the circumstances of their repose are unknown.

Our Father among the Saints Joseph, Archbishop of Thessalonika (833)

He was the brother of St Theodore the Studite (November 11), and is also sometimes called Studite. He is one of the inspired composers of the canons in the Lenten Triodion, many of which bear the title “by Joseph”. (He should not be confused with St Joseph the Hymnographer, who is commemorated April 3.) As Archbishop of Thessalonika, he suffered greatly for his zealous defense of the holy icons: he was imprisoned, and was exiled three times.

St Nikodemos of the Holy Mountain, spiritual writer (1809)

He is best known for his collections of Orthodox writings, most importantly the Philokalia, a five-volume compendium of writings on asceticism and prayer, especially the Jesus Prayer, by the holy Fathers of the Church. (The first four volumes have been translated into English). He produced an Orthodox edition of Unseen Warfare, originally by Lorenzo Scupoli, a Roman Catholic. (This was further revised by St Theophan the Recluse). He also edited the Pedalion (Rudder), a collection of the canons of the Orthodox Church with his commentary.

Note: The English edition of the Rudder needs to be read with care, since it includes additional comments by the translator, not clearly distinguished from those of the Saint.