Nativity Fast — Fish, Wine and Oil are Allowed
11Zato se opominjite da vi koji ste negda po tijelu neznabošci bili i nazivani neobrezanje od onijeh koji su se zvali po tijelu obrezanje, koje se rukom radilo, 12Da bijaste u ono vrijeme bez Hrista, odvojeni od društva Izrailjeva, i bez dijela u zavjetima obeæanja, nada ne imajuæi, i bezbožni na svijetu: 13A sad u Hristu Isusu, vi koji ste negda bili daleko, blizu postadoste krvlju Hristovom.
8A pismo vidjevši unapredak da Bog vjerom neznabošce pravda, naprijed objavi Avraamu: u tebi æe se blagosloviti svi neznabošci. 9Tako koji su od vjere, blagosloviæe se s vjernijem Avraamom. 10Jer koji su god od djela zakona pod kletvom su, jer je pisano: proklet svaki koji ne ostane u svemu što je napisano u knjizi zakonskoj da èini. 11A da se zakonom niko ne opravdava pred Bogom, poznato je: jer pravednik od vjere življeæe. 12A zakon nije od vjere; nego èovjek koji to tvori življeæe u tome.
1I dogodi mu se da doðe u subotu u kuæu jednoga kneza farisejskoga da jede hljeb; i oni motrahu na njega. 2I gle, bješe pred njim nekakav èovjek na kome bješe debela bolest. 3I odgovarajuæi Isus reèe zakonicima i farisejima govoreæi: je li slobodno u subotu iscjeljivati? 4A oni oæutješe. I dohvativši ga se iscijeli ga i otpusti. 5I odgovarajuæi reèe im: koji od vas ne bi svojega magarca ili vola da mu padne u bunar odmah izvadio u dan subotni? 6I ne mogoše mu odgovoriti na to. 7A gostima kaza prièu, kad opazi kako izbirahu zaèelja, i reèe im: 8Kad te ko pozove na svadbu, ne sjedaj u zaèelje, da ne bude meðu gostima ko stariji od tebe; 9I da ne bi došao onaj koji je pozvao tebe i njega, i rekao ti: podaj mjesto ovome: i onda æeš sa stidom sjesti na niže mjesto. 10Nego kad te ko pozove, došavši sjedi na pošljednje mjesto, da ti reèe kad doðe onaj koji te pozva: prijatelju! pomakni se više; tada æe tebi biti èast pred onima koji sjede s tobom za trpezom. 11Jer svaki koji se podiže, poniziæe se; a koji se ponižuje, podignuæe se.
18A on im reèe: kakvo je carstvo Božije? i kakvo æu kazati da je? 19Ono je kao zrno gorušièno, koje uzevši èovjek baci u vrt svoj, i uzraste i posta drvo veliko, i ptice nebeske useliše se u grane njegove. 20Opet reèe: kakvo æu kazati da je carstvo Božije? 21Ono je kao kvasac koji uzevši žena metnu u tri kopanje brašna, dok ne uskise sve. 22I prolažaše po gradovima i selima uèeæi i putujuæi u Jerusalim. 23Reèe mu pak neko: Gospode! je li malo onijeh koji æe biti spaseni? A on im reèe: 24Navalite da uðete na tijesna vrata; jer vam kažem: mnogi æe tražiti da uðu i neæe moæi: 25Kad ustane domaæin i zatvori vrata, i stanete napolju stajati i kucati u vrata govoreæi: Gospode! Gospode! otvori nam; i odgovarajuæi reæi æe vam: ne poznajem vas otkuda ste. 26Tada æete stati govoriti: mi jedosmo pred tobom i pismo, i po ulicama našijem uèio si. 27A on æe reæi: kažem vam: ne poznajem vas otkuda ste; otstupite od mene svi koji nepravdu èinite. 28Ondje æe biti plaè i škrgut zuba, kad vidite Avraama i Isaka i Jakova i sve proroke u carstvu Božijemu, a sebe napolje istjerane. 29I doæi æe od istoka i zapada i sjevera i juga i sješæe za trpezu u carstvu Božijemu.
He lived in Rome during the reign of Diocletian. He was slave to Aglais, the daughter of a Senator, and served as steward of her household and her large fortune. He also lived in fornication with her, and was addicted to drink. Despite these sins, he was kind, hospitable to strangers, and generous toward the needy.
In time, Aglais became troubled in her conscience over her way of life, and began to think of the account that she would have to give to God for her sins. Some Christians told her of the holy Martyrs and, moved by their accounts, she ordered Boniface to travel to Tarsus and bring back relics of these holy ones. Boniface, still deaf and blind to the things of God, said jokingly, “And will you honor me as a Saint if I bring back my own body to you as a relic?”
Boniface traveled to Tarsus with a large escort, well supplied with gold. He went straightaway to the Amphitheater, where he beheld a number of Martyrs being subjected to awful torments for the pleasure of the crowd, but bearing them all with patience and serenity. At the sight, the dissolute steward was touched by grace and felt his heart melt within him. He ran to the Martyrs, fell at their feet and kissed their chains, and loudly declared that he too was a disciple of Christ. So he too was put in chains, subjected to frightful tortures, and finally beheaded, rejoicing and praising God.
Boniface’s escort, mystified by his long absence, made inquiries and were astonished to discover that their godless and sinful companion had met a Martyr’s death the day before. They paid fifty pounds in gold for his body and brought it back to Rome, thus fulfilling Boniface’s own unwitting prophecy.
An angel of the Lord appeared to Aglais and said, “Arise and go to meet him who was once your servant and companion in sin, but has now become our brother. Receive him as your master for, thanks to him, all your sins are to be forgiven.” Rejoicing, Aglais received her former lover’s holy relics and built a church in his honor, where many miracles were wrought. Aglais gave away her fortune, devoted herself to ascesis and prayer, and was herself granted the grace to work miracles. She reposed in peace thirteen years later, assured that the sins of her past had been effaced through the intercessions of the holy Boniface.