James 1.1-18 (Epistle)

1Od Jakova, Boga i Gospoda Isusa Hrista sluge, svima dvanaest koljena rasijanijem po svijetu pozdravlje. 2Svaku radost imajte, braæo moja, kad padate u razliène napasti, 3Znajuæi da kušanje vaše vjere gradi trpljenje; 4A trpljenje neka djelo dovršuje, da budete savršeni i cijeli bez ikake mane. 5Ako li kome od vas nedostaje premudrosti, neka ište u Boga koji daje svakome bez razlike i ne kori nikoga, i daæe mu se; 6Ali neka ište s vjerom, ne sumnjajuæi ništa; jer koji se sumnja on je kao morski valovi, koje vjetrovi podižu i razmeæu. 7Jer takovi èovjek neka ne misli da æe primiti što od Boga. 8Koji dvoumi nepostojan je u svima putovima svojijem. 9A poniženi brat neka se hvali visinom svojom; 10A bogati svojom poniznošæu; jer æe proæi kao cvijet travni. 11Jer sunce ogrija s vruæinom, i osuši travu, i cvijet njezin otpade, i krasota lica njezina pogibe; tako æe i bogati u hoðenju svojemu uvenuti. 12Blago èovjeku koji pretrpi napast; jer kad bude kušan primiæe vijenac života, koji Bog obreèe onima koji ga ljube. 13Nijedan kad se kuša da ne govori: Bog me kuša; jer se Bog ne može zlom iskušati, i on ne kuša nikoga; 14Nego svakoga kuša njegova slast, koja ga vuèe i mami. 15Tada zatrudnjevši slast raða grijeh; a grijeh uèinjen raða smrt. 16Ne varajte se, ljubazna braæo moja! 17Svaki dobri dar i svaki poklon savršeni odozgo je, dolazi od oca svjetlosti, u kojega nema promjenjivanja ni mijenjanja vidjela i mraka; 18Jer nas dragovoljno porodi rijeèju istine, da budemo novina od njegova stvorenja.

Mark 11.22-26 (Gospel)

22I odgovarajuæi Isus reèe im: 23Imajte vjeru Božiju; jer vam zaista kažem: ako ko reèe gori ovoj: digni se i baci se u more, i ne posumnja u srcu svojemu, nego uzvjeruje da æe biti kao što govori: biæe mu što god reèe. 24Zato vam kažem: sve što ištete u svojoj molitvi vjerujte da æete primiti; i biæe vam. 25I kad stojite na molitvi, praštajte ako što imate na koga: da i otac vaš koji je na nebesima oprosti vama pogrješke vaše. 26Ako li pak vi ne opraštate, ni otac vaš koji je na nebesima neæe oprostiti vama pogrješaka vašijeh.

Holy Virgin and Martyr Anysia (298)

She was born to a pious, noble and very wealthy family in Thessalonica. When both her parents died while she was an adolescent, Anysia consecrated herself to Christ, the heavenly Bridegroom. She cast off all her jewels and fine clothing, dressing herself as a commoner. She freed all her many slaves, giving each of them a generous sum of money to establish themselves. She gave away all of her inheritance, which included large estates. Thenceforth she spent her days visiting the sick, helping widows and orphans, and, especially, aiding Christians suffering under persecution. She would visit those in prison, bringing them food and water and tending their wounds. All the time not devoted to aiding the poor or oppressed she spent in prayer in a small cell. One of her prayers was that she, like those that she helped, would be granted the crown of martyrdom.

One day, while she was walking to church, an imperial soldier accosted her and roughly questioned her. When she plainly declared herself a Christian, the soldier seized her and dragged her to a temple of the idols, where he commanded her to make sacrifice. In response, she only spat in his face. The enraged soldier drew his sword and thrust it into her side, slaying her. Some pious Christians took her body and buried it outside the city. When the persecutions had ended, a church was built in her honor at the place of her burial.

Our Holy Father Macarius, Metropolitan of Moscow and All Russia (1563)

He was born in Moscow in 1492. When his father died, his mother became a nun and he a monk, receiving the monastic name Macarius. He became an iconographer of rare talent. In 1523 he was ordained to the priesthood and made Abbot of the Monastery of Luchski; three years later he was consecrated Archbishop of Novgorod and Pskov, a see which had been vacant for many years. As Archbishop, he sent missionaries to the native peoples of the far north of Russia and, within his own diocese strove against the paganism still common among the people. He regularized life in the monasteries of his diocese, which had fallen into self-indulgence.

In 1542 he was elected Metropolitan of Moscow and head of the Russian Church. Five years later he crowned the first Tsar of Russia, Ivan Vassilievich. In 1551 he summoned the Council of the Hundred Chapters, which condemned various heresies prevalent at that time, laid down principles of Christian conduct and education, and established rules for iconography and Church art. Throughout his time as a hierarch, he continued to paint icons, and in 1553 he brought about the production of the first books to be printed in Russian. When the Khanate of Kazan fell, he immediately sent missionaries to convert the Tatars.

When the Tsar, who revered Saint Macarius, asked him for a spiritual book, he was surprised and displeased to be given a copy of the funeral service; but the Saint told him that anyone who read this book carefully and applied its words would never sin.

Saint Macarius reposed in peace in Moscow in 1563, and his popular veneration began immediately. In 1988 he was officially glorified by the Church of Russia.