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.

Martyr Isidore of Chios (251)

A devout Christian from his early youth, he was kidnapped from his native Chios and impressed into the army. When he openly confessed himself a Christian, his commander ordered him to make sacrifice to the gods. When he resolutely refused, the commander ordered him to be beaten with iron flails, then had his tongue cut out. But even without a tongue, Isidore was miraculously enabled to speak, and clearly proclaimed the name of Christ. At the same moment, the commander was struck mute. The commander then ordered by signs that Isidore be beheaded. Isidore went to his death rejoicing and praising God. This occurred during the persecutions of the Emperor Decius.

Our Holy Father Serapion the Sindonite (5th c.)

“ ‘Sindon’ means ‘linen cloth,’ and this saint was called ‘the Sindonite’ because he covered his naked body only with a linen cloth. He carried the Gospels in his hand. Serapion lived like the birds, with no roof and no cares, moving from one place to another. He gave his linen cloth to a poor wretch who was shivering with cold, and himself remained completely naked. When someone asked him: ‘Serapion, who made you naked?’, he indicated the Gospels and said: ‘This!’ But, after that, he gave away the Gospels also for the money needed by a man who was being hounded to prison by a creditor in debt. [note: Gospel books were all hand-written, and were uncommon and valuable.] At one time in Athens, he did not eat for four days, having nothing, and began to cry out with hunger. When the Athenian philosophers asked him what he was shouting about, he replied: ‘There were three to whom I was in debt: two have quietened down, but the third is still tormenting me. The first creditor is carnal lust, who has tormented me from my youth; the second is love of money, and the third is the stomach. The first two have left me alone, but the third one still torments me.’ The philosophers gave him some gold to buy bread. He went to a baker, bought a single loaf, put down all the gold and went out. He went peacefully to the Lord in old age, in the 5th century.” (Prologue)

Blessed Isidore the Fool for Christ (1484)

He was German by birth but, drawn to the Orthodox faith, he moved to Rostov and not only became Orthodox, but took on the podvig of folly for Christ. He lived in complete destitution, spending the days pretending madness and the nights in prayer. Many wonders were performed by this Saint even in his lifetime. When he died in his meager hut in 1484, the people of Rostov smelled a fragrant odor throughout the city. A merchant whom he had miraculously saved from drowning built a church in the place where his hut had stood.