2 Corinthians 9.12-10.7 (Epistle)

12Jer služba ove poreze ne ispunjuje samo nedostatak svetijeh, nego èini te se i mnoge hvale daju Bogu, 13Ogledom poreze ove hvaleæi Boga za vaše pokorno priznanje jevanðelja Hristova, i za prostotu podjele k njima i k svima, 14I da se mole Bogu za vas i da èeznu za vama za premnogu blagodat Božiju na vama. 15A hvala Bogu na njegovu neiskazanome daru.

1A sam ja Pavle molim vas krotosti radi i tišine Hristove, koji sam pred vama ponižen prema vama, a kad nijesam kod vas, slobodan sam prema vama. 2Molim pak da mi ne bude trijebe kad budem kod vas, onako slobodan biti kao što mislim da smijem protiv nekijeh koji misle za nas da po tijelu živimo; 3Jer ako i živimo u tijelu, ne borimo se po tijelu. 4Jer oružje našega vojevanja nije tjelesno, nego silno od Boga na raskopavanje gradova, da kvarimo pomisli 5I svaku visinu koja se podiže na poznanje Božije, i robimo svaki razum za pokornost Hristu, 6I u pripravnosti imamo osvetu za svaku nepokornost, kad se izvrši vaša pokornost. 7Gledate li na ono što vam je pred oèima? Ako se ko uzda da je Hristov neka misli opet u sebi da kako je on Hristov tako smo i mi Hristovi.

Mark 3.19-27 (Gospel)

19I Judu Iskariotskoga, koji ga i izdade. 20I doðoše u kuæu, i sabra se opet narod da ne mogahu ni hljeba jesti. 21I èuvši to rod njegov iziðoše da ga uhvate; jer govorahu da je izvan sebe. 22A književnici koji bijahu sišli iz Jerusalima govorahu: u njemu je Veelzevul; i: on pomoæu kneza ðavolskoga izgoni ðavole. 23I dozvavši ih govoraše im u prièama: kako može sotona sotonu izgoniti? 24I ako se carstvo samo po sebi razdijeli, ne može ostati carstvo ono; 25I ako se dom sam po sebi razdijeli, ne može ostati dom onaj; 26I ako sotona ustane sam na se i razdijeli se, ne može ostati, nego æe propasti. 27Niko ne može pokuæstvo jakoga, ušavši u kuæu njegovu, oteti ako najprije jakoga ne sveže: i onda æe kuæu njegovu oplijeniti.

Martyrs Adrian and Natalia and 23 companions of Nicomedia (4th c.)

“Husband and wife, they were both of noble and wealthy families in Nicomedia. Adrian was the governor of the Praetorium and a pagan, and Natalia was a secret Christian. They were both young, and had lived in wedlock for thirteen months in all before their martyrdom. When the wicked Emperor Maximian visited Nicomedia, he ordered that the Christians be seized and put to torture. There were twenty-three Christians hidden in a cave near the city. Someone handed them over to the authorities and they were cruelly flogged with leather whips and staves, and thrown into prison. They were then taken from prison and brought before the Praetor for their names to be noted. Adrian looked a these people, tortured but unbowed, peaceful and meek, and he put them under oath to say what they hoped for from their God, that they should undergo such tortures. They spoke to him of the blessedness of the righteous in the Kingdom of God. Hearing this, and again looking at these people, Adrian suddenly turned to the scribe and said: ‘Write my name along with those of these saints; I also am a Christian.’ When the Emperor heard of this, he asked him: ‘Have you lost your mind?’ Adrian replied: ‘I haven’t lost it, but found it!’ Hearing this, Natalia rejoiced greatly, and, when Adrian sat chained with the others in prison, came and ministered to them all. When they flogged her husband and put him to various tortures, she encouraged him to endure to the end. After long torture and imprisonment, the Emperor ordered that they be taken to the prison anvil, for their arms and legs to be broken with hammers. This was done and Adrian, along with the twenty-three others, breathed his last under the vicious tortures. Natalia took their relics to Constantinople and there buried them. After several days, Adrian appeared to her, bathed in light and beauty and calling her to come to God, and she peacefully gave her soul into her Lord’s hands.” (Prologue)

Our Holy Father Tithoës of the Thebaid (4th c.)

One of the great Egyptian Desert Fathers, he was a disciple of St Pachomius the Great and served as abbot of Tabennisi. Through his years of struggle in prayer, he attained to such purity of heart that whenever he raised his hands in prayer, his spirit was instantly caught up in pure contemplation of God. When one of the brethren asked him what path leads to humility, he answered ‘The path of humility is abstinence, prayer and considering oneself as the least of all creatures.’ He reposed in peace.