2 Corinthians 10.7-18 (Epistle)

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. 8Jer ako se što i više pohvalim vlašæu našom koju nam dade Gospod na popravljanje, a ne na kvarenje vaše, neæu se postidjeti. 9Ali da se ne pokažem kao da vas plašim poslanicama; 10Jer su poslanice, veli, teške i jake, a kad je tijelom pred nama, slab je, i rijeè njegova ne valja ništa. 11Ovo neka pomisli takovi da kaki smo u rijeèi po poslanicama kad nijesmo kod vas, taki smo i u djelu kad smo tu. 12Jer ne smijemo sebe miješati ili se porediti s drugima koji hvale sami sebe; ali kad sami po sebi sebe mjere i porede sami sebe sa sobom, ne razumijevaju. 13A mi se neæemo hvaliti preko mjere, nego po mjeri pravila kojega nam Bog mjeru razdijeli da dopremo i do vas. 14Jer se mi daleko ne prostiremo, kao da ne dosežemo do vas; jer doprijesmo i do vas s jevanðeljem Hristovijem, 15Ne hvaleæi se preko mjere u tuðijem poslovima, imajuæi pak nad kad uzraste vjera vaša da æemo se u vama velièati po pravilu svojemu izobilno, 16Da i u daljnijem stranama od vas propovjedimo jevanðelje, i da se ne pohvalimo onijem što je po tuðemu pravilu ureðeno. 17A koji se hvali, Gospodom neka se hvali. 18Jer onaj nije valjan koji se sam hvali, nego kojega Gospod hvali.

Mark 3.28-35 (Gospel)

28Zaista vam kažem: svi grijesi oprostiæe se sinovima èovjeèijim, i huljenja na Boga, makar kakova bila: 29A koji pohuli na Duha svetoga nema oproštenja vavijek, nego je kriv vjeènome sudu. 30Jer govorahu: u njemu je neèisti duh. 31I doðe mati njegova i braæa njegova, i stojeæi napolju poslaše k njemu da ga zovu. 32I sjeðaše narod oko njega. I rekoše mu: eto mati tvoja i braæa tvoja i sestre tvoje napolju pitaju za te. 33I odgovori im govoreæi: ko je mati moja ili braæa moja? 34I pogledavši oko sebe na narod koji sjeðaše reèe: evo mati moja i braæa moja. 35Jer ko izvrši volju Božiju onaj je brat moj i sestra moja i mati moja.

Our Holy Father Poemen (Pimen) the Great (450)

“He was an Egyptian by birth and a great Egyptian ascetic. As a boy, he visited various spiritual teachers and gathered proven experience as a bee gathers honey from flowers. Pimen once begged the elder Paul to take him to St Païsius. Seeing him, Païsius said: ‘This child will save many; the hand of God is on him.’ In time, Pimen became a monk and drew two of his brothers to monasticism. Their mother once came to see her sons, but Pimen would not allow her in, asking through the door: ‘Which do you want more: to see us here and now, or in the other world in eternity?’ Their mother went away joy-fully, saying: ‘If I will see you for certain there, I don’t need to see you here.’ In the monastery of these three brothers, governed by the eldest, Abba Anoub, the rule was as follows: at night, four hours were passed in manual work, four hours in sleep and four in reading the Psalter. The day was passed, from morning to noon, in alternate work and prayer, from mid-day to Vespers in reading and after Vespers they prepared their meal, the only one in the twenty—four hours, and this usually of some sort of cabbage. Pimen himself said about their life: ‘We ate what was to hand. No-one ever said: “Give me something else”, or “I won’t eat that”. In that way, we spent our whole life in silence and peace.’ He lived in the fifth century, and entered peacefully into rest in great old age.” (Prologue)

His name means “shepherd”. Many of his words can be found in the Sayings of the Desert Fathers.

Great-martyr Phanurius the Newly Appeared of Rhodes

“Little is known of the holy Martyr Phanurius, except that which is depicted concerning his martyrdom on his holy icon, which was discovered in the year 1500 among the ruins of an ancient church on Rhodes, when the Moslems ruled there. Thus he is called “the Newly-Revealed.” The faithful pray to Saint Phanurius especially to help them recover things that have been lost, and because he has answered their prayers so often, the custom has arisen of baking the Phaneropita (‘Phanarius-Cake’) as a thank-offering.” (Great Horologion)

There is a tradition that his mother was a great sinner, and that he was unable to convert her in her lifetime. After her death he prayed more for her salvation than for his own. As he was being stoned to death, he prayed: ‘For the sake of these my sufferings, Lord, help all those who will pray to Thee for the salvation of Phanurius’ sinful mother.’ So, in Egypt, where he is much revered, many Christians pray ‘O Lord, save Phanurius’ mother and help me, a sinner.’