Ephesians 2.19-3.7 (Epistle)

19Tako dakle više nijeste tuði i došljaci, nego živite sa svetima i domaæi ste Bogu, 20Nazidani na temelju apostola i proroka, gdje je kamen od ugla sam Isus Hristos, 21Na kome sva graðevina sastavljena raste za crkvu svetu u Gospodu; 22Na kome æete se i vi sazidati za stan Božij u duhu.

1Toga sam radi ja Pavle sužanj Isusa Hrista za vas neznabošce, 2Buduæi da èuste službu blagodati Božije koja je meni dana meðu vama, 3Da se meni po otkrivenju kaza tajna; kao što gore napisah ukratko, 4Odakle možete èitajuæi poznati moj razum u tajni Hristovoj, 5Koja se u drugijem naraštajima ne kaza sinovima èovjeèijim, kako se sad otkri svetijem njegovijem apostolima i prorocima Duhom svetijem; 6Da neznabošci kroz jevanðelje postanu sunašljednici i sutjelesnici i zajednièari u obeæanju njegovom u Hristu Isusu, 7Kojemu postadoh sluga po daru blagodati Božije, koja mi je dana po èinjenju sile njegove.

Luke 3.23-4.1 (Gospel)

23I taj Isus imaše oko trideset godina kad poèe; i bješe, kao što se mišljaše, sin Josifa sina Ilijna, 24Sina Matatova, sina Levijna, sina Melhijna, sina Janejeva, sina Josifova, 25Sina Matatijna, sina Amosova, sina Naumova, sina Eslijna, sina Nangejeva, 26Sina Maatova, sina Matatijna, sina Semejina, sina Josifova, sina Judina, 27Sina Joanina, sina Risina, sina Zorovavelova, sina Salatiilova, sina Nirijna, 28Sina Melhijna, sina Adijna, sina Kosamova, sina Irova, 29Sina Josijna, sina Eliezerova, sina Jorimova, sina Matatova, sina Levijna, 30Sina Simeunova, sina Judina, sina Josifova, sina Jonanova, sina Eliakimova, 31Sina Melejina, sina Mainanova, sina Matatina, sina Natanova, sina Davidova, 32Sina Jesejeva, sina Ovidova, sina Voozova, sina Salmonova, sina Naasonova, 33Sina Aminadavova, sina Aramova, sina Esromova, sina Faresova, sina Judina, 34Sina Jakovljeva, sina Isakova, sina Avraamova, sina Tarina, sina Nahorova, 35Sina Seruhova, sina Ragavova, sina Falekova, sina Everova, sina Salina, 36Sina Kainanova, sina Arfaksadova, sina Simova, sina Nojeva, sina Lamehova, 37Sina Matusalina, sina Enohova, sina Jaredova, sina Maleleilova, sina Kainanova, 38Sina Enosova, sina Sitova, sina Adamova, sina Božijega.

1Isus pak pun Duha svetoga vrati se od Jordana, i odvede ga Duh u pustinju,

Hieromartyr Phocas, Bishop of Sinope (102)

He was a zealous, wise and wonder-working bishop in his birthplace, Sinope, which lies on the southern shore of the Black Sea. For bringing many idolators to faith in Christ, he was hated by the pagans. He was arrested by the governor Africanus, subjected to various tortures,and finally scalded to death in a bath-house. He contested for the Faith during the reign of the Emperor Trajan.

Venerable Cosmas, desert-dweller of Zographou, Mt Athos (1323)

“Saint Cosmas came from Bulgaria where his devout parents provided him with a good education in Slavonic and Greek. They wanted him to marry but he was drawn by the love of Christ and, unknown to them, made his way to the Holy Mountain of Athos to become a monk at the Bulgarian monastery of Zographou. On the feast of the Annunciation at the Monastery of Vatopedi, he saw a woman among those serving in the Church and in the refectory, and he was grieved at first to observe this breach of the monastic rule, but overjoyed when he realized that it was the Mother of God who had appeared to him in this way.

“He was clothed in the holy angelic Habit and, after some time, was ordained priest. One day, as he was praying before the icon of the Mother of God, asking her with tears how to achieve his salvation, he heard a voice saying, ‘Let my servant withdraw to the desert outside the monastery.’ He was obedient to the will of God and, with the blessing of his Abbot, lived in silence from then on. Some years later, he was found worthy of the grace of discernment of thoughts and of beholding things happening elsewhere, as well as of other spiritual gifts. In the course of many years, he was the spiritual helper of a great number of monks. At the end of his life, Christ appeared to him saying that he would shortly have a great trial to endure from the Devil. Indeed, the prince of demons made his appearance next day with a host of his servants bewailing and bemoaning their inability to annihilate their great enemy Cosmas, who had held them in check for so long and gained possession, by his virtue, of the throne in Heaven that had once been Lucifer’s. Taking a heavy stick, the demon beat the Saint so violently that he left him half-dead. As God allowed, Saint Cosmas died in peace two days later, on 22 September 1323. When the fathers came from the monastery to bury him, the wild animals gathered round. They kept silent until the end of the service, but howled unusually loud as his body was covered with earth. Then having paid their respects, they made off into the wilderness. Forty days later, the monks came to take up the body of Saint Cosmas and translate it to the monastery, but it was no longer in the grave. Where it now is God alone knows.” (Synaxarion)