Ephesians 6.18-24 (Epistle)

18I svakom molitvom i moljenjem molite se Bogu duhom bez prestanka, i uz to stražite sa svakijem trpljenjem i molitvom za sve svete, 19I za mene, da mi se da rijeè kad otvorim usta svoja, da obznanim sa slobodom tajnu jevanðelja, 20Za koje sam poslanik u okovima, da u njemu govorim slobodno, kao što mi se pristoji. 21A da i vi znate kako sam ja i šta radim, sve æe vam kazati Tihik, ljubazni brat i vjerni sluga u Gospodu, 22Kojega poslah k vama za to isto da znate kako smo mi, i da utješi srca vaša. 23Mir braæi i ljubav s vjerom od Boga oca i Gospoda Isusa Hrista. 24Blagodat sa svima koji ljube Gospoda našega Isusa Hrista jednako. Amin.

Luke 10.1-15 (Gospel)

1A potom izabra Gospod i drugijeh sedamdesetoricu, i posla ih po dva i dva pred licem svojijem u svaki grad i u mjesto kuda šæaše sam doæi. 2A reèe im: žetva je dakle velika a poslenika malo; nego se molite gospodaru od žetve da izvede poslenike na žetvu svoju. 3Idite; eto ja vas šaljem kao jaganjce meðu vukove. 4Ne nosite kese ni torbe ni obuæe, i nikoga ne pozdravljajte na putu. 5U koju god kuæu uðete najprije govorite: mir kuæi ovoj. 6I ako dakle bude ondje sin mira, ostaæe na njemu mir vaš; ako li ne bude, vratiæe se k vama. 7A u onoj kuæi budite, i jedite i pijte što u njih ima; jer je poslenik dostojan svoje plate; ne prelazite iz kuæe u kuæu. 8I u koji god grad doðete i prime vas, jedite što se donese pred vas. 9I iscjeljujte bolesnike koji su u njemu, i govorite im: približi se k vama carstvo Božije. 10I u koji god grad doðete i ne prime vas, izišavši na ulice njegove recite: 11I prah od grada vašega koji je prionuo za nas otresamo vam; ali ovo znajte da se približi k vama carstvo Božije. 12Kažem vam da æe Sodomu biti lakše u onaj dan negoli gradu onome. 13Teško tebi, Horazine! teško tebi, Vitsaido! Jer da su u Tiru i u Sidonu bila èudesa što su bila u vama, davno bi se u vreæi i u pepelu sjedeæi pokajali. 14Ali Tiru i Sidonu biæe lakše na sudu nego vama. 15I ti, Kapernaume! koji si se do nebesa podigao do pakla æeš propasti.

St Abercius, Bishop of Hierapolis, Wonderworker and Equal to the Apostles (167)

He was bishop of Hierapolis in Phrygia of Asia Minor, during the reign of Marcus Aurelius, a persecutor of Christians. During a pagan festival, Abercius was instructed by an Angel to throw down the idols of Apollo and other pagan gods. When his work was discovered, the people of the city were outraged; but instead of hiding, the bishop went to the marketplace and openly confessed the Christian faith. The people grew angrier still, but when Abercius healed three possessed men they were amazed and listened to him more closely. He preached the Faith with such power that the entire city and surrounding countryside became Christian.

These miracles reached the ears of the Emperor, whose daughter was suffering from demonic possession. The Emperor summoned Abercius to Rome, where he was enabled to cast out the spirit and perform several other miracles. The Empress offered him a large reward of gold for healing her daughter, but he would not accept it. On his way home, he was instructed in a vision to travel to Syria. He travelled first to Antioch and surrounding cities, then as far as Mesopotamia, proclaiming Christ and teaching the faith everywhere he went. No other bishop of his time travelled so widely in the service of the Gospel; for this reason he is called Equal to the Apostles.

After several years he returned to Phrygia, where he lived the remainder of his life in peace, shepherding his flock.

Venerable Lot of Egypt (5th c.)

He was one of the company of ascetic Fathers who fled the world into the Egyptian desert in the fourth and fifth centuries.

Once Abba Lot went to his spiritual father Joseph and asked him, simply, ‘What shall I do to be saved?’ Abba Joseph stretched his hands toward heaven and his fingers became ten flames. He said, ‘If you desire it, you can become entirely as a fire.’

A brother once came to Abba Lot in terrible distress and said to him, ‘I have committed a great sin, that I cannot admit to the Fathers.’ ‘Confess it to me and I will bear it for you,’ answered the Elder. ‘I have fallen into fornication,’ the brother said, ‘and to do so, I sacrificed to idols.’ The Elder said to him, ‘Take heart: no sin is beyond God’s mercy. Repentance is always possible. Go and sit in your cave; eat only every other day, and we will each take an equal share of the burden of your offence.’ After three weeks of keeping the same penance, Abba Lot received assurance from God that the brother’s repentance was acceptable. For the rest of his life, the brother served as the Elder’s disciple.

Holy Seven Youths of Ephesus

They are also commemorated August 4. See that date for their story.