Philippians 1.27-2.4 (Epistle)

27Samo živite kao što se pristoji jevanðelju Hristovu, da vas vidim kad doðem ili ako vam ne doðem da èujem za vas da stojite u jednome duhu i jednodušno borite se za vjeru jevanðelja, 28I ni u èem da se ne plašite od protivnika; koje je njima znak pogibli a vama spasenija, i to od Boga; 29Jer se vama darova Hrista radi ne samo da ga vjerujete nego i da stradate za nj, 30Imajuæi onu istu borbu kakovu u meni vidjeste i sad èujete za mene.

1Ako ima dakle koje pouèenje u Hristu, ili ako ima koja utjeha ljubavi, ako ima koja zajednica duha, ako ima koje srce žalostivo i milost, 2Ispunite moju radost, da jedno mislite, jednu ljubav imate, jedinodušni i jedinomisleni: 3Ništa ne èinite uz prkos ili za praznu slavu; nego poniznošæu èinite jedan drugoga veæeg od sebe. 4Ne gledajte svaki za svoje, nego i za drugijeh.

Luke 11.23-26 (Gospel)

23Koji nije sa mnom, protiv mene je; i koji sa mnom ne sabira, prosipa. 24Kad neèisti duh iziðe iz èovjeka, ide kroz bezvodna mjesta tražeæi pokoja, i ne našavši reèe: da se vratim u dom svoj otkuda sam izišao; 25I došavši naðe pometen i ukrašen. 26Tada otide i uzme sedam drugijeh duhova gorijeh od sebe, i ušavši žive ondje; i bude potonje èovjeku onome gore od prvoga.

Holy Virgin Martyr Anastasia of Rome (256)

She lived in Rome during the reigns of the Emperors Decius and Valerian. At an early age she left all to embrace a life of unceasing prayer, entering a small monastery in Rome, directed by a nun named Sophia. For her Christian faith, she was seized and brought before the governor Probus and, when she boldly confessed Christ and refused to honor the idols, was subjected to a series of vicious tortures, under which she died. An angel led Sophia to retrieve her holy relics, which are now venerated at the monastery of Grigoriou on Mt Athos.

We are sometimes told that monasticism developed in the Church after Christianity became accepted and grew more worldly. The story of St Anastasia is one of many evidences in the lives of the Saints that what we now call monasticism was present from the earliest days of the Church.

Our Holy Father Abramius (366) and his niece Mary (371) of Mesopotamia

Abramius was a Christian of noble birth who, early in life, left all (including a young bride) to live as a solitary monk. This he did for fifty years. When Abramius’ brother died, leaving his seven-year-old daughter Mary orphaned and alone, The Saint took her under his care, giving her a monastic cell near his own. Though Mary devoted herself joyfully to the monastic life, when she was about twenty she fell into sin with a corrupt monk who visited the hermitage. Far worse, she then fell into despair, thinking that she had cast away her salvation, and fled the hermitage to become a harlot in a nearby town. Abramius, unaware of what had happened or where she had gone, prayed constantly for her safety and to be shown where she had fled.

One day a traveler told Abramius what had become of his niece. Immediately he rose up, dressed himself as a soldier and went to the brothel where Mary worked, “for the salvation of a soul meant more to him than hermitage, Habit, ascesis or prayer itself” (Synaxarion). Still disguised, he ordered a meal, his first wine and meat for fifty years, then went with Mary to her room. Only then did he reveal himself, and with tears, not accusing her at all, pleaded with her to leave that place and return with him. “Let us go, my child; let us return to our hermitage. Let your fault be mine. I will answer for it before Christ on the day of judgment.” She returned with him and, with repentance, prayed so ardently that she was soon granted not only assurance of forgiveness but the power to work miracles. St Abramius reposed in peace in great old age; Mary followed him into eternal joy five years later.