Galatians 1.3-10 (Epistle)

3Blagodat vam i mir od Boga oca i Gospoda našega Isusa Hrista, 4Koji dade sebe za grijehe naše da izbavi nas od sadašnjega svijeta zloga, po volji Boga i oca našega, 5Kojemu slava vavijek vijeka. Amin. 6Èudim se da se tako odmah odvraæate na drugo jevanðelje od onoga koji vas pozva blagodaæu Hristovom, 7Koje nije drugo, samo što neki smetaju vas, i hoæe da izvrnu jevanðelje Hristovo. 8Ali ako i mi, ili anðeo s neba javi vam jevanðelje drukèije nego što vam javismo, proklet da bude! 9Kao što prije rekosmo i sad opet velim: ako vam ko javi jevanðelje drukèije nego što primiste, proklet da bude! 10Zar ja sad ljude nagovaram ili Boga? Ili tražim ljudima da ugaðam? Jer kad bih ja još ljudima ugaðao, onda ne bih bio sluga Hristov.

Luke 13.18-29 (Gospel)

18A on im reèe: kakvo je carstvo Božije? i kakvo æu kazati da je? 19Ono je kao zrno gorušièno, koje uzevši èovjek baci u vrt svoj, i uzraste i posta drvo veliko, i ptice nebeske useliše se u grane njegove. 20Opet reèe: kakvo æu kazati da je carstvo Božije? 21Ono je kao kvasac koji uzevši žena metnu u tri kopanje brašna, dok ne uskise sve. 22I prolažaše po gradovima i selima uèeæi i putujuæi u Jerusalim. 23Reèe mu pak neko: Gospode! je li malo onijeh koji æe biti spaseni? A on im reèe: 24Navalite da uðete na tijesna vrata; jer vam kažem: mnogi æe tražiti da uðu i neæe moæi: 25Kad ustane domaæin i zatvori vrata, i stanete napolju stajati i kucati u vrata govoreæi: Gospode! Gospode! otvori nam; i odgovarajuæi reæi æe vam: ne poznajem vas otkuda ste. 26Tada æete stati govoriti: mi jedosmo pred tobom i pismo, i po ulicama našijem uèio si. 27A on æe reæi: kažem vam: ne poznajem vas otkuda ste; otstupite od mene svi koji nepravdu èinite. 28Ondje æe biti plaè i škrgut zuba, kad vidite Avraama i Isaka i Jakova i sve proroke u carstvu Božijemu, a sebe napolje istjerane. 29I doæi æe od istoka i zapada i sjevera i juga i sješæe za trpezu u carstvu Božijemu.

Our Venerable Father Daniel the Stylite (490)

He was from Samosata in Mesopotamia, and became a monk at the age of twelve. As a young monk he visited St Symeon the Stylite (September 1) to receive his blessing. Years later he moved to the neighborhood of Constantinople at the request of the holy Patriarch Anatolius (July 3), whom he had healed of a deadly ailment through his prayers. For a time Daniel lived in the church of the Archangel Michael at Anaplus, but nine years later St Symeon the Stylite appeared to him in a vision and told him to imitate Symeon’s ascesis of living on a pillar. For the remaining thirty-three years of his life the Saint did just that. He stood immovably in prayer regardless of the weather: once after a storm his disciples found him standing covered with ice. He was much loved by several Emperors (including Leo the Great), who sought him out for counsel. He reposed at the age of eighty-four, having lived through the reigns of three Emperors.

Saint Nikon the Dry of the Kiev Caves (1101)

He was a monk in Kiev, taken into slavery by a band of Polovtsi (Turkic raiders who were troubling the country at that time) along with the holy Martyr Eustratius (March 28). He humbly refused to be ransomed by his family and therefore suffered a harsh captivity for three years. Despite this, he prayed constantly for his captors, worked miracles for their sake, and once healed their leader from a deadly illness. One day St Eustratius appeared to him in a vision and told him that he would be set free in three days. When he told his captors, they severed the tendons of his knees and ankles and kept him under guard. But at the appointed time he was miraculously transported to Kiev, where he suddenly appeared in church among his astonished brethren. The Saint did not want his chains removed until his Abbot said “Brother, if the Lord wanted to see you in these chains, he would not have delivered you from captivity!” He was so withered from his hardships that he became known as Nikon the Dry. Later, the captor whom he had healed came to the Monastery of the Caves and became a disciple of his former slave.

Our Venerable Father Luke the New Stylite (979)

He was an Anatolian, and in his youth served in the Byzantine army in the war against the Bulgar Tsar Symeon. After the war, he left the army to become a monk, and was in time ordained to the priesthood. For a time he served as an army chaplain, living even more austerely than he had as a monk and distributing all his possessions to soldiers in need.

He entered the Monastery of St Zacharias on Mount Olympus in Bithynia, where he was appointed steward. Here his ascetical labors reached new levels. He kept a large stone in his mouth so that he would be unable to speak, and spent each night in a tree. When his exploits threatened to attract admiration, Luke fled to his homeland and lived for a few years in an isolated cave. Then, following in the footsteps of Symeon the Elder (September 1), Symeon the Younger (May 24), Daniel (today) and Alypius (November 26), he began to live as a stylite, dwelling on a tall pillar near Constantinople. Here he became a powerful intercessor for those who flocked to him for healing or counsel, and countless miracles were worked through his prayers.

Saint Luke lived on his pillar for more than forty years without interruption, and fell asleep in peace, aged more than one hundred. He was buried in the Monastery of St Bassian.