1 Timothy 5.22-6.11 (Epistle)

22Ruku odmah ne meæi ni na koga, niti pristaj u tuðe grijehe. Drži sebe èista. 23Više ne pij vode, nego pij po malo vina, želuca radi svojega i èestijeh svojijeh bolesti. 24A nekijeh su ljudi grijesi poznati koji naprijed vode na sud, a nekijeh idu za njima. 25Tako su i dobra djela poznata, i koja su drukèija ne mogu se sakriti.

1Robovi koji su god pod jarmom da pokazuju svaku èast svojijem gospodarima, da se ne huli na ime Božije i na nauku. 2A koji imaju krštene gospodare, da ne postaju nemarljivi za njih što su braæa, nego još bolje da služe, jer su vjerni i ljubazni, zajednièari u blagodati. Ovo uèi i svjetuj. 3Ako li ko drukèije uèi, i ne pristaje na zdrave rijeèi Gospoda našega Isusa Hrista i na nauku pobožnu, 4Nadu se ne znajuæi ništa, nego bolujuæi od zapitkivanja i praznijeh prepiranja, oda šta postaje zavist, svaða, huljenje, zle misli, 5Zaludna prepiranja onakovijeh ljudi koji imaju um izopaèen i nemaju istine, koji misle da je pobožnost trgovina. Kloni se takovijeh. 6Ali jest velika trgovina pobožnost sa zadovoljstvom. 7Jer ništa ne donesosmo na ovaj svijet, dakle ne možemo ništa ni odnijeti. 8A kad imamo hranu i odjeæu, ovijem da budemo dovoljni. 9A koji hoæe da se obogate oni upadaju u napasti i zamke, i u mnoge lude škodljive želje, koje potapaju èovjeka u propast i pogibao. 10Jer je korijen sviju zala srebroljublje kojemu neki predavši se zaðoše od vjere i na sebe navukoše muke velike. 11A ti, o èovjeèe Božij! bjegaj od ovoga, a idi za pravdom, pobožnosti, vjerom, ljubavi, trpljenjem, krotosti.

Mark 10.11-16 (Gospel)

11I reèe im: koji pusti ženu i oženi se drugom, èini preljubu na njoj. 12I ako žena ostavi muža svojega i poðe za drugoga, èini preljubu. 13I donošahu k njemu djecu da ih se dotakne; a uèenici branjahu onima što ih donošahu. 14A Isus vidjevši rasrdi se i reèe im: pustite djecu neka dolaze k meni, i ne branite im; jer je takovijeh carstvo Božije. 15Zaista vam kažem: koji ne primi carstva Božijega kao dijete, neæe uæi u njega. 16I zagrlivši ih metnu na njih ruke te ih blagoslovi.

Holy Great Martyr Anastasia the Widow, the Deliverer from Potions (290)

She was born in Rome to a wealthy and prominent family. Though her father Pretexatus was a pagan, her mother Fausta instructed her in the things of God. Her father married her against her will to Publius, a prodigal and impious man lacking in Christian or pagan virtue. Anastasia was in the custom of dressing herself as a poor working woman and going out by night to visit and comfort the many Christians in prison (this was the time of Diocletian’s persecution). When Publius discovered this, he was furious that his wife was demeaning herself by consorting with the despised Christians, and had his wife locked in the house with so little food that she came close to death by starvation. She was able to get a letter to her spiritual father Chrysogonus, who was also in prison, and their correspondence helped to sustain her through her ordeal. After three months her husband died in a shipwreck and she regained her freedom. Immediately she redoubled her work for the suffering Christians and their families, devoting all her time and wealth to their comfort and care.

One day Diocletian declared that all Christians in his prisons should be slain, and his command was carried out in one night. The next day Anastasia came to visit her beloved companions and, learning that all were dead, fell sobbing by the gate, no longer caring to conceal her Christian faith from anyone. Almost immediately she was arrested and brought before the authorities, who subjected her to every form of abuse. One prefect offered to marry her if she would bow to the idols, but to have her tortured to death if she would not. When she was unmoved, he attempted to rape her, but was struck blind and died miserably. She then briefly escaped to Nicaea and found refuge with the pious St Theodota, but was seized again along with Theodota and her children. After further trials and torments Anastasia, Theodota and her children, and others who had been converted to Christ through Anastasia’s example, were executed.

Saint Anastasia’s relics were taken to Rome, where a church was built in her honor. The relics were later translated to Constantinople and placed in another church bearing her name, where they worked many miracles. Because she has healed many through her prayers from the effects of poisons and potions, she is called Pharmocolytria, “Deliverer from Potions.”