Acts 9.20-31 (Epistle)

20I odmah po zbornicama propovijedaše Isusa da je on sin Božij. 21A svi koji slušahu divljahu se i govorahu: nije li ovo onaj što gonjaše u Jerusalimu one koji spominjahu ime ovo, i ovdje zato doðe da ih povezane vodi glavarima sveštenièkijem. 22A Savle se veæma siljaše i zabunjivaše Jevreje koji žive u Damasku, dokazujuæi da je ovo Hristos. 23A kad se navrši podosta dana, dogovoriše se Jevreji da ga ubiju. 24Ali Savle doznade njihov dogovor; a oni èuvahu vrata dan i noæ da bi ga ubili; 25A uèenici ga uzeše noæu i spustiše preko zida u kotarici. 26A kad doðe Savle u Jerusalim, ogledaše da se pribije uz uèenike; i svi ga se bojahu, jer ne vjerovahu da je uèenik. 27A Varnava ga uze i dovede k apostolima, i kaza im kako na putu vidje Gospoda, i kako mu govori, i kako u Damasku slobodno propovijeda ime Isusovo. 28I bijaše s njima i ulazi u Jerusalim i izlazi i slobodno propovijedaše ime Gospoda Isusa. 29I govoraše i prepiraše se s Grcima; a oni gledahu da ga ubiju. 30A kad razumješe braæa, svedoše ga u Æesariju, i otpustiše ga u Tars. 31A crkve po svoj Judeji i Galileji i Samariji bijahu na miru, i napredovahu, i hoðahu u strahu Gospodnjem, i umnožavahu se utjehom svetoga Duha.

John 15.17-16.2 (Gospel)

17Ovo vam zapovijedam da imate ljubav meðu sobom. 18Ako svijet na vas uzmrzi, znajte da na mene omrznu prije vas. 19Kad biste bili od svijeta, onda bi svijet svoje ljubio: a kako nijeste od svijeta, nego vas ja od svijeta izbrah, zato mrzi na vas svijet. 20Opominjite se rijeèi koju vam ja rekoh: nije sluga veæi od gospodara svojega. Ako mene izgnaše, i vas æe izgnati; ako moju rijeè održaše, i vašu æe održati. 21Ali sve æe vam ovo èiniti za ime moje, jer ne poznaju onoga koji me posla. 22Da nijesam bio došao i govorio im ne bi grijeha imali; a sad izgovora neæe imati za grijeh svoj. 23Koji mrzi na mene i na oca mojega mrzi. 24Da nijesam bio djela tvorio meðu njima kojijeh niko drugi ne tvori, ne bi grijeha imali: a sad i vidješe, i omrznuše na mene i na oca mojega. 25Ali da se zbude rijeè napisana u zakonu njihovom: omrznuše na mene ni za što. 26A kad doðe utješitelj, koga æu vam poslati od oca, Duh istine, koji od oca izlazi, on æe svjedoèiti za mene. 27A i vi æete svjedoèiti, jer ste od poèetka sa mnom.

1Ovo vam kazah da se ne sablaznite. 2Izgoniæe vas iz zbornica; a doæi æe vrijeme kad æe svaki koji vas ubije misliti da Bogu službu èini.

Hieromartyr Basiliscus of Comana (308)

He was from Amasea on the Black Sea, and was a nephew of St Theodore the Tyro (February 17). He was a fellow-martyr of Eutropius and Cleonicus (March 3), but is commemorated because, after they were crucified, he was shut in prison. A new governor replaced the one who had killed Basiliscus’ companions, and Basiliscus prayed in tears that he not be deprived of a martyr’s death. The Lord Jesus appeared to him, promised that his prayer would be answered, and told him to go to his village to say farewell to his mother and brothers. The new governor, Agrippa, sent soldiers to the village and had Basiliscus brought back to him. On the way to Amasea, many wonders were worked throught the Saint, and many were brought to Christ. Brought before the governor, Basiliscus again refused to worship the idols or deny Christ: he was beheaded in Comana and his body thrown into the river. Upon the holy Saint’s execution, Agrippa instantly went mad, remaining so until he smeared himself with some of the Martyr’s blood, which immediately healed him. Convinced by this wonder of the truth of the Faith, Agrippa was baptised. All of this happened during the reign of Diocletian.

Righteous Melchizedek, king of Salem.

He was a “priest of the most high God” (Genesis 14:18-20), who blessed our Forefather Abraham and “brought forth bread and wine,” prefiguring the Holy Eucharist, centuries before the Law was given to Moses or Christ became incarnate. The Epistle to the Hebrews (ch. 7) reveals Melchizedek, the Priest-King, to be a type of Christ.

Commemoration of the Second Ecumenical Council (381).

The council was called by the Emperor Theodosius the Great, primarily to clarify the Church’s teaching on the Holy Spirit. Macedonius, bishop of Constantinople, had falsely taught that the Spirit is a creature rather than a Divine Person “Who together with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified.” Partly to correct this error, the council revised and expanded the text of the Nicene Creed into the form that we know today.