Romans 1.7-12 (Epistle)

7Svima koji su u Rimu, ljubaznima Bogu, i pozvanima svetima: blagodat vam i mir od Boga oca našega i Gospoda Isusa Hrista. 8Prvo dakle zahvaljujem Bogu svojemu kroz Isusa Hrista za sve vas što se vjera vaša glasi po svemu svijetu. 9Jer mi je svjedok Bog, kojemu služim duhom svojijem u jevanðelju sina njegova, da vas se opominjem bez prestanka, 10Moleæi se svagda Bogu u molitvama svojijem da bi mi kad Božija volja pomogla da doðem k vama; 11Jer želim vidjeti vas, da vam dam kakav duhovni dar za vaše utvrðenje, 12To jest, da se s vama utješim vjerom opštom, i vašom i mojom.

Matthew 5.42-48 (Gospel)

42Koji ište u tebe, podaj mu; i koji hoæe da mu uzajmiš, ne odreci mu. 43Èuli ste da je kazano: ljubi bližnjega svojega, i mrzi na neprijatelja svojega. 44A ja vam kažem: ljubite neprijatelje svoje, blagosiljajte one koji vas kunu, èinite dobro onima koji na vas mrze i molite se Bogu za one koji vas gone; 45Da budete sinovi oca svojega koji je na nebesima; jer on zapovijeda svome suncu, te obasjava i zle i dobre, i daje dažd pravednima i nepravednima. 46Jer ako ljubite one koji vas ljube, kakovu platu imate? Ne èine li to i carinici? 47I ako Boga nazivate samo svojoj braæi, šta odviše èinite? Ne èine li tako i neznabošci? 48Budite vi dakle savršeni, kao što je savršen otac vaš nebeski.

St David of Thessalonica (540)

For years he lived the ascetic life in a crude tree- house he had fashioned in the branches of an almond tree. Then he moved to Thessaly, where he continued his life of fasting, prayer and vigil, cleansing his soul and being made worthy to perform many miracles. Once, when the Emperor Justinian visited him, he took a live coal in his bare hand and censed the Emperor. The Emperor, seeing this, bowed to the ground before David. He reposed in peace.

Feast of the Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God. Feast of the Hodigritia Icon of the Mother of God

This icon was once kept in the Church of Blachernae in Constantinople. In 1383, it suddenly appeared in the sky over Lake Ladoga, then travelled through the air to the city of Tikhvin, where it alit by the River Tikhvina. A monastery was built there to house it. In the twentieth century it was brought to America. Innumerable miracles have been worked through this wonderworking icon, especially healings of children.

On this day is also commemorated the Hodigritia Icon of the Mother of God. According to many accounts, this icon and the Tikhvin Icon are one and the same, so we list them together. Hodigritia is translated “Directress” or more literally “She who shows the way.” It was painted by Luke the Evangelist himself, who knew the Mother of God in the flesh. Over the years the icon was taken from Antioch to Jerusalem, then to Constantinople where it was enshrined in the Church of Blachernae. When Constantinople was attacked at the same time by the Persians and the Scythians, Patriarch Sergius carried the holy icon around the ramparts, and the city was miraculously delivered from its pagan enemies. During the iconoclast period, the icon was hidden in a wall in the monastery of the Pantocrator.