Romans 11.2-12 (Epistle)

2Ne odbaci Bog naroda svojega, koji naprijed pozna. Ili ne znate šta govori pismo za Iliju kako se tuži Bogu na Izrailja govoreæi: 3Gospode! proroke tvoje pobiše i oltare tvoje raskopaše, a ja ostah jedan i traže dušu moju da je izvade. 4A šta mu govori Božij odgovor? Ostavih sebi sedam hiljada ljudi koji ne prekloniše koljena pred Vaalom. 5Tako dakle i u sadašnje vrijeme ostatak bi po izboru blagodati. 6Ako li je po blagodati, onda nije od djela, jer blagodat veæ ne bi bila blagodat; ako li je od djela nije više blagodat, jer djelo veæ ne bi bilo djelo. 7Šta dakle? Šta iskaše Izrailj ono ne dobi; a izbor dobi; ostali pak zaslijepiše. 8Kao što je napisano: dade im Bog duha neosjetljivoga, oèi da ne vide, i uši da ne èuju do samoga današnjega dana. 9I David govori: da bude trpeza njihova zamka i gvožða, i sablazan i plata njima; 10Da se njihove oèi zaslijepe da ne vide, i leða njihova jednako da su pognuta. 11Govorim dakle: eda li se spotakoše da padnu? Bože saèuvaj! Nego je njihova pogrješka spasenje neznabošcima, da bi se i oni razdražili. 12A kad je pogrješka njihova bogatstvo svijetu i šteta njihova bogatstvo neznabošcima, akamoli da se ispune?

Matthew 11.20-26 (Gospel)

20Tada poèe Isus vikati na gradove u kojima su se dogodila najveæa èudesa njegova, pa se nijesu pokajali: 21Teško tebi, Horazine! Teško tebi, Vitsaido! Jer da su u Tiru i Sidonu bila èudesa koja su bila u vama, davno bi se u vreæi i pepelu pokajali. 22Ali vam kažem: Tiru i Sidonu lakše æe biti u dan strašnoga suda nego vama. 23I ti, Kapernaume! koji si se do nebesa podigao do pakla æeš propasti: jer da su u Sodomu bila èudesa što su u tebi bila, ostao bi do današnjeg dana. 24Ali vam kažem da æe zemlji Sodomskoj lakše biti u dan strašnoga suda nego tebi. 25U to vrijeme odgovori Isus, i reèe: hvalim te, oèe, Gospode neba i zemlje, što si ovo sakrio od premudrijeh i razumnijeh a kazao si prostima. 26Da, oèe, jer je tako bila volja tvoja.

Apostle Aquila of the Seventy, and St Priscilla (1st c.).

He, along with his wife Priscilla, is mentioned in the book of Acts and in St Paul’s Epistle to the Romans. He and his wife were Jews who moved to Corinth when the Emperor Claudius expelled all Jews from Italy. They were working as tentmakers in Corinth when they met and worked with St Paul, also a tentmaker by trade, who brought them to faith in Christ. From that time onward they worked diligently to spread the Gospel of Christ. The Prologue says that they died at the hands of pagans, the Great Horologion that the circumstances of their repose are unknown.

Our Father among the Saints Joseph, Archbishop of Thessalonika (833)

He was the brother of St Theodore the Studite (November 11), and is also sometimes called Studite. He is one of the inspired composers of the canons in the Lenten Triodion, many of which bear the title “by Joseph”. (He should not be confused with St Joseph the Hymnographer, who is commemorated April 3.) As Archbishop of Thessalonika, he suffered greatly for his zealous defense of the holy icons: he was imprisoned, and was exiled three times.

St Nikodemos of the Holy Mountain, spiritual writer (1809)

He is best known for his collections of Orthodox writings, most importantly the Philokalia, a five-volume compendium of writings on asceticism and prayer, especially the Jesus Prayer, by the holy Fathers of the Church. (The first four volumes have been translated into English). He produced an Orthodox edition of Unseen Warfare, originally by Lorenzo Scupoli, a Roman Catholic. (This was further revised by St Theophan the Recluse). He also edited the Pedalion (Rudder), a collection of the canons of the Orthodox Church with his commentary.

Note: The English edition of the Rudder needs to be read with care, since it includes additional comments by the translator, not clearly distinguished from those of the Saint.