Wisdom of Solomon 3.1-9 (Vespers)

Wisdom of Solomon 5.15-6.3 (Vespers)

Wisdom of Solomon 4.7-15 (Vespers)

Matthew 11.27-30 (Matins Gospel)

27Sve je meni predao otac moj, i niko ne zna sina do otac; niti oca ko zna do sin i ako kome sin hoæe kazati. 28Hodite k meni svi koji ste umorni i natovareni, i ja æu vas odmoriti. 29Uzmite jaram moj na sebe, i nauèite se od mene; jer sam ja krotak i smjeran u srcu, i naæi æete pokoj dušama svojijem. 30Jer je jaram moj blag, i breme je moje lako.

Romans 12.4-5, 15-21 (Epistle)

4Jer kao u jednom tijelu što imamo mnoge ude a udi svi nemaju jedan posao, 5Tako smo mnogi jedno tijelo u Hristu, a po sebi smo udi jedan drugome. 15Radujte se s radosnima, i plaèite s plaènima. 16Budite jedne misli meðu sobom. Ne mislite o visokijem stvarima, nego se držite niskijeh. Ne mislite za sebe da ste mudri. 17A nikome ne vraæajte zla za zlo; promišljajte o tom što je dobro pred svijem ljudima. 18Ako je moguæe, koliko do vas stoji, imajte mir sa svijem ljudima. 19Ne osveæujte se za sebe, ljubazni, nego podajte mjesto gnjevu, jer stoji napisano: moja je osveta, ja æu vratiti, govori Gospod. 20Ako je dakle gladan neprijatelj tvoj, nahrani ga; ako je žedan, napoj ga; jer èineæi to ugljevlje ognjeno skupljaš na glavu njegovu. 21Ne daj se zlu nadvladati, nego nadvladaj zlo dobrom.

Galatians 5.22-6.2 (Epistle, St Seraphim)

22A rod je duhovni ljubav, radost, mir, trpljenje, dobrota, milost, vjera, 23Krotost, uzdržanje; na to nema zakona. 24A koji su Hristovi, raspeše tijelo sa slastima i željama. 25Ako u duhu živimo, po duhu i da hodimo, 26Da ne tražimo lažne slave razdražujuæi jedan drugoga, i zavideæi jedan drugome.

1Braæo! ako i upadne èovjek u kakav grijeh, vi duhovni ispravljajte takovoga duhom krotosti, èuvajuæi sebe da i ti ne budeš iskušan. 2Nosite bremena jedan drugoga, i tako æete ispuniti zakon Hristov.

Matthew 12.9-13 (Gospel)

9I otišavši odande doðe u zbornicu njihovu. 10I gle, èovjek bijaše tu s rukom suhom; i zapitaše ga govoreæi: valja li u subotu lijeèiti? da bi ga okrivili. 11A on reèe im: koji je meðu vama èovjek koji ima ovcu jednu pa ako ona u subotu upadne u jamu neæe je uzeti i izvaditi? 12A koliko li je èovjek pretežniji od ovce? Daklem valja u subotu dobro èiniti. 13Tada reèe èovjeku: pruži ruku svoju. I pruži. I postade zdrava kao i druga.

Luke 6.17-23 (Gospel, St Seraphim)

17I izišavši s njima stade na mjestu ravnom, i gomila uèenika njegovijeh; i mnoštvo naroda iz sve Judeje i iz Jerusalima, i iz primorja Tirskoga i Sidonskoga, 18Koji doðoše da ga slušaju i da se iscjeljuju od svojijeh bolesti, i koje muèahu duhovi neèisti; i iscjeljivahu se. 19I sav narod tražaše da ga se dotaknu; jer iz njega izlažaše sila i iscjeljivaše ih sve. 20I on podignuvši oèi na uèenike svoje govoraše: blago vama koji ste siromašni duhom; jer je vaše carstvo Božije. 21Blago vama koji ste gladni sad; jer æete se nasititi. Blago vama koji plaèete sad; jer æete se nasmijati. 22Blago vama kad na vas ljudi omrznu i kad vas rastave i osramote, i razglase ime vaše kao zlo sina radi èovjeèijega. 23Radujte se u onaj dan i igrajte, jer gle, vaša je velika plata na nebu. Jer su tako èinili prorocima ocevi njihovi.

Uncovering of the relics (1903) of St Seraphim of Sarov

“The uncovering of the holy relics of St Seraphim of Sarov on July 19, 1903 was attended by many thousands, among them the foremost of the clergy and royalty; the holy Tsar Nicholas II (July 4) was one of the bearers of the relics in procession, and the Grand Duchess Elizabeth (July 5) wrote an eyewitness account of the many miracles that took place. Not only had the Saint foretold the coming of the Tsar to his glorification, and that from joy they would chant ‘Christ is Risen’ in summer, but he also left a letter ‘for the fourth sovereign, who will come to Sarov.’ This was Nicholas II, who was given the letter when he came in 1903; the contents of the letter are not known, but when he had read it, the Tsar and future Martyr, though not a man to show his emotions, was visibly shaken.” (Great Horologion)

Saint Seraphim is commemorated January 2.

St Macrina, sister of St Basil the Great and St Gregory of Nyssa (380)

She was sought as a bride by many because of her exceptional beauty and wisdom as well as her noble birth. She was betrothed at a young age, and when her betrothed died, she refused to consider any more suitors, saying that since her betrothed was alive in Christ, it was not right for her to turn to another. Instead she turned to a life of virginity, ascetic struggle and prayer. She greatly influenced her younger brothers, turning them from worldly things to monastic life. She established a monastery and, with her mother Emilia, became a nun. She reposed in peace in 379.

Her brother St Gregory of Nyssa held her in special honor. He was present at her death and gave a moving oration at her funeral. He describes how, in her last moments, she prayed thus to God: ‘Thou, O Lord, givest rest to our bodies in the sleep of death for a little time, then Thou wilt waken them again with the Last Trumpet. Forgive me, and grant that, when my soul is parted from my body, it may be presented before Thee stainless and without sin, and that it may be as incense before Thee.’ Then she made the sign of the Cross on her brow, eyes, face and heart, and died. St Gregory’s work on the resurrection of the dead (available in English as On the Soul and Resurrection) is cast in the form of a dialogue between himself and his sister Macrina in which he is the earnest but ignorant student and she the wise and patient teacher. So do the Saints honor the Saints.