Hebrews 3.5-11, 17-19 (Epistle)

5I Mojsije dakle bješe vjeran u svemu domu njegovu, kao sluga, za svjedoèanstvo onoga što je trebalo da se govori. 6Ali je Hristos kao sin u domu svojemu: kojega smo dom mi, ako slobodu i slavu nada do kraja tvrdo održimo. 7Zato, kao što govori Duh sveti: danas ako glas njegov èujete, 8Ne budite drvenastijeh srca, kao kad se prognjeviste u dane napasti u pustinji, 9Gdje me iskušaše ocevi vaši, iskušaše me, i gledaše djela moja èetrdeset godina. 10Toga radi rasrdih se na taj rod, i rekoh: jednako se metu u srcima, ali oni ne poznaše putova mojijeh; 11Zato se zakleh u gnjevu svojemu da neæe uæi u pokoj moj. 17A na koje mrzi èetrdeset godina? Nije li na one koji sagriješiše, koji ostaviše kosti u pustinji? 18A kojima se zakle da neæe uæi u pokoj njegov, nego onima koji ne htješe da vjeruju? 19I vidimo da ne mogoše uæi za nevjerstvo.

Luke 20.27-44 (Gospel)

27A pristupiše neki od sadukeja koji kažu da nema vaskrsenija, i pitahu ga 28Govoreæi: uèitelju! Mojsije nam napisa: ako kome umre brat koji ima ženu, i umre bez djece, da brat njegov uzme ženu, i da podigne sjeme bratu svojemu. 29Bijaše sedam braæe, i prvi uze ženu, i umrije bez djece; 30I uze drugi ženu, i on umrije bez djece; 31I treæi je uze; a tako i svi sedam; i ne ostaviše djece, i pomriješe; 32A poslije sviju umrije i žena. 33O vaskrseniju dakle koga æe od njih biti žena? jer je ona sedmorici bila žena. 34I odgovarajuæi Isus reèe im: djeca ovoga svijeta žene se i udaju; 35A koji se udostoje dobiti onaj svijet i vaskrsenije iz mrtvijeh niti æe se ženiti ni udavati; 36Jer više ne mogu umrijeti; jer su kao anðeli; i sinovi su Božiji kad su sinovi vaskrsenija. 37A da mrtvi ustaju, i Mojsije pokaza kod kupine gdje naziva Gospoda Boga Avraamova i Boga Isakova i Boga Jakovljeva. 38A Bog nije Bog mrtvijeh nego živijeh; jer su njemu svi živi. 39A neki od književnika odgovarajuæi rekoše: uèitelju! dobro si kazao. 40I veæ ne smijahu ništa da ga zapitaju. A on im reèe: 41Kako govore da je Hristos sin Davidov? 42Kad sam David govori u psaltiru: reèe Gospod Gospodu mojemu: sjedi meni s desne strane, 43Dok položim neprijatelje tvoje podnožje nogama tvojima. 44David dakle njega naziva Gospodom; pa kako mu je sin?

Prophet Malachi (ca. 400 BC)

He is the last of the twelve Minor Prophets and the last of all the Prophets of the Old Testament. His name means ‘My Angel’ or ‘My Messenger.’ He returned with the exiled Jews from Babylon and took part in the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem. His prophecy announces to the ear of faith that the Lord will soon bring the Hebrew priesthood to an end in the coming of Christ, the Sun of Righteousness (Malachi 4:2), the eternal Priest.

Holy Martyr Gordius of Caesarea (4th c.)

“The Martyr Gordius, who was from Caesarea of Cappadocia, was a centurion by rank. Unable to bear the impiety of the heathen, he withdrew to the wilderness to purify himself through prayer and fasting. After he perceived that his ascetical training had prepared him sufficiently, he came down from the mountains when a certain pagan festival was held in Caesarea, attended by all, and presented himself to the multitude. Although the spectacles of the festival continued, no one paid them any heed, but all eyes were turned upon him. From his sojourn in the mountains, his look was wild, his beard was long, his raiment squalid, his body like a skeleton; yet a certain grace shone round about him. He was recognized, and a loud shout and tumult was made, as his fellow Christians rejoiced, and the enemies of the truth cried out for his death. He boldly professed his faith before the Governor, and after torments was beheaded, in the reign of Licinius in the year 314. Saint Basil the Great delivered a homily on Saint Gordius, mentioning that some of those in his audience had been present at the Saint’s martyrdom.” (Great Horologion)

Our Holy Mother Genevieve of Paris (ca. 502)

She was born near Paris to a family of wealthy landowners. When she was about ten years old St Germanus of Auxerre (July 31), passing through the region on his way to Britain, discerned a special divine purpose for her, and told her parents that she had been chosen for the salvation of many. “He asked her that day, and early the next, if she would consecrate herself to holy virginity for Christ and, on both occasions, she answered that it was her dearest wish. Then he blessed her and gave her a copper coin inscribed with the Cross to wear around her neck, telling her never to wear gold, silver or pearls, but to elevate her mind above the small beauties of this world in order to inherit eternal and heavenly adornments.” (Synaxarion)

Convents were unknown at that time in Gaul, so Genevieve lived as a solitary, in a cell in her own house, first with her parents then, after their death, with her godmother in Paris. She devoted herself to the poor, giving away everything that came into her hands, except the small amount that she needed to feed herself on bread and beans. (When she passed the age of fifty, she was commanded by the bishops to add some fish and milk to her diet). She kept Lent from Theophany to Pascha, during which time she never left her house. She was never afraid to rebuke the powerful for their oppression of the weak and the poor, and thus earned many powerful enemies; but the people’s love for her, and the support of the Church, kept her from persecution.

It became her custom to walk to church on Sundays in procession with her household and many pious laypeople. Once the candle borne at the front of the procession (it was still dark) blew out in a rainstorm. The Saint asked for the candle and, when she took it in her hand, it re-lit and stayed lighted until they reached the church. At several other times, candles lit spontaneously in her hand; for this reason her icon shows her holding a candle.

She traveled throughout Gaul (modern-day France) on church business, being greeted with all the honors usually accorded a bishop. Several times she saved the city of Paris from the assaults of barbarian tribes through her prayers, by pleading with barbarian chieftains, and once by organizing a convoy to bring grain to the besieged city.

Saint Genevieve reposed in peace at the age of eighty. Through the centuries since then, she has shown her holy protection of the city of Paris countless times, and her relics in the Church of Saint Genevieve have wrought innumerable healings. Her relics were many times carried in huge processions in times of war, pestilence or other national trial. These relics were mostly burned and thrown into the River Seine by the godless Revolutionaries in 1793, but, as the Synaxarion concludes, “those who continue to invoke Saint Genevieve with faith, find her to be well and truly alive.”