Ephesians 4.25-32 (Epistle)

25Zato odbacite laž, i govorite istinu svaki sa svojijem bližnjijem; jer smo udi jedan drugome. 26Gnjevite se i ne griješite; sunce da ne zaðe u gnjevu vašemu. 27Niti dajite mjesta ðavolu. 28Koji je krao više da ne krade, nego još da se trudi, èineæi dobro rukama svojima da ima šta davati potrebnome. 29Nikakva rðava rijeè da ne izlazi iz usta vašijeh, nego samo što je dobro za napredovanje vjere, da da blagodat onima koji slušaju. 30I ne ožalošæavajte svetoga Duha Božijega, kojijem ste zapeèaæeni za dan izbavljenja. 31Svaka gorèina, i gnjev, i ljutina, i vika i hula, da se uzme od vas, sa svakom pakošæu. 32A budite jedan drugome blagi, milostivi, praštajuæi jedan drugome, kao što je i Bog u Hristu oprostio vama.

Luke 6.24-30 (Gospel)

24Ali teško vama bogati; jer ste veæ primili utjehu svoju. 25Teško vama siti sad; jer æete ogladnjeti. Teško vama koji se smijete sad; jer æete zaplakati i zaridati. 26Teško vama kad stanu svi dobro govoriti za vama; jer su tako èinili i lažnijem prorocima ocevi njihovi. 27Ali vama kažem koji slušate: ljubite neprijatelje svoje, dobro èinite onima koji na vas mrze; 28Blagosiljajte one koji vas kunu, i molite se Bogu za one koji vas vrijeðaju. 29Koji te udari po obrazu, okreni mu i drugi; i koji hoæe da ti uzme kabanicu, podaj mu i košulju. 30A svakome koji ište u tebe, podaj; i koji tvoje uzme, ne išti.

St Andrew the Fool for Christ (911)

St Andrew was bought as a slave by Theognostos,a wealthy citizen of Constantinople, during the reign of the Emperor Leo the Wise. Theognostos recognized Andrew’s unusual ability and taught him to read and write. Despite this, Andrew, obeying a divine revelation, took up the ascesis of folly for Christ, behaving as a madman all day and secretly praying most of the night. His master endeavored to have him cured of his apparent madness, having prayers read over him in church, but to no avail. Finally he discharged Andrew, who thereafter lived in absolute poverty in Constantinople, clothing himself in rags and living on the bread given him by kindly Christians. Anything that he received, beyond that needed for bare survival, he gave to beggars, usually mocking and insulting them at the same time so as not to be thanked or praised for his deeds. Such was the wholeheartedness of his prayers that he was given grace to see angels and demons, to discern the secrets of others, thereby turning them from their sins. It was he who, with his disciple Epiphanius, saw the vision of the Protecting Veil of the Mother of God (see October 1). After a life of profound ascetic struggle, he reposed in peace.

Hieromartyr Cyprian and Virgin-Martyr Justina (304).

“Saint Justina, who was from Damascus, lived in virginity for the sake of Christ. Saint Cyprian, who was from Antioch, began as an initiate of magic and worshipper of the demons. A certain foolish young man who had been smitten with Justina’s beauty hired Cyprian to draw her to love him; when Cyprian had used every demonic device he knew, and had failed, being repulsed by the power of Christ Whom Justina invoked, he understood the weakness of the demons and came to know the truth. Delivered from demonic delusion, he came to Christ and burned all his books of magic, was baptized, and later ascended the episcopal throne in his country. Later, he and Justina were arrested by the Count of Damascus, and having endured many torments at his hands, they were sent finally to Diocletian in Nicomedia, where they were beheaded in the year 304.” (Great Horologion)

St Cassian the Greek, Wonderworker of Uglich (1504)

In 1473, Princess Sophia Paleologos came to Russia with a large retinue to marry Prince Ivan III. One of this retinue was a certain nobleman named Constantine, a relative of the last Byzantine Emperor, Constantine XI Paleologos. Constantine entered into the service of Archbishop Joasaph of Rostov, and in 1489 went with him on his retirement to the Monastery of St Therapont at White Lake. Constantine himself had no plans to become a monk; but on his first night at the monastery St Martinian (January 12) appeared to him, exhorting him to renounce the world immediately. Constantine reported his vision to the Archbishop, who confirmed its authenticity, and Constantine was tonsured a monk with the name Cassian.

The new monk entered into the ascetic struggle with fervor: though he had spent his life as a prince, he gladly undertook the lowliest tasks and the most onerous obedience. At the encouragement of his friend St Nilus of Sora (Nil Sorsky, May 7), he took up a hermit’s life by the River Uchma in the Uglich district. In time various disciples gathered around him, and St Cassian, against his own will, became the head of a skete. His teachings to his disciples always emphasized obedience, care for the poor, and prayer for the departed. He reposed in peace.