John 21.1-14 (10th Matins Gospel)

1Poslije toga opet se javi Isus uèenicima svojijem na moru Tiverijadskom. A javi se ovako: 2Bijahu zajedno Simon Petar i Toma koji se zvaše Blizanac, i Natanailo iz Kane Galilejske, i sinovi Zevedejevi, i druga dvojica od uèenika njegovijeh. 3Reèe im Simon Petar: idem da lovim ribu. Rekoše mu: idemo i mi s tobom. Onda iziðoše i odmah sjedoše u laðu, i onu noæ ne uhvatiše ništa. 4A kad bi jutro, stade Isus na brijegu; ali uèenici ne poznaše da je Isus. 5A Isus im reèe: djeco! eda što imate za jelo? Odgovoriše mu: nemamo. 6A on im reèe: bacite mrežu s desne strane laðe, i naæi æete. Onda baciše, i veæ ne mogahu izvuæi je od mnoštva ribe. 7Onda uèenik onaj koga ljubljaše Isus reèe Petru: to je Gospod. A Simon Petar kad èu da je Gospod, zapreže se košuljom, jer bješe go, i skoèi u more. 8A drugi uèenici doðoše na laði, jer ne bješe daleko od zemlje nego oko dvjesta lakata, vukuæi mrežu s ribom. 9Kad dakle izljezoše na zemlju, vidješe oganj naložen, i na njemu metnutu ribu i hljeb. 10Isus im reèe: prinesite od ribe što sad uhvatiste. 11A Simon Petar uðe i izvuèe mrežu na zemlju punu velikijeh riba sto i pedeset i tri; i od tolikoga mnoštva ne prodrije se mreža. 12Isus im reèe: hodite objedujte. A nijedan od uèenika ne smedijaše da ga pita: ko si ti? videæi da je Gospod. 13A doðe i Isus, i uze hljeb, i dade im, tako i ribu. 14Ovo se veæ treæi put javi Isus uèenicima svojijem pošto ustade iz mrtvijeh.

Galatians 2.16-20 (Epistle)

16Pa doznavši da se èovjek neæe opravdati djelima zakona, nego samo vjerom Isusa Hrista, i mi vjerovasmo Hrista Isusa da se opravdamo vjerom Hristovom, a ne djelima zakona: jer se djelima zakona nikakvo tijelo neæe opravdati. 17Ako li se mi koji tražimo da se opravdamo Hristom, naðosmo i sami grješnici, dakle je Hristos grijehu sluga? Bože saèuvaj! 18Jer ako opet zidam ono što razvalih, pokazujem se da sam prestupnik. 19Jer ja zakonom zakonu umrijeh da Bogu živim; s Hristom se razapeh. 20A ja više ne živim, nego živi u meni Hristos. A što sad živim u tijelu, živim vjerom sina Božijega, kojemu omiljeh, i predade sebe za mene.

Luke 8.26-39 (Gospel)

26I doðoše u okolinu Gadarinsku koja je prema Galileji. 27A kad iziðe on na zemlju, srete ga jedan èovjek iz grada u kome bijahu ðavoli od mnogo godina, i u haljine ne oblaèaše se, i ne življaše u kuæi, nego u grobovima. 28A kad vidje Isusa, povika i pripade k njemu i reèe zdravo: što je tebi do mene, Isuse, sine Boga najvišega? Molim te, ne muèi me. 29Jer Isus zapovjedi duhu neèistome da iziðe iz èovjeka; jer ga muèaše odavno, i metahu ga u verige i u puta da ga èuvaju, i iskida sveze, i tjeraše ga ðavo po pustinji. 30A Isus ga zapita govoreæi: kako ti je ime? A on reèe: legeon; jer mnogi ðavoli bijahu ušli u nj. 31I moljahu ga da im ne zapovjedi da idu u bezdan. 32A ondje pasijaše po gori veliki krd svinja, i moljahu ga da im dopusti da u njih uðu. I dopusti im. 33Tada iziðoše ðavoli iz èovjeka i uðoše u svinje; i navali krd s brijega u jezero, i utopi se. 34A kad vidješe svinjari što bi, pobjegoše i javiše u gradu i po selima. 35I iziðoše ljudi da vide šta je bilo, i doðoše k Isusu, i naðoše èovjeka iz koga ðavoli bijahu izišli a on sjedi obuèen i pametan kod nogu Isusovijeh; i uplašiše se. 36A oni što su vidjeli kazaše im kako se iscijeli bijesni. 37I moli ga sav narod iz okoline Gadarinske da ide od njih; jer se bijahu vrlo uplašili. A on uljeze u laðu i otide natrag. 38Èovjek pak iz koga iziðoše ðavoli moljaše da bi s njim bio; ali ga Isus otpusti govoreæi: 39Vrati se kuæi svojoj, i kazuj šta ti uèini Bog. I otide propovijedajuæi po svemu gradu šta mu Isus uèini.

Holy Virgin Martyr Anastasia of Rome (256)

She lived in Rome during the reigns of the Emperors Decius and Valerian. At an early age she left all to embrace a life of unceasing prayer, entering a small monastery in Rome, directed by a nun named Sophia. For her Christian faith, she was seized and brought before the governor Probus and, when she boldly confessed Christ and refused to honor the idols, was subjected to a series of vicious tortures, under which she died. An angel led Sophia to retrieve her holy relics, which are now venerated at the monastery of Grigoriou on Mt Athos.

We are sometimes told that monasticism developed in the Church after Christianity became accepted and grew more worldly. The story of St Anastasia is one of many evidences in the lives of the Saints that what we now call monasticism was present from the earliest days of the Church.

Our Holy Father Abramius (366) and his niece Mary (371) of Mesopotamia

Abramius was a Christian of noble birth who, early in life, left all (including a young bride) to live as a solitary monk. This he did for fifty years. When Abramius’ brother died, leaving his seven-year-old daughter Mary orphaned and alone, The Saint took her under his care, giving her a monastic cell near his own. Though Mary devoted herself joyfully to the monastic life, when she was about twenty she fell into sin with a corrupt monk who visited the hermitage. Far worse, she then fell into despair, thinking that she had cast away her salvation, and fled the hermitage to become a harlot in a nearby town. Abramius, unaware of what had happened or where she had gone, prayed constantly for her safety and to be shown where she had fled.

One day a traveler told Abramius what had become of his niece. Immediately he rose up, dressed himself as a soldier and went to the brothel where Mary worked, “for the salvation of a soul meant more to him than hermitage, Habit, ascesis or prayer itself” (Synaxarion). Still disguised, he ordered a meal, his first wine and meat for fifty years, then went with Mary to her room. Only then did he reveal himself, and with tears, not accusing her at all, pleaded with her to leave that place and return with him. “Let us go, my child; let us return to our hermitage. Let your fault be mine. I will answer for it before Christ on the day of judgment.” She returned with him and, with repentance, prayed so ardently that she was soon granted not only assurance of forgiveness but the power to work miracles. St Abramius reposed in peace in great old age; Mary followed him into eternal joy five years later.