1 Peter 3.10-22 (Epistle)

10Jer koji je rad da živi i da vidi dane dobre, neka zadrži jezik svoj od zla, i usne svoje, da ne govore prijevare; 11Neka se ukloni od zla, i neka uèini dobro; neka traži mira i neka se drži njega. 12Jer oèi Gospodnje gledaju na pravednike, i uši njegove na molitvu njihovu; a lice Gospodnje na one koji zlo èine da ih istrijebi sa zemlje. 13I ko može vama nauditi ako uzidete za dobrom? 14Nego ako i stradate pravde radi, blaženi ste. Ali straha njihova ne bojte se, niti se plašite; 15Nego Gospoda Boga svetite u srcima svojijem. A budite svagda gotovi na odgovor svakome koji vas zapita za vaše nadanje. 16S krotošæu i strahom imajte dobru savjest; da ako vas opadaju za što kao zloèince da se postide oni što kude vaše dobro življenje po Hristu. 17Jer je bolje, ako hoæe volja Božija, da stradate dobro èineæi, negoli zlo èineæi. 18Jer i Hristos jedanput za grijehe naše postrada, pravednik za nepravednike, da nas privede k Bogu, ubijen, istina, bivši tijelom, no oživljevši Duhom; 19Kojijem sišavši propovijeda i duhovima koji su u tamnici, 20Koji nekad ne htješe da slušaju kad ih oèekivaše Božije trpljenje u vrijeme Nojevo, kad se graðaše kovèeg, u kome malo, to jest osam duša, ostade od vode. 21Za spomen toga i nas sad spasava krštenje, ali ne pranje tjelesne neèistote, nego obeæanje dobre savjesti Bogu, vaskrsenijem Isusa Hrista. 22Koji je s desne strane Bogu, otišavši na nebo, i slušaju ga anðeli i vlasti i sile.

Mark 12.18-27 (Gospel)

18I doðoše k njemu sadukeji koji kažu da nema vaskrsenija, i zapitaše ga govoreæi: 19Uèitelju! Mojsije nam napisa: ako kome brat umre i ostavi ženu a djece ne ostavi, da brat njegov uzme ženu njegovu i da podigne sjeme bratu svojemu. 20Sedam braæe bješe: i prvi uze ženu, i umrije bez poroda. 21I drugi uze je, i umrije, i ni on ne ostavi poroda; tako i treæi. 22I uzeše je sedmorica, i ne ostaviše poroda. A poslije sviju umrije i žena. 23O vaskrseniju dakle kad ustanu koga æe od njih biti žena? jer je za sedmoricom bila. 24I odgovarajuæi Isus reèe im: zato li se vi varate što ne znate pisma ni sile Božije? 25Jer kad iz mrtvijeh ustanu, niti æe se ženiti ni udavati, nego su kao anðeli na nebesima. 26A za mrtve da ustaju nijeste li èitali u knjigama Mojsijevijem kako mu reèe Bog kod kupine govoreæi: ja sam Bog Avraamov, i Bog Isakov, i Bog Jakovljev? 27Nije Bog Bog mrtvijeh, nego Bog živijeh. Vi se dakle vrlo varate.

Holy Martyr Tryphon (250)

He was the son of humble, pious parents in Phrygia, and as supported himself keeping geese. At a very early age he was granted the gift of healing illnesses of man and animals, and driving out unclean spirits.

The daughter of the Emperor Gordian (238-244) was possessed by a demon, which no physician or pagan sorcerer had been able to drive away. One day the demon shouted, ‘Only Tryphon is able to drive me out!’ Gordian sent servants to scour the Empire in search of the unknown healer; eventually their inquiries led them to the teenaged goose-keeper, and they brought him to Rome, where his prayers immediately drove out the demon. The Emperor showered Tryphon with gifts, which he gave away to the poor on his journey homeward.

When the persecution of Christians under Decius (250) broke out, Tryphon was denounced to the regional government as a dangerous promoter of Christianity (though he had continued to live as a humble peasant, his miracles and healings had made him known). His former service to the Emperor was either forgotten or of no account to the governor, who had him viciously tortured, then sent to Nicaea for further interrogation. There, when no torment would persuade him to deny Christ or worship the idols, he was beheaded outside the city gates. His relics were returned to Lampsacus, near his home, where he continued to work many miracles of healing.

Saint Tryphon is especially invoked for the protection of gardens and farmland against locusts, reptiles, and all small pests.

Holy Martyrs Perpetua and Felicity, and those with them at Carthage (203)

Perpetua, Felicity, Saturus, Saturninus, Secundus and Revocatus were all young catechumens living near Carthage. Perpetua was of noble birth; Felicity (Felicitas) was her slave. All were arrested under Emperor Valerian’s persecution and sent to Carthage. Perpetua had a young child still at the breast, which she asked to take with her.

The holy martyrs appeared before the tribunal and joyfully received their sentence of condemnation to be thrown to the wild beasts in the arena. Felicity, who was eight months pregnant, was concerned that her martyrdom might be postponed because of her pregnancy, but at the prayers of her friends, she went into labor three days before the games. As she groaned in labor, a jailer mocked her, telling her that the pain she felt was nothing to the pain that she would feel in the arena. The Saint replied, ‘Here I suffer for myself; then there will be Another with me, who will suffer with me; and my sufferings will be for Him!’ When she gave birth, she entrusted her newborn child to the care of a Christian couple and prepared for her end.

On the day of the games, the brothers and sisters in Christ entered the arena together. The men were soon killed by the beasts, but Perpetua and Felicity, though mauled, remained alive. The impatient persecutors ordered that they be beheaded. Walking to the center of the arena, the two spiritual sisters exchanged the kiss of peace and gave up their souls to God.

Our Holy Mother Brigid of Kildare (524)

Her name is also spelled Brigit or Bridget; she is considered, equally with St Patrick (March 17), patron of Ireland. She was born in Ulster of a noble Irish family which had been converted by St Patrick. She was uncommonly beautiful, and her father planned to marry her to the King of Ulster. But at the age of sixteen she asked her Lord Jesus Christ to make her unattractive, so that no one would marry her and she could devote herself to Him alone. Soon she lost an eye and was allowed to enter a monastery. On the day that she took monastic vows, she was miraculously healed and her original beauty restored.

Near Dublin she built herself a cell under an oak tree, which was called Kill-dara, or Cell of the Oak. Soon seven other young women joined her and established the monastery of Kill-dara, which in time became the cathedral city of Kildare. The monastery grew rapidly and became a double monastery with both men’s and women’s settlements, with the Abbess ranking above the Abbot; from it several other monasteries were planted throughout Ireland. (Combined men’s and women’s monastic communities are virtually unknown in the east, but were common in the golden age of the Irish Church).

The Saint predicted the day of her death and fell asleep in peace in 524, leaving a monastic Rule to govern all the monasteries under her care. During the Middle Ages her veneration spread throughout Europe.