Acts 21.26-32 (Epistle)

26Tada Pavle uze one ljude, i sjutradan oèistivši se s njima, uðe u crkvu, i pokaza kako izvršuje dane oèišæenja dokle se ne prinese žrtva za svakoga njih. 27A kad šæaše da se navrši sedam dana, vidjevši ga u crkvi oni Jevreji što bijahu iz Azije, pobuniše sav narod, i metnuše ruke na nj 28Vièuæi: pomagajte, ljudi Izrailjci! ovo je èovjek koji protiv naroda i zakona i protiv ovoga mjesta uèi sve svuda; pa još i Grke uvede u crkvu i opogani sveto mjesto ovo. 29Jer bijahu vidjeli s njim u gradu Trofima iz Efesa, kojega mišljahu da je uveo Pavle u crkvu. 30I sav se grad podiže, i navali narod sa sviju strana, i uhvativši Pavla vucijahu ga napolje iz crkve; i odmah se zatvoriše vrata. 31A kad šæahu da ga ubiju, doðe glas gore k vojvodi od èete da se pobuni sav Jerusalim. 32A on odmah uzevši vojnike i kapetane dotrèa na njih. A oni vidjevši vojvodu i vojnike prestaše biti Pavla.

John 16.2-13 (Gospel)

2Izgoniæe vas iz zbornica; a doæi æe vrijeme kad æe svaki koji vas ubije misliti da Bogu službu èini. 3I ovo æe èiniti, jer ne poznaše oca ni mene. 4Nego vam ovo kazah kad doðe vrijeme da se opomenete ovoga da vam ja kazah; a isprva ne kazah vam ovo, jer bijah s vama. 5A sad idem k onome koji me posla, i niko me od vas ne pita: kuda ideš? 6Nego što vam ovo kazah žalosti napuni se srce vaše. 7Nego vam ja istinu govorim: bolje je za vas da ja idem: jer ako ja ne idem, utješitelj neæe doæi k vama; ako li idem, poslaæu ga k vama. 8I kad on doðe pokaraæe svijet za grijeh, i za pravdu, i za sud: 9Za grijeh dakle što ne vjeruju mene; 10A za pravdu što idem k ocu svojemu; i više me neæete vidjeti; 11A za sud što je knez ovoga svijeta osuðen. 12Još vam mnogo imam kazati; ali sad ne možete nositi. 13A kad doðe on, Duh istine, uputiæe vas na svaku istinu; jer neæe od sebe govoriti, nego æe govoriti što èuje, i javiæe vam što æe biti unapredak.

St Isaac, founder of the Dalmatian Monastery at Constantinople (383)

While a hermit in the east, Isaac heard that the Arians, supported by the Emperor Valens, were persecuting Orthodoxy. Leaving his seclusion, he traveled to Constantinople, where he lived in a small hut. He confronted the Emperor, telling him that if he did not cease his persecutions and embrace the true Faith, disaster would befall him. The Emperor ignored his words, and shortly thereafter was killed in a battle with the Goths. The Emperor Theodosius the Great then came to the throne, restoring peace to the Church. Hearing of Isaac and his prophecy, the Emperor sent for Isaac and prostrated before him. Isaac wished to return to the desert, but was persuaded to remain as a monk in Constantinople. He took part in the Second Ecumenical Council, where he shone in zeal for the Faith; the Third Ecumenical Council made him archimandrite over all the monasteries in the City. (Some say that the monastery founded by him is called the Dalmatian Monastery because it was built by Dalmatus, a wealthy nobleman of the City; others say that it was founded by St Isaac himself and later took its name from Abbot Dalmatus, who succeeded Isaac). In his own lifetime St Isaac was known far and wide as a wonderworker and one endowed with the gift of prophecy.

Saint Isaac is also commemorated in August 3, along with Dalmatus and his son Faustus.

St Macrina, grandmother of St Basil the Great (4th c.)

“The grandmother of St Basil the Great, she was outstanding for her intellect and piety. She was a disciple of St Gregory the Wonder-worker of Neocaesarea. In the reign of Diocletian, she abandoned her home and hid in the forests and desert places with her husband, Basil. Although their home was confiscated, they felt no pangs of regret. Stripped of everything except their love for God, they settled in an ancient forest and spent seven years there. By God’s providence, goats would come down from the mountains and provide them with food. They both died peacefully in the fourth century, after great sufferings for the Christian faith.” (Prologue)