Romans 2.14-29 (Epistle)

14Jer kad neznabošci ne imajuæi zakona sami od sebe èine što je po zakonu, oni zakona ne imajuæi sami su sebi zakon: 15Oni dokazuju da je ono napisano u srcima njihovijem što se èini po zakonu, buduæi da im savjest svjedoèi, i misli meðu sobom tuže se ili pravdaju) 16Na dan kad Bog uzasudi tajne ljudske po jevanðelju mojemu preko Isusa Hrista. 17Gle, ti se zoveš Jevrejin, a oslanjaš se na zakon i hvališ se Bogom, 18I poznaješ volju, i izbiraš što je bolje, jer si nauèen od zakona; 19I misliš da si voð slijepima, vidjelo onima koji su u mraku, 20Nakazatelj bezumnima, uèitelj djeci, koji imaš ugled razuma i istine u zakonu. 21Uèeæi dakle drugoga sebe ne uèiš; 22Propovijedajuæi da se ne krade, kradeš; govoreæi: ne èini preljube, èiniš preljubu; gadeæi se na idole, kradeš svetinju; 23Koji se hvališ zakonom, a prijestupom zakona sramotiš Boga. 24Jer se ime Božije zbog vas huli u neznabošcima, kao što stoji napisano. 25Obrezanje pomaže ako zakon držiš; ako li si prestupnik zakona, obrezanje je tvoje neobrezanje postalo. 26Ako dakle neobrezanje pravdu zakona drži, zašto se ne bi njegovo neobrezanje za obrezanje uzelo? 27I onaj koji je od roda neobrezan i izvršuje zakon, osudiæe tebe koji si sa slovima i obrezanjem prestupnik zakona. 28Jer ono nije Jevrejin koji je spolja Jevrejin, niti je ono obrezanje koje je spolja na tijelu; 29Nego je ono Jevrejin koji je iznutra, i obrezanje srca duhom a ne slovima, to je obrezanje; kome je hvala ne od ljudi nego od Boga.

Matthew 5.33-41 (Gospel)

33Još ste èuli kako je kazano starima: ne kuni se krivo, a ispuni što si se Gospodu zakleo. 34A ja vam kažem: ne kunite se nikako: ni nebom, jer je prijestol Božij; 35Ni zemljom, jer je podnožje nogama njegovijem; ni Jerusalimom, jer je grad velikoga cara. 36Ni glavom svojom ne kuni se, jer ne možeš ni dlake jedne bijele ili crne uèiniti. 37Dakle neka bude vaša rijeè: da, da; ne, ne; a što je više od ovoga, oda zla je. 38Èuli ste da je kazano: oko za oko, i zub za zub. 39A ja vam kažem da se ne branite oda zla, nego ako te ko udari po desnome tvom obrazu, obrni mu i drugi; 40I koji hoæe da se sudi s tobom i košulju tvoju da uzme, podaj mu i haljinu. 41I ako te potjera ko jedan sahat, idi s njime dva.

St Cyril, archbishop of Alexandria (444)

“St Cyril was… from Alexandria, born about the year 376, the nephew of Theophilus, Patriarch of Alexandria, who also instructed the Saint in his youth. Having first spent much time with the monks of Nitria, he later became the successor to his uncle’s throne in 412. In 429, when Cyril heard tidings of the teachings of the new Patriarch of Constantinople, Nestorius, he began attempting through private letters to bring Nestorius to renounce his heretical teachings about the Incarnation; and when the heresiarch did not repent, Saint Cyril, together with Pope Celestine of Rome, led the Orthodox opposition to his error. Saint Cyril presided over the Third Ecumenical Council of the 200 holy Fathers in the year 431, who gathered in Ephesus under Saint Theodosius the Younger. At this Council, by his most wise words he put to shame and convicted the impious doctrine of Nestorius, who, although he was in town, refused to appear before Cyril. Saint Cyril, besides overthrowing the error of Nestorius, has left to the Church full commentaries on the Gospels of Luke and John. Having shepherded the Church of Christ for thirty-two years, he reposed in 444.” (Great Horologion)

Today we commemorate St Cyril’s repose. He is also commemorated on January 18, the date of his restoration to his see in Alexandria after he had been driven out by Nestorians.

St Columba of Iona (597)

He was born to a prominent noble family, the Ui-Niall clan of Ireland, but he forsook all worldly things and became a monk at a young age. He founded the monasteries of Derry and Durrow, and traveled as a missionary in Ireland for almost twenty years. In 565 he settled on the island of Iona, off the coast of Scotland; there he remained for 32 years, establishing the famous monastery of Iona and continuing in his missionary labors. He reposed in peace at Iona.

Saint Kyril of Belozersk (1427)

He was born in Moscow in 1337, and took up the monastic life while young. Though he desired a life of strict silence and solitude, he was made abbot of the Simonov Monastery against his will. After a few years, obeying a revelation from the most holy Theotokos, he left his abbacy and went to the wilderness of Belozersk (White Lake) to live as a hermit. Others gathered there to live under his guidance, and in time the community became the Monastery of Belozersk. Saint Kyril was sought from far off as a staretz, or spiritual father, and was granted gifts of wonderworking. His humility was remarkable, as the following story shows.

Once one of his monks conceived a terrible hatred for Kyril, which tormented him for a whole year. Finally the monk worked up the courage to reveal his hatred to Kyril himself. Though the monk was full of shame and remorse at his malicious passion, Kyril comforted him and said, ‘All the others are in error about me; only you have perceived my unworthiness.’ Saint Kyril then forgave the man and sent him away with his blessing.

Saint Kyril reposed in peace in 1427, at the age of ninety.