1 Corinthians 2.9-3.8 (Epistle)

9Nego kao što je pisano: što oko ne vidje, i uho ne èu, i u srce èovjeku ne doðe, ono ugotovi Bog onima, koji ga ljube. 10A nama je Bog otkrio Duhom svojijem; jer Duh sve ispituje, i dubine Božije. 11Jer ko od ljudi zna šta je u èovjeku osim duha èovjeèijega koji živi u njemu? Tako i u Bogu što je niko ne zna osim Duha Božijega. 12A mi ne primismo duha ovoga svijeta, nego Duha koji je iz Boga, da znamo što nam je darovano od Boga; 13Koje i govorimo ne rijeèima što je nauèila èovjeèija premudrost, nego što uèi Duh sveti; i duhovne stvari duhovno radimo. 14A tjelesni èovjek ne razumije što je od Duha Božijega; jer mu se èini ludost i ne može da razumije, jer treba duhovno da se razgleda. 15Duhovni pak sve razgleda, a njega sama niko ne razgleda. 16Jer ko pozna um Gospodnji da ga pouèi? A mi um Hristov imamo.

1I ja, braæo, ne mogoh s vama govoriti kao s duhovnima nego kao s tjelesnima, kao s malom djecom u Hristu. 2Mlijekom vas napojih a ne jelom, jer još ne mogaste, i ni sad još ne možete, 3Jer ste još tjelesni. Jer gdje su meðu vama zavisti i svaðe i nesloge, nijeste li tjelesni, i ne živite li po èovjeku? 4Jer kad govori ko: ja sam Pavlov; a drugi: ja sam Apolov; nijeste li tjelesni? 5Ko je dakle Pavle a ko li Apolo do samo sluge kroz koje vjerovaste, kao što i svakome Gospod dade? 6Ja posadih, Apolo zali, a Bog dade te uzraste. 7Tako niti je onaj što koji sadi, ni onaj koji zaljeva, nego Bog koji daje te raste. 8A onaj koji sadi i koji zaljeva jednaki su; i svaki æe primiti svoju platu po svojemu trudu.

Matthew 13.31-36 (Gospel)

31Drugu prièu kaza im govoreæi: carstvo je nebesko kao zrno gorušièno koje uzme èovjek i posije na njivi svojoj, 32Koje je istina najmanje od sviju sjemena, ali kad uzraste, veæe je od svega povræa, i bude drvo da ptice nebeske dolaze, i sjedaju na njegovijem granama. 33Drugu prièu kaza im: carstvo je nebesko kao kvasac koji uzme žena i metne u tri kopanje brašna dok sve ne uskisne. 34Sve ovo u prièama govori Isus ljudima, i bez prièe ništa ne govoraše im: 35Da se zbude što je rekao prorok govoreæi: otvoriæu u prièama usta svoja, kazaæu sakriveno od postanja svijeta. 36Tada ostavi Isus ljude, i doðe u kuæu. I pristupiše k njemu uèenici njegovi govoreæi: kaži nam prièu o kukolju na njivi.

Holy Martyrs Proclus and Hilarius (2nd c.)

Proclus was the uncle of Hilarius; both were from Kallippi in Asia during the reign of Trajan. When Proclus was brought to be tried as a Christian, the judge asked him ‘Of what race are you?’ Proclus answered ‘I am of the race of Christ, and my hope is in my God.’ When the judge threatened to torture him, he said ‘When you are afraid to transgress the Emperor’s commands and risk falling into temporal punishment, how much more do we Christians fear to transgress against God’s commands and fall into eternal torment!’ When Proclus was given over to torture, his nephew Hilarius came forward and proclaimed ‘I too am a Christian.’ After torture, both were condemned to death; Proclus was crucified and Hilarius beheaded.

Imagine how the Orthodox Church would benefit if, when we were asked ‘Of what race are you?’ the first answer that came to mind was not ‘I am Greek, Russian, Serbian…’ but ‘I am of the race of Christ!’

St Veronica, the woman with the issue of blood who was healed by the Savior

See Matthew ch. 9, Mark ch. 5, and Luke ch. 8. After the events told in the Gospel, she spent the remainder of her life as a follower of Christ and reposed in peace.

Saint Païsios of the Holy Mountain (1994) (June 29 OC)

‘The future Elder Paisius was born in 1924 and baptized by St. Arsenius of Cappadocia. He spent his youth as a carpenter until WW II, during which he repeatedly distinguished himself in the army by his bravery and self-sacrifice. In 1950 he went to Mt. Athos for eight years, where he was tonsured. Then he was asked to spend some time in his home village of Epirus, in order to defend the faithful against Protestant proselytism. He returned to Mt. Athos in 1964 and stayed in several monasteries, eventually settling in the Panagouda hermitage of Koutloumousiou Monastery, where he remained for fifteen years. Here his reputation as a holy elder and guide grew, and he tirelessly received those thirsting for spiritual direction, allowing himself only two or three hours of sleep each day. He reposed in 1994, one of the most well-known and beloved contemporary elders. Many of his counsels and other writings have been published.’ (St Herman Calendar, 1994)

Elder Païsios was glorified by the Church in 2015; he is commemorated on the anniversary of his repose.