1 Corinthians 7.35-8.7 (Epistle)

35A ovo govorim na korist vama samijem, ne da vam nametnem zamku na vrat, nego za lijepu i pristojnu službu Gospodu bez smetnje. 36Ako li pak ko misli da je sramota za njegovu djevojku kad ostane usidjelica, i ne može drukèije biti, neka èini šta hoæe, ne griješi ako se uda. 37A koji stoji tvrdo u srcu, i nema nevolje, a ima vlast nad svojom voljom, i ovo je rasudio u srcu svojemu da zadrži djevojku, dobro èini. 38Tako i onaj koji udaje svoju djevojku dobro èini; ali koji ne udaje bolje èini. 39Žena je privezana zakonom dokle joj god živi muž; a ako joj umre muž, slobodna je za koga hoæe da se uda, samo u Gospodu. 40Ali je blaženija ako ostane tako po mojemu svjetu; jer mislim da i ja imam Duha Božijega.

1A za meso što je klato idolima znamo, jer svi razum imamo. Razum dakle nadima, a ljubav popravlja. 2Ako li ko misli da što zna, ne zna još ništa kao što treba znati. 3A ako ko ljubi Boga, Bog ga je nauèio. 4A za jelo idolskijeh žrtava, znamo da idol nije ništa na svijetu, i da nema drugoga Boga osim jedinoga. 5Jer ako i ima koji se bogovi zovu, ili na nebu ili na zemlji, kao što ima mnogo bogova i mnogo gospoda: 6Ali mi imamo samo jednoga Boga oca, od kojega je sve, i mi u njemu, i jednoga Gospoda Isusa Hrista, kroz kojega je sve, i mi kroza nj. 7Ali nema svatko razuma; jer neki koji još i sad misle da su idoli nešto, kao idolske žrtve jedu, i savjest njihova, slaba buduæi, pogani se.

Matthew 15.29-31 (Gospel)

29I otišavši Isus odande, doðe k moru Galilejskom, i popevši se na goru, sjede ondje. 30I pristupiše k njemu ljudi mnogi koji imahu sa sobom hromijeh, slijepijeh, nijemijeh, uzetijeh i drugijeh mnogijeh, i položiše ih k nogama Isusovijem, i iscijeli ih, 31Tako da se narod divljaše, videæi nijeme gdje govore, uzete zdrave, hrome gdje idu, i slijepe gdje gledaju; i hvališe Boga Izrailjeva.

Our Righteous Fathers John and Symeon, the Fool for Christ's Sake (570)

These two brothers in Christ were from Edessa in Mesopotamia. After a pilgrimage to Jerusalem they fled the world together; they were tonsured as monks, but soon left their monastery to struggle in prayer near the Dead Sea. Thus they passed thirty years in silence and asceticism. Symeon was then commanded by God to leave the desert and serve God among the world’s people. At their parting John said to him: ‘Keep your heart from all that you see in the world. Whatever there may be that touches your hand, let it not take hold of your heart. When food passes your lips, let not your heart be sweetened by it. If your feet have to move, let there be peace within you. Whatever you do outwardly, let your mind remain tranquil. Pray for me, that God may not part us from each other in the world to come.’ Symeon went to Emesa in Syria, where he spent the rest of his life, feigning madness in order to conceal his holiness from men. But he performed miracles of healing and appeared to people of the city in dreams, calling them to repentance. He was given the gift of discernment of others’ inward condition, and while dancing and raving through the streets would approach people, whisper their sins in their ears, and call them to repentance. He reposed peacefully in 590; John, who had remained in the desert, reposed soon afterward.

Marcella, Virgin-Martyr of Chios (ca. 1500)

Her mother died when she was very young, and she was brought up by her father. As she grew older, she grew in virtue and beauty. Her father conceived an illicit desire for her and made improper advances toward her, which troubled her so greatly that she fled her village and hid in the mountains. Her father pursued her, even wounding her with arrows in his effort to possess her. Finally she took refuge in a cloven rock. When her father found that he could not drag her from her refuge, he viciously dismembered her and threw her head into the sea. From the rock that had sheltered her a stream appeared, whose water had healing virtues. The holy Marcella is especially venerated on Chios to this day.

Prophet Ezekiel (6th c. BC)

He is commemorated today on the Slavic calendar. See July 23, his commemoration on the Greek calendar.