Scripture Readings
1 Corinthians 15.12-19 (Epistle)
12A ako se Hristos propovijeda da ustade iz mrtvijeh, kako govore neki meðu vama da nema vaskrsenija mrtvijeh?
13I ako nema vaskrsenija mrtvijeh, to ni Hristos ne usta.
14A ako Hristos ne usta, uzalud dakle propovijedanje naše, a uzalud i vjera vaša.
15A nalazimo se i lažni svjedoci Božiji što svjedoèimo na Boga da vaskrse Hrista, kojega ne vaskrse kad mrtvi ne ustaju.
16Jer ako mrtvi ne ustaju, ni Hristos ne usta.
17A ako Hristos ne usta, uzalud vjera vaša: još ste u grijesima svojijem.
18Dakle i oni koji pomriješe u Hristu, izgiboše.
19I ako se samo u ovom životu uzdamo u Hrista, najnesreæniji smo od sviju ljudi.
Matthew 21.18-22 (Gospel)
18A ujutru vraæajuæi se u grad ogladnje.
19I ugledavši smokvu jednu kraj puta doðe k njoj, i ne naðe ništa na njoj do lišæa sama, i reèe joj: da nikad na tebi ne bude roda dovijeka. I odmah usahnu smokva.
20I vidjevši to uèenici diviše se govoreæi: kako odmah usahnu smokva!
21A Isus odgovarajuæi reèe im: zaista vam kažem: ako imate vjeru i ne posumnjate, ne samo smokveno uèiniæete, nego i gori ovoj ako reèete: digni se i baci se u more, biæe.
22I sve što uzištete u molitvi vjerujuæi, dobiæete.
Commemorations
Martyr Dometius of Persia (363) and two disciples
“Born a pagan in Persia in the time of the Emperor Constantine, he came to know the Christian faith as a young man, forsook his paganism and received baptism. He was so enchanted with the true Faith that he left all worldly things and became a monk in a monastery near the town of Nisibis. He lived among the brethren for some time, then withdrew into silence, going to Archimandrite Urbel […]. Urbel made him a deacon, but, when he wanted to make him a priest, Dometius fled to a distant mountain and settled in a cave there. He attained such perfection through fasting, prayer, vigils and meditation that he was able to heal the sick. When Julian the Apostate came to that place, he heard of Dometius and sent men to wall him up alive in the cave, with two of his disciples. Thus died this saint of God, in 363, and went to the Kingdom of God.” (Prologue). The Great Horologion says that Dometius and his disciples were stoned to death.
Holy Martyrs Marinus the Soldier and Asterius the Senator (260)
Marinus was a soldier in the Roman army, serving in Caesarea in Palestine. During a persecution under the Emperor Gallienus, he was arrested and beheaded for his Christian faith. The senator Asterius, also a Christian, was present at his execution. Asterius took off his senatorial toga, wrapped the martyr’s body in it, and carried the holy body away to bury it. For this he too was beheaded.
Our Holy Father Or (Horus) of the Thebaid (390)
He was a native of Egypt; his name is that of one of the Egyptian gods. He fled to the desert to live as a hermit, but after many years he became a well-known spiritual guide and founded several monastic communities. A first-hand account of him, by Rufinus, says ‘In appearance he is like an angel of God; an old man of ninety with a long snow-white beard. The impression left by his presence is delightful. His gaze is imbued with more-than-human radiance.’ He received communion every day. So detached was he from the world that his disciples once had to remind him that Pascha had come. Hearing this, he went outside, raised his hands to heaven and prayed without ceasing for three days. When he had done he said to his disciples ‘This is the monk’s celebration of Pascha: the lifting up of the mind to unity with God.’ He reposed in peace at a great age.
Our Holy Father Pimen the Much-Ailing (1110)
“He was sickly from his youth, and from his youth desired monasticism. Brought to the Monastery of the Caves for healing, he remained there till his death. He prayed more for sickness than for health. One night, angels appeared to him and tonsured him as a monk, telling him at the same time that he would be sick until his death, and would be healed at that moment. And so it was; he lay sick for twenty years, working wonders even during his lifetime and being possessed of a rare gift of discernment. At the time of his death, he got up from his bed completely healed, immediately prepared his grave and entered into rest in the Lord, in the year 1110.” (Prologue)