Philippians 3.1-8 (Epistle)

1A dalje, braæo moja, radujte se u Gospodu. Jer sve jedno da vam pišem meni nije dosadno, a vama je potrebno. 2Èuvajte se od pasa, èuvajte se od zlijeh poslenika, èuvajte se od sijeèenja. 3Jer mi smo obrezanje koji duhom Bogu služimo i hvalimo se Hristom Isusom, a ne uzdamo se u tijelo. 4Premda bih se i ja mogao uzdati u tijelo. Ako ko drugi misli da se može uzdati u tijelo, ja još veæma, 5Koji sam obrezan osmi dan, od roda Izrailjeva, koljena Venijaminova, Jevrejin od Jevreja, po zakonu farisej. 6Po revnosti gonih crkvu Božiju, po pravdi zakonskoj bih bez mane. 7No što mi bješe dobitak ono primih za štetu Hrista radi. 8Jer sve držim za štetu prema prevažnome poznanju Hrista Isusa Gospoda svojega, kojega radi sve ostavih, i držim sve da su trice, samo da Hrista dobijem,

Luke 9.7-11 (Gospel)

7A kad èu Irod èetverovlasnik šta on èini, ne mogaše se naèuditi, jer neki govorahu da je Jovan ustao iz mrtvijeh, 8A jedni da se Ilija pojavio, a jedni da je ustao koji od starijeh proroka. 9I reèe Irod: Jovana ja posjekoh; ali ko je to o kome ja takova èudesa slušam? I željaše ga vidjeti. 10I vrativši se apostoli kazaše mu šta su poèinili. I uzevši ih otide nasamo u pustinju kod grada koji se zvaše Vitsaida. 11A narod razumjevši poðe za njim, i primivši ih govoraše im o carstvu Božijemu i iscjeljivaše koji trebahu iscjeljivanja.

Holy Martyrs Eulampius and Eulampia (196)

They were brother and sister, from Nicomedia, who suffered for Christ during the reign of Maximian. Eulampius was arrested for his Christian faith; when his sister received the news, she hurried to join him. Both were subjected to various cruel tortures, including being cast into fire and boiling pitch, from which they miraculously emerged unharmed. Finally, Eulampius was beheaded, and Eulampia gave up her spirit before she too could be beheaded.

Blessed Fool for Christ Andrew of Totma (1637)

“Saint Andrew came of a family of devout, unlettered peasants. He obtained an education by going to church and, on the death of his parents, became a novice at the Monastery of Galich, in the diocese of Kostroma. The Abbot, who was remarkable for his wisdom, discerned Andrew’s spiritual gifts and encouraged him to undertake the unusual and difficult ascesis of Foolishness-for-Christ. Andrew left the monastery to lead a wayfaring life, but often returned to reveal his thoughts and deeds to his starets. On his Elder’s death, he settled near the Church of the Resurrection in the town of Totma, where he was completely unknown. He spent the whole night in prayer and during the day begged alms that he forthwith gave to the poor. He went barefoot summer and winter and lived on nothing but bread and water. Every year he made a pilgrimage to the holy places of the region. One day he was accosted by the chief of an outlandish tribe. The man was suffering from an eye complaint and asked Andrew, who was already looked upon as a wonderworker, to cure him. Andrew fled, but the wild man washed his eyes in the snow trodden by the Saint and was healed.

“Worn out by ascesis and privation, Saint Andrew foreknew the day of his decease. He called a priest, confessed and communicated in the holy Mysteries, and not long after he fell asleep in the Lord, a heavenly scent pervading the room where his body lay. Some time later, the Saint appeared to a sick woman as she slept, holding the Gospel for her to venerate and telling her to pray at his tomb. When she awoke, the woman was healed.” (Synaxarion)