Romans 4.4-12 (Epistle)

4A onome koji radi ne broji se plata po milosti nego po dugu. 5A onome koji ne radi a vjeruje onoga koji pravda bezbožnika, prima se vjera njegova u pravdu. 6Kao što i David govori da je blago èovjeku kome Bog prima pravdu bez djela zakona: 7Blago onima kojima se oprostiše bezakonja, i kojima se grijesi prikriše. 8Blago èovjeku kome Gospod ne prima grijeha. 9Ovo dakle blaženstvo ili je u obrezanju ili u neobrezanju? Jer govorimo da se Avraamu primi vjera u pravdu. 10Kako mu se dakle primi? ili kad je bio u obrezanju ili neobrezanju? Ne u obrezanju nego u neobrezanju. 11I primi znak obrezanja kao peèat pravde vjere koju imaše u neobrezanju, da bi bio otac sviju koji vjeruju u neobrezanju; da se i njima primi u pravdu; 12I da bi bio otac obrezanja ne samo onima koji su od obrezanja, nego i onima koji hode po stopama vjere koja bješe u neobrezanju oca našega Avraama.

Matthew 7.15-21 (Gospel)

15Èuvajte se od lažnijeh proroka, koji dolaze k vama u odijelu ovèijemu, a unutra su vuci grabljivi. 16Po rodovima njihovijem poznaæete ih. Eda li se bere s trnja grožðe, ili s èièka smokve? 17Tako svako drvo dobro rodove dobre raða, a zlo drvo rodove zle raða. 18Ne može drvo dobro rodova zlijeh raðati, ni drvo zlo rodova dobrijeh raðati. 19Svako dakle drvo koje ne raða roda dobra, sijeku i u oganj bacaju. 20I tako dakle po rodovima njihovijem poznaæete ih. 21Neæe svaki koji mi govori: Gospode! Gospode! uæi u carstvo nebesko; no koji èini po volji oca mojega koji je na nebesima.

St Metrophanes, Archbishop of Constantinople (325)

He was born into a pagan family, but his father Dometius, along with all his family, became Christians and went to Byzantium to escape persecution in Rome. Dometius was ordained a priest and in time became Bishop of Byzantium. When Dometius died, his elder son Probus became Bishop; then when Probus died, Dometius’ second son Metrophanes succeeded him. Metrophanes was enthroned around the time that Constantine the Great was establishing Byzantium as the new capital of the Roman Empire. He sent a delegate to the First Ecumenical Council in 325, since he was unable to attend due to age and infirmity. The Emperor Constantine loved Metrophanes as a father and urged the entire Council to visit the ailing Bishop. Ten days later he died.

Holy Myrrh-bearers Mary and Martha, sisters of St Lazarus (1st c.)

Mary and Martha, with their brother Lazarus, were especially devoted disciples of our Lord; their story up to the time of the Resurrection can be found in Luke 10 and John 11-12. Mary and Martha were among the Myrrh-bearing women. They, with their brother, reposed in Cyprus, where Lazarus became first Bishop of Kition after he was raised from death by Christ.

An ancient tradition holds that Lazarus was thirty years old when he was restored to life by the Lord, and that he lived another thirty years. After he was raised from the dead, he never again laughed; but once, when he saw someone stealing a clay pot, he smiled and said, ‘Clay stealing clay.’ His name is a Greek version of Eleazar, meaning ‘God has helped.’