Scripture Readings
2 Corinthians 3.4-11 (Epistle)
4A takovo pouzdanje imamo kroz Hrista u Boga,
5Ne da smo vrsni od sebe pomisliti što, kao od sebe, nego je naša vrsnoæa od Boga;
6Koji i uèini nas vrsne da budemo sluge novom zavjetu, ne po slovu nego po duhu; jer slovo ubija, a duh oživljuje.
7Ako li služba smrti koja je u kamenju izrezana slovima, bi u slavi da sinovi Izrailjevi ne mogoše pogledati na lice Mojsijevo od slave lica njegova koja prestaje:
8Akamoli neæe mnogo veæma služba duha biti u slavi?
9Jer kad je služba osuðenja slava, mnogo veæma izobiluje služba pravde u slavi.
10Jer i nije slavno što se proslavi s ove strane prema prevelikoj slavi.
11Jer kad je slavno ono što prestaje, mnogo æe veæma biti u slavi ono što ostaje.
Matthew 23.29-39 (Gospel)
29Teško vama književnici i fariseji, licemjeri, što zidate grobove prorocima i krasite rake pravednika,
30I govorite: da smo mi bili u vrijeme svojijeh otaca, ne bismo s njima pristali u krv proroka.
31Tijem samo svjedoèite za sebe da ste sinovi onijeh koji su pobili proroke.
32I vi dopunite mjeru otaca svojijeh.
33Zmije, porodi aspidini! kako æete pobjeæi od presude u oganj pakleni?
34Zato evo ja æu k vama poslati proroke i premudre i književnike; i vi æete jedne pobiti i raspeti, a jedne biti po zbornicama svojima i goniti od grada do grada,
35Da doðe na vas sva krv pravedna što je prolivena na zemlji od krvi Avelja pravednoga do krvi Zarije sina Varahijna, kojega ubiste meðu crkvom i oltarom.
36Zaista vam kažem da æe ovo sve doæi na rod ovaj.
37Jerusalime, Jerusalime, koji ubijaš proroke i zasipaš kamenjem poslane k sebi! koliko puta htjeh da skupim èeda tvoja, kao što kokoš skuplja piliæe svoje pod krila, i ne htjeste!
38Eto æe vam se ostaviti vaša kuæa pusta.
39Jer vam kažem: neæete mene vidjeti otsele dok ne reèete: blagosloven koji ide u ime Gospodnje.
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)