Scripture Readings
Ephesians 5.1-8 (Epistle)
1Ugledajte se dakle na Boga, kao ljubazna djeca,
2I živite u ljubavi, kao što je i Hristos ljubio nas, i predade sebe za nas u prilog i žrtvu Bogu na slatki miris.
3A kurvarstvo i svaka neèistota i lakomstvo da se i ne spominje meðu vama, kao što se pristoji svetima;
4Tako i sramotne i lude rijeèi, ili šale, što se ne pristoji; nego još zahvaljivanje.
5Jer ovo da znate da nijedan kurvar, ili neèist, ili tvrdica koji je idolopoklonik neæe imati dijela u carstvu Hrista i Boga.
6Niko da vas ne vara praznijem rijeèima; jer ovijeh radi ide gnjev Božij na sinove nepokornosti.
7Ne bivajte dakle zajednièari njihovi.
8Jer bijaste negda tama, a sad ste vidjelo u Gospodu: kao djeca vidjela živite;
Galatians 3.8-12
(Epistle, Saturday before Nativity)
8A pismo vidjevši unapredak da Bog vjerom neznabošce pravda, naprijed objavi Avraamu: u tebi æe se blagosloviti svi neznabošci.
9Tako koji su od vjere, blagosloviæe se s vjernijem Avraamom.
10Jer koji su god od djela zakona pod kletvom su, jer je pisano: proklet svaki koji ne ostane u svemu što je napisano u knjizi zakonskoj da èini.
11A da se zakonom niko ne opravdava pred Bogom, poznato je: jer pravednik od vjere življeæe.
12A zakon nije od vjere; nego èovjek koji to tvori življeæe u tome.
Luke 16.10-15 (Gospel)
10Koji je vjeran u malom i u mnogom je vjeran; a ko je nevjeran u malom i u mnogom je nevjeran.
11Ako dakle u nepravednom bogatstvu vjerni ne biste, ko æe vam u istinom vjerovati?
12I ako u tuðem ne biste vjerni, ko æe vam dati vaše?
13Nikakav pak sluga ne može dva gospodara služiti; jer ili æe na jednoga mrziti a drugoga ljubiti, ili æe jednome voljeti a za drugoga ne mariti. Ne možete služiti Bogu i bogatstvu.
14A ovo sve slušahu i fariseji, koji bijahu srebroljupci, i rugahu mu se.
15I reèe im: vi ste oni koji se gradite pravedni pred ljudima; ali Bog zna srca vaša; jer što je u ljudi visoko ono je mrzost pred Bogom.
Luke 13.18-29
(Gospel, Saturday before Nativity)
18A on im reèe: kakvo je carstvo Božije? i kakvo æu kazati da je?
19Ono je kao zrno gorušièno, koje uzevši èovjek baci u vrt svoj, i uzraste i posta drvo veliko, i ptice nebeske useliše se u grane njegove.
20Opet reèe: kakvo æu kazati da je carstvo Božije?
21Ono je kao kvasac koji uzevši žena metnu u tri kopanje brašna, dok ne uskise sve.
22I prolažaše po gradovima i selima uèeæi i putujuæi u Jerusalim.
23Reèe mu pak neko: Gospode! je li malo onijeh koji æe biti spaseni? A on im reèe:
24Navalite da uðete na tijesna vrata; jer vam kažem: mnogi æe tražiti da uðu i neæe moæi:
25Kad ustane domaæin i zatvori vrata, i stanete napolju stajati i kucati u vrata govoreæi: Gospode! Gospode! otvori nam; i odgovarajuæi reæi æe vam: ne poznajem vas otkuda ste.
26Tada æete stati govoriti: mi jedosmo pred tobom i pismo, i po ulicama našijem uèio si.
27A on æe reæi: kažem vam: ne poznajem vas otkuda ste; otstupite od mene svi koji nepravdu èinite.
28Ondje æe biti plaè i škrgut zuba, kad vidite Avraama i Isaka i Jakova i sve proroke u carstvu Božijemu, a sebe napolje istjerane.
29I doæi æe od istoka i zapada i sjevera i juga i sješæe za trpezu u carstvu Božijemu.
Commemorations
Holy Martyr Juliana of Nicomedia and those with her (304)
She was the daughter of a prominent family in Nicomedia during the reign of the persecutor Maximian (286-305). Her parents betrothed her to a nobleman named Eleusius, but without his knowledge, or that of her parents, she had already committed her life to Christ, and consecrated her virginity to him. To put off her suitor, she told him that she would not marry him until he became Prefect. Eleusius went to work using his fortune to bribe and influence those in power, and succeeded in being appointed Prefect of Nicomedia. When he went to Juliana to claim her as his wife, she was forced to confess herself a Christian, saying that she would never marry him unless he gave up the worship of idols and embraced the faith of Christ. For her confession, she was arrested and taken before the Prefect: Eleusius, her once-ardent suitor. He was now filled with an ardent rage toward her and, when she would not renounce her faith, had her subjected to the most sadistic tortures imaginable. Miraculously, she endured these without harm. Witnessing this wonder, 500 men and 130 women from among the pagans confessed Christ. The enraged Prefect had all of them beheaded immediately, followed by Juliana herself. She was eighteen years old when she won the Martyr’s crown.
Our Holy Father Peter, Metropolitan of Moscow (1326)
“Saint Peter was born in Volhynia in 1260 and entered a monastery there at the age of thirteen. Making the Ladder of Saint John Climacus his guide in the monastic life, his obedience, meekness and willingness to undertake tasks that were repugnant to his brethren made him beloved of them all. He also painted icons and was the originator of the Muscovite style of Russian iconography. After some years, he left for the small Monastery of the Transfiguration in order to find the quiet favourable to prayer. Saint Maximus, the metropolitan of Kiev (6 Dec.) visited this monastery and was greatly edified by the virtues of Peter, whom he decided should be his successor as head of the Russian Church. He was confirmed in this resolve by an apparition of the Mother of God, and he made the request to the Patriarch of Constantinople on whom the Russian Church depended. In 1325 therefore Saint Peter was consecrated Metropolitan of Kiev, of which the see had been transferred to Vladimir by Saint Maximus, after the sack of Kiev by the Tatars. Peter’s election was confirmed by a Council, but he immediately encountered opposition from the Russian princes, who were vying with one another for influence over the leader of the Church. Peter’s meekness and charity towards his enemies won him their respect; but although conciliatory in all that concerned himself personally, he was nonetheless strict as regards the faith and moral uprightness. He energetically opposed intense Muslim propaganda, and travelled throughout Russia to confirm the faith. He did not hesitate to risk his life for the sake of making peace among the princes and, foreseeing that Russia would reunite around the principality of Moscow, he transferred his Metropolitanate see to that city and began the construction of the renowned Cathedral of the Dormition in the Kremlin. He gave up his soul to God while at prayer on 21 December 1326, and many miracles of healing were wrought at his tomb.” (Synaxarion)
Saint Procopius of Vyatka, Fool for Christ (1627)
“Saint Procopius, the son of devout peasants, first feigned madness to escape a marriage that was being urged on him. He spent his life in the streets half-naked, slept wherever night overtook him and would never accept the shelter of a house. He used signs to make himself understood and never spoke a word, except to his spiritual father, with whom he would converse normally as a man in possession of all his faculties. When he was given an article of clothing, he wore it for a while out of obedience and then give it away to someone poor. When he visited the sick, he set fire to the beds of those who were going to get better, and rolled up in their sheets those who were going to die. He made many predictions, often by means of disconcerting prophetic signs, whose meaning became clear with the event. He spent thirty years in foolishness for Christ and, having foretold his death, fell asleep in peace in 1627.” (Synaxarion)