Colossians 2.1-7 (Epistle)

1Hoæu dakle da vi znate koliku borbu imam za vas i za one što su u Laodikiji i u Jerapolju, i za sve koji ne vidješe lica mojega u tijelu, 2Da se utješe srca njihova, i da se stegnu u ljubavi, i u svakome bogatstvu punoga razuma, na poznanje tajne Boga i oca i Hrista, 3U kojoj je sve blago premudrosti i razuma sakriveno. 4A ovo govorim, da vas niko ne prevari slatkijem rijeèima. 5Jer ako tijelom i nijesam kod vas, ali sam duhom s vama, radujuæi se i videæi vaš red i tvrðu vaše vjere u Hrista. 6Kako dakle primiste Hrista Isusa Gospoda onako živite u njemu, 7Ukorijenjeni i nazidani u njemu i utvrðeni vjerom kao što nauèiste, izobilujuæi u njoj zahvalnošæu.

Luke 7.31-35 (Gospel)

31A Gospod reèe: kakvi æu kazati da su ljudi ovoga roda? I kakvi su? 32Oni su kao djeca koja sjede po ulicama i dozivaju jedno drugo i govore: svirasmo vam, i ne igraste, žalismo vam se, i ne plakaste. 33Jer doðe Jovan krstitelj koji ni jede hljeba ni pije vina, a vi kažete: ðavo je u njemu; 34Doðe sin èovjeèij koji i jede i pije, a vi kažete: gle èovjeka izjelice i pijanice, druga carinicima i grješnicima. 35I opravdaše premudrost sva djeca njezina.

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)