1 Timothy 1.1-7 (Epistle)

1Od Pavla, apostola Isusa Hrista, po zapovijesti Boga spasa našega i Gospoda Isusa Hrista, nada našega, 2Timotiju, pravome sinu u vjeri, blagodat, milost, mir od Boga oca našega i Hrista Isusa Gospoda našega. 3Kao što te molih da ostaneš u Efesu, kad iðah u Maæedoniju, da zapovjediš nekima da ne uèe drukèije, 4Niti da gledaju na laži i na teftere od plemena kojima nema kraja, i koji prije èine prepiranja negoli Božij napredak u vjeri. 5A namjera je zapovijesti ljubav od èista srca i dobre savjesti i vjere nelicemjerne; 6U kojima neki pogriješivši svrnuše u prazne govore, 7I htjeli bi da budu zakonici, a ne razumiju ni šta govore, ni šta utvrðuju.

Luke 12.13-15, 22-31 (Gospel)

13Reèe mu pak neki iz naroda: uèitelju! reci bratu mojemu da podijeli sa mnom dostojanje. 14A on mu reèe: èovjeèe! ko je mene postavio sudijom ili kmetom nad vama? 15A njima reèe: gledajte i èuvajte se od lakomstva; jer niko ne živi onijem što je suviše bogat. 22A uèenicima svojijem reèe: zato vam kažem: ne brinite se dušom svojom šta æete jesti; ni tijelom u što æete se obuæi: 23Duša je pretežnija od jela i tijelo od odijela. 24Pogledajte gavrane kako ne siju, ni žanju, koji nemaju podruma ni žitnica, i Bog ih hrani: a koliko ste vi pretežniji od ptica? 25A ko od vas brinuæi se može primaknuti rastu svojemu lakat jedan? 26A kad ni najmanje što ne možete, zašto se brinete za ostalo? 27Pogledajte ljiljane kako rastu: ne trude se, niti predu; ali ja vam kažem da ni Solomun u svoj slavi svojoj ne obuèe se kao jedan od njih. 28A kad travu po polju, koja danas jest a sjutra se u peæ baca, Bog tako odijeva, akamoli vas, malovjerni! 29I vi ne ištite šta æete jesti ili šta æete piti, i ne brinite se; 30Jer ovo sve ištu i neznabošci ovoga svijeta; a otac vaš zna da vama treba ovo. 31Nego ištite carstva Božijega, i ovo æe vam se sve dodati.

Holy Apostles of the Seventy Olympas, Rodion, Erastus, Sosipater and Quartus

All of these Apostles were among the Seventy, and all are mentioned by St Paul in Romans 16. Saints Olympas and Rodion followed St Peter to Rome and were beheaded under Nero around the year 54. The other three reposed in peace after serving the Church as bishops: St Sosipater as Bishop of Iconium; St Erastus (described by St Paul as city treasurer of Corinth) as Bishop of Paneas (Caesarea Philippi); St Quartus as Bishop of Beirut. Quartus is said to have converted most of the citizens of Beirut to faith in Christ before his repose.

Our Venerable Father Arsenios of Cappadocia, the Wonderworker (1924)

“Cappadocia (in eastern Turkey) is virtually devoid of Christians now, but in 1840, when St Arsenios was born there, there were still vital Orthodox communities. He became a monk and was sent to his native town, Farasa, to serve the people. He became known as a mighty intercessor before God, praying for all who came to him, Muslims as well as Christians. His countless miracles of healing became known throughout Cappadocia; those who could not come to see him would sometimes send articles of clothing for him to pray over. He became known as Hadjiefendis, a Muslim term of honour for pilgrims, because he made pilgrimage to the Holy Land every ten years on foot. He never accepted any gifts in return for his prayers and healings, saying ‘Our faith is not for sale!’

“He concealed his holiness as much as he could beneath a rough and sharp-tempered exterior. If anyone expressed admiration for him, he would reply “So you think I’m a saint? I’m only a sinner worse than you. Don’t you see that I even lose my temper? The miracles you see are done by Christ. I do no more than lift up my hands and pray to him.” But as the Scriptures say, the prayers of a righteous man avail much, and when St Arsenios lifted up his hands, wonders often followed.

“He lived in a small cell with an earthen floor, fasted often and was in the habit of shutting himself in his cell for at least two whole days every week to devote himself entirely to prayer.

“Father Arsenios predicted the expulsion of the Greeks from Asia Minor before it happened, and organized his flock for departure. When the expulsion order came in 1924, the aged Saint led his faithful on a 400-mile journey across Turkey on foot. He had foretold that he would only live forty days after reaching Greece, and this came to pass. His last words were “The soul, the soul, take care of it more than the flesh, which will return to earth and be eaten by worms!” Two days later, on November 10, 1924, he died in peace at the age of eighty-three. Since 1970, many apparitions and miracles have occurred near his holy relics, which reside in the Monastery of Souroti near Thessalonica. He was officially glorified by the Patriarchate of Constantinople in 1986.”

— Source: Orthodox Parish of St John of Kronstadt (UK)

The primary source for the life of St Arsenios is Saint Arsenios the Cappadocian, compiled by Elder Païsios of the Holy Mountain, who was baptized as an infant by the Saint.