John 20.1-10 (7th Matins Gospel)

1A u prvi dan nedjelje doðe Marija Magdalina na grob rano, još dok se ne bješe rasvanulo, i vidje da je kamen odvaljen od groba. 2Onda otrèa, i doðe k Simonu Petru i k drugom uèeniku koga ljubljaše Isus, i reèe im: uzeše Gospoda iz groba; i ne znamo gdje ga metnuše. 3A Petar iziðe i drugi uèenik, i poðoše ka grobu. 4Trèahu pak oba zajedno, i drugi uèenik trèaše brže od Petra, i doðe prije ka grobu. 5I nadvirivši se vidje haljine gdje leže; ali ne uðe. 6Doðe pak Simon Petar za njim, i uðe u grob, i vidje haljine same gdje leže, 7I ubrus koji bješe na glavi njegovoj ne s haljinama da leži nego osobito savit na jednom mjestu. 8Tada dakle uðe i drugi uèenik koji najprije doðe ka grobu, i vidje i vjerova. 9Jer još ne znadijahu pisma da njemu valja ustati iz mrtvijeh. 10Onda otidoše opet uèenici doma.

Romans 15.1-7 (Epistle)

1Dužni smo dakle mi jaki slabosti slabijeh nositi, i ne sebi ugaðati. 2I svaki od vas da ugaða bližnjemu na dobro za dobar ugled. 3Jer i Hristos ne ugodi sebi, nego kao što je pisano: ruženja onijeh koji tebe ruže padoše na me. 4Jer što se naprijed napisa za našu se nauku napisa, da trpljenjem i utjehom pisma nad imamo. 5A Bog trpljenja i utjehe da vam da da složno mislite meðu sobom po Hristu Isusu, 6Da jednodušno jednijem ustima slavite Boga i oca Gospoda našega Isusa Hrista. 7Zato primajte jedan drugoga kao što i Hristos primi vas na slavu Božiju.

Matthew 9.27-35 (Gospel)

27A kad je Isus odlazio odande, za njim iðahu dva slijepca vièuæi i govoreæi: pomiluj nas, sine Davidov! 28A kad doðe u kuæu, pristupiše k njemu slijepci, i reèe im Isus: vjerujete li da mogu to uèiniti? A oni mu rekoše: da, Gospode. 29Tada dohvati se oèiju njihovijeh govoreæi: po vjeri vašoj neka vam bude. 30I otvoriše im se oèi. I zaprijeti im Isus govoreæi: gledajte da niko ne dozna. 31A oni izišavši razglasiše ga po svoj zemlji onoj. 32Kad oni pak iziðu, gle, dovedoše k njemu èovjeka nijema i bijesna. 33I pošto izgna ðavola, progovori nijemi. I divljaše se narod govoreæi: nigda se toga nije vidjelo u Izrailju. 34A fariseji govorahu: pomoæu kneza ðavolskog izgoni ðavole. 35I prohoðaše Isus po svijem gradovima i selima uèeæi po zbornicama njihovijem i propovijedajuæi jevanðelje o carstvu, i iscjeljujuæi svaku bolest i svaku nemoæ po ljudima.

Our Holy Father Sisoës the Great of Egypt (429)

One of the greatest of the Desert Fathers, he lived in asceticism at Scetis in Egypt. After the death of St Anthony the great, Abba Sisoës became a hermit in Anthony’s cave, saying “Thus in the cave of a lion, a fox makes his dwelling.” In his own lifetime he was granted the grace to heal the sick, drive out unclean spirits, and even raise the dead.

As his death approached after a long life in the desert, his brethren gathered around him. His face began to shine, and he said, “See, Abba Anthony is here!” then, “See, the choir of the prophets is here!” Seeing that he seemed to be speaking with someone, his brethren asked him who it was. He replied, “The Angels are here, and I am asking them for time to repent.” Amazed, they asked him what he could have to repent of, to which he replied, “Brethren, I do not know if I have even begun to repent.” Finally, his face became as bright as the sun, and he said, “See, the Lord is here, and He says, ‘Bring Me the vessel of the desert.’” With this, he gave his soul up to God, and his entire dwelling was filled with light and sweet fragrance.

Some of his teaching, as told in the Prologue: “St Sisoës taught his monks: ‘When temptation comes to a man, that man must give himself over to the will of God, and acknowledge that the temptation comes upon him because of his sins. If something good comes to pass, he must acknowledge that it comes about by the providence of God.’ A monk asked him: ‘How can I please God and be saved?’ The saint replied: ‘If you desire to please God, withdraw from the world, separate yourself from the earth, leave aside creation and draw near to the Creator, unite yourself to God with prayers and tears, and you will find rest in this world and in the next.’ A monk asked Sisoes: ‘How can I acquire humility?’ The saint replied: ‘When a man learns to regard every man as better than himself, he thus acquires humility.’ Ammon complained to Sisoes that he could not memorise the wise sayings that he had read, to be able to quote them in conversation with others. The saint replied: ‘It is not necessary. That which is necessary is to acquire purity of mind and to speak from this purity, placing one’s hope in God.’”

Holy Martyrs Marinus and Martha, and those with them (269)

Marinus and Martha were wealthy Persians; but they sold all their goods and traveled to Rome with their sons Audifax, Habakkuk, Valentine, and Cyrinus, in order to venerate the holy relics of the apostles and martyrs. When the Emperor Claudius asked them why they had come so far, at such cost, to seek the dead in Rome, they answered ‘We are servants of Christ, and are come to venerate the holy apostles whose immortal souls are alive with God, that they may be our intercessors with Christ our God.’ All of them were sentenced to interrogation and to death if they would not deny Christ. Valentine, who was a priest, was handed over to a General named Asterius. When Valentine healed Asterius’ daughter, who had been blind for two years, Asterius and his entire household accepted Christ and were baptised by Valentine. All of them, along with Marinus and Martha and their family, underwent torture and death for the sake of Christ.