Romans 13.1-10 (Epistle)

1Svaka duša da se pokorava vlastima koje vladaju; jer nema vlasti da nije od Boga, a što su vlasti, od Boga su postavljene. 2Tako koji se suproti vlasti suproti se naredbi Božijoj; a koji se suprote primiæe grijeh na sebe. 3Jer knezovi nijesu strah dobrijem djelima nego zlijem. Hoæeš li pak da se ne bojiš vlasti, èini dobro, i imaæeš hvalu od nje; 4Jer je sluga Božij tebi za dobro. Ako li zlo èiniš, boj se; jer uzalud ne nosi maèa, jer je Božij sluga, osvetnik na gnjev onome koji zlo èini. 5Tako se valja pokoravati ne samo od straha nego i po savjesti. 6Jer zato i poreze dajete; jer su sluge Božije koje su za to isto postavljene. 7Podajte dakle svakome šta ste dužni: kome dakle porezu, porezu; a kome carinu, carinu; a kome strah, strah; a kome èast, èast. 8I ne budite nikome ništa dužni osim da ljubite jedan drugoga; jer koji ljubi drugoga zakon ispuni. 9Jer ovo: ne èini preljube, ne ubij, ne ukradi, ne svjedoèi lažno, ne zaželi, i ako ima još kakva druga zapovijest, u ovoj se rijeèi izvršuje, to jest: ljubi bližnjega svojega kao samoga sebe. 10Ljubav ne èini zla bližnjemu; daklem je ljubav izvršenje zakona.

Matthew 12.30-37 (Gospel)

30Koji nije sa mnom, protiv mene je; i koji ne sabira sa mnom, prosipa. 31Zato vam kažem: svaki grijeh i hula oprostiæe se ljudima; a na Duha svetoga hula neæe se oprostiti ljudima. 32I ako ko reèe rijeè na sina èovjeèijega, oprostiæe mu se; a koji reèe na Duha svetoga, neæe mu se oprostiti ni na ovome svijetu ni na onome. 33Ili usadite drvo dobro, i rod njegov biæe dobar; ili usadite drvo zlo, i rod njegov zao biæe; jer se po rodu drvo poznaje. 34Porodi aspidini! kako možete dobro govoriti, kad ste zli? jer usta govore od suviška srca. 35Dobar èovjek iz dobre klijeti iznosi dobro; a zao èovjek iz zle klijeti iznosi zlo. 36A ja vam kažem da æe za svaku praznu rijeè koju reku ljudi dati odgovor u dan strašnoga suda. 37Jer æeš se svojijem rijeèima opravdati, i svojijem æeš se rijeèima osuditi.

Holy Martyrs Proclus and Hilarius (2nd c.)

Proclus was the uncle of Hilarius; both were from Kallippi in Asia during the reign of Trajan. When Proclus was brought to be tried as a Christian, the judge asked him ‘Of what race are you?’ Proclus answered ‘I am of the race of Christ, and my hope is in my God.’ When the judge threatened to torture him, he said ‘When you are afraid to transgress the Emperor’s commands and risk falling into temporal punishment, how much more do we Christians fear to transgress against God’s commands and fall into eternal torment!’ When Proclus was given over to torture, his nephew Hilarius came forward and proclaimed ‘I too am a Christian.’ After torture, both were condemned to death; Proclus was crucified and Hilarius beheaded.

Imagine how the Orthodox Church would benefit if, when we were asked ‘Of what race are you?’ the first answer that came to mind was not ‘I am Greek, Russian, Serbian…’ but ‘I am of the race of Christ!’

St Veronica, the woman with the issue of blood who was healed by the Savior

See Matthew ch. 9, Mark ch. 5, and Luke ch. 8. After the events told in the Gospel, she spent the remainder of her life as a follower of Christ and reposed in peace.

Saint Païsios of the Holy Mountain (1994) (June 29 OC)

‘The future Elder Paisius was born in 1924 and baptized by St. Arsenius of Cappadocia. He spent his youth as a carpenter until WW II, during which he repeatedly distinguished himself in the army by his bravery and self-sacrifice. In 1950 he went to Mt. Athos for eight years, where he was tonsured. Then he was asked to spend some time in his home village of Epirus, in order to defend the faithful against Protestant proselytism. He returned to Mt. Athos in 1964 and stayed in several monasteries, eventually settling in the Panagouda hermitage of Koutloumousiou Monastery, where he remained for fifteen years. Here his reputation as a holy elder and guide grew, and he tirelessly received those thirsting for spiritual direction, allowing himself only two or three hours of sleep each day. He reposed in 1994, one of the most well-known and beloved contemporary elders. Many of his counsels and other writings have been published.’ (St Herman Calendar, 1994)

Elder Païsios was glorified by the Church in 2015; he is commemorated on the anniversary of his repose.