2 Corinthians 8.7-15 (Epistle)

7A vi kako ste u svemu izobilni, u vjeri, i u rijeèi, i u razumu, i u svakom staranju, i u ljubavi svojoj k nama, da i u ovoj blagodati izobilujete. 8Ne govorim po zapovijesti, nego kad se drugi staraju, i vašu ljubav kušam je li istinita. 9Jer znate blagodat Gospoda našega Isusa Hrista da, bogat buduæi, vas radi osiromaši, da se vi njegovijem siromaštvom obogatite. 10I svjet dajem u tom; jer je ovo na korist vama, koji ne samo èiniti nego i htjeti poèeste još od lanjske godine. 11A sad dovršite to i èiniti, da kao što bi dobra volja htjeti tako da bude i uèiniti, od toga što imate. 12Jer ako ima ko dobru volju, mio je po onome što ima, a ne po onome što nema. 13Jer se ne želi da drugima bude radost a vama žalost, nego jednako. 14Da u sadašnje vrijeme vaš suvišak bude za njihov nedostatak, da i njihov suvišak bude za vaš nedostatak; da bude jednakost, 15Kao što je pisano: ko je mnogo skupio, nije mu preteklo; i ko je malo skupio, nije mu nedostalo.

Mark 3.6-12 (Gospel)

6I izišavši fariseji odmah uèiniše za njega vijeæu s Irodovcima kako bi ga pogubili. 7A Isus otide s uèenicima svojijem k moru; i mnogi narod iz Galileje ide za njim i iz Judeje; 8I iz Jerusalima i iz Idumeje i ispreko Jordana i od Tira i Sidona mnoštvo veliko èuvši šta on èini doðe k njemu. 9I reèe uèenicima svojijem da bude laða u njega gotova zbog naroda, da mu ne dosaðuje. 10Jer mnoge iscijeli tako da navaljivahu na njega koji bijahu nakaženi bolestima da ga se dotaknu. 11I dusi neèisti kad ga viðahu, pripadahu k njemu i vikahu govoreæi: ti si sin Božij. 12I mnogo im prijeæaše da ga ne prokažu.

Holy Martyr and Archdeacon Euplus of Catania (304)

He was a deacon from Catania in Sicily during the reign of Diocletian. During a persecution of Christians there, Euplus presented himself to the governor and proclaimed himself a Christian. While he was being tortured on the rack, the governor ordered him to worship Mars, Apollos, and Aeculapius, but he answered that he worshipped the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. He was beheaded in 304. His wonderworking relics are preserved in the village of Vico della Batonia near Naples.

The Holy Martyr Susanna the Virgin, and those with her (295-296)

She was the daughter of Gavinius, a Christian priest in Rome, and the niece of Pope Gaius. The Emperor Diocletian’s adopted son Maximian wished to marry Susanna, but she had no desire to marry any one, least of all a pagan. The patricians Claudia and Maxima were sent to Susanna by the Emperor to present Maximian’s suit; but instead she turned both of them, and all their households, to the Faith. The enraged Emperor had Claudia, Maxima and their families executed, then had Susanna herself beheaded. The Emperor’s wife, Serena, was a secret Christian, and took Susanna’s body secretly and buried it. Soon after this Susanna’s father Gavinius and her uncle Pope Gaius also met martyrdom.

Saint Niphon, Patriarch of Constantinople (1508)

He was born in Greece and became a monk at a young age, spending many years in asceticism on the Holy Mountain. Against his desire, he was made Bishop of Thessalonika, then Patriarch of Constantinople. He was banished by the Sultan (the Prologue does not say why), served as archbishop in Wallachia for a time, then returned to Dionysiou monastery on the Holy Mountain, where he reposed at the age of ninety. He composed the ‘Prayer at Departing’ used in the funeral service.

Repose of Fr Georges Florovsky (1979) (July 29 OC)