Ephesians 5.25-33 (Epistle)

25Muževi! ljubite svoje žene kao što i Hristos ljubi crkvu, i sebe predade za nju, 26Da je osveti oèistivši je kupanjem vodenijem u rijeèi; 27Da je metne preda se slavnu crkvu, koja nema mane ni mrštine, ili takoga èega, nego da bude sveta i bez mane. 28Tako su dužni muževi ljubiti svoje žene kao svoja tjelesa; jer koji ljubi svoju ženu, sebe samoga ljubi. 29Jer niko ne omrznu kad na svoje tijelo, nego ga hrani i grije, kao i Gospod crkvu. 30Jer smo udi tijela njegova, od mesa njegova, i od kostiju njegovijeh. 31Toga radi ostaviæe èovjek oca svojega i mater, i prilijepiæe se k ženi svojoj, i biæe dvoje jedno tijelo. 32Tajna je ovo velika; a ja govorim za Hrista i za crkvu. 33Ali i vi svaki da ljubi onako svoju ženu kao i sebe samoga; a žena da se boji svojega muža.

Luke 4.1-15 (Gospel)

1Isus pak pun Duha svetoga vrati se od Jordana, i odvede ga Duh u pustinju, 2I èetrdeset dana kuša ga ðavo, i ne jede ništa za to dana; i kad se oni navršiše, onda ogladnje, 3I reèe mu ðavo: ako si sin Božij, reci ovome kamenu da postane hljeb. 4I odgovori mu Isus govoreæi: u pismu stoji: neæe življeti èovjek o samom hljebu, nego o svakoj rijeèi Božijoj. 5I izvedavši ga ðavo na goru visoku pokaza mu sva carstva ovoga svijeta u trenuæu oka, 6I reèe mu ðavo: tebi æu dati svu vlast ovu i slavu njihovu, jer je meni predana, i kome ja hoæu daæu je; 7Ti dakle ako se pokloniš preda mnom biæe sve tvoje. 8I odgovarajuæi Isus reèe mu: idi od mene, sotono; u pismu stoji: poklanjaj se Gospodu Bogu svojemu, i njemu jedinome služi. 9I odvede ga u Jerusalim, i postavi ga navrh crkve, i reèe mu: ako si sin Božij, skoèi odavde dolje; 10Jer u pismu stoji da æe anðelima svojijem zapovjediti za tebe da te saèuvaju, 11I uzeæe te na ruke da gdje ne zapneš za kamen nogom svojom. 12I odgovarajuæi Isus reèe mu: kazano je: ne kušaj Gospoda Boga svojega. 13I kad svrši ðavo sve kušanje, otide od njega za neko vrijeme. 14I vrati se Isus u sili duhovnoj u Galileju; i otide glas o njemu po svemu onom kraju. 15I on uèaše po zbornicama njihovijem, i svi ga hvaljahu.

Martyrs Sophia and her three daughters Faith, Hope and Love, at Rome (137)

Sophia was a widow in Rome in the time of the Emperor Hadrian, and raised her three daughters in the Faith. When the four of them were brought before the persecutors, Faith was twelve years old, Hope was ten, and Love was nine. Ordered to make sacrifice to the goddess Artemis, all of them humbly refused. All three daughters were tortured, then executed, before their mother’s eyes. Sophia buried their bodies and mourned at their grave for three days and nights, then fell asleep in peace. For her steadfastness and solidarity with her daughters’ sufferings she is counted as a martyr along with them. Sophia means “wisdom” in Greek; the three daughters’ names in Greek are Pistis, Elpis, and Agape; in Russian, Vera, Nadezhda, and Lyubov. They are represented on many icons.

Our Holy Father Lambert, Bishop of Maastricht (705)

He was born to a noble family in Maastricht (in modern-day Netherlands). When his spiritual father Bishop Theodard was killed in 671, St Lambert was elected Bishop of Maastricht despite his youth. He was loved by his flock for his holiness, ascetic labors and almsgiving, but was driven from his see in 675 after his patron King Childeric II was assasinated. He withdrew to the Monastery of Stavelot where he lived for seven years as one of the brethren, claiming no privileges despite his office. Once, getting up to pray during the night, he accidentally disturbed the monastic silence. The Abbot called out for whoever was responsible to do penance by standing barefoot in the snow before a cross outside the monastery church. In the morning the Abbot was dismayed to see the Bishop standing barefoot, covered with snow, before the cross, his face shining. The Abbot sought to apologize, but Lambert replied that he was honored to serve God like the Apostles, in cold and nakedness.

When King Pepin of Heristal took power in 681, he restored Lambert to his see, despite the Saint’s desire to remain in obscurity. The holy bishop renewed his pastoral labors with vigor, visiting the most distant parishes and preaching the Gospel to the pagans who still inhabited the area, despite danger and threats. But when King Pepin put away his wife and replaced her with his concubine Alpais, St Lambert was the only Bishop who dared to rebuke him. For this he incurred the wrath of Alpais, who ordered his death. His assassins carried out their evil commission, even though they found a cross shining above the humble dwelling where he was staying.

Saint Lambert is one of the best-loved Saints of the Netherlands and Belgium, where many parish churches are dedicated to him. His relics are now in the Belgian city of Liège.