1 Corinthians 14.20-25 (Epistle)

20Fraţilor, nu fiţi copii la minte; ci la răutate fiţi prunci; iar la minte fiţi oameni mari. 21În Lege este scris: „Voi vorbi norodului acestuia prin altă limbă şi prin buze străine; şi nici aşa nu Mă vor asculta, zice Domnul.” 22Prin urmare, limbile sunt un semn nu pentru cei credincioşi, ci pentru cei necredincioşi. Prorocia, dimpotrivă, este un semn nu pentru cei necredincioşi, ci pentru cei credincioşi. 23Deci, dacă s-ar aduna toată Biserica la un loc, şi toţi ar vorbi în alte limbi, şi ar intra şi din cei fără daruri sau necredincioşi, n-ar zice ei că sunteţi nebuni? 24Dar, dacă toţi prorocesc, şi intră vreun necredincios sau vreunul fără daruri, el este încredinţat de toţi, este judecat de toţi. 25Tainele inimii lui sunt descoperite, aşa că va cădea cu faţa la pământ, se va închina lui Dumnezeu şi va mărturisi că, în adevăr, Dumnezeu este în mijlocul vostru.

Luke 5.17-26 (Gospel)

17Într-una din zile, Isus învăţa pe noroade. Nişte farisei şi învăţători ai Legii, care veniseră din toate satele Galileii şi Iudeii şi din Ierusalim, stăteau acolo; iar puterea Domnului era cu El, ca să vindece. 18Şi iată că nişte oameni purtau într-un pat pe un slăbănog şi căutau să-l ducă înăuntru, ca să-l pună înaintea Lui. 19Fiindcă n-aveau pe unde să-l ducă înăuntru, din pricina norodului, s-au suit pe acoperişul casei şi l-au coborât cu patul printre cărămizi, în mijlocul adunării, înaintea lui Isus. 20Când le-a văzut credinţa, Isus a zis: „Omule, păcatele îţi sunt iertate!” 21Cărturarii şi fariseii au început să cârtească şi să zică în ei înşişi: „Cine este Acesta, de rosteşte hule? Cine poate să ierte păcatele decât singur Dumnezeu?” 22Isus, care le-a cunoscut gândurile, a luat cuvântul şi le-a zis: „Pentru ce cârtiţi în inimile voastre? 23Ce este mai lesne, a zice: „Păcatele îţi sunt iertate” sau a zice: „Scoală-te şi umblă”? 24Dar, ca să ştiţi că Fiul omului are putere pe pământ să ierte păcatele: „Ţie îţi poruncesc”, a zis El slăbănogului, „scoală-te, ridică-ţi patul şi du-te acasă”. 25Şi, numaidecât, slăbănogul s-a sculat, în faţa lor, a ridicat patul pe care zăcea şi s-a dus acasă, slăvind pe Dumnezeu. 26Toţi au rămas uimiţi şi slăveau pe Dumnezeu; plini de frică, ziceau: „Azi am văzut lucruri nemaipomenite.”

Hieromartyr Dionysius the Areopagite (96)

He is mentioned in Acts 17:19-34. He was a learned Athenian, a member of the Athenian court on Mars Hill (Areos Pagos in Greek, from which the title ‘Areopagite’ comes). At the time of Christ’s crucifixion, he was studying in Egypt and saw the sky darkened there for three hours when Christ breathed His last. He later married and had several children. When St Paul preached in Athens, Dionysius was among the first to believe, and became either the first (according to some) Bishop of Athens, or the second, succeeding St Hierotheos (commemorated tomorrow, October 4). With St Hierotheos he was present at the Dormition of the Mother of God. He received a martyr’s end in his old age, possibly in Athens. Several famous works of mystical theology, including On the Divine Names, are attributed to him.

Holy Hieromartyr Dionysius, Bishop of Alexandria, and his disciples (258)

He was a disciple of Origen and became a priest in Alexandria. He became Bishop of Alexandria in 247, serving not only his own see but the whole Church with fervor and compassion. He traveled to Rome to fight the Novatian schisms that disturbed the Body of Christ at that time, and mediated in the dispute between St Cyprian (September 16) and the Pope.

During the reign of Valerian, the new Governor of Alexandra, Emilianus, summoned St Dionysius, along with a group of his clergy, and demanded that they renounce Christ. When all stood firm in the Faith, he exiled them to the remote village of Kephro. But Christians flocked to the village to seek out the holy Bishop, and many pagans in the region were converted by him — so that soon the town was more nearly a Christian mission than a place of exile. When Emilianus learned of this, he exiled the Bishop and his disciples far into the wilderness, where they lived amidst terrible sufferings and hardships for more than twelve years. Saint Dionysius and his deacons Gaius and Faustus all died there; Eusebius the deacon and Maximus the priest eventually escaped. Eusebius became Bishop of Laodicea; Maximus, like his spiritual father, became Bishop of Alexandria.

St John the Chozebite, Bishop of Caesarea in Palestine (532)

He came from a prominent family in Egypt, and was brought up among the Monophysites. He became a monk in his youth, and went on pilgrimage to Jerusalem. When he attempted to enter the Church of the Resurrection to venerate the Precious Cross, an unseen power prevented him from entering. The next night he heard a voice telling him in his sleep that those who do not embrace the Orthodox faith are unworthy to worship the holy Cross of the Savior. John awoke and hurried to the church where, in tears, he accepted and confessed the entire Orthodox Faith. After returning to Egypt he settled in Palestine, living alone in a cave in the isolated region called Chozeba. There he lived in solitude until one day a couple brought their son, possessed by an evil spirit. They had been sent to John by Ananias, a well-known ascetic of Palestine. John considered himself unworthy to pray for the casting out of demons, so he prayed in the name of Ananias, and the boy was healed. Thenceforth, John’s wonderworking powers became known, and many made the difficult journey to his cave for the healing of spiritual and bodily ailments. Later John, much against his will, was consecrated Bishop of Caesarea; but he was unable to tolerate the cares of episcopal life and fled again to the desert, where he spent the rest of his life. The faithful continued to visit him in great numbers, and many signs and wonders were worked through his prayers. He reposed in peace at a great age.