1 Thessalonians 2.1-8 (Epistle)

1Jer sami znate, braæo, ulazak naš k vama da ne bi uzalud; 2Nego postradavši prije i osramoæeni bivši, kao što znate, u Filibi, oslobodismo se u Bogu svojemu kazivati vama jevanðelje Božije s velikom borbom. 3Jer utjeha naša nije od prijevare, ni od neèistote, ni u lukavstvu; 4Nego kako nas okuša Bog da smo vjerni da primimo jevanðelje, tako govorimo, ne kao ljudima ugaðajuæi nego Bogu koji kuša srca naša. 5Jer nigda iz laskanja ne govorismo k vama, kao što znate, niti iz uzroka lakomstva: Bog je svjedok; 6Niti tražeæi od ljudi slave, ni od vas, ni od drugijeh. 7Mogli smo vam biti na dosadu, kao Hristovi apostoli; ali bismo krotki meðu vama, kao što dojilica njeguje svoju djecu. 8Tako smo vas rado imali da smo gotovi bili dati vam ne samo jevanðelje Božije, nego i duše svoje, jer ste nam omiljeli.

Luke 12.48-59 (Gospel)

48A koji ne zna pa zasluži boj, biæe malo bijen. Kome je god mnogo dano mnogo æe se iskati od njega; a kome predaše najviše najviše æe iskati od njega. 49Ja sam došao da bacim oganj na zemlju; i kako bi mi se htjelo da se veæ zapalio! 50Ali se meni valja krstiti krštenjem, i kako mi je teško dok se ne svrši! 51Mislite li da sam ja došao da dam mir na zemlju? Ne, kažem vam, nego razdor. 52Jer æe otsele pet u jednoj kuæi biti razdijeljeni, ustaæe tri na dva, i dva na tri. 53Ustaæe otac na sina i sin na oca; mati na kæer i kæi na mater; svekrva na snahu svoju i snaha na svekrvu svoju. 54A narodu govoraše: kad vidite oblak gdje se diže od zapada odmah kažete: biæe dažd; i biva tako. 55I kad vidite jug gdje duva kažete: biæe vruæina; i biva. 56Licemjeri! lice neba i zemlje umijete poznavati, a vremena ovoga kako ne poznajete? 57Zašto pak i sami od sebe ne sudite pravedno? 58Jer kad ideš sa svojijem suparnikom knezu, gledaj ne bi li se na putu s njim poravnao da te ne pritegne sudiji, i sudija da te ne preda sluzi, i sluga da te ne baci u tamnicu. 59Kažem ti: neæeš odande iziæi dok ne daš i pošljednjega dinara.

Holy Martyr Menas (ca. 304)

This holy Martyr was an Egyptian and a soldier during the reigns of Diocletian and Maximian. Though he was known for his valor in combat, he renounced his soldier’s rank when his legion was ordered to seize Christians in north Africa. Fleeing to the mountains, he dwelt there for some time in silence and solitude, devoting his days to prayer. In time, he presented himself at a pagan festival, denounced the idols and declared himself a Christian. For this he was handed over to the governor of the city, who subjected him to horrible tortures and finally had him beheaded. Some faithful retrieved part of his relics and gave them honorable burial near Lake Mareotis, about thirty miles from Alexandria. The church built over his tomb became a place of pilgrimage not only for countless Egyptians but for Christians all over the world: evidence has been found of journeys to his shrine from as far away as Ireland.

The Synaxarion gives an account of the Saint’s intervention in the Second World War: “In June 1942, during the North-Africa campaign that was decisive for the outcome of the Second World War, the German forces under the command of General Rommel were on their way to Alexandria, and happened to make a halt near a place which the Arabs call El-Alamein after Saint Menas. An ancient ruined church there was dedicated to the Saint; and there some people say he is buried. Here the weaker Allied forces including some Greeks confronted the numerically and militarily superior German army, and the result of the coming battle seemed certain. During the first night of engagement, Saint Menas appeared in the midst of the German camp at the head of a caravan of camels, exactly as he was shown on the walls of the ruined church in one of the frescoes depicting his miracles. This astounding and terrifying apparition so undermined German morale that it contributed to the brilliant victory of the Allies. The Church of Saint Menas was restored in thanksgiving and a small monastery was established there.”

Our Righteous Father Theodore the Studite (826)

“Saint Theodore the Studite was born in Constantinople in 759; his pious parents were named Photinus and Theoctiste. He assumed the monastic habit in his youth, at the monastery called Sakkoudion, and became abbot there in 794. About the year 784 he was ordained deacon, and later presbyter by the most holy Patriarch Tarasius. On joining the brotherhood of the Monastery of Studium (which was named after its founder Studius, a Roman consul), the Saint received the surname “Studite.” He proved to be a fervent zealot for the traditions of the Fathers and contested even unto death for the sake of his reverence for the holy icons. He endured three exiles because of his pious zeal. During the third one, to which he was condemned by the Iconoclast autocrat, Leo the Armenian, he endured courageously being beaten and bound and led from one dark dungeon to another for seven whole years. Finally he was recalled from exile by Michael the Stutterer. Receiving thus a small respite from his labours of long endurance, he reposed in the Lord on November 11, 826, a Sunday, while his disciples, who stood round about him, chanted the 118th Psalm. Some say that after receiving the immaculate Mysteries, he himself began chanting this psalm. And on reaching the verse, “I will never forget Thy statutes, for in them hast Thou quickened me” (v. 93) he gave up his spirit, having lived for sixty-seven years. In addition to his other sacred writings, he composed, with the collaboration of his brother Joseph, almost the whole of the compunctionate book of the Triodion.” (Great Horologion)

St Theodore helped to establish the Studion (or Stoudion) Monastery in Constantinople, and was its Abbot. Under his guidance the Stoudion Monastery became the leading center of Orthodox piety and Byzantine culture of its time. The monks lived a radically common life: they did not even have their own cells, but slept in large dormitories.