1 John 3.10-20 (Epistle)

10Po tom se poznaju djeca Božija i djeca ðavolja: koji god ne tvori pravde, nije od Boga, i koji ne ljubi brata svojega. 11Jer je ovo zapovijest, koju èuste ispoèetka, da ljubimo jedan drugoga. 12Ne kao što Kain bješe od neèastivoga i zakla brata svojega. I za koji ga uzrok zakla? Jer djela njegova bijahu zla, a brata mu pravedna. 13Ne èudite se, braæo moja, ako svijet mrzi na vas. 14Mi znamo da prijeðosmo iz smrti u život, jer ljubimo braæu; jer ko ne ljubi brata ostaje u smrti. 15Svaki koji mrzi na brata svojega krvnik je ljudski; i znate da nijedan krvnik ljudski nema u sebi vjeènoga života. 16Po tom poznasmo ljubav što on za nas dušu svoju položi: mi smo dužni polagati duše za braæu. 17Koji dakle ima bogatstvo ovoga svijeta, i vidi brata svojega u nevolji i zatvori srce svoje od njega, kako ljubav Božija stoji u njemu? 18Djeèice moja! da se ne ljubimo rijeèju ni jezikom, nego djelom i istinom. 19I po tom doznajemo da smo od istine, i pred njim tješimo srca svoja. 20Jer ako nam zazire srce naše, Bog je veæi od srca našega i zna sve.

Mark 14.10-42 (Gospel)

10I Juda Iskariotski, jedan od dvanaestorice, otide ka glavarima sveštenièkijem da im ga izda. 11A oni èuvši obradovaše se, i obrekoše mu novce dati: i tražaše zgodu da ga izda. 12I u prvi dan prijesnijeh hljebova, kad klahu pashu, rekoše mu uèenici njegovi: gdje æeš da idemo da ti zgotovimo pashu da jedeš? 13I posla dvojicu od uèenika svojijeh i reèe im: idite u grad, i srešæe vas èovjek koji nosi vodu u krèagu; idite za njim, 14I gdje uðe kažite gospodaru od one kuæe: uèitelj veli: gdje je gostionica gdje æu jesti pashu s uèenicima svojijem? 15I on æe vam pokazati veliku sobu prostrtu gotovu: ondje nam zgotovite. 16I iziðoše uèenici njegovi, i doðoše u grad, i naðoše kao što im kaza, i ugotoviše pashu. 17I kad bi uveèe, doðe sa dvanaestoricom. 18I kad sjeðahu za trpezom i jeðahu reèe Isus: zaista vam kažem: jedan od vas, koji jede sa mnom, izdaæe me. 19A oni se zabrinuše, i stadoše govoriti jedan za drugijem: da ne ja? i drugi: da ne ja? 20A on odgovarajuæi reèe im: jedan od dvanaestorice koji umoèi sa mnom u zdjelu. 21Sin èovjeèij dakle ide kao što je pisano za njega; ali teško onome èovjeku koji izda sina èovjeèijega; bolje bi mu bilo da se nije rodio onaj èovjek. 22I kad jeðahu uze Isus hljeb i blagoslovivši prelomi ga, i dade im, i reèe: uzmite, jedite; ovo je tijelo moje. 23I uze èašu i davši hvalu dade im; i piše iz nje svi. 24I reèe im: ovo je krv moja novoga zavjeta koja æe se proliti za mnoge. 25Zaista vam kažem: više neæu piti od roda vinogradskoga do onoga dana kad æu ga piti novoga u carstvu Božijemu. 26I otpojavši hvalu iziðoše na goru Maslinsku. 27I reèe im Isus: svi æete se vi sablazniti o mene ovu noæ; jer je pisano: udariæu pastira i ovce æe se razbjeæi. 28Ali po vaskrseniju svojemu ja idem pred vama u Galileju. 29A Petar mu reèe: ako se i svi sablazne, ali ja neæu. 30I reèe mu Isus: zaista ti kažem: noæas dok dvaput pijetao ne zapjeva tri puta æeš me se odreæi. 31A on još veæma govoraše: da bih znao s tobom i umrijeti neæu te se odreæi. Tako i svi govorahu. 32I doðoše u selo koje se zove Getsimanija, i reèe uèenicima svojijem: sjedite ovdje dok ja idem da se pomolim Bogu. 33I uze sa sobom Petra i Jakova i Jovana, i zabrinu se i poèe tužiti. 34I reèe im: žalosna je duša moja do smrti; poèekajte ovdje, i stražite. 35I otišavši malo pade na zemlju, i moljaše se da bi ga mimoišao èas ako je moguæe. 36I govoraše: Ava oèe! sve je moguæe tebi; pronesi èašu ovu mimo mene; ali opet ne kako ja hoæu nego kako ti. 37I doðe i naðe ih gdje spavaju, i reèe Petru: Simone! Zar spavaš? Ne može li jednoga èasa postražiti? 38Stražite i molite se Bogu da ne padnete u napast; jer je duh srèan ali je tijelo slabo. 39I opet otišavši pomoli se Bogu one iste rijeèi govoreæi. 40I vrativši se naðe ih opet gdje spavaju; jer im bijahu oèi otežale; i ne znadijahu šta bi mu odgovorili. 41I doðe treæi put, i reèe im: jednako spavate i poèivate; dosta je; doðe èas; evo se predaje sin èovjeèij u ruke grješnicima. 42Ustanite da idemo; evo izdajnik se moj približi.

Great-martyr Theodore the Tyro (ca. 306)

The Greek Tyron means “conscript.” This holy Martyr of Christ came from Pontus and was a Roman legionary during Maximian’s persecution (ca. 303). Though he had been a Christian since childhood, he kept his faith secret while in the army. While his cohort was stationed near a town called Euchaita, he learned that the people there were being terrorized by a dragon which lived in the neighboring forest. He set off to face the dragon, praying to God that the outcome of the contest would be a sign to him of whether the time had come to offer himself for martyrdom. He found the fire-spitting monster and, arming himself with the sign of the Cross, drove his spear through its head and killed it.

His success convinced him that, having vanquished this fleshly dragon, he was ready to vanquish the spiritual dragon, the Devil. When the commander of his camp next ordered a sacrifice to the Gods, Theodore boldly refused, saying “I am a Christian!” Further, he encouraged the other Christians in his company to do the same. That night he went to a nearby pagan temple of Rhea, mother of the gods, and burned it down. He was seen by the caretaker of the temple and was brought unresisting to the governor Publius. Theodore was thrown into a solitary dungeon cell; there he refused bread and water, saying that Christ had promised him food from heaven. He spent his time there chanting hymns with the angels, so that the guards were convinced that other Christians had somehow joined him in his cell.

When all argument, cajolery, bribery and threat had failed to turn the soldier from Christ, the governor resorted to torture, subjecting the Saint to terrible mutilations; but when Theodore endured them calmly and resolutely, the governor began to fear that his example would encourage other Christians, and ordered that he be burned. Taken to the stake, the Martyr walked freely into the flames, where he gave back his soul to God. When his body was ransomed and taken from the ashes by a pious Christian, it was found to be untouched. A church was built in Euchaita in honor of the Martyr; many pilgrims came there for the healing of soul and body.

In 361, the Emperor Julian the Apostate ordered the Prefect of Constantinople to have all foods in the marketplaces sprinkled with blood of animals sacrificed to the pagan gods during the first week of Lent, so that Christians would be unable to escape contact with idolatry. But St Theodore appeared in a vision to Patriarch Eudoxius (360-364), warned him of the plan and told him to instruct his flock not to buy any food in the marketplace, but to eat kolyva made from boiled wheat grains. So, through the Saint’s intervention, the people were preserved from the stain of idolatry. Ever since, the Church has commemorated the miracle on the first Saturday of Great Lent. Since that time kolyva has come to be offered also in honor of the Saints and in memory of the departed. The whole grain represents the body, sown corruptible, which will be raised incorruptible (2 Cor. 15:37); it is usually sweetened with honey to signify the delights of Paradise.