Romans 7.1-13 (Epistle)

1Ili ne znate, braæo jer govorim onima koji znadu zakon da zakon vlada nad èovjekom dokle je živ? 2Jer je udata žena privezana zakonom za muža dokle god on živi; a ako li muž njezin umre, razdriješi se od zakona muževljega. 3Zato dakle dok joj je muž živ biva preljuboèinica ako poðe za drugog muža; a ako joj umre muž prosta je od zakona da ne bude preljuboèinica ako poðe za drugoga. 4Zato, braæo moja, i vi umrijeste zakonu tijelom Hristovijem, da budete drugoga, onoga što usta iz mrtvijeh, da plod donesemo Bogu. 5Jer kad bijasmo u tijelu, bijahu slasti grjehovne, koje zakon raðahu u udima našima da se smrti plod donosi. 6A sad umrvši izbavismo se od zakona koji nas držaše, da služimo Bogu) u obnovljenju Duha a ne u starini slova. 7Šta æemo dakle reæi? Je li zakon grijeh? Bože saèuvaj! nego ja grijeha ne poznah osim kroz zakon; jer ne znadoh za želju da zakon ne kaza: ne zaželi. 8A grijeh uze poèetak kroz zapovijest, i naèini u meni svaku želju; jer je grijeh bez zakona mrtav. 9A ja življah nekad bez zakona; a kad doðe zapovijest, onda grijeh oživlje, 10A ja umrijeh, i naðe se da mi zapovijest bi za smrt koja bješe data za život. 11Jer grijeh uzevši poèetak kroz zapovijest prevari me, i ubi me njome. 12Tako je dakle zakon svet i zapovijest sveta i pravedna i dobra. 13Dobro li dakle bi meni smrt? Bože saèuvaj! nego grijeh, da se pokaže grijeh dobrom èineæi mi smrt, da bude grijeh odviše grješan zapoviješæu.

Matthew 9.36-10.8 (Gospel)

36A gledajuæi ljude sažali mu se, jer bijahu smeteni i rasijani kao ovce bez pastira. 37Tada reèe uèenicima svojijem: žetve je mnogo, a poslenika malo. 38Molite se dakle gospodaru od žetve da izvede poslenike na žetvu svoju.

1I dozvavši svojijeh dvanaest uèenika dade im vlast nad duhovima neèistijem da ih izgone, i da iscjeljuju od svake bolesti i svake nemoæi. 2A dvanaest apostola imena su ova: prvi Simon, koji se zove Petar, i Andrija brat njegov; Jakov Zevedejev, i Jovan brat njegov; 3Filip i Vartolomije; Toma i Matej carinik; Jakov Alfejev, i Levej prozvani Tadija; 4Simon Kananit, i Juda Iskariotski, koji ga i predade. 5Ovijeh dvanaest posla Isus i zapovjedi im govoreæi: na put neznabožaca ne idite, i u grad Samarjanski ne ulazite. 6Nego idite k izgubljenijem ovcama doma Izrailjeva. 7A hodeæi propovijedajte i kazujte da se približilo carstvo nebesko. 8Bolesne iscjeljujte, gubave èistite, mrtve dižite, ðavole izgonite; zabadava ste dobili, zabadava i dajite.

Hieromartyr Eusebius, bishop of Samosata (380)

In the struggle against the Arian heresy, Meletius, Patriarch of Antioch, was deposed, and the emperor Constantius demanded that Eusebius surrender the document that proved his legitimate appointment to the Patriarchal throne. Eusebius said he would not surrender it without the permission of all who had signed it and, when imperial soldiers threatened to cut off his right hand, he held out both his hands to them. When Constantius heard of this, he was struck with admiration and ceased his persecution of the bishop. As the Arian heresy continued to rage, Eusebius stood strong, and was finally exiled by order of the Emperor Valens. When the messenger bearing the edict of banishment arrived, Eusebius warned him to keep quiet lest the people, hearing why he had come, should kill him. Then Eusebius left the city on foot, under cover of darkness, in order to protect the messenger from harm. Upon the death of Valens, Eusebius returned to from exile and traveled throughout Syria (though he was now a very old man), appointing priests and bishops known for their Orthodoxy. About 380, as he was entering a village to enthrone a bishop, an Arian woman threw a tile at him from a rooftop, fracturing his skull. As he lay dying, he made all the bystanders swear not to take any revenge.

Saint Gregory the Theologian corresponded with Eusebius, and esteemed him so highly that in a letter to him he wrote, ‘That such a man should deign to be my patron also in his prayers will gain for me, I am persuaded, as much strength as I should have gained through one of the holy martyrs.’

St Alban, First Martyr of Great Britain (early 3rd c.)

He was a soldier in the Roman army and, according to the venerable Bede, was brought to faith in Christ by a fugitive priest to whom he gave shelter. The saint exchanged clothes with the priest, allowing him to escape and ensuring his own martyrdom. Some writers, including St Bede, place his martyrdom during the reign of Diocletian (286-303).

Saint Alban’s tomb was venerated as early as 429 by St Germanus of Auxerre. The town of Verulamium is either his home town or the place of his martyrdom; near it a monastery was founded, around which grew the English town of St Albans.