1 Corinthians 6.20-7.12 (Epistle)

20Jer ste kupljeni skupo. Proslavite dakle Boga u tjelesima svojijem i u dušama svojijem, što je Božije.

1A za ono što mi pisaste: dobro je èovjeku da se ne dohvata do žene: 2Ali zbog kurvarstva svaki da ima svoju ženu, i svaka žena da ima svojega muža; 3Muž da èini ženi dužnu ljubav, tako i žena mužu. 4Žena nije gospodar od svojega tijela, nego muž; tako i muž nije gospodar od svojega tijela, nego žena. 5Ne zabranjujte se jedno od drugoga, veæ ako u dogovoru za vrijeme, da se postite i molite Bogu; i opet da se sastanete, da vas sotona ne iskuša vašijem neuzdržanjem. 6Ali ovo govorim po svjetu a ne po zapovijesti; 7Jer hoæu da svi ljudi budu kao i ja; ali svaki ima svoj dar od Boga: ovaj dakle ovako a onaj onako. 8A neoženjenijem i udovicama velim: dobro im je ako ostanu kao i ja što sam. 9Ako li se ne uzdrže, neka se žene i udaju; jer je bolje ženiti se negoli upaljivati se. 10A oženjenijem zapovijedam, ne ja nego Gospod, da se žena od muža ne razdvaja 11Ako li se pak i razdvoji, da se više ne udaje, ili da se pomiri sa svojijem mužem i muž da ne pušæa žene. 12A ostalima govorim ja a ne Gospod: ako koji brat ima ženu nekrštenu i ona se privoli življeti s njim, da je ne ostavlja.

Matthew 14.1-13 (Gospel)

1U to vrijeme doðe glas do Iroda èetverovlasnika o Isusu; 2I reèe slugama svojijem: to je Jovan krstitelj; on ustade iz mrtvijeh, i zato èini èudesa. 3Jer Irod uhvati Jovana, sveza ga i baci u tamnicu Irodijade radi žene Filipa brata svojega. 4Jer mu govoraše Jovan: ne možeš ti nje imati. 5I šæaše da ga ubije, ali se poboja naroda; jer ga držahu za proroka. 6A kad bijaše dan roðenja Irodova, igra kæi Irodijadina pred njima i ugodi Irodu. 7Zato i s kletvom obreèe joj dati šta god zaište. 8A ona nauèena od matere svoje: daj mi, reèe, ovdje na krugu glavu Jovana krstitelja. 9I zabrinu se car; ali kletve radi i onijeh koji se gošæahu s njim, zapovjedi joj dati. 10I posla te posjekoše Jovana u tamnici. 11I donesoše glavu njegovu na krugu, i dadoše djevojci, i odnese je materi svojoj. 12I došavši uèenici njegovi, uzeše tijelo njegovo i ukopaše ga; i doðoše Isusu te javiše. 13I èuvši Isus, otide odande u laði u pusto mjesto nasamo. A kad to èuše ljudi, idoše za njim pješice iz gradova.

Our Righteous Fathers John and Symeon, the Fool for Christ's Sake (570)

These two brothers in Christ were from Edessa in Mesopotamia. After a pilgrimage to Jerusalem they fled the world together; they were tonsured as monks, but soon left their monastery to struggle in prayer near the Dead Sea. Thus they passed thirty years in silence and asceticism. Symeon was then commanded by God to leave the desert and serve God among the world’s people. At their parting John said to him: ‘Keep your heart from all that you see in the world. Whatever there may be that touches your hand, let it not take hold of your heart. When food passes your lips, let not your heart be sweetened by it. If your feet have to move, let there be peace within you. Whatever you do outwardly, let your mind remain tranquil. Pray for me, that God may not part us from each other in the world to come.’ Symeon went to Emesa in Syria, where he spent the rest of his life, feigning madness in order to conceal his holiness from men. But he performed miracles of healing and appeared to people of the city in dreams, calling them to repentance. He was given the gift of discernment of others’ inward condition, and while dancing and raving through the streets would approach people, whisper their sins in their ears, and call them to repentance. He reposed peacefully in 590; John, who had remained in the desert, reposed soon afterward.

Marcella, Virgin-Martyr of Chios (ca. 1500)

Her mother died when she was very young, and she was brought up by her father. As she grew older, she grew in virtue and beauty. Her father conceived an illicit desire for her and made improper advances toward her, which troubled her so greatly that she fled her village and hid in the mountains. Her father pursued her, even wounding her with arrows in his effort to possess her. Finally she took refuge in a cloven rock. When her father found that he could not drag her from her refuge, he viciously dismembered her and threw her head into the sea. From the rock that had sheltered her a stream appeared, whose water had healing virtues. The holy Marcella is especially venerated on Chios to this day.

Prophet Ezekiel (6th c. BC)

He is commemorated today on the Slavic calendar. See July 23, his commemoration on the Greek calendar.