2 Corinthians 9.12-10.7 (Epistle)

12Jer služba ove poreze ne ispunjuje samo nedostatak svetijeh, nego èini te se i mnoge hvale daju Bogu, 13Ogledom poreze ove hvaleæi Boga za vaše pokorno priznanje jevanðelja Hristova, i za prostotu podjele k njima i k svima, 14I da se mole Bogu za vas i da èeznu za vama za premnogu blagodat Božiju na vama. 15A hvala Bogu na njegovu neiskazanome daru.

1A sam ja Pavle molim vas krotosti radi i tišine Hristove, koji sam pred vama ponižen prema vama, a kad nijesam kod vas, slobodan sam prema vama. 2Molim pak da mi ne bude trijebe kad budem kod vas, onako slobodan biti kao što mislim da smijem protiv nekijeh koji misle za nas da po tijelu živimo; 3Jer ako i živimo u tijelu, ne borimo se po tijelu. 4Jer oružje našega vojevanja nije tjelesno, nego silno od Boga na raskopavanje gradova, da kvarimo pomisli 5I svaku visinu koja se podiže na poznanje Božije, i robimo svaki razum za pokornost Hristu, 6I u pripravnosti imamo osvetu za svaku nepokornost, kad se izvrši vaša pokornost. 7Gledate li na ono što vam je pred oèima? Ako se ko uzda da je Hristov neka misli opet u sebi da kako je on Hristov tako smo i mi Hristovi.

Mark 3.19-27 (Gospel)

19I Judu Iskariotskoga, koji ga i izdade. 20I doðoše u kuæu, i sabra se opet narod da ne mogahu ni hljeba jesti. 21I èuvši to rod njegov iziðoše da ga uhvate; jer govorahu da je izvan sebe. 22A književnici koji bijahu sišli iz Jerusalima govorahu: u njemu je Veelzevul; i: on pomoæu kneza ðavolskoga izgoni ðavole. 23I dozvavši ih govoraše im u prièama: kako može sotona sotonu izgoniti? 24I ako se carstvo samo po sebi razdijeli, ne može ostati carstvo ono; 25I ako se dom sam po sebi razdijeli, ne može ostati dom onaj; 26I ako sotona ustane sam na se i razdijeli se, ne može ostati, nego æe propasti. 27Niko ne može pokuæstvo jakoga, ušavši u kuæu njegovu, oteti ako najprije jakoga ne sveže: i onda æe kuæu njegovu oplijeniti.

Martyr Mamas of Caesarea in Cappadocia (275), and his parents, Martyrs Theodotus and Rufina

He began his life in the cruelest of circumstances: both of his parents were imprisoned for their faith in Christ. First his father, Theodotus, died in prison, then his mother, Rufina, died shortly after his birth, so the infant was left alone in prison beside the bodies of his parents. But an angel appeared to the widow Ammia, telling her to go to the prison and rescue the child. Ammia obtained the city governor’s permission to bury the parents and bring the child home. He was called Mamas because he was mute until the age of five and his first word was `Mama’. Despite his late beginning, he showed unusual intelligence and, having been brought up in piety, soon openly proclaimed his Christian faith. When he was only fifteen years old he was arrested and brought before the Emperor Aurelian. The Emperor, perhaps seeking to spare the boy, told him to deny Christ only with his lips, and the State would not concern itself with his heart. Mamas replied `I shall not deny my God and King Jesus Christ either in my heart or with my lips.’ He was sent to be tortured, but miraculously escaped and lived in the mountains near Caesarea. There he lived in solitude and prayer and befriended many wild beasts. In time, he was discovered by the persecutors and stabbed to death with a trident by a pagan priest.

St John IV, Patriarch of Constantinople, known as John the Faster (595)

He was born and raised in Constantinople. When he came of age he worked as a goldsmith and an engraver at the mint; but, renouncing worldly things, he was ordained a deacon and given charge of the distribution of alms in Constantinople. He gave freely to all with no consideration of their worthiness. The Synaxarion says ‘the more he distributed the more God filled his purse, so that it seemed inexhaustible.’

Upon the death of Patriarch Eutyches in 582, John became Patriarch and reigned for thirteen years, reposing in peace in 595. (It was during his reign that the term “Ecumenical Patriarch” began to be used to refer to the Patriarch of Constantinople.) St John was known for his great asceticism and fasting, and as a powerful intercessor and wonderworker. So generous was he to the poor that he used up all his funds in almsgiving and had to ask the Emperor for a loan, which he used to give more alms. After his repose, his only possessions were found to be an old cassock, a linen shirt and a wooden spoon.

Righteous Eleazar, son of Aaron and second High Priest of Israel

He was the son of Aaron, the first High Priest of Israel, and he in turn became the second High Priest. He reposed in peace.

Repose of Hieromonk Seraphim (Rose) of Platina (1982). (August 20 OC)

This modern-day pioneer of Orthodoxy and monasticism in America has not been glorified as a Saint of the Church, though many individuals ask his prayers and icons of him have been painted.

Eugene Rose was born in 1934 in California, where he spent all his life. Following an intense spiritual search that took him through study of several Eastern Religions (he earned a graduate degree in Chinese Philosophy), he providentially encountered the Russian Orthodox community in San Francisco, and in 1962 was received into the Orthodox Church. The sanctity of Archbishop (now Saint) John Maximovich was especially important to his development in the Faith.

After a few more years living in the world, he and his friend Gleb Podmosensky founded a small monastic brotherhood in the wilderness of far northern California; in time they were tonsured as monks and ordained as priests: Fr Seraphim and Fr Herman. At a time when Orthodoxy was almost invisible in North America, the monastery became a beacon of Orthodoxy for Americans seeking an authentic Christian faith.

Fr Seraphim reposed in 1982 at the age of forty-eight. Many of his writings are still in print. A biography, Father Seraphim Rose: His life and works, by Hieromonk Damascene, is highly recommended.