2 Corinthians 10.7-18 (Epistle)

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. 8Jer ako se što i više pohvalim vlašæu našom koju nam dade Gospod na popravljanje, a ne na kvarenje vaše, neæu se postidjeti. 9Ali da se ne pokažem kao da vas plašim poslanicama; 10Jer su poslanice, veli, teške i jake, a kad je tijelom pred nama, slab je, i rijeè njegova ne valja ništa. 11Ovo neka pomisli takovi da kaki smo u rijeèi po poslanicama kad nijesmo kod vas, taki smo i u djelu kad smo tu. 12Jer ne smijemo sebe miješati ili se porediti s drugima koji hvale sami sebe; ali kad sami po sebi sebe mjere i porede sami sebe sa sobom, ne razumijevaju. 13A mi se neæemo hvaliti preko mjere, nego po mjeri pravila kojega nam Bog mjeru razdijeli da dopremo i do vas. 14Jer se mi daleko ne prostiremo, kao da ne dosežemo do vas; jer doprijesmo i do vas s jevanðeljem Hristovijem, 15Ne hvaleæi se preko mjere u tuðijem poslovima, imajuæi pak nad kad uzraste vjera vaša da æemo se u vama velièati po pravilu svojemu izobilno, 16Da i u daljnijem stranama od vas propovjedimo jevanðelje, i da se ne pohvalimo onijem što je po tuðemu pravilu ureðeno. 17A koji se hvali, Gospodom neka se hvali. 18Jer onaj nije valjan koji se sam hvali, nego kojega Gospod hvali.

Mark 3.28-35 (Gospel)

28Zaista vam kažem: svi grijesi oprostiæe se sinovima èovjeèijim, i huljenja na Boga, makar kakova bila: 29A koji pohuli na Duha svetoga nema oproštenja vavijek, nego je kriv vjeènome sudu. 30Jer govorahu: u njemu je neèisti duh. 31I doðe mati njegova i braæa njegova, i stojeæi napolju poslaše k njemu da ga zovu. 32I sjeðaše narod oko njega. I rekoše mu: eto mati tvoja i braæa tvoja i sestre tvoje napolju pitaju za te. 33I odgovori im govoreæi: ko je mati moja ili braæa moja? 34I pogledavši oko sebe na narod koji sjeðaše reèe: evo mati moja i braæa moja. 35Jer ko izvrši volju Božiju onaj je brat moj i sestra moja i mati moja.

Hieromartyr Anthimos, bishop of Nicomedia, and those with him (303-304)

“After the death of the 20,000 Martyrs of Nicomedia (see Dec. 28), their Bishop Anthimos fled to a certain village to care for his remaining flock. The Emperor Maximian sent men in search of him. When they found him, he promised to show Anthimos to them, but first took them in as guests, fed them, and only then made himself known to them. Amazed at his kindness, the soldiers promised him to tell Maximian that they had not found him. But Anthimos went willingly with them, and converting them by his admonitions, baptized them on the way. He boldly confessed his Faith before Maximian, and after frightful tortures was beheaded in the year 303 or 304.” (Great Horologion)

Our Holy Father Theoctistus, Fellow Ascetic of St Euthymius (451), is also commemorated today. A faithful disciple of St Euthymius, he was abbot of St Euthymius’ monastery in Palestine until his repose in peace at the age of ninety.

Holy Martyr Basilissa (309)

She lived near Nicomedia during the great persecution by the Emperor Diocletian. Though she was only nine years old, she was arrested and brought before Alexander, the Governor of Bithynia. When she fearlessly proclaimed her faith in Christ, the Governor had her stripped and beaten, but she only gave thanks to God. Enraged at the steadfastness of a mere child, the Governor ordered her chained and plunged head-first into boiling pitch, then cast into a blazing furnace, then thrown to the lions. Through all these torments she was miraculously preserved. Astonished at the wonders that he beheld, Alexander fell at Basilissa’s feet and confessed that he too believed that Christ is the Savior. He was baptized by the Bishop of Nicomedia and died not long afterward. Basilissa went into the wilderness outside the city to give thanks to God for her endurance under torture and to ask Him to receive her soul in peace. While praying in this way, she entered into her rest.

Our Holy Father Joannicius, Archbishop and first Patriarch of Serbia (1354)

“Born in Prizrem, he served as first secretary to King Dušan. He became Archbishop in 1339, and in 1346 was raised to the rank of Patriarch. He was a zealous pastor, and brought order to the Serbian Church, being ‘a great upholder of the Church’s laws’. He entered into rest on September 3rd, 1349, and his relics are preserved at Pec´.” (Prologue)