Galatians 3.23-4.5 (Epistle)

23A prije dolaska vjere bismo pod zakonom èuvani i zatvoreni za vjeru koja se htjela pokazati. 24Tako nam zakon bi èuvar do Hrista, da se vjerom opravdamo. 25A kad doðe vjera, veæ nijesmo pod èuvarom. 26Jer ste vi svi sinovi Božiji vjerom Hrista Isusa; 27Jer koji se god u Hrista krstiste, u Hrista se obukoste. 28Nema tu Jevrejina ni Grka, nema roba ni gospodara, nema muškoga roda ni ženskoga; jer ste vi svi jedno u Hristu Isusu. 29A kad ste vi Hristovi, onda ste sjeme Avraamovo, i po obeæanju našljednici.

1Ali velim: dok je našljednik mlad ništa nije bolji od roba, ako i jest gospodar od svega; 2Nego je pod zapovjednicima i èuvarima tja do roka oèina. 3Tako i mi kad bijasmo mladi, bijasmo pod stihijama svijeta zarobljeni; 4A kad se navrši vrijeme, posla Bog sina svojega jedinorodnoga, koji je roðen od žene i pokoren zakonu, 5Da iskupi one koji su pod zakonom, da primimo posinaštvo.

Mark 6.30-45 (Gospel)

30I skupiše se apostoli k Isusu, i javiše mu sve i što uèiniše i šta ljude nauèiše. 31I reèe im: doðite vi sami nasamo, i poèinite malo. Jer ih bijaše mnogo koji dolaze i odlaze, i ne imahu kad ni jesti. 32I otidoše na laði u pusto mjesto sami. 33I vidješe ih ljudi kad iðahu, i poznaše ih mnogi, i pješice iz sviju gradova stjecahu se onamo, i prestigoše ih, i skupiše se oko njega. 34I izišavši Isus vidje narod mnogi, i sažali mu se, jer bijahu kao ovce bez pastira; i poèe ih uèiti mnogo. 35I kad bi veæ pred noæ, pristupiše k njemu uèenici njegovi govoreæi: pusto je mjesto, a veæ je dockan; 36Otpusti ih neka idu u okolna sela i palanke da kupe sebi hljeba; jer nemaju šta jesti. 37A on odgovarajuæi reèe im: podajte im vi neka jedu. I rekoše mu: veæ ako da idemo da kupimo za dvjesta groša hljeba, i da im damo da jedu? 38A on im reèe: koliko hljebova imate? Idite vidite. I vidjevši rekoše: pet hljebova i dvije ribe. 39I zapovjedi im da ih posade sve na gomile po zelenoj travi. 40I posadiše se na gomile po sto i po pedeset. 41I uzevši onijeh pet hljebova i dvije ribe pogleda na nebo, i blagoslovi, pa prelomi hljebove, i dade uèenicima svojijem da metnu ispred njih; i one dvije ribe razdijeli svima. 42I jedoše svi, i nasitiše se. 43I nakupiše komada dvanaest kotarica punijeh i od riba. 44A bijaše onijeh što su jeli hljebove oko pet hiljada ljudi. 45I odmah natjera uèenike svoje da uðu u laðu i da idu naprijed na onu stranu u Vitsaidu dok on otpusti narod.

Martyrs Sophia and her three daughters Faith, Hope and Love, at Rome (137)

Sophia was a widow in Rome in the time of the Emperor Hadrian, and raised her three daughters in the Faith. When the four of them were brought before the persecutors, Faith was twelve years old, Hope was ten, and Love was nine. Ordered to make sacrifice to the goddess Artemis, all of them humbly refused. All three daughters were tortured, then executed, before their mother’s eyes. Sophia buried their bodies and mourned at their grave for three days and nights, then fell asleep in peace. For her steadfastness and solidarity with her daughters’ sufferings she is counted as a martyr along with them. Sophia means “wisdom” in Greek; the three daughters’ names in Greek are Pistis, Elpis, and Agape; in Russian, Vera, Nadezhda, and Lyubov. They are represented on many icons.

Our Holy Father Lambert, Bishop of Maastricht (705)

He was born to a noble family in Maastricht (in modern-day Netherlands). When his spiritual father Bishop Theodard was killed in 671, St Lambert was elected Bishop of Maastricht despite his youth. He was loved by his flock for his holiness, ascetic labors and almsgiving, but was driven from his see in 675 after his patron King Childeric II was assasinated. He withdrew to the Monastery of Stavelot where he lived for seven years as one of the brethren, claiming no privileges despite his office. Once, getting up to pray during the night, he accidentally disturbed the monastic silence. The Abbot called out for whoever was responsible to do penance by standing barefoot in the snow before a cross outside the monastery church. In the morning the Abbot was dismayed to see the Bishop standing barefoot, covered with snow, before the cross, his face shining. The Abbot sought to apologize, but Lambert replied that he was honored to serve God like the Apostles, in cold and nakedness.

When King Pepin of Heristal took power in 681, he restored Lambert to his see, despite the Saint’s desire to remain in obscurity. The holy bishop renewed his pastoral labors with vigor, visiting the most distant parishes and preaching the Gospel to the pagans who still inhabited the area, despite danger and threats. But when King Pepin put away his wife and replaced her with his concubine Alpais, St Lambert was the only Bishop who dared to rebuke him. For this he incurred the wrath of Alpais, who ordered his death. His assassins carried out their evil commission, even though they found a cross shining above the humble dwelling where he was staying.

Saint Lambert is one of the best-loved Saints of the Netherlands and Belgium, where many parish churches are dedicated to him. His relics are now in the Belgian city of Liège.