Hebrews 3.5-11, 17-19 (Epistle)

5I Mojsije dakle bješe vjeran u svemu domu njegovu, kao sluga, za svjedoèanstvo onoga što je trebalo da se govori. 6Ali je Hristos kao sin u domu svojemu: kojega smo dom mi, ako slobodu i slavu nada do kraja tvrdo održimo. 7Zato, kao što govori Duh sveti: danas ako glas njegov èujete, 8Ne budite drvenastijeh srca, kao kad se prognjeviste u dane napasti u pustinji, 9Gdje me iskušaše ocevi vaši, iskušaše me, i gledaše djela moja èetrdeset godina. 10Toga radi rasrdih se na taj rod, i rekoh: jednako se metu u srcima, ali oni ne poznaše putova mojijeh; 11Zato se zakleh u gnjevu svojemu da neæe uæi u pokoj moj. 17A na koje mrzi èetrdeset godina? Nije li na one koji sagriješiše, koji ostaviše kosti u pustinji? 18A kojima se zakle da neæe uæi u pokoj njegov, nego onima koji ne htješe da vjeruju? 19I vidimo da ne mogoše uæi za nevjerstvo.

Mark 9.42-10.1 (Gospel)

42A koji sablazni jednoga od ovijeh malijeh koji vjeruju mene, bolje bi mu bilo da se objesi kamen vodenièni o vratu njegovu i da se baci u more. 43I ako te ruka tvoja sablažnjava, otsijeci je: bolje ti je bez ruke u život uæi, negoli s obje ruke uæi u pakao, u oganj vjeèni, 44Gdje crv njihov ne umire, i oganj se ne gasi. 45I ako te noga tvoja sablažnjava, otsijeci je: bolje ti je uæi u život hromu, negoli s dvije noge da te bace u pakao, u oganj vjeèni, 46Gdje crv njihov ne umire, i oganj se ne gasi. 47Ako te i oko tvoje sablažnjava, iskopaj ga: bolje ti je s jednijem okom uæi u carstvo Božije, negoli s dva oka da te bace u pakao ognjeni, 48Gdje crv njihov ne umire, i oganj se ne gasi. 49Jer æe se svaki ognjem posoliti, i svaka æe se žrtva solju posoliti. 50Dobra je so; ali ako so bude neslana, èim æe se osoliti? Imajte so u sebi, i mir imajte meðu sobom.

1I ustavši odande doðe u okoline Judejske preko Jordana, i steèe se opet narod k njemu; i kao što obièaj imaše, opet ih uèaše.

Holy Martyr Juliana of Nicomedia and those with her (304)

She was the daughter of a prominent family in Nicomedia during the reign of the persecutor Maximian (286-305). Her parents betrothed her to a nobleman named Eleusius, but without his knowledge, or that of her parents, she had already committed her life to Christ, and consecrated her virginity to him. To put off her suitor, she told him that she would not marry him until he became Prefect. Eleusius went to work using his fortune to bribe and influence those in power, and succeeded in being appointed Prefect of Nicomedia. When he went to Juliana to claim her as his wife, she was forced to confess herself a Christian, saying that she would never marry him unless he gave up the worship of idols and embraced the faith of Christ. For her confession, she was arrested and taken before the Prefect: Eleusius, her once-ardent suitor. He was now filled with an ardent rage toward her and, when she would not renounce her faith, had her subjected to the most sadistic tortures imaginable. Miraculously, she endured these without harm. Witnessing this wonder, 500 men and 130 women from among the pagans confessed Christ. The enraged Prefect had all of them beheaded immediately, followed by Juliana herself. She was eighteen years old when she won the Martyr’s crown.

Our Holy Father Peter, Metropolitan of Moscow (1326)

“Saint Peter was born in Volhynia in 1260 and entered a monastery there at the age of thirteen. Making the Ladder of Saint John Climacus his guide in the monastic life, his obedience, meekness and willingness to undertake tasks that were repugnant to his brethren made him beloved of them all. He also painted icons and was the originator of the Muscovite style of Russian iconography. After some years, he left for the small Monastery of the Transfiguration in order to find the quiet favourable to prayer. Saint Maximus, the metropolitan of Kiev (6 Dec.) visited this monastery and was greatly edified by the virtues of Peter, whom he decided should be his successor as head of the Russian Church. He was confirmed in this resolve by an apparition of the Mother of God, and he made the request to the Patriarch of Constantinople on whom the Russian Church depended. In 1325 therefore Saint Peter was consecrated Metropolitan of Kiev, of which the see had been transferred to Vladimir by Saint Maximus, after the sack of Kiev by the Tatars. Peter’s election was confirmed by a Council, but he immediately encountered opposition from the Russian princes, who were vying with one another for influence over the leader of the Church. Peter’s meekness and charity towards his enemies won him their respect; but although conciliatory in all that concerned himself personally, he was nonetheless strict as regards the faith and moral uprightness. He energetically opposed intense Muslim propaganda, and travelled throughout Russia to confirm the faith. He did not hesitate to risk his life for the sake of making peace among the princes and, foreseeing that Russia would reunite around the principality of Moscow, he transferred his Metropolitanate see to that city and began the construction of the renowned Cathedral of the Dormition in the Kremlin. He gave up his soul to God while at prayer on 21 December 1326, and many miracles of healing were wrought at his tomb.” (Synaxarion)

Saint Procopius of Vyatka, Fool for Christ (1627)

“Saint Procopius, the son of devout peasants, first feigned madness to escape a marriage that was being urged on him. He spent his life in the streets half-naked, slept wherever night overtook him and would never accept the shelter of a house. He used signs to make himself understood and never spoke a word, except to his spiritual father, with whom he would converse normally as a man in possession of all his faculties. When he was given an article of clothing, he wore it for a while out of obedience and then give it away to someone poor. When he visited the sick, he set fire to the beds of those who were going to get better, and rolled up in their sheets those who were going to die. He made many predictions, often by means of disconcerting prophetic signs, whose meaning became clear with the event. He spent thirty years in foolishness for Christ and, having foretold his death, fell asleep in peace in 1627.” (Synaxarion)