Hebrews 10.32-38 (Epistle)

32Opominjite se pak prvijeh dana svojijeh, u koje se prosvijetliste i mnogu borbu stradanja podnesoste, 33Koje postavši gledanje sa sramota i nevolja, a koje postavši drugovi onima koji žive tako. 34Jer se na okove moje sažaliste, i dadoste s radošæu da se razgrabi vaše imanje, znajuæi da imate sebi imanje bolje i nepropadljivo na nebesima. 35Ne odbacujte dakle slobode svoje, koja ima veliku platu. 36Jer vam je trpljenje od potrebe da volju Božiju savršivši primite obeæanje. 37Jer još malo, vrlo malo, pak æe doæi onaj koji treba da doðe i neæe odocniti. 38A pravednik življeæe od vjere; ako li otstupi neæe biti po volji moje duše.

1 Thessalonians 4.13-17 (Epistle, Departed)

13Neæu vam pak zatajiti, braæo, za one koji su umrli, da ne žalite kao i ostali koji nemaju nada. 14Jer ako vjerujemo da Isus umrije i vaskrse, tako æe Bog i one koji su umrli u Isusu dovesti s njim. 15Jer vam ovo kazujemo rijeèju Gospodnjom da mi koji živimo i ostanemo za dolazak Gospodnji, neæemo preteæi onijeh koji su pomrli. 16Jer æe sam Gospod sa zapoviješæu, s glasom aranðelovijem, i s trubom Božijom siæi s neba; i mrtvi u Hristu vaskrsnuæe najprije; 17A potom mi živi koji smo ostali, zajedno s njima biæemo uzeti u oblake na susret Gospodu na nebo, i tako æemo svagda s Gospodom biti.

Mark 2.14-17 (Gospel)

14I prolazeæi vidje Leviju Alfejeva gdje sjedi na carini, i reèe mu: hajde za mnom. I ustavši otide za njim. 15I kad sjeðaše Isus za trpezom u kuæi njegovoj, i carinici i grješnici mnogi sjeðahu s njim i s uèenicima njegovijem: jer ih bijaše mnogo koji iðahu za njim. 16A književnici i fariseji vidjevši ga gdje jede s carinicima i s grješnicima govorahu uèenicima njegovijem: zašto s carinicima i grješnicima jede i pije? 17I èuvši Isus reèe im: ne trebaju zdravi ljekara nego bolesni. Ja nijesam došao da dozovem pravednike no grješnike na pokajanje.

John 5.24-30 (Gospel, Departed)

24Zaista, zaista vam kažem: ko moju rijeè sluša i vjeruje onome koji je mene poslao, ima život vjeèni, i ne dolazi na sud, nego je prešao iz smrti u život. 25Zaista, zaista vam kažem: ide èas, i veæ je nastao, kad æe mrtvi èuti glas sina Božijega, i èuvši oživljeti. 26Jer kako što otac ima život u sebi, tako dade i sinu da ima život u sebi; 27I dade mu vlast da i sud èini, jer je sin èovjeèij. 28Ne divite se ovome, jer ide èas u koji æe svi koji su u grobovima èuti glas sina Božijega, 29I iziæi æe koji su èinili dobro u vaskrsenije života, a koji su èinili zlo u vaskrsenije suda. 30Ja ne mogu ništa èiniti sam od sebe; kako èujem onako sudim, i sud je moj pravedan; jer ne tražim volje svoje nego volju oca koji me je poslao.

Martyr Conon of Isauria (2nd c.)

The holy Martyr Conon lived in the days of the holy Apostles; he was born in the village of Bydane of Isauria in Asia Minor, to parents named Nestor and Nada. He was instructed in the Faith and baptised into Christ by the Archangel Michael himself, who, it is said, accompanied him for the rest of his life. His parents joined him in marriage to a pagan maiden named Anna; but on their wedding night he took a candle, put it under a vessel, and asked her ‘Which is better, light or darkness?’ She answered ‘Light,’ and he told her of the Christian faith and the joys of the spiritual life. She accepted Christ, and the two agreed to live in virginity. Conon went on to bring many pagans to Christ, including his own parents. His wife and both parents died after a few years (Nestor as a Martyr) and he gave himself up entirely to prayer, fasting, and contemplation on God. He was known as a wonder-worker, and even evil spirits were compelled to serve him.

During one of the persecutions, Magnus the governor of Isauria imprisoned Conon and had him tortured, beaten and stabbed with knives. Believers obtained some of his blood, and the sick who were anointed with it became well. A large crowd of Christians whom Conon had brought to Faith surrounded the governor’s palace demanding Conon’s release, and the frightened governor let him go. He lived for two more years in his own home, then reposed in peace.

St Mark of Athens (4th c.)

He was born in Athens of pagan parents, but believed and was baptized, and, forsaking everything, lived as a hermit in the desert beyond Egypt. He did not see another human being for ninety-five years, and we would know nothing of his life had not the monk Serapion come upon him. Mark was about to depart this life, and lived only long enough to tell Serapion his story. Serapion then gave him burial.

St Mark the Ascetic (5th c.)

St Mark was a disciple of St John Chrysostom, tonsured a monk at the age of forty by St John himself. He then withdrew to the Nitrian desert and lived for sixty years as a hermit, devoting himself to fasting, prayer, and writing spiritual discourses.

Saint Mark knew all the Holy Scriptures by heart. His compassion was so great that he wept at the distress of any of God’s creatures: once he wept for the blind pup of a hyena, and the pup received its sight. Though he lived alone in the desert, it is said that he received Communion from an angel.

The holy and scholarly Patriarch Photios held his writings in the highest esteem, and at one time there was a saying, ‘sell all that you have, and buy Mark.’ Some of these beautiful and profound writings may be read in English in the first volume of the Philokalia.