Romans 3.19-26 (Epistle)

19A znamo da ono što zakon govori, govori onima koji su u zakonu, da se svaka usta zatisnu, i sav svijet da bude kriv Bogu; 20Jer se djelima zakona nijedno tijelo neæe opravdati pred njim; jer kroz zakon dolazi poznanje grijeha. 21A sad se bez zakona javi pravda Božija, posvjedoèena od zakona i od proroka; 22A pravda Božija vjerom Isusa Hrista u sve i na sve koji vjeruju; jer nema razlike. 23Jer svi sagriješiše i izgubili su slavu Božiju, 24I opravdaæe se zabadava blagodaæu njegovom, otkupom Isusa Hrista. 25Kojega postavi Bog oèišæenje vjerom u krvi njegovoj da pokaže svoju pravdu oproštenjem preðašnjijeh grijeha; 26U podnošenju Božijemu, da pokaže pravdu svoju u sadašnje vrijeme da je on pravedan i da pravda onoga koji je od vjere Isusove.

Matthew 7.1-8 (Gospel)

1Ne sudite da vam se ne sudi; 2Jer kakovijem sudom sudite, onakovijem æe vam suditi; i kakovom mjerom mjerite, onakom æe vam se mjeriti. 3A zašto vidiš trun u oku brata svojega, a brvna u oku svojemu ne osjeæaš? 4Ili, kako možeš reæi bratu svojemu: stani da ti izvadim trun iz oka tvojega; a eto brvno u oku tvojemu? 5Licemjere! izvadi najprije brvno iz oka svojega, pa æeš onda vidjeti izvaditi trun iz oka brata svojega. 6Ne dajte svetinje psima; niti meæite bisera svojega pred svinje, da ga ne pogaze nogama svojima, i vrativši se ne rastrgnu vas. 7Ištite, i daæe vam se; tražite, i naæi æete; kucajte, i otvoriæe vam se. 8Jer svaki koji ište, prima; i koji traži, nalazi; i koji kuca, otvoriæe mu se.

St Metrophanes, Archbishop of Constantinople (325)

He was born into a pagan family, but his father Dometius, along with all his family, became Christians and went to Byzantium to escape persecution in Rome. Dometius was ordained a priest and in time became Bishop of Byzantium. When Dometius died, his elder son Probus became Bishop; then when Probus died, Dometius’ second son Metrophanes succeeded him. Metrophanes was enthroned around the time that Constantine the Great was establishing Byzantium as the new capital of the Roman Empire. He sent a delegate to the First Ecumenical Council in 325, since he was unable to attend due to age and infirmity. The Emperor Constantine loved Metrophanes as a father and urged the entire Council to visit the ailing Bishop. Ten days later he died.

Holy Myrrh-bearers Mary and Martha, sisters of St Lazarus (1st c.)

Mary and Martha, with their brother Lazarus, were especially devoted disciples of our Lord; their story up to the time of the Resurrection can be found in Luke 10 and John 11-12. Mary and Martha were among the Myrrh-bearing women. They, with their brother, reposed in Cyprus, where Lazarus became first Bishop of Kition after he was raised from death by Christ.

An ancient tradition holds that Lazarus was thirty years old when he was restored to life by the Lord, and that he lived another thirty years. After he was raised from the dead, he never again laughed; but once, when he saw someone stealing a clay pot, he smiled and said, ‘Clay stealing clay.’ His name is a Greek version of Eleazar, meaning ‘God has helped.’