Ephesians 1.7-17 (Epistle)

7In him we have our redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace 8which he made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, 9making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he purposed in him 10to an administration of the fullness of the times, to sum up all things in Christ, the things in the heavens and the things on the earth, in him. 11We were also assigned an inheritance in him, having been foreordained according to the purpose of him who does all things after the counsel of his will, 12to the end that we should be to the praise of his glory, we who had before hoped in Christ. 13In him you also, having heard the word of the truth, the Good News of your salvation—in whom, having also believed, you were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14who is a pledge of our inheritance, to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of his glory.

15For this cause I also, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which is among you and the love which you have toward all the saints, 16don’t cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers, 17that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him,

Mark 8.1-10 (Gospel)

1In those days, when there was a very great multitude, and they had nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples to himself and said to them, 2“I have compassion on the multitude, because they have stayed with me now three days and have nothing to eat. 3If I send them away fasting to their home, they will faint on the way, for some of them have come a long way.”

4His disciples answered him, “From where could one satisfy these people with bread here in a deserted place?”

5He asked them, “How many loaves do you have?” They said, “Seven.”

6He commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground, and he took the seven loaves. Having given thanks, he broke them and gave them to his disciples to serve, and they served the multitude. 7They also had a few small fish. Having blessed them, he said to serve these also. 8They ate and were filled. They took up seven baskets of broken pieces that were left over. 9Those who had eaten were about four thousand. Then he sent them away.

10Immediately he entered into the boat with his disciples and came into the region of Dalmanutha.

Martyrs Menodora, Metrodora, Nymphodora

They were three sisters, raised in the Christian faith in Bithynia. Together they withdrew from the world and lived together in virginity on a lonely mountain, devoting themselves to prayer, fasting and labor. Though they wished only to live unknown to the world, their wonderworking gifts were discovered, and many people began to come to them for healing of ailments. In this way word of them reached the governor Fronton, who had them arrested and brought before him. Struck by their beauty (which had only increased despite their fasting and hard labor), the governor tried to flatter them, promising that he would send them to the Emperor to be given in marriage to noblemen. When he saw that this had no effect, the governor threw the sisters into prison. First he had Menodora tortured to death, then brought her two sisters to view her mutilated body, commanding them to deny Christ or meet the same fate. When they refused, they were subjected to the same fate. Christians recovered and buried the bodies of the three holy martyrs.