26What is it then, brothers? When you come together, each one of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has another language, or has an interpretation. Let all things be done to build each other up.
27If any man speaks in another language, let there be two, or at the most three, and in turn; and let one interpret.
28But if there is no interpreter, let him keep silent in the assembly, and let him speak to himself and to God.
29Let two or three of the prophets speak, and let the others discern.
30But if a revelation is made to another sitting by, let the first keep silent.
31For you all can prophesy one by one, that all may learn and all may be exhorted.
32The spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets,
33for God is not a God of confusion but of peace, as in all the assemblies of the saints.
34Let the wives be quiet in the assemblies, for it has not been permitted for them to be talking except in submission, as the law also says,
35if they desire to learn anything. “Let them ask their own husbands at home, for it is shameful for a wife to be talking in the assembly.”
36What!? Was it from you that the word of God went out? Or did it come to you alone?
37If any man thinks himself to be a prophet or spiritual, let him recognize the things which I write to you, that they are the commandment of the Lord.
38But if anyone is ignorant, let him be ignorant.
39Therefore, brothers, desire earnestly to prophesy, and don’t forbid speaking with other languages.
40Let all things be done decently and in order.
Philippians 2.5-11
(Epistle, Theotokos)
5Have this in your mind, which was also in Christ Jesus,
6who, existing in the form of God, didn’t consider equality with God a thing to be grasped,
7but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men.
8And being found in human form, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to the point of death, yes, the death of the cross.
9Therefore God also highly exalted him, and gave to him the name which is above every name,
10that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, those on earth, and those under the earth,
11and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Matthew 21.12-14, 17-20 (Gospel)
12Jesus entered into the temple of God and drove out all of those who sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the money changers’ tables and the seats of those who sold the doves.
13He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a den of robbers!”
14The lame and the blind came to him in the temple, and he healed them.
17He left them and went out of the city to Bethany, and camped there.
18Now in the morning, as he returned to the city, he was hungry.
19Seeing a fig tree by the road, he came to it and found nothing on it but leaves. He said to it, “Let there be no fruit from you forever!” Immediately the fig tree withered away.
20When the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, “How did the fig tree immediately wither away?”
Luke 10.38-42, 11.27-28
(Gospel, Theotokos)
38As they went on their way, he entered into a certain village, and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.
39She had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard his word.
40But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she came up to him, and said, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister left me to serve alone? Ask her therefore to help me.”
41Jesus answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things,
42but one thing is needed. Mary has chosen the good part, which will not be taken away from her.”
27It came to pass, as he said these things, a certain woman out of the multitude lifted up her voice and said to him, “Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts which nursed you!”
28But he said, “On the contrary, blessed are those who hear the word of God, and keep it.”
Commemorations
Leavetaking of Dormition
On the Holy Mountain, the Feast of the Dormition is extended to August 28, thus consecrating almost the entire month of August to the Most Holy Theotokos.
Martyr Lupus, Slave of St Demetrius
He was the servant of the Great Martyr Demetrius, and was present at his martyrdom. He dipped the hem of his garment in the martyr’s blood, and later worked many miracles with the garment, healing many illnesses. At the order of the Emperor Maximian, he was then himself arrested, tortured and, like his earthly master, beheaded for Christ. It is said that, as his death approached, he prayed to be baptized before his death, for, though a believer in Christ, he had never been able to be baptized. A cloud suddenly poured down a torrent of water upon him, answering his prayer.
Hieromartyr Irenaeus, bishop of Lyons (202)
He was born in Asia Minor around the year 120, and was a disciple of Saint Polycarp, who was in turn a disciple of St John the Evangelist. He succeeded the martyred St Pothinus as Bishop of Lyons in Gaul (now France). He produced many writings contesting not only against paganism but against Gnostic heresies that were then troubling the Church. When Victor, Bishop of Rome, planned to excommunicate the Christians of Asia Minor for celebrating Pascha on a different date than the Church of Rome, Irenaeus persuaded him to stay his hand and maintain unity and peace in the Church. (This was before the date of Pascha had been set by the Ecumenical Councils). By his efforts Lyons became for centuries a center and bastion of Orthodoxy in the West.
Hieromartyr Pothinos, Bishop of Lyons (177)
The Holy Polycarp (February 23) sent Pothinus from Asia Minor to spread the Gospel in Gaul. He brought many there to faith in Christ, and became the first bishop of Lyons. During a persecution of Christians Pothinus, who was then ninety years old, was brought before the proconsul, who asked him ‘Who is the Christian God?’ Pothinus answered ‘You will find out, if you are worthy.’ He was beaten fiercely with staves and stones, then thrown in prison, where he died of his injuries.