15So when they had eaten their breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I have affection for you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.”
16He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I have affection for you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.”
17He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you have affection for me?” Peter was grieved because he asked him the third time, “Do you have affection for me?” He said to him, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I have affection for you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.
18Most certainly I tell you, when you were young, you dressed yourself and walked where you wanted to. But when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you don’t want to go.”
19Now he said this, signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God. When he had said this, he said to him, “Follow me.”
20Then Peter, turning around, saw a disciple following. This was the disciple whom Jesus loved, the one who had also leaned on Jesus’ chest at the supper and asked, “Lord, who is going to betray you?”
21Peter, seeing him, said to Jesus, “Lord, what about this man?”
22Jesus said to him, “If I desire that he stay until I come, what is that to you? You follow me.”
23This saying therefore went out among the brothers that this disciple wouldn’t die. Yet Jesus didn’t say to him that he wouldn’t die, but, “If I desire that he stay until I come, what is that to you?”
24This is the disciple who testifies about these things, and wrote these things. We know that his witness is true.
25There are also many other things which Jesus did, which if they would all be written, I suppose that even the world itself wouldn’t have room for the books that would be written.
Galatians 6.11-18
(Epistle, Sunday before Elevation)
11See with what large letters I write to you with my own hand.
12As many as desire to make a good impression in the flesh compel you to be circumcised, just so they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ.
13For even they who receive circumcision don’t keep the law themselves, but they desire to have you circumcised, so that they may boast in your flesh.
14But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.
15For in Christ Jesus neither is circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation.
16As many as walk by this rule, peace and mercy be on them, and on God’s Israel.
17From now on, let no one cause me any trouble, for I bear the marks of the Lord Jesus branded on my body.
18The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers. Amen.
1 Corinthians 9.2-12 (Epistle)
2If to others I am not an apostle, yet at least I am to you; for you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.
3My defense to those who examine me is this:
4Have we no right to eat and to drink?
5Have we no right to take along a wife who is a believer, even as the rest of the apostles, and the brothers of the Lord, and Cephas?
6Or have only Barnabas and I no right to not work?
7What soldier ever serves at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard, and doesn’t eat of its fruit? Or who feeds a flock, and doesn’t drink from the flock’s milk?
8Do I speak these things according to the ways of men? Or doesn’t the law also say the same thing?
9For it is written in the law of Moses, “You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain.” Is it for the oxen that God cares,
10or does he say it assuredly for our sake? Yes, it was written for our sake, because he who plows ought to plow in hope, and he who threshes in hope should partake of his hope.
11If we sowed to you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we reap your fleshly things?
12If others partake of this right over you, don’t we yet more? Nevertheless we didn’t use this right, but we bear all things, that we may cause no hindrance to the Good News of Christ.
John 3.13-17
(Gospel, Sunday before Elevation)
13No one has ascended into heaven but he who descended out of heaven, the Son of Man, who is in heaven.
14As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up,
15that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
16For God so loved the world, that he gave his only born Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
17For God didn’t send his Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through him.
Matthew 18.23-35 (Gospel)
23Therefore the Kingdom of Heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants.
24When he had begun to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents.
25But because he couldn’t pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, with his wife, his children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.
26The servant therefore fell down and knelt before him, saying, ‘Lord, have patience with me, and I will repay you all!’
27The lord of that servant, being moved with compassion, released him and forgave him the debt.
28“But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him one hundred denarii, and he grabbed him and took him by the throat, saying, ‘Pay me what you owe!’
29“So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will repay you!’
30He would not, but went and cast him into prison until he should pay back that which was due.
31So when his fellow servants saw what was done, they were exceedingly sorry, and came and told their lord all that was done.
32Then his lord called him in and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me.
33Shouldn’t you also have had mercy on your fellow servant, even as I had mercy on you?’
34His lord was angry, and delivered him to the tormentors until he should pay all that was due to him.
35So my heavenly Father will also do to you, if you don’t each forgive your brother from your hearts for his misdeeds.”
Commemorations
Ven. Theodora of Alexandria
While a young married woman, she committed adultery with another man. Seized by remorse, she fled her husband’s house, dressed herself as a man, renamed herself Theodore, and entered a men’s monastery, pretending to be a eunuch. “Theodore“‘s fasts, prayers, vigils and tears amazed “his” brethren. Her secret was only discovered after her death. She had spent nine full years devoting her life to repentance for one sin. During her life she showed herself to be a wonderworker, taming wild beasts and healing sicknesses. Her husband came to her funeral, then lived until his death in the cell of his former wife.
St Euphrosynos the Cook of Alexandria (9th c.)
His icon is found in countless Orthodox kitchens. A simple and holy man, when he entered monastic life in Alexandria he was judged unfit for any service more demanding than kitchen work. There he labored without complaint, looked down upon by most of the other monks. One night the abbot dreamed that he was in Paradise, and there met Euphrosynos, who gave him a branch that bore three fragrant apples. Awakening, the abbot found the same apples on his pillow. He hurried to find Euphrosynos and asked him, `Where were you last night, brother?’ Euphrosynos only replied, `Where were you, Father?’ The abbot gathered the monks and told them the wonderful story, by which they all realized the cook’s holiness. But Euphrosynos, unwilling to endure the praise of men, fled the monastery for the desert.
St Paphnutius the Confessor (4th c.)
“A bishop of the Egyptian Thebaid, he suffered greatly for the Orthodox faith: heretics put out one of his eyes and broke his left leg. He took part in the First Ecumenical Council, refuting the Arian heresy with great power. The Emperor Constantine valued him greatly and often kissed him on the missing eye, lost for the truth of Orthodoxy. At the council, he stood in opposition to the western representatives, who proposed that secular priests be completely forbidden to marry. He was chaste throughout the whole of his life.” (Prologue)