1But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they and some others came to the tomb, bringing the spices which they had prepared.
2They found the stone rolled away from the tomb.
3They entered in, and didn’t find the Lord Jesus’ body.
4While they were greatly perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling clothing.
5Becoming terrified, they bowed their faces down to the earth. The men said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead?
6He isn’t here, but is risen. Remember what he told you when he was still in Galilee,
7saying that the Son of Man must be delivered up into the hands of sinful men and be crucified, and the third day rise again?”
8They remembered his words,
9returned from the tomb, and told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest.
10Now they were Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Mary the mother of James. The other women with them told these things to the apostles.
11These words seemed to them to be nonsense, and they didn’t believe them.
12But Peter got up and ran to the tomb. Stooping and looking in, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he departed to his home, wondering what had happened.
Ephesians 5.8-19 (Epistle)
8For you were once darkness, but are now light in the Lord. Walk as children of light,
9for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth,
10proving what is well pleasing to the Lord.
11Have no fellowship with the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but rather even reprove them.
12For it is a shame even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret.
13But all things, when they are reproved, are revealed by the light, for everything that reveals is light.
14Therefore he says, “Awake, you who sleep, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”
15Therefore watch carefully how you walk, not as unwise, but as wise,
16redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
17Therefore, don’t be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.
18Don’t be drunken with wine, in which is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit,
19speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs; singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;
Luke 17.12-19 (Gospel)
12As he entered into a certain village, ten men who were lepers met him, who stood at a distance.
13They lifted up their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”
14When he saw them, he said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” As they went, they were cleansed.
15One of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, glorifying God with a loud voice.
16He fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, giving him thanks; and he was a Samaritan.
17Jesus answered, “Weren’t the ten cleansed? But where are the nine?
18Were there none found who returned to give glory to God, except this foreigner?”
19Then he said to him, “Get up, and go your way. Your faith has healed you.”
Commemorations
Martyrs Menas, Hermogenes, Eugraphus
Menas was an Athenian, a courtier of the Emperor Maximinus, and a secret Christian. Once there was an outbreak of civil unrest in Alexandria, brought about by various political factions, and by the increasing success of Christian missionaries in turning the Alexandrian people from the idols. The Emperor sent Menas to reconcile the parties and settle the dispute. On his arrival, Menas quickly resolved the political troubles and restored peace to the city; but instead of putting down Christianity as the Emperor had desired, he did everything in his power to protect the Christians and encourage the spread of the Gospel. When word of this came to the Emperor, he sent another trusted courtier, Hermogenes, to re-establish Imperial authority and to execute Menas if he would not renounce Christ. Hermogenes followed these orders scrupulously: he subjected the godly Menas to various horrid tortures in the public arena. But Menas was miraculously preserved through them all, and when he finally appeared in the arena, flanked by two shining Angels, Hermogenes repented and confessed Christ. He in turn became such a fervent advocate for the Gospel that he was soon made a Bishop (!). Finally the Emperor decided that the only solution was to come to Alexandria himself. There he had both Menas and Hermogenes cruelly tortured to death in secret, lest they perform any public miracles; but when the Emperor presented himself before the people at the arena the following day, the two Saints, miraculously preserved, appeared there also, causing the people to cry out “Christ is the only true God!” At the sight, Menas’ scribe Eugraphus declared himself a Christian, leaped into the arena and publicly demanded the honor of dying with them. All three were beheaded. Their precious relics were later taken to Constantinople, where they worked many miracles.