11But Mary was standing outside at the tomb weeping. So as she wept, she stooped and looked into the tomb,
12and she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and one at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.
13They asked her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I don’t know where they have laid him.”
14When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, and didn’t know that it was Jesus.
15Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Who are you looking for?” She, supposing him to be the gardener, said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.”
16Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him, “Rabboni!” which is to say, “Teacher!”
17Jesus said to her, “Don’t hold me, for I haven’t yet ascended to my Father; but go to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”
18Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had said these things to her.
1 Corinthians 1.10-18 (Epistle)
10Now I beg you, brothers, through the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfected together in the same mind and in the same judgment.
11For it has been reported to me concerning you, my brothers, by those who are from Chloe’s household, that there are contentions among you.
12Now I mean this, that each one of you says, “I follow Paul,” “I follow Apollos,” “I follow Cephas,” and, “I follow Christ.”
13Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized into the name of Paul?
14I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius,
15so that no one should say that I had baptized you into my own name.
16(I also baptized the household of Stephanas; besides them, I don’t know whether I baptized any other.)
17For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the Good News—not in wisdom of words, so that the cross of Christ wouldn’t be made void.
18For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are dying, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
Matthew 14.14-22 (Gospel)
14Jesus went out, and he saw a great multitude. He had compassion on them and healed their sick.
15When evening had come, his disciples came to him, saying, “This place is deserted, and the hour is already late. Send the multitudes away, that they may go into the villages, and buy themselves food.”
16But Jesus said to them, “They don’t need to go away. You give them something to eat.”
17They told him, “We only have here five loaves and two fish.”
18He said, “Bring them here to me.”
19He commanded the multitudes to sit down on the grass; and he took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, broke and gave the loaves to the disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitudes.
20They all ate and were filled. They took up twelve baskets full of that which remained left over from the broken pieces.
21Those who ate were about five thousand men, in addition to women and children.
22Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go ahead of him to the other side, while he sent the multitudes away.
Commemorations
Prophet Ezekiel
He is commemorated today on the Slavic calendar. See July 23, his commemoration on the Greek calendar.
Our Righteous Fathers John and Symeon, the Fool for Christ's Sake (570)
These two brothers in Christ were from Edessa in Mesopotamia. After a pilgrimage to Jerusalem they fled the world together; they were tonsured as monks, but soon left their monastery to struggle in prayer near the Dead Sea. Thus they passed thirty years in silence and asceticism. Symeon was then commanded by God to leave the desert and serve God among the world’s people. At their parting John said to him: ‘Keep your heart from all that you see in the world. Whatever there may be that touches your hand, let it not take hold of your heart. When food passes your lips, let not your heart be sweetened by it. If your feet have to move, let there be peace within you. Whatever you do outwardly, let your mind remain tranquil. Pray for me, that God may not part us from each other in the world to come.’ Symeon went to Emesa in Syria, where he spent the rest of his life, feigning madness in order to conceal his holiness from men. But he performed miracles of healing and appeared to people of the city in dreams, calling them to repentance. He was given the gift of discernment of others’ inward condition, and while dancing and raving through the streets would approach people, whisper their sins in their ears, and call them to repentance. He reposed peacefully in 590; John, who had remained in the desert, reposed soon afterward.
Marcella, Virgin-Martyr of Chios (ca. 1500)
Her mother died when she was very young, and she was brought up by her father. As she grew older, she grew in virtue and beauty. Her father conceived an illicit desire for her and made improper advances toward her, which troubled her so greatly that she fled her village and hid in the mountains. Her father pursued her, even wounding her with arrows in his effort to possess her. Finally she took refuge in a cloven rock. When her father found that he could not drag her from her refuge, he viciously dismembered her and threw her head into the sea. From the rock that had sheltered her a stream appeared, whose water had healing virtues. The holy Marcella is especially venerated on Chios to this day.