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.
2 Corinthians 11.31-12.9 (Epistle)
31The God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ, he who is blessed forever more, knows that I don’t lie.
32In Damascus the governor under King Aretas guarded the Damascenes’ city, desiring to arrest me.
33I was let down in a basket through a window by the wall, and escaped his hands.
1It is doubtless not profitable for me to boast, but I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord.
2I know a man in Christ who was caught up into the third heaven fourteen years ago—whether in the body, I don’t know, or whether out of the body, I don’t know; God knows.
3I know such a man (whether in the body, or outside of the body, I don’t know; God knows),
4how he was caught up into Paradise and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.
5On behalf of such a one I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except in my weaknesses.
6For if I would desire to boast, I will not be foolish; for I will speak the truth. But I refrain, so that no man may think more of me than that which he sees in me or hears from me.
7By reason of the exceeding greatness of the revelations, that I should not be exalted excessively, a thorn in the flesh was given to me: a messenger of Satan to torment me, that I should not be exalted excessively.
8Concerning this thing, I begged the Lord three times that it might depart from me.
9He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Most gladly therefore I will rather glory in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest on me.
Hebrews 13.7-16
(Epistle, St John Kochurov)
7Remember your leaders, men who spoke to you the word of God, and considering the results of their conduct, imitate their faith.
8Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
9Don’t be carried away by various and strange teachings, for it is good that the heart be established by grace, not by foods, through which those who were so occupied were not benefited.
10We have an altar from which those who serve the holy tabernacle have no right to eat.
11For the bodies of those animals, whose blood is brought into the holy place by the high priest as an offering for sin, are burned outside of the camp.
12Therefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people through his own blood, suffered outside of the gate.
13Let’s therefore go out to him outside of the camp, bearing his reproach.
14For we don’t have here an enduring city, but we seek that which is to come.
15Through him, then, let’s offer up a sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of lips which proclaim allegiance to his name.
16But don’t forget to be doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.
Luke 8.26-39 (Gospel)
26Then they arrived at the country of the Gadarenes, which is opposite Galilee.
27When Jesus stepped ashore, a certain man out of the city who had demons for a long time met him. He wore no clothes, and didn’t live in a house, but in the tombs.
28When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell down before him, and with a loud voice said, “What do I have to do with you, Jesus, you Son of the Most High God? I beg you, don’t torment me!”
29For Jesus was commanding the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For the unclean spirit had often seized the man. He was kept under guard and bound with chains and fetters. Breaking the bonds apart, he was driven by the demon into the desert.
30Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” He said, “Legion,” for many demons had entered into him.
31They begged him that he would not command them to go into the abyss.
32Now there was there a herd of many pigs feeding on the mountain, and they begged him that he would allow them to enter into those. Then he allowed them.
33The demons came out of the man and entered into the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned.
34When those who fed them saw what had happened, they fled and told it in the city and in the country.
35People went out to see what had happened. They came to Jesus and found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting at Jesus’ feet, clothed and in his right mind; and they were afraid.
36Those who saw it told them how he who had been possessed by demons was healed.
37All the people of the surrounding country of the Gadarenes asked him to depart from them, for they were very much afraid. Then he entered into the boat and returned.
38But the man from whom the demons had gone out begged him that he might go with him, but Jesus sent him away, saying,
39“Return to your house, and declare what great things God has done for you.” He went his way, proclaiming throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him.
Luke 12.32-40
(Gospel, St John Kochurov)
32“Don’t be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the Kingdom.
33Sell what you have and give gifts to the needy. Make for yourselves purses which don’t grow old, a treasure in the heavens that doesn’t fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys.
34For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
35“Let your waist be dressed and your lamps burning.
36Be like men watching for their lord when he returns from the wedding feast, that when he comes and knocks, they may immediately open to him.
37Blessed are those servants whom the lord will find watching when he comes. Most certainly I tell you that he will dress himself, make them recline, and will come and serve them.
38They will be blessed if he comes in the second or third watch and finds them so.
39But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what hour the thief was coming, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into.
40Therefore be ready also, for the Son of Man is coming in an hour that you don’t expect him.”
Commemorations
Holy Apostles Stachys, Apelles, Amplias, Urban, Narcissus and Aristobolus.
They are numbered among the Seventy. All six are mentioned by St Paul in the sixteenth chapter of his Epistle to the Romans. Stachys was appointed Bishop of Byzantium by the Apostle Andrew, and reposed in peace in AD 54. Apelles became Bishop of Heraclea in Asia Minor. Amplias and Urban were made Bishops in Macedonia by St Andrew; both died as Martyrs. Narcissus became Bishop of Athens and died a Martyr. Aristobulus became Bishop of Britain, where he reposed in peace.
New Martyr Nicholas of Chios (1754)
Raised in piety, he worked as a stone-mason until an accident deprived him of his reason and of the power of speech. The local Turkish rulers took advantage of his condition to declare him a Muslim. For years thereafter he was employed as a shepherd until he met a monk named Cyril, who prayed fervently that he be restored to his senses. He was miraculously restored, and almost immediately was filled with the desire to repent and to live only for Christ, devoting himself to prayer, fasting and vigil. Some time later he was falsely suspected of a crime by the (Christian) people of his village, and brought before the Turkish authorities. When he was questioned, he declared ‘I was born a Christian, I was brought up as a Christian, I have never denied Christ for Islam, and I never will deny Him, but will die a Christian.’ For this he was brutally tortured. Many local Christians, including the village priest, feared for their own safety and urged him to deny Christ, but Nicholas only rebuked them and stood firm. After many days of torture he was finally slain by the sword. The Synaxarion tells how a thick darkness fell on the whole island of Chios. When the dismayed Turks burned the Martyr’s body to be rid of this miracle, they were further dismayed when a heavenly scent rose from the flames, revealing the Saint’s entry into eternal glory.