1 Corinthians 3.18-23 (Epistle)

18Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise. 19For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness. 20And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain. 21Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours; 22Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours; 23And ye are Christ’s; and Christ is God’s.

Matthew 13.36-43 (Gospel)

36Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field. 37He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; 38The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; 39The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. 40As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. 41The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; 42And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. 43Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

Martyrs Proclus and Hilary of Ancyra

Proclus was the uncle of Hilarius; both were from Kallippi in Asia during the reign of Trajan. When Proclus was brought to be tried as a Christian, the judge asked him ‘Of what race are you?’ Proclus answered ‘I am of the race of Christ, and my hope is in my God.’ When the judge threatened to torture him, he said ‘When you are afraid to transgress the Emperor’s commands and risk falling into temporal punishment, how much more do we Christians fear to transgress against God’s commands and fall into eternal torment!’ When Proclus was given over to torture, his nephew Hilarius came forward and proclaimed ‘I too am a Christian.’ After torture, both were condemned to death; Proclus was crucified and Hilarius beheaded.

Imagine how the Orthodox Church would benefit if, when we were asked ‘Of what race are you?’ the first answer that came to mind was not ‘I am Greek, Russian, Serbian…’ but ‘I am of the race of Christ!’

St Veronica, the woman with the issue of blood who was healed by the Savior

See Matthew ch. 9, Mark ch. 5, and Luke ch. 8. After the events told in the Gospel, she spent the remainder of her life as a follower of Christ and reposed in peace.