Isaiah 4.2-5.7 (6th Hour)

2And in that day God shall shine gloriously in counsel on the earth, to exalt and glorify the remnant of Israel. 3And it shall be, that the remnant left in Sion, and the remnant left in Jerusalem, even all that are appointed to life in Jerusalem, shall be called holy. 4For the Lord shall wash away the filth of the sons and daughters of Sion, and shall purge out the blood from the midst of them, with the spirit of judgment, and the spirit of burning. 5And he shall come, and it shall be with regard to every place of mount Sion, yes, all the region round about it shall a cloud overshadow by day, and there shall be as it were the smoke and light of fire burning by night: and upon all the glory shall be a defence. 6And it shall be for a shadow from the heat, and as a shelter and a hiding place from inclemency of weather and from rain.

1Now I will sing to my beloved a song of my beloved concerning my vineyard. My beloved had a vineyard on a high hill in a fertile place. 2And I made a hedge round it, and dug a trench, and planted a choice vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and dug a place for the wine-vat in it: and I waited for it to bring forth grapes, and it brought forth thorns. 3And now, you⌃ dwellers in Jerusalem, and every man of Juda, judge between me and my vineyard. 4What shall I do any more to my vineyard, that I have not done to it? Whereas I expected it to bring forth grapes, but it has brought forth thorns. 5And now I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard: I will take away its hedge, and it shall be for a spoil; and I will pull down its walls, and it shall be left to be trodden down. 6And I will forsake my vineyard; and it shall not be pruned, nor dug, and thorns shall come up upon it as on barren land; and I will command the clouds to rain no rain upon it. 7For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Juda his beloved plant: I expected it to bring forth judgment, and it brought forth iniquity; and not righteousness, but a cry.

Genesis 3.21-4.7 (Vespers)

21And the Lord God made for Adam and his wife garments of skin, and clothed them. 22And God said, Behold, Adam is become as one of us, to know good and evil, and now lest at any time he stretch forth his hand, and take of the tree of life and eat, and so he shall live forever— 23So the Lord God sent him forth out of the garden of Delight to cultivate the ground out of which he was taken. 24And he cast out Adam and caused him to dwell over against the garden of Delight, and stationed the cherubs and the fiery sword that turns about to keep the way of the tree of life.

1And Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and brought forth Cain and said, I have gained a man through God. 2And she again bore his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. 3And it was so after some time that Cain brought of the fruits of the earth a sacrifice to the Lord. 4And Abel also brought of the first born of his sheep and of his fatlings, and God looked upon Abel and his gifts, 5but Cain and his sacrifices he regarded not, and Cain was exceedingly sorrowful and his countenance fell. 6And the Lord God said to Cain, Why are you become very sorrowful and why is your countenance fallen? 7Have you not sinned if you have brought it rightly, but not rightly divided it? be still, to you shall be his submission, and you shall rule over him.

Proverbs 3.34-4.22 (Vespers)

34The Lord resists the proud; but he gives grace to the humble. 35The wise shall inherit glory; but the ungodly have exalted their own dishonor.

1Hear, you⌃ children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding. 2For I give you a good gift; forsake you⌃ not my law. 3For I also was a son obedient to my father, and loved in the sight of my mother: 4who spoke and instructed me, saying, Let our speech be fixed in your heart, keep our commandments, forget them not: 5and do not neglect the speech of my mouth. 6And forsake it not, and it shall cleave to you: love it, and it shall keep you. 8Secure it, and it shall exalt you: honor it, that it may embrace you; 9that it may give to your head a crown of graces, and may cover you with a crown of delight. 10Hear, my son, and receive my words; and the years of your life shall be increased, that the resources of your life may be many. 11For I teach you the ways of wisdom; and I cause you to go in right paths. 12For when you go, your steps shall not be straitened; and when you run, you shall not be distressed. 13Take hold of my instruction; let it not go, —but keep it for yourself for your life. 14Go not in the ways of the ungodly, neither covet the ways of transgressors. 15In whatever place they shall pitch their camp, go not there; but turn from them, and pass away. 16For they can’t sleep, unless they have done evil: their sleep is taken away, and they rest not. 17For these live upon the bread of ungodliness, and are drunken with wine of transgression. 18But the ways of the righteous shine like light; they go on and shine, until the day be fully come. 19But the ways of the ungodly are dark; they know not how they stumble. 20My son, attend to my speech; and apply your ear to my words: 21that your fountains may not fail you; keep them in your heart. 22For they are life to those that find them, and health to all their flesh.

Martyr Quadratus and Companions

‘In a time of persecution of Christians, many of the faithful fled to the mountains and caves. The mother of this Codratus did so. She was pregnant at that time, and gave birth to Codratus in a forest, dying almost at once. He was kept safe and fed by the providence of God and his guardian angel. Codratus grew up in solitude with nature. He who gave manna from heaven to the Israelites in the wilderness released a sweet dew from a cloud onto the mouth of the child Codratus. When he was twelve years old, he went down to the town, and there some good people took a fancy to him and educated him. He studied medicine and then began to heal the sick, using both natural medicines and, more importantly, the spiritual power and prayer which had been with him from childhood. When a new persecution arose under Decius, Codratus was taken for trial and thrown into prison. Five of his friends stood beside him and confessed the name of Christ. They were: Cyprian, Dionysius, Anectus, Paul and Crescens. They were all dragged through the streets and struck with sticks and stones by the unbelievers, especially by the children, until they arrived at the scaffold. Here the martyrs prayed to God and were beheaded with the sword. A spring of water gushed out onto the earth at the spot, which to this day is called by Codratus’ name and commemorates the heroic death for Christ of the holy six. They suffered with honour for the truth in Corinth in the year 250, in the time of the Emperor Decius and his governor Jason.’ (Prologue)

Our Holy Mother Anastasia (563)

She was a noble lady at the Imperial court under the Emperor Justinian and his wife Theodora. But when she was widowed she left Constantinople and all her privileges behind and fled to the Egyptian desert. There Abba Daniel tonsured her and, at her request, presented her to the brethren as the eunuch Anastasius, so that she might avoid discovery by imperial investigators. She closed herself in a small cell, where she spent twenty-eight years in prayer and askesis. Shortly before her death, her elder Daniel saw her face shining like the sun.