Friday, July 23, 2060
Hieromartyr Phocas, Bishop of Sinope; Hieromartyr Apollinarius, bishop of Ravenna (75); Holy Prophet Ezekiel (6th c. BC)
Friday of the 6th week after Pentecost
Tone 4. Fast day: strict. What this means
The Epistle
1 Corinthians 4:5–8
Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts. Then each man will get his praise from God.
6Now these things, brothers, I have in a figure transferred to myself and Apollos for your sakes, that in us you might learn not to think beyond the things which are written, that none of you be puffed up against one another. 7For who makes you different? And what do you have that you didn’t receive? But if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?
8You are already filled. You have already become rich. You have come to reign without us. Yes, and I wish that you did reign, that we also might reign with you!
The Gospel
Matthew 13:44–54
“Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid. In his joy, he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
45“Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a man who is a merchant seeking fine pearls, 46who having found one pearl of great price, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.
47“Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a dragnet that was cast into the sea and gathered some fish of every kind, 48which, when it was filled, fishermen drew up on the beach. They sat down and gathered the good into containers, but the bad they threw away. 49So it will be in the end of the world. The angels will come and separate the wicked from among the righteous, 50and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
51Jesus said to them, “Have you understood all these things?” They answered him, “Yes, Lord.”
52He said to them, “Therefore every scribe who has been made a disciple in the Kingdom of Heaven is like a man who is a householder, who brings out of his treasure new and old things.”
53When Jesus had finished these parables, he departed from there. 54Coming into his own country, he taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished and said, “Where did this man get this wisdom and these mighty works?
Commemorated today
- Martys Trophimus, Theophilus and Companions
- Hieromartyr Phocas, Bishop of Sinope
- Pelagia the Righteous of Tinos
- St. Anna of Levkadio
- The Icons of the Most Holy Theotokos of Pochaev, Icon of the Mother of God
- Hieromartyr Apollinarius, bishop of Ravenna (75)
- Holy Prophet Ezekiel (6th c. BC)
- Righteous Anna (Hannah), mother of the prophet Samuel Righteous Anna (Hannah), mother of the prophet Samuel
Hymns and lives of the saints are on the Online Chapel of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese.