Martyrs Proclus and Hilary of Ancyra; St Veronica, the woman with the issue of blood who was healed by the Savior; Saint Païsios of the Holy Mountain (1994) (June 29 OC)

God didn’t reject his people, whom he foreknew. Or don’t you know what the Scripture says about Elijah? How he pleads with God against Israel: ³“Lord, they have killed your prophets. They have broken down your altars. I am left alone, and they seek my life.” ⁴But how does God answer him? “I have reserved for myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” ⁵Even so too at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace. ⁶And if by grace, then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace. But if it is of works, it is no longer grace; otherwise work is no longer work.

⁷What then? That which Israel seeks for, that he didn’t obtain, but the chosen ones obtained it, and the rest were hardened. ⁸According as it is written, “God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear, to this very day.”

⁹David says, “Let their table be made a snare, a trap, a stumbling block, and a retribution to them. ¹⁰Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see. Always keep their backs bent.”

¹¹I ask then, did they stumble that they might fall? May it never be! But by their fall salvation has come to the Gentiles, to provoke them to jealousy. ¹²Now if their fall is the riches of the world, and their loss the riches of the Gentiles, how much more their fullness!

Then he began to denounce the cities in which most of his mighty works had been done, because they didn’t repent. ²¹“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon which were done in you, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. ²²But I tell you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you. ²³You, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, you will go down to Hades. For if the mighty works had been done in Sodom which were done in you, it would have remained until today. ²⁴But I tell you that it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom on the day of judgment, than for you.”

²⁵At that time, Jesus answered, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you hid these things from the wise and understanding, and revealed them to infants. ²⁶Yes, Father, for so it was well-pleasing in your sight.