Ven. Joannicus the Great; The Holy Hieromartyrs Nicander, Bishop of Myra, and Hermias the Presbyter; Porphyrios the Mime

He is the head of the body, the assembly, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things he might have the preeminence. ¹⁹For all the fullness was pleased to dwell in him, ²⁰and through him to reconcile all things to himself by him, whether things on the earth or things in the heavens, having made peace through the blood of his cross.

²¹You, being in past times alienated and enemies in your mind in your evil deeds, ²²yet now he has reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and without defect and blameless before him, ²³if it is so that you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the Good News which you heard, which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven, of which I, Paul, was made a servant.

But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and every herb, but you bypass justice and God’s love. You ought to have done these, and not to have left the other undone. ⁴³Woe to you Pharisees! For you love the best seats in the synagogues and the greetings in the marketplaces. ⁴⁴Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like hidden graves, and the men who walk over them don’t know it.”

⁴⁵One of the lawyers answered him, “Teacher, in saying this you insult us also.”

⁴⁶He said, “Woe to you lawyers also! For you load men with burdens that are difficult to carry, and you yourselves won’t even lift one finger to help carry those burdens.