Ven. Xenia of Rome; Bl. Xenia of St Petersburg; Our Holy Father Macedonian (ca. 430)

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, ²³gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law. ²⁴Those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and lusts.

²⁵If we live by the Spirit, let’s also walk by the Spirit. ²⁶Let’s not become conceited, provoking one another, and envying one another.

¹Brothers, even if a man is caught in some fault, you who are spiritual must restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, looking to yourself so that you also aren’t tempted. ²Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

One of the scribes came and heard them questioning together, and knowing that he had answered them well, asked him, “Which commandment is the greatest of all?”

²⁹Jesus answered, “The greatest is: ‘Hear, Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. ³⁰You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment. ³¹The second is like this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”

³²The scribe said to him, “Truly, teacher, you have said well that he is one, and there is none other but he; ³³and to love him with all the heart, with all the understanding, all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbor as himself, is more important than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

³⁴When Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from God’s Kingdom.” No one dared ask him any question after that. ³⁵Jesus responded, as he taught in the temple, “How is it that the scribes say that the Christ is the son of David? ³⁶For David himself said in the Holy Spirit, ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies the footstool of your feet.”’

³⁷Therefore David himself calls him Lord, so how can he be his son?” The common people heard him gladly.