Prayer Before Reading Holy Scripture
O Master Who loves mankind, illuminate our hearts with the pure light of Your divine knowledge and open the eyes of our mind to understand the teachings of Your Gospel. Instill in us also the fear of Your blessed commandments, that we may overcome all carnal desires, entering upon a spiritual life and understanding and acting in all things according to Your holy will. For You are the enlightenment of our souls and bodies, O Christ God, and to You we give glory together with Your eternal Father and Your all-holy, gracious and life-giving Spirit, now and ever and forever. Amen.
Epistle Reading: 2 Timothy 3:10-15
But you have carefully followed my doctrine, manner of
life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, perseverance,
persecutions, afflictions, which happened to me at Antioch,
at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured. And out of them all the
Lord delivered me.
Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will
suffer persecution.
But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse,
deceiving and being deceived.
But as for you, continue in the things which you have
learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them,
and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures,
which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in
Christ Jesus.
Gospel Reading: Luke 18:10-14
"Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and
the other a tax collector.
"The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 'God, I
thank You that I am not like other men; extortioners, unjust, adulterers,
or even as this tax collector.
'I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.'
"And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much
as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God be merciful
to me a sinner!'
"I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather
than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be abased, and he who
humbles himself will be exalted."
Saints and Feasts
Blaise the Holy Martyr of Sebastia; Theodora the Empress; Finding of the relics of Zachariah the Prophet, Father of the Holy Forerunner; George the Serbian
