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: Romans 5:10-16
For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through
the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved
by His life.
And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our
Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.
Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and
death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned;
(For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not
imputed when there is no law.
Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over
those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of
Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come.
But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one
man's offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the
grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many.
And the gift is not like that which came through the one who
sinned. For the judgment which came from one offense resulted in
condemnation, but the free gift which came from many offenses resulted in
justification.
Gospel Reading: Matthew 8:23-27
Now when He got into a boat, His disciples followed Him.
And suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea, so that the
boat was covered with the waves. But He was asleep.
Then His disciples came to Him and awoke Him, saying, "Lord,
save us! We are perishing!"
But He said to them, "Why are you fearful, O you of little
faith?" Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea. And there was a
great calm.
And the men marveled, saying, "Who can this be, that even
the winds and the sea obey Him?"
Saints and Feasts
Bartholomew the Holy Apostle; Alexander and Antonina the Martyrs; Timothy, Bishop of Proussa; Theophanes & Pansemne of Antioch; Our Holy Father Gregory, Bishop of Assos; The Holy Martyrs of China
