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: 1 Timothy 6:17-21

Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy.

Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share,

storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.

O Timothy! Guard what was committed to your trust, avoiding the profane and vain babblings and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge;

by professing it, some have strayed concerning the faith. Grace be with you. Amen.

Gospel Reading: Luke 18:31-34

Then He took the twelve aside and said to them, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of Man will be accomplished.

“For He will be delivered to the Gentiles and will be mocked and insulted and spit upon.

“And they will scourge Him and put Him to death. And the third day He will rise again.”

But they understood none of these things; this saying was hidden from them, and they did not know the things which were spoken.

Saints and Feasts

James the Great Martyr of Persia; Nathaniel of Nitria & Pinouphrios of Egypt, the Righteous; James the Wonderworker, Bishop of Rostov; Gregory of Sinai and his disciple Gerasimos; Arsenios of Rhaxos