The holy martyrs Manuel, Sabel, and Ishmael were brothers from an illustrious Persian family in the 7th century. Their father was a pagan, but their mother was a Christian who baptized them and raised them with firm faith in Christ the Savior. The brothers received their crowns of martyrdom after refusing to worship pagan gods during their service in the imperial army.
O Lord our God, your holy martyrs have deserved the crown of immortality on account of their good fight. Armed with your strength, they have vanquished their persecutors and crushed Satan’s dreadful might. Through their supplications, O Christ our God, save our souls.
O blessed martyrs, because of your perfect faith in Christ, you drank the cup of sufferings with generous hearts. You renounced the idols of Persia and proclaimed your belief in the Holy Trinity. O trinity of martyrs, intercede for us at all times.
Romans 3:28 – 4:3
Brothers and sisters: We hold that a man is justified by faith apart from observance of the law. Does God belong to the Jews alone? Is he not also the God of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles too. It is the same God who justifies the circumcised and the uncircumcised on the basis of faith. Are we then abolishing the law by means of faith? Not at all! On the contrary, we are confirming the law.
What, then shall we say if Abraham, our ancestor according to the flesh? Certainly is Abraham was justified by his deeds he has grounds for boasting, but not in God’s view; for what does Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as justice.”
Matthew 7:24 – 8:4
The Lord said to his disciples: “Anyone who hears my words and puts them into practice is like the wise man who built his house on rock. When the rainy season set in, the torrents came and the winds blew and buffeted his house. It did not collapse; it had been solidly set on rock. Anyone who hears my words but does not put them into practice is like the foolish man who built his house on sandy ground. The rains fell, the torrents came, the winds blew and lashed against his house. It collapsed under all this and was completely ruined.”
Jesus finished this discourse and left the crowds spellbound at his teaching. The reason was that he taught with authority and not like their scribes.
When Jesus came down from the mountain, great crowds followed him. Suddenly, a leper came forward and did him homage, saying to him, “Sir, if you will to do so, you can cure me.” Jesus stretched out his hand and touched the leper and said, “I do will it. Be cured.” Immediately the man’s leprosy disappeared. Then Jesus said to him: “See to it that you tell no one. Go and show yourself to the priest and offer the gift Moses prescribed. That should be the proof they need.”
Friday, June 16 –
