Our holy father Gregory, Bishop of Nyssa, brother of St. Basil the Great, one of the great theologians of the Byzantine Church (c. 395)
The venerable Dometian, Bishop of Melitene, who lived under Emperors Justinian the Lesser and Maurice. He was known for his remarkable intelligence, prudence, and spiritual zeal, and for his love of the poor. (602)
Our venerable father Marcian, priest and treasurer of the Great Church in Constantinople, second in command to Patriarch Gennadius. (c. 471)
Troparion
God of our fathers, You always deal with us according to Your everlasting compassion. Take not Your mercy away from us; but through their prayers guide our life in peace.
Kontakion – Gregory
That heavenly hierarch of the Church and precious mystic orator of Wisdom, that vigilant mind, Greogory of Nyssa, sings praises along with the angels and finds delight in the Light divine. He now prays unceasingly for all of us.
Kontakion – Marcian
You were anointed with the divine priesthood, and you showed this by virtue and obedience to Christ. Having finished your course, O Father, you sing with the angels in heaven: Glory to your compassion, O Savior! Glory to your kingdom! Glory to your providence, O Lover of Humankind!
Epistle
1 Corinthians 12: 7-11
To each individual the manifestation of the Spirit is given some benefit. To one is given through the Spirit the expression of wisdom; to another the expression of knowledge according to the same Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the one Spirit; to another mighty deeds; to another prophecy; to another interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit produces all of these, distributing them individually to each person as he wishes.
Gospel
Matthew 10: 1,5-8
Then He summoned His twelve disciples and gave them the authority to expel unclean spirits and to cure sickness and disease of every kind.
Jesus sent these men on mission as the Twelve, after giving them the following instructions:
“Do not visit pagan territory and so not enter a Samaritan town. Go instead after the lost sheep of the house of Israel. As you go, make this announcement, ‘The reign of God is at hand! Cure the sick, raise the dead, heal the leprous, expel demons. The gift you have received, give as a gift.”
Icon courtesy of Jack Figel, Eastern Christian Publications – ecpubs.com
Wednesday, January 10 –
