Our venerable fathers Isaac, Dalmatus, and Faustus: Dalmatus was an officer in the Roman army who abandoned all and entered the monastery where Isaac was abbot. His only son, Faustus, entered with him. Dalmatus followed Isaac as heguman of the monastery, and took part in the Third Ecumenical Council (431), battling against the Nestorian heresy.
The holy Salome the myrrh-bearer was the mother of the apostles James and John, the wife of Zebedee, and she served the Lord during his earthly life, and was made worthy to be among the first bearers of the tidings of His resurrection.
God of our fathers, You always deal with us in Your kindness. Take not Your mercy away from us; but through their prayers guide our life in peace.
Let us praise with hymns Isaac and with him Dalmatus, and Faustus shining as stars in heaven, who dispelled heresies with their faith. Since they are Christ’s servants, they intercede with Him for the salvation of all of us.
1 Corinthians 1: 10-17
Brothers and sisters, I beg you, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to agree in what you say. Let there be no factions; rather, be united in mind and judgment. I have been informed, my brothers and sisters, by certain members of Chloe’s household that you are quarreling among yourselves. This is what I mean: One of you will say, “I belong to Paul,” another, “I belong to Apollos,” still another, “Cephas has my allegiance,” and the fourth, “I belong to Christ.” Has Christ, then, been divided into parts? Was it Paul who was crucified for you? Was it in Paul’s name that you were baptized? Thank God, I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, so there are none who can say that you were baptized in my name. Oh, and I baptized the household of Stephanas. Beyond that, I am not aware of having baptized anyone else. For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel – not with wordy “wisdom,” however, lest the cross of Christ be rendered void of its meaning!
Matthew 14: 14-22
At that time when Jesus saw the vast throng, his heart was moved with pity, and he cured their sick. As evening drew on, his disciples came to him with a suggestion: “This is a deserted place and it is already late. Dismiss the crowds so that they may go to the villages and buy some food for themselves.” Jesus said to them: “There is no need for them to disperse. Give them something to eat yourselves.” They replied, “We have nothing here but five loaves and a couple of fish.” “Bring them here,” Jesus said. Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass. He took the five loaves and two fish, looked up to heaven, blessed and broke them and gave the loaves to the disciples, who in turn gave them to the people. All those present ate their fill. The fragments remaining, when gathered up, filled twelve baskets. Those who ate were about five thousand, not counting women and children.
Immediately afterward, while dismissing the crowds, Jesus insisted that his disciples get into the boat and precede him to the other side of the lake.
Icon courtesy of Jack Figel, Eastern Christian Publications – ecpubs.com
Saturday, August 2 –
