Ninth Sunday of Pentecost: Gospel and Epistle Reading

Ninth Sunday of Pentecost

or
Ninth Sunday of Matthew

Jesus Walks on the Water

St. Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians 3:9-17

English

Brethren, we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building. According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and another man is building upon it. Let each man take care how he builds upon it. For no other foundation can any one lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any one builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw - each man's work will become manifest; for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work which any man has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If any man's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire. Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you? If any one destroys God's temple, God will destroy him. For God's temple is holy, and that temple you are.

Ninth Gospel Reading of Matins

Ninth Sunday Gospel Reading of Matins
(Ninth Eothinon of Orthros)

Jesus Appears To His Disciples

John 20:19-31

English

On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being shut where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them: "Peace be with you." When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you." And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them: "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained."

Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him: "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them: "Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails, and place my finger in the mark of the nails, and place my hand in his side, I will not believe." Eight days later, his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. The doors were shut, but Jesus came and stood among them, and said: "Peace be with you." Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side; do not be faithless, but believing." Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God!" Jesus said to him, "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe."

Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name.

Synaxis of the Sven Icon of the Mother of God

The Sven Caves Icon of the Mother of God was painted by Saint Alypius of the Kiev Caves (August 17). On the icon the Mother of God is depicted sitting upon a throne, and with the Divine Infant on her knees. Saint Theodosius of the Caves is on the right side of the throne, and Saint Anthony of the Caves on the left. Until the year 1288 it was in the Kiev Caves Monastery, where it was glorified by miracles. In 1288 it was transferred to the Briansk-Svensk Monastery, which is dedicated to the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos.

Saint Theodoret of Kola, Enlightener of the Lapps in Solovki (+ 1571)

St. Theodoret of Kola (Feast Day - August 17)

Venerable Theodoret left his home in Rostov and went to the Solovki Monastery when he was only thirteen years old, where he was a scribe of books. The following year he was tonsured and placed under obedience to the wise Father Zosimas. For the next fifteen years he grew in wisdom and virtue, then was ordained a deacon by the Archbishop of Novgorod.

Theodoret spent one more year with his Elder, then asked for permission to visit other monasteries. At each place he spoke with experienced ascetics, deriving much spiritual profit from their conversation. After two years at the White Lake Monastery, Theodoret lived alone in the forest around the monastery. During his four years in the forest, he came into contact with other ascetics, from whom he learned many useful things.

Synaxis of the Theotokos in Armatios

The Synaxis of our Most Holy Lady the Theotokos in the Armatios district of Constantinople was celebrated twice, on July 21 and August 17. The district of Armatios, or tou Armatiou, received its name from the military magister Armatios, nephew of the tyrant Basiliscus, and a contemporary of the emperor Zeno (474-491). A church or a monastery dedicated to the Theotokos in this district celebrated at this time.