2025

On Tuesday | July 8

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The Readings from the Regular Cycle

The Epistle

Tuesday of the 5th Week

The reading is from Paul’s Letter to the Romans.

Rom. 14:9 – 18

Brethren, to this end Christ died and rose and lived again, that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living. Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of God; for it is written. “As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall give praise to God.” So each of us shall give account of himself to God. Then let us no more pass judgment on one another, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother. I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself; but it is unclean for any one who thinks it unclean. If your brother is being injured by what you eat, you are no longer walking in love. Do not let what you eat cause the ruin of one for whom Christ died. So do not let your good be spoken of as evil. For the kingdom of God is not food and drink but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit; he who thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men. [RSV]

The Gospel

Tuesday of the 5th Week of Matthew

The reading is from the holy Gospel according to Matthew.

Mt. 12:14 – 16, 22 – 30

At that time, the Pharisees took counsel against Jesus, how to destroy him. Jesus, aware of this, withdrew from there. And many crowds followed him, and he healed them all, and ordered them not to make him known. Then a blind and dumb demoniac was brought to him, and he healed him, so that the dumb man spoke and saw. And all the people were amazed, and said, “Can this be the Son of David?” But when the Pharisees heard it they said, “It is only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, that this man casts out demons.” Knowing their thoughts, he said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand; and if Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself; how then will his kingdom stand? And if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges. But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. Or how can one enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? Then indeed he may plunder his house. He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters.” [RSV]

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The Readings for the Commemoration

The Epistle

For the Martyr.

The reading is from Paul’s First Letter to Timothy.

1 Tim. 4:9 – 15

Timothy, my son, the saying is sure and worthy of full acceptance. For to this end we toil and suffer reproach, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe. Command and teach these things. Let no one despise your youth, but set the believers an example in speech and conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. Till I come, attend to reading, to preaching, to teaching. Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophetic utterance when the council of elders laid their hands upon you. Practice these duties, devote yourself to them, so that all may see your progress. [RSV]

The Gospel

For the Martyr.

The reading is from the holy Gospel according to Luke.

Lk. 6:17 – 19, 9:1 – 2, 10:16 – 22

At that time, there came to Jesus a great crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases; and those who were troubled with unclean spirits were cured. And all the crowd sought to touch him, for power came forth from him and healed them all. And he called his twelve disciples together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, and sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. And he said to them, “He who hears you hears me, and he who rejects you rejects me, and he who rejects me rejects him who sent me.” The seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!” And he said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Behold, I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing shall hurt you. Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you: but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” In that same hour Jesus rejoiced in the spirit and said, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to babes; yes, Father, for so it was well-pleasing before you. All things have been delivered to me by my Father; and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son and any one to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.” [RSV]

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Stand for the reading of the Synaxarion.

Synaxarion

From the Menaion.

On July 8 we commemorate the holy Great-martyr Procopius.

Saint Theodosia, the mother of Saint Procopius, died by the sword.

The Twelve Women of senatorial rank died by the sword.

The holy Martyrs Antiochus, Nicostratus, Abdas and Sabbas died by the sword.

The devout Theophilus, who lived in asceticism on the Holy Mountain of Athos, reposed in peace.

The holy New Hieromartyr Anastasius, who was from Hagios Vlasios, Hegoumenitsa, witnessed in Constantinople and died by the sword in the year 1743.

By their holy intercessions, O God, have mercy on us. Amen.

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Fasting Rule

Fast Free: All foods allowed.