Afterfeast of the Dormition of the Theotokos - 8/16/26
Sunday, August 16th, is the eleventh Sunday after Pentecost. On this day we celebrate the Afterfeast of the Dormition of the Theotokos. We also remember:
The translation of the Image “Not-made-by-hands” of our Lord Jesus Christ from Edessa to Constantinople (944)
Holy Unmercenary Physician Diomedes (298)
Ven. Cherimon (Chæremon) of Egypt (4th c.)
The Feodorovskaya Icon of the Mother of God (1239).
Readings for Sunday, August 16th:
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2
If I am not an apostle to others, yet doubtless I am to you. For you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.
3
My defense to those who examine me is this:
4
Do we have no right to eat and drink?
5
Do we have no right to take along a believing wife, as do also the other apostles, the brothers of the Lord, and Cephas?
6
Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no right to refrain from working?
7
Who ever goes to war at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat of its fruit? Or who tends a flock and does not drink of the milk of the flock?
8
Do I say these things as a mere man? Or does not the law say the same also?
9
For it is written in the law of Moses, “You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain.” Is it oxen God is concerned about?
10
Or does He say it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written, that he who plows should plow in hope, and he who threshes in hope should be partaker of his hope.
11
If we have sown spiritual things for you, is it a great thing if we reap your material things?
12
If others are partakers of this right over you, are we not even more? Nevertheless we have not used this right, but endure all things lest we hinder the gospel of Christ.
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23
Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants.
24
And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents.
25
But as he was not able to pay, his master commanded that he be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and that payment be made.
26
The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, ‘Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’
27
Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt.
28
But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, ‘Pay me what you owe!’
29
So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’
30
And he would not, but went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt.
31
So when his fellow servants saw what had been done, they were very grieved, and came and told their master all that had been done.
32
Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me.
33
Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?’
34
And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him.
35
So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.”
The Holy Scriptures are part of the Church’s Holy Tradition. Metropolitan Kallistos Ware of blessed memory wrote:
In the words of Father Alexander Schmemann, “A Christian is the one who, wherever he looks, finds everywhere Christ, and rejoices in Him.” This is true in particular of the biblical Christian. Wherever he looks, on every page, he finds everywhere Christ.
See Metropolitan Ware’s article How to Read the Bible for more on an Orthodox approach to scripture.