Sunday, October 25th, is the twenty-first Sunday after Pentecost. On this day we commemorate:
St. Tabitha, the widow raised from the dead by the Apostle Peter (1st c.)
Martyrs Marcian and Martyrius, the Notaries of Constantinople (ca. 355)
Ven. Martyrii (Martyrius) the Deacon, Recluse of the Kiev Caves (Far Caves—13th-14th c.)
Martyr Athanasius the Fuller, at Salona in Dalmatia (3rd c.)
Readings for Sunday, October 25th:
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16
knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.
17
But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is Christ therefore a minister of sin? Certainly not!
18
For if I build again those things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor.
19
For I through the law died to the law that I might live to God.
20
I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
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19
There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day.
20
But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate,
21
desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.
22
So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried.
23
And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
24
Then he cried and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.’
25
But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented.
26
And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.’
27
Then he said, ‘I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house,
28
for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.’
29
Abraham said to him, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.’
30
And he said, ‘No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’
31
But he said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.’”
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.