October, 7 2022/September, 24 2022

Taught by the words of Paul, O Thecla, bride of God,
and confirmed through faith by Peter, O divinely called one,
thou wast shown to be the protomartyr and first sufferer among women.
Thou didst enter the flame as it were a place abloom with flowers,
and the wild beasts and bulls stood in awe of thee, for thou didst arm thyself with the Cross.

Wherefore, O most lauded one, entreat Christ, that our souls be saved.
Having wounded thy heart with the love of Christ, O good virgin,
thou didst spurn a transient betrothed as of no account;
and didst brave the fire and shut the mouths of the wild beasts.
And, saved from them, O Thecla, first among women to suffer,
thou didst take care to seek out Paul.

 

READINGS:

EPHESIANS 4:17-25

17 This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind,

18 having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart;

19 who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.

20 But you have not so learned Christ,

21 if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus:

22 that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts,

23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind,

24 and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.

25 Therefore, putting away lying, “Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,” for we are members of one another.

LUKE 4:22-30

22 So all bore witness to Him, and marveled at the gracious words which proceeded out of His mouth. And they said, “Is this not Joseph’s son?”

23 He said to them, “You will surely say this proverb to Me, ‘Physician, heal yourself! Whatever we have heard done in Capernaum, do also here in Your country.’ ”

24 Then He said, “Assuredly, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own country.

25 But I tell you truly, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, and there was a great famine throughout all the land;

26 but to none of them was Elijah sent except to Zarephath, in the region of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow.

27 And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet, and none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian.

28 So all those in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath,

29 and rose up and thrust Him out of the city; and they led Him to the brow of the hill on which their city was built, that they might throw Him down over the cliff.

30 Then passing through the midst of them, He went His way.