Our Venerable Father Onuphrius the Great; Our Venerable Father Peter of Athos.

Troparia and Kontakia

Troparion, Tone 1: You entered the desert, being led by spiritual yearning;* and you fought in it for many years like an angel.* You are the equal of Elijah and the Baptist,* and you were delighted by the Sacred Mysteries ministered by angel hands.* Now that you have gone to them in the Trinity’s light,* pray for us who venerate your memory.

Troparion, Tone 8: The mountain of Athos rejoices, inviting all the monastic choirs to praise you.* We join with them in singing to you, O venerable Peter,* and we lay our petition before you:* Seek peace for the world and mercy for our souls.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.

Kontakion, Tone 3: Illumined by the light of the most Holy Spirit,* you turned your back on the distractions of this life.* Taking up your life in the desert, O venerable father,* you greatly pleased God our Creator.* For this reason, Christ exalts you, O blessed saint.

Now and for ever and ever. Amen.

Kontakion, Tone 2: Leaving the company of mortals,* you took up residence in caves and caverns,* inspired by your love of God and the ardent burning desire of your soul.* You received a crown from God for this.* Now pray unceasingly for all of us to be saved.

Prokeimenon, Tone 7

Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His venerable ones.

verse: What shall I render to the Lord for all the things He has rendered to me? (Psalm 115:15,12)

Epistle

Romans 9:6-19

Brothers and Sisters, it is not as though the word of God had failed. For not all Israelites truly belong to Israel, and not all of Abraham’s children are his true descendants; but “It is through Isaac that descendants shall be named for you.” This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as descendants. For this is what the promise said, “About this time I will return and Sarah shall have a son.” Nor is that all; something similar happened to Rebecca when she had conceived children by one husband, our ancestor Isaac. Even before they had been born or had done anything good or bad (so that God’s purpose of election might continue, not by works but by his call) she was told, “The elder shall serve the younger.” As it is written,

“I have loved Jacob, but I have hated Esau.”

What then are we to say? Is there injustice on God’s part? By no means! For he says to Moses,

“I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”

So it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God who shows mercy. For the scripture says to Pharaoh, “I have raised you up for the very purpose of showing my power in you, so that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth.” So then he has mercy on whomever he chooses, and he hardens the heart of whomever he chooses.

You will say to me then, “Why then does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?”

Alleluia, Tone 6

verse: Blessed is the man who fears the Lord; he shall delight exceedingly in His commandments.

verse: His posterity shall be mighty upon the earth. (Psalm 111:1,2)

Gospel

Matthew 10:32-36; 11:1

The Lord said to his disciples, “Everyone therefore who acknowledges me before others, I also will acknowledge before my Father in heaven; but whoever denies me before others, I also will deny before my Father in heaven.

“Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.

For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and one’s foes will be members of one’s own household.”

Now when Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he went on from there to teach and proclaim his message in their cities.

Communion Hymn

Rejoice in the Lord, O you just;* praise befits the righteous.* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia. (Psalm 32:1)