5th Week After Holy Cross

1 Corinthians 3:10-23
According to the grace of God given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building upon it. But each one must be careful how he builds upon it, for no one can lay a foundation other than the one that is there, namely, Jesus Christ. If anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or straw, the work of each will come to light, for the Day will disclose it. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire (itself) will test the quality of each one’s work. If the work stands that someone built upon the foundation, that person will receive a wage. But if someone’s work is burned up, that one will suffer loss; the person will be saved, but only as through fire. Do you not know that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for the temple of God, which you are, is holy. Let no one deceive himself. If any one among you considers himself wise in this age, let him become a fool so as to become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in the eyes of God, for it is written: “He catches the wise in their own ruses,” and again: “The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain.” So let no one boast about human beings, for everything belongs to you, Paul or Apollos or Kephas, or the world or life or death, or the present or the future: all belong to you, and you to Christ, and Christ to God.

Mark 4:21-25
He said to them, “Is a lamp brought in to be placed under a bushel basket or under a bed, and not to be placed on a lampstand? For there is nothing hidden except to be made visible; nothing is secret except to come to light. Anyone who has ears to hear ought to hear.” He also told them, “Take care what you hear. The measure with which you measure will be measured out to you, and still more will be given to you. To the one who has, more will be given; from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.”

Prayer of the Faithful, vol. III
SAFRO – OPENING PRAYER

O loving One,
you make your sun to rise on the good and the bad,
and your rain to fall upon the just and the unjust;
let the light of your divine gifts shine in the hearts of those who adore you.
Illumine us by the light of your feast,
so that resplendent with these lights we may give you glory,
now and forever.
Amen.

Saints of the Day: Zanitas and Lazarus of Persia (died March 27, 326) were martyrs of the Christian church.
They were monks. With their companions Maruthas, Narses, Helias, Mares, Abibus, Sembeeth, and Sabas, were arrested and imprisoned at Bardiaboch, during the persecutions of Persian king Shapur II. After being comforted and inspired by Jonas and Barachius, they withstood torture and were killed on March 27, 326.
In 339 Shapur II began the second and fiercest persecution of Christians in the Parthian kingdom. This persecution lasted for 40 years until Shapur died in 379 Historian Socrates records 16 thousand unnamed Christians killed at this time including 22 bishops and hundreds of clergy Traditions records that brothers Jonas and Barachisius heard about the persecution, went to Bardiaboch, where the 9 were awaiting execution. they visited the monks in jail on the eve of the execution and found they had been tortured. Jonas and Barachisius gave comforting words to the prisoners and were themselves executed days later. The 11 were buried by Habdisotes, a notable Christian of that town.

Meditation:
Chapter II.-An Exhortation to Virtue.
“Wherefore, girding up your loins,” “serve the Lord in fear” and truth, as those who have forsaken the vain, empty talk and error of the multitude, and “believed in Him who raised up our Lord Jesus Christ from the dead, and gave Him glory,” and a throne at His right hand. To Him all things in heaven and on earth are subject. Him every spirit serves. He comes as the Judge of the living and the dead. His blood will God require of those who do not believe in Him. But He who raised Him up from the dead will raise up us also, if we do His will, and walk in His commandments, and love what He loved, keeping ourselves from all unrighteousness, covetousness, love of money, evil speaking, false witness; “not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing,” or blow for blow, or cursing for cursing, but being mindful of what the Lord said in His teaching: “Judge not, that ye be not judged; forgive, and it shall be forgiven unto you; be merciful, that ye may obtain mercy; with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again; and once more, “Blessed are the poor, and those that are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of God.”
Polycarp of Smyrna, 69 – 155 A.D. martyred in Smyrna (in modern day Turkey)