August 31, 2026

Events of the day

No commemorations in the content package for this day yet

Fasting

No fast

No fast today.

Food rules are reference church information. Agree your personal measure of fasting with a priest; consult a doctor if you are ill.

Readings of the day

• Epistle

  2 Corinthians 12:10–19

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  ¹⁰Therefore I take pleasure in weaknesses, in injuries, in necessities, in persecutions, and in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then am I strong.

  ¹¹I have become foolish in boasting. You compelled me, for I ought to have been commended by you, for I am in no way inferior to the very best apostles, though I am nothing.

  ¹²Truly the signs of an apostle were worked among you in all perseverance, in signs and wonders and mighty works.

  ¹³For what is there in which you were made inferior to the rest of the assemblies, unless it is that I myself was not a burden to you? Forgive me this wrong.

  ¹⁴Behold, this is the third time I am ready to come to you, and I will not be a burden to you; for I seek not your possessions, but you. For the children ought not to save up for the parents, but the parents for the children.

  ¹⁵I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls. If I love you more abundantly, am I loved the less?

  ¹⁶Even so, I myself didn’t burden you. “But, being crafty, I caught you with deception.”

  ¹⁷Did I take advantage of you by anyone of those whom I have sent to you?

  ¹⁸I exhorted Titus, and I sent the brother with him. Did Titus take any advantage of you? Didn’t we walk in the same spirit? Didn’t we walk in the same steps?

  ¹⁹Again, do you think that we are excusing ourselves to you? In the sight of God we speak in Christ. But all things, beloved, are for your edifying.

• Gospel

  Mark 4:10–23

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  ¹⁰When he was alone, those who were around him with the twelve asked him about the parables.

  ¹¹He said to them, “To you is given the mystery of God’s Kingdom, but to those who are outside, all things are done in parables,

  ¹²that ‘seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest perhaps they should turn again, and their sins should be forgiven them.’ ”

  ¹³He said to them, “Don’t you understand this parable? How will you understand all of the parables?

  ¹⁴The farmer sows the word.

  ¹⁵The ones by the road are the ones where the word is sown; and when they have heard, immediately Satan comes, and takes away the word which has been sown in them.

  ¹⁶These in the same way are those who are sown on the rocky places, who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with joy.

  ¹⁷They have no root in themselves, but are short-lived. When oppression or persecution arises because of the word, immediately they stumble.

  ¹⁸Others are those who are sown among the thorns. These are those who have heard the word,

  ¹⁹and the cares of this age, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.

  ²⁰Those which were sown on the good ground are those who hear the word, and accept it, and bear fruit, some thirty times, some sixty times, and some one hundred times.”

  ²¹He said to them, “Is the lamp brought to be put under a basket or under a bed? Isn’t it put on a stand?

  ²²For there is nothing hidden, except that it should be made known; neither was anything made secret, but that it should come to light.

  ²³If any man has ears to hear, let him hear.”

Source: Orthocal: lectionary data — Slavic tradition, New Calendar (OCA practice). Text: World English Bible.

Saints and icons

• Prayer of the day: Morning prayer of St Macarius the Great