Daily Readings | October 22, 2026 - Holy Transfiguration Antiochian Orthodox Monastery

Daily Readings | October 22, 2026

Holy Transfiguration Antiochian Orthodox Monastery

Today’s Readings

Epistle: St. Paul’s Letter to the Colossians 1:24–29; 2:1
Gospel: Luke 9:49–56
Saint of the Day: Our Holy Father Abercius, Bishop of Hierapolis

Epistle of the Day

St. Paul’s Letter to the Colossians 1:24–29; 2:1

Brethren, now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I complete what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of His body, that is, the Church, of which I became a minister according to the divine office which was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now made manifest to His saints. To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Him we proclaim, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man mature in Christ. For this I toil, striving with all the energy which He mightily inspires within me. For I want you to know how greatly I strive for you.

Gospel of the Day

Luke 9:49–56

At that time, one of Jesus’ disciples came to Him and said, “Master, we saw a man casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him, because he does not follow with us.” But Jesus said to him, “Do not forbid him; for he that is not against you is for you.” When the days drew near for Him to be received up, He set His face to go to Jerusalem. And He sent messengers ahead of Him, who went and entered a village of the Samaritans, to make ready for Him; but the people would not receive Him, because His face was set toward Jerusalem. And when His disciples James and John saw it, they said, “Lord, do You want us to bid fire come down from heaven and consume them as Elijah did?” But He turned and rebuked them. And they went on to another village.

Gospel Reflection

In this Gospel, the disciples try to stop a man from casting out demons in Jesus’ name because he does not belong to their group. Jesus tells them not to forbid him. He teaches that doing good in His name is not about pride or belonging to a particular circle, but about serving God faithfully. Later, when a Samaritan village refuses to welcome Jesus, James and John want to call down fire upon its people. Jesus rebukes them instead. Even when others reject Him, He does not HOLY TRANSFIGURATION ANTIOCHIAN ORTHODOX MONASTERY teach His disciples to respond with anger or revenge. His example calls us to patience, mercy, and love. The main message is that following Christ means setting aside pride and resentment. We should rejoice when good is done in His name and respond to rejection with compassion rather than hostility.

Saint of the Day

Our Holy Father Abercius, Bishop of Hierapolis

Saint Abercius was the Bishop of Hierapolis in Phrygia during the reign of Emperor Marcus Aurelius, a time when Christians faced persecution. While the people of Hierapolis worshipped pagan gods and offered sacrifices to idols, Saint Abercius remained faithful to Christ and prayed for God to have mercy on them. One night, an Angel appeared to him in a vision and commanded him to destroy the pagan idols. Strengthened by God, Saint Abercius went out and overturned the idols. The following morning, the people became furious and gathered to kill him. However, when they confronted him, he used the very staff with which he had destroyed the idols to drive away the demons afflicting three men. Witnessing this miracle, the crowd was filled with fear and amazement. Five hundred people believed in Christ and were baptized that day. News of his miracles spread throughout the region, and many came seeking healing and spiritual guidance. Even Emperor Marcus Aurelius heard of Saint Abercius and summoned him to Rome because his daughter was tormented by an unclean spirit. Through the power of Jesus Christ, Saint Abercius delivered her from the demon. Although the grateful Empress offered him gold, he refused it, choosing instead to continue serving God. Following a vision, Saint Abercius travelled to Syria, preaching the Christian faith, healing the sick, casting out demons, and defending the Church against false teachings. He journeyed through many lands, spreading the Gospel and strengthening believers. Because of his great missionary work, he received the title Equal-to-the-Apostles. After several years, Saint Abercius returned to Phrygia, where he continued teaching, baptizing, and caring for his flock. As the end of his earthly life approached, he withdrew to a mountain to pray. There, God revealed to him that his departure was near. He returned to Hierapolis and prepared his tomb, leaving an inscription describing his faith and travels. Having gathered those close to him, Saint Abercius blessed them and peacefully fell asleep in the Lord. His life remains a beautiful example of courage, humility, unwavering faith, and dedication to spreading the word of God. ☦ Our Holy Father Abercius, pray to God for us.

Daily Readings | October 22, 2026