Saint Josaphat, Bishop and Martyr

1But all men are vain, who are not under the knowledge of God, and who, from these good things that are seen, were not able to understand he who is, nor, by paying attention to the works, did they acknowledge he who was the artisan. 2Instead, they had considered either the fire, or the air, or the atmosphere, or the circle of stars, or the great sea, or the sun and moon, to be the gods that rule the world. 3If they, being delighted by such sights, supposed them to be gods, let them know how great the Lord of them is in splendor. For he who created all things is the author of beauty. 4Or, if they wondered at their power and their effects, let them understand by these things, that he who created them is mightier than they are. 5For, by the greatness of the creation and its beauty, the creator of these will be able to be seen discernibly. 6Yet, up to this point, the complaint about this is lesser. For perhaps they made a mistake in this, while desiring and seeking to find God. 7And, indeed, having some familiarity with him through his works, they search, and they are persuaded, because the things that they are seeing are good. 8But, then again, neither can their debt be ignored. 9For, if they were able to know enough so that they could value the universe, how is it they did not easily discover the Lord of it?

2The heavens describe the glory of God, and the firmament announces the work of his hands.

3Day proclaims the word to day, and night to night imparts knowledge.

4There are no speeches or conversations, where their voices are not being heard.

5Their sound has gone forth through all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world.

26And just as it happened in the days of Noah, so also will it be in the days of the Son of man. 27They were eating and drinking; they were taking wives and being given in marriage, even until the day that Noah entered the ark. And the flood came and destroyed them all. 28It shall be similar to what happened in the days of Lot. They were eating and drinking; they were buying and selling; they were planting and building. 29Then, on the day that Lot departed from Sodom, it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and it destroyed them all. 30According to these things, so shall it be in the day when the Son of man will be revealed. 31In that hour, whoever will be on the rooftop, with his goods in the house, let him not descend to take them. And whoever will be in the field, similarly, let him not turn back. 32Remember Lot’s wife. 33Whoever has sought to save his life, will lose it; and whoever has lost it, will bring it back to life. 34I say to you, in that night, there will be two in one bed. One will be taken up, and the other will be left behind. 35Two will be at the grindstone together. One will be taken up, and the other will be left behind. Two will be in the field. One will be taken up, and the other will be left behind.” 36Responding, they said to him, “Where, Lord?” 37And he said to them, “Wherever the body will be, in that place also, the eagles shall be gathered together.”