Thursday in the Fifteenth Week after Pentecost

The Lesson of the Epistle of the Holy Apostle Paul to the Galatians.
Galatians §208b (3:23-4:5).
Brethren: Before the faith came, we were kept under the law shut up, unto that faith which was to be revealed. Wherefore the law was our pedagogue in Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after the faith is come, we are no longer under a pedagogue. For you are all the children of God by faith, in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized in Christ, have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek: there is neither bond nor free: there is neither male nor female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you be Christ’s, then are you the seed of Abraham, heirs according to the promise. Now I say, as long as the heir is a child, he differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all; but is under tutors and governors until the time appointed by the father: so we also, when we were children, were serving under the elements of the world. But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent His Son, made of a woman, made under the law: that He might redeem them who were under the law: that we might receive the adoption of sons.

The Lesson of the Holy Gospel according to Saint Mark.
Saint Mark §25 (6:30-45).
At that time: The apostles coming together unto Jesus related to Him all things that they had done and taught. And He said to them: Come apart into a desert place, and rest a little. For there were many coming and going: and they had not so much as time to eat. And going up into a ship, they went into a desert place apart. And they saw them going away, and many knew: and they ran flocking thither on foot from all the cities, and were there before them. And Jesus going out saw a great multitude: and He had compassion on them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd, and He began to teach them many things. And when the day was now far spent, His disciples came to Him, saying: This is a desert place, and the hour is now past: send them away, that going into the next villages and towns, they may buy themselves meat to eat. And He answering said to them: Give you them to eat. And they said to Him: Let us go and buy bread for two hundred pence, and we will give them to eat. And He saith to them: How many loaves have you? Go and see. And when they knew, they say: Five, and two fishes. And He commanded them that they should make them all sit down by companies upon the green grass. And they sat down in ranks, by hundreds and by fifties. And when He had taken the five loaves, and the two fishes: looking up to heaven, He blessed, and broke the loaves, and gave to His disciples to set before them: and the two fishes He divided among them all. And they all did eat, and had their fill. And they took up the leavings, twelve full baskets of fragments, and of the fishes. And they that did eat, were five thousand men. And immediately He obliged His disciples to go up into the ship, that they might go before Him over the water to Bethsaida, whilst He dismissed the people.