Sunday 8th February 2026
Tone 2 - Eothinon 2
34th after Pentecost, 17th of Luke, Sunday of the Prodigal Son
Today we commemorate:
Great Martyr Theodore Stratelates (‘the General’), of Heraclea (319). Righteous Prophet Zechariah (c.520 BC). St. Sava (Sabbas) II, archbishop of Serbia (1269). Holy Martyr Conitus of Alexandria (249). St. Agathangelos, bishop of Damascus (c.325).
British Isles and Ireland:
St. Kegwe of Monmouthshire (6th C). St. Oncho of Clonmore, poet and pilgrim (600). St. Cuthman of Steyning, hermit (8th C). St. Elfleda, abbess of Whitby (714). SS. Jacut and Guethenoc (5th C).
1 Corinthians 6:12-20; Luke 15:11-32
Readings in bold type are those appointed by the Typikon for use at the Liturgy
1 Corinthians 6:12-20
Brothers and sisters, everything is lawful for me, but not everything is profitable. Everything is lawful for me, but I shall not be controlled by the power of anything. Food is for the stomach and the stomach is for food, but God will do away with them both. And the body is not for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. God raised up the Lord, and through his power he will raise us up too. Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Am I then to take Christ’s members and make them members of a prostitute? No, never. Or do you not know that whoever is joined to a prostitute is one body? For it says, ‘The two will be one flesh.’ And anyone who is joined to the Lord is one in spirit. Shun sexual immorality. Every sin, whatever a person may do, is outside the body, but those who commit sexual immorality sin against their own body. Do you not know that your body is a sanctuary of the Holy Spirit within you that you have from God? You are therefore not your own, for you were bought at a price. Glorify God then, in your body and in your spirit; they belong to God.
Luke 15:11-32
The Lord told this parable. ‘There was a man who had two sons, and the younger of them said to the father, “Father, give me the share of the property that falls to me.” And he divided the estate between them. Not many days later the younger son gathered everything together and went on his travels to a distant country, and there he squandered his property on riotous living. When he had spent everything, a terrible famine occurred in that country and he himself began to be in need. He went and bound himself to one of the citizens of that country who sent him into the fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the husks that the pigs were eating, but no one would give him anything. When he came to himself he said, “How many of those employed by my father have more than enough bread while I am dying of hunger? I shall set out and go to my father, and I shall say to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; consider me as one of your workers.” And so he set off and went to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was moved with compassion. He came running and fell on his neck and kissed him. The son said to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, and I am no longer worthy to be called your son.” But the father said to his servants, “Bring out the best robe and put it on him. Give him a ring for his hand and shoes for his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and be glad because my son here was dead, and he is alive again; he was lost, and he has been found.” And they began to celebrate. Now his elder son was in the fields, and on nearing the house as he returned he heard music and dancing. He called one of the menservants and asked what was happening, and he told him, “Your brother has arrived and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has received him back safe and sound.” He was angry and would not go in, and so his father came out and pleaded with him. But he said to the father, “You know that for many years I have served you and never disobeyed your orders, yet not once did you give me a goat so that I might celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who swallowed up your livelihood on prostitutes arrived, you killed the fattened calf for him.” He said to him, “Child, you are always with me and all that is mine is yours. But it was right to celebrate and be glad because this your brother was dead and is alive again, he was lost and has been found.”’