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Daily Readings |
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Readings for Saturday of the fourth week of Great Lent
Matins
Matins Psalm
From the Psalms of our teacher David the prophet.
May his blessings be with us all.
Psalms 142:7,10
7 Bring my soul out of prison, that I may praise thy name:
the righteous shall compass me about;
for thou shalt deal bountifully with me.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Our Lord God, Savior, and King of us all, Jesus Christ, the Living Son of God to whom be glory forever.
Amen.
Matins Gospel
Stand in the fear of God and listen to the Holy Gospel.
A reading from the Gospel according to our teacher Saint Luke the Evangelist.
May His Blessings be with us all.
Luke 16:19-31
Chapter 16
19 There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:
20 And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,
21 And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table:
moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.
22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom:
the rich man also died, and was buried;
23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
24 And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue;
for I am tormented in this flame.
25 But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things:
but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.
26 And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed:
so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot;
neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.
27 Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house:
28 For I have five brethren;
that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.
29 Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets;
let them hear them.
30 And he said, Nay, father Abraham:
but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.
31 And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.
And Glory be to God forever
Liturgy Gospel
Paulines Epistle
Paul, the servant of our Lord Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, appointed to the Gospel of God.
A reading from the Epistle of our teacher Paul to the Philippians .
May his blessings be upon us.
Amen.
Philippians 4:4-9
Chapter 4
4 Rejoice in the Lord alway:
and again I say, Rejoice.
5 Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.
6 Be careful for nothing;
but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report;
if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
9 Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do:
and the God of peace shall be with you.
The grace of God the Father be with you all.
Amen.
Catholic Epistle
A Reading from Epistle of St. James .
May his blessing be upon us.
Amen.
James 3:13-4:6
Chapter 3
13 Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you?
let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.
14 But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.
15 This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.
16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.
17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.
Chapter 4
1 From whence come wars and fightings among you?
come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?
2 Ye lust, and have not:
ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain:
ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.
3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.
4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God?
whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.
5 Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?
6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.
Do not love the world or the things in the world. The world passes away, and its desires; but he who does the will of God abides forever.
Amen.
Acts of the Apostles
The Acts of our fathers the apostles, may their blessings be with us.
Acts 24:24-25:12
Chapter 24
24 And after certain days, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, which was a Jewess, he sent for Paul, and heard him concerning the faith in Christ.
25 And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time;
when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee.
26 He hoped also that money should have been given him of Paul, that he might loose him:
wherefore he sent for him the oftener, and communed with him.
27 But after two years Porcius Festus came into Felix' room:
and Felix, willing to shew the Jews a pleasure, left Paul bound.
Chapter 25
1 Now when Festus was come into the province, after three days he ascended from Caesarea to Jerusalem.
2 Then the high priest and the chief of the Jews informed him against Paul, and besought him,
3 And desired favour against him, that he would send for him to Jerusalem, laying wait in the way to kill him.
4 But Festus answered, that Paul should be kept at Caesarea, and that he himself would depart shortly thither.
5 Let them therefore, said he, which among you are able, go down with me, and accuse this man, if there be any wickedness in him.
6 And when he had tarried among them more than ten days, he went down unto Caesarea;
and the next day sitting on the judgment seat commanded Paul to be brought.
7 And when he was come, the Jews which came down from Jerusalem stood round about, and laid many and grievous complaints against Paul, which they could not prove.
8 While he answered for himself, Neither against the law of the Jews, neither against the temple, nor yet against Caesar, have I offended any thing at all.
9 But Festus, willing to do the Jews a pleasure, answered Paul, and said, Wilt thou go up to Jerusalem, and there be judged of these things before me?
10 Then said Paul, I stand at Caesar's judgment seat, where I ought to be judged:
to the Jews have I done no wrong, as thou very well knowest.
11 For if I be an offender, or have committed any thing worthy of death, I refuse not to die:
but if there be none of these things whereof these accuse me, no man may deliver me unto them. I appeal unto Caesar.
12 Then Festus, when he had conferred with the council, answered, Hast thou appealed unto Caesar?
unto Caesar shalt thou go.
The word of the Lord shall grow, multiply, be mighty, and be confirmed, in the holy Church of God.
Amen.
Coptic Synaxarium
Baramhat 5, 1742
Day 5 of the Blessed Coptic Month of Baramhat, may God make it always received, year after year, with reassurance and tranquility, while our sins after forgiven by the tender mercies of our God my fathers and brothers.
Amen.
Departure of Anba Serapamon, Archpriest of Abba Yehnis (John) monastery
On this day the ascetic holy father Anba Serapamon the Archpriest of Abu-Yehnis (John) monastery departed. This Saint became a monk in his youth at the monastery of the saint Abu-Yehnis. He stayed there for thirty two years in worshipping God and serving the elders. Then he was promoted to be the archpriest (Heagomain) of the monastery and was delegated to manage it. He added to his works of righteousness and ascetism, and he spent his day fasting from the day of his monkshood until the day of his departure. After spending twenty years in running the monastery, he shut himself up in a church and no one saw him for a period of ten years. During this period he only ate on Saturday and Sunday.
When the time of his departure drew near, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a vision and gave him a cross of fire saying: "Take this cross in your hand". The saint replied: " How can I hold fire in my hands." The angel said: "Do not be afraid for Christ have not given the fire dominion over you." The Saint extended his hand and took the cross from the angel. Then the angel told him: "Be strong, partake of the Holy Mysteries and after three days I shall come and take you".
When he woke up from his sleep, he told the elders about his vision. They wept, bid him farewell, and asked him to remember them. He asked them to remember him in their prayers. He departed on the third day and the elders were around him.
May his prayers be with us. Amen.
Commemoration of the Martyrdom of St. Eudexia (Eutychia)
On this day also is the commemoration of St. Eudexia which is interpreted "happiness". This Saint was Samaritan by race and religion, from the city of Baalbek. The name of her father was Younan and the name of her mother was Hakeemah. She lived her early life in immorality. With the beauty of her face and physical appearance, she stumbled many and made them to fall into sin acquiring thereby great wealth.
A saintly monk from Jerusalem called Germanus heard about her. He went to her, preached her with solemn and frightful words, mentioning to her hell, worms, darkness, and the fearful punishments which are therein. She asked him: "Does the body rise after death, and after it becomes dust to be judged?" He replied "Yes". She asked him: "What are the proofs on what you said, since the Torah that God gave to Moses the prophet and my fathers did not mention this?" He explained to her with biblical and logical proofs until she was convinced. She asked him: "If I go back on my evil works would God accept me?" He replied: "If you believed that the Lord Christ had come to the world, took away our sins by His Crucifixion, repented now a sincere repentance, and been baptized, He will accept you, and will not mention any of what you have done, but you will be as if you just have been borne."
Her heart opened to the faith and asked him to help her to fulfil that. He took her to the bishop of Baalbek and she confessed before him the Holy Trinity, the incarnation of the Word and His Crucifixion. While the Bishop was praying over the water to baptize her, the Lord opened her mind, she saw an angel attracting her to the water and the other angels were rejoicing for her. Then she saw an ugly terrifying looking person trying to drag her away from them and he was in wrath with her. What she saw increased her desire for repentance and baptism.
After her baptism, she gave all what she gained as fruit of her sin to the poor and needy. She entered a convent of nuns, she put on the garb of monasticism, and fought a good and perfect fight. Satan entered into some of her friends who informed the Governor about her. The Governor commanded his men to bring her. When she came into his house she found great lamentation and weeping for the governor's son had just died. She came to where the son was laid, prayed entreating the Lord Christ for his sake and He raised him up from death. The Prince believed in Christ through her. Another prince called Diogenes heard about her. He brought her before him, and she saw a soldier standing before him, who was blind in one eye, she prayed and made the sign of the cross over the eye, and it was opened. The prince released her instantly.
Shortly after this, another Prince called Bekeyfius was appointed, and he heard about her and had her brought to him. She asked the Lord Christ to give her a portion with the martyrs. The Prince commanded to cut off her head, and she received the crown of martyrdom.
May her intercession be with us. Amen.
Martyrdom of St. Peter the priest
On this day also the honorable presbyter St. Peter departed. This father spent his life fasting, he shut himself in and was disciplined in praying days and nights. The Lord granted him the gift of knowing the future, healing the sick through the water and oil after praying over them. He was ordained a priest, after much reluctance, and he was forced to obey the order. He offered the incense and celebrated the Liturgy daily. The people of the city rejoiced saying: "May the Lord grant us the forgiveness of our sins with his prayers and supplications." He had a wonderful power of reconciling persons at variance.
During his prayer one night, St. Peter the apostle appeared to him and told him: "Hail to you for you have kept the priesthood without blemish. Hail to you for your prayers and masses had ascended as sweet aroma." When the Saint saw him, he was terrified. St Peter told him: "I am the apostle Peter, do not be afraid for the Lord has sent me to comfort you and to inform you that you are leaving this toilsome world to the Eternal kingdom, so rejoice and be comforted." The priest rejoiced for that and said "Remember me O My Father." When he said that he departed in happiness, glory and honor.
May the Lord have mercy on us with his prayers and blessings and Glory be to God for ever. Amen.
Divine Liturgy
Divine Psalm
From the Psalms of our teacher David the prophet.
May his blessings be with us all.
Psalms 61:1,5
1 Hear my cry, O God;
attend unto my prayer.
5 For thou, O God, hast heard my vows:
thou hast given me the heritage of those that fear thy name.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Our Lord God, Savior, and King of us all, Jesus Christ, the Living Son of God to whom be glory forever.
Amen.
Divine Gospel
Stand in the fear of God and listen to the Holy Gospel.
A reading from the Gospel according to our teacher Saint Matthew the Evangelist.
May His Blessings be with us all.
Matthew 21:33-46
Chapter 21
33 Hear another parable:
There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country:
34 And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it.
35 And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another.
36 Again, he sent other servants more than the first:
and they did unto them likewise.
37 But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son.
38 But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir;
come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance.
39 And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him.
40 When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen?
41 They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons.
42 Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner:
this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?
43 Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.
44 And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken:
but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.
45 And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them.
46 But when they sought to lay hands on him, they feared the multitude, because they took him for a prophet.
And Glory be to God forever.