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Daily Readings
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Thursday, 4th July 2013 --- 27 Baounah 1729
Readings for Apostle's Fast
Vespers
Vespers Psalm
From the Psalms of our teacher David the prophet.
May his blessings be with us all.
Psalms 40 : 9,2
Chapter 40
| 9 | I have proclaimed the good news of righteousness In the great assembly; Indeed, I do not restrain my lips, O LORD, You Yourself know.
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| 2 | He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, Out of the miry clay, And set my feet upon a rock, And established my steps.
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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.
Vespers Gospel
Stand in the fear of God and listen to the Holy Gospel.
A reading from the Gospel according to our teacher Saint Mark the Evangelist.
May His Blessings be with us all.
Mark 6 : 6 - 13
Chapter 6
| 6 | And He marveled because of their unbelief. Then He went about the villages in a circuit, teaching.
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| 7 | And He called the twelve to Himself, and began to send them out two by two, and gave them power over unclean spirits.
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| 8 | He commanded them to take nothing for the journey except a staff--no bag, no bread, no copper in their money belts--
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| 9 | but to wear sandals, and not to put on two tunics.
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| 10 | Also He said to them, "In whatever place you enter a house, stay there till you depart from that place.
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| 11 | And whoever will not receive you nor hear you, when you depart from there, shake off the dust under your feet as a testimony against them. Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!"
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| 12 | So they went out and preached that people should repent.
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| 13 | And they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick, and healed them.
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And Glory be to God forever.
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Matins
Matins Psalm
From the Psalms of our teacher David the prophet.
May his blessings be with us all.
Psalms 105 : 1 - 3
Chapter 105
| 1 | Oh, give thanks to the LORD! Call upon His name; Make known His deeds among the peoples!
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| 2 | Sing to Him, sing psalms to Him; Talk of all His wondrous works!
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| 3 | Glory in His holy name; Let the hearts of those rejoice who seek the LORD!
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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 Mark the Evangelist.
May His Blessings be with us all.
Mark 10 : 17 - 30
Chapter 10
| 17 | Now as He was going out on the road, one came running, knelt before Him, and asked Him, "Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?"
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| 18 | So Jesus said to him, "Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God.
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| 19 | You know the commandments: "Do not commit adultery,'"Do not murder,'"Do not steal,'"Do not bear false witness,'"Do not defraud,'"Honor your father and your mother."'
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| 20 | And he answered and said to Him, "Teacher, all these things I have kept from my youth."
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| 21 | Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, "One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me."
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| 22 | But he was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.
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| 23 | Then Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, "How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!"
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| 24 | And the disciples were astonished at His words. But Jesus answered again and said to them, "Children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God!
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| 25 | It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."
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| 26 | And they were greatly astonished, saying among themselves, "Who then can be saved?"
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| 27 | But Jesus looked at them and said, "With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible."
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| 28 | Then Peter began to say to Him, "See, we have left all and followed You."
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| 29 | So Jesus answered and said, "Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My sake and the gospel's,
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| 30 | who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time--houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions--and in the age to come, eternal life.
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And Glory be to God forever.
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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 Timothy .
May his blessings be upon us.
Amen.
2 Timothy 3 : 10 - 4 : 18
Chapter 3
| 10 | But you have carefully followed my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, perseverance,
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| 11 | persecutions, afflictions, which happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra--what persecutions I endured. And out of them all the Lord delivered me.
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| 12 | Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.
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| 13 | But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.
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| 14 | But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them,
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| 15 | and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
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| 16 | All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,
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| 17 | that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.
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Chapter 4
| 1 | I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom:
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| 2 | Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.
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| 3 | For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers;
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| 4 | and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.
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| 5 | But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.
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| 6 | For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand.
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| 7 | I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
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| 8 | Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.
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| 9 | Be diligent to come to me quickly;
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| 10 | for Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world, and has departed for Thessalonica--Crescens for Galatia, Titus for Dalmatia.
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| 11 | Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for ministry.
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| 12 | And Tychicus I have sent to Ephesus.
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| 13 | Bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas when you come--and the books, especially the parchments.
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| 14 | Alexander the coppersmith did me much harm. May the Lord repay him according to his works.
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| 15 | You also must beware of him, for he has greatly resisted our words.
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| 16 | At my first defense no one stood with me, but all forsook me. May it not be charged against them.
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| 17 | But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so that the message might be preached fully through me, and that all the Gentiles might hear. Also I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.
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| 18 | And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work and preserve me for His heavenly kingdom. To Him be glory forever and ever. Amen!
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The grace of God the Father be with you all.
Amen.
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Catholic Epistle
A Reading from Epistle 1 of St. Peter .
May his blessing be upon us.
Amen.
1 Peter 5 : 1 - 14
Chapter 5
| 1 | The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed:
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| 2 | Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly;
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| 3 | nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock;
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| 4 | and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away.
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| 5 | Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for "God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble."
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| 6 | Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time,
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| 7 | casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.
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| 8 | Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
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| 9 | Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.
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| 10 | But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.
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| 11 | To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.
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| 12 | By Silvanus, our faithful brother as I consider him, I have written to you briefly, exhorting and testifying that this is the true grace of God in which you stand.
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| 13 | She who is in Babylon, elect together with you, greets you; and so does Mark my son.
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| 14 | Greet one another with a kiss of love. Peace to you all who are in Christ Jesus. Amen.
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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.
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Acts of the Apostles
The Acts of our fathers the apostles, may their blessings be with us.
Acts 15 : 36 - 16 : 5
Chapter 15
| 36 | Then after some days Paul said to Barnabas, "Let us now go back and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the Lord, and see how they are doing."
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| 37 | Now Barnabas was determined to take with them John called Mark.
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| 38 | But Paul insisted that they should not take with them the one who had departed from them in Pamphylia, and had not gone with them to the work.
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| 39 | Then the contention became so sharp that they parted from one another. And so Barnabas took Mark and sailed to Cyprus;
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| 40 | but Paul chose Silas and departed, being commended by the brethren to the grace of God.
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| 41 | And he went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.
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Chapter 16
| 1 | Then he came to Derbe and Lystra. And behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a certain Jewish woman who believed, but his father was Greek.
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| 2 | He was well spoken of by the brethren who were at Lystra and Iconium.
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| 3 | Paul wanted to have him go on with him. And he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in that region, for they all knew that his father was Greek.
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| 4 | And as they went through the cities, they delivered to them the decrees to keep, which were determined by the apostles and elders at Jerusalem.
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| 5 | So the churches were strengthened in the faith, and increased in number daily.
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The word of the Lord shall grow, multiply, be mighty, and be confirmed, in the holy Church of God.
Amen.
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Synaxarium
Day 27 of the Blessed Coptic Month of Baounah, 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.
The Twenty-Seventh Day of the Blessed Month of Baounah
Martyrdom of St.Ananias, the Apostle
On this day, St. Ananias, the
apostle, departed. The apostles ordained this saint bishop for the city
of Damascus. He preached therein with the life-giving gospel, as he preached
also in the city of Beth-Gabriel and converted many of its people to the
faith, and baptized them and their children. St. Ananias was the one to
baptize the apostle Paul when the Lord sent him to him. When he baptized
St. Paul, something like scales fell from his eyes, and he received his
sight at once. God wrought many great miracles by his hands; and many of
the Jews and Gentiles believed through his preaching. Afterwards, Lucianus
the governor seized St. Ananias, and tortured him with sever tortures,
such as burning his sides with fiery torches. Finally, Lucianus took him
outside the city, and commanded him stoned until St. Ananias delivered
up his pure soul in the hand of the Lord.
May his prayers be with us. Amen.
Martyrdom of St.Thomas of Shentalet
On this day also, St. Thomas of
Shentalet (Sandalat) was martyred. Michael, the angel of the Lord, appeared
to this Saint when he was twenty-one years old, while he was sleeping in
the field tending the pigs. The angel Michael commanded him to go and confess
the Lord Christ. St.Thomas went to Alexandria and confessed his faith before
the governor who tortured him with different kinds of tortures. There were
with him under the torture St. Babnuda, of the city of El-Bandara, and
Anba Shenousy, from the city of Balkim, and they encouraged each other
to endure. After many tortures, the governor sent St. Thomas to Arianus,
the governor of Ansena, where he was beheaded and received the crown of
martyrdom. There were seven hundred men and nine women martyred during
his days.
May Their prayers be with us, and glory be to God forever. Amen.
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Divine Psalm
Stand in the fear of God and listen to the Holy Gospel.
A reading from the Gospel according to our teacher Saint John the Evangelist.
May His Blessings be with us all. Amen.
From the Psalms of our teacher David the prophet, and the Good King.
May his blessings be with us all.
Psalms 96 : 1 - 2
Chapter 96
| 1 | Oh, sing to the LORD a new song! Sing to the LORD, all the earth.
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| 2 | Sing to the LORD, bless His name; Proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day.
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Hallelujah.
Divine Gospel
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.
Mark 1 : 1 - 11
Chapter 1
| 1 | The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
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| 2 | As it is written in the Prophets: "Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, Who will prepare Your way before You."
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| 3 | "The voice of one crying in the wilderness: "Prepare the way of the LORD; Make His paths straight."'
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| 4 | John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.
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| 5 | Then all the land of Judea, and those from Jerusalem, went out to him and were all baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins.
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| 6 | Now John was clothed with camel's hair and with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey.
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| 7 | And he preached, saying, "There comes One after me who is mightier than I, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to stoop down and loose.
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| 8 | I indeed baptized you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."
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| 9 | It came to pass in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan.
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| 10 | And immediately, coming up from the water, He saw the heavens parting and the Spirit descending upon Him like a dove.
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| 11 | Then a voice came from heaven, "You are My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."
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And Glory be to God forever.
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Acknowledgement
Opening page