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Daily Readings
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Friday, 4th September 2015 --- 29 Misra 1731
Readings for Friday, 4th September 2015 --- 29 Misra 1731
Vespers
Vespers Psalm
From the Psalms of our teacher David the prophet.
May his blessings be with us all.
Psalms 132 : 9,10,17,18
Chapter 132
| 9 | Let Your priests be clothed with righteousness, And let Your saints shout for joy.
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| 10 | For Your servant David's sake, Do not turn away the face of Your Anointed.
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| 17 | There I will make the horn of David grow; I will prepare a lamp for My Anointed.
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| 18 | His enemies I will clothe with shame, But upon Himself His crown shall flourish."
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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 Matthew the Evangelist.
May His Blessings be with us all.
Matthew 15 : 1 - 11
Chapter 15
| 1 | Then the scribes and Pharisees who were from Jerusalem came to Jesus, saying,
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| 2 | "Why do Your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread."
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| 3 | He answered and said to them, "Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition?
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| 4 | For God commanded, saying, "Honor your father and your mother'; and, "He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.'
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| 5 | But you say, "Whoever says to his father or mother, "Whatever profit you might have received from me is a gift to God"--
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| 6 | then he need not honor his father or mother.' Thus you have made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition.
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| 7 | Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying:
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| 8 | "These people draw near to Me with their mouth, And honor Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me.
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| 9 | And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men."'
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| 10 | When He had called the multitude to Himself, He said to them, "Hear and understand:
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| 11 | Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man."
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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 110 : 4,5,7
Chapter 110
| 4 | The LORD has sworn And will not relent, "You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek."
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| 5 | The Lord is at Your right hand; He shall execute kings in the day of His wrath.
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| 7 | He shall drink of the brook by the wayside; Therefore He shall lift up the head.
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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 Matthew the Evangelist.
May His Blessings be with us all.
Matthew 15 : 12 - 20
Chapter 15
| 12 | Then His disciples came and said to Him, "Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?"
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| 13 | But He answered and said, "Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted.
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| 14 | Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch."
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| 15 | Then Peter answered and said to Him, "Explain this parable to us."
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| 16 | So Jesus said, "Are you also still without understanding?
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| 17 | Do you not yet understand that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and is eliminated?
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| 18 | But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man.
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| 19 | For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.
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| 20 | These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man."
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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 the Corinthians .
May his blessings be upon us.
Amen.
1 Corinthians 10 : 25 - 11 : 1
Chapter 10
| 25 | Eat whatever is sold in the meat market, asking no questions for conscience' sake;
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| 26 | for "the earth is the LORD's, and all its fullness."
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| 27 | If any of those who do not believe invites you to dinner, and you desire to go, eat whatever is set before you, asking no question for conscience' sake.
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| 28 | But if anyone says to you, "This was offered to idols," do not eat it for the sake of the one who told you, and for conscience' sake; for "the earth is the LORD's, and all its fullness."
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| 29 | "Conscience," I say, not your own, but that of the other. For why is my liberty judged by another man's conscience?
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| 30 | But if I partake with thanks, why am I evil spoken of for the food over which I give thanks?
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| 31 | Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
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| 32 | Give no offense, either to the Jews or to the Greeks or to the church of God,
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| 33 | just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.
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Chapter 11
| 1 | Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ.
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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. John .
May his blessing be upon us.
Amen.
1 John 4 : 15 - 21
Chapter 4
| 15 | Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.
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| 16 | And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.
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| 17 | Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world.
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| 18 | There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.
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| 19 | We love Him because He first loved us.
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| 20 | If someone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?
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| 21 | And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also.
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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 5 : 34 - 42
Chapter 5
| 34 | Then one in the council stood up, a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law held in respect by all the people, and commanded them to put the apostles outside for a little while.
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| 35 | And he said to them: "Men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what you intend to do regarding these men.
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| 36 | For some time ago Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody. A number of men, about four hundred, joined him. He was slain, and all who obeyed him were scattered and came to nothing.
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| 37 | After this man, Judas of Galilee rose up in the days of the census, and drew away many people after him. He also perished, and all who obeyed him were dispersed.
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| 38 | And now I say to you, keep away from these men and let them alone; for if this plan or this work is of men, it will come to nothing;
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| 39 | but if it is of God, you cannot overthrow it--lest you even be found to fight against God."
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| 40 | And they agreed with him, and when they had called for the apostles and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.
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| 41 | So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name.
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| 42 | And daily in the temple, and in every house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.
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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 29 of the Blessed Coptic Month of Misra, 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-Ninth Day of the Blessed Month of Misra
Martyrdom of Saints Athanasius, the Bishop,
Gerasimus (Jarasimus), and Theodotus
On this day, Sts. Athanasius, the Bishop, Gerasimus (Jarasimus),
and Theodotus, his two servants, were martyred. Certain men laid an accusation
against the bishop before Arianus, the governor, that he had baptized the
daughter of Antonios, the chancellor. Arianus brought St. Athanasius and
asked him to worship the idols. The bishop refused and declared his faith
in the Lord Christ. The governor tortured him with severely painful tortures,
and when he saw him getting firmer in his faith, he ordered to cut off
his neck and the necks of the two servants with him. Some believers took
their bodies, shrouded them, and laid them in coffins. God honored them
by manifesting many signs and wonders from their bodies.
May their prayers be with us. Amen.
Arrival of the Holy Relic of St.John,
the Short, to the Wilderness of Scetis
On this day also, in the year 515 A.D., the body
of the great saint Anba John, the Short, was relocated from Al-Qulzum (Red
Sea) to the wilderness of Scetis. When Pope John (Youhanna), 48th Pope
of Alexandria, was in the wilderness of Scetis, some of the monks expressed
their wish to relocate the relics of St. John, the Short, to his monastery.
The Grace of God moved the Pope, and he wrote a letter by the hand of the
Hegumen Kosman and Hegumen Boctor, from the elders, and sent them to Al-Qulzum.
They were not able to take the body because it was in the hands of the
followers of the Council of Chalcedon. So they returned empty handed. Shortly
after, a prince from the Arabs took charge of Al-Qulzum, and he was a friend
of Anba Michael, bishop of Epla'os. Once again the Patriarch wrote another
letter to the bishop expressing his wish to take the body of St. John and
to send it with the monks carrying his letter. The bishop rejoiced with
the letter, and informed the prince about the wish of the Patriarch. The
prince asked, "How could they reach the place?" His scribe answered him,
"Let the monks put Arab garments over their own apparel, and let them come
with us to the place." The monks came in, along with the Arabs, to the
place where the body was. The monks carried the body and walked all night
until they came to Misr, and then went to the wilderness. The monks of
the monastery of St. Macarius went out carrying crosses and censers and
met them with songs and hymns. They brought the body of St. John to where
the body of St.Macarius was. They poured many perfumes and fragrant oil
over him, then carried him to his monastery while they were chanting. The
monks of his monastery received him with joy and happiness. When Pope Mark
(Marcus), 49th Patriarch, was ordained, and went to the wilderness with
the bishops of Lower Egypt and some priests, he visited the monastery of
this saint. He uncovered the holy relic of the saint, and he was blessed
by it. He covered him with the sackcloth that was covering him, then wrapped
him in fine linens. The monks praised and thanked God, and sang many hymns
and songs for this holy father.
May his prayers be with us and Glory be to our 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 68 : 19
Chapter 68
| 19 | Blessed be the Lord, Who daily loads us with benefits, The God of our salvation!Selah
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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.
John 8 : 21 - 27
Chapter 8
| 21 | Then Jesus said to them again, "I am going away, and you will seek Me, and will die in your sin. Where I go you cannot come."
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| 22 | So the Jews said, "Will He kill Himself, because He says, "Where I go you cannot come'?"
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| 23 | And He said to them, "You are from beneath; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world.
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| 24 | Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins."
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| 25 | Then they said to Him, "Who are You?" And Jesus said to them, "Just what I have been saying to you from the beginning.
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| 26 | I have many things to say and to judge concerning you, but He who sent Me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I heard from Him."
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| 27 | They did not understand that He spoke to them of the Father.
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And Glory be to God forever.
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Acknowledgement
Opening page