|
Daily Readings
|
|
Sunday, 29th March 2015 --- 20 Baramhat 1731
Readings for Sunday of sixth week of Great Lent
Vespers
Vespers Psalm
From the Psalms of our teacher David the prophet.
May his blessings be with us all.
Psalms 17 : 3,5
Chapter 17
| 3 | You have tested my heart; You have visited me in the night; You have tried me and have found nothing; I have purposed that my mouth shall not transgress.
|
| 5 | Uphold my steps in Your paths, That my footsteps may not slip.
|
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 Luke the Evangelist.
May His Blessings be with us all.
Luke 13 : 22 - 35
Chapter 13
| 22 | And He went through the cities and villages, teaching, and journeying toward Jerusalem.
|
| 23 | Then one said to Him, "Lord, are there few who are saved?" And He said to them,
|
| 24 | "Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able.
|
| 25 | When once the Master of the house has risen up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock at the door, saying, "Lord, Lord, open for us,' and He will answer and say to you, "I do not know you, where you are from,'
|
| 26 | then you will begin to say, "We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets.'
|
| 27 | But He will say, "I tell you I do not know you, where you are from. Depart from Me, all you workers of iniquity.'
|
| 28 | There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and yourselves thrust out.
|
| 29 | They will come from the east and the west, from the north and the south, and sit down in the kingdom of God.
|
| 30 | And indeed there are last who will be first, and there are first who will be last."
|
| 31 | On that very day some Pharisees came, saying to Him, "Get out and depart from here, for Herod wants to kill You."
|
| 32 | And He said to them, "Go, tell that fox, "Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.'
|
| 33 | Nevertheless I must journey today, tomorrow, and the day following; for it cannot be that a prophet should perish outside of Jerusalem.
|
| 34 | "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, but you were not willing!
|
| 35 | See! Your house is left to you desolate; and assuredly, I say to you, you shall not see Me until the time comes when you say, "Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!"'
|
And Glory be to God forever.
↑ Top of Page ↑
Matins
Matins Psalm
From the Psalms of our teacher David the prophet.
May his blessings be with us all.
Psalms 26 : 2 - 3
Chapter 26
| 2 | Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; Try my mind and my heart.
|
| 3 | For Your lovingkindness is before my eyes, And I have walked in Your truth.
|
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 23 : 1 - 39
Chapter 23
| 1 | Then Jesus spoke to the multitudes and to His disciples,
|
| 2 | saying: "The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat.
|
| 3 | Therefore whatever they tell you to observe, that observe and do, but do not do according to their works; for they say, and do not do.
|
| 4 | For they bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.
|
| 5 | But all their works they do to be seen by men. They make their phylacteries broad and enlarge the borders of their garments.
|
| 6 | They love the best places at feasts, the best seats in the synagogues,
|
| 7 | greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called by men, "Rabbi, Rabbi.'
|
| 8 | But you, do not be called "Rabbi'; for One is your Teacher, the Christ, and you are all brethren.
|
| 9 | Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven.
|
| 10 | And do not be called teachers; for One is your Teacher, the Christ.
|
| 11 | But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant.
|
| 12 | And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.
|
| 13 | "But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in.
|
| 14 | Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. Therefore you will receive greater condemnation.
|
| 15 | "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel land and sea to win one proselyte, and when he is won, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.
|
| 16 | "Woe to you, blind guides, who say, "Whoever swears by the temple, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the temple, he is obliged to perform it.'
|
| 17 | Fools and blind! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that sanctifies the gold?
|
| 18 | And, "Whoever swears by the altar, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gift that is on it, he is obliged to perform it.'
|
| 19 | Fools and blind! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that sanctifies the gift?
|
| 20 | Therefore he who swears by the altar, swears by it and by all things on it.
|
| 21 | He who swears by the temple, swears by it and by Him who dwells in it.
|
| 22 | And he who swears by heaven, swears by the throne of God and by Him who sits on it.
|
| 23 | "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone.
|
| 24 | Blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel!
|
| 25 | "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence.
|
| 26 | Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also.
|
| 27 | "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness.
|
| 28 | Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.
|
| 29 | "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Because you build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the monuments of the righteous,
|
| 30 | and say, "If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.'
|
| 31 | "Therefore you are witnesses against yourselves that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets.
|
| 32 | Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers' guilt.
|
| 33 | Serpents, brood of vipers! How can you escape the condemnation of hell?
|
| 34 | Therefore, indeed, I send you prophets, wise men, and scribes: some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues and persecute from city to city,
|
| 35 | that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar.
|
| 36 | Assuredly, I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation.
|
| 37 | "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!
|
| 38 | See! Your house is left to you desolate;
|
| 39 | for I say to you, you shall see Me no more till you say, "Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!"'
|
And Glory be to God forever.
↑ Top of Page ↑
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 Colossians .
May his blessings be upon us.
Amen.
Colossians 3 : 5 - 17
Chapter 3
| 5 | Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.
|
| 6 | Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience,
|
| 7 | in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them.
|
| 8 | But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth.
|
| 9 | Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds,
|
| 10 | and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him,
|
| 11 | where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all.
|
| 12 | Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering;
|
| 13 | bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.
|
| 14 | But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.
|
| 15 | And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.
|
| 16 | Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
|
| 17 | And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
|
The grace of God the Father be with you all.
Amen.
↑ Top of Page ↑
Catholic Epistle
A Reading from Epistle 1 of St. John .
May his blessing be upon us.
Amen.
1 John 5 : 13 - 21
Chapter 5
| 13 | These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.
|
| 14 | Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.
|
| 15 | And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.
|
| 16 | If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin which does not lead to death, he will ask, and He will give him life for those who commit sin not leading to death. There is sin leading to death. I do not say that he should pray about that.
|
| 17 | All unrighteousness is sin, and there is sin not leading to death.
|
| 18 | We know that whoever is born of God does not sin; but he who has been born of God keeps himself, and the wicked one does not touch him.
|
| 19 | We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one.
|
| 20 | And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding, that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life.
|
| 21 | Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.
|
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.
↑ Top of Page ↑
Acts of the Apostles
The Acts of our fathers the apostles, may their blessings be with us.
Acts 27 : 27 - 37
Chapter 27
| 27 | Now when the fourteenth night had come, as we were driven up and down in the Adriatic Sea, about midnight the sailors sensed that they were drawing near some land.
|
| 28 | And they took soundings and found it to be twenty fathoms; and when they had gone a little farther, they took soundings again and found it to be fifteen fathoms.
|
| 29 | Then, fearing lest we should run aground on the rocks, they dropped four anchors from the stern, and prayed for day to come.
|
| 30 | And as the sailors were seeking to escape from the ship, when they had let down the skiff into the sea, under pretense of putting out anchors from the prow,
|
| 31 | Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, "Unless these men stay in the ship, you cannot be saved."
|
| 32 | Then the soldiers cut away the ropes of the skiff and let it fall off.
|
| 33 | And as day was about to dawn, Paul implored them all to take food, saying, "Today is the fourteenth day you have waited and continued without food, and eaten nothing.
|
| 34 | Therefore I urge you to take nourishment, for this is for your survival, since not a hair will fall from the head of any of you."
|
| 35 | And when he had said these things, he took bread and gave thanks to God in the presence of them all; and when he had broken it he began to eat.
|
| 36 | Then they were all encouraged, and also took food themselves.
|
| 37 | And in all we were two hundred and seventy-six persons on the ship.
|
The word of the Lord shall grow, multiply, be mighty, and be confirmed, in the holy Church of God.
Amen.
↑ Top of Page ↑
Synaxarium
Day 20 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.
The Twentieth Day of the Blessed Month of Baramhat
Departure of the Saint Anba Khail (Mikhail)
the Fifty Sixth Pope of the See of St.Mark
On this day of the year 623 A.M. (March 16th.,
907 A.D.) the holy father Anba Khail (Mikhail), the fifty six Pope of Alexandria,
departed. He was enthroned Patriarch on the 30th. of Baramouda 5296 A.M.
(April 25th., year 880 A.D.). This father had nobel qualities, nevertheless
a great sorrow came upon him. Pope Cosma the Second, built a church on
the name of St. Ebtelmaos in the city of Danousher which was under the
jurisdiction of the bishop of Sakha. The people of Danousher desired to
invite the father the Patriarch Anba Mikhail and some of the neighboring
bishops to consecrate this church but the Bishop of Sakha was not pleased
with this idea. When they did against his wish and the father the Patriarch
along with the bishops came, this bishop refused to stay and he left the
church pretending that he was going to check on their meal. When the Bishop
did not come back, and the time to start the service had passed, the bishops
and the elders asked the father the Patriarch to begin the service. Having
urged the Patriarch and pointed out that he was the father of them all
and having authority over them, with difficulty he rose up and prayed the
prayer of thanks giving and the offering of the Lamb. When the Bishop heard
of this, and for his wickedness and his love for the glory of the world,
he became enraged with the excuse that the Patriarch had violated the cannons
of the church and celebrated the divine Liturgy in a parish without the
permission of its bishop. He returned to the church in hast and Satan entered
his heart, he transgressed against the holy and pure altar and the offering
that was on it, then left the church full of wrath. The father the Patriarch
completed the Divine Liturgy with calmness and maturity. On the following
day the Patriarch held a council from the bishops who were with him, the
priests, and the scholars and they excommunicated this bishop and appointed
another in his stead. That Bishop became furious, Satan entered his heart
and he went to the Governor of Egypt Ahmad Ebn-Tolon and told him: "The
Patriarch is very wealthy, and his churches are filled with vessels, in
gold and silver."
This Governor was preparing to go to war and needed
funds to finance these preparations. He called the Patriarch and demanded
the church funds and its vessels, but the Patriarch refused. He shut him
up in prison with a deacon whose name was Ebn El-Monzer for a year during
which the Pope ate only bread, salt, and boiled beans. John and Moses,
two scribes of the Governor, agreed with the scribes of the Governor's
minister John and his son Macarius to free the father the Patriarch and
they asked for the minister's help who agreed to their request. He interceded
on their behalf before the Governor Ebn-Tolon who agreed on a condition
that the Patriarch pay him 20 thousand Dinar. The Patriarch wrote a promissory
note to pay the amount on two installments: the first after one month and
the second after four month and this way he was able to leave the prison.
When the time came to pay the first instalment those scribes paid two thousand
dinar, the minister contributed one thousand and Anba Michail paid seven
thousands, he collected from the bishops and the believers. The pope was
compelled to travel to collect the sum required for the second instalment.
When he was at the city of Belbays, a monk with ragged cloth passed by
the Pope's disciples and told them: "Go and tell your teacher that the
lord will relieve him from his fine after forty days." When the father
heard that he sent for that monk but they could not find him. Before that
period had passed Ebn-Tolon died and his son Khamarawaih, who forgave the
Patriarch of his debt, took his place year 875 A.M. He called the Patriarch,
comforted him and then tore up the promissory note as the monk had prophesied.
The wicked Bishop that caused all these troubles for the holy father Anba
Mikhail, the wrath of God came upon him in his life and his death to be
an example for others. This father spent twenty seven years on the chair
of St. Mark, then departed in peace.
May His prayers be with us. Amen.
Raising of Lazarus from the dead
On this day also the Lord
raised the righteous lazarus from the dead and many people believed because
of this great miracle.
Glory be to God forever. Amen.
↑ Top of Page ↑
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 143 : 7,1
Chapter 143
| 7 | Answer me speedily, O LORD; My spirit fails! Do not hide Your face from me, Lest I be like those who go down into the pit.
|
| 1 | Hear my prayer, O LORD, Give ear to my supplications! In Your faithfulness answer me, And in Your righteousness.
|
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 9 : 1 - 41
Chapter 9
| 1 | Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth.
|
| 2 | And His disciples asked Him, saying, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?"
|
| 3 | Jesus answered, "Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him.
|
| 4 | I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work.
|
| 5 | As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world."
|
| 6 | When He had said these things, He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva; and He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay.
|
| 7 | And He said to him, "Go, wash in the pool of Siloam" (which is translated, Sent). So he went and washed, and came back seeing.
|
| 8 | Therefore the neighbors and those who previously had seen that he was blind said, "Is not this he who sat and begged?"
|
| 9 | Some said, "This is he." Others said, "He is like him." He said, "I am he."
|
| 10 | Therefore they said to him, "How were your eyes opened?"
|
| 11 | He answered and said, "A Man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes and said to me, "Go to the pool of Siloam and wash.' So I went and washed, and I received sight."
|
| 12 | Then they said to him, "Where is He?" He said, "I do not know."
|
| 13 | They brought him who formerly was blind to the Pharisees.
|
| 14 | Now it was a Sabbath when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes.
|
| 15 | Then the Pharisees also asked him again how he had received his sight. He said to them, "He put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and I see."
|
| 16 | Therefore some of the Pharisees said, "This Man is not from God, because He does not keep the Sabbath." Others said, "How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?" And there was a division among them.
|
| 17 | They said to the blind man again, "What do you say about Him because He opened your eyes?" He said, "He is a prophet."
|
| 18 | But the Jews did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind and received his sight, until they called the parents of him who had received his sight.
|
| 19 | And they asked them, saying, "Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?"
|
| 20 | His parents answered them and said, "We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind;
|
| 21 | but by what means he now sees we do not know, or who opened his eyes we do not know. He is of age; ask him. He will speak for himself."
|
| 22 | His parents said these things because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had agreed already that if anyone confessed that He was Christ, he would be put out of the synagogue.
|
| 23 | Therefore his parents said, "He is of age; ask him."
|
| 24 | So they again called the man who was blind, and said to him, "Give God the glory! We know that this Man is a sinner."
|
| 25 | He answered and said, "Whether He is a sinner or not I do not know. One thing I know: that though I was blind, now I see."
|
| 26 | Then they said to him again, "What did He do to you? How did He open your eyes?"
|
| 27 | He answered them, "I told you already, and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become His disciples?"
|
| 28 | Then they reviled him and said, "You are His disciple, but we are Moses' disciples.
|
| 29 | We know that God spoke to Moses; as for this fellow, we do not know where He is from."
|
| 30 | The man answered and said to them, "Why, this is a marvelous thing, that you do not know where He is from; yet He has opened my eyes!
|
| 31 | Now we know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, He hears him.
|
| 32 | Since the world began it has been unheard of that anyone opened the eyes of one who was born blind.
|
| 33 | If this Man were not from God, He could do nothing."
|
| 34 | They answered and said to him, "You were completely born in sins, and are you teaching us?" And they cast him out.
|
| 35 | Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when He had found him, He said to him, "Do you believe in the Son of God?"
|
| 36 | He answered and said, "Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?"
|
| 37 | And Jesus said to him, "You have both seen Him and it is He who is talking with you."
|
| 38 | Then he said, "Lord, I believe!" And he worshiped Him.
|
| 39 | And Jesus said, "For judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may be made blind."
|
| 40 | Then some of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these words, and said to Him, "Are we blind also?"
|
| 41 | Jesus said to them, "If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, "We see.' Therefore your sin remains.
|
And Glory be to God forever.
↑ Top of Page ↑
Acknowledgement
Opening page