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Daily Readings
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Saturday, 22nd March 2014 --- 13 Baramhat 1730
Readings for Saturday of 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 : 5,7
Chapter 142
| 5 | I cried out to You, O LORD: I said, "You are my refuge, My portion in the land of the living.
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| 7 | Bring my soul out of prison, That I may praise Your name; The righteous shall surround me, For You shall deal bountifully with me."
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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 Luke the Evangelist.
May His Blessings be with us all.
Luke 16 : 19 - 31
Chapter 16
| 19 | "There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day.
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| 20 | But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate,
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| 21 | desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table. Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.
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| 22 | So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom. The rich man also died and was buried.
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| 23 | And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
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| 24 | "Then 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.'
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| 25 | But Abraham said, "Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented.
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| 26 | And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.'
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| 27 | "Then he said, "I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father's house,
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| 28 | for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.'
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| 29 | Abraham said to him, "They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.'
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| 30 | And he said, "No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.'
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| 31 | But he said to him, "If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead."'
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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 Philippians .
May his blessings be upon us.
Amen.
Philippians 4 : 4 - 9
Chapter 4
| 4 | Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!
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| 5 | Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.
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| 6 | Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;
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| 7 | and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
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| 8 | Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy--meditate on these things.
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| 9 | The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.
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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 of St. James .
May his blessing be upon us.
Amen.
James 3 : 13 - end
Chapter 3
| 13 | Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom.
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| 14 | But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth.
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| 15 | This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic.
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| 16 | For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there.
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| 17 | But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.
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| 18 | Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.
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James 4 : 1 - 6
Chapter 4
| 1 | Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members?
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| 2 | You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask.
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| 3 | You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.
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| 4 | Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.
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| 5 | Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, "The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously"?
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| 6 | But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: "God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble."
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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 24 : 24 - end
Chapter 24
| 24 | And after some days, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish, he sent for Paul and heard him concerning the faith in Christ.
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| 25 | Now as he reasoned about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid and answered, "Go away for now; when I have a convenient time I will call for you."
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| 26 | Meanwhile he also hoped that money would be given him by Paul, that he might release him. Therefore he sent for him more often and conversed with him.
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| 27 | But after two years Porcius Festus succeeded Felix; and Felix, wanting to do the Jews a favor, left Paul bound.
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Acts 25 : 1 - 12
Chapter 25
| 1 | Now when Festus had come to the province, after three days he went up from Caesarea to Jerusalem.
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| 2 | Then the high priest and the chief men of the Jews informed him against Paul; and they petitioned him,
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| 3 | asking a favor against him, that he would summon him to Jerusalem--while they lay in ambush along the road to kill him.
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| 4 | But Festus answered that Paul should be kept at Caesarea, and that he himself was going there shortly.
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| 5 | "Therefore," he said, "let those who have authority among you go down with me and accuse this man, to see if there is any fault in him."
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| 6 | And when he had remained among them more than ten days, he went down to Caesarea. And the next day, sitting on the judgment seat, he commanded Paul to be brought.
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| 7 | When he had come, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood about and laid many serious complaints against Paul, which they could not prove,
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| 8 | while he answered for himself, "Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar have I offended in anything at all."
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| 9 | But Festus, wanting to do the Jews a favor, answered Paul and said, "Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and there be judged before me concerning these things?"
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| 10 | So Paul said, "I stand at Caesar's judgment seat, where I ought to be judged. To the Jews I have done no wrong, as you very well know.
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| 11 | For if I am an offender, or have committed anything deserving of death, I do not object to dying; but if there is nothing in these things of which these men accuse me, no one can deliver me to them. I appeal to Caesar."
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| 12 | Then Festus, when he had conferred with the council, answered, "You have appealed to Caesar? To Caesar you shall go!"
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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 13 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 Thirteenth Day of the Blessed Month of Baramhat
Departure of Abba Dionysius, the Fourteenth
Pope of Alexandria
On this day (March 8th, 264 A.D.) the
great father Abba Dionysius, the fourteenth Pope of Alexandria, departed.
His parents were stare worshippers of the Sun (Sabians) and they put emphasis
on teaching him all the knowledge of that sect. One day a Christian old
woman passed by him, who had with her some pages of a book containing an
Epistle of St. Paul the apostle and offered it to him to buy it. When he
read it he found in it strange sayings and unusual knowledge. He asked
her: "For how much will you sell it?" She said: "For one dinar of gold."
He gave her three dinars and asked her to find the rest of the pages of
the book and he was willing to pay her double. She went and brought him
more pages. Having read them through he found the book to be still incomplete,
he asked her to search for the rest of the book. She told him: "I found
these quires among my father's books. If you want to acquire the complete
book, go to the church and there you can find it." He went and asked one
of the priests to show him what is called the Epistles of Paul. He gave
it to him, read it, and memorized it. Then he went to St. Demetrius the
twelfth Pope, who taught and instructed him in the facts of the Christian
faith then baptized him. He became well rehearsed in the doctrine and knowledge
of the church, and Anba Demetrius appointed him a teacher for the people.
When Anba Demetrius departed and Anba Heraclas (Yaroklas) was enthroned,
he appointed him as a deputy to judge among the believers and entrusted
him to administer the affairs of the patriarchate.
When St. Heraclas departed, all the
people agreed to appoint this father Patriarch. He was enthroned on the
first of Tubah (December 28th, 246 A.D.) during the reign of Emperor Philip
who was a lover of the Christians, and he shepherded his flock with the
best of care, nevertheless, he suffered much tribulations. When Decius
rose up against Philip and killed him, and reigned in his place, he incited
persecution against the Christians. Decius slew many of the patriarchs,
bishops, and believers. This father endured much suffering during that
time. Decius died and Gallus reigned after him, and persecution quieted
down during his reign. When Gallus died and Valerian reigned in his place,
he renewed the persecution severely against the Christians, and his men
seized Abba Dionysius and imprisoned him. They asked him to worship the
idols but he refused saying: "We worship God the Father, and His Son Jesus
Christ, and the Holy Spirit the One God." They threatened him, killed few
men in front of him to terrify him but he was not afraid. They banished
him and shortly after, they brought him back and told him: "We have been
informed that you consecrate the offering secretly by yourself." He replied:
"We do not forsake our prayers day or night" then he turned to the people
present around him and told them: "Go and pray and if I am away from you
in the body, I shall be with you in spirit." The governor became raged
and returned him to exile. When Sapor king of Persia overcame Emperor Valerian
and seized him, his son Gallienus, who was wise and gentle, took over the
empire. He released all the believers who were in prison and brought back
those who were in exile. He wrote to the Patriarch and the bishops a letter
to assure their safety in opening the churches. In the days of this father,
certain people arose in the Arabian countries saying: "That the soul dies
with the body, and on the day of Resurrection, it shall be raised up with
it." He gathered against them a council and anathematized them. When Paul
of Samosata denied the Son, a Council assembled against him in Antioch,
this Saint was not able to attend for his age. He wrote a letter to the
council, rich with wisdom, explained in it the corruptive opinion of this
heretic, and stated the true Orthodox belief. He finished his good strife,
and departed in a good old age on (March 8th, 264 A.D.), having sat on
the Apostolic Throne seventeen years, two month and ten days.
May His prayers be with us all. Amen.
Return of the Great Saints Anba Macarius
the Great and Anba Macarius of Alexandria from Exile
On this day also is the
commemoration of the return of the Great Sts. Anba Macarius the Great and
Anba Macarius of Alexandria, from exile on an island in Upper Egypt. Emperor
Valens the arian had exiled them to this island. The natives of this island
worshipped idols, and according to the orders of Valens the two Saints
were tortured severely for three years. It came to pass one day that satan
entered the daughter of the pagan priest of this island and tortured her.
St. Macarius the great came forward and prayed over her and the Lord healed
her and subsequently the priest and the people of the island believed on
the Lord Christ. The Saints taught them the facts of the Christian faith
and baptized them on the eve of the feast of Epiphany, 11th. of Tubah,
changed the temple into a church, and with a revelation from the Lord Christ
they ordained priests and deacons for them. When they wished to return
they did not know the way, so the angel of the Lord appeared to them, guided
them walking, until they reached Alexandria. From there they went to the
wilderness of Sheahat (Scetis). The monks of the wilderness came out to
meat them, and they were at that time about fifty thousand monks among
them were Anba John the short and Anba Bishoy, and they all rejoiced to
meat their fathers.
May The prayers of these Saints be with us. Amen.
Martyrdom of the Forty Martyrs of Sebastia
On this day also the holy
forty martyrs of the city of Sebastia were martyred. Emperor Constantine
the great had appointed his friend Lecius ruler for the east and commanded
him to treat the Christians well. When he arrived to his headquarter, he
ordered his subordinate to worship the idols but they refused and cursed
his idols. That night some of the soldiers and their children, from the
city of Sebastia, made an agreement among themselves to go to the governor
confessing their faith. While they were sleeping the angel of the Lord
appeared to them, strengthened them and comforted their hearts. In the
morning they stood before the Governor and confessed their faith in the
Lord christ, he threatened them but they were not afraid. He commanded
his men to stone them, but the stones came back upon those who stoned them.
He ordered to throw them in a nearby lake, which was icy. Their organs
were severed because of the excessive cold. One of them whose strength
was weakened, went out of the icy water and entered the bath house nearby
the lake. The heat in the bath house melted the ice that was on him but
he died quickly, and lost his reward.
One of the guards saw angels
descending from the heaven and in their hands crowns, they placed them
over the heads of the thirty nine martyrs and remained one crown in the
hand of the angel. The guard went down into the lake shouting "I am christian...I
am christian." He took the crown that was in the hand of the angel and
was counted among the martyrs. Among the martyrs, were young men, whose
mothers encouraged and strengthened them. Because they remained in the
lake for a long time and they did not die, the Governor wished to break
their legs, but the Lord took their souls and reposed them. He ordered
to burn their bodies and to cast them after that into the sea. As they
were carrying them out of the lake, they found a young man alive, so they
left him. His mother took him and tried to threw him on the wagon with
his mates but they put him off the wagon again for he was still alive.
His mother took him and he died in her bosom so she put him back on the
wagon. They took them outside the city and cast them into the fire which
did not harm them, then they casted them into the river. On the third day
those holy martyrs appeared to the Bishop of Sebastia in a vision and told
him: "Go to the river and take our bodies." He went with the priests, deacons
and the people to the river and found the bodies. They carried the bodies
with great honor and placed them in a beautiful shrine, and their strife
was heard in all the countries.
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 61 : 1,5
Chapter 61
| 1 | Hear my cry, O God; Attend to my prayer.
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| 5 | For You, O God, have heard my vows; You have given me the heritage of those who fear Your name.
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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.
Matthew 21 : 33 - 45
Chapter 21
| 33 | "Hear another parable: There was a certain landowner who planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a winepress in it and built a tower. And he leased it to vinedressers and went into a far country.
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| 34 | Now when vintage-time drew near, he sent his servants to the vinedressers, that they might receive its fruit.
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| 35 | And the vinedressers took his servants, beat one, killed one, and stoned another.
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| 36 | Again he sent other servants, more than the first, and they did likewise to them.
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| 37 | Then last of all he sent his son to them, saying, "They will respect my son.'
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| 38 | But when the vinedressers saw the son, they said among themselves, "This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance.'
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| 39 | So they took him and cast him out of the vineyard and killed him.
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| 40 | "Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vinedressers?"
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| 41 | They said to Him, "He will destroy those wicked men miserably, and lease his vineyard to other vinedressers who will render to him the fruits in their seasons."
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| 42 | Jesus said to them, "Have you never read in the Scriptures: "The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone. This was the LORD's doing, And it is marvelous in our eyes'?
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| 43 | "Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it.
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| 44 | And whoever falls on this stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder."
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| 45 | Now when the chief priests and Pharisees heard His parables, they perceived that He was speaking of them.
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And Glory be to God forever.
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Acknowledgement
Opening page