11 Baunah 1743
Readings for Friday of seventh of of the Holy Fifty Days
Vespers Psalm & Gospel
From the Psalms of our father David the prophet and the king, may his blessings be with us all. Amen.
Psalms 42 : 8
| 8 | The LORD will command His lovingkindness in the daytime, And in the night His song shall be with me--A prayer to the God of my life. |
Blessed is he who comes in the Name of the Lord. Our Lord, God and Savior Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, unto Him be the glory forever, Amen.
Stand in the fear of God and listen to the Holy Gospel. A reading from the Holy Gospel according to our teacher Saint Luke the Evangelist. May His Blessings be with us all. Amen.
Luke 11 : 24 - 26
| 24 | "When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he says, "I will return to my house from which I came.' |
| 25 | And when he comes, he finds it swept and put in order. |
| 26 | Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first." |
Glory be to God forever.
Matins Psalm & Gospel
From the Psalms of our father David the prophet and the king, may his blessings be with us all. Amen.
Psalms 119 : 96,89
| 96 | I have seen the consummation of all perfection, But Your commandment is exceedingly broad. |
| 89 | Forever, O LORD, Your word is settled in heaven. |
Blessed is he who comes in the Name of the Lord. Our Lord, God and Savior Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, unto Him be the glory forever, Amen.
Stand in the fear of God and listen to the Holy Gospel. A reading from the Holy Gospel according to our teacher Saint Luke the Evangelist. May His Blessings be with us all. Amen.
Luke 8 : 18 - 21
| 18 | Therefore take heed how you hear. For whoever has, to him more will be given; and whoever does not have, even what he seems to have will be taken from him." |
| 19 | Then His mother and brothers came to Him, and could not approach Him because of the crowd. |
| 20 | And it was told Him by some, who said, "Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see You." |
| 21 | But He answered and said to them, "My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it." |
Glory be to God forever.
Divine Liturgy
Pauline 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 with us. Amen.
1 Corinthians 14 : 12 - 17
| 12 | Even so you, since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, let it be for the edification of the church that you seek to excel. |
| 13 | Therefore let him who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret. |
| 14 | For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful. |
| 15 | What is the conclusion then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding. |
| 16 | Otherwise, if you bless with the spirit, how will he who occupies the place of the uninformed say "Amen" at your giving of thanks, since he does not understand what you say? |
| 17 | For you indeed give thanks well, but the other is not edified. |
The grace of God the Father be with you all. Amen.
Catholic Epistle
A Reading from Epistle of St. Jude . May his blessings be upon us. Amen.
Jude 1 : 22 - 25
| 22 | And on some have compassion, making a distinction; |
| 23 | but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh. |
| 24 | Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, And to present you faultless Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, |
| 25 | To God our Savior, Who alone is wise, Be glory and majesty, Dominion and power, Both now and forever. 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.
Acts of the Apostles
The Acts of our fathers the apostles, may their blessings be with us. Amen.
Acts 15 : 13 - 18
| 13 | And after they had become silent, James answered, saying, "Men and brethren, listen to me: |
| 14 | Simon has declared how God at the first visited the Gentiles to take out of them a people for His name. |
| 15 | And with this the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written: |
| 16 | 'After this I will return And will rebuild the tabernacle of David, which has fallen down; I will rebuild its ruins, And I will set it up; |
| 17 | So that the rest of mankind may seek the LORD. Even all the Gentiles who are called by My name, Says the LORD who does all these things.' |
| 18 | "Known to God from eternity are all His works. |
The word of the Lord shall grow, multiply, be mighty, and be confirmed, in the holy Church of God. Amen.
Divine Liturgy Psalm & Gospel
From the Psalms of our father David the prophet and the king, may his blessings be with us all. Amen.
Psalms 25 : 1 - 3
| 1 | To You, O LORD, I lift up my soul. |
| 2 | O my God, I trust in You; Let me not be ashamed; Let not my enemies triumph over me. |
| 3 | Indeed, let no one who waits on You be ashamed; Let those be ashamed who deal treacherously without cause. |
Blessed is he who comes in the Name of the Lord. Our Lord, God and Savior Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, unto Him be the glory forever, Amen.
Stand in the fear of God and listen to the Holy Gospel. A reading from the Holy Gospel according to our teacher Saint John the Evangelist. May His Blessings be with us all. Amen.
John 7 : 37 - 39
| 37 | On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. |
| 38 | He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water." |
| 39 | But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. |
Glory be to God forever.
Not to be read in the Church during this time of the year.
Synaxarium
Day 11 of the Blessed Coptic Month of Baunah.
May God make it always received, year after year, with reassurance and tranquility, while our sins are forgiven by the tender mercies of our God my fathers and brothers. Amen.
The Eleventh Day of the Blessed Month of Baunah
Martyrdom of St.Claudius
On this day, the honorable St. Claudius, was martyred. He was the son of Ptolemy (Abtelmawos), who was Emperor Numerianus' brother. He was loved by the people of Antioch for his courage and good appearance. Because they loved him so greatly, they painted a picture of him on the doors of the city of Antioch. When Diocletian reneged the faith and incited the persecution against the Christians, this Saint agreed with St. Boctor (Victor) Ebn Romanus to be martyred for the sake of the Name of Christ. Satan appeared to them in the form of an old man and told them, "O my sons, you are young men, the sons of nobility, and I am afraid for you from this infidel Emperor; so if he asked you to worship the idols, accept his command, and in your houses you can worship Christ in secret." They realized that he was satan disguised as an old man and told him, "O you who are filled with all evil, go away from us." Straightway the old man changed his appearance and became like a black slave and told them, "Behold, I will go before you to the Emperor and instigate him to shed your blood."
The Emperor brought St. Claudius and proposed to him the worship of the idols, and promised to give him his father's position. Claudius neither accepted his promise, nor submitted to his order. He spoke to him boldly and fearlessly reviling him for worshipping the idols. The Emperor did not dare to harm him for the people of Antioch loved him. Romanus, St. Victor's father, advised the Emperor to send him to Egypt to be killed there. He sent him with a letter to the Governor of Ansena (Antinoe) stating in it: "Claudius neither obeyed our orders, nor hearkened our words. Persuade him with all your power first, and if he does not return on his counsel, cut off his head." When the Saint heard that, he called Sidrakhos, his sister's husband, asked him to care for his sister, his possessions and bid him farewell. The Saint went with the soldiers to Egypt. When he arrived to Arianus, the governor of Ansena, he received him standing, kissed his hand, and said, "O my master Claudius, do not transgress the command of the Emperor." The Saint replied, "I was not sent to you for you to lead me astray by your words, but that you might fulfil what the emperor commanded." They argued with each other till Arianus became enraged with the answers of the Saint, and he drove the spear into the Saint. He delivered up his pure spirit and received the crown of martyrdom. Some of the believers, took his body and shrouded it. They placed it with the body of St. Victor who was martyred shortly before that. After the end of the time of persecution, Victor's mother came, and took their bodies to Antioch.
May their prayers be with us. Amen.
Commemoration of the Consecration of the Altar of the Forty Martyrs in Alexandria
On this day also, the church celebrates the commemoration of the consecration of the altar of the Forty martyrs of Sebastia, in the church of the Savior, in Alexandria.
May their intercession be with us and Glory be to God forever. Amen.