Sunday 18 May 2025
10 Bashans 1741
Readings for Sunday of fourth 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 118 : 1 - 2
| 1 | Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. |
| 2 | Let Israel now say, "His mercy endures forever." |
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 6 : 57 - 69
| 57 | As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me. |
| 58 | This is the bread which came down from heaven--not as your fathers ate the manna, and are dead. He who eats this bread will live forever." |
| 59 | These things He said in the synagogue as He taught in Capernaum. |
| 60 | Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this, said, "This is a hard saying; who can understand it?" |
| 61 | When Jesus knew in Himself that His disciples complained about this, He said to them, "Does this offend you? |
| 62 | What then if you should see the Son of Man ascend where He was before? |
| 63 | It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. |
| 64 | But there are some of you who do not believe." For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who would betray Him. |
| 65 | And He said, "Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father." |
| 66 | From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more. |
| 67 | Then Jesus said to the twelve, "Do you also want to go away?" |
| 68 | But Simon Peter answered Him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. |
| 69 | Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." |
Glory be to God forever.
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Matins Psalm & Gospel
From the Psalms of our father David the prophet and the king, may his blessings be with us all. Amen.
Psalms 118 : 27,21
| 27 | God is the LORD, And He has given us light; Bind the sacrifice with cords to the horns of the altar. |
| 21 | I will praise You, For You have answered me, And have become my salvation. |
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 8 : 51 - 59
| 51 | Most assuredly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he shall never see death." |
| 52 | Then the Jews said to Him, "Now we know that You have a demon! Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and You say, "If anyone keeps My word he shall never taste death.' |
| 53 | Are You greater than our father Abraham, who is dead? And the prophets are dead. Who do You make Yourself out to be?" |
| 54 | Jesus answered, "If I honor Myself, My honor is nothing. It is My Father who honors Me, of whom you say that He is your God. |
| 55 | Yet you have not known Him, but I know Him. And if I say, "I do not know Him,' I shall be a liar like you; but I do know Him and keep His word. |
| 56 | Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad." |
| 57 | Then the Jews said to Him, "You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?" |
| 58 | Jesus said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM." |
| 59 | Then they took up stones to throw at Him; but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by. |
Glory be to God forever.
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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 Thessalonians.
May his blessings be with us. Amen.
2 Thessalonians 2 : 13 - 3 : 5
| 13 | But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth, |
| 14 | to which He called you by our gospel, for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. |
| 15 | Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or our epistle. |
| 16 | Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and our God and Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting consolation and good hope by grace, |
| 17 | comfort your hearts and establish you in every good word and work. |
| 1 | Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may run swiftly and be glorified, just as it is with you, |
| 2 | and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men; for not all have faith. |
| 3 | But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one. |
| 4 | And we have confidence in the Lord concerning you, both that you do and will do the things we command you. |
| 5 | Now may the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the patience of Christ. |
The grace of God the Father be with you all. Amen.
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Catholic Epistle
A Reading from Epistle of St. John . May his blessings be upon us. Amen.
1 John 4 : 7 - 13
| 7 | Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. |
| 8 | He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. |
| 9 | In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. |
| 10 | In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. |
| 11 | Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. |
| 12 | No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us. |
| 13 | By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. |
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. Amen.
Acts 14 : 8 - 23
| 8 | And in Lystra a certain man without strength in his feet was sitting, a cripple from his mother's womb, who had never walked. |
| 9 | This man heard Paul speaking. Paul, observing him intently and seeing that he had faith to be healed, |
| 10 | said with a loud voice, "Stand up straight on your feet!" And he leaped and walked. |
| 11 | Now when the people saw what Paul had done, they raised their voices, saying in the Lycaonian language, "The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!" |
| 12 | And Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul, Hermes, because he was the chief speaker. |
| 13 | Then the priest of Zeus, whose temple was in front of their city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates, intending to sacrifice with the multitudes. |
| 14 | But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard this, they tore their clothes and ran in among the multitude, crying out |
| 15 | and saying, "Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men with the same nature as you, and preach to you that you should turn from these useless things to the living God, who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and all things that are in them, |
| 16 | who in bygone generations allowed all nations to walk in their own ways. |
| 17 | Nevertheless He did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good, gave us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness." |
| 18 | And with these sayings they could scarcely restrain the multitudes from sacrificing to them. |
| 19 | Then Jews from Antioch and Iconium came there; and having persuaded the multitudes, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing him to be dead. |
| 20 | However, when the disciples gathered around him, he rose up and went into the city. And the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe. |
| 21 | And when they had preached the gospel to that city and made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, |
| 22 | strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying, "We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God." |
| 23 | So when they had appointed elders in every church, and prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed. |
The word of the Lord shall grow, multiply, be mighty, and be confirmed, in the holy Church of God. Amen.
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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 118 : 14 - 16
| 14 | The LORD is my strength and song, And He has become my salvation. |
| 15 | The voice of rejoicing and salvation Is in the tents of the righteous; The right hand of the LORD does valiantly. |
| 16 | The right hand of the LORD is exalted; The right hand of the LORD does valiantly. |
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 12 : 35 - 50
| 35 | Then Jesus said to them, "A little while longer the light is with you. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you; he who walks in darkness does not know where he is going. |
| 36 | While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light." These things Jesus spoke, and departed, and was hidden from them. |
| 37 | But although He had done so many signs before them, they did not believe in Him, |
| 38 | that the word of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spoke: "Lord, who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?" |
| 39 | Therefore they could not believe, because Isaiah said again: |
| 40 | "He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, Lest they should see with their eyes, Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, So that I should heal them." |
| 41 | These things Isaiah said when he saw His glory and spoke of Him. |
| 42 | Nevertheless even among the rulers many believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue; |
| 43 | for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God. |
| 44 | Then Jesus cried out and said, "He who believes in Me, believes not in Me but in Him who sent Me. |
| 45 | And he who sees Me sees Him who sent Me. |
| 46 | I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness. |
| 47 | And if anyone hears My words and does not believe, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. |
| 48 | He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him--the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day. |
| 49 | For I have not spoken on My own authority; but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak. |
| 50 | And I know that His command is everlasting life. Therefore, whatever I speak, just as the Father has told Me, so I speak." |
Glory be to God forever.
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Not to be read in the Church during this time of the year.
Synaxarium
Day 10 of the Blessed Coptic Month of Bashans.
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 Tenth Day of the Blessed Month of Bashans
Departure of the Three Hebrew Young Men
: Hananiah, Azariah, and Mishael
On this day is the commemoration
of the departure of the three young men the Saints: Hananiah (Ananias),
Azariah (Azarias) and Mishael (Misael). These Saints were the sons of Jehoiakim
king of Judah. They were exiled by Nebuchadnezzar to Babylon. When Nebuchadnezzar
chose some of the exiled young men to be in his service. These young men
and Daniel, their cousin, among those who were chosen. Ashpenaz the master
of the eunuchs gave them other names: he gave Daniel the name Belteshazzar,
to Hananiah : Shadrach; to Mishael : Meshach; and to Azariah : Abed-Nego.
These young men purposed in their heart that they would not defile themselves
with the portion of the king's delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank;
therefore they requested of the chief of the eunuchs that they might not
defile themselves. The chief of the eunuchs said to them, "I fear my lord
the king, who has appointed your food and drink. For why should he see
your faces looking worse than the young men who are your age? Then you
would endanger my head before the king." They said to the steward whom
the chief of the eunuchs had set over them: "Please test your servants
for ten days, and let them give us vegetables to eat and water to drink.
Then let our countenances be examined before you, and the countenances
of the young men who eat the portion of the king's delicacies; and as you
see fit, so deal with your servants." So he consented with them in this
matter, and tested them ten days. And at the end of ten days their countenance
appeared better and fatter in flesh than all the young men who ate the
portion of the king's delicacies. As for these four young men, God gave
them knowledge and skill in all literature and wisdom; and Daniel had understanding
in all visions and dreams. Now at the end of the days, when the king had
said that they should be brought in, the chief of the eunuchs brought them
in before Nebuchadnezzar. When the king interviewed them, and among them
all none was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah; therefore
they served before the king. And in all matters of wisdom and understanding
about which the king examined them, he found them ten times better than
all the magicians and astrologers who were in all his realm, and he appointed them governors on all the provinces of Babylon.
(Daniel 1:8-20)
When the king made an image
of gold, and the three Hebrew young men did not worship it, those envious
of them, accused them before the king that they did not worship the image.
The king brought them and asked them about that and they confessed that
they only worship the true God. He commanded them to be casted in a burning
fiery furnace. The Lord sent His angel, who protected them and made the
fire as a cool dew although it burnt the men that threw them in the fiery
furnace. When the king saw that, he believed in their God and promoted
them in the province of Babylon. On the tenth day of Bashans, while they
were praying, and kneeling down, they gave up the spirit at the hand of
the Lord. A great earthquake occurred. The king was terrified, and inquired
from Daniel about what had happened, who told him that the three Hebrew
young men had died. The king came to the place and mourned them. He ordered
that three beds made of ebony be made, and their bodies be wrapped in silk,
and then placed on the beds. He also ordered a bed made of gold for himself,
so that when he died, they would place him on it among them. Pope Theophilos,
the 23rd. Patriarch, built a church after their names and wanted to relocate
their bodies to it. He delegated St. John the short and sent him to Babylon.
When he arrived to the place where they were buried, he heard a voice saying:
"The Lord has ordained that our bodies remain in this place, but because
of your labor of love, when you return, say to the Patriarch to fill the
oil lamps with oil on the night of the consecration of the church, and
the power of God will be revealed." When he returned, and told the Pope,
he did as he was commanded, and the oil lamps (Kandeels) lighted up. They
glorified God, and completed the consecration after the names of these
Saints.
May their prayers be with us and glory be to God forever. Amen.
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