12 Baunah 1743
Readings for Saturday before Pentecost
Vespers Psalm & Gospel
From the Psalms of our father David the prophet and the king, may his blessings be with us all. Amen.
Psalms 107 : 2 - 3
| 2 | Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, Whom He has redeemed from the hand of the enemy, |
| 3 | And gathered out of the lands, From the east and from the west, From the north and from the south. |
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 : 40 - 56
| 40 | So it was, when Jesus returned, that the multitude welcomed Him, for they were all waiting for Him. |
| 41 | And behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue. And he fell down at Jesus' feet and begged Him to come to his house, |
| 42 | for he had an only daughter about twelve years of age, and she was dying. But as He went, the multitudes thronged Him. |
| 43 | Now a woman, having a flow of blood for twelve years, who had spent all her livelihood on physicians and could not be healed by any, |
| 44 | came from behind and touched the border of His garment. And immediately her flow of blood stopped. |
| 45 | And Jesus said, "Who touched Me?" When all denied it, Peter and those with him said, "Master, the multitudes throng and press You, and You say, "Who touched Me?"' |
| 46 | But Jesus said, "Somebody touched Me, for I perceived power going out from Me." |
| 47 | Now when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling; and falling down before Him, she declared to Him in the presence of all the people the reason she had touched Him and how she was healed immediately. |
| 48 | And He said to her, "Daughter, be of good cheer; your faith has made you well. Go in peace." |
| 49 | While He was still speaking, someone came from the ruler of the synagogue's house, saying to him, "Your daughter is dead. Do not trouble the Teacher." |
| 50 | But when Jesus heard it, He answered him, saying, "Do not be afraid; only believe, and she will be made well." |
| 51 | When He came into the house, He permitted no one to go in except Peter, James, and John, and the father and mother of the girl. |
| 52 | Now all wept and mourned for her; but He said, "Do not weep; she is not dead, but sleeping." |
| 53 | And they ridiculed Him, knowing that she was dead. |
| 54 | But He put them all outside, took her by the hand and called, saying, "Little girl, arise." |
| 55 | Then her spirit returned, and she arose immediately. And He commanded that she be given something to eat. |
| 56 | And her parents were astonished, but He charged them to tell no one what had happened. |
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 33 : 5 - 6
| 5 | He loves righteousness and justice; The earth is full of the goodness of the LORD. |
| 6 | By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, And all the host of them by the breath of His mouth. |
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 17 : 1 - 13
| 1 | Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said: "Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You, |
| 2 | as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him. |
| 3 | And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. |
| 4 | I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do. |
| 5 | And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was. |
| 6 | "I have manifested Your name to the men whom You have given Me out of the world. They were Yours, You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word. |
| 7 | Now they have known that all things which You have given Me are from You. |
| 8 | For I have given to them the words which You have given Me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came forth from You; and they have believed that You sent Me. |
| 9 | "I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for those whom You have given Me, for they are Yours. |
| 10 | And all Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine, and I am glorified in them. |
| 11 | Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are. |
| 12 | While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Your name. Those whom You gave Me I have kept; and none of them is lost except the son of perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. |
| 13 | But now I come to You, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves. |
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 12:31-31 1 Corinthians 13:1-13 1 Corinthians 14:1-4
| 31 | But earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way. |
| 1 | Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. |
| 2 | And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. |
| 3 | And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing. |
| 4 | Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; |
| 5 | does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; |
| 6 | does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; |
| 7 | bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. |
| 8 | Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. |
| 9 | For we know in part and we prophesy in part. |
| 10 | But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away. |
| 11 | When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. |
| 12 | For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known. |
| 13 | And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love. |
| 1 | Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy. |
| 2 | For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries. |
| 3 | But he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men. |
| 4 | He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church. |
The grace of God the Father be with you all. Amen.
Catholic Epistle
A Reading from Epistle of St. John . May his blessings be upon us. Amen.
1 John 2 : 12 - 17
| 12 | I write to you, little children, Because your sins are forgiven you for His name's sake. |
| 13 | I write to you, fathers, Because you have known Him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, Because you have overcome the wicked one. I write to you, little children, Because you have known the Father. |
| 14 | I have written to you, fathers, Because you have known Him who is from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, Because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, And you have overcome the wicked one. |
| 15 | Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. |
| 16 | For all that is in the world--the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life--is not of the Father but is of the world. |
| 17 | And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever. |
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 1 : 15 - 26
| 15 | And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples (altogether the number of names was about a hundred and twenty), and said, |
| 16 | "Men and brethren, this Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke before by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus; |
| 17 | for he was numbered with us and obtained a part in this ministry." |
| 18 | (Now this man purchased a field with the wages of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst open in the middle and all his entrails gushed out. |
| 19 | And it became known to all those dwelling in Jerusalem; so that field is called in their own language, Akel Dama, that is, Field of Blood.) |
| 20 | "For it is written in the Book of Psalms: "Let his dwelling place be desolate, And let no one live in it'; and, "Let another take his office.' |
| 21 | "Therefore, of these men who have accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, |
| 22 | beginning from the baptism of John to that day when He was taken up from us, one of these must become a witness with us of His resurrection." |
| 23 | And they proposed two: Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias. |
| 24 | And they prayed and said, "You, O Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which of these two You have chosen |
| 25 | to take part in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place." |
| 26 | And they cast their lots, and the lot fell on Matthias. And he was numbered with the eleven apostles. |
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 108 : 3 - 4
| 3 | I will praise You, O LORD, among the peoples, And I will sing praises to You among the nations. |
| 4 | For Your mercy is great above the heavens, And Your truth reaches to the clouds. |
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 17 : 14 - 26
| 14 | I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. |
| 15 | I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. |
| 16 | They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. |
| 17 | Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. |
| 18 | As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. |
| 19 | And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth. |
| 20 | "I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; |
| 21 | that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. |
| 22 | And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: |
| 23 | I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me. |
| 24 | "Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world. |
| 25 | O righteous Father! The world has not known You, but I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me. |
| 26 | And I have declared to them Your name, and will declare it, that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them." |
Glory be to God forever.
Not to be read in the Church during this time of the year.
Synaxarium
Day 12 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 Twelfth Day of the Blessed Month of Baunah
Commemoration of Archangel Michael
On this day, the church celebrates the commemoration of the angel Michael, the Archangel, the intercessor of the human race. The one who appeared to Joshua the son of Nun, encouraged him, and told him, "Nay, but as captain of the hosts of the Lord am I now come." He made the city of Jericho to fall into his hands, and he stopped the sun for him.
May his intercession be with us. Amen.
Departure of St.Justus, the Sixth Pope of the See of St.Mark
On this day also, of the year 135 A.D., St. Justus, the Sixth Pope of the See of St. Mark, departed. This saint was an honorable and learned man before his ordination. He was baptized by St. Mark the Apostle, along with his father, his mother and others. St. Anianus, the second pope, ordained him a deacon, then a priest, and appointed him to preach, and teach the people. He was chosen for the papacy to succeed Pope Primus. He shepherded his people with the best of care for ten years. He departed at a pleasing good old age.
May his prayer be with us. Amen.
Departure of St.Kyrillos the Second, the 67th Pope of Alexandria
On this day also, the twelfth of Baunah, 808 A.M. (June 6th, 1092 A.D.), the great Pope, St.Kyrillos the Second, the 67th Pope of Alexandria, departed. He became a monk in Sawma'et (Cell) of Singar. Because of his knowledge and righteousness, they chose him a Patriarch, a successor to St. Christodolus, the 66th Pope. His enthronement was on 22nd of Baramhat, 794 A.M. (March 18th, 1078 A.D.). Some of the bishops disobeyed the Pope and decided to depose him. They assembled a council from forty-seven bishops for this purpose. When the Fatimid governor knew of this dissension, he called the bishops to his orchard. He harshly talked to them with words God had put in his mouth. The overseer of the orchard (Yaseeb) sided with those who opposed the Pope. Peter, the pope's disciple, reproved him and an exchange of words took place between them while the Pope was coming out of the meeting. The Pope told the overseer, "If the Governor has authority, Christ has authority over the heaven and earth." The Pope dismounted his horse, and made a matonia before him, which was on Saturday the 23rd of Misra, 802 A.M. On the next Saturday, the governor became enraged with the overseer of his orchard. He went there and ordered the beheading of the overseer. That was in the same place where the Pope had made the matonia to him and in the same hour. The Governor told the dissenting bishops, "You all should be in accordance, and obey your Archbishop." Thus, they all were reconciled, and went to the church of St. Marcurius. They celebrated the Divine liturgy on Saturday and Sunday and then went to their parishes rejoicing. This Pope remained on the Chair for fourteen years, two month, and thirteen days, then departed in peace.
May his prayers be with us. Amen.
Departure of St.Euphemia
This day also, marks the martyrdom of St. Euphemia. She was the wife of a man who feared God, and gave much alms. He kept three festivals each month: the commemoration of the angel Michael, on the twelfth day; the commemoration of the Mother of God (Theotokos), on the twenty-first day; and the commemoration of the Nativity of our Lord, on the twenty-ninth day of each month. When the day of his departure drew near, he commanded his wife, to keep this custom, to not stop the giving of alms, and to do the acts of charity especially on these three festivals. He painted a picture of the honorable angel Michael and gave it to her. After the departure of her husband, she continued to fulfill his will. Satan was jealous of her, and he came to her disguised as a monk, who talked to her expressing his pity for her. He advised her to get married, to bring forth children, and to refrain from doing charitable deeds lest she finish her money. He told her also that her husband had received the Kingdom and he had no need of the alms giving. She answered saying, "I have vowed not to consort with another man after my husband." She went on saying, "If birds as the doves and the ravens do not take second mates, how then can men who are created in the form and likeness of God do this?" The devil left her angry.
When the feast of the Angel had come, and she had prepared all what she needed as her custom, Satan appeared to her in the form of an angel and said to her, "Peace be to you, the angel Michael has sent me to you, commanding you to cease from these alms, and to marry a believing man." Then he told her, "A woman without a man is like a ship without a captain," and he began to bring her proofs out of the Holy Bible in regard of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David, and others like them who married wives and pleased God. She replied saying, "If you are an angel of God, where is the Cross, the symbol of your military service? For the soldier of the King never goes to any place without this symbol with him." When Satan heard these words from her, he returned to his original form, and jumped on her to choke her. She cried for the angel Michael, whose feast she was celebrating, and he delivered her immediately from him. The angel Michael told her, "Go and arrange your affairs, for you shall depart from this world today. And behold the Lord has prepared for you what eye has not seen, and ear has not heard, nor has it occurred to the heart of man," then he gave her the greeting of peace, and went up into heaven. After, St. Euphemia had celebrated the feast of the angel Michael, she sent for the father the bishop and the priests. She gave them all her money to give to the poor and the needy. Then, she took the Picture of the honorable angel Michael and prayed before it. She laid it upon her face and breast, then departed in peace.
May her prayers be with us and Glory be to God forever. Amen.