Baunah 16, 1740 AM <-> June 23 2024 <->The Readings for today

Sunday 23 June 2024
16 Baunah 1740
Readings for The Feast of the 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 51 : 12,14

¹²	Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, And uphold me by Your generous Spirit.

¹⁴	Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God, The God of my salvation, And my tongue shall sing aloud of Your righteousness.

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 - 44

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.

⁴⁰	Therefore many from the crowd, when they heard this saying, said, "Truly this is the Prophet."

⁴¹	Others said, "This is the Christ." But some said, "Will the Christ come out of Galilee?

⁴²	Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the seed of David and from the town of Bethlehem, where David was?"

⁴³	So there was a division among the people because of Him.

⁴⁴	Now some of them wanted to take Him, but no one laid hands on Him.

Glory be to God forever.

↑ Top of Page ↑

Matins Psalm & Gospel

From the Psalms of our father David the prophet and the king, may his blessings be with us all. Amen.

Psalms 104 : 30 - 31

³⁰	You send forth Your Spirit, they are created; And You renew the face of the earth.

³¹	May the glory of the LORD endure forever; May the LORD rejoice in His works.

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 14 : 26 - 15 : 4

²⁶	But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.

²⁷	Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

²⁸	You have heard Me say to you, "I am going away and coming back to you.' If you loved Me, you would rejoice because I said, "I am going to the Father,' for My Father is greater than I.

²⁹	"And now I have told you before it comes, that when it does come to pass, you may believe.

³⁰	I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in Me.

³¹	But that the world may know that I love the Father, and as the Father gave Me commandment, so I do. Arise, let us go from here.

¹	"I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.

²	Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.

³	You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.

⁴	Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.

Glory be to God forever.

↑ Top of Page ↑

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 : 1 - 31

¹	Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant:

²	You know that you were Gentiles, carried away to these dumb idols, however you were led.

³	Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.

⁴	There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.

⁵	There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord.

⁶	And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all.

⁷	But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all:

⁸	for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit,

⁹	to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit,

¹⁰	to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.

¹¹	But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.

¹²	For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ.

¹³	For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body--whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free--and have all been made to drink into one Spirit.

¹⁴	For in fact the body is not one member but many.

¹⁵	If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body," is it therefore not of the body?

¹⁶	And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body," is it therefore not of the body?

¹⁷	If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling?

¹⁸	But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased.

¹⁹	And if they were all one member, where would the body be?

²⁰	But now indeed there are many members, yet one body.

²¹	And the eye cannot say to the hand, "I have no need of you"; nor again the head to the feet, "I have no need of you."

²²	No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary.

²³	And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty,

²⁴	but our presentable parts have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it,

²⁵	that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another.

²⁶	And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.

²⁷	Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.

²⁸	And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues.

²⁹	Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles?

³⁰	Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret?

³¹	But earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way.

The grace of God the Father be with you all. Amen.

↑ Top of Page ↑

Catholic Epistle

A Reading from Epistle of St. John . May his blessings be upon us. Amen.

1 John 2 : 20 - 3 : 1

²⁰	But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things.

²¹	I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and that no lie is of the truth.

²²	Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son.

²³	Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either; he who acknowledges the Son has the Father also.

²⁴	Therefore let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you also will abide in the Son and in the Father.

²⁵	And this is the promise that He has promised us--eternal life.

²⁶	These things I have written to you concerning those who try to deceive you.

²⁷	But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him.

²⁸	And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming.

²⁹	If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him.

¹	Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.

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. Amen.

Acts 2 : 1 - 21

¹	When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.

²	And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.

³	Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them.

⁴	And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

⁵	And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven.

⁶	And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language.

⁷	Then they were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, "Look, are not all these who speak Galileans?

⁸	And how is it that we hear, each in our own language in which we were born?

⁹	Parthians and Medes and Elamites, those dwelling in Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia,

¹⁰	Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya adjoining Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes,

¹¹	Cretans and Arabs--we hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God."

¹²	So they were all amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, "Whatever could this mean?"

¹³	Others mocking said, "They are full of new wine."

¹⁴	But Peter, standing up with the eleven, raised his voice and said to them, "Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and heed my words.

¹⁵	For these are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day.

¹⁶	But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:

¹⁷	"And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your young men shall see visions, Your old men shall dream dreams.

¹⁸	And on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days; And they shall prophesy.

¹⁹	I will show wonders in heaven above And signs in the earth beneath: Blood and fire and vapor of smoke.

²⁰	The sun shall be turned into darkness, And the moon into blood, Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the LORD.

²¹	And it shall come to pass That whoever calls on the name of the LORD Shall be saved.'

The word of the Lord shall grow, multiply, be mighty, and be confirmed, in the holy Church of God. Amen.

↑ Top of Page ↑

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 47 : 5,8

⁵	God has gone up with a shout, The LORD with the sound of a trumpet.

⁸	God reigns over the nations; God sits on His holy throne.

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 15 : 26 - 16 : 15

²⁶	"But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me.

²⁷	And you also will bear witness, because you have been with Me from the beginning.

¹	"These things I have spoken to you, that you should not be made to stumble.

²	They will put you out of the synagogues; yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service.

³	And these things they will do to you because they have not known the Father nor Me.

⁴	But these things I have told you, that when the time comes, you may remember that I told you of them. "And these things I did not say to you at the beginning, because I was with you.

⁵	"But now I go away to Him who sent Me, and none of you asks Me, "Where are You going?'

⁶	But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart.

⁷	Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.

⁸	And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:

⁹	of sin, because they do not believe in Me;

¹⁰	of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more;

¹¹	of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.

¹²	"I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.

¹³	However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.

¹⁴	He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you.

¹⁵	All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you.

Glory be to God forever.

↑ Top of Page ↑

Not to be read in the Church during this time of the year.

Synaxarium

Day 16 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 Sixteenth Day of the Blessed Month of Baunah

Departure of St.Abba Nofer the Anchorite

icon

On this day, the ascetic father, Abba Nofer the Anchorite, departed at a good old age, and of a glorious memory, in the desert of Upper Egypt. The grace of God had moved St. Paphnoute (Paphnutius), and he longed to see the servants of God, the Anchorites. He saw many of them, among them St. Abba Nofer, and wrote their biographies. He said that once he went into the desert and found a well of water and a palm tree. Then he saw the saint coming to him, naked, and the hair of his head and beard covered his body. When St.Paphnutius saw him, he was afraid and thought that he was a spirit. Saint Abba Nofer encouraged him, made the sign of the cross, and prayed the Lord's prayer, then said to him, "Welcome O Paphnoute." When he called him by his name, St. Paphnutius calmed down. They prayed together, then sat, and talked about the greatness and goodness of God. St. Paphnutius asked Abba Nofer to tell him about his life and how he came to that place. Abba Nofer replied, "I was in a monastery wherein lived holy and righteous monks. I heard them talking about the greatness of those anchorites who dwelled in the desert and their good virtues. I said to them, 'Are there any who are better than you?' They said to me, 'Yes, those anchorites who dwell in the wilderness. We live near the world, if we are sorrowful or sad, we find someone to console us; if we are sick, we find someone to visit and treat us; if we are naked, we find someone to clothe us. Those who live in the wilderness lack all these things.' When I heard that from them, my heart became anxious. "When the night came, I took a little bread and I went out from the monastery. Then I prayed to the Lord Christ and asked Him to guide me to the place where I was to live. The Lord facilitated my way and I found a holy and righteous man. I dwelt with him, and he taught me all about the life and the ways of the hermits and the anchorites. After I came to this place, I found a palm tree, and a well. The tree bore twelve clusters of dates each year. One cluster of dates is enough food for me for a month, and I drink water from this well. I have lived here for sixty years during which I have never seen the face of a man except yours." While they were talking together the angel of the Lord came down, and told St. Abba Nofer that his departure was near. Straightway, his color changed and became like fire, then he bowed his knees and worshipped God. After he embraced St. Paphnutius, he delivered up his pure soul. St.Paphnutius wrapped him, and buried him in his cave. St. Paphnutius wished to live in the place of Abba Nofer. But after he had buried him, the palm tree dried and fell down and the water of the well dried up. That happened by the Will of God, so St. Paphnoute would return to the world and tell us about the holy hermits that he had seen.

May Their prayers be with us and Glory be to God forever. Amen.

Commemoration of the feast of Pentecost

icon

This day also marks the commemoration of the coming down of the Holy Spirit upon the holy disciples in the upper room of Zion. They spoke with different tongues and it is called the feast of Pentecost.

May his blessings be with us and glory be to God forever. Amen.

↑ Top of Page ↑

Return to previous page.
Reference