Readings for Sunday 24 November 2024
15 Hatur 1741
Third Sunday of Hatur
Vespers Psalm & Gospel
From the Psalms of our father David the prophet and the king, may his blessings be with us all. Amen.
Psalms 86 : 2 - 4
| 2 | Preserve my life, for I am holy; You are my God; Save Your servant who trusts in You! |
| 3 | Be merciful to me, O Lord, For I cry to You all day long. |
| 4 | Rejoice the soul of Your servant, For to You, O Lord, I lift up my soul. |
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 Matthew the Evangelist. May His Blessings be with us all. Amen.
Matthew 11 : 25 - 30
| 25 | At that time Jesus answered and said, "I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes. |
| 26 | Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight. |
| 27 | All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him. |
| 28 | Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. |
| 29 | Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. |
| 30 | For My yoke is easy and My burden is light." |
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 113 : 3 - 4
| 3 | From the rising of the sun to its going down The LORD's name is to be praised. |
| 4 | The LORD is high above all nations, His glory above the heavens. |
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 24 : 1 - 12
| 1 | Now on the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they, and certain other women with them, came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared. |
| 2 | But they found the stone rolled away from the tomb. |
| 3 | Then they went in and did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. |
| 4 | And it happened, as they were greatly perplexed about this, that behold, two men stood by them in shining garments. |
| 5 | Then, as they were afraid and bowed their faces to the earth, they said to them, "Why do you seek the living among the dead? |
| 6 | He is not here, but is risen! Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, |
| 7 | saying, "The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again."' |
| 8 | And they remembered His words. |
| 9 | Then they returned from the tomb and told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. |
| 10 | It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them, who told these things to the apostles. |
| 11 | And their words seemed to them like idle tales, and they did not believe them. |
| 12 | But Peter arose and ran to the tomb; and stooping down, he saw the linen cloths lying by themselves; and he departed, marveling to himself at what had happened. |
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.
1 Thessalonians 1 : 1 - 12
| 1 | Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. |
| 2 | We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers, |
| 3 | remembering without ceasing your work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of our God and Father, |
| 4 | knowing, beloved brethren, your election by God. |
| 5 | For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance, as you know what kind of men we were among you for your sake. |
| 6 | And you became followers of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Spirit, |
| 7 | so that you became examples to all in Macedonia and Achaia who believe. |
| 8 | For from you the word of the Lord has sounded forth, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place. Your faith toward God has gone out, so that we do not need to say anything. |
| 9 | For they themselves declare concerning us what manner of entry we had to you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, |
| 10 | and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come. |
The grace of God the Father be with you all. Amen.
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Catholic Epistle
A Reading from Epistle of St. Peter . May his blessings be upon us. Amen.
1 Peter 4 : 3 - 11
| 3 | For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles--when we walked in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries. |
| 4 | In regard to these, they think it strange that you do not run with them in the same flood of dissipation, speaking evil of you. |
| 5 | They will give an account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. |
| 6 | For this reason the gospel was preached also to those who are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit. |
| 7 | But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers. |
| 8 | And above all things have fervent love for one another, for "love will cover a multitude of sins." |
| 9 | Be hospitable to one another without grumbling. |
| 10 | As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. |
| 11 | If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. 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.
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Acts of the Apostles
The Acts of our fathers the apostles, may their blessings be with us. Amen.
Acts 5 : 30 - 42
| 30 | The God of our fathers raised up Jesus whom you murdered by hanging on a tree. |
| 31 | Him God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. |
| 32 | And we are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him." |
| 33 | When they heard this, they were furious and plotted to kill them. |
| 34 | Then one in the council stood up, a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law held in respect by all the people, and commanded them to put the apostles outside for a little while. |
| 35 | And he said to them: "Men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what you intend to do regarding these men. |
| 36 | For some time ago Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody. A number of men, about four hundred, joined him. He was slain, and all who obeyed him were scattered and came to nothing. |
| 37 | After this man, Judas of Galilee rose up in the days of the census, and drew away many people after him. He also perished, and all who obeyed him were dispersed. |
| 38 | And now I say to you, keep away from these men and let them alone; for if this plan or this work is of men, it will come to nothing; |
| 39 | but if it is of God, you cannot overthrow it--lest you even be found to fight against God." |
| 40 | And they agreed with him, and when they had called for the apostles and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. |
| 41 | So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name. |
| 42 | And daily in the temple, and in every house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ. |
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 15 of the Blessed Coptic Month of Hatur.
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 Fifteenth Day of the Blessed Month of Hatur
Martyrdom of St.Mari-Mina the Wonder
Worker
On this day St. Mina, who
is called the blessed faithful, was martyred. His father, Eudoxius, was
a native of the city of Nakiyos (Nikiu) and was its Governor. His brother
was envious of him and he brought charges against him before the Emperor.
The Emperor transferred him to Afrikia and appointed him Governor over
it. The people were pleased with him because he was merciful and God-fearing.
His mother Euphemia had no children. One day she went to church on the
feast of our Lady, the Virgin, the Mother of God, at Attribes. She saw
the children in the church wearing their beautiful clothes with their parents.
She heaved a sigh and wept before the icon of Our Lady St. Mary, entreating
her to intercede for her before her beloved Son, in order that He would
give her a son. A voice came from the icon saying, "Amen." She rejoiced
in what she had heard and realized that the Lord had heard her prayers.
When she returned to her home and told her husband about it, he replied,
"May God's Will be done." The Lord gave them this saint and they called
him Mina, according to the voice that his mother heard. When he grew, his
parents taught him reading and writing and they reared him in a Christian
manner. When he was eleven years old, his father departed at a good old
age. Then his mother departed three years later. St. Mina devoted his life
to fasting, praying and to living a Christian life. Because of everyone's
love towards him and his father, they placed him in his father's position.
In spite of that, he did not forsake his worshipping. When Diocletian had
reneged Christianity and issued his orders to worship idols, many were
martyred for the Name of the Lord Christ. St. Mina left his position and
went to the desert, where he stayed many days worshipping God with all
his heart.
One day he saw the heavens
open and the martyrs crowned with beautiful crowns. He heard a voice saying,
"He who toils for the Name of the Lord Christ shall receive these crowns."
He returned to the city over which he was Governor and confessed the Name
of the Lord Christ. Knowing that he belonged to a noble family, they tried
to dissuade him from his faith and promised him honors and precious gifts.
When he did not change his mind, they threatened him and the Governor ordered
him to be tortured. When the Governor failed to turn him away from his
faith in the Lord Christ, he sent him to his brother so that he might influence
him but he failed also. Finally, he ordered his head to be cut off with
the sword, his body to be cast in the fire and his ashes to be scattered
in the wind. The body remained in the fire for three days and three nights,
but it was not harmed.
His sister came and gave
the soldiers a lot of money and they let her take the body. She put it
in a sack made of fronds and decided to go to Alexandria, as her brother
had previously advised her. She embarked with her brother's body on one
of the ships to Alexandria. During their trip, sea beasts came out of the
water and attacked the passengers aboard the ship. They were frightened
and screamed with fear. The Saint's sister prayed to the Lord and asked
for the intercession of her brother. While the passengers were in fear,
fire went forth from her brother's body and burned the faces of the beasts.
They dived immediately into the water and as they reappeared, the fire
burned them again. They finally dived and did not reappear. When the ship
arrived at the city of Alexandria, most of the people went out with the
father, the Patriarch. They carried the holy body with reverence and honor
and entered the city with a venerable celebration and placed it in the
church, after they shrouded it in expensive shrouds. When the time of persecution
ended, the angel of the Lord appeared to the honorable Patriarch, Anba
Athanasius, the Apostolic. The angel informed him of the Lord's command
which was to place the body of St. Mina on a camel and to take it out of
the city without letting anyone lead it, but to follow it from a distance
until it stopped at a place that the Lord had designated. They walked behind
the camel until they arrived at a place called Lake Bayad, in the district
of Marriot. There they heard a voice saying, "This is the place where the
Lord wishes the body of his beloved Mina to be placed." They lowered the
body and placed it in a coffin, then they situated it in a beautiful garden
and many miracles happened through the body.
Later on, the people of
Pentapolis (the five cities) rose against the cities around Alexandria.
The people were getting ready to face the Berbers, and the Governor decided
to take the body of St.Mina with him to be his deliverer and his strong
protector. He took the body secretly and through the blessings of this
saint, he overcame the Berbers and returned victorious. The Governor decided
not to return the body of the Saint to its original place and wanted to
take it to Alexandria. On the way back, they passed by Lake Bayad, St.
Mina's original place. The camel carrying the body knelt down and would
not move in spite of frequent beatings. They moved the body over another
camel, but again this second camel did not move from its place. The Governor
finally realized that this was the Lord's command. He made a coffin from
decay-resistant wood and placed the silver coffin in it. He then returned
it to its place and invoked St.Mina's blessings, then returned to his city.
When the Lord wanted to
disclose the location of St. Mina's holy body, He did it in this manner.
There was a shepherd in the desert. One day a sheep with mange slipped
down into the water of a well near the place of the saint's body. The sheep
then came out of the water and rolled over in the sand of that place, and
instantly the sheep was healed. When the shepherd saw this miracle, he
was amazed. He took some of the sand and mixed it with water and smeared
it over every sheep with mange, as well as on those with other infirmities,
and immediately they were healed. The news of these miracles spread in
all the countries until the Emperor of Constantinople heard of them. He
had an only daughter and she was leprous. Her father sent her to the place
where the saint's body was and she inquired from the shepherd how these
miracles were happening. She took some of the sand, moistened it with water,
smeared it on her body and slept the night in that place. In her sleep
she saw St. Mina saying to her, "Arise early and dig in this place, and
you will find my body." When she woke up, she found herself cured. She
began digging as she was told and she found the holy body. She sent word
to her father, informing him of the news. The Emperor rejoiced exceedingly,
thanked the Lord and glorified His Name. He then sent men and money and
built a church in that place and it was consecrated on the fifteenth day
of the Month of Baunah. When Arcadius and Honorius reigned, they ordered
a city to be built there. Multitudes of people came to that church asking
for the intercession of the blessed St. Mina. The Lord had honored him
with many signs and wonders that appeared from his pure body. When the
Arabs came to Egypt, some of them attacked the city and the church was
destroyed, only ruins remained. When His Grace, the late Pope Abba Kyrillos
the Sixth was ordained Patriarch over the See of St.Mark, he took interest
in building a large monastery in this area (Marriot) in the name of St.
Mina. He spent a great deal of money in establishing it. There are now
many churches in the monastery, visited by many Orthodox worshippers who
go there to receive blessings and to pray. He also bought one hundred acres
of land and built a fence around it. He ordained a number of monks
who had a high degree of scientific and religious education.
May The intercession of Mari-Mina be with us and Glory be to our
God forever. 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 86 : 15 - 16
| 15 | But You, O Lord, are a God full of compassion, and gracious, Longsuffering and abundant in mercy and truth. |
| 16 | Oh, turn to me, and have mercy on me! Give Your strength to Your servant, And save the son of Your maidservant. |
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 14 : 25 - 35
| 25 | Now great multitudes went with Him. And He turned and said to them, |
| 26 | "If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. |
| 27 | And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. |
| 28 | For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it-- |
| 29 | lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, |
| 30 | saying, "This man began to build and was not able to finish.' |
| 31 | Or what king, going to make war against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? |
| 32 | Or else, while the other is still a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks conditions of peace. |
| 33 | So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple. |
| 34 | "Salt is good; but if the salt has lost its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? |
| 35 | It is neither fit for the land nor for the dunghill, but men throw it out. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!" |
Glory be to God forever.
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