Readings for Friday 3 January 2025
25 Kiyahk 1741
Vespers Psalm & Gospel
From the Psalms of our father David the prophet and the king, may his blessings be with us all. Amen.
Psalms 32 : 11,6
| 11 | Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, you righteous; And shout for joy, all you upright in heart! |
| 6 | For this cause everyone who is godly shall pray to You In a time when You may be found; Surely in a flood of great waters They shall not come near him. |
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 22 : 24 - 30
| 24 | Now there was also a dispute among them, as to which of them should be considered the greatest. |
| 25 | And He said to them, "The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those who exercise authority over them are called "benefactors.' |
| 26 | But not so among you; on the contrary, he who is greatest among you, let him be as the younger, and he who governs as he who serves. |
| 27 | For who is greater, he who sits at the table, or he who serves? Is it not he who sits at the table? Yet I am among you as the One who serves. |
| 28 | "But you are those who have continued with Me in My trials. |
| 29 | And I bestow upon you a kingdom, just as My Father bestowed one upon Me, |
| 30 | that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel." |
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 33 : 1,12
| 1 | Rejoice in the LORD, O you righteous! For praise from the upright is beautiful. |
| 12 | Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, The people He has chosen as His own inheritance. |
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 25 : 14 - 23
| 14 | "For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them. |
| 15 | And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey. |
| 16 | Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents. |
| 17 | And likewise he who had received two gained two more also. |
| 18 | But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord's money. |
| 19 | After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them. |
| 20 | "So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, "Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.' |
| 21 | His lord said to him, "Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.' |
| 22 | He also who had received two talents came and said, "Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.' |
| 23 | His lord said to him, "Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.' |
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 Hebrews.
May his blessings be with us. Amen.
Hebrews 13 : 7 - 25
| 7 | Remember those who rule over you, who have spoken the word of God to you, whose faith follow, considering the outcome of their conduct. |
| 8 | Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. |
| 9 | Do not be carried about with various and strange doctrines. For it is good that the heart be established by grace, not with foods which have not profited those who have been occupied with them. |
| 10 | We have an altar from which those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat. |
| 11 | For the bodies of those animals, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned outside the camp. |
| 12 | Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered outside the gate. |
| 13 | Therefore let us go forth to Him, outside the camp, bearing His reproach. |
| 14 | For here we have no continuing city, but we seek the one to come. |
| 15 | Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. |
| 16 | But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. |
| 17 | Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you. |
| 18 | Pray for us; for we are confident that we have a good conscience, in all things desiring to live honorably. |
| 19 | But I especially urge you to do this, that I may be restored to you the sooner. |
| 20 | Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, |
| 21 | make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. |
| 22 | And I appeal to you, brethren, bear with the word of exhortation, for I have written to you in few words. |
| 23 | Know that our brother Timothy has been set free, with whom I shall see you if he comes shortly. |
| 24 | Greet all those who rule over you, and all the saints. Those from Italy greet you. |
| 25 | Grace be with you all. Amen. |
The grace of God the Father be with you all. Amen.
↑ Top of Page ↑
Catholic Epistle
A Reading from Epistle of St. Peter . May his blessings be upon us. Amen.
1 Peter 5 : 1 - 14
| 1 | The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed: |
| 2 | Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; |
| 3 | nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock; |
| 4 | and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away. |
| 5 | Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for "God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble." |
| 6 | Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, |
| 7 | casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. |
| 8 | Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. |
| 9 | Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. |
| 10 | But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. |
| 11 | To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen. |
| 12 | By Silvanus, our faithful brother as I consider him, I have written to you briefly, exhorting and testifying that this is the true grace of God in which you stand. |
| 13 | She who is in Babylon, elect together with you, greets you; and so does Mark my son. |
| 14 | Greet one another with a kiss of love. Peace to you all who are in Christ Jesus. 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.
↑ Top of Page ↑
Acts of the Apostles
The Acts of our fathers the apostles, may their blessings be with us. Amen.
Acts 15 : 12 - 21
| 12 | Then all the multitude kept silent and listened to Barnabas and Paul declaring how many miracles and wonders God had worked through them among the Gentiles. |
| 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. |
| 19 | Therefore I judge that we should not trouble those from among the Gentiles who are turning to God, |
| 20 | but that we write to them to abstain from things polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from things strangled, and from blood. |
| 21 | For Moses has had throughout many generations those who preach him in every city, being read in the synagogues every Sabbath." |
The word of the Lord shall grow, multiply, be mighty, and be confirmed, in the holy Church of God. Amen.
↑ Top of Page ↑
Synaxarium
Day 25 of the Blessed Coptic Month of Kiyahk.
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 Twenty-Fifth Day of the Blessed Month of Kiyahk
Departure of St.John Kama
On this day, the great Saint John Kama departed.
He was from "Shubramento" of the region of "Sa". His parents were God-fearing
Christians and he was their only child. They forced him to marry against
his will. When he entered his wife's room, he stood, prayed for a long
time, then came near the young girl and said to her, "My sister, you know
that the world and all of its lusts will go away. Do you agree with me
to keep our bodies pure and clean?" She answered and said, "My brother,
the Lord's Name lives. This also is my desire and now the Lord has given
me what my heart desires." They mutually agreed to live together as brother
and sister and to keep their virginity. When they slept, the angel of the
Lord came and covered them with his wings. For their many virtues, God
planted a vine for them which grew up and covered their place of sleep.
That was a sign of their purity and holiness; for what they did was above
human nature, that two young people, a man and a woman, would sleep next
to each other without being driven by the lust of the flesh; for who can
come near a fire and not be burnt, unless it is God's divine power and
care that keeps them and preserves them.
When their parents saw that they lived together
for a long time without having any children, they thought that this was
due to the fact that they were young. One day John said to his wife, "My
sister, I desire to go into the wilderness to become a monk and I cannot
do that without your permission." She gave him her permission and he placed
her in one of the virgins' convents. There she became a virtuous nun and
she performed many miracles, so they chose her to become the abbess of
the convent. As for St. John, when he left his town, the angel of the Lord
appeared to him and guided him to the wilderness of Scetis "Shiheet". He
went there and became a monk in the cell of Saint "Darudi" in the monastery
of St. Macarius. He stayed with this saint learning piety from him until
the saint departed. Then the angel of the Lord told him to go west of the
monastery of St. John the Short and to build a cell for himself there.
He went and did as the angel commanded him. Three hundred brethren gathered
around him and became his disciples. They built a church and a house with
a garden for themselves and Saint John Kama taught them how to pray and
the use of the "Epsalmodia". One night, St. Athanasius the Apostolic appeared
to them while they were singing the song of the three young men. St. Athanasius
revealed many mysteries to him. Another time, St. Mary appeared to him
and told him, "This is my dwelling forever, and I shall be with them as
I have been with you and this monastery will be named after me." The church
of the monastery was named after the Virgin St. Mary. Some of the monks
of upper Egypt desired to be under the guidance of St. John Kama and they
asked him to come to see them. He called a brother named Shenouda, and
gave him the responsibility of caring for the brethren until his return.
When he returned, he found that he performed the task perfectly. When St.
John Kama completed his course, he departed in peace.
May His prayers be with us and Glory be to our God forever. 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 132 : 9,10,1,2
| 9 | Let Your priests be clothed with righteousness, And let Your saints shout for joy. |
| 10 | For Your servant David's sake, Do not turn away the face of Your Anointed. |
| 1 | LORD, remember David And all his afflictions; |
| 2 | How he swore to the LORD, And vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob: |
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 Mark the Evangelist. May His Blessings be with us all. Amen.
Mark 9 : 33 - 41
| 33 | Then He came to Capernaum. And when He was in the house He asked them, "What was it you disputed among yourselves on the road?" |
| 34 | But they kept silent, for on the road they had disputed among themselves who would be the greatest. |
| 35 | And He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, "If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all." |
| 36 | Then He took a little child and set him in the midst of them. And when He had taken him in His arms, He said to them, |
| 37 | "Whoever receives one of these little children in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me, receives not Me but Him who sent Me." |
| 38 | Now John answered Him, saying, "Teacher, we saw someone who does not follow us casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow us." |
| 39 | But Jesus said, "Do not forbid him, for no one who works a miracle in My name can soon afterward speak evil of Me. |
| 40 | For he who is not against us is on our side. |
| 41 | For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in My name, because you belong to Christ, assuredly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward. |
Glory be to God forever.
↑ Top of Page ↑