Readings for Wednesday 31 January 2024
22 Tubah 1740
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 Psalms 33:1 Psalms 32:6
| 11 | Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, you righteous; And shout for joy, all you upright in heart! |
| 1 | Rejoice in the LORD, O you righteous! For praise from the upright is beautiful. |
| 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 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.
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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 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 Luke the Evangelist. May His Blessings be with us all. Amen.
Luke 19 : 11 - 19
| 11 | Now as they heard these things, He spoke another parable, because He was near Jerusalem and because they thought the kingdom of God would appear immediately. |
| 12 | Therefore He said: "A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and to return. |
| 13 | So he called ten of his servants, delivered to them ten minas, and said to them, "Do business till I come.' |
| 14 | But his citizens hated him, and sent a delegation after him, saying, "We will not have this man to reign over us.' |
| 15 | "And so it was that when he returned, having received the kingdom, he then commanded these servants, to whom he had given the money, to be called to him, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading. |
| 16 | Then came the first, saying, "Master, your mina has earned ten minas.' |
| 17 | And he said to him, "Well done, good servant; because you were faithful in a very little, have authority over ten cities.' |
| 18 | And the second came, saying, "Master, your mina has earned five minas.' |
| 19 | Likewise he said to him, "You also be over five cities.' |
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 Philippians.
May his blessings be with us. Amen.
Philippians 3:20-21 Philippians 4:1-9
| 20 | For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, |
| 21 | who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself. |
| 1 | Therefore, my beloved and longed-for brethren, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, beloved. |
| 2 | I implore Euodia and I implore Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. |
| 3 | And I urge you also, true companion, help these women who labored with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the Book of Life. |
| 4 | Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! |
| 5 | Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. |
| 6 | Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; |
| 7 | and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. |
| 8 | Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy--meditate on these things. |
| 9 | The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you. |
The grace of God the Father be with you all. Amen.
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Catholic Epistle
A Reading from Epistle of St. James . May his blessings be upon us. Amen.
James 5 : 9 - 20
| 9 | Do not grumble against one another, brethren, lest you be condemned. Behold, the Judge is standing at the door! |
| 10 | My brethren, take the prophets, who spoke in the name of the Lord, as an example of suffering and patience. |
| 11 | Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord--that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful. |
| 12 | But above all, my brethren, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath. But let your "Yes" be "Yes," and your "No,No," lest you fall into judgment. |
| 13 | Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms. |
| 14 | Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. |
| 15 | And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. |
| 16 | Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. |
| 17 | Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. |
| 18 | And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit. |
| 19 | Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back, |
| 20 | let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins. |
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 11 : 19 - 26
| 19 | Now those who were scattered after the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to no one but the Jews only. |
| 20 | But some of them were men from Cyprus and Cyrene, who, when they had come to Antioch, spoke to the Hellenists, preaching the Lord Jesus. |
| 21 | And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number believed and turned to the Lord. |
| 22 | Then news of these things came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent out Barnabas to go as far as Antioch. |
| 23 | When he came and had seen the grace of God, he was glad, and encouraged them all that with purpose of heart they should continue with the Lord. |
| 24 | For he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord. |
| 25 | Then Barnabas departed for Tarsus to seek Saul. |
| 26 | And when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. So it was that for a whole year they assembled with the church and taught a great many people. And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch. |
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 22 of the Blessed Coptic Month of Tubah.
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-Second Day of the Blessed Month of Tubah
Departure of St.Anthony the Great (Antonius)
On this day, of the year 355 A.D., St. Anthony the
Great, the star of the wilderness, and the father of all monks, departed.
This righteous man was born in the year 251 A.D. in the city of Qimn El-Arouse,
to rich parents who loved the church and the poor. They raised him up in
fear of the Lord. When he was twenty years old, his parents departed, and
he had to take care of his sister. Once, he entered the church and heard
the words of the Lord Christ in the Gospel, "If you want to be perfect,
go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasures
in heaven; and come, follow Me."
(Matthew 19:21) He returned to his house,
decided to fulfill this commandment and considered it directed to him personally.
He gave his wealth to the poor and needy, and he took his sister and placed
her with some virgins. At that time, monasticism had not yet been established.
All those who wanted to live a solitary life went and lived on the outskirts
of the city. This was what St. Anthony did as he dwelt alone, worshipping
and living an ascetic life.
The devil fought him there by afflicting him with
boredom, laziness, and the phantoms of women. He overcame the devil's snares
by the power of the Lord Christ. After that, he went to one of the tombs,
and he resided therein and closed the door on himself. Some of his friends
used to bring him food. When the devil perceived his ascetic life and his
intense worship, he was envious of him, and he beat him mercilessly, then
left him unconscious. When his friends came to visit him and found him
in this condition, they carried him to the church. After he somewhat recovered,
he went back to the same place. The devil again resumed his war against
St. Antonius, only this time the phantoms were in the form of wild beasts,
wolves, lions, snakes and scorpions. They appeared as if they were about
to attack him or cut him into pieces. But the saint would laugh at them
scornfully and say, "If any of you have any authority over me, only one
would have been sufficient to fight me." At his saying this, they disappeared
as though in smoke, for God gave him the victory over the devils. He was
always singing this psalm, "Let God arise, let His enemies be scattered;
let those also who hate Him flee before Him."
(Psalm 68:1)
St. Anthony used to prepare a quantity of bread
that would sustain him for six months. He did not allow anyone to enter
his cell, and whoever came to him, stood outside and listened to his advice.
He continued in this condition of solitary worship for 20 years. Then by
God's command, he went to El-Fayyoum and confirmed the brethren there in
the faith, then returned to his monastery. During the time of persecution,
he longed to become a martyr. He left his monastery and went to
Alexandria. He visited those who were imprisoned for the sake of Christ
and comforted them. When the Governor saw that he was confessing the Lord
Christ publicly, not caring what might happen to him, he ordered him not
to show up in the city. However, the saint did not heed his threats. He
faced him and argued with him in order that he might arouse his anger so
that he might be tortured and martyred. But God preserved him all along,
according to His will, for the benefit of many, and so the Governor left
him alone. Then the saint went back to his monastery according to God's
will, and many came to visit him and to hear his teachings. He saw that
these visits kept him away from his worship. As a result, he went far away
to the eastern desert. He travelled with some bedouins to the inner wilderness
for three days, until he found a spring of water and some palm trees, and
then he chose to settle there. On this spot now stands the monastery of
St. Anthony the Great. The bedouins came to him with bread, and the Lord
drove away all the wild beasts from this place, for his sake.
On occasions, he would go to the monastery on the
outskirts of the desert by the Nile to visit the brethren, then return
to his inner monastery. His fame spread abroad and it reached Emperor Constantine.
The Emperor wrote to him, offering him praise and asked him to pray for
him. The brethren were pleased with the Emperor's letter, but St. Anthony
did not pay any attention to it, and he said to them, "The books of God,
the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords, commands us everyday, but we do
not heed what they tell us, and we turn our backs on them." Under the persistence
of the brethren who told him, "Emperor Constantine loves the church," he
accepted to write him a letter blessing him, and praying for the peace
and safety of the empire and the church. One day, he was bored, and he
heard a voice telling him, "Go out and see." He went out and saw an angel
who wore a girdle with a cross, one resembling the holy Eskiem, and on
his head was a head cover (Kolansowa). He was sitting while braiding palm
leaves, then he stood up to pray, and again he sat to weave. A voice came
to him saying, "Anthony, do this and you will rest." Henceforth, he started
to wear this tunic that he saw, and began to weave palm leaves, and never
got bored again.
St. Anthony prophesied about the persecution that
was about to happen to the church and the control of the heretics over
it, the church victory and its return to its formal glory, and the end
of the age. When St. Macarius visited St. Anthony, St. Anthony clothed
him with the monk's garb, and St. Anthony foretold him what would be of
him. When the day of the departure of St. Paul, the first hermit in the
desert, drew near, St. Anthony went to him. St. Anthony buried St. Paul
the hermit after he had clothed him in a tunic which was a present from
St. Athanasius the Apostolic, 20th Pope of Alexandria. When St. Anthony
felt that the day of his departure had approached, he commanded his disciple
to hide his body and to give his staff to St. Macarius, and to give one
sheepskin cloak to St.Athanasius and the other sheepskin cloak to Anba
Serapion, his disciple. He stretched himself on the ground and gave up
his spirit. The angels and the saints took his spirit and carried it to
the place of perpetual rest. This saint lived for 105 years, struggling
in the way of holiness and purity.
May His prayers 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 34:19 Psalms 68:3
| 19 | Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the LORD delivers him out of them all. |
| 3 | But let the righteous be glad; Let them rejoice before God; Yes, let them rejoice exceedingly. |
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 12 : 32 - 44
| 32 | "Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. |
| 33 | Sell what you have and give alms; provide yourselves money bags which do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches nor moth destroys. |
| 34 | For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. |
| 35 | "Let your waist be girded and your lamps burning; |
| 36 | and you yourselves be like men who wait for their master, when he will return from the wedding, that when he comes and knocks they may open to him immediately. |
| 37 | Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching. Assuredly, I say to you that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve them. |
| 38 | And if he should come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants. |
| 39 | But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. |
| 40 | Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect." |
| 41 | Then Peter said to Him, "Lord, do You speak this parable only to us, or to all people?" |
| 42 | And the Lord said, "Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his master will make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of food in due season? |
| 43 | Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. |
| 44 | Truly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all that he has. |
Glory be to God forever.
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