Sunday, October 24, 2010

Greek Orthodox Christianity: Daily Readings For 24 October

From The Greek Orthodox Arch-Diocese of America:

Readings for today:




John 21:14-25

St. Paul's Letter to the Galatians 6:11-18

Luke 8:26-39



Feasts and Saints celebrated today:



6th Sunday of Luke

Arethas the Great Martyr & Syncletiki and her two daughters

Sebastiane the Martyr





Orthros Gospel Reading



The reading is from John 21:14-25



At that time, Jesus revealed himself to his disciples after he was

raised from the dead, and he said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John,

do you love me more than these?" He said to him "Yes, Lord; you

know that I love you." He said to him, "Feed my lambs." A second

time he said to him, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" He said to

him, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you." He said to him, "Tend my

sheep." He said to him the third time, "Simon, son of John, do you love

me?" Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, "Do you

love me?" And he said to him, "Lord, you know everything; you know

that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Feed my sheep. Truly, truly, I

say to you, when you were young, you girded yourself and walked where

you would; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and

another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish to go." (This

he said to show by what death he was to glorify God.) And after

this he said to him, "Follow me."



Peter turned and saw following them the disciple whom Jesus loved, who

had lain close to his breast at the supper and had said, "Lord, who

is it that is going to betray you?" When Peter saw him, he said to

Jesus, "Lord, what about this man?" Jesus said to him, "If it is my

will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? Follow me!"

So, the word went out among the brethren that this disciple would not

die; but Jesus did not say to him that he would not die. He said, "If

it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you?"

This is the disciple who is bearing witness to these things, and who

has written these things; and we know that his testimony is true.

But there are also many other things which Jesus did; were every one

of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not

contain the books that would be written. Amen.



(C) 2010 Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America



Epistle Reading



The reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Galatians 6:11-18



BRETHREN, see with what large letters I am writing to you with my own hand.

It is those who want to make a good showing in the flesh that would

compel you to be circumcised, and not only in order that they may not be

persecuted for the cross of Christ. For even those who receive circumcision

do not themselves keep the law, but they desire to have you

circumcised that they may glory in your flesh. But far be it from me to glory

except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has

been crucified to me, and I to the world. For neither circumcision

counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation. Peace and

mercy be upon all who walk by this rule, upon the Israel of God.

Henceforth let no man trouble me; for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brethren.

Amen.



(C) 2010 Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America



Gospel Reading



The reading is from Luke 8:26-39



At that time, as Jesus arrived at the country of the Gadarenes,

there met him a man from the city who had demons; for a long time he

had worn no clothes and he lived not in a house but among the tombs.

When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell down before him, and said

with a loud voice, "What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the

Most High God? I beseech you, do not torment me." For he had commanded

the unclean spirit to come out of the man. (For many a time it had

seized him; he was kept under guard, and bound with chains and fetters,

but he broke the bonds and was driven by the demon into the desert.)

Jesus then asked him, "What is your name?" And he said, "Legion"; for

many demons had entered him. And they begged him not to command them

to depart into the abyss. Now a large herd of swine was feeding

there on the hillside; and they begged him to let them enter these. So

he gave them leave. Then the demons came out of the man and entered

the swine, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and

were drowned. When the herdsmen saw what happened, they fled, and told

it in the city and in the country. Then people went out to see what

had happened, and they came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the

demons had gone, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right

mind; and they were afraid. And those who had seen it told them how he

who had been possessed with demons was healed. Then all the people of

the surrounding country of the Gadarenes asked him to depart from

them; for they were seized with great fear; so he got into the boat and

returned. The man from whom the demons had gone begged that he might be

with him; but he sent him away, saying, "Return to your home, and

declare how much God has done for you." And he went away, proclaiming

throughout the whole city how much Jesus had done for him.



(C) 2010 Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America





6th Sunday of Luke



Resurrectional Apolytikion in the Plagal of the First Tone

Let us worship the Word who is unoriginate * with the Father and the

Spirit, and from a Virgin was born * for our salvation, O believers, and

let us sing His praise. * For in His goodness He was pleased * to

ascend the Cross in the flesh, and to undergo death, * and to raise up

those who had died, * by His glorious Resurrection.



Resurrectional Kontakion in the Plagal of the First Tone

You descended to Hades, my Savior, and shattered its gates, as the

Almighty. As Creator, You raised the dead with yourself, and smashed the

sting of death, O Christ. You freed Adam from the curse, O Lover of

humanity. Therefore we all cry out to You, Save us, O Lord.



Seasonal Kontakion in the Plagal of the Second Tone

O Protection of Christians that cannot be put to shame, mediation

unto the creator most constant: O despise not the voices of those who

have sinned; but be quick, O good one, to come unto our aid, who in

faith cry unto thee: Hasten to intercession and speed thou to make

supplication, O thou who dost ever protect, O Theotokos, them that honor thee.



Kontakion courtesy of St. Gregory Palamas Monastery





Arethas the Great Martyr & Syncletiki and her two daughters



Reading from the Synaxarion:



These Martyrs contested for piety's sake in the year 524 in Najran, a

city of Arabia Felix (present-day Yemen). When Dhu Nuwas, ruler of the

Himyarite tribe in south Arabia, and a Judaizer, took power, he sought to

blot out Christianity, especially at Najran, a Christian city. Against

the counsels of Arethas, chief man of Najran, the city surrendered to

Dhu Nuwas, who immediately broke the word he had given and sought to

compel the city to renounce Christ. Led by Saint Arethas, hundreds of

martyrs, including women, children, and babes, valiantly withstood his

threats, and were beheaded and burned. After the men had been slain, all

the free-born Christian women of Najran were brought before the

tyrant and commanded to abjure Christ or die; yet they rebuked the

persecutor with such boldness that he said even the men had not insulted him

so contemptuously. So great was their faith that not one woman was

found to deny Christ in all Najran, although some of them suffered

torments more bitter than most of the men. In alliance with Byzantium, the

Ethiopian King Elesbaan liberated Najran from Dhu Nuwas soon after and

raised up churches in honour of the Martyrs. Najran became a place of

pilgrimage until the rise of Islam a century later. At the end of his life

King Elesbaan, who was also called Caleb, retired into solitude as a

hermit; he sent his crown to Jerusalem as an offering to the Church of

the Holy Sepulchre. He also is commemorated on this day as a saint.

Saint Arethas' name in Arabic, Harith, means "plowman, tiller," much

the same as "George" does in Greek.



Apolytikion in the First Tone

Be entreated, O Lord, by the sufferings endured for You by the

Saints, and we pray You, heal all our pain.



Kontakion in the Fourth Tone

The resplendent festival of the prizewinners on this day is come to

us as an occasion to rejoice; and as we keep it, we glorify our

Lord, the God over all, Who doth dwell on high.



Reading courtesy of Holy Transfiguration Monastery

Apolytikion courtesy of Narthex Press

Kontakion courtesy of Holy Transfiguration Monastery

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