From The Greek Orthodox Arch-Diocese of America;
Fast Day (Fish Allowed)
Readings for today:
St. Paul's Letter to Philemon 1:1-25
Luke 17:20-25
Feasts and Saints celebrated today:
Monday of the 10th Week
Archippus the Apostles,Philemon the Apostle & his wife, Apphia, Onesimos the Disciple of Paul
Holy Martyr Cecilia and Those with Her
Afterfeast of the Entry of the Theotokos into the Temple
Epistle Reading
The reading is from St. Paul's Letter to Philemon 1:1-25
PAUL, a prisoner for Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, To
Philemon our beloved fellow worker, and Apphia our sister and Archippos
our fellow soldier, and the church in your house: Grace to you and
peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God
always when I remember you in my prayers, because I hear of your love
and of the faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and all the
saints, and I pray that the sharing of your faith may promote the
knowledge of all the good that is ours in Christ. For I have derived much
joy and comfort from your love, my brother, because the hearts of the
saints have been refreshed through you. Accordingly, though I am bold
enough in Christ to command you to do what is required, yet for love's
sake I prefer to appeal to you - I, Paul, an ambassador and now a
prisoner also for Christ Jesus - I appeal to you for my child, Onesimos,
whose father I have become in my imprisonment. (Formerly he was useless
to you, but now he is indeed useful to you and to me.) I am sending
him back to you, sending my very heart. I would have been glad to
keep him with me, in order that he might serve me on your behalf
during my imprisonment for the gospel; but I preferred to do nothing
without your consent in order that your goodness might not be by
compulsion but of your own free will. Perhaps this is why he was parted from
you for a while, that you might have him back for ever, no longer as
a slave but more than a slave, as a beloved brother, especially to
me but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord. So
if you consider me your partner, receive him as you would receive
me. If he has wronged you at all, or owes you anything, charge that
to my account. I, Paul, write this with my own hand, I will repay it
- to say nothing of your owing me even your own self. Yes, brother,
I want some benefit from you in the Lord. Refresh my heart in
Christ. Confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you
will do even more than I say. At the same time, prepare a guest room
for me, for I am hoping through your prayers to be granted to you.
Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends greetings to you, and
so do Mark, Aristarchos, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers. The
grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.
(C) 2010 Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America
Gospel Reading
The reading is from Luke 17:20-25
At that time, when Jesus was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom
of God was coming, he answered them, "The kingdom of God is not
coming with signs to be observed; nor will they say, 'Lo, here it is!'
or 'There!' for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you."
And he said to the disciples, "The days are coming when you will
desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, and you will not see
it. And they will say to you, 'Lo, there!' or 'Lo, here!' Do not go,
do not follow them. For as the lightning flashes and lights up the
sky from one side to the other, so will the Son of man be in his day.
But first he must suffer many things and be rejected by this
generation."
(C) 2010 Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America
Archippus the Apostles,Philemon the Apostle & his wife, Apphia, Onesimos the Disciple of Paul
Reading from the Synaxarion:
Philemon, who was from Colossae, a city of Phrygia, was a man both wealthy
and noble; Apphia was his wife. Archippus became Bishop of the
Church in Colossae. All three were disciples of the Apostle Paul.
Onesimus, who was formerly an unbeliever and slave of Philemon, stole
certain of his vessels and fled to Rome. However, on finding him there,
the Apostle Paul guided him onto the path of virtue and the knowledge
of the truth, and sent him back to his master Philemon, to whom he
wrote an epistle (this is one of the fourteen epistles of Saint Paul).
In this epistle, Paul commended Onesimus to his master and
reconciled the two. Onesimus was later made a bishop; in Greece he is
honoured as the patron Saint of the imprisoned. All these Saints received
their end by martyrdom, when they were stoned to death by the
idolaters. Saint Onesimus is also commemorated on February 15.
Apolytikion in the Third Tone
O Holy Apostles, intercede to our merciful God, that He may grant
our souls forgiveness of sins.
Kontakion in the Second Tone
We praise Christ's Apostles as bright stars illumining the ends of
the world, glorious Philemon, Onesimus, Archippus, and with them,
wise Apphia, crying: Pray unceasingly in behalf of us all.
Reading courtesy of Holy Transfiguration Monastery
Apolytikion courtesy of Narthex Press
Kontakion courtesy of Holy Transfiguration Monastery
Holy Martyr Cecilia and Those with Her
Reading from the Synaxarion:
Saint Cecilia was of an illustrious Roman family. On being betrothed to
Valerian, she drew him to the Faith of Christ, and he in turn drew his own
brother Tiburtius to the same. They contested in martyrdom during the
reign of Diocletian, in the year 288.
Kontakion in the Fourth Tone
In godly wise let us, the hosts of the faithful, sing hymns to her
wedded to Christ of her own will, Cecilia, whose pure heart with virtues
was adorned; for she wholly put to shame the conceit of Almacius, and
she shone bright as the sun amidst them that pursued her and then
appeared to those upon the earth as a divine staff that strengthened the
holy Faith.
Reading courtesy of Holy Transfiguration Monastery
Kontakion courtesy of Holy Transfiguration Monastery
Afterfeast of the Entry of the Theotokos into the Temple
Apolytikion in the Fourth Tone
Today is the prelude of God's pleasure and the proclamation of man's
salvation. The Virgin is clearly made manifest in the temple of God and
foretells Christ to all. Let us also cry out to her with mighty voice,
"Hail, fulfillment of the Creator's dispensation."
Apolytikion courtesy of Narthex Press
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