Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Greek Orthodox Daily Readings For Tuesday, 23 November

From The Greek Orthodox Arch-Diocese of America:




Fast Day (Fish Allowed)



Readings for today:



St. Paul's First Letter to Timothy 5:11-21

Luke 17:26-37; 18:8



Feasts and Saints celebrated today:



Tuesday of the 10th Week

Amphilochios, Bishop of Iconium

Gregory, Bishop of Agrigentum

Ischyrion, Bishop of Egypt

Afterfeast of the Entry of the Theotokos into the Temple





Epistle Reading



The reading is from St. Paul's First Letter to Timothy 5:11-21



TIMOTHY, my son, refuse to enrol younger widows; for when they grow wanton

against Christ they desire to marry, and so they incur condemnation for

having violated their first pledge. Besides that, they learn to be

idlers, gadding about from house to house, and not only idlers but

gossips and busybodies, saying what they should not. So I would have

younger widows marry, bear children, rule their households, and give the

enemy no occasion to revile us. For some have already strayed after

Satan. If any believing man or woman has relatives who are widows, let

him assist them; let the church not be burdened, so that it may

assist those who are real widows. Let the elders who rule well be

considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching

and teaching; for the scripture says, "You shall not muzzle an

ox when it is treading out the grain," and, "The laborer

deserves his wages." Never admit any charge against an elder except

on the evidence of two or three witnesses. As for those who persist

in sin, rebuke them in the presence of all, so that the rest may

stand in fear. In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of the

elect angels I charge you to keep these rules without favor, doing

nothing from partiality.



(C) 2010 Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America



Gospel Reading



The reading is from Luke 17:26-37; 18:8



The Lord said, "As it was in the days of Noah, so will it be in the

days of the Son of man. They ate, they drank, they married, they were

given in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and the

flood came and destroyed them all. Likewise as it was in the days of

Lot -- they ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted,

they built, but on the day when Lot went out from Sodom fire and

sulphur rained from heaven and destroyed them all -- so will it be on the

day when the Son of man is revealed. On that day, let him who is on

the housetop, with his goods in the house, not come down to take them

away; and likewise let him who is in the field not turn back. Remember

Lot's wife. Whoever seeks to gain his life will lose it, but whoever

loses his life will preserve it. I tell you, in that night there will

be two in one bed; one will be taken and the other left. There will

be two women grinding together; one will be taken and the other

left." And they said to him, "Where, Lord?" He said to them, "Where the

body is, there the eagles will be gathered together. Nevertheless,

when the Son of man comes, will he find faith on earth?"



(C) 2010 Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America





Amphilochios, Bishop of Iconium



Reading from the Synaxarion:



Saint Amphilochius, who was born in Cappadocia, shone forth in

asceticism and divine knowledge even from his youth. He was consecrated

Bishop of Iconium in 341, he struggled courageously against the

blasphemies of Eunomius, Macedonius the enemy of the Holy Spirit, and the

followers of Arius. He was present at the Second Ecumenical Council of the

150 Fathers, which took place in Constantinople, convoked during the

reign of Theodosius the Great in the year 381. In 383 Amphilochius

wished to persuade the Emperor Theodosius to forbid the Arians from

gathering in Constantinople and to commit the churches to the Orthodox, but

the Emperor was reluctant to do such a thing. The next time that

Amphilochius entered the palace, he addressed Theodosius with proper honour,

but slighted his young son Arcadius in his presence. Theodosius was

indignant, and said the dishonour shown to his son was equally an insult to

himself. To this Saint Amphilochius answered that as he would not suffer

an insult to his son, so he ought to believe that God is wroth with

those who blaspheme His Only-begotten. Saint Theodosius understood and

admired Amphilochius' ingenious device, and he issued the desired edict

in September of the same year. Saint Amphilochius, having reached

deep old age, reposed in peace about the year 395. Saint Basil the

Great wrote many letters to Saint Amphilochius, his friend and Fellow

champion of the Faith, and at his request wrote his treatise On the

Holy Spirit, which besides demonstrating the divinity of the Holy

Spirit and His equality with the Father and the Son, defends the

Church's unwritten ancient traditions, such as making the sign of the

Cross, turning towards the East in prayer, no kneeling on Sunday, and so

forth.



Apolytikion in the Fourth Tone

O God of our Fathers, ever dealing with us according to Thy

gentleness: take not Thy mercy from us, but by their entreaties guide our

life in peace.



Kontakion in the Second Tone

O thunder divine, thou husbandman of faithful men, the Spirit's

clear trump, O axe that hewest heresies, Hierarch Amphilochius, thou

great servant of God the Trinity, ever with the Angels on high cease

not interceding for us all, O Saint.



Reading courtesy of Holy Transfiguration Monastery

Apolytikion courtesy of Holy Transfiguration Monastery

Kontakion courtesy of Holy Transfiguration Monastery





Gregory, Bishop of Agrigentum



Kontakion in the Fourth Tone

With the Holy Spirit's rays, which shine a great light, doth the

Church illuminate the way of them that celebrate thy joyous falling

asleep today, O righteous Father, supremely blest Gregory.



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

No comments:

Post a Comment