From antiochan.org, rongolini.com and dynamispublications.org:
Daily Readings:
Saints/Martyrs/Feasts/Fasts to be observed/commemmorated/celebrated: the Fast of the Nativity
Scriptural Readings:
2 Kingdoms 8:1-15 (12/14-12/27) Fifth Reading in Kellia: David as a Type of Christ
David as a Type of Christ 5 ~Victory and Tribute: 2 Kingdoms 8:1-15 SAAS, especially vs. 6: “Then David put garrisons in Syria of Damascus, and the Syrians became David’s servants and brought tribute.” King David deliberately extended the borders of Israel to encompass all the lands which the Lord had promised to His People in the days of the Prophet Joshua: “Your territories shall be the desert and Lebanon as far as the great river, the Euphrates River; and from the setting of the sun to the farthest sea” (Jos. 1:4). This ancient policy still haunts the interests of Syrians, Lebanese, and Palestinians concerning today’s State of Israel.
The Book of Judges discloses that God’s ancient people did not fulfill what the Lord required for receiving the Holy Land: “You shall make no covenant with the inhabitants of this land...and you shall tear down their altars”(Jdg. 2:2). Rather, “they forsook the Lord God of their Fathers and followed other gods from among the gods of the nations all around about them...” (Jdg. 2:12). So, the Lord “...delivered them into the hands of plunderers who ravaged them and sold them into the hands of their enemies all around. As a result they could no longer stand before their enemies” (Jdg. 2:14). When the Angel of the Lord admonished them for their sins, “...the people lifted up their voices and wept” (Jdg. 2:4,5).
The First Book of Kingdoms describes how God used the Prophet Samuel to judge “...Israel all the days of his life,” going yearly “...on a circuit to Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpah, and he judged Israel...(1 Sam. 7:15-17). It was Samuel who anointed the two men that served as the nation’s first kings: first there was Saul the son of Kish (1 Kg. 9:26-10:1) and, when Saul proved disobedient to the Lord, then David, the son of Jesse (1 Kg. 16:12,13).
The Second Book of Kingdoms reveals David as a strong ruler who meted out both tough justice and gracious mercy. It is an account of uncompromising effort to assert sovereignty, with the goal of subduing Israel’s opponents, incorporating territories that God intended to be part of Israel, and administering ‘judgment and justice’ to all of the people (2 Kg. 8:15). The passage should remind us of our King and God, the Lord Jesus Christ. He accepts no other gods, and abandons us to pillaging and plundering by the enemies of our souls as long as we do not show good faith in seeking to follow His commandments, in standing firmly against lies and falsehood, and in turning away from the corrupting pleasures and deceits of the world that attract us into perdition.
The Philistines were an aggressive people who lived along the coastal plain of Palestine. They were the first major people to be subdued by David. The battles with them described in earlier chapters (2 Kg. 5:17-25) reveal David's reliance on prayer and obedience to God in asserting Israel’s national supremacy. Even before becoming king, he had stricken other nations earlier: “Geshurites and the Amalekites” (see 1 Kg. 27). We, too, are to address whatever attacks our confession of Christ and our obedience to Him to gain new habits over what has dominated our lives.
King David’s method for ‘subduing’ surrounding nations included incorporation, as with the Moabites (2 Kg. 8:2), making other nations satellites and receiving regular ‘tribute’ from them (2 Kg. 8: 2, 6). By garrisoning troops in their lands (vss. 6,14), he systematically eliminating the capacity of enemies to compete with Israel militarily (vss. 2,4,5,13). Thus “David reigned over Israel, and...administered judgment and justice to all his people” (vs. 15). Our lusts, bitterness of heart, unforgiveness and will to dominate must be submitted to our Master Christ for our salvation’s sake, else He will mark us off for death and not for life (vs. 2:8).
O Lord, as Thou has called me to Thyself, grant that I may choose not to follow my desires in anything but Thy will only, praying constantly and striving ever to please Thee.
Hebrews 9:8-10, 15-23
Hebrews 9:8-10, 15-23
8By this the Holy Spirit indicates that the way into the sanctuary has not yet been disclosed as long as the first tent is still standing. 9This is a symbol of the present time, during which gifts and sacrifices are offered that cannot perfect the conscience of the worshiper, 10but deal only with food and drink and various baptisms, regulations for the body imposed until the time comes to set things right.
15For this reason he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, because a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions under the first covenant. 16Where a will is involved, the death of the one who made it must be established. 17For a will takes effect only at death, since it is not in force as long as the one who made it is alive. 18Hence not even the first covenant was inaugurated without blood. 19For when every commandment had been told to all the people by Moses in accordance with the law, he took the blood of calves and goats, with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the scroll itself and all the people, 20saying, “This is the blood of the covenant that God has ordained for you.” 21And in the same way he sprinkled with the blood both the tent and all the vessels used in worship. 22Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.
23Thus it was necessary for the sketches of the heavenly things to be purified with these rites, but the heavenly things themselves need better sacrifices than these.
Mark 8:22-26
Mark 8:22-2622They came to Bethsaida. Some people brought a blind man to him and begged him to touch him. 23He took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village; and when he had put saliva on his eyes and laid his hands on him, he asked him, “Can you see anything?” 24And the man looked up and said, “I can see people, but they look like trees, walking.” 25Then Jesus laid his hands on his eyes again; and he looked intently and his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. 26Then he sent him away to his home, saying, “Do not even go into the village.”
The Synaxarion:
December 14
Memory of the holy Martyrs Thyrsos, Leucios, Callinicos, Philemon, and Apollonios (Fourth century).
These holy martyrs all suffered for the faith under Emperor Diocletian: Thyrsos, Leucios, and Callinicos in Nicomedia; Philemon and Apollonios in Antinoupolis, Egypt.
Fifth Class Feast.
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