From antiochan.org, rongolini.com, biblegateway.com and dynamispublishing.org:
Daily Readings:
Saints/Martyrs/Feasts/Fasts to be observed/commemmorated/celebrated: The Feast of the Nativity (2nd Day), the Feast of the Holy Family, the Feast of St. Stephen
Scriptural Readings:
Micah 4:6-7; 5:2-4 (12/26-1/8) Third Vesperal Reading: The Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ
The Song of the Church: Micah 4:6-7; 5:2-4 SAAS, especially vs. 4: “And He will stand and see, and shepherd His flock in the strength of the Lord, and they will dwell in the glory of the name of the Lord their God, for now they will be magnified unto the ends of the earth.” This is the day for all of us who consider ourselves to be the Church to sing out: “Now the prophecy draws near to its fulfillment, which mystically said: ‘And thou, Bethlehem, in land of Judah, who dost prepare the cave, art not the least among the princes: for out of thee shall come unto me in the flesh a Governor of the Nations, Christ our God born of a Virgin Maiden, and as a shepherd He shall tend His people, the new Israel. Let us all give Him glory.'”
In the words of the Lord, recorded by Micah, God speaks of a future time: ‘in that day’ (vs. 6). But wait! Today is the day! Christ is born in Bethlehem! Glorify Him all the earth! By the illumination of the Holy Spirit, the Prophet was shown this day and its import for the Church. The good news is for “...her who has been broken...” (vs. 6) but now is ‘gathered’ to the pasture of the Lord, “...beside the water of rest...” to be nurtured (Ps. 22:2). She who was ‘exiled’ and ‘rejected’ by the Lord (Mic. 4:6), now is seated in honor at His table, filled from His cup, anointed with oil, to “...dwell in the house of the Lord unto length of days” (Ps. 22:5,6).
The Apostles were the tiny remnant, saved by the firm hand of the Lord, so that today the Church is a torch that burns forth with light “...after being plucked out of the fire” (Amos 4:11) in order to illumine all nations. We are ‘a strong nation’ (Mic. 4:7) spread over the earth, desiring no claim to land of our own, for the Lord reigns over us “...from henceforth and forever” we who are known as ‘Mount Zion’ (vs. 7). How tiny was that remnant who began “...with one accord in prayer and supplication with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers....the number of names was about a hundred and twenty...” (Acts. 1:14,15)! Yet, look at us now, spread over every continent and, if not received, at least known in every land.
Indeed, the faithful have a great song to lift up to God, for He is true to His promise. Christ was born in Bethlehem because of a decree issued by Caesar Augustus (Lk. 2:1-5). But was it only from that birth in Bethlehem that He went forth in time? By no means! “His goings forth were from the beginning” (Mic. 5:2). ‘In the beginning,’ as we know, it was He Who “...made heaven and earth” (Gn. 1:1), even creating ‘the beginning’ itself since He exists outside time, “...from the beginning, even from everlasting” (Mic. 5:1).
The Church that sings includes not only those of this age, but the People that shall be when “...the remnant of their brothers...return the sons of Israel” (vs. 2). In that future day, as Saint Paul teaches, when many nations come in to share at the Holy Table in the Body of Christ, then “...all Israel will be saved” (Rom. 11:25,26), and many Jews shall return to the true Israel and the true Messiah. When? At the time of her that gives birth (Mic. 5:2), when the Church, that “...woman clothed with the sun cries out in labor and in pain to give birth” (Rev. 12:1,2), and He Who created the beginning brings the conclusion of all things.
On that Day, the Lord shall “...stand, and see, and shepherd His flock in power” (Mic. 5:3). No longer shall the Church live under the dominion of the prince of this age and his armies of hate and death. Instead, the faithful shall “...dwell in the glory of the name of the Lord their God” (vs. 3). Beloved of God: He Who is faithful had the eternal Word born in Bethlehem. He will also magnify His Bride “...unto the ends of the earth” (vs. 4). Christ is Born! Glorify Him!
Let our mouths be filled with thy praise, O Lord, that we may sing of thy glory all the day long and meditate upon thy righteousness unto the ages. Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia.
Galatians 1:11-19
Galatians 1:11-19 (King James Version)
11But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.
12For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.
13For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews' religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it:
14And profited in the Jews' religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers.
15But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace,
16To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood:
17Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus.
18Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days.
19But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord's brother.
Matthew 2:13-23
Matthew 2:13-23 (King James Version)
13And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.
14When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt:
15And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son.
16Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men. Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying,
18In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not.
19But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt,
20Saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child's life.
21And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel.
22But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judaea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither: notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee:
23And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene.
The Synaxarion:
December 26
Second Day of the Feast of the Nativity according to the Flesh of Our Lord, God, and Savior Jesus Christ
Synaxis of the Most Holy Theotokos.
Memory of the holy Hieromartyr Euthymius, Metropolitan of Sardes (+824)
The Holy Virgin Mary is called the Theotokos (Mother of God), and she really is, for she begot the Divine Word according to the flesh. Yesterday's feast celebrated an historic fact. That of today is a notion of a feast, the feast of the divine maternity of the Virgin.
Our Lord Jesus is true God and true man, and in His Unique Person have been united the Divine Nature without change, and the human nature created in its perfect state and marvelously begotten by the action of the Holy Spirit in the womb of the Virgin Mary. This why Mary is the Mother of Jesus, by the same right that other mothers are for their children, and yet more perfectly. Moreover, Jesus is truly the Word of God, God Himself; Mary is truly the Theotokos. It is a dogma defined solemnly by the Council of Ephesus in 431, but which Elizabeth had already uttered on the day of the Visitation: "How is it given to me that the Mother of my Lord should come to me?" (Luke 1:43).
Saint Euthymius was born in Ouzara in Asia. After being renowned in the monastic life for some time, he was elevated to the see of Sardes, and confounded the heretics at the general council of 787, the Second of Nicaea. He was noticed by Empress Irene and Emperor Constantine VI who conferred diverse official ambassadorships upon him. But under Emperor Nicephoros, the Saint was exiled to Pantellaria of Esteria around 805 at the same time as other Orthodox bishops for having conferred monastic tonsure on a young girl. Leo the Armenian recalled him from exile in 815 and asked him if he rendered veneration to icons. The Saint answered proudly, as he had the custom of doing, and struck the Emperor with an anathema. Furious, he immediately decreed his exile to Assos in Mysia, where he remained from 815 to 821. When Leo was assassinated by Michael the Stammerer, the Saint was recalled from Assos and summoned to renounce the cult of the Icons. He struck the Emperor with his retorts and was exiled again to Acritas. He was shut up in a dark prison, where four executioners stretched him out on the ground and beat him so cruelly with ox ligaments that he died eight days after, on the day after the feast of the Nativity according to the Flesh of Our Lord, God, and Savior Jesus Christ in 824.
Second Class Feast.
Antiphons of the Nativity according to the Flesh of Our Lord, God, and Savior Jesus Christ. Isodikon of the Nativity according to the Flesh of Our Lord, God, and Savior Jesus Christ. Troparia: of the Nativity according to the Flesh of Our Lord, God, and Savior Jesus Christ, and of the Church Patron. Kondakion of the Nativity according to the Flesh of Our Lord, God, and Savior Jesus Christ. Instead of the Trisagion, the verse is sung: "All of you who have been baptized into Christ, have put on Christ. Alleluia." Epistle and Gospel of the Synaxis. Hirmos from the Second Canon of the Nativity according to the Flesh of Our Lord, God, and Savior Jesus Christ and, after Communion, Troparion of the Nativity according to the Flesh of Our Lord, God, and Savior Jesus Christ.
In occurrence with a Saturday, the same order is followed, but the Epistle and Gospel are of the Saturday after the Nativity according to the Flesh of Our Lord, God, and Savior Jesus Christ.
In occurrence with a Sunday, the proper of the Synaxis is united with that of the Sunday after the nativity according to the Flesh of Our Lord, God, and Savior Jesus Christ. Typika and Beatitudes, or Antiphons of the Nativity according to the Flesh of Our Lord, God, and Savior Jesus Christ with, as a response to the Second Antiphon: "...who was born of a Virgin." Isodikon of the Sunday. Troparia: of the Resurrection, of the Nativity according to the Flesh of Our Lord, God, and Savior Jesus Christ, of Saint Joseph, and of the Church Patron. Kondakion of the Nativity according to the Flesh of Our Lord, God, and Savior Jesus Christ. Trisagion or the verse: "All of you who have been baptized into Christ, have put on Christ. Alleluia." Epistle and Gospel of the Sunday after the Nativity according to the Flesh of Our Lord, God, and Savior Jesus Christ. Kinonikon of the Nativity according to the Flesh of Our Lord, God, and Savior Jesus Christ, and after Communion, Troparion of the Nativity according to the Flesh of Our Lord, God, and Savior Jesus Christ.
Saturday After the Nativity According to the Flesh of Our Lord, God, and Savior Jesus Christ
Epistle of the Saturday of the week of the prodigal Son: I Timothy 6:11b-16.
Gospel: Matthew 12:15a-21.
Sunday After the Nativity According to the Flesh of Our Lord, God, and Savior Jesus Christ: Memory of Saint Joseph, the Spouse and the Guardian of the Virgin, of the holy apostle James, brother of the Lord, and of David, the Prophet and King (Tenth century B.C.)
Certain Churches of the East rather soon acquired the habit to commemorate certain personages of the New Testament with the feast of Theophany (and later with the Nativity). In Syria, on December 26 and 28, Saint Stephen, the sons of Zebedee, and the two princes of the Apostles, were commemorated. Likewise in Cappadocia, in the epoch of Saint Gregory of Nyssa. In Jerusalem, these same feasts were combined with a feast that the Jews celebrated in Hebron on December 25 or 26 in honor of the patriarch Jacob for whom the Christians substituted Apostle James, the Lord's brother. Then the memory of this relative of Jesus was tied to that of his ancestor, King David.
Third Class Feast.
At the Liturgy, all is said as on December 25, except the following: at the Second Antiphon, is said: "...who is risen from the dead..." Troparia: of the Resurrection according to the occurring tone, then that of Saint Joseph, of the Nativity according to the Flesh of Our Lord, God, and Savior Jesus Christ, and of the Church Patron; Kondakion of the Nativity according to the Flesh of Our Lord, God, and Savior Jesus Christ.
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