Friday, December 17, 2010

Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Daily Readings For Thursday, 16 December (7 Tahsis 2003)

From kidusmarkos.org and ethiopiantewahedo.org:

Daily Readings:


Saints/Martyrs/Feasts/Fasts to be observed/commemmorated/celebrated:  the Fast of the Nativity

+ Selassie (Holy Trinity)





Week One, Day Five
The Fifth Day



The Fifth Day



 
Morning Prayer




In the name of the Father and the Son…



Opening Prayer



God our Almighty Father, who are the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end, the creator of the day and the night. We ask you in prayer to bless this new day for our daily task through our Lord Jesus Christ, Amen. Our Father…



Psalm 24: 1- end



24:1 The earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. 24:2 For he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods. 24:3 Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in his holy place? 24:4 He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul to vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. 24:5 He shall receive the blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation. 24:6 This is the generation of them that seek him, that seek your face, O Jacob. Selah. 24:7 Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. 24:8 Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle. 24:9 Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. 24:10 Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, he is the King of glory. Selah. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, As it was in the beginning…



Psalm 25: 1 - 22



25:1 To thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul. 25:2 O my God, I trust in thee: let me not be ashamed, let not mine enemies triumph over me. 25:3 Yea, let none that wait on thee be ashamed: let them be ashamed which transgress without cause. 25:4 Show me your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths. 25:5 Lead me in your truth, and teach me: for you are the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day. 25:6 Remember, O Lord, your tender mercies and your loving kindnesses; for they have been ever of old. 25:7 Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: according to your mercy remember me for your goodness' sake, O Lord. 25:8 Good and upright is the Lord: therefore will he teach sinners in the way. 25:9 The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way. 25:10 All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth to those that keep his covenant and his testimonies. 25:11 For your name's sake, O Lord, pardon mine iniquity; for it is great. 25:12 What man is he that fears the Lord? him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose. 25:13 His soul shall dwell at ease; and his seed shall inherit the earth. 25:14 The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him; and he will show them his covenant. 25:15 Mine eyes are ever toward the Lord; for he shall pluck my feet out of the net. 25:16 Turn thee to me, and have mercy upon me; for I am desolate and afflicted. 25:17 The troubles of my heart are enlarged: O bring thou me out of my distresses. 25:18 Look upon mine affliction and my pain; and forgive all my sins. 25:19 Consider mine enemies; for they are many; and they hate me with cruel hatred. 25:20 O keep my soul, and deliver me: let me not be ashamed; for I put my trust in thee. 25:21 Let integrity and uprightness preserve me; for I wait on thee. 25:22 Redeem Israel, O God, out of all his troubles. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, As it was in the beginning…



Psalm 26: 1 – 12



26:1 Judge me, O Lord; for I have walked in mine integrity: I have trusted also in the Lord; therefore I shall not slide. 26:2 Examine me, O Lord, and prove me; try my reins and my heart. 26:3 For your loving-kindness is before mine eyes: and I have walked in your truth. 26:4 I have not sat with vain persons, neither will I go in with dissemblers. 26:5 I have hated the congregation of evil doers; and will not sit with the wicked. 26:6 I will wash mine hands in innocency: so will I compass your altar, O Lord: 26:7 That I may publish with the voice of thanksgiving, and tell of all your wondrous works. 26:8 Lord, I have loved the habitation of your house, and the place where your honour dwells. 26:9 Gather not my soul with sinners, nor my life with bloody men: 26:10 In whose hands is mischief, and their right hand is full of bribes. 26:11 But as for me, I will walk in mine integrity: redeem me, and be merciful to me. 26:12 My foot stands in an even place: in the congregations will I bless the Lord. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, As it was in the beginning…



Scripture Reading



1st Reading




Tobit 4:15-19



4:15 Do that to no man which thou hates: drink not wine to make thee drunken: neither let drunkenness go with thee in your journey. 4:16 Give of your bread to the hungry, and of your garments to them that are naked; and according to your abundance give alms: and let not your eye be envious, when you give alms. 4:17 Pour out your bread on the burial of the just, but give nothing to the wicked. 4:18 Ask counsel of all that are wise, and despise not any counsel that is profitable. 4:19 Bless the Lord your God always, and desire of him that your ways may be directed, and that all your paths and counsels may prosper: forevery nation hath not counsel; but the Lord himself gives all good things, and he humbles whom he will, as he will; now therefore, my son, remember my commandments, neither let them be put out of your mind. He who receives the prophet in the name of the prophet shall receive the prophet reward.



2nd Reading



2 Thessalonians 3: 10b – 13



3:10 For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat. For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies. Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread. But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing. He who receives the Apostle by the name of the Apostle shall receive the Apostle’s reward. Amen



3rd Reading (Chant)



Psalm 67: 1 – 2



67:1 May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us, that your way may be known upon earth, your saving power among all nations. Halleluiah stand up and harken to the Holy Gospel, the message of our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ



4th Reading



The Gospel of St. Matthew 7: 7 – 12



7:7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you: For every one that asks receives; and he that seeks finds; and to him that knocks it shall be opened. Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him? Therefore all things whatsoever you wish that men should do to you, do so to them: for this is the law and the prophets. Heaven and earth…



Concluding Prayer,



Almighty, ever-living God, we ask, seek and knock in prayer your support, mercy and your Fatherly love. Grant us all our daily need this day and every day. We ask this through Jesus Christ, our Lord and the Holy Spirit. Amen. Our Father…




Day 5




Evening Prayer




In the name of the father and the son…



Opening Prayer



Lord God, true light, giver of light, source of light and Creator of light, grant that faithful pondering on all that is holy, we may ever live in the splendour of your presence. We make our morning prayer through our Lord Jesus Christ your Son. Amen. Our Father…



Psalm 27: 1 – end



27:1 The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? 27:2 When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell. 27:3 Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident. 27:4 One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to enquire in his temple. 27:5 For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock. 27:6 And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises to the Lord. 27:7 Hear, O Lord, when I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me, and answer me. 27:8 When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said to thee, Your face, Lord, will I seek. 27:9 Hide not your face far from me; put not your servant away in anger: you have been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation. 27:10 When my father and my mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up. 27:11 Teach me your way, O Lord, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies. 27:12 Deliver me not over to the will of mine enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty. 27:13 I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. 27:14 Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart: wait, I say, on the Lord. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, As it was in the beginning…



Psalm 28: 1 – end



28:1 To thee will I cry, O Lord my rock; be not silent to me: lest, if thou be silent to me, I become like them that go down into the pit. 28:2 Hear the voice of my supplications, when I cry to thee, when I lift up my hands toward your holy oracle. 28:3 Draw me not away with the wicked, and with the workers of iniquity, which speak peace to their neighbours, but mischief is in their hearts. 28:4 Give them according to their deeds, and according to the wickedness of their endeavours: give them after the work of their hands; render to them their desert. 28:5 Because they regard not the works of the Lord, nor the operation of his hands, he shall destroy them, and not build them up. 28:6 Blessed be the Lord, because he hath heard the voice of my supplications. 28:7 The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoices; and with my song will I praise him. 28:8 The Lord is their strength, and he is the saving strength of his anointed. 28:9 Save your people, and bless your inheritance: feed them also, and lift them up forever. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, As it was in the beginning…



Psalm 29: 1 – end



29:1 Give to the Lord, O ye mighty, give to the Lord glory and strength. 29:2 Give to the Lord the glory due to his name; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness. 29:3 The voice of the Lord is upon the waters: the God of glory thunders: the Lord is upon many waters. 29:4 The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is full of majesty. 29:5 The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars; yea, the Lord breaks the cedars of Lebanon. 29:6 He makes them also to skip like a calf; Lebanon and Sirion like a young unicorn. 29:7 The voice of the Lord divides the flames of fire. 29:8 The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness; the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh. 29:9 The voice of the Lord makes the hinds to calve, and discovers the forests: and in his temple doth every one speak of his glory. 29:10 The Lord sits upon the flood; yea, the Lord sits King forever. 29:11 The Lord will give strength to his people; the Lord will bless his people with peace. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, As it was in the beginning…



Scripture Readings



1st Reading




Isaiah 33: 13 – 16



33:13 Hear, ye that are far off, what I have done; and, ye that are near, acknowledge my might. The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites. Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? Who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings? He that walks righteously, and speaks uprightly; he that despises the gain of oppressions, that shakes his hands from holding of bribes, that stops his ears from hearing of blood, and shuts his eyes from seeing evil; He shall dwell on high: his place of defence shall be the munitions of rocks: bread shall be given him; his waters shall be sure. He who receives the prophet by the name of the prophet shall receive the prophet reward.



2nd Reading



Colossians 1: 9 – 11



1:9 For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; That ye might walk worthy of the Lord to all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, to all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness; He who receives the Apostle by the name of the Apostle shall receive the Apostle’s reward. Amen



3rd Reading (Chant)



Psalm 18: 1 – 2



18:1 I will love thee, O Lord, my strength. 18:2 The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. Halleluiah! Stand and harken to the Holy Gospel, the message of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.



4th Reading



The Gospel of St. Mark 14: 32 – 42



14:32 And they came to a place which was named Gethsemane: and he saith to his disciples, Sit ye here, while I shall pray. And he takes with him Peter and James and John, and began to be sore amazed, and to be very heavy; And saith to them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful to death: tarry ye here, and watch. And he went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible to thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt. And he cometh, and finds them sleeping, and saith to Peter, Simon, sleepest thou? couldest not thou watch one hour? Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak. And again he went away, and prayed, and spoke the same words. And when he returned, he found them asleep again, (for their eyes were heavy,) neither wist they what to answer him. And he cometh the third time, and saith to them, Sleep on now, and take your rest: it is enough, the hour is come; behold, the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise up, let us go; lo, he that betrays me is at hand. He who receives the saint” by the name of the saint, shall receive the saint’s reward. Or Heaven and Earth…



Concluding Prayer



Lord Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God who took away the sin of the world through your suffering: We ask you in our prayer to grant us your grace, and accept our prayer and work of this day, and give us the rest we need. Amen. Our Father…




The Synaxarium:


THE FOURTH MONTH


TAHISAS 07

(December 16)



IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER AND THE SON AND THE HOLY SPIRIT,

ONE GOD. AMEN.



On this day died Abba Daniel of Dabra Sihat (monastery of Scete?), the monastery of Abba Macarius. This holy man buried the Empress Patricia, who called herself ‘Anteyos, and it was not known that she was woman until after her death. One day he was going with his disciple to Alexandria, and when the turn of the evening had come, he found a fool (or madman) whose name was Marka, and many idiots (?) were following him; now the men of the city thought they were madmen. And Abba Daniel took his hand and brought him to the archbishop, and described to him his virtues, and when they had made him take an oath he told them that he had fled from the war of fornication, and that he had feigned to be a madman; and when they heard this they glorified God. One day he came into a certain city and he found an old man whose name was Eulogius, and who was a worker in stone; and he bought bread and welcomed the poor. And he brought Abba Daniel into his house, and welcomed him with joy, and when Daniel saw his goodness, he asked God to give money to Eulogius, so that he might be able to welcome the poor. And our Lord appeared unto Daniel in the form of a child, and said unto him, “Wilt thou undertake his duties, and let him change his mode of life, or shall I undertake them?” And then Eulogius found a pot of gold, and he went to the emperor and was appointed a governor, and he abandoned his old habit of life. And Abba Daniel heard in the city of the emperor that he (i.e. the emperor) had rebuked him, and that his soldiers had beaten Eulogius and brought him nigh unto death; [and the emperor ordered them to crucify him]. And whilst he was sorrowing over this matter that child appeared unto him in a dream, and said unto him, “Why hast thou entered into the affair of another?” Then our Lady Mary came and kissed the feet of the child and delivered Eulogius. As for Eulogius, when another emperor reigned he wished to kill him, and Eulogius took to flight, and having arrived in the city, he returned to his former work. And one day when they were journeying along the road by the light of the moon, he found a woman on a hill, and her hair covered her whole body, and she had dwelt there for eight and thirty years, carrying on the spiritual fight, and she told him all her secret history and died. And one day they brought the Book of the Letters of Leo and read it before all the people, and Abba Daniel leaped up and rent the book and cursed the Faith of Chalcedon; and when the soldiers heard of this they beat him severely, and drove him away from his monastery. One day he was going to visit some virgins, and he knocked at the door, and they knew that he was Abba Daniel, and they opened the door to him and welcomed him with joy; and among them was one who made herself out to be mad, and she lay by the door [and moved not]. And Abba Daniel asked about her, and the abbess said, “She is mad”; and Abba Daniel told her that she was a holy woman and a spiritual fighter. And during the night she wrote a letter, saying, “Forgive me because I made you angry”; and having said this she disappeared; and when the [other] virgins heard of this they were exceeding sorry and repented. And there was a nunnery wherein very many virgins dwelt, and its gates were strong, and Satan raised up against them certain thieves to plunder their goods. And the captain of the thieves said, “I will disguise myself as Abba Daniel, and they will open the door to me forthwith”; and he did even as he had thought. And he said unto the virgins, “I am Abba Daniel,” and when the nuns heard him they welcomed him with joy, and uncovered their faces. And as soon as one of the nuns, who was blind, washed her face in water her eyes were opened; and when the nuns saw this they said, “Blessed art thou, O Abba Daniel!” When the captain of the thieves saw this he repented, and became a monk with Abba Daniel. And Abba Daniel continued to fight strenuously, and when the time for his departure drew nigh the angel of the Lord told him, and he fell sick a little; and he prayed to Christ and died in peace. Salutation to Daniel, the head of the blessed priesthood of Dabra Sihat (monastery of Scete ?).



And on this day also is commemorated the blessed woman Diyonteres (Diontyras). Salutation to Diyonteres (Diontyras).



And on this day also died the holy and glorious father and fighter Abba Matewos (Matthew) of ‘Asfoni, Archimandrite of Dabra ‘Aswan. And this holy man was reared from his youth up in the fear of God, and he became a monk in a certain monastery, and he fought with fasting and with prayer. And he built himself an abode in the desert, and he worked with his hands and made good nets, and the price he received for the same he gave in alms to the poor, according to what his disciples have said about his work, and his fighting, and his miracles. Now these disciples Abba Serapion, and Abba Khadra relate as follows: One day when we were sitting outside his abode in the desert, we heard a voice like that of a man who is speaking to his friend inside the abode; and when we went inside we found no one there except our father, who was alone. And we said, “O our father, we outside heard someone talking with thee, but having come inside we find no one but thee.” And he said unto us with very great humility and exceedingly great sweetness, “O my children, I remember my sins, and I talk to myself, and remind my soul of the punishments which are not transient, and the pain of the death which shall find me. Woe be unto poor Matewos (Matthew) when they strip off the apparel which is on him, and set him before the throne of the Living God, in the midst of the ladder of the heavenly angels, and all the company of the righteous, who keep purity, which they put on as if it were a garment.” With words such as these did he exhort his children and he reminded them of the punishment of sinners and the reward of the righteous. And Saint Abuna Abba Matewos (Matthew) made his prayers, and carried on his fight, and his service in the monastery which he had built and dedicated to our father Abba Pachomius, and the monastery of Dabra Bakalt. And Satans and unclean spirits used to [try to] terrify him by day and by night, and he saw them face to face, and they would run in front of him and follow behind him everywhere, and each one of them would change his appearance, but our father was not afraid of them. And when he stretched out his hands, and made the sign of the Cross with them, at that very moment the devils would melt away and be dispersed like smoke before the wind. One day he commanded Serapion his disciple to take from the monastery to his cell a skin of water and a little bread and to wait there until the following day whilst he went on a certain business into the desert. When his disciple came to the cell and opened the door to go in he saw two wild beasts that were larger than hyenas, and very terrifying, lying in the middle of the dwelling, and being afraid he shut the door of brass. And behold our father came walking through the desert, and when he saw his disciple he laughed and he said unto him, “O Serapion, why didst thou not go into the dwelling [and wait there] until I came to thee?” And Serapion said unto him, “O my father, I found inside the dwelling two [wild beasts] lying, and I was afraid of them, and I did not go in.” And the old man who was gentle and pure in deed and soul, answered and said unto him, “Believe me, O my son, for twelve years I have lived with them, and I myself have served them, and this bread and water which I commanded thee to bring here is for them.” And when he opened the door the two wild beasts came to him, and they licked the soles of the feet of the holy man, and they treated him with the greatest friendliness and were in submission to him; and the saint poured out some water for them from the skin, and they lapped it up and went out through the door and departed into the desert. And this Abba Matewos (Matthew) continued to work miracles until the report of him was in every place. And the people used to bring unto him sick folk who were suffering from divers kinds of sicknesses, and he healed them by means of the great power of God, which was with him. Here is the First Miracle. One day they brought unto him a dumb man who was possessed of a devil, and as soon as he saw the saint, the devil cried out with a loud voice and cast the man upon the ground. And the saint prayed over some oil, and made the sign of the Holy Cross over him, in the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost, One God; and straightway the man was delivered from this Satan, and his heart returned to him, and he heard the words of the saint, and he departed rejoicing. And when certain of the laity came to Abba Matewos (Matthew) and offered him a table (i.e. a meal), he sent them away in peace. And having taken a little of that “blessing” into their houses, when they laid it upon those who were sick, they were healed immediately, and they glorified God. The Second Miracle. One day they brought unto him a very beautiful maiden who was possessed of the devil, and very often she rent her garments, and no man could approach her, and her parents were in sore trouble about her. And Abba Matewos (Matthew) cried out and prayed over the oil of the lamp, and he anointed the maiden therewith in the Name of Christ, and she was healed. Third Miracle. One day they brought unto him a sinful woman who had fallen into great sin, and who was very wicked, and being with child, and the day of her delivery having arrived, her labor was hard, and she suffered tribulation by day and by night. And the saint said unto her, “My daughter, confess thy sin unto me, and lie not before God.” And she said unto him, “I was in the habit of lying with two brothers without knowing which of them was with me; and having conceived, by means of my drugs I made myself to abort the child, and I gave him to the dogs.” When the saint heard this he prayed to God, and the earth opened her mouth and swallowed her up, and she became an example to other women. This saint worked very many miracles, but if one tried to recount them he would never come to an end. One day as he was walking in the desert, a hyena tugged at his garment with her teeth, and she showed him her cub, which had fallen into a hole; and when the saint had drawn it out for her she crouched and licked the soles of his feet and departed. And when the time of his death drew nigh he saw a vision on the second day of the month of Takhshash, and it seemed that they invited him to the assembly at the feast of the Holy Fathers, Abba Anthony, and Abba Macarius, and Abba Pachomius, and Abba Theodore, and Abba Moses the Black, and Saint Abba Sinoda, and they said unto him, “Good is thy coming unto us to dwell with us in the Jerusalem of the heavens.” And they brought him to the door of the Great Hall wherein are gardens and seats, and he heard a voice, saying, “Open the door so that Matewos (Matthew) may come in.” And then he died and received three crowns. Salutation to Matewos (Matthew).



Glory be to God Who is glorified in His Saints. Amen.

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