From the Greek Orthodox Arch-Diocese of America:
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Daily Scripture Readings and Lives of the Saints for Thursday, December 9, 2010
Fast Day (Fish Allowed)
Readings for today:
St. Paul's Letter to the Galatians 4:22-27
Luke 8:16-21
Feasts and Saints celebrated today:
The Conception by St. Anna of the Most Holy Theotokos
Hanna the Prophetess
Narses the Martyr of Persia
Epistle Reading
The reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Galatians 4:22-27
BRETHREN, Abraham had two sons, one by a slave and one by a free woman. But
the son of the slave was born according to the flesh, the son of the
free woman through promise. Now this is an allegory: these women are
two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai, bearing children for slavery;
she is Hagar. Now Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia; she corresponds to
the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children. But
the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother. For it is
written, "Rejoice, O barren one who does not bear; break forth and shout,
you who are not in travail; for the children of the desolate one are
many more than the children of her that is married."
(C) 2010 Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America
Gospel Reading
The reading is from Luke 8:16-21
The Lord said, "No one after lighting a lamp covers it with a vessel,
or puts it under a bed, but puts it on a stand, that those who enter
may see the light. For nothing is hid that shall not be made
manifest, nor anything secret that shall not be known and come to light.
Take heed then how you hear; for to him who has will more be given,
and from him who has not, even what he thinks that he has will be
taken away."
Then his mother and his brothers came to him, but they could not reach
him for the crowd. And he was told, "Your mother and your brothers
are standing outside, desiring to see you." But he said to them, "My
mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it."
(C) 2010 Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America
The Conception by St. Anna of the Most Holy Theotokos
Reading from the Synaxarion:
According to the ancient tradition of the Church, since Saint Anna, the
Ancestor of God, was barren, she and her husband Joachim remained without
children until old age. Therefore, sorrowing over their childlessness,
they besought God with a promise that, if He were to grant them the
fruit of the womb, they would offer their offspring to Him as a gift.
And God, hearkening to their supplication, informed them through an
Angel concerning the birth of the Virgin. And thus, through God's
promise, Anna conceived according to the laws of nature, and was deemed
worthy to become the mother of the Mother of our Lord (see also Sept.
8).
Apolytikion in the Fourth Tone
Against all hope, the bonds of barrenness are loosed today. For, God has
hearkened unto Joachim and Anna clearly promising that they would bear a
godly maiden. He who commanded the angel to cry out to her, "Hail, full
of grace, the Lord is with you," will be born of her, the infinite
One Himself, becoming man.
Kontakion in the Fourth Tone
Today the world rejoices in the conception of Anna, wrought by God. For
she bore the One who beyond comprehension conceived the Logos.
Reading courtesy of Holy Transfiguration Monastery
Apolytikion courtesy of Narthex Press
Kontakion courtesy of Narthex Press
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