Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Greek Orthodox Daily Readings For Wednesday, 15 December

From The Greek Orthodox Arch-Diocese of America:

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Daily Scripture Readings and Lives of the Saints for Wednesday, December 15, 2010



Fast Day (Wine and Oil Allowed)



Readings for today:



St. Paul's Second Letter to Timothy 1:8-18

Mark 2:23-28; 3:1-5



Feasts and Saints celebrated today:



Eleutherios the Holy Martyr, Bishop Illyria and his mother Anthia

The Martyr Susannah the Deaconess





Epistle Reading



The reading is from St. Paul's Second Letter to Timothy 1:8-18



TIMOTHY, my son, do not be ashamed then of testifying to our Lord, nor of

me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel in the power

of God, who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not in

virtue of our works but in virtue of his own purpose and the grace which

he gave us in Christ Jesus ages ago, and now has manifested through

the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and

brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. For this gospel

I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher, and therefore I

suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed,

and I am sure that he is able to guard until that Day what has been

entrusted to me. Follow the pattern of the sound words which you have heard

from me, in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus; guard the

truth that has been entrusted to you by the Holy Spirit who dwells

within us.



You are aware that all who are in Asia turned away from me, and among

them Phygelos and Hermogenes. May the Lord grant mercy to the

household of Onesiphoros, for he often refreshed me; he was not ashamed of

my chains, but when he arrived in Rome he searched for me eagerly

and found me - may the Lord grant him to find mercy from the Lord on

that Day and you well know all the service he rendered at Ephesos.



(C) 2010 Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America



Gospel Reading



The reading is from Mark 2:23-28; 3:1-5



At that time, Jesus was going through the grainfields; and as they

made their way his disciples began to pluck heads of grain. And the

Pharisees said to him, "Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the

sabbath?" And he said to them, "Have you never read what David did, when

he was in need and was hungry, he and those who were with him: how

he entered the house of God, when Abiathar was high priest, and ate

the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the

priests to eat, and also gave it to those who were with him?" And he

said to them, "The sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath;

so the Son of man is lord even of the sabbath."



Again he entered the synagogue, and a man was there who had a withered

hand. And they watched him, to see whether he would heal him on the

sabbath, so that they might accuse him. And he said to the man who had

the withered hand, "Come here." And he said to them, "Is it lawful

on the sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill?"

But they were silent. And he looked around at them with anger,

grieved at their hardness of heart, and said to the man, "Stretch it

out," and his hand was restored.



(C) 2010 Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America





Eleutherios the Holy Martyr, Bishop Illyria and his mother Anthia



Reading from the Synaxarion:



This Saint had Rome as his homeland. Having been orphaned of his

father from childhood, he was taken by his mother Anthia to Anicetus,

the Bishop of Rome (some call him Anencletus, or Anacletus), by whom

he was instructed in the sacred letters (that is, the divine

Scriptures). Though still very young in years, he was made Bishop of Illyricum

by reason of his surpassing virtue, and by his teachings he

converted many unbelievers to Christ. However, during a most harsh

persecution that was raised against the Christians under Hadrian (reigned

117-138), the Saint was arrested by the tyrants. Enduring many torments for

Christ, he was finally put to death by two soldiers about the year 126.

As for his Christ-loving mother Anthia, while embracing the remains

of her son and kissing them with maternal affection, she was also

beheaded.



Apolytikion in the Plagal of the Fourth Tone

Adorned with flowing priestly vesture and with dripping streams of blood

you at once went to your Lord Christ, O blessed wise Eleftherios,

annihilator of Satan. Wherefore, do not cease to intercede for those who

honor your blessed struggles in faith.



Kontakion in the Second Tone

O venerable One, we all praise and entreat you, Eleftherios,

Priest-Martyr, comeliness of Priests and exaltation of champions. Deliver from

diverse dangers those fervently honoring your memory, interceding

unceasingly for us all.



Reading courtesy of Holy Transfiguration Monastery

Apolytikion courtesy of Narthex Press

Kontakion courtesy of Narthex Press

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