Sunday, January 2, 2011

Ethiopian Orthodox Daily Readings For Saturday, 1 January (23 Tahsis 2003)

From ethiopiantewahedo.org and kidusmarkos.org:


Daily Readings:

Week Three, Day Seven
The 21st Day


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

+ St. Georgis the Martyr



kidus michael

Day 21


a candle
 
Morning Prayer




In the name of the Father…



Opening Prayer



O Lord Jesus Christ our saviour and the true light of all on the road of salvation, we pray you to give us the strength to walk with you in the ways of peace and innocence, we make this in the name of the Father and of the son and of the Holy Spirit, One God. Amen. Our Father who art… O my Lady Mary…



Psalm 105: 1 – 45



105:1 O give thanks to the Lord; call upon his name: make known his deeds among the people. 105:2 Sing to him, sing psalms to him: talk ye of all his wondrous works. 105:3 Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the Lord. 105:4 Seek the Lord, and his strength: seek his face evermore. 105:5 Remember his marvellous works that he hath done; his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth; 105:6 O ye seed of Abraham his servant, ye children of Jacob his chosen. 105:7 He is the Lord our God: his judgments are in all the earth. 105:8 He hath remembered his covenant forever, the word which he commanded to a thousand generations. 105:9 Which covenant he made with Abraham, and his oath to Isaac. 105:10 And confirmed the same to Jacob for a law, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant: 105:11 Saying, to thee will I give the land of Canaan, the lot of your inheritance 105:12 When they were but a few men in number; yea, very few, and strangers in it. 105:13 When they went from one nation to another, from one kingdom to another people. 105:14 He suffered no man to do them wrong: yea, he reproved kings for their sakes. 105:15 Saying, Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm. 105:16 Moreover he called for a famine upon the land: he brake the whole staff of bread. 105:17 He sent a man before them, even Joseph, who was sold for a servant: 105:18 Whose feet they hurt with fetters: he was laid in iron: 105:19 Until the time that his word came: the word of the Lord tried him. 105:20 The king sent and loosed him; even the ruler of the people, and let him go free. 105:21 He made him lord of his house, and ruler of all his substance: 105:22 To bind his princes at his pleasure; and teach his senators wisdom. 105:23 Israel also came into Egypt; and Jacob sojourned in the land of Ham. 105:24 And he increased his people greatly; and made them stronger than their enemies.105:25 He turned their heart to hate his people, to deal subtly with his servants. 105:26 He sent Moses his servant; and Aaron whom he had chosen. 105:27 They showed his signs among them, and wonders in the land of Ham. 105:28 He sent darkness, and made it dark; and they rebelled not against his word. 105:29 He turned their waters into blood, and slew their fish. 105:30 Their land brought forth frogs in abundance, in the chambers of their kings. 105:31 He spoke, and there came divers sorts of flies, and lice in all their coasts. 105:32 He gave them hail for rain, and flaming fire in their land. 105:33 He smote their vines also and their fig trees; and brakes the trees of their coasts. 105:34 He spoke, and the locusts came, and caterpillars, and that without number. 105:35. And did eat up all the herbs in their land, and devoured the fruit of their ground. 105:36 He smote also all the firstborn in their land, the chief of all their strength. 105:37 He brought them forth also with silver and gold: and there was not one feeble person among their tribes. 105:38 Egypt was glad when they departed: for the fear of them fell upon them. 105:39 He spread a cloud for a covering; and fire to give light in the night. 105:40 The people asked, and he brought quails, and satisfied them with the bread of heaven. 105:41 He opened the rock, and the waters gushed out; they ran in the dry places like a river. 105:42 For he remembered his holy promise, and Abraham his servant. 105:43 And he brought forth his people with joy, and his chosen with gladness. 105:44 And gave them the lands of the heathen: and they inherited the labour of the people. 105:45 That they might observe his statutes, and keep his laws. Praise ye the Lord. Glory be to the…



Scripture Readings

qidus gebriel

Kidus Gebriel




1st Reading



Tobit 4: 16 – 17, 19 – 20



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. 4:19. 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. 4:20. And now I signify this to they that I committed ten talents to Gabael the son of Gabrias at Rages in Media. He who receives the prophet…



2nd Reading



2nd Thessalonians 3: 10 – 13



3:10. For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat. 3:11. For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies. 3:12. Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread. 3:13. But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing. He who receives the apostle…



3rd Reading (Chant)



Psalm 108: 1 – 2



108:1. O God, my heart is fixed; I will sing and give praise, even with my glory.

108:2. Awake, psaltery and harp: I myself will awake early. Halleluiah, stand up and…



4th Reading



The Gospel of St John 14: 1 – 4



14:1. Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 14:2. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 14:3. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you to myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. 14:4. And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. He that believes in the… It is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one ….



Concluding Prayer



O Lord our God, we humbly ask you, in your great mercy and loving kindness hear our morning prayer, and cleanse our hearts, so that no evil may have power over us who have been healed by the light of your grace. We make our prayer through our Lord Jesus Christ your Holy Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever. Amen. Our Father who… O my Lady Mary…



the three kings

Day 21


a candle
 
Evening Prayer




In the name of the Father…



Opening Prayer



O God our Almighty Father whose name is Holy and whose mercy and living kindness are glorified by the Angels and from generation to generation, hear the prayer of your people and grant that we may glorify you by never ending thanks ad praise, now and forever. Amen. Our Father… O my Lady Mary…



Psalm 106: 1 – 48



106:1. Praise ye the Lord. O give thanks to the Lord; for he is good: for his mercy endures forever. 106:2. Who can utter the mighty acts of the Lord? Who can recountall his praise? 106:3. Blessed are they that keep judgment, and he that doeth righteousness at all times. 106:4. Remember me, O Lord, with the favour that thou bearest to your people: O visit me with your salvation. 106:5. That I may see the good of your chosen, that I may rejoice in the gladness of your nation that I may glory with your inheritance. 106:6. We have sinned with our fathers, we have committed iniquity, we have done wickedly. 106:7. Our fathers understood not your wonders in Egypt; they remembered not the multitude of your mercies; but provoked him at the sea, even at the Red sea. 106:8. Nevertheless he saved them for his name’s sake, that he might make his mighty power to be known. 106:9. He rebuked the Red sea also, and it was dried up: so he led them through the depths, as through the wilderness. 106:10. And he saved them from the hand of him that hated them, and redeemed them from the hand of the enemy. 106:11. And the waters covered their enemies: there was not one of them left. 106:12. Then believed they his words; they sang his praise. 106:13. They soon forgot his works; they waited not for his counsel. 106:14. But lusted exceedingly in the wilderness, and tempted God in the desert. 106:15. And he gave them their request; but sent leanness into their soul. 106:16. They envied Moses also in the camp, and Aaron the saint of the Lord. 106:17. The earth opened and swallowed up Dathan and covered the company of Abiram. 106:18. And a fire was kindled in their company; the flame burned up the wicked. 106:19. They made a calf in Horeb, and worshipped the molten image. 106:20. Thus they changed their glory into the similitude of an ox that eats grass. 106:21. They forgot God their saviour, which had done great things in Egypt. 106:22. Wondrous works in the land of Ham, and terrible things by the Red sea. 106:23. Therefore he said that he would destroy them, had not Moses his chosen stood before him in the breach, to turn away his wrath, lest he should destroy them. 106:24. Yea, they despised the pleasant land, they believed not his word. 106:25. But murmured in their tents, and hearkened not to the voice of the Lord. 106:26. Therefore he lifted up his hand against them, to overthrow them in the wilderness. 106:27. To overthrow their seed also among the nations, and to scatter them in the lands. 106:28. They joined themselves also to Baalpeor, and ate the sacrifices of the dead. 106:29 Thus they provoked him to anger with their inventions: and the plague brake in upon them. 106:30. Then stood up Phinehas, and executed judgment: and so the plague was stayed. 106:31. And that was counted to him for righteousness to all generations forevermore. 106:32. They angered him also at the waters of strife, so that it went ill with Moses for their sakes. 106:33. Because they provoked his spirit, so that he spoke unadvisedly with his lips. 106:34. They did not destroy the nations, concerning whom the Lord commanded them. 106:35. But were mingled among the heathen, and learned their works. 106:36. And they served their idols: which were a snare to them. 106:37. Yea, they sacrificed their sons and their daughters to devils, 106:38. And shed innocent blood, even the blood of their sons and of their daughters, whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan: and the land was polluted with blood. 106:39. Thus were they defiled with their own works, and went a whoring with their own inventions. 106:40. Therefore was the wrath of the Lord kindled against his people, in so much that he abhorred his own inheritance. 106:41. And he gave them into the hand of the heathen; and they that hated them ruled over them. 106:42. Their enemies also oppressed them, and they were brought into subjection under their hand. 106:43. Many times did he deliver them; but they provoked him with their counsel, and were brought low for their iniquity. 106:44. Nevertheless he regarded their affliction, when he heard their cry: 106:45. And he remembered for them his covenant, and repented according to the multitude of his mercies. 106:46. He made them also to be pitied of all those that carried them captives. 106:47. Save us, O Lord our God, and gather us from among the heathen, to give thanks to your holy name, and to triumph in your praise. 106:48. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting: and let all the people say, Amen. Praise ye the Lord. Glory be to the Father…



Scripture Readings



qidus elias
 
Kidus Elias




1st Reading



Ezekiel 36: 25 – 27



36:25. Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthyss, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. 36:26. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. 36:27. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them. He who receives the…



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; 1:10. That ye might walk worthy of the Lord to all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; 1:11. Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, to all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness; He who receives the apostle…



3rd Reading (Chant)



Psalm 117: 1 – 2



117:1. O praise the Lord, all ye nations: praise him, all ye people. 117:2. For his merciful kindness is great toward us: and the truth of the Lord endures forever. Praise ye the Lord. Halleluiah stand up and…



4th Reading



The Gospel of St John 13: 34 – 35



13:34. A new commandment I give to you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. 13:35. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. He that believes in the Son…



Concluding Prayer



Lord our God, King of heaven and earth, we pray you to help us to know that there will be judgment without mercy for those who have not been merciful themselves; and to talk and behave like people who are going to be judged by the law of freedom and to keep your law this day and always. And let your grace be with us always; and let us give thanks to your only-begotten Son our Lord Jesus Christ, for yours is the power and the glory, both now and forever, world without end. Amen. Our Father… O my Lady Mary…



a candle
 
The Synaxarium:
 
THE FOURTH MONTH


TAHISAS 23

(January 01)



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

ONE GOD. AMEN.



On this day died the saint and fighter Abba Timothy, the desert monk. This holy man had God-loving parents who brought him up piously, and taught him the doctrine of the Church; and he wished to adopt the garb of the monastic life, and he went forth from his father and dwelt in a monastery and became a monk therein. And he determined in his mind to live by himself in a place near the monastery, so that he might receive pilgrims and poor people, and feed them. And he went forth from the monastery and built himself a house near it, and he dwelt therein for a period of five years; and he fought the spiritual fight and worked with his hands and lived by the labor thereof. And the Enemy of good laid a plot against him, and he brought to him a certain widow to buy from him the work of his hands. And because of this business her coming to him was frequent, and sinful love sprang up between them, and they sat together at the time of eating their meals. Then the monk burned with the fever of fornication, and they fell into sin, and they continued to do the work of sin for seven months. But God neither abandoned them, nor cast them away, neither the woman nor Saint Timothy, but He made them to remember the time of death, and that they would have to stand before the King of kings, our Lord Jesus Christ, on that fearful and terrible day. And straightway Abba Timothy began to reproach himself and to revile himself, and he rose up from that place and came into the desert, and God the Most High guided him to a little oasis in the desert, wherein there were a tree and a spring of sweet running water. And he went into it and found a date palm there, and he dwelt in that place for many days. And then Satan became jealous of him because he had saved himself, and he brought upon him a serious disease in his belly, and by reason of the intensity of his pain he had fallen face downwards on the earth. And as he lay bowed there he prayed, and he said unto his soul, “This pain is the fruit of the sin which thou hast committed, O soul. Thou must endure the tribulation of this pain in order to become healed of thy sickness”; and he continued to suffer the pain for four years. And after this God looked upon him, and he sent to him an angel who rubbed the belly of Timothy with his hand, and he was healed of the pain which was in his belly. And then the angel made a slit in his side with his fingers [and took out his liver] and cleaned it and restored it to its place in his bowels, and he fastened it to his body and Timothy recovered and became as he was before his sickness. And the angel said unto him, “Behold thou art sound; take good heed not to offend a second time lest worse befall thee.” He lived in the desert fighting the fight and was a strict ascetic for forty years, and before this he lived in a monastery seventeen years, and he also lived in a cave for ten years. And during all the years wherein he dwelt in the desert he went naked and had no clothing, but God, the Most High, made his hair long, and it covered him before and behind. And by his strict asceticism, and strenuous fighting, and worship of God, grace came upon him in such an abundant measure that the wild beasts used to visit him, and lick the dust of his feet; and he pleased God and he died in peace wearing the crown of his fight. Salutation to Timothy.



And on this day also died David the Just, King and Prophet, and son of Jesse. This [saint] became king over Israel after Saul, the King, the son of Kish, of the tribe of Benjamin. And before he was king he followed a good course of life, and he fought the fight, and he performed righteousness and judgment more than any other king of Israel. And he was of the tribe of Judah from Bethlehem, and God chose him to be king over Israel. And God sent Samuel the prophet to anoint one of the sons of Jesse with the oil of sovereignty, so that he might be king over Israel. And Samuel the prophet chose the eldest son of Jesse, because he was goodly in appearance, and robust in body, but God did not choose him, and said unto him, “O Samuel, look not upon him that is of goodly appearance, and consider not the height of his stature, for I am not like men who look at the external goodly appearance; I try the heart and the reins, and I know the things that are secret.” And after this Samuel chose David to reign over Israel, and God was with him in all his work. And by reason of his excessive innocence of heart and gentleness he found Saul his enemy on several occasions, and he did no evil whatsoever to him; and he allowed him to escape when Saul himself was wishing to kill David. One day Saul went forth seeking for David to kill him, and when the evening came Saul lay down and slept, and all his soldiers slept round about him. And David the prophet came to Saul whilst he was asleep, and he cut off the fringed hem of his garment to make Saul to know in secret that he (David) could have killed him, and boasted himself over him, but he did no harm to him whatsoever. And then David repented and was sorry that he had cut off the hem of Saul’s tunic. And David found him a second time asleep, and he carried off his spear and the water-pot by his head, but did him no harm. And when his men said unto him, “Kill thine enemy Saul,” David answered and said unto them, “Far be it from me to put out my hand against the anointed one of God.” And when a man told him the story of the killing of Saul his enemy, he said unto him, “Who killed him?” And the man said unto him, “I killed him.” And David’s heart was exceedingly sad, and he rent his garments and said unto that men, “Is it true that thou didst kill him?” And the man said unto him, “Yea.” And David killed that man who said, “I killed Saul.” Now God gathered together in this prophet many virtues, and of them all the greatest was humility. And though he was king and prophet, and righteous, and perfect, he called himself a “dead dog,” a “miserable wolf,” a “worm,” and a “beast,” and with all this humility he was more glorious and exalted than all [other] kings. And God praised him in many passages of Scripture, saying, “I have found David, the son of Jesse, a man after My own heart, who will perform all I wish”; and God protected the children of Israel and Jerusalem with good protection for David’s sake, both during his lifetime and after his death. And God honored David by the mouth of His prophet, and He set over the people kings from his seed, and He called David His son. And it is said in the Book of the Psalms that he was well known to be a shield against Satans, and was full of every kind of good work, and of every kind of glorious doctrine. And his complexion was pure red, like the pomegranate; he was of a medium stature; and he was exceedingly strong and powerful, for he was in the prime of youth, and God was his helper. And [once] when he was keeping his father’s sheep there came to him a wolf, and a lion also came at the same time to carry off some of his father’s sheep, and he killed the wolf, and snatched sway the beard of the lion (I Sam. xvii, 34, 35). And when Saul was fighting against the Philistines, an alien people, there went forth Golyad (Goliath), the giant, who was six cubits and a span in height, and his whole body was covered with amour, and in his hand was a spear, the shaft of which was as thick as a weaver’s beam, and the spear-head was of iron and the weight thereof was six hundred shekels. And the helmet upon his head and all the covering of him was of brass, and the weight of the iron covering which was on him was five thousand shekels. And his legs had coverings of brass on them, and he had as it were serpents between his shoulders and a covering of brass upon his breast; and an amour bearer went before him. And he stood up and cried out to the children of Israel and said unto them, “Why have ye come out to fight against us, and to do battle with us? Am I not the Philistine, and are ye not Hebrews of Saul? Choose out from you a man who shall come down to me. If he is able to fight against me and to slay me we will be [your] servants; and if I am able to slay him, ye shall be our servants, and shall minister unto us.” And he spoke thus, and he continued to revile the people of Israel, and to boast himself over them for a space of forty days; and no one from among the armies of Israel dared to go forth to him. And when Saul heard his voice he was dismayed and was afraid of that Philistine. And in those days David came to visit his brethren, and when he saw that Philistine, and heard his voice, he became full of divine zeal forthwith, and he said unto Saul, “I will go and will slay this uncircumcised Philistine.” And Saul said unto David, “Go, and God be with thee.” And David took in his hand a sling, and he chose three stones from the brook and put them into his scrip, so that he might have them in addition to those in the sling, which was in his hand; and he went out against that Philistine. And when Golyad (Goliath), the Philistine, saw David, he scorned him, for he was a youth, and ruddy like the pomegranate flower, and his eyes were beautiful. And this Philistine said unto David, “Am I a dog that thou shouldst come out against me with a stick and with stones?” And David said unto him, “Yea, thou art worse than a dog”; and this Philistine cursed David by his gods. And he said unto him, “Come to me and I will give thy flesh to the dogs, and to the birds of heaven, and to the beasts of the earth.” And David said unto him, “Thou comest out against me with sword and a spear, and I come against thee in the Name of the God of the armies which thou revilest this day, the armies of Israel, and I will take thee and kill thee, and I will cut off thy head with the sword, and I will give thy carcass, and the carcasses of thy followers, to the birds of the heavens and to the wild beasts of the earth, and all the earth shall know that God is with Israel, and all the army of Israel shall know that it is not by a sword and a spear that He delivereth, but that it is God Himself Who hath slain [thee].” And David put his hand into his scrip, and took a stone from there, and he slung it, and it smote the Philistine in his forehead, [and entered] his brain, and he fell down upon his face on the earth. And David ran and took his sword, and slew him, and cut off his head, and removed the reproach from the children of Israel. And all the days of the life of David were seventy years; he was thirty years old before he was anointed with the oil of sovereignty, and before he reigned over Israel, and he dwelt in his sovereignty forty years. He prophesied eleven hundred and twenty years before the Incarnation of our Lord Christ, and he died in peace and entered into the kingdom of heaven, and he was buried in the sepulcher of his fathers. Salutation to David, the servant of God.



And on this day also died Abba Samuel, and Abba Gabriel, and Abba Simon. This Abba Samuel became a monk and anchorite, and dwelt by the side of a city, the name of which was Kartamen. And there was there the funerary chest of a certain martyr whose name was ‘Akrapos, and he used to invoke his blessing at the beginning and end of his prayer. And there was a certain governor whose name was Saliba, and he had a son called Simon who was sick with a fatal sickness, and he sent and fetched Abba Samuel to pray over his son; and he prayed and raised him up after he was dead. And that young man followed Abba Samuel, and became his disciple and a monk at the same time. One day that disciple went out taking with him a pot to draw water, and Satan broke it; and when he told Abba Samuel he gave him a wine-skin to fill with water, and the disciple used the skin for fetching water for ten years, and the water did not spill over from it. And they departed thence and went to another place where they built a little prayer house, and they dwelt [there]. And one [night] the angel of the Lord showed them in a dream where they were to build a church, and King ‘Anestos came and built them a large church, and five hundred cells for monks. And having become profitable, Abba Samuel labored exceedingly, and through excessive fighting in the spiritual fight, he departed to God Whom he loved, leaving his children in the hand of his son Simon; and the monks multiplied and became twelve thousand in number. In the days of this father there rose up a certain heretic who did not believe in the resurrection of the dead, and Abba Simon prayed over a dead man, and raised him up before him; and when the heretic would not turn his mind away from doubt, the saint prayed to God, and brought down fire from heaven and consumed him. And after this Abba Simon waxed old and died; and he died in peace and honor, and was buried in the sepulcher of his master, and Abba Gabriel was appointed abbot after him. He was humble and meek, and wore sackcloth and iron under his clothing, but he wore no sandals on his feet. In the winter time he never entered a house, and in the summer time he fasted from Saturday to Saturday, and he ate nothing except salt and bread; and he used to work signs and miracles. One day his disciples wished to bring a large stone into the monastery so that they might make yeast for the bread thereon, and they had no men to carry it, and when Abba Gabriel heard of it he cursed because there was no one left in the monastery to come and fetch the stone, and when the dead heard his voice they rose up to the number of ten thousand and thirty souls. And when Abba Gabriel saw them he said unto them, “It is not you whom I cursed, but the living,” and straightway they returned to their sepulchers. One day a certain man deposited some gold with a monk, and departed on a long journey, and when he came back he found that the monk was dead, and that he had not told his disciple about the gold; and he questioned the disciple about the gold, but he knew not where his master had put it. And Abba Gabriel went to the grave of the dead monk and asked him about the money, and he told him where he had put it, and the owner of the money having taken the money went away marveling. And he had a friend whose name was Salib, and he died without meeting him again. When Abba Gabriel heard of this, he went to his grave, and wept, and prayed and said, “In the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ rise up, and let us talk together,” and Salib rose up alive and lived for fourteen years [after]. And in the days of this father a great persecution came upon the churches and the Christians through the Roman emperors, and a countless number of people were slain; but after a few days Islam reigned, and the Christians were delivered from the persecution. And having fought the spiritual fight strenuously for twenty years Gabriel died in peace. Salutation to Samuel, and Simon, and Gabriel.



And on this day also are commemorated Macarius, and Antedrius (Andreas), and Philip, and Eiteltas (or ‘Ay-Taltas), and Cornelius, and Mercurius.



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

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