From The Greek Orthodox Arch-Diocese of America:
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Daily Scripture Readings and Lives of the Saints for Saturday, January 1, 2011
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Readings for today:
John 10:1-9
St. Paul's Letter to the Colossians 2:8-12
Luke 2:20-21, 40-52
Feasts and Saints celebrated today:
Circumcision of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ
Basil the Great, Archbishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia
Gregory, Bishop of Nanzianzos, Father of Gregory the Theologian
Peter the New Martyr of the Peloponnesos
Theodotos the Martyr
Righteous Theodosios of Triglia
Emmelia, Mother of Basil the Great, Gregory of Nyssa, Makrina, and Peter of Sebaste
Telemachos the Martyr
Fulgentius, Bishop of Ruspe
Basil the Martyr of Ankyra
Orthros Gospel Reading
The reading is from John 10:1-9
The Lord said to the Jews who had come to him, "Truly, truly, I say
to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs
in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber; but he who
enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the gatekeeper
opens; the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and
leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes before
them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. A stranger
they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not
know the voice of strangers." This figure Jesus used with them, but
they did not understand what he was saying to them. So Jesus again
said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.
All who came before me are thieves and robbers; but the sheep did not
heed them. I am the door; if any one enters by me, he will be saved,
and will go in and out and find pasture."
(C) 2010 Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America
Epistle Reading
The reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Colossians 2:8-12
BRETHREN, see to it that no one makes a prey of you by philosophy and empty
deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits
of the universe, and not according to Christ. For in him the whole
fulness of deity dwells bodily, and you have come to fulness of life in
him, who is the head of all rule and authority. In him also you were
circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body
of flesh in the circumcision of Christ; and you were buried with him
in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in
the working of God, who raised him from the dead.
(C) 2010 Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America
Gospel Reading
The reading is from Luke 2:20-21, 40-52
At that time, the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God
for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them. And at the
end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the
name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb. And the
child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God
was upon him. Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the
feast of the Passover. And when he was twelve years old, they went up
according to custom; and when the feast was ended, as they were returning,
the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not know
it, but supposing him to be in the company they went a day's journey,
and they sought him among their kinsfolk and acquaintances; and when
they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem, seeking him. After
three days, they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers,
listening to them and asking them questions; and all who heard him were
amazed at his understanding and his answers. And when they saw him they
were astonished; and his mother said to him, "Son, why have you
treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been looking for you
anxiously." And he said to them, "How is it that you sought me? Did you not
know that I must be in my Father's house?" And they did not understand
the saying which he spoke to them. And he went down with them and
came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them; and his mother kept all
these things in her heart. And Jesus increased in wisdom and in
stature, and in favor with God and man.
(C) 2010 Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America
Circumcision of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ
Reading from the Synaxarion:
Since the Mosaic Law commands that if a woman give birth to a male
child, he should be circumcised in the foreskin of his flesh on the
eighth day (Lev. 12:2-3), on this, the eighth day from His Nativity, our
Saviour accepted the circumcision commanded by the Law. According to the
command of the Angel, He received the Name which is above every name:
JESUS, which means "Saviour" (Matt. 1:21; Luke 1:31 and 2:21).
Apolytikion in the First Tone
Our human form hast Thou taken on Thyself without change, O
greatly-compassionate Master, though being God by nature; fulfilling the Law, Thou
willingly receivest circumcision in the flesh, that Thou mightest end the
shadow and roll away the veil of our sinful passions. Glory be to Thy
goodness unto us. Glory be to Thy compassion. Glory, O Word, to Thine
inexpressible condescension.
Kontakion in the Third Tone
Now the Lord of all that is doth undergo circumcision, in His
goodness cutting off the sins and failings of mortals. He this day doth
give salvation unto the whole world; and the hierarch and bright
daystar of the Creator now rejoiceth in the highest, Basil the wise and
divine initiate of Christ.
Reading courtesy of Holy Transfiguration Monastery
Apolytikion courtesy of Holy Transfiguration Monastery
Kontakion courtesy of Holy Transfiguration Monastery
Basil the Great, Archbishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia
Reading from the Synaxarion:
Saint Basil the Great was born about the end of the year 329 in
Caesarea of Cappadocia, to a family renowned for their learning and
holiness. His parents' names were Basil and Emily. His mother Emily
(commemorated July 19) and his grandmother Macrina (Jan. 14) are Saints of the
Church, together with all his brothers and sisters: Macrina, his elder
sister (July 19), Gregory of Nyssa (Jan. to), Peter of Sebastia (Jan.
9), and Naucratius. Basil studied in Constantnople under the sophist
Libanius, then in Athens, where also he formed a friendship with the young
Gregory, a fellow Cappadocian, later called "the Theologian." Through the
good influence of his sister Macrina (see July 19), he chose to
embrace the ascetical life, abandoning his worldly career. He visited the
monks in Egypt, in Palestine, in Syria, and in Mesopotamia, and upon
returning to Caesarea, he departed to a hermitage on the Iris River in
Pontus, not far from Annesi, where his mother and his sister Macrina were
already treading the path of the ascetical life; here he also wrote his
ascetical homilies.
About the year 370, when the bishop of his country reposed, he was
elected to succeed to his throne and was entrusted with the Church of
Christ, which he tended for eight years, living in voluntary poverty and
strict asceticism, having no other care than to defend holy Orthodoxy as
a worthy successor of the Apostles. The Emperor Valens, and
Modestus, the Eparch of the East, who were of one mind with the Arians,
tried with threats of exile and of torments to bend the Saint to their
own confession, because he was the bastion of Orthodoxy in all
Cappadocia, and preserved it from heresy when Arianism was at its strongest.
But he set all their malice at nought, and in his willingness to give
himself up to every suffering for the sake of the Faith, showed himself
to be a martyr by volition. Modestus, amazed at Basil's fearlessness
in his presence, said that no one had ever so spoken to him.
"Perhaps," answered the Saint, "you have never met a bishop before." The
Emperor Valens himself was almost won over by Basil's dignity and wisdom.
When Valens' son fell gravely sick, he asked Saint Basil to pray for
him. The Saint promised that his son would be restated if Valens
agreed to have him baptized by the Orthodox; Valens agreed, Basil
prayed, and the son was restored. But afterwards the Emperor had him
baptized by Arians, and the child died soon after. Later, Valens,
persuaded by his counsellors, decided to send the Saint into exile because
he would not accept the Arians into communion; but his pen broke
when he was signing the edict of banishment. He tried a second time
and a third, but the same thing happened, so that the Emperor was
filled with dread, and tore up the document, and Basil was not banished.
The truly great Basil, spent with extreme ascetical practices and
continual labours, at the helm of the church, departed to the Lord on the
1st of January, in 379. at the age of forty-nine.
His writings are replete with wisdom and erudition, and rich are
these gifts he set forth the doctrines concerning the mysteries both of
the creation (see his Hexaemeron) and of the Holy Trinity (see On the
Holy Spirit). Because of the majesty and keenness of his eloquence, he
is honoured as "the revealer of heavenly things" and "the Great."
Saint Basil is also celebrated on January 30th with Saint Gregory the
Theologian and Saint John Chrysostom.
Rest from labour.
Apolytikion in the First Tone
Your voice resounded throughout the world that received your word by
which, in godly manner, you taught dogma, clarified the nature of
beings, and set in order the character of people. Venerable father, Royal
Priesthood, intercede to Christ God to grant us great mercy.
Kontakion in the Fourth Tone
For the Church art thou in truth a firm foundation, granting an
inviolate lordship unto all mortal men and sealing it with what thou hast
taught, O righteous Basil, revealer of heavenly things.
Reading courtesy of Holy Transfiguration Monastery
Apolytikion courtesy of Narthex Press
Kontakion courtesy of Holy Transfiguration Monastery
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