Sunday, February 13, 2011

Greek Orthodox Church In America Daily Readings For Sunday, 13 February

From The Greek Orthodox Arch-Diocese of America:

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Daily Scripture Readings and Lives of the Saints for Sunday, February 13, 2011



Readings for today:



Luke 24:13-35

St. Paul's Second Letter to Timothy 3:10-15

Luke 18:10-14



Feasts and Saints celebrated today:



Sunday of the Publican and Pharisee: Triodion Begins Today

Martinianos the Righteous

Aquilla & Priscilla the Apostles

Eulogios, Patriarch of Alexandria

Symeon the Myrrhbearer of Serbia





Orthros Gospel Reading



The reading is from Luke 24:13-35



At that time, two of them were going to a village named Emmaus,

about seven miles from Jerusalem, and talking with each other about all

these things that had happened. While they were talking and discussing

together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. But their eyes were

kept from recognizing him. And he said to them, "What is this

conversation which you are holding with each other as you walk?" And they

stood still looking sad. Then one of them, named Cleopas, answered him,

"Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things

that have happened there in these days?" And he said to them, "What

things?" And they said to him, "Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a

prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, and how

our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to

death, and crucified him. But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem

Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since this

happened. Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. They were at the

tomb early in the morning and did not find his body; and they came

back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels, who said that

he was alive. Some of those who were with us went to the tomb, and

found it just as the women had said; but him they did not see." And he

said to them, "O foolish men, and slow of heart to believe all that

the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary that the Christ should

suffer these things and enter into his glory?" And beginning with Moses

and all the prophets, he interpreted to them in all the scriptures

the things concerning himself.



So they drew near to the village to which they were going. He

appeared to be going further, but they constrained him, saying, "Stay with

us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent." So he

went in to stay with them. When he was at table with them, he took the

bread and blessed, and broke it, and gave it to them. And their eyes

were opened and they recognized him; and he vanished out of their

sight. They said to each other, "Did not our hearts burn within us while

he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the scriptures?"

And they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem; and they

found the eleven gathered together and those who were with them, who

said, "The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!" Then they

told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in

the breaking of the bread.



(C) 2011 Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America



Epistle Reading



The reading is from St. Paul's Second Letter to Timothy 3:10-15



TIMOTHY, my son, you have observed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in

life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, my

persecutions, my sufferings, what befell me at Antioch, at lconion, and at

Lystra, what persecutions I endured; yet from them all the Lord rescued

me. Indeed all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will

be persecuted, while evil men and impostors will go on from bad to

worse, deceivers and deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have

learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and

how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings

which are able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ

Jesus.



(C) 2011 Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America



Gospel Reading



The reading is from Luke 18:10-14



The Lord said this parable, "Two men went up into the temple to pray,

one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and

prayed thus with himself, 'God, I thank you that I am not like other

men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax

collector. I fast twice a week, I give tithes of all that I get.' But the

tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to

heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner!'

I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than

the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he

who humbles himself will be exalted."



(C) 2011 Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America





Sunday of the Publican and Pharisee: Triodion Begins Today



Reading from the Synaxarion:



The Pharisees were an ancient and outstanding sect among the Jews

known for their diligent observance of the outward matters of the Law.

Although, according to the word of our Lord, they "did all their works to

be seen of men" (Matt. 23:5), and were hypocrites (ibid. 23: 13, 14,

15, etc.), because of the apparent holiness of their lives they were

thought by all to be righteous, and separate from others, which is what

the name Pharisee means. On the other hand, Publicans, collectors of

the royal taxes, committed many injustices and extortions for filthy

lucre's sake, and all held them to be sinners and unjust. It was

therefore according to common opinion that the Lord Jesus in His parable

signified a virtuous person by a Pharisee, and a sinner by a Publican, to

teach His disciples the harm of pride and the profit of

humble-mindedness.



Since the chief weapon for virtue is humility, and the greatest

hindrance to it is pride, the divine Fathers have set these three weeks

before the Forty-day Fast as a preparation for the spiritual struggles

of virtue. This present week they have called Harbinger, since it

declares that the Fast is approaching; and they set humility as the

foundation for all our spiritual labors by appointing that the parable of

the Publican and the Pharisee be read today, even before the Fast

begins, to teach, through the vaunting of the Pharisee, that the foul

smoke of self-esteem and the stench of boasting drives away the grace

of the Spirit, strips man of all his virtue, and casts him into the

pits of Hades; and, through the repentance and contrite prayer of the

Publican, that humility confers upon the sinner forgiveness of all his

wicked deeds and raises him up to the greatest heights.



All foods are allowed the week that follows this Sunday.



Resurrectional Apolytikion in the Plagal of the First Tone

Let us worship the Word who is unoriginate * with the Father and the

Spirit, and from a Virgin was born * for our salvation, O believers, and

let us sing His praise. * For in His goodness He was pleased * to

ascend the Cross in the flesh, and to undergo death, * and to raise up

those who had died, * by His glorious Resurrection.



Resurrectional Kontakion in the Plagal of the First Tone

You descended to Hades, my Savior, and shattered its gates, as the

Almighty. As Creator, You raised the dead with yourself, and smashed the

sting of death, O Christ. You freed Adam from the curse, O Lover of

humanity. Therefore we all cry out to You, Save us, O Lord.



Seasonal Kontakion in the Fourth Tone

Let us flee from the boasting of the Pharisee and learn through our

own sighs of sorrow the humility of the Publican. Let us cry out to

the Savior, "Have mercy on us, for through You alone are we

reconciled."



Reading courtesy of Holy Transfiguration Monastery

Apolytikion courtesy of St. Gregory Palamas Monastery

Kontakion courtesy of St. Gregory Palamas Monastery

Kontakion courtesy of Narthex Press





Martinianos the Righteous



Reading from the Synaxarion:



Saint Martinian, who was from Caesarea of Palestine, flourished about

the beginning of the fifth century. He struggled in the wilderness

from his youth. After he had passed twenty-five years in asceticism,

the devil brought a temptation upon him through a harlot, who when

she heard the Saint praised for his virtue, determined to try his

virtue, or rather, to undo it. Coming to his cell by night as it rained,

and saying she had lost her way, she begged with pitiful cries to be

admitted in for the night, lest she fall prey to wild beasts. Moved with

compassion, and not wishing to be guilty of her death should anything befall

her, he allowed her to enter. When she began to seduce him, and the

fire of desire began to burn in his heart, he kindled a fire and

stepped into it, burning his body, but saving his soul from the fire of

Gehenna. And she, brought to her senses by this, repented, and, following

his counsel, went to Bethlehem to a certain virgin named Paula, with

whom she lived in fasting and prayer; before her death, she was deemed

worthy of the gift of wonder-working. Saint Martinian, when he

recovered from the burning, resolved to go to some more solitary place, and

took a ship to a certain island, where he struggled in solitude for a

number of years. Then a young maiden who had suffered a shipwreck came

ashore on his island. Not wishing to fall into temptation again, he

departed, and passed his remaining time as a wanderer, coming to the end of

his life in Athens.



Apolytikion in the Plagal of the Fourth Tone

Thou didst quench the flame of temptation with the streams of thy

tears, O blessed Martinian; and having checked the waves of the sea and

the attacks of wild beasts, thou didst cry out: Most glorious art

Thou, O Almighty One, Who hast saved me from fire and tempest.



Kontakion in the Second Tone

As is meet, let us praise with hymns the ever-venerable Martinian as

a tried ascetic that struggled for piety, as an honorable athlete

by deliberate choice, and a resolute citizen and inhabitant of the

desert; for he hath trodden upon the serpent.



Reading courtesy of Holy Transfiguration Monastery

Apolytikion courtesy of Holy Transfiguration Monastery

Kontakion courtesy of Holy Transfiguration Monastery





Aquilla & Priscilla the Apostles



Apolytikion in the Third Tone

O Holy Apostles, intercede to our merciful God, that He may grant

our souls forgiveness of sins.



Apolytikion courtesy of Narthex Press





Symeon the Myrrhbearer of Serbia



Reading from the Synaxarion:



Saint Symeon (in the world, the ruler Stephen Nemanja), after capably

governing Serbia in piety, wisdom, and justice for many years during the

second half of the twelfth century, renounced all rule and earthly glory

to become a monk, to struggle in fasting and prayer. Thereafter he

went to the Holy Mountain Athos where, together with his son Saint

Sabbas (see Jan. 14), he founded the Monastery of Hilandar. After his

death, a fragrant and healing myrrh came forth from his holy relics.

When Stephen Nemanja put on the monastic habit with the name of

Symeon, his wife Anna followed his example, receiving the monastic name

of Anastasia; she is commemorated as a Saint on June 21.



Apolytikion in the Third Tone

Illumined by divine grace, even after death thou dost make manifest the

radiance of thy life; for thou pourest forth fragrant myrrh for them that

have recourse to the shrine of the relics. Thou didst also guide thy

people to the light of the knowledge of God. O our Father Symeon,

entreat Christ God that we be granted great mercy.



Kontakion in the Plagal of the Second Tone

Living the angelic life on this earth, thou didst abandon the world and

worldly dominion and didst follow Christ by fasting, O Symeon. In an

apostolic manner, thou didst guide unto Christ them that loved thee and

didst cry: Love ye the Lord even as He hath loved you.



Reading courtesy of Holy Transfiguration Monastery

Apolytikion courtesy of Holy Transfiguration Monastery

Kontakion courtesy of Holy Transfiguration Monastery



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