Sunday, February 27, 2011

Greek Orthodox Church In America Daily Readings For Sunday, 27 Febraury

From The Greek Orthodox Arch-Diocese of America:

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Daily Scripture Readings and Lives of the Saints for Sunday, February 27, 2011



Readings for today:



John 20:1-10

St. Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians 8:8-13; 9:1-2

Matthew 25:31-46



Feasts and Saints celebrated today:



Judgment Sunday (Meatfare Sunday)

Prokopios the Confessor of Decapolis

Raphael of Brooklyn

Stephen the Monk





Orthros Gospel Reading



The reading is from John 20:1-10



At that time, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was

still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb.

So she ran, and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one

whom Jesus loved, and said to them, "They have taken the Lord out of

the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him." Peter then

came out with the other disciple, and they went toward the tomb. They

both ran, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb

first; and stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but

he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went

into the tomb; he saw the linen cloths lying, and the napkin, which

had been on his head, not lying with the linen cloths but rolled up

in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb

first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not

know the scripture, that he must rise from the dead. Then the

disciples went back to their homes.



(C) 2011 Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America



Epistle Reading



The reading is from St. Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians 8:8-13; 9:1-2



Brethren, food will not commend us to God. We are no worse off if we do

not eat, and no better off if we do. Only take care lest this

liberty of yours somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. For if

any one sees you, a man of knowledge, at table in an idol's temple,

might he not be encouraged, if his conscience is weak, to eat food

offered to idols? And so by your knowledge this weak man is destroyed,

the brother for whom Christ died. Thus, sinning against your

brethren and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against

Christ. Therefore, if food is a cause of my brother's falling, I will

never eat meat, lest I cause my brother to fall.



Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our

Lord? Are not you my workmanship in the Lord? If to others I am not

an apostle, at least I am to you; for you are the seal of my

apostleship in the Lord.



(C) 2011 Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America



Gospel Reading



The reading is from Matthew 25:31-46



The Lord said, "When the Son of man comes in his glory and all the

holy angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before

him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate them one

from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he

will place the sheep at his right hand, but the goats at the left.

Then the king will say to those at his right hand, 'Come, O blessed of

my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation

of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty

and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was

naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in

prison and you came to me.' Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord,

when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you

drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and

clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?'

And the King will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to

one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.' Then he

will say to those at his left hand, 'Depart from me, you cursed, into

the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was

hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink,

I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not

clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.' Then they also

will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a

stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?'

Then he will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it not to

one of the least of these, you did it not to me.' And they will go

away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."



(C) 2011 Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America





Judgment Sunday (Meatfare Sunday)



Reading from the Synaxarion:



The foregoing two parables -- especially that of the Prodigal Son --

have presented to us God's extreme goodness and love for man. But

lest certain persons, putting their confidence in this alone, live

carelessly, squandering upon sin the time given them to work out their

salvation, and death suddenly snatch them away, the most divine Fathers have

appointed this day's feast commemorating Christ's impartial Second Coming,

through which we bring to mind that God is not only the Friend of man,

but also the most righteous Judge, Who recompenses to each according

to his deeds.



It is the aim of the holy Fathers, through bringing to mind that

fearful day, to rouse us from the slumber of carelessness unto the work

of virtue, and to move us to love and compassion for our brethren.

Besides this, even as on the coming Sunday of Cheese-fare we commemorate

Adam's exile from the Paradise of delight -- which exile is the

beginning of life as we know it now -- it is clear that today's is reckoned

the last of all feasts, because on the last day of judgment, truly,

everything of this world will come to an end.



All foods, except meat and meat products, are allowed during the week

that follows this Sunday.



Resurrectional Apolytikion in the Grave Tone

By means of Your Cross, O Lord, You abolished death. * To the robber

You opened Paradise. * The lamentation of the myrrhbearing women You

transformed, * and You gave Your Apostles the order to proclaim to all * that

You had risen, O Christ our God, * and granted the world Your great

mercy.



Resurrectional Kontakion in the Grave Tone

No longer will death's dominion have power to detain mortal men. For

Christ went down and smashed and destroyed its powers. Now Hades is

bound, and the Prophets in unison exult and declare: The Savior has

appeared to those with faith. Come out, you faithful, to the Resurrection.



Seasonal Kontakion in the First Tone

O God, when You come upon the earth in glory, the whole world will

tremble. A river of fire will bring all before Your Judgment Seat and the

books will be opened, and everything in secret will become public. At

that time, deliver me from the fire which never dies, and enable me to

stand by Your right hand, O Judge most just.



Reading courtesy of Holy Transfiguration Monastery - Brookline, MA

Apolytikion courtesy of St. Gregory Palamas Monastery

Kontakion courtesy of St. Gregory Palamas Monastery

Kontakion courtesy of Narthex Press





Prokopios the Confessor of Decapolis



Reading from the Synaxarion:



Saints Prokopios and Basil, fellow ascetics, lived about the middle of

the eighth century, during the reign of Leo the Isaurian (717-741),

from whom they suffered many things for the sake of the veneration of

the holy icons. They ended their lives in the ascetical discipline.



Apolytikion in the Fourth Tone

With the rivers of your tears, you have made the barren desert

fertile. Through sighs of sorrow from deep within you, your labors have

borne fruit a hundred-fold. By your miracles you have become a light,

shining upon the world. O Prokopios, our Holy Father, pray to Christ our

God, to save our souls.



Kontakion in the Fourth Tone

O renowned Procopius, having obtained thee as a morning star this

day, the Church dispelleth all the gloom of evil doctrine, while

hon'ring thee, O thou initiate of Heaven and man of God.



Reading courtesy of Holy Transfiguration Monastery - Brookline, MA

Apolytikion courtesy of Narthex Press - Northridge, CA

Kontakion courtesy of Holy Transfiguration Monastery - Brookline, MA



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