Monday, February 28, 2011

Greek Orthodox Church In America Daily Readings For Monday, 28 February

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Daily Scripture Readings and Lives of the Saints for Monday, February 28, 2011



Fast Day (Dairy, Eggs, and Fish Allowed)



Readings for today:



St. John's Third Universal Letter 1:1-15

Luke 19:29-40; 22:7-39



Feasts and Saints celebrated today:



Cheesefare Monday

Righteous John Cassian the Confessor

Basil the Confessor

Kyranna the New Martyr of Thessaloniki





Epistle Reading



The reading is from St. John's Third Universal Letter 1:1-15



The elder to the beloved Gaius, whom I love in the truth.



Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in

health; I know that it is well with your soul. For I greatly rejoiced

when some of the brethren arrived and testified to the truth of your

life, as indeed you do follow the truth. No greater joy can I have

than this, to hear that my children follow the truth.



Beloved, it is a loyal thing you do when you render any service to the

brethren, especially to strangers, who have testified to your love before

the church. You will do well to send them on their journey as befits

God's service. For they have set out for his sake and have accepted

nothing from the heathen. So we ought to support such men, that we may

be fellow workers in the truth.



I have written something to the church; but Diotrephes, who likes

to put himself first, does not acknowledge my authority. So if I

come I will bring up what he is doing, prating against me with evil

words. And not content with that, he refuses himself to welcome the

brethren, and also stops those who want to welcome them and puts them out

of the church.



Beloved, do not imitate evil but imitate good. He who does good is of

God; he who does evil has not seen God. Demetrios has testimony from

every one, and from the truth itself; I testify to him too, and you

know my testimony is true.



I had much to write to you, but I would rather not write with pen

and ink; I hope to see you soon, and we will talk together face to

face.



Peace be to you. The friends greet you. Greet the friends, every one

of them.



(C) 2011 Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America



Gospel Reading



The reading is from Luke 19:29-40; 22:7-39



At that time, when Jesus drew near to Bethphage and Bethany, at the

mount that is called Olivet, he sent two of the disciples, saying, "Go

into the village opposite, where on entering you will find a colt

tied, on which no one has ever yet sat; untie it and bring it here. If

any one asks you, 'Why are you untying it?' you shall say this, 'The

Lord has need of it.'" So those who were sent went away and found it

as he had told them. And as they were untying the colt, its owners

said to them, "Why are you untying the colt?" And they said, "The

Lord has need of it." And they brought it to Jesus, and throwing

their garments on the colt they set Jesus upon it. And as he rode

along, they spread their garments on the road. As he was now drawing

near, at the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the

disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the

mighty works that they had seen, saying, "Blessed is the King who comes

in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!"

And some of the Pharisees in the multitude said to him, "Teacher,

rebuke your disciples." He answered, "I tell you, if these were silent,

the very stones would cry out."



Then came the day of Unleavened Bread, on which the passover lamb had

to be sacrificed. So Jesus sent Peter and John, saying; "Go and

prepare the passover for us, that we may eat it." They said to him,

"Where will you have us prepare it?" He said to them, "Behold, when you

have entered the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you;

follow him into the house which he enters, and tell the householder,

'The Teacher says to you, Where is the guest room, where I am to eat

the passover with my disciples?' And he will show you a large upper

room furnished; there make ready." And they went, and found it as he

had told them; and they prepared the passover.



And when the hour came, he sat at table, and the apostles with him.

And he said to them, "I have earnestly desired to eat this passover

with you before I suffer; for I tell you I shall not eat it until it

is fulfilled in the kingdom of God." And he took a cup, and when he

had given thanks he said, "Take this, and divide it among yourselves;

for I tell you that from now on I shall not drink of the fruit of the

vine until the kingdom of God comes." And he took bread, and when he

had given thanks he broke it and gave it to them, saying, "This is my

body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me." And

likewise the cup after supper, saying, "This cup which is poured out for

you is the new covenant in my blood. But behold the hand of him who

betrays me is with me on the table. For the Son of man goes as it has

been determined; but woe to that man by whom he is betrayed!" And

they began to question one another, which of them it was that would do

this.



A dispute also arose among them, which of them was to be regarded

as the greatest. And he said to them, "The kings of the Gentiles

exercise lordship over them; and those in authority over them are called

benefactors. But not so with you; rather let the greatest among you become as

the youngest, and the leader as one who serves. For which is the

greater, one who sits at table, or one who serves? Is it not the one who

sits at table? But I am among you as one who serves.



You are those who have continued with me in my trials; and I assign

to you, as my Father assigned to me, a kingdom, that you may eat and

drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve

tribes of Israel.



Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you

like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail;

and when you have turned again, strengthen your brethren." And he

said to him, "Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death."

He said, "I tell you, Peter, the cock will not crow this day,

until you three times deny that you know me."



And he said to them, "When I sent you out with no purse or bag or

sandals, did you lack anything?" They said, "Nothing." He said to them,

"But now, let him who has a purse take it, and likewise a bag. And

let him who has no sword sell his mantle and buy one. For I tell you

that this scripture must be fulfilled in me, 'And he was reckoned with

transgressors'; for what is written about me has its fulfillment." And they

said, "Look, Lord, here are two swords." And he said to them, "It is

enough."



And he came out, and went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives;

and the disciples followed him.



(C) 2011 Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America





Righteous John Cassian the Confessor



Reading from the Synaxarion:



Note: If it is not a leap year the hymns of Saint John are transferred

to the 28th.



This Saint was born about the year 350, and was, according to some,

from Rome, according to others, from Dacia Pontica (Dobrogea in

present-day Romania). He was a learned man who had first served in the

military. Later, he forsook this life and became a monk in Bethlehem with

his friend and fellow-ascetic, Germanus of Dacia Pontica, whose

memory is also celebrated today. Hearing the fame of the great Fathers

of Scete, they went to Egypt about the year 390; their meetings with

the famous monks of Scete are recorded in Saint John's

Conferences. In the year 403 they went to Constantinople, where Cassian was

ordained deacon by Saint John Chrysostom; after the exile of Saint

Chrysostom, Saints Cassian and Germanus went to Rome with letters to Pope

Innocent I in defence of the exiled Archbishop of Constantinople. There

Saint Cassian was ordained priest, after which he went to Marseilles,

where he established the famous monastery of Saint Victor. He reposed

in peace about the year 433.



The last of his writings was



Apolytikion in the Plagal of the Fourth Tone

The image of God, was faithfully preserved in you, O Father. For you

took up the Cross and followed Christ. By Your actions you taught us

to look beyond the flesh for it passes, rather to be concerned about

the soul which is immortal. Wherefore, O Holy John Cassian, your soul

rejoices with the angels.



Kontakion in the First Tone

Thy words breathe forth the sweetness of heavenly cassia, dispelling

the foul odour of passion and pleasures; but with the sweet fragrance

of thy discretion and temperance, they make known the spiritual

ascents in the Spirit, leading men on high, O righteous Father John

Cassian, divinely-sent guide of monks.



Reading courtesy of Holy Transfiguration Monastery - Brookline, MA

Apolytikion courtesy of Narthex Press - Northridge, CA

Kontakion courtesy of Holy Transfiguration Monastery - Brookline, MA





Basil the Confessor



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 Basil, our Holy Father, pray to Christ our God,

to save our souls.



Kontakion in the Second Tone

Thou tookest thyself away from worldly turbulence, since thou hadst

received God's revelation from on high; and for living righteously as a

monk, thou didst receive might from grace to heal ills and work

miracles, O all-blessed Basil, wise in sacred things.



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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