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Daily Scripture Readings and Lives of the Saints for Friday, March 25, 2011
Fast Day (Fish Allowed)
Readings for today:
Luke 1:39-49, 56
St. Paul's Letter to the Hebrews 2:11-18
Luke 1:24-38
Feasts and Saints celebrated today:
Annunciation of the Theotokos
Orthros Gospel Reading
The reading is from Luke 1:39-49, 56
In those days, Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country,
to a city of Judah, and she entered the house of Zacharias and
greeted Elizabeth. And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the
babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit
and she exclaimed with a loud cry, "Blessed are you among women, and
blessed is the fruit of your womb! And why is this granted me, that the
mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold, when the voice of your
greeting came to my ears, the babe in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed
is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was
spoken to her from the Lord."
And Mary said, "My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit
rejoices in God my Savior, for he has regarded the low estate of his
handmaiden. For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed; for
he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his
name." And Mary remained with her about three months, and returned to
her home.
(C) 2011 Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America
Epistle Reading
The reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Hebrews 2:11-18
BRETHREN, he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified have all one
origin. That is why he is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying,
"I will proclaim thy name to my brethren, in the midst of the
congregation I will praise thee." And again, "I will put my trust in
him." And again, "Here am I, and the children God has given me.
Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself
likewise partook of the same nature, that through death he might destroy
him who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all
those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong bondage. For
surely it is not with angels that he is concerned but with the
descendants of Abraham. Therefore he had to be made like his brethren in
every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high
priest in the service of God, to make expiation for the sins of the
people. For because he himself has suffered and been tempted, he is able
to help those who are tempted.
(C) 2011 Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America
Gospel Reading
The reading is from Luke 1:24-38
In those days, Elizabeth the wife of Zacharias conceived and for
five months she hid herself, saying, "Thus the Lord had done to me in
the days when he looked on me, to take away my reproach among men."
In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of
Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was
Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. And he
came to her and said, "Hail, O favored one, the Lord is with you! But
she was greatly troubled at the saying, and considered in her mind
what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, "Do
not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold,
you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his
name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most
High; and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David,
and he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his
kingdom there will be no end." And Mary said to the angel, "How shall
this be, since I have no husband?" And the angel said to her, "The
Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will
overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son
of God.
And behold, your kinswoman Elizabeth in her old age has also
conceived a son; and this is the sixth month with her who was called
barren. For with God nothing will be impossible." And Mary said, "Behold,
I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your
word." And the angel departed from her.
(C) 2011 Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America
Annunciation of the Theotokos
Reading from the Synaxarion:
Six months after John the Forerunner's conception, the Archangel
Gabriel was sent by God to Nazareth, a town of Galilee, unto Mary the
Virgin, who had come forth from the Temple a mature maiden (see Nov. 21).
According to the tradition handed down by the Fathers, she had been
betrothed to Joseph four months. On coming to Joseph's house, the Archangel
declared: "Rejoice, thou Full of Grace, the Lord is with thee: blessed art
thou among women." After some consideration, and turmoil of soul, and
fear because of this greeting, the Virgin, when she had finally
obtained full assurance concerning God's unsearchable condescension and
the ineffable dispensation that was to take place through her, and
believing that all things are possible to the Most High, answered in
humility: "Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy
word." And at this, the Holy Spirit came upon her, and the power of the
Most high overshadowed her all-blameless womb, and the Son and Word of
God, Who existed before the ages, was conceived past speech and
understanding, and became flesh in her immaculate body (Luke 1:26-38).
Bearing in her womb the Uncontainable One, the blessed Virgin went with
haste from Nazareth to the hill country of Judea, where Zacharias had
his dwelling; for she desired to find Elizabeth her kinswoman and
rejoice together with her, because, as she had learned from the
Archangel, Elizabeth had conceived in her old age. Furthermore, she wished
to tell her of the great things that the Mighty One had been
well-pleased to bring to pass in her, and she greeted Elizabeth and drew nigh
to her. When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, she felt her
six-month-old babe, Saint John the Baptist, prophesied of the dawning of the
spiritual Sun. Immediately, the aged Elizabeth was filled with the Holy
Spirit and recognized her as the Mother of her Lord, and with a great
voice blessed her and the Fruit that she held within herself. The
Virgin also, moved by a supernatural rejoicing in the spirit, glorified
her God and Savior, saying: "My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my
spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour," and the rest, as the divine
Luke hath recorded (1:39-55)
Apolytikion in the Fourth Tone
Today marks the crowning of our salvation and the revelation of the
mystery before all ages. For the Son of God becomes the son of the
Virgin, and Gabriel proclaims the grace. Wherefore, we also cry out with
him, "Hail, O full of grace, the Lord is with you."
Kontakion in the Plagal of the Fourth Tone
To you, Theotokos, invincible Defender, having been delivered from
peril, I, your city, dedicate the victory festival as a thank offering.
In your irresistible might, keep me safe from all trials, that I may
call out to you: "Hail, unwedded bride!"
Reading courtesy of Holy Transfiguration Monastery - Brookline, MA
Apolytikion courtesy of Narthex Press - Northridge, CA
Kontakion courtesy of Narthex Press - Northridge, CA
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
Daily Scripture Readings and Lives of the Saints for Friday, March 25, 2011
Fast Day (Fish Allowed)
Readings for today:
Luke 1:39-49, 56
St. Paul's Letter to the Hebrews 2:11-18
Luke 1:24-38
Feasts and Saints celebrated today:
Annunciation of the Theotokos
Orthros Gospel Reading
The reading is from Luke 1:39-49, 56
In those days, Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country,
to a city of Judah, and she entered the house of Zacharias and
greeted Elizabeth. And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the
babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit
and she exclaimed with a loud cry, "Blessed are you among women, and
blessed is the fruit of your womb! And why is this granted me, that the
mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold, when the voice of your
greeting came to my ears, the babe in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed
is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was
spoken to her from the Lord."
And Mary said, "My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit
rejoices in God my Savior, for he has regarded the low estate of his
handmaiden. For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed; for
he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his
name." And Mary remained with her about three months, and returned to
her home.
(C) 2011 Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America
Epistle Reading
The reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Hebrews 2:11-18
BRETHREN, he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified have all one
origin. That is why he is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying,
"I will proclaim thy name to my brethren, in the midst of the
congregation I will praise thee." And again, "I will put my trust in
him." And again, "Here am I, and the children God has given me.
Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself
likewise partook of the same nature, that through death he might destroy
him who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all
those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong bondage. For
surely it is not with angels that he is concerned but with the
descendants of Abraham. Therefore he had to be made like his brethren in
every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high
priest in the service of God, to make expiation for the sins of the
people. For because he himself has suffered and been tempted, he is able
to help those who are tempted.
(C) 2011 Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America
Gospel Reading
The reading is from Luke 1:24-38
In those days, Elizabeth the wife of Zacharias conceived and for
five months she hid herself, saying, "Thus the Lord had done to me in
the days when he looked on me, to take away my reproach among men."
In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of
Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was
Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. And he
came to her and said, "Hail, O favored one, the Lord is with you! But
she was greatly troubled at the saying, and considered in her mind
what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, "Do
not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold,
you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his
name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most
High; and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David,
and he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his
kingdom there will be no end." And Mary said to the angel, "How shall
this be, since I have no husband?" And the angel said to her, "The
Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will
overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son
of God.
And behold, your kinswoman Elizabeth in her old age has also
conceived a son; and this is the sixth month with her who was called
barren. For with God nothing will be impossible." And Mary said, "Behold,
I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your
word." And the angel departed from her.
(C) 2011 Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America
Annunciation of the Theotokos
Reading from the Synaxarion:
Six months after John the Forerunner's conception, the Archangel
Gabriel was sent by God to Nazareth, a town of Galilee, unto Mary the
Virgin, who had come forth from the Temple a mature maiden (see Nov. 21).
According to the tradition handed down by the Fathers, she had been
betrothed to Joseph four months. On coming to Joseph's house, the Archangel
declared: "Rejoice, thou Full of Grace, the Lord is with thee: blessed art
thou among women." After some consideration, and turmoil of soul, and
fear because of this greeting, the Virgin, when she had finally
obtained full assurance concerning God's unsearchable condescension and
the ineffable dispensation that was to take place through her, and
believing that all things are possible to the Most High, answered in
humility: "Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy
word." And at this, the Holy Spirit came upon her, and the power of the
Most high overshadowed her all-blameless womb, and the Son and Word of
God, Who existed before the ages, was conceived past speech and
understanding, and became flesh in her immaculate body (Luke 1:26-38).
Bearing in her womb the Uncontainable One, the blessed Virgin went with
haste from Nazareth to the hill country of Judea, where Zacharias had
his dwelling; for she desired to find Elizabeth her kinswoman and
rejoice together with her, because, as she had learned from the
Archangel, Elizabeth had conceived in her old age. Furthermore, she wished
to tell her of the great things that the Mighty One had been
well-pleased to bring to pass in her, and she greeted Elizabeth and drew nigh
to her. When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, she felt her
six-month-old babe, Saint John the Baptist, prophesied of the dawning of the
spiritual Sun. Immediately, the aged Elizabeth was filled with the Holy
Spirit and recognized her as the Mother of her Lord, and with a great
voice blessed her and the Fruit that she held within herself. The
Virgin also, moved by a supernatural rejoicing in the spirit, glorified
her God and Savior, saying: "My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my
spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour," and the rest, as the divine
Luke hath recorded (1:39-55)
Apolytikion in the Fourth Tone
Today marks the crowning of our salvation and the revelation of the
mystery before all ages. For the Son of God becomes the son of the
Virgin, and Gabriel proclaims the grace. Wherefore, we also cry out with
him, "Hail, O full of grace, the Lord is with you."
Kontakion in the Plagal of the Fourth Tone
To you, Theotokos, invincible Defender, having been delivered from
peril, I, your city, dedicate the victory festival as a thank offering.
In your irresistible might, keep me safe from all trials, that I may
call out to you: "Hail, unwedded bride!"
Reading courtesy of Holy Transfiguration Monastery - Brookline, MA
Apolytikion courtesy of Narthex Press - Northridge, CA
Kontakion courtesy of Narthex Press - Northridge, CA
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