Friday, December 30, 2011

Greek Orthodox Church in America Daily Readings for Thursday, 29 December 2011

From goarch.com:

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Daily Scripture Readings and Lives of the Saints for Friday, December 30, 2011



Fast Free



Readings for today:



St. Paul's Letter to the Hebrews 7:18-25

Mark 12:1-12



Feasts and Saints celebrated today:



Friday of the 15th Week

Anysia the Virgin-martyr of Thessaloniki

Gideon the New Martyr of Mount Athos

Holy Martyr Philetaerus

Righteous Father Leondus the Archimandrite

Afterfeast of the Nativity





Epistle Reading



The reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Hebrews 7:18-25



BRETHREN, a former commandment is set aside because of its weakness and uselessness (for the law made nothing perfect); on the other hand, a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God. And it was not without an oath. Those who formerly became priests took their office without an oath, but this one was addressed with an oath, "The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind, 'Thou art a priest for ever."' This makes Jesus the surety of a better covenant. The former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office; but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues for ever. Consequently he is able for all time to save those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.



(c) 2011 Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America



Gospel Reading



The reading is from Mark 12:1-12



The Lord said this parable, "A man planted a vineyard, and set a hedge around it, and dug a pit for the wine press, and built a tower, and let it out to tenants, and went into another country. When the time came, he sent a servant to the tenants, to get from them some of the fruit of the vineyard. And they took him and beat him, and sent him away empty handed. Again he sent to them another servant, and they wounded him in the head, and treated him shamefully. And he sent another, and him they killed; and so with many others, some they beat and some they killed. He had still one other, a beloved son; finally he sent him to them, saying, 'They will respect my son.' But those tenants said to one another, 'This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.' And they took him and killed him, and cast him out of the vineyard. What will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the tenants, and give the vineyard to others. Have you not read this

scripture: 'The very stone which the builders rejected has become the head of the corner; this was the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes'?" And they tried to arrest him, but feared the multitude, for they perceived that he had told the parable against them; so they left him and went away.



(c) 2011 Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America





Anysia the Virgin-martyr of Thessaloniki



Reading from the Synaxarion:



This Saint, who was from Thessalonica, was the daughter of pious and wealthy parents, After their death, she passed her life in virginity, serving God by means of good deeds. One day, as she was on her way to church, a pagan soldier approached her and asked her to accompany him to the temple of the idols, but she refused. When he began to drag her with him, she spit in his face and confessed Christ. Filled with anger, he thrust his sword into her side and slew her, in the year 299, during the reign of Maximian.



Because of the Apodosis of the Feast of the Nativity on the 31st of this month, the hymns of Saint Melania the Younger are transferred to this day.



Apolytikion in the Fourth Tone

O Lord Jesus, unto Thee Thy lamb doth cry with a great voice: * O my Bridegroom, Thee I love; and seeking Thee, I now contest, that I may reign with Thee; * for Thy sake I die, that I may live in Thee: * accept me offered out of longing * to Thee as a spotless sacrifice. * Lord, save our souls through her intercessions, since Thou are great in mercy.





Kontakion in the Third Tone

As a doubly-shining lamp * of truly mystical brightness * do ye shine upon the Church * like a high-towering beacon: * thou with beams of martyr's glory, * O Anysia; * thou with rays of great ascetic deeds, O Melania. * Now together ye are honoured * by Christ your Bridegroom * for your travails in His Name.





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Reading (c) Holy Transfiguration Monastery - Brookline, MA

Apolytikion (c) Holy Transfiguration Monastery - Brookline, MA

Kontakion (c) Holy Transfiguration Monastery - Brookline, MA





Afterfeast of the Nativity



Apolytikion in the Fourth Tone

Thy Nativity, O Christ our God, hath shined the light of knowledge upon the world; for thereby they that worshipped the stars were instructed by a star to worship Thee, the Sun of Righteousness, and to know Thee, the Dayspring from on high. O Lord, glory be to Thee.





This content is under copyright and is used with permission, all rights reserved:

Apolytikion (c) Holy Transfiguration Monastery - Brookline, MA

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