Monday, February 20, 2012

Greek Orthodox Church in America Daily Scripture Readings for Sunday, 19 February 2012

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Daily Scripture Readings and Lives of the Saints for Sunday, February 19, 2012

Readings for today:

    Mark 16:9-20
    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) 
    Philemon & Archippos, Apostles of the 70
    Philothea the Righteous Martyr of Athens
    Niketas the Younger


Orthros Gospel Reading

The reading is from Mark 16:9-20

At that time, Jesus rose early on the first day of the week, and he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast seven demons.  She went and told those who had been with him, as they mourned and wept.  But when they heard that he was alive and had been seen by her, they would not believe it.

After this he appeared in another form to two of them, as they were walking into the country.  And they went back and told the rest, but they did not believe them.

Afterward he appeared to the eleven themselves as they sat at table; and he upbraided them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who saw him after he had risen.  And he said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation.  He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.  And these signs will accompany those who believe:  in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover."

So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God.  And they went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by the signs that attended it.  Amen.

    (c) 2012 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) 2012 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) 2012 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 Third Tone
Let the heavens sing for joy, and let everything on earth be glad. * For with His Arm the Lord has worked power. * He trampled death under foot by means of death; * and He became the firstborn from the dead. * From the maw of Hades He delivered us; * and He granted the world His great mercy.


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.


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.


Resurrectional Kontakion in the Third Tone
From the tomb You rose today, * O Lord of tender compassion, * also from the gates of death * You led us out, O our Savior. * On this day is Adam dancing and Eve rejoices, * and with them together Patriarchs and the Prophets * are unceasingly extolling the divine power of Your authority.


This content is under copyright and is used with permission, all rights reserved:
    Reading (c) Holy Transfiguration Monastery - Brookline, MA 
    Resurrectional Apolytikion (c) Fr. Seraphim Dedes 
    Kontakion (c) Narthex Press 
    Seasonal Kontakion (c) Narthex Press 
    Resurrectional Kontakion (c) Fr. Seraphim Dedes 


Philemon & Archippos, Apostles of the 70

Reading from the Synaxarion:

Philemon, who was from Colossae, a city of Phrygia, was a man both wealthy and noble; Apphia was his wife.  Archippos became Bishop of the Church in Colossae.  All three were disciples of the Apostle Paul.  Onesimos, who was formerly an unbeliever and slave of Philemon, stole certain of his vessels and fled to Rome.  However, on finding him there, the Apostle Paul guided him onto the path of virtue and the knowledge of the truth, and sent him back to his master Philemon, to whom he wrote an epistle (this is one of the fourteen epistles of Saint Paul).  In this epistle, Paul commended Onesimos to his master and reconciled the two.  Onesimos was later made a bishop; in Greece he is honoured as the patron Saint of the imprisoned.  All these Saints received their end by martyrdom, when they were stoned to death by the idolaters.  Saint Onesimos is also commemorated on February 15.

Apolytikion in the Fourth Tone
O Holy Apostle Archippos, intercede with the merciful God that He grant unto our souls forgiveness of offences.


Kontakion in the Fourth Tone
Having thee, O Archippos, as her own great star, and enlightened with the rays of thy most wondrous miracles, the Church now crieth aloud to thee:  Save them that faithfully honour thy memory.


This content is under copyright and is used with permission, all rights reserved:
    Reading (c) Holy Transfiguration Monastery - Brookline, MA 
    Apolytikion (c) Holy Transfiguration Monastery - Brookline, MA 
    Kontakion (c) Holy Transfiguration Monastery - Brookline, MA 


Philothea the Righteous Martyr of Athens

Reading from the Synaxarion:

Saint Philothea was born in Athens in 1522 to an illustrious family.  Against her will, she was married to a man who proved to be most cruel.  When he died three years later, the Saint took up the monastic life and established a convent, in which she became a true mother to her disciples.  Many women enslaved and abused by the Moslem Turks also ran to her for refuge.  Because of this, the Turkish rulers became enraged and came to her convent, dragged her by force out of the church, and beat her cruelly.  After a few days, she reposed, giving thanks to God for all things.  This came to pass in the year 1589.  She was renowned for her almsgiving, and with Saints Hierotheus and Dionysius the Areopagite is considered a patron of the city of Athens.

Apolytikion in the Plagal of the First Tone
The famed city of Athens doth honour Philothea, the righteous Martyr, whose relics it now revereth with joy; for while living in sobriety and holiness, she hath exchanged all earthly things for the everlasting life through great contests as a Martyr; and she entreateth the Saviour to grant His mercy unto all of us.


Kontakion in the Third Tone
We all honour Philothea with jubilation of spirit, as this day we rev'rently worship her ven'rable relics.  For she lived her whole life working kindness and mercy; and the righteous one, receiving a martyr's ending, is deemed worthy to entreat God that all be granted eternal life with the Saints.


This content is under copyright and is used with permission, all rights reserved:
    Reading (c) Holy Transfiguration Monastery - Brookline, MA 
    Apolytikion (c) Holy Transfiguration Monastery - Brookline, MA 
    Kontakion (c) Holy Transfiguration Monastery - Brookline, MA 

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