Thursday, April 7, 2011

Greek Orthodox Church Daily Readings For Thursday, 7 April

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Daily Scripture Readings and Lives of the Saints for Thursday, April 7, 2011



Strict Fast



Readings for today:



Isaiah 42:5-16

Genesis 18:20-33

Proverbs 16:17-17:17



Feasts and Saints celebrated today:



Kalliopios the Martyr, Roufinos the Deacon & Akylina the Martyr in Sinope

Tikhon, Patriarch of Moscow and Enlightener of North America

Righteous Father Savvas the New of Kalymnos

George, Bishop of Lesvos





Old Testament Reading



The reading is from Isaiah 42:5-16



Thus says God, the LORD, who created the heavens and stretched them

out, who spread forth the earth and what comes from it, who gives

breath to the people upon it and spirit to those who walk in it: "I am

the LORD, I have called you in righteousness, I have taken you by the

hand and kept you; I have given you as a covenant to the people, a

light to the nations, to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the

prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness. I

am the LORD, that is my name; my glory I give to no other, nor my

praise to graven images. Behold, the former things have come to pass,

and new things I now declare; before they spring forth I tell you of

them."



Sing to the LORD a new song, his praise from the end of the

earth! Let the sea roar and all that fills it, the coastlands and their

inhabitants. Let the desert and its cities lift up their voice, the villages

that Kedar inhabits; let the inhabitants of Sela sing for joy, let

them shout from the top of the mountains. Let them give glory to the

LORD, and declare his praise in the coastlands. The LORD goes forth

like a mighty man, like a man of war he stirs up his fury; he cries

out, he shouts aloud, he shows himself mighty against his foes.



For a long time I have held my peace, I have kept still and

restrained myself; now I will cry out like a woman in travail, I will gasp

and pant. I will lay waste mountains and hills, and dry up all their

herbage; I will turn the rivers into islands, and dry up the pools. And I

will lead the blind in a way that they know not, in paths that they

have not known I will guide them. I will turn the darkness before them

into light, the rough places into level ground. These are the things I

will do, and I will not forsake them.



(C) 2011 Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America



Old Testament Reading



The reading is from Genesis 18:20-33



Then the LORD said, "Because the outcry against Sodom and

Gomorrah is great and their sin is very grave, I will go down to see

whether they have done altogether according to the outcry which has come

to me; and if not, I will know." So the men turned from there, and

went toward Sodom; but Abraham still stood before the LORD. Then

Abraham drew near, and said, "Wilt thou indeed destroy the righteous with

the wicked? Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city; wilt

thou then destroy the place and not spare it for the fifty righteous

who are in it? Far be it from thee to do such a thing, to slay the

righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be

that from thee! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?" And

the LORD said, "If I find at Sodom fifty righteous in the city, I

will spare the whole place for their sake." Abraham answered,

"Behold, I have taken upon myself to speak to the Lord, I who am but dust

and ashes. Suppose five of the fifty righteous are lacking? Wilt

thou destroy the whole city for lack of five?" And he said, "I will

not destroy it if I find forty-five there." Again he spoke to him,

and said, "Suppose forty are found there." He answered, "For the sake

of forty I will not do it." Then he said, "Oh let not the Lord be

angry, and I will speak. Suppose thirty are found there." He answered,

"I will not do it, if I find thirty there." He said, "Behold, I

have taken upon myself to speak to the Lord. Suppose twenty are found

there." He answered, "For the sake of twenty I will not destroy it."

Then he said, "Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak again

but this once. Suppose ten are found there." He answered, "For the

sake of ten I will not destroy it." And the LORD went his way, when

he had finished speaking to Abraham; and Abraham returned to his

place.



(C) 2011 Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America



Old Testament Reading



The reading is from Proverbs 16:17-17:17



The highway of the upright turns aside from evil; he who guards his

way preserves his life. Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty

spirit before a fall. It is better to be of a lowly spirit with the

poor than to divide the spoil with the proud. He who gives heed to

the word will prosper, and happy is he who trusts in the LORD. The

wise of heart is called a man of discernment, and pleasant speech

increases persuasiveness. Wisdom is a fountain of life to him who has it,

but folly is the chastisement of fools. The mind of the wise makes

his speech judicious, and adds persuasiveness to his lips. Pleasant

words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the

body. There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the

way to death. A worker's appetite works for him; his mouth urges him

on. A worthless man plots evil, and his speech is like a scorching

fire. A perverse man spreads strife, and a whisperer separates close

friends. A man of violence entices his neighbor and leads him in a way

that is not good. He who winks his eyes plans perverse things, he who

compresses his lips brings evil to pass. A hoary head is a crown of glory;

it is gained in a righteous life. He who is slow to anger is better

than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.

The lot is cast into the lap, but the decision is wholly from the

LORD. Better is a dry morsel with quiet than a house full of feasting

with strife. A slave who deals wisely will rule over a son who acts

shamefully, and will share the inheritance as one of the brothers. The

crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold, and the LORD tries

hearts. An evildoer listens to wicked lips; and a liar gives heed to a

mischievous tongue. He who mocks the poor insults his Maker; he who is glad

at calamity will not go unpunished. Grandchildren are the crown of

the aged, and the glory of sons is their fathers. Fine speech is not

becoming to a fool; still less is false speech to a prince. A bribe is

like a magic stone in the eyes of him who gives it; wherever he turns

he prospers. He who forgives an offense seeks love, but he who

repeats a matter alienates a friend. A rebuke goes deeper into a man of

understanding than a hundred blows into a fool. An evil man seeks only

rebellion, and a cruel messenger will be sent against him. Let a man meet a

she-bear robbed of her cubs, rather than a fool in his folly. If a man

returns evil for good, evil will not depart from his house. The

beginning of strife is like letting out water; so quit before the quarrel

breaks out. He who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the

righteous are both alike an abomination to the LORD. Why should a fool

have a price in his hand to buy wisdom, when he has no mind? A friend

loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.



(C) 2011 Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America





Kalliopios the Martyr, Roufinos the Deacon & Akylina the Martyr in Sinope



Reading from the Synaxarion:



The holy Martyr Kalliopios was from Perga in Pamphylia, brought up in

piety by his godly mother Theocleia. When the persecution of Maximian

broke out, Saint Kalliopiospresented himself of his own accord before

the Governor Maximus in Pompeiopolis of Galatia. After he had

suffered many torments, his mother visited him in prison and encouraged

him in his martyrdom. After this, his thrice-blessed mother, upon

learning that he was to be crucified on Holy and Great Thursday, bribed

the tyrants to defer it one day, that he might imitate the Lord's

Crucifixion on the same day that He suffered it. The holy Martyr Kalliopios

received the crown of martyrdom on Holy and Great Friday in the year 304,

being crucified upside down.



Apolytikion in the Fourth Tone

Thy Martyrs, O Lord, in their courageous contest for Thee received as

the prize the crowns of incorruption and life from Thee, our immortal

God. For since they possessed Thy strength, they cast down the

tyrants and wholly destroyed the demons' strengthless presumption. O

Christ God, by their prayers, save our souls, since Thou art merciful.



Kontakion in the Third Tone

When thy mother looked on thee made fair with wounds as a Martyr and

conformed unto the Lord through holy contests and suff'rings, she was

filled with ardent longing to win such glory and became with thee a

Martyr in her volition. Now with her do thou entreat Christ, O

Kalliopios, that we find mercy and grace.



Reading courtesy of Holy Transfiguration Monastery - Brookline, MA

Apolytikion courtesy of Holy Transfiguration Monastery - Brookline, MA

Kontakion courtesy of Holy Transfiguration Monastery - Brookline, MA





Tikhon, Patriarch of Moscow and Enlightener of North America



Reading from the Synaxarion:



Born in 1865 in the region of Pskov, our Father among the Saints

Tikhon was tonsured a monk in 1891 and ordained to the priesthood in the

same year. In 1897 he was consecrated Bishop of Lublin, and a year

later appointed Bishop of Alaska and the Aleutian Islands, with his see

extending to all of North America from 1900 onwards. He did much to unite

the Orthodox Christians of a great many ethnic backgrounds in North

America, so that there was indeed one flock under one shepherd. In 1907 he

was made Archbishop of Yaroslavl and Rostov, and in 1913, Archbishop

of Lithuania.



In 1917, when he was Metropolitan of Moscow, he was elected to be

the first Patriarch of Russia in over 200 years, in times that could

not have been more difficult. After the Revolution of 1917, the

persecution of the Russian Church by the atheist government grew more bold

and more fierce with every year. By nature a meek and peace-loving

man, Tikhon sought to determine, while giving only to God that which

is God's, what could be given to Caesar to preserve peace and avoid

the shedding of blood. At his departure on the feast of the

Annunciation in 1925, Saint Tikhon made the sign of the Cross thrice,

pronouncing the words, "Glory to Thee, O God!" Because of the many

unspeakable sufferings he endures as Patriarch, he is honoured as a

Confessor.



Note: St. Tikhon's repose was on the Feast of the Annunciation, which

is commemorated in the Old Calendar on April 7. His feast day in

the Old Calendar was therefore transferred to April 6 / March 24.



Apolytikion in the Plagal of the First Tone

To the new world sent forth as a shepherd of the flock, thou wast

called back to the old, to take up the Cross as a staff and from wolves

and faithless shepherds to defend the Church; and after thee, the

sheep of Christ knew no shepherd to be true who kept not thy good

confession, wherein, O Tikhon, preserve us unharmed throughout our earthly

pilgrimage.



Kontakion in the Fourth Tone

The most holy Patriarch, ven'rable Tikhon, the Confessor of the

Faith, hath gained from Christ the crown of life; for he did labour with

godly zeal and strove till death in defence of the Church of Christ.



Reading courtesy of Holy Transfiguration Monastery - Brookline, MA

Apolytikion courtesy of Holy Transfiguration Monastery - Brookline, MA

Kontakion courtesy of Holy Transfiguration Monastery - Brookline, MA





George, Bishop of Lesvos



Reading from the Synaxarion:



The righteous George struggled in behalf of the holy icons, and

reposed in peace about the year 821.



Apolytikion in the Third Tone

As a garden planted by the Spirit, thou didst yield as fruit the

soul's salvation, teaching men the ineffable mysteries of Him that fell

as a grain of wheat in the earth and by His dying hath made all the

world to live. Righteous Father George, entreat Christ our God in our

behalf, that His great mercy may be granted unto us.



Kontakion in the Plagal of the Fourth Tone

As a true husbandman of grace and godly piety, who wast thyself the

Holy Spirit's sacred husbandry, thou didst cultivate the plants of

exalted wisdom; and in worshipping the icons of Christ and His Saints,

thou didst pull up by the roots the tares of heresy. Hence we cry to

thee: Rejoice, O God-bearing Father George.



Reading courtesy of Holy Transfiguration Monastery - Brookline, MA

Apolytikion courtesy of Holy Transfiguration Monastery - Brookline, MA

Kontakion courtesy of Holy Transfiguration Monastery - Brookline, MA

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