Hatour 21, 1740
Vespers
Vespers Psalm
From the Psalms of our teacher David the prophet.
May his blessings be with us all.
Psalms 46:1,9
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the chariot in the fire.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Our Lord God, Savior, and King of us all, Jesus Christ, the Living Son of God to whom be glory forever.
Amen.
Vespers Gospel
Stand in the fear of God and listen to the Holy Gospel.
A reading from the Gospel according to our teacher Saint Mark the Evangelist.
May His Blessings be with us all.
Mark 1:16-22
Now as he walked by the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men.And straightway they forsook their nets, and followed him.And when he had gone a little farther thence, he saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the ship mending their nets.And straightway he called them: and they left their father Zebedee in the ship with the hired servants, and went after him.And they went into Capernaum; and straightway on the sabbath day he entered into the synagogue, and taught.And they were astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes.
And Glory be to God forever
Matins
Matins Psalm
From the Psalms of our teacher David the prophet.
May his blessings be with us all.
Psalms 146:1,5
Praise ye the LORD. Praise the LORD, O my soul.Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the LORD his God:
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Our Lord God, Savior, and King of us all, Jesus Christ, the Living Son of God to whom be glory forever.
Amen.
Matins Gospel
Stand in the fear of God and listen to the Holy Gospel.
A reading from the Gospel according to our teacher Saint Matthew the Evangelist.
May His Blessings be with us all.
Matthew 4:18-22
And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.And they straightway left their nets, and followed him.And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them.And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him.
And Glory be to God forever
Liturgy Gospel
Paulines Epistle
Paul, the servant of our Lord Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, appointed to the Gospel of God.
A reading from the Epistle of our teacher Paul to the Galatians .
May his blessings be upon us.
Amen.
Galatians 1:1-19
Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;)And all the brethren which are with me, unto the churches of Galatia:Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ,Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews' religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it:And profited in the Jews' religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers.But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace,To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood:Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus.Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days.But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord's brother.
The grace of God the Father be with you all.
Amen.
Catholic Epistle
A Reading from Epistle of St. John .
May his blessing be upon us.
Amen.
John 1:1-12
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.The same was in the beginning with God.All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.In him was life; and the life was the light of men.And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.He came unto his own, and his own received him not.But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
Do not love the world or the things in the world. The world passes away, and its desires; but he who does the will of God abides forever.
Amen.
Acts of the Apostles
The Acts of our fathers the apostles, may their blessings be with us.
Acts 15:13-21
And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, Men and brethren, hearken unto me:Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name.And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written,After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up:That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things.Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world.Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God:But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood.For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day.
The word of the Lord shall grow, multiply, be mighty, and be confirmed, in the holy Church of God.
Amen.
Coptic Synaxarium
Hatour 21, 1740
Day 21 of the Blessed Coptic Month of Hatour, may God make it always received, year after year, with reassurance and tranquility, while our sins after forgiven by the tender mercies of our God my fathers and brothers.
Amen.
Commemoration of the Virgin St. Mary, the Mother of God
On this day the church celebrates and commemorates the pure Virgin St. Mary, the Mother of God, the Word Who was incarnated from her, for the salvation of Adam and his offspring.May her intercession be for us all. Amen
Deparure of St. Gregory, the Wonder Worker
Also on this day, in the year 270 A.D., St. Gregory the wonder worker, departed. He was the bishop of Neocaesarea, in the province of Pontos, where he was born to rich pagan parents. He learned philosophy and wisdom at an early age and surpassed many of his colleagues. Then he went to Beirut, where he studied the Greek and Latin subjects. From there he went to Caesarea, Palestine, where the erudite Origen was, who taught him Christian philosophy. He also learned Theology and the interpretations of the holy books. In the year 235 A.D., he went to the city of Alexandria, the cultural center of the world at that time, to complete his studies. He returned to his town in the year 237 A.D. In the year 239 A.D., he was baptized in the holy baptism and became a Christian, for he realized the vanity of this world and chose the way of the everlasting kingdom of heaven.
He directed all his attention to the salvation of his soul. When he knew that the Bishop of his town was seeking him to assist him in the bishopric duties, he escaped to the wilderness. He devoted himself to prayers and ardent worship, forsaking the world and the futility of its glories. When the Bishop of his town departed, they sought him in order to make him the new bishop but they did not know where to find him. It happened while the people were gathered with St. Gregory, the Theologian, that they heard a voice say, Seek Gregory the hermit and set him a Bishop over you. They sent a party to search for him in the wilderness and in the mountains. When they did not find him, they decided to take a Bible and pray the prayer of ordination over it, as though he were present. They called him Gregory even though his given name was Theodore. St. Gregory, the Theologian, presided over this service. The angel of the Lord appeared to St. Gregory in the wilderness and said to him, Rise up and go to your town, for they have made you the bishop over it and refuse not, for it is the Will of God. He did not hesitate, rose up immediately and descended from the mountain and went to his town. The people went forth to meet him with great honor, and they completed his ordination in the year 244 A.D. The Lord performed many signs and wonders at his hands, so that he was called the wonder worker. For example, two brothers who owned a lake from which they made a good living by catching large amounts of fish had a falling out because of it, for each one of them claimed his ownership of it. When they were unable to reach an agreement, they sought the wisdom of St. Gregory to help them settle their differences. He ordered that they should divide the yield of the lake equally between themselves. When they did not heed his judgement, he entreated God and the waters of the lake dried up and it became a farmland, which they divided between them.Reports of the signs and wonders which he made were heard throughout the land. Finally, when he completed his strife, he departed in peace.
May His prayers be with us. Amen
Departure of St. Cosma, the Fifty-Fourth Pope of Alexandria
Also on this day, in the year 809 A.D., St. Cosma, 54th Pope of Alexandria, departed. He was born in Samanoud and became a monk in the monastery of St. Macarius. When the papal chair became vacant, the bishops and the people, with one accord, agreed to choose this father. He was ordained Patriarch and he experienced great tribulations. The believers also experienced tribulations and great afflictions; however, some wonders appeared during his patriarchate. Among them, blood flowed from the icon of St. Mary in the church of St. Severus, in the desert of Scete (the Holy desert). Also, many of the icons in the churches in Egypt became wet with tears.
This unusual phenomenon was believed to be a result of the afflictions and sorrows that befell the Patriarch and the believers. In spite of all the afflictions that he experienced, the Patriarch continued teaching the believers and strengthening them diligently and with great zeal. He stayed on the Chair of St. Mark for seven years and six months, then departed in peace.
May his prayers be with us. Amen.
Commemoration of the Holy Martyrs Alphaeus, Zacchaeus, Romanus and John
This day also marks the commemoration of the martyrs Saints Alphaeus, Zacchaeus, Romanus and John.May their prayers and blessings be with us all. Amen
Commemoration of the Saints Thomas, Victor and Isaac, of the city of Ashmunen
This day also marks the commemoration of Saints Thomas, Victor and Isaac of the city of Ashmunen.May their prayers and blessings be with us all, and Glory be to God, forever. Amen
Divine Liturgy
Divine Psalm
From the Psalms of our teacher David the prophet.
May his blessings be with us all.
Psalms 78:5
For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children:
Psalms 135:5
For I know that the LORD is great, and that our Lord is above all gods.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Our Lord God, Savior, and King of us all, Jesus Christ, the Living Son of God to whom be glory forever.
Amen.
Divine Gospel
Stand in the fear of God and listen to the Holy Gospel.
A reading from the Gospel according to our teacher Saint Mark the Evangelist.
May His Blessings be with us all.
Mark 10:35-45
And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, come unto him, saying, Master, we would that thou shouldest do for us whatsoever we shall desire.And he said unto them, What would ye that I should do for you?They said unto him, Grant unto us that we may sit, one on thy right hand, and the other on thy left hand, in thy glory.But Jesus said unto them, Ye know not what ye ask: can ye drink of the cup that I drink of? and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?And they said unto him, We can. And Jesus said unto them, Ye shall indeed drink of the cup that I drink of; and with the baptism that I am baptized withal shall ye be baptized:But to sit on my right hand and on my left hand is not mine to give; but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared.And when the ten heard it, they began to be much displeased with James and John.But Jesus called them to him, and saith unto them, Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them.But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister:And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all.For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.
And Glory be to God forever.
Best viewed with 1024 x 768 resolution or higher.
