Melkite Readings of the Day

Melkite Readings of the Day Thursday, 11 March 2010.

11 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +1000

Thursday, 11 March 2010. Commemoration of our Father among the Saints Sophronios, Patriarch of Jerusalem.

Readings of Vespers -- 2010-03-11.

11 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +1000

Genesis 9:18-10:1
The sons of Noah who went out of the ark were Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Ham was the father of Canaan. These three were the sons of Noah; and from these the whole earth was peopled. Noah, a man of the soil, was the first to plant a vineyard. He drank some of the wine and became drunk, and he lay uncovered in his tent. And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brothers outside. Then Shem and Japheth took a garment, laid it on both their shoulders, and walked backwards and covered the nakedness of their father; their faces were turned away, and they did not see their father’s nakedness. When Noah awoke from his wine and knew what his youngest son had done to him, he said, ‘Cursed be Canaan; lowest of slaves shall he be to his brothers.’ He also said, ‘Blessed by the Lord my God be Shem; and let Canaan be his slave. May God make space for Japheth, and let him live in the tents of Shem; and let Canaan be his slave.’ After the flood Noah lived for three hundred and fifty years. All the days of Noah were nine hundred and fifty years; and he died. These are the descendants of Noah’s sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth; children were born to them after the flood. (NRSV)
Proverbs 12:23-13:13
One who is clever conceals knowledge, but the mind of a fool broadcasts folly. The hand of the diligent will rule, while the lazy will be put to forced labour. Anxiety weighs down the human heart, but a good word cheers it up. The righteous gives good advice to friends, but the way of the wicked leads astray. The lazy do not roast their game, but the diligent obtain precious wealth. In the path of righteousness there is life, in walking its path there is no death. A wise child loves discipline, but a scoffer does not listen to rebuke. From the fruit of their words good people eat good things, but the desire of the treacherous is for wrongdoing. Those who guard their mouths preserve their lives; those who open wide their lips come to ruin. The appetite of the lazy craves, and gets nothing, while the appetite of the diligent is richly supplied. The righteous hate falsehood, but the wicked act shamefully and disgracefully. Righteousness guards one whose way is upright, but sin overthrows the wicked. Some pretend to be rich, yet have nothing; others pretend to be poor, yet have great wealth. Wealth is a ransom for a person’s life, but the poor get no threats. The light of the righteous rejoices, but the lamp of the wicked goes out. By insolence the heedless make strife, but wisdom is with those who take advice. Wealth hastily gained will dwindle, but those who gather little by little will increase it. Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life. Those who despise the word bring destruction on themselves, but those who respect the commandment will be rewarded. (NRSV)

Epistle of the Divine Liturgy -- 2010-03-11.

11 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +1000

Psalms 19:4,1 (Tone 8)
Their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world.
Stichon: The heavens are telling the glory of God; and the firmament proclaims his handiwork. (NRSV)

Galatians 5:22-6:2 (of the season)
Brothers and sisters, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also be guided by the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, competing against one another, envying one another. My friends, if anyone is detected in a transgression, you who have received the Spirit should restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness. Take care that you yourselves are not tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfil the law of Christ. (NRSV)
Psalms 89:5,7 (Tone 1)
Let the heavens praise your wonders, O Lord, your faithfulness in the assembly of the holy ones.
Stichon: God is feared in the council of the holy ones; great and awesome above all that are around him. (NRSV)

Gospel of the Divine Liturgy -- 2010-03-11.

11 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +1000

Matthew 25:14-30 (of the season)
Jesus told this parable: ‘For it is as if a man, going on a journey, summoned his slaves and entrusted his property to them; to one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. The one who had received the five talents went off at once and traded with them, and made five more talents. In the same way, the one who had the two talents made two more talents. But the one who had received the one talent went off and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money. After a long time the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them. Then the one who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five more talents, saying, “Master, you handed over to me five talents; see, I have made five more talents.” His master said to him, “Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.” And the one with the two talents also came forward, saying, “Master, you handed over to me two talents; see, I have made two more talents.” His master said to him, “Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.” Then the one who had received the one talent also came forward, saying, “Master, I knew that you were a harsh man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter seed; so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.” But his master replied, “You wicked and lazy slave! You knew, did you, that I reap where I did not sow, and gather where I did not scatter? Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and on my return I would have received what was my own with interest. So take the talent from him, and give it to the one with the ten talents. For to all those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away. As for this worthless slave, throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” And when Jesus had finished, he said: 'Let anyone with ears listen!' (NRSV)

Sixth Hour -- 2010-03-11.

11 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +1000

Isaiah 28:14-22
Therefore hear the word of the Lord, you scoffers who rule this people in Jerusalem. Because you have said, ‘We have made a covenant with death, and with Sheol we have an agreement; when the overwhelming scourge passes through it will not come to us; for we have made lies our refuge, and in falsehood we have taken shelter’; therefore thus says the Lord God, See, I am laying in Zion a foundation stone, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation: ‘One who trusts will not panic.’ And I will make justice the line, and righteousness the plummet; hail will sweep away the refuge of lies, and waters will overwhelm the shelter. Then your covenant with death will be annulled, and your agreement with Sheol will not stand; when the overwhelming scourge passes through you will be beaten down by it. As often as it passes through, it will take you; for morning by morning it will pass through, by day and by night; and it will be sheer terror to understand the message. For the bed is too short to stretch oneself on it, and the covering too narrow to wrap oneself in it. For the Lord will rise up as on Mount Perazim, he will rage as in the valley of Gibeon to do his deed—strange is his deed!—and to work his work—alien is his work! Now therefore do not scoff, or your bonds will be made stronger; for I have heard a decree of destruction from the Lord God of hosts upon the whole land. (NRSV)

Synaxarion of the Day (story of the feast or commemoration) -- 2010-03-11.

11 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +1000

Saint Sophronios was born of pious and wise parents in Damascus, about 550. Gifted with good natural qualities, he was instructed in all the secular and religious literatures. Around 578, he went to Saint Theodosius' laura under Archimandrite George. From there he went to Alexandria, Egypt. Always aspiring for greater knowledge, he met the famous John Moschos and was able to thus realize his desire. The two friends mutually communicated their knowledge. Sophronios became a monk in Egypt in 580. He again went to Saint Theodosius' laura. Accompanied by John Moschus, he travelled all over Palestine and Syria from 600 to 606. At the time of the Persian invasion of Palestine in 606, he fled to Alexandria where he was healed of an eye disease by Saints Cyrus and John. To show his gratitude, he wrote down all the miracles worked by them. After the capture of the Holy City by the Persians in 614, he left for Rome with John Moschus who died there. In 619, Sophronios returned to Saint Theodosius' laura with the remains of his friend and teacher. When Palestine was delivered by Emperor Heraclius in 628, he left again for Alexandria with Saint John the Almsgiver. With Saint Maximos the Confessor, he courageously denounced the Monothelite heresy. He was elected Patriarch of Jerusalem in 634 for his knowledge and great virtue. After the flight of the Roman army, he tried in vain to save the Holy City. He had to surrender it to Caliph Omar I in 637. He wrote many works and governed his flock so well that he was regarded as the mouth of Christ. He died on March 11, 638.

Further information -- 2010-03-11.

11 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +1000

Class of Feast: 5
Tone of Week: 7
Fasting today: We neither eat nor drink from midnight to noon. We refrain from eating meat and meat products.
If, however, you follow the traditional fasting discipline: Fasting today: Fast and Strict abstinence -- Refrain from eating until noon, strict abstinence (xerophagy) thereafter.