Epistle Reading: Ephesians 2:4-10
But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love
with which He loved us,
even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive
together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),
and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the
heavenly places in Christ Jesus,
that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches
of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that
not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,
not of works, lest anyone should boast.
For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for
good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
Gospel Reading: Luke 10:25-37
And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tested Him, saying, "
Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?"
He said to him, "What is written in the law? What is your
reading of it?"
So he answered and said, " 'You shall love the LORD your God
with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with
all your mind,' and 'your neighbor as yourself.' "
And He said to him, "You have answered rightly; do this and
you will live."
But he, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, "And who is
my neighbor?"
Then Jesus answered and said: "A certain man went down from
Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his
clothing, wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.
"Now by chance a certain priest came down that road. And when
he saw him, he passed by on the other side.
"Likewise a Levite, when he arrived at the place, came and
looked, and passed by on the other side.
"But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was.
And when he saw him, he had compassion on him,
"and went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and
wine; and he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took
care of him.
"On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii,
gave them to the innkeeper, and said to him, 'Take care of him; and
whatever more you spend, when I come again, I will repay you.'
"So which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who
fell among the thieves?"
And he said, "He who showed mercy on him." Then Jesus said to
him, "Go and do likewise."
Saints and Feasts
Nativity Fast Begins; Guria, Shamuna, and Habib, Martyrs and Confessors of Edessa; Thomas II the New, Archbishop of Constantinople
