Prayer Before Reading Holy Scripture
O Master Who loves mankind, illuminate our hearts with the pure light of Your divine knowledge and open the eyes of our mind to understand the teachings of Your Gospel. Instill in us also the fear of Your blessed commandments, that we may overcome all carnal desires, entering upon a spiritual life and understanding and acting in all things according to Your holy will. For You are the enlightenment of our souls and bodies, O Christ God, and to You we give glory together with Your eternal Father and Your all-holy, gracious and life-giving Spirit, now and ever and forever. Amen.
Epistle Reading: Philippians 2:5-11
Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,
who, being in the form of God, did not consider it
robbery to be equal with God,
but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a
servant, and coming in the likeness of men.
And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled
Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the
cross.
Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him
the name which is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of
those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth,
and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ
is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Gospel Reading: Luke 10:38-42,11:27-28
Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village;
and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house.
And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus' feet
and heard His word.
But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she
approached Him and said, "Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me
to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me."
And Jesus answered and said to her, "Martha, Martha, you are
worried and troubled about many things.
"But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part,
which will not be taken away from her."
And it happened, as He spoke these things, that a certain
woman from the crowd raised her voice and said to Him, "Blessed is the womb
that bore You, and the breasts which nursed You!"
But He said, "More than that, blessed are those who hear the
word of God and keep it!"
Saints and Feasts
The Nativity of Our Most Holy Lady the Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary; Sophronios, Bishop of Iberia
