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: Galatians 5:22-6:2
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace,
longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with
its passions and desires.
If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
Let us not become conceited, provoking one another,
envying one another.
Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who
are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering
yourself lest you also be tempted.
Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of
Christ.
Gospel Reading: Luke 6:17-23
And He came down with them and stood on a level place with a
crowd of His disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and
Jerusalem, and from the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear Him
and be healed of their diseases,
as well as those who were tormented with unclean spirits. And
they were healed.
And the whole multitude sought to touch Him, for power went out
from Him and healed them all.
Then He lifted up His eyes toward His disciples, and said: "
Blessed are you poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.
Blessed are you who hunger now, for you shall be filled.
Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh.
Blessed are you when men hate you, and when they exclude you,
and revile you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of Man's sake.
Rejoice in that day and leap for joy! for indeed your reward is
great in heaven, for in like manner their fathers did to the prophets.
Saints and Feasts
Afterfeast of the Theophany of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ; George of Hozeva; Domnica the Righteous of Constantinople; Atticus and Cyrus, Holy Patriarchs of Constantinople; Gregory of the Kiev Caves; Emilianos the Confessor, Bishop of Cyzikos; Pega the Virgin, Hermitess of Peakirk
