Daily Devotional

Scripture Readings

Paschalion — Movable Calendar

Friday of the Twenty-Fifth Week

Epistle

The Reading is from the Second Epistle of Saint Paul to the Thessalonians [§ 277].

3 ⁶Brethren, we command you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to withdraw yourselves from every brother who walketh disorderly, and not according to the tradition which they received from us. ⁷For ye yourselves know how it is needful to imitate us, for we led not a disorderly life among you; ⁸nor did we eat bread from anyone as a gift, but with toil and travail, working night and day, in order not to burden any of you; ⁹not that we do not have authority, but in order that we might render ourselves an example to you, for you to imitate us. ¹⁰For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if anyone is not willing to work, neither let him eat. ¹¹For we hear that some among you are walking disorderly, not working at all, but are busybodies. ¹²Now such we command and exhort through our Lord Jesus Christ that working with quietness they may eat their own bread. ¹³But ye, brethren, do not begin to lose heart in doing good. ¹⁴And if anyone obey not our word through the epistle, be noting for yourselves that man and cease associating with him, in order that he might be ashamed. ¹⁵And yet do not continue to deem him as an enemy, but be admonishing him as a brother. ¹⁶Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace continually in every way. The Lord be with you all.

¹⁷The greeting of Paul by mine own hand, which is a token in every epistle; so I write.

¹⁸The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

Gospel

The Reading is from the Holy Gospel according to Saint Luke [§ 95]. The Lord said this parable:

19 ¹²“A certain well-born man went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return. ¹³“And having called his own ten slaves, he gave ten minas to them, and said to them, ‘Transact business while I go and return.’ ¹⁴“But his citizens kept on hating him, and sent forth an embassy after him, saying, ‘We are unwilling for this man to reign over us.’ ¹⁵“And it came to pass, when he returned, having received the kingdom, that he commanded those slaves to be called to him, to whom he gave the money, in order that he might find out what each gained by trading. ¹⁶“And the first came up, saying, ‘Lord, thy mina gained ten minas.’ ¹⁷“And he said to him, ‘Well done, good slave! Because in a very little thou wast faithful, be thou having authority over ten cities.’ ¹⁸“And the second came, saying, ‘Lord, thy mina made five minas.’ ¹⁹“And he said also to this one, ‘Be thou also over five cities.’ ²⁰“And another came, saying, ‘Lord, behold, thy mina, which I was keeping laid up in a napkin. ²¹“‘For I was afraid of thee, because thou art an austere man. Thou takest up what thou didst not lay down, and reapest what thou didst not sow, and gatherest together where thou didst not winnow.’ ²²“He saith to him, ‘Out of thy mouth will I judge thee, O wicked slave. Thou knowest that I am an austere man, taking up what I did not lay down, and reaping what I did not sow, and gathering together where I did not winnow; ²³“‘and why didst thou not give my money to the bank, and indeed after I came I would have exacted payment from it with interest?’ ²⁴“And to those standing by he said, ‘Take away the mina from him, and give it to the one who hath the ten minas.’ ²⁵“And they said to him, ‘Lord, he hath ten minas.’ ²⁶“‘For I say to you that to everyone who hath shall be given; but from the one who hath not, even what he hath shall be taken away from him. ²⁷“‘Moreover, those enemies of mine, the ones unwilling for me to reign over them, bring here and slaughter them before me.’”

Menaion — Fixed Calendar

The commemoration of the wonderworking Icon of the Theotokos known as the Kursk-Root Icon of the Sign, and the Great-martyr Iakovos the Persian, and our venerable Father Palladios of Thessalonica.

Epistle

For the Icon:

The Reading is from the Epistle of Saint Paul to the Hebrews [§ 320]. Brethren:

9 ¹The first tabernacle also used to have both ordinances of worship and the sanctuary of this world. ²For a tabernacle was furnished: the first in which were both the lampstand and the table, and the laying forth of the loaves, which is called Holy; ³and after the second veil, a tabernacle which is called Holy of Holies, ⁴which hath a golden censer, and the ark of the covenant which hath been covered all around from every side with gold, in which was the golden jar having the manna, and the rod of Aaron that budded, and the tablets of the covenant; ⁵and above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat, concerning which now is not the time to speak severally. ⁶Now after these things were thus furnished, the priests, on the one hand, enter into the first tabernacle, performing worship services; ⁷on the other hand, into the second, the high priest entereth alone once for all every year, not without blood, which he offereth on behalf of himself and the faults of ignorance of the people.

For the Great-martyr:

The Reading is from the Second Epistle of Saint Paul to Saint Timothy [§ 292]. Child Timothy:

2 ¹Be thou empowered in the grace that is in Christ Jesus; ²and the things which thou heardest from me in the midst of many witnesses, commit thou these things to faithful men who shall be competent also to teach others. ³Thou therefore suffer hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. ⁴No one serving as a soldier is entangled with the affairs of life, in order that he might please the one who enlisted him. ⁵And if anyone also contend as an athlete in the games, he is not crowned unless he contend lawfully. ⁶The farmer who laboreth must be first to partake of the fruits. ⁷Be considering what I say; O may the Lord give thee understanding in all things! ⁸Be remembering Jesus Christ, of the seed of David, Who hath been raised from the dead, according to my Gospel, ⁹in which I suffer hardship even to bonds as a malefactor, but the word of God hath not been bound. ¹⁰On this account I endure all things for the sake of the elect, that they might also attain salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.

Sl. usage, see [Eph. 6:10-17].

Gospel

For the Icon:

The Reading is from the Holy Gospel according to Saint Luke [§ 54]. At that time:

10 ³⁸Jesus entered into a certain village. And a certain woman, by name Martha, received Him into her house. ³⁹And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat down beside the feet of Jesus, and was listening to His word. ⁴⁰But Martha was distracted about much serving, and she came up to Him and said, “Lord, is it no concern to Thee that my sister left me to serve alone? Speak to her therefore that she should help me.” ⁴¹And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, thou art anxious and troubled about many things. ⁴²“But there is need of one thing, and Mary chose the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”...

11 ²⁷And it came to pass, as He was speaking these things, a certain woman out of the crowd lifted up her voice and said to Him, “Blessed is the womb that bore Thee, and the breasts which Thou didst suck.” ²⁸But He said, “Yea rather, blessed are they who hear the word of God and keep it.”

For the Great-martyr:

For Gk. usage, see [Jn. 15:1-11]; for Sl. usage, see [Jn. 15:1-7].

The Reading is from the Holy Gospel according to Saint John [§ 50]. The Lord said to His disciples:

15 ¹“I am the vine, the true one, and My Father is the vinedresser. ²“Every branch in Me which beareth not fruit He taketh away; and every branch which beareth fruit, He pruneth it, in order that it may bear more fruit. ³“Already ye are clean by reason of the word which I have spoken to you. ⁴“Abide in Me, and I in you. Even as a branch is not able to bear fruit of itself, unless it abide in the vine, so neither can ye, unless ye abide in Me. ⁵“I am the vine, ye are the branches. The one who abideth in Me, and I in him, this one beareth much fruit; for apart from Me ye are not able to do anything. ⁶“Unless one abide in Me, he is cast out as the branch and is withered—and they gather them together and cast them into the fire—and is burned. ⁷“If ye abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ye shall ask for yourselves whatever ye will, and it shall come to pass for you. ⁸“In this is My Father glorified, that ye may bear much fruit, and shall become disciples to Me. ⁹“Even as the Father loved Me, I also loved you; abide in the love, that which is Mine. ¹⁰“If ye keep My commandments, ye shall abide in My love, even as I have kept the commandments of My Father, and abide in His love. ¹¹“These things I have spoken to you, that My joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be made full.”

Lives of the Saints (Prologue)

December 10th – Civil Calendar
November 27th – Church Calendar

1. The Holy Martyr Iakovos (James) the Persian.

Born in the Persian town of Elapa, or Vilat, of Christian parents, he was brought up in the Christian Faith and married a Christian wife. The Persian king, Yazdgird, loved Iakovos for his gifts and for his skill, and made him a noble at his court. Flattered by the king, Iakovos was deluded and offered sacrifice to idols, which the king also worshipped. His mother and wife, hearing of this, wrote him a reproachful letter in which they grieved over him as an apostate and one spiritually dead, begging him at the end of the letter to repent and return to Christ. Moved by this letter, Iakovos repented bitterly, and courageously confessed his faith in Christ the Lord before the king. The furious king condemned him to death, and added that his body was to be cut to pieces, little by little, until he changed his faith. The executioners fulfilled this command of the accursed king to the letter, and first cut off Iakovos’ fingers, then his toes, his legs and arms, his shoulders and finally his head. During the entire process, the repentant martyr gave thanks to God. A fragrance came from his wounds as of cypress. Thus this wonderful man repented of his sin, and his soul went to Christ his God in the heavenly kingdom. He suffered in about 400. His head is to be found in Rome, and a part of his relics in Portugal, where his memory is kept on May 22nd.

2. The Seventeen Holy Fathers Martyred in India.

These Christian monks suffered in India under King Abenner. Inflamed with anger against the elder Barlaam for having baptized his son Ioasaph, King Abenner sent men in pursuit of Barlaam. The pursuers did not catch him, but seized seventeen other monks and brought them before the king. The king condemned them to death, and their eyes were first put out, their tongues cut out and their arms and legs broken before they were beheaded with the sword. But the Christian Faith in the Indian kingdom was only the more strengthened by the blood of these glorious soldiers of Christ the Lord.

3. Our Holy Father Romanos the Wonder-worker.

He lived in asceticism in the vicinity of Antioch. He never kindled a fire in his cell, or lit a candle. He died peacefully, and was a wonder-worker both during his lifetime and after his death. He helps childless women when they ask his aid.

4. Our Holy Father Pinuphrios.

A contemporary of St. Cassian (Feb. 29th), he was a great Egyptian ascetic. He lived in the fourth century and followed the ascetic life in various places, fleeing the praise of men. He had many disciples, who strove to emulate the lofty example of their teacher.

5. Our Holy Father Nathanael.

A Nitrian monk, he prayed to God both day and night, and was enlightened by pondering on the things of God. He did not cross the threshold of his cell for thirty-eight years. He entered into rest in the Lord in the second half of the sixth century.

FOR CONSIDERATION

When the executioner cut off St. Iakovos’ right thumb, he said: ‘A vine is pruned thus, that new growth may come in its time.’ When they cut off the next finger, he said: ‘Receive, O Lord, the second branch of Thy sowing.’ As the third was cut off, he said: ‘I bless the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.’ As the fourth was cut off: ‘Thou Who acceptest praise from the four beasts, accept the suffering of these four fingers.’ At the fifth: ‘May my rejoicing be as great as that of the five wise virgins at the marriage.’ At the sixth: ‘Praise be to Thee, O Lord, Who didst at the sixth hour stretch out Thy most pure arms on the Cross, and hast made me worthy to offer Thee my six fingers.’ At the seventh: ‘Like David, who glorified Thee seven times a day, so do I today glorify Thee with these seven fingers, cut off for Thy sake.’ At the eighth: ‘Thou Thyself, O Lord, didst rest on the eighth day.’ At the ninth: ‘At the ninth hour, O Lord, Thou didst give Thy spirit into the hands of Thy Father, O my Christ, and I offer Thee thanks for the suffering of this ninth finger.’ At the tenth: ‘I sing to Thee, O Lord, upon a ten-stringed lute, and I bless Thee that Thou hast made me worthy to endure the cutting-off of the fingers of my two hands for the ten commandments written on the tablets of stone.’ Oh, what wonderful faith and love! Oh, the princely soul of this prince of Christ’s!

Daily Scripture Readings taken from The Orthodox New Testament, translated and published by Holy Apostles Convent, Buena Vista, Colorado, copyright © 2000, used with permission, all rights reserved.

Daily Prologue Readings taken from The Prologue of Ochrid, by Bishop Nikolai Velimirovic, translated by Mother Maria, published by Lazarica Press, Birmingham, England, copyright © 1985, all rights reserved. Edited by Dormition Skete.