Daily Devotional

Scripture Readings

Special Commemorations

The Saturday Before the Theophany

Epistle

The Reading is from the First Epistle of Saint Paul to Saint Timothy [§ 284]. Child Timothy:

For Gk. usage, see 1 Tim. 3:13-4:5; for Sl. usage, see 1 Tim. 3:14-4:5.

3 ¹³They who have served well as deacons acquire a good degree for themselves and much boldness in faith which is in Christ Jesus.

¹⁴These things I write to thee, hoping to come to thee more quickly. ¹⁵But if I delay, I write in order that thou mayest know how one ought to be conducting oneself in the house of God, which is the Church of the living God, pillar and stay of the truth. ¹⁶And confessedly, great is the mystery of piety: God was manifested in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory.

4 ¹Now the Spirit speaketh expressly that in latter times some shall apostatize from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and teachings of demons, ²speaking lies in hypocrisy, having been branded as to their own conscience, ³forbidding to marry, bidding to abstain from foods, which God created for partaking with giving of thanks by the faithful and those who have fully known the truth. ⁴For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be cast away, if it is received with giving of thanks; ⁵for it is sanctified by the word of God and intercessory prayer.

Gospel

The Reading is from the Holy Gospel according to Saint Matthew [§ 5]. At that time:

For Gk. usage, read only Mt. 3:1-6, hereunder; for Sl. usage, see Mt. 3:1-11, hereunder.

3 ¹John the Baptist came forth proclaiming in the wilderness of Judæa, ²and saying, “Repent ye; for the kingdom of the heavens hath drawn near.” ³For this is he who was spoken of by Esaias the prophet, saying, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; be making His paths straight [cf. Is. 40:3].’” ⁴And John himself was having his raiment of camel hairs, and a leathern belt about his loins; and his food was locusts and wild honey. ⁵Then Jerusalem, and all Judæa, and all the country round about the Jordan were going out to him, ⁶and were being baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins.

In Sl. usage, Gospel Reading continues with Mt. 3:7-11.

⁷But after he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “O offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? ⁸“Produce therefore fruits worthy of repentance, ⁹“and think not to say within yourselves, ‘We have Abraham for a father’; for I say to you that God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. ¹⁰“And even now the axe is laid at the root of the trees; therefore every tree which produceth not good fruit is being cut out and cast into the fire. ¹¹“I indeed baptize you in water toward repentance, but the One Who cometh after me is mightier than I, of Whom I am not fit to bear His sandals. He shall baptize you in the Holy Spirit and in fire.”

Paschalion — Movable Calendar

Saturday of the Thirtieth Week

Epistle

The Reading is from the Epistle of Saint Paul to the Ephesians [§ 228]. Brethren:

5 ¹Keep on becoming imitators of God, as beloved children. ²And be walking in love, even as Christ also loved us and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for an odor of a sweet smelling fragrance. ³But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not even be named among you—even as it is becoming to saints— ⁴and filthy conduct, and foolish talking or jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. ⁵For this ye know, that every fornicator or impure person, or coveter (who is an idolater), hath no inheritance in the kingdom of the Christ and of God. ⁶Let no one deceive you with empty words; for on account of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the sons of disobedience. ⁷Therefore cease becoming partakers with them. ⁸For ye were once darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord; be walking as children of light.

Gospel

The Reading is from the Holy Gospel according to Saint Luke [§ 84]. The Lord said:

17 ³“Be taking heed to yourselves. Now if thy brother should sin against thee, rebuke him; and if he should repent, forgive him. ⁴“And if seven times in the day he should sin against thee, and seven times in the day he should return to thee, saying, ‘I repent,’ thou shalt forgive him.” ⁵And the apostles said to the Lord, “Add faith to us.” ⁶But the Lord said, “If ye have faith as a grain of mustard, ye would say to this sycamine tree, ‘Be rooted out and be planted in the sea’; and it should obey you. ⁷“But which of you, having a slave plowing or shepherding, will say to him when he cometh in from out of the field, ‘straightway, come forth and recline at table’? ⁸“But will he not say to him, ‘Make ready what I might sup on, and gird thyself, and be serving me while I eat and drink; and after these things thou shalt eat and drink’? ⁹“He doth not have gratitude toward that slave because he did the things which were commanded him, doth he? I think not. ¹⁰“Thus also ye, whenever ye have done all things which were commanded you, say, ‘We are unprofitable slaves, for we have done that which we were bound to do.’”

Menaion — Fixed Calendar

The commemoration of the Forefeast of Theophany, and our father among the saints, Sylvester, Pope of Rome, and our venerable and God-bearing Father Seraphim, Wonder-worker of Sarov, and the holy and Righteous Juliana of Lazarevo.

Epistle

For the Hierarch:

The Reading is from the Epistle of Saint Paul to the Hebrews [§ mid 311]. Brethren:

5 ⁴No one taketh the honor to himself, but he who is called by God, even as also Aaron. ⁵Thus also the Christ glorified not Himself to become a high priest, but the One Who said to Him, “Thou art My Son, today I have begotten Thee [Ps. 2:7].” ⁶Even as He saith also in another place, “Thou art a priest forever according to the order of Melchisedek [Ps. 109(110):4]”; ⁷Who, in the days of His flesh, having offered up both entreaties and supplications to the One Who was able to save Him from death, with strong crying and tears, and having been heard on account of the reverence, ⁸although being Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered; ⁹and having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the cause of eternal salvation, ¹⁰having been called, by God, High Priest according to the order of Melchisedek.

For Sl. usage, see [Heb. 7:26-8:2].

For the Wonder-worker:

The Reading is from the Epistle of Saint Paul to the Galatians [§ 213]. Brethren:

5 ²²The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faith, ²³meekness, self-control; against such things there is no law. ²⁴But they who are of the Christ crucified the flesh with the passions and the lusts. ²⁵If we live by the Spirit, let us also be walking by the Spirit. ²⁶Let us not become vainglorious, provoking one another, envying one another.

6 ¹Brethren, even if a man should be overtaken in some transgression, ye, the spiritual ones, be restoring such a one in the spirit of meekness, looking out for thyself, lest thou also be tempted. ²Keep on bearing one another’s burdens, and thus fill up the law of the Christ.

For St. Juliana:

The Reading is from the Epistle of Saint Paul to the Galatians [§ 208]. Brethren:

3 ²³Before faith came, we were being guarded under the law, having been closed up to the faith about to be revealed. ²⁴Therefore the law hath become our tutor until Christ, in order that we might be justified by faith. ²⁵But faith having come, we are no longer under a tutor. ²⁶For all are sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. ²⁷For as many as were baptized into Christ, ye put on Christ. ²⁸There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male and female; for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. ²⁹And if ye are Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to promise.

Gospel

For the Hierarch:

The Reading is from the Holy Gospel according to Saint John [§ 8]. At that time:

3 ¹There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemos, a ruler of the Jews. ²This one came to Jesus by night, and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that Thou hast come from God as a teacher; for no one is able to do these signs which Thou doest unless God be with him.” ³Jesus answered and said to him, “Verily, verily, I say to thee, except one should be born again, he is not able to see the kingdom of God.” ⁴Nicodemos saith to Him, “How is a man able to be born when he is old? He is not able to enter the womb of his mother a second time, and be born, is he?” ⁵Jesus answered, “Verily, verily, I say to thee, unless one should be born of water and of the Spirit, he is not able to enter into the kingdom of God. ⁶“That which hath been born of the flesh is flesh; and that which hath been born of the Spirit is spirit. ⁷“Do not begin to wonder that I said to thee, ‘It is needful for you to be born again.’ ⁸“The wind bloweth wheresoever it is naturally disposed, and thou hearest its sound, but thou knowest not from what place it cometh and where it goeth; thus is everyone who hath been born of the Spirit.” ⁹Nicodemos answered and said to Him, “How can these things be?” ¹⁰Jesus answered and said to him, “Thou art the teacher of Israel, and knowest not these things? ¹¹“Verily, verily, I say to thee that We speak that which We know, and We bear witness of that which We have seen; and ye receive not Our testimony. ¹²“If I told you earthly things and ye believe not, how shall ye believe if I tell you heavenly things? ¹³“And no one hath gone up into the heavens, except the One Who came down from out of the heavens, the Son of Man, Who is in the heavens. ¹⁴“And even as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, thus it is needful for the Son of Man to be lifted up; ¹⁵“that everyone who believeth in Him should not perish, but may have everlasting life.”

for Sl. usage, see [Jn. 15:1-7].

For the Wonder-worker:

The Reading is from the Holy Gospel according to Saint Luke [§ 24]. At that time:

6 ¹⁷Jesus stood upon a level place. And there was a crowd of His disciples, and a great multitude of the people from all of Judæa and Jerusalem and the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear Him, and to be healed of their diseases— ¹⁸even those who were troubled by unclean spirits; and they were cured. ¹⁹And all the crowd was seeking to touch Him, for power was coming forth from Him and healing all. ²⁰And He lifted up His eyes to His disciples, and began to say:
   “Blessed are the poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.
   ²¹“Blessed are ye who hunger now, for ye shall be filled.
Blessed are ye who weep now, for ye shall laugh.
   ²²“Blessed are ye whenever men hate you, and whenever they separate you, and reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man.
   ²³“Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in the heavens.”

For St. Juliana:

The Reading is from the Holy Gospel according to Saint Mark [§ 21]. At that time:

5 ²⁴A great crowd was following Jesus and pressing upon Him. ²⁵And a certain woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years— ²⁶and who suffered much under many physicians and spent all from her own means, and was not profited at all, but rather came to be the worse for it— ²⁷after she heard about Jesus, came in the crowd behind, and touched His garment; ²⁸for she was saying within herself, “If I might but touch His garments, I shall be made well.” ²⁹And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she knew in her body that she had been healed from the scourge. ³⁰And Jesus, straightway having fully known in Himself that the power from Him went forth, turned around in the crowd and was saying, “Who touched Me on My garments?” ³¹And His disciples were saying to Him, “Thou seest the crowd pressing on Thee, and sayest Thou, ‘Who touched Me?’” ³²And He kept looking around Himself to see her who had done this. ³³And the woman, fearing and trembling, knowing that which had been done for her, came and fell down before Him, and told Him all the truth. ³⁴And He said to her, “Daughter, thy faith hath made thee well; go in peace, and be sound in body from thy scourge.”

Lives of the Saints (Prologue)

January 15th – Civil Calendar
January 2nd – Church Calendar

1. St. Sylvester, Bishop of Rome.

Born in Rome, he was skilled from his early years in secular learning and in Christian doctrine, and his life was always governed by the precepts of the Gospel. He made good use of the tuition of a priest, Timothy, whose death for the Faith he witnessed, and seeing the example of his teacher’s self-sacrifice, nourished himself in that same spirit for the rest of his life.

He became Bishop of Rome at the age of thirty, and reformed certain Christian customs; abolishing, for example, the Saturday fast that had up to that time been the rule among some Christians, and decreeing that only Great Saturday and those Saturdays that fall within fasting seasons should be so observed.

By his prayers and miracles, he was instrumental in the conversion and Baptism of the Emperor Constantine and his mother, Helena, and assisted Queen Helena in the finding of the Holy Cross. He governed the Church for twenty years, and finishing with honor his earthly life, entered into the heavenly kingdom in the year 335.

2. Our Holy Father Seraphim of Sarov.

He was one of the greatest Russian ascetics and wonder-workers, with profound spiritual discernment. Born in 1759, he departed this life in 1833. He was distinguished by great humility. Being praised by all the world, he referred to himself as “humble Seraphim”.

3. St. Theodota.

The mother of the holy brothers Kosmas and Damian, the Unmercenaries and Wonder-workers, she lived a life pleasing to God, and brought up her sons to do the same.

4. Our Holy Father Ammon of Tabennisi.

He was a great ascetic of the fifth century and had charge of the Tabennisiot monastery in Upper Egypt, with about 3,000 monks living in asceticism under his direction. He had the blessed gifts of wonder-working and spiritual discernment. When one of his monks asked him for counsel, he said to him in reply: ‘Be as a transgressor in prison and ask repeatedly, as he would: “When will the Judge appear?” So thou also, ask thou this with fear.’

FOR CONSIDERATION

God looses ruin and debasement on man in his pride, when the latter thinks that his strength is eternally assured. When the wicked Roman governor Tarquinius had beheaded blessed Timothy, he summoned St. Sylvester and threatened him with death if he did not reveal the whereabouts of Timothy’s earthly possessions and if, furthermore, he did not immediately offer sacrifice to idols. The saint, gifted with foresight, answered fearlessly in the words of the Gospel: “Thou fool, thy soul shall be required of thee this night (Lk. 12:20), and that which thou art pleased to bring upon me (i.e. death) shall come upon thee!” The proud governor put Sylvester in chains and cast him into prison, with the intention of swiftly bringing about his death. Having done this, he sat down to his midday meal. As he ate, a fishbone stuck in his throat. From midday to midnight doctors strove to save his life, but all in vain. At midnight Tarquinius was deprived of his proud spirit in the greatest torment. And so the prophecy of St. Sylvester was fulfilled, as also the biblical words: “Pride goeth before destruction” (Prov. 16:18).

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.