2025

On Thursday | July 24

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The Readings from the Regular Cycle

The Epistle

Thursday of the 7th Week

The reading is from Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians.

1 Cor. 7:24 – 35

Brethren, in whatever state each was called, there let him remain with God. Now concerning the unmarried, I have no command of the Lord, but I give my opinion as one who by the Lord’s mercy is trustworthy. I think that in view of the present distress it is well for a person to remain as he is. Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be free. Are you free from a wife? Do not seek marriage. But if you marry, you do not sin, and if a girl marries she does not sin. Yet those who marry will have worldly troubles, and I would spare you that. I mean, brethren, the appointed time has grown very short; from now on, let those who have wives live as though they had none, and those who mourn as though they were not mourning, and those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing, and those who buy as though they had no goods, and those who deal with the world as though they had no dealings with it. For the form of this world is passing away. I want you to be free from anxieties. The unmarried man is anxious about the affairs of the Lord, how to please the Lord; but the married man is anxious about worldly affairs, how to please his wife, and his interests are divided. And the unmarried woman or girl is anxious about the affairs of the Lord, how to be holy in body and spirit; but the married woman is anxious about worldly affairs, how to please her husband. I say this for your own benefit, not to lay any restraint upon you, but to promote good order and to secure your undivided devotion to the Lord. [RSV]

The Gospel

Thursday of the 7th Week of Matthew

The reading is from the holy Gospel according to Matthew.

Mt. 15:12 – 21

At that time, the disciples came to Jesus and said to him, “Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?” He answered, “Every plant which my heavenly Father has not planted will be rooted up. Let them alone; they are blind guides. And if a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit.” But Peter said to him, “Explain the parable to us.” And Jesus said, “Are you also still without understanding? Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the stomach, and so is evacuated? But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a man. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, fornication, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a man; but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man.” And Jesus went away from there and withdrew to the district of Tyre and Sidon. [RSV]

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The Readings for the Commemoration

The Epistle

For the Holy Woman.

The reading is from Paul’s Second Letter to the Thessalonians.

2 Th. 2:13 – 17; 3:1 – 5

Brethren, we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God chose you from the beginning to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth. To this he called you through our gospel, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. So then, brethren, stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught by us, either by word of mouth or by letter. Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word. Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may speed on and triumph, as it did among you, and that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men; for not all have faith. But the Lord is faithful; he will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one. And we have confidence in the Lord about you, that you are doing and will do the things which we command. May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ. [RSV]

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Stand for the reading of the Synaxarion.

Synaxarion

From the Menaion.

On July 24, we commemorate the holy Great-martyr Christina.

On this day the holy Martyrs Capito and Hymenaeus died by the sword; and the holy Martyr Hermogenes died after his teeth were pulled out.

The holy Neomartyr Theophilus of Zakynthos, who witnessed on Chios in the year 1635, died by fire.

The holy Neomartyr Athanasius of Kios, who witnessed in Constantinople in the year 1670, died by the sword.

By their holy intercessions, O God, have mercy on us. Amen.

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Fasting Rule

Fast Free: All foods allowed.