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2025 |
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On Monday | September 8 |
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The Readings from the Regular Cycle |
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The Epistle |
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Monday of the 14th Week |
The reading is from Paul’s Second Letter to the Corinthians. |
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2 Cor. 12:10 – 19 |
Brethren, for the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities; for when I am weak, then I am strong. I have been a fool! You forced me to it, for I ought to have been commended by you. For I was not at all inferior to these superlative apostles, even though I am nothing. The signs of a true apostle were performed among you in all patience, with signs and wonders and mighty works. For in what were you less favored than the rest of the churches, except that I myself did not burden you? Forgive me this wrong! Here for the third time I am ready to come to you. And I will not be a burden, for I seek not what is yours but you; for children ought not to lay up for their parents, but parents for their children. I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls. If I love you the more, am I to be loved the less? But granting that I myself did not burden you, I was crafty, you say, and got the better of you by guile. Did I take advantage of you through any of those whom I sent to you? I urged Titus to go, and sent the brother with him. Did Titus take advantage of you? Did we not act in the same spirit? Did we not take the same steps? Have you been thinking all along that we have been defending ourselves before you? It is in the sight of God that we have been speaking in Christ, and all for your upbuilding, beloved. [RSV] |
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The Gospel |
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Monday of the 14th Week of Matthew |
The reading is from the holy Gospel according to Mark. |
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Mk. 4:10 – 23 |
At that time, when Jesus was alone, the disciples with the twelve asked him concerning the parable of the seed. And he said to them, “To you it has been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but for those outside everything is in parables; so that they may indeed see but not perceive, and may indeed hear but not understand; lest they should turn again, and be forgiven.” And he said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables? The sower sows the word. And these are the ones along the path, where the word is sown; when they hear, Satan immediately comes and takes away the word which is sown in them. And these in like manner are the ones sown upon rocky ground, who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy; and they have no root in themselves, but endure for a while; then, when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately they stumble. And others are the ones sown among thorns; they are those who hear the word, but the cares of the world, and the delight in riches, and the desire for other things, enter in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. But those that were sown upon the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.” And he said to them, “Is a lamp brought in to be put under a bushel, or under a bed, and not on a stand? For there is nothing hid, except to be made manifest; nor is anything secret, except to come to light. If any man has ears to hear, let him hear.” [RSV] |
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The Readings for the Commemoration |
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2025 |
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September 8 |
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The Nativity of our Most Holy Lady Theotokos |
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The Readings from Vespers the Previous Evening |
From Menaion - - - |
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Gn 28:10 – 17 |
Now Jacob went out from the Well of Oath and went toward Haran. So he came to a certain place and stayed there all night, because the sun had set. Then he took one of the stones of that place and put it at his head, and he lay down in that place to sleep. Then he dreamed, and behold, a ladder was set up on the earth, and its top reached to heaven; and there the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. So behold, the Lord stood above it and said, “I am the Lord God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac. Do not fear, the land on which you lie I will give to you and your seed. Also, your seed shall be as the dust of the earth; you shall spread abroad to the west and the east, to the north and the south; and in you and in your seed all the tribes of the earth shall be blessed. Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have spoken to you.” Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “The Lord is in this place, and I did not know it.” So he was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.” [SAAS] |
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Ezk 43:27 – 44:4 |
Thus says the Lord: “When they have completed these days, then from the eighth day onward the priests shall offer upon the altar your burnt offerings and your peace offerings; and I will accept you, says the Lord God.” Then he brought me back to the outer gate of the sanctuary, which faces east; and it was shut. And the Lord said to me, “This gate shall remain shut; it shall not be opened, and no one shall enter by it; for the Lord, the God of Israel, shall enter by it; therefore it shall remain shut. Only the prince shall sit in it to eat bread before the Lord; he shall enter by way of the vestibule of the gate, and shall go out by the same way.” Then he brought me by way of the north gate to the front of the temple; and I looked, and behold, the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord. [SAAS] |
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Pr 9:1 – 11 |
Wisdom has built her house, she has set up her seven pillars. She has slaughtered her beasts, she has mixed her wine, she has also set her table. She has sent out her servants to call from the highest places in the town, “Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!” To him who is without sense she says, “Come, eat of my bread and drink of the wine I have mixed. Leave simpleness, that you may reign forever; seek wisdom, and live; and improve understanding by knowledge. He who corrects a scoffer gets himself abuse, and he who reproves a wicked man incurs injury. Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you; reprove a wise man, and he will love you. Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; teach a righteous man and he will increase in learning. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the counsel of saints is understanding. For to know the law is the character of a sound mind. For by me your days will be multiplied, and years will be added to your life.” [SAAS] |
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The Epistle |
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For the Feast. |
The reading is from Paul’s Letter to the Philippians. |
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Phil. 2:5 – 11 |
Brethren, have this mind among yourselves, which you have in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. [RSV] |
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The Gospel |
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For the Feast. |
The reading is from the holy Gospel according to Luke. |
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Lk. 10:38 – 42; 11:27 – 28 |
At that time, Jesus entered a village; and a woman called Martha received him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving; and she went to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve you alone? Tell her then to help me.” But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things; one thing is needful. Mary has chosen the good portion, which shall not be taken away from her.” As he said this, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said to him, “Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts that nursed you!” But he said, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!” [RSV] |
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Stand for the reading of the Synaxarion. |
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Synaxarion |
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From the Menaion. |
On September 8 is the Nativity of our most holy Lady Theotokos and ever-virgin Mary. |
On this day the holy siblings Rufus and Rufianus died by the sword. |
On this day Saint Severus died by the sword. |
On this day Saint Artemidoros died by fire. |
A very edifying story about love |
By the intercessions of Your saints, O God, have mercy on us. Amen. |
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Fasting Rule |
Fast Free: All foods allowed. |