2023

On Tuesday | August 15

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The Readings from the Regular Cycle

The Epistle

Tuesday of the 11th Week

The reading is from Paul's Second Letter to the Corinthians.

2 Cor. 2:14-17; 3:1-3

Brethren, thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumph, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things? For we are not, like so many, peddlers of God's word; but as men of sincerity, as commissioned by God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ. Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, as some do, letters of recommendation, written on our hearts, to be known and read by all men; and you show that you are a letter from Christ delivered by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts. [RSV]

The Gospel

Tuesday of the 11th Week of Matthew

The reading is from the holy Gospel according to Matthew.

Mt. 23:23-28

The Lord said to the Jews who had come to him, "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law, justice and mercy and faith; these you ought to have done, without neglecting the others. You blind guides, straining out a gnat and swallowing a camel! Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you cleanse the outside of the cup and of the plate, but inside they are full of extortion and rapacity. You blind Pharisee! first cleanse the inside of the cup and of the plate, that the outside also may be clean. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within they are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness. So you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but within you are full of hypocrisy and iniquity." [RSV]

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The Readings for the Commemoration

2023

August 15

Dormition of our Most Holy Lady Theotokos

The Readings from Vespers the Previous Evening

From Menaion - - -

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]

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]

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]

The Epistle

For the Feast.

The reading is from Paul's Letter to the Philippians.

Phil. 2:5-11

Brethren, have this mind among yourselves, which is yours 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]

The Gospel

For the Feast.

The reading is from the holy Gospel according to Luke.

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 you sucked!" 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.

Synaxarion

From the Menaion.

On August 15 we commemorate the august Translation [i.e. Assumption] of our most glorious Lady Theotokos and ever-virgin Mary.

By her holy intercessions, O God, have mercy and save us, since You are good and You love mankind. Amen.

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Fasting Rule

Fast Free: All foods allowed.