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2023 |
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On Friday | August 18 |
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The Readings from the Regular Cycle |
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The Epistle |
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Friday of the 11th Week |
The reading is from Paul's Second Letter to the Corinthians. |
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2 Cor. 4:13-18 |
Brethren, having the same spirit of faith as he had who wrote, "I believed, and so I spoke," we too believe, and so we speak, knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence. For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God. So we do not lose heart. Though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed every day. For this slight momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, because we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen; for the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. [RSV] |
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The Gospel |
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Friday of the 11th Week of Matthew |
The reading is from the holy Gospel according to Matthew. |
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Mt. 24:27-33, 42-51 |
The Lord said to his disciples, "As the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of man. Wherever the body is, there the eagles will be gathered together. Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken; then will appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory; and he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see all these things, you know that he is near, at the very gates. Watch therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the householder had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have watched and would not have let his house be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready; for the Son of man is coming at an hour you do not expect. Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his master when he comes will find so doing. Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions. But if that wicked servant says to himself, 'My master is delayed,' and begins to beat his fellow servants, and eats and drinks with the drunken, the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, and will punish him, and put him with the hypocrites; there men will weep and gnash their teeth." [RSV] |
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The Readings for the Commemoration |
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The Epistle |
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For the Martyrs. |
The reading is from Paul's Letter to the Colossians. |
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Col. 1:24-29, 2:1 |
Brethren, now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I complete what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church, of which I became a minister according to the divine office which was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now made manifest to his saints. To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Him we proclaim, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man mature in Christ. For this I toil, striving with all the energy which he mightily inspires within me. For I want you to know how greatly I strive for you. [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 August 18, we commemorate the holy Martyrs Florus and Laurus. |
On this day the holy multitude of paupers that crushed the idols died by fire. |
On this day, we commemorate the holy Martyrs Hermus, Serapion, and Polyaenus. |
On this day, we commemorate the holy Martyr Juliana near Strobilus. We also commemorate the holy Martyr Leo, who contested by the sea, near Myra of Lycia. |
On this day the four Ascetics in the desert died in peace. |
On this day we commemorate our fathers among the saints, John and George, Patriarchs of Constantinople. |
On this day we commemorate our devout and God-bearing father Arsenius the New, who was from Ioannina and lived as an ascetic on the Island of Paros. |
By the intercessions of Your Saints, O God, have mercy on us. Amen. |
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Fasting Rule |
Strict: Refrain from meat, fish, oil, dairy, and eggs. |
It is a Wednesday or Friday. |