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2024 |
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On Wednesday | July 24 |
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The Readings from the Regular Cycle |
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The Epistle |
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Wednesday of the 5th Week |
The reading is from Paul’s Letter to the Romans. |
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Rom. 15:7 – 16 |
Brethren, welcome one another, therefore, as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God. For I tell you that Christ became a servant to the circumcised to show God’s truthfulness, in order to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs, and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written, “Therefore I will praise thee among the Gentiles, and sing to thy name”; and again it is said, “Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people”; and again, “Praise the Lord, all Gentiles, and let all the peoples praise him”; and further Isaiah says, “The root of Jesse shall come, he who rises to rule the Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles hope.” May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. I myself am satisfied about you, my brethren, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, and able to instruct one another. But on some points I have written to you very boldly by way of reminder, because of the grace given me by God to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles in the priestly service of the gospel of God, so that the offering of the Gentiles may be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. Amen. [RSV] |
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The Gospel |
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Wednesday of the 5th Week of Matthew |
The reading is from the holy Gospel according to Matthew. |
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Mt. 12:38 – 45 |
At that time, scribes and Pharisees came to Jesus saying, “Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you.” But he answered them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign; but no sign shall be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the whale, so will the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. The men of Nineveh will arise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here. The queen of the South will arise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here. When the unclean spirit has gone out of a man, he passes through waterless places seeking rest, but he finds none. Then he says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when he comes he finds it empty, swept, and put in order. Then he goes and brings with him seven other spirits more evil than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man becomes worse than the first. So shall it be also with this evil generation.” [RSV] |
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The Readings for the Commemoration |
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The Epistle |
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For the Holy Woman. |
The reading is from Paul’s Second Letter to the Thessalonians. |
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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. |
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Synaxarion |
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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 |
Strict: Refrain from meat, fish, oil, dairy, and eggs. |
It is a Wednesday or Friday. |