Daily Reading:

 Monday

LITURGY

Hebrews 8:7-13

     For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second. For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people: And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest. For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more. In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.

Mark 8:11-21

     And the Pharisees came forth, and began to question with him, seeking of him a sign from heaven, tempting him. And he sighed deeply in his spirit, and saith, Why doth this generation seek after a sign? verily I say unto you, There shall no sign be given unto this generation. And he left them, and entering into the ship again departed to the other side. Now the disciples had forgotten to take bread, neither had they in the ship with them more than one loaf. And he charged them, saying, Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod. And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have no bread. And when Jesus knew it, he saith unto them, Why reason ye, because ye have no bread? perceive ye not yet, neither understand? have ye your heart yet hardened? Having eyes, see ye not? and having ears, hear ye not? and do ye not remember? When I brake the five loaves among five thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? They say unto him, Twelve. And when the seven among four thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? And they said, Seven. And he said unto them, How is it that ye do not understand?

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For Tuesday:

LITURGY

Hebrews 9:8-10, 15-23

     The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing: Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience; Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation. And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth. Whereupon neither the first testament was dedicated without blood. For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people, Saying, This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you. Moreover he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry. And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission. It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.

Mark 8:22-26

     And he cometh to Bethsaida; and they bring a blind man unto him, and besought him to touch him. And he took the blind man by the hand, and led him out of the town; and when he had spit on his eyes, and put his hands upon him, he asked him if he saw ought. And he looked up, and said, I see men as trees, walking. After that he put his hands again upon his eyes, and made him look up: and he was restored, and saw every man clearly. And he sent him away to his house, saying, Neither go into the town, nor tell it to any in the town.

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THE HOLY TEN MARTYRS OF CRETE
ST NIPHON, BISHOP OF CONSTANTIANA

Troparion of the Forefeast    Tone 4
Make ready, Bethlehem, Eden has been opened to all./ Prepare Ephratha, for the Tree of Life has blossomed in the cave from the Virgin./ Her womb was a spiritual paradise whence came the Divine Plant. /If we eat it we shall live and not die like Adam./ Christ is born to raise up the image that of old had fallen.

Troparion of the Holy Ten Martyrs of Crete    Tone 3
Let us honour Crete who brought forth these flowers,/ boughs of martyrs, pearls of Christ./ They shamed the thousandfold power of demons/ although only ten in number./ They were  crowned as Christ's valiant martyrs.

Troparion of St Niphon, Bishop of Constantiana    Tone 4
Thou wast chosen by God to be shepherd and herald of His Church,/ and to teach repentance to the fallen./ By thy prayers thou didst reveal the demons' deceits/ and thy countenance shone like Moses'./ O Father Niphon, pray to Christ our God for those who honour thee.

Kontakion of the Forefeast    Tone 3
Today the Virgin is coming to the cave/ to give birth to the eternal Word./ Rejoice at the message, O earth;/ with the Angels and Shepherds give glory/ to Him Who was willing to be seen as a Child/ while remaining God throughout all ages.

Kontakion of the Holy Ten Martyrs of Crete    Tone 4
The holy struggle of the Martyrs shines as brightly as the morning star./ It has shone on Him Who was born in a cave,/ Whom the Virgin seedlessly conceived.

Kontakion of St Niphon of Constantiana    Tone 2
Thou didst subdue the flesh by fear of God/ and didst soar to the heights of knowledge./ Thou didst attain to thy desire, O blessed Niphon./ Intercede to Christ our God for all who honour thee.

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18-24
SUNDAY BEFORE THE NATIVITY OF THE SAVIOUR

Troparion    Tone 2
Great are the achievements of faith!/ In the fountain of flame, as in refreshing water, the Three Holy Children rejoiced./ And the Prophet Daniel proved a shepherd of lions as of sheep./ By their prayers, O Christ our God, save our souls.

Kontakion    Tone 1
O Bethlehem, rejoice! Make ready, Ephratha!/ The ewe is hastening to give birth to the Great Shepherd Whom she carries in her womb./ The Godbearing Fathers rejoice at seeing Him,/ and the Shepherds praise the Virgin who suckles Him.