Daily Reading:

Friday

LITURGY

Romans 11:25-36

     For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins. As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the father's sakes. For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief: Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy. For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all. O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor? Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.

Matthew 12:1-8

     At that time Jesus went on the sabbath day through the corn; and his disciples were an hungred, and began to pluck the ears of corn and to eat. But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the sabbath day. But he said unto them, Have ye not read what David did, when he was an hungred, and they that were with him; How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the shewbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the priests? Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless? But I say unto you, That in this place is one greater than the temple. But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless. For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day.

+ + +

HOLY HIEROMARTYR METHODIOS, BISHOP OF PATARA

ST KALLISTOS, PATRIARCH OF CONSTANTINOPLE

Troparion of St Methodios    Tone 1

Thy blood, O wise Methodios,/ cries to God from the earth like the blood of Abel./ O holy Martyr, thou didst preach Christ's incarnation/ and defeat the false doctrines of Origen./ Thou hast entered the heavenly bridal chamber:/ Pray to Christ our God that our souls may be saved.

Troparion of St Kallistos    Tone 4

The truth of things revealed thee to thy flock/ as a rule of faith, a model of meekness, and a teacher of temperance./ Therefore thou hast won the heights by humility, riches by poverty./ Holy Father Kallistos, intercede with Christ our God/ that our souls may be saved.

Kontakion of St Methodios    Tone 4

O Priest and initiate of the Holy Trinity,/ preacher of Divine commandments/ and support of the Orthodox,/ thou didst expose the errors of false doctrine/ and shed thy blood as a martyr for the Faith./ O Methodios, standing before Christ with the Angels,/ pray that we may be saved.