Daily Reading:

Wednesday

LITURGY

1 Corinthians 13:4-14:5

     Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity. Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy. For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries. But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort. He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church. I would that ye all spake with tongues but rather that ye prophesied: for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying.

Matthew 20:1-16

     For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard. And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard. And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, And said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way. Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise. And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle? They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive. So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first. And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny. But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny. And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house, Saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day. But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny? Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee. Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good? So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.

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ICON OF THE MOTHER OF GOD, 'JOY OF ALL THAT SORROW'

HOLY PROPHET EZEKIEL

Troparion of the Icon Tone 4

Let us the sinful and unworthy fervently run to the Mother of God/ and fall down crying in repentance from the depths of our souls:/ Help us, O Lady who hast had mercy on us./ Hasten, for we perish from a multitude of sins./ Turn not thy servants empty away, for we have thee as our only hope.

Troparion of the Prophet Ezekiel Tone 3

Inspired by the Holy Spirit, O Prophet of God,/ thou didst proclaim the fulfillment of mysteries:/ God the Word's ineffable abasement/ and the resurrection of the dead from all past ages./ O glorious Ezekiel, entreat Christ our God to grant us His great mercy.

Kontakion of the Icon Tone 6

We have no other help, we have no other hope,/ apart from thee, O Lady./ Come to our help. We hope in thee/ and in thee we glory./ Let us not be confounded,/ for we are thy servants.

Kontakion of the Prophet Ezekiel Tone 4

Thou didst appear as a Prophet of God/ and foretell the Lord's incarnation to all,/ even of the Lamb and Creator Who became manifest as God's eternal Son.