Daily Reading:

Thursday

LITURGY

Galatians 3:23-4:5

     But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise. Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all; But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father. Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world: But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.

Mark 6:30-45

     And the apostles gathered themselves together unto Jesus, and told him all things, both what they had done, and what they had taught. And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat. And they departed into a desert place by ship privately. And the people saw them departing, and many knew him, and ran afoot thither out of all cities, and outwent them, and came together unto him. And Jesus, when he came out, saw much people, and was moved with compassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd: and he began to teach them many things. And when the day was now far spent, his disciples came unto him, and said, This is a desert place, and now the time is far passed: Send them away, that they may go into the country round about, and into the villages, and buy themselves bread: for they have nothing to eat. He answered and said unto them, Give ye them to eat. And they say unto him, Shall we go and buy two hundred pennyworth of bread, and give them to eat? He saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? go and see. And when they knew, they say, Five, and two fishes. And he commanded them to make all sit down by companies upon the green grass. And they sat down in ranks, by hundreds, and by fifties. And when he had taken the five loaves and the two fishes, he looked up to heaven, and blessed, and brake the loaves, and gave them to his disciples to set before them; and the two fishes divided he among them all. And they did all eat, and were filled. And they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments, and of the fishes. And they that did eat of the loaves were about five thousand men. And straightway he constrained his disciples to get into the ship, and to go to the other side before unto Bethsaida, while he sent away the people.

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ICON OF THE MOTHER OF GOD OF THE BURNING BUSH
HOLY PROPHET MOSES THE LAW-GIVER AND SEER OF GOD
BABYLAS, BISHOP OF ANTIOCH, HIEROMARTYR

Troparion of the Mother of God    Tone 1

The miracle that Moses saw on Sinai in the burning bush/ foretold thy Virgin Childbearing, O pure Virgin./ We faithful cry to thee: Rejoice truly living bush,/ rejoice holy mountain,/ rejoice sanctified place,/ most holy Mother of God.

Troparion of the Prophet Moses    Tone 2

Thou didst ascend to the summit of virtues,/ O holy Prophet Moses./ Thou wast granted to see the glory of God,/ to receive the tablets of the Law,/ and to bear grace within thee./ Thou wast the joy of the Prophets/ and a guide to piety.

Troparion of Hieromartyr Babylas    Tone 4

O Babylas husbandman of righteousness,/ thou didst cut down the thorns of error./ With the radiance of thy priesthood and reddened by the streams of thy blood/ thou wast presented to Christ crying out:/ Here am I and Thy children O Jesus: graciously receive us.

Kontakion of the Prophet Moses    Tone 2

The company of the Prophets rejoices with Moses and Aaron;/ their prophecy is fulfilled/ as the Cross whereby Thou hast saved us shines forth./ Save our souls by their prayers, O Christ our God.

Kontakion of Hieromartyr Babylas    Tone 4

Thou didst treasure in thine heart the mysteries of the faith/ without fearing the tyrant/ O Hieromartyr Babylas, servant of Christ, preserve us.