Daily Reading:

Tuesday

LITURGY

Hebrews 12:25-26; 13:22-25

     See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven: Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven. And I beseech you, brethren, suffer the word of exhortation: for I have written a letter unto you in few words. Know ye that our brother Timothy is set at liberty; with whom, if he come shortly, I will see you. Salute all them that have the rule over you, and all the saints. They of Italy salute you. Grace be with you all. Amen.

Mark 10:2-12

     And the Pharisees came to him, and asked him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife? tempting him. And he answered and said unto them, What did Moses command you? And they said, Moses suffered to write a bill of divorcement, and to put her away. And Jesus answered and said unto them, For the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept. But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife; And they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. And in the house his disciples asked him again of the same matter. And he saith unto them, Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery against her. And if a woman shall put away her husband, and be married to another, she committeth adultery.

For Wednesday:

LITURGY

James 1:1-18

     James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting. My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways. Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted: But the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away. For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth: so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways. Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. Do not err, my beloved brethren. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

Mark 10:11-16

     And he saith unto them, Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery against her. And if a woman shall put away her husband, and be married to another, she committeth adultery. And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them: and his disciples rebuked those that brought them. But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein. And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them.

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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.