Daily Reading:

Saturday

LITURGY

Colossians 1:3-6

     We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the saints, For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel; Which is come unto you, as it is in all the world; and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you, since the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth:

Luke 16:10-15

     He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much. If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man's, who shall give you that which is your own? No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. And the Pharisees also, who were covetous, heard all these things: and they derided him. And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.

For Saturday after the Nativity

LITURGY

1 Timothy 6:11-16

     But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses. I give thee charge in the sight of God, who quickeneth all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession; That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ: Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords; Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.

Matthew 12:15-21

     But when Jesus knew it, he withdrew himself from thence: and great multitudes followed him, and he healed them all; And charged them that they should not make him known: That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall shew judgment to the Gentiles. He shall not strive, nor cry; neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets. A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory. And in his name shall the Gentiles trust.

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ST STEPHEN THE FIRST MARTYR AND PROTODEACON
ST THEODORE THE BRANDED

Troparion of the Feast    Tone 4

Thy Nativity, O Christ our God,/ has shone to the world as the light of wisdom./ For by it those who worshipped the stars/ were taught by a star to adore Thee,/ the Sun of Righteousness,/ and to know Thee, the Orient from on high./ O Lord, glory to Thee.

Troparion of St Stephen    Tone 4

Thou art crowned with a royal diadem/ for contests endured in Christ's name, O First and holy Martyr;/ thou didst put to shame thy persecutors/ and see thy Saviour at the right hand of the Father./ Ever pray to Him for our souls.

Troparion of St Theodore the Branded    Tone 3

Signed with holy wounds, thou wast offered as a living gift/ to the Giver of life./ For adorned with the gifts of thy holy struggle,/ thou didst shine as a noble confessor./ Holy Father Theodore, intercede with Christ our God to grant us His great mercy.

Kontakion of the Feast    Tone 3

Today the Virgin gives birth to the Transcendent One,/ and the earth offers a cave to the Unapproachable One./ Angels with Shepherds glorify Him,/ the wise men journey with the star;/ since for our sake the eternal God was born as a little child.

Kontakion of St Stephen    Tone 3

Yesterday the Master came to us in the flesh,/ today His servant departs in the flesh;/ yesterday the King was born in the flesh;/ today His servant is stoned to death for His sake./ Hence the divine and first Martyr Stephen is made perfect.

Kontakion of St Theodore the Branded    Tone 3

Father Theodore, thou didst venerate the icon of Christ/ and undergo persecutions, hardships and afflictions./ Thou hast become a strong pillar of Orthodoxy;/ initiator in things sacred, we honour thee.