Prayer Before Reading Holy Scripture
O Master Who loves mankind, illuminate our hearts with the pure light of Your divine knowledge and open the eyes of our mind to understand the teachings of Your Gospel. Instill in us also the fear of Your blessed commandments, that we may overcome all carnal desires, entering upon a spiritual life and understanding and acting in all things according to Your holy will. For You are the enlightenment of our souls and bodies, O Christ God, and to You we give glory together with Your eternal Father and Your all-holy, gracious and life-giving Spirit, now and ever and forever. Amen.
Epistle Reading: 2 Timothy 2:11-19
This is a faithful saying: For if we died with Him, we
shall also live with Him.
If we endure, we shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him,
He also will deny us.
If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny
Himself.
Remind them of these things, charging them before the Lord
not to strive about words to no profit, to the ruin of the hearers.
Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker
who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
But shun profane and vain babblings, for they will
increase to more ungodliness.
And their message will spread like cancer. Hymenaeus and
Philetus are of this sort,
who have strayed concerning the truth, saying that the
resurrection is already past; and they overthrow the faith of some.
Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having
this seal: "The Lord knows those who are His," and, "Let everyone who names
the name of Christ depart from iniquity."
Gospel Reading: Luke 18:2-8
saying: "There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear
God nor regard man.
"Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him,
saying, 'Avenge me of my adversary.'
"And he would not for a while; but afterward he said within
himself, 'Though I do not fear God nor regard man,
'yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by
her continual coming she weary me.' "
Then the Lord said, "Hear what the unjust judge said.
"And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and
night to Him, though He bears long with them?
"I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless,
when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?"
Saints and Feasts
The Holy Hieromartyr Haralambos; Anastasios, Patriarch of Jerusalem; Porphyrios & Baptos the Monk-martyrs
