Today’s Scripture Readings
Epistle Reading: Romans 5:17-6:2
For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.) Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous. Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?
Gospel Reading: Matthew 9:14-17
Then the disciples of John came to Him, saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but Your disciples do not fast?” And Jesus said to them, “Can the friends of the bridegroom mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast. No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; for the patch pulls away from the garment, and the tear is made worse. Nor do they put new wine into old wineskins, or else the wineskins break, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But they put new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.”
Saints and Feasts celebrated today
- Translation of the Relics of the holy and wonderworking Unmercenaries Cyrus
and John - Venerable Xenophon the Abbot of Robeika, Novgorod
- Ven. Sergius and Herman, Wonderworkers of Valaam
- St. Paul the Physician of Corinth
- Icon of the Mother of God of “the Three Hands”
Today’s Fasting Guidelines
Strict Fast
Refrain from meat, fish, oil, wine, dairy, and eggs
Orthodox Daily Readings 