Scripture Readings
Today’s Epistle reading is Hebrews 3:5-11, 17-19
And Moses indeed was faithful in all His house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which would be spoken afterward, but Christ as a Son over His own house, whose house we are if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end. Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says: “Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, in the day of trial in the wilderness, where your fathers tested Me, tried Me, and saw My works forty years. Therefore I was angry with that generation, and said, ‘They always go astray in their heart, and they have not known My ways.’ So I swore in My wrath, ‘They shall not enter My rest.’” Now with whom was He angry forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose corpses fell in the wilderness? And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who did not obey? So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.
Today’s Gospel reading is Mark 12:13-17
Then they sent to Him some of the Pharisees and the Herodians, to catch Him in His words. When they had come, they said to Him, “Teacher, we know that You are true, and care about no one; for You do not regard the person of men, but teach the way of God in truth. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not? Shall we pay, or shall we not pay?” But He, knowing their hypocrisy, said to them, “Why do you test Me? Bring Me a denarius that I may see it.” So they brought it. And He said to them, “Whose image and inscription is this?” They said to Him, “Caesar’s.” And Jesus answered and said to them, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” And they marveled at Him.
Saints and Feasts celebrated today
Afterfeast of the Nativity of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ
Troparion — Tone 4
Your Nativity, O Christ our God,
Has shone to the world the Light of wisdom!
For by it, those who worshipped the stars,
Were taught by a Star to adore You,
The Sun of Righteousness,
And to know You, the Orient from on High.
O Lord, glory to You!
Kontakion — 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 a star!
Since for our sake the Eternal God was born as a Little Child!
Virginmartyr Anysia at Thessalonica
Troparion — Tone 4
Your lamb Anysia calls out to You, O Jesus, in a loud voice:
“I love You, my Bridegroom, and in seeking You I endure suffering.
In baptism I was crucified so that I might reign in You,
and I died so that I might live with You.
Accept me as a pure sacrifice,
for I have offered myself in love.”
Through her prayers save our souls, since You are merciful.
Kontakion — Tone 3
As a two-fold lamp you illumine the Church of Christ
with truly mystical radiance.
You brought forth a hundred-fold fruit through your contest, O Anysia;
and you shone forth in asceticism, O Melania.
You were both found worthy of the incorruptible life of the righteous.
Additional Saints and Feasts (without hymns):
- Martyr Zoticus the Keeper of Orphans
- Apostle Timon the Deacon of the Seventy
- Martyr Philetairus of Nicomedia
- Venerable Theodora of Caesarea, in Cappadocia
- Venerable Theodora of Constantinople
- Monastic Martyr Gideon of Karakalou, Mount Athos
- SaintMacarius, Metropolitan of Moscow and All Russia
- Opening of the relics of Saint Daniel of Pereyaslavl
Today’s Fasting Guidelines
Fast Free. No fasting restrictions.
Readings and Feast Day Information provided by OCA.
Fasting Information provided by GoArch.
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