The Holy Prophet Malachi, who after the return from the Babylonian Captivity announced the great day of the Lord and his coming to his temple, and that always and everywhere a pure offering should be made to his name.
The Holy Martyr Gordius, praised in the writings of St. Basil the Great, a centurion who suffered during the reign of the Emperor Diocletian (304).
O divinely inspired Malachi, you announced the coming of Christ, and you spoke of the dignity of the Law. How clearly you informed us: The Lord is surely coming; Whom we have joyfully sought in the Temple. Beg Him now to save our souls.
Your martyr Gordius, O Lord our God, in his struggle received an incorruptible crown from You. With Your strength, he brought down the tyrants and broke cowardly valor of demons. Through his prayers, O Christ our God, save our souls.
O Prophet, by bestowing rich prophecies, you clearly predicted the coming of Christ and the salvation of the world. He enlightened the world by His radiance.
O holy Gordius, your sweat has soaked the earth, and your precious blood has made the universe rejoice. Through your intercession, save those who sing your glory with faith and honor you fittingly, O divinely minded and glorious martyr worthy of all praise.
1 Timothy 3:14 – 4:5
Timothy, my son: Although I hope to visit you soon, I am writing you about these matters so that if I should be delayed you will know what kind of conduct befits a member of God’s household, the church of the living God, the pillar and bulwark of truth. Wonderful, indeed, is the mystery of our faith, as we say it professing: “He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated in the Spirit; seen by the angels; preached among the Gentiles, believed in throughout the world, taken up into glory.”
The Spirit distinctly says that in later times some will turn away from the faith and will heed deceitful spirits and things taught by demons through plausible liars–men with seared consciences who forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving be believers who know the truth. Everything God created is good; nothing is to be rejected when it is received with thanksgiving, for it is made holy by God’s word and by prayer.
Matthew 3: 1-11
At that time when John the Baptizer made his appearance as a preacher in the desert of Judea, this was his theme: “Reform your lives! The reign of God is at hand.” It was of him that the prophet Isaiah had spoken when he said: “A herald’s voice in the desert: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths.’”
John was clothed in a garment of camel’s hair, and wore a leather belt around his waist. Grasshoppers and wild honey were his food. At that time Jerusalem, all Judea, and the whole region around the Jordan were going out to him. They were being baptized by him in the Jordan River as they confessed their sins.
When John saw that many of the Pharisees and Sadducees were stepping forward for this bath, he said to them: “You brood of vipers! Who told you to flee from the wrath to come? Give some evidence that you mean to reform. Do not pride yourselves on the claim, ‘Abraham is our father.’ I tell you, God can raise up children to Abraham from these very stones. Even now the ax is laid to the root of the tree. Every tree that is not fruitful will be cut down and thrown into the fire. I baptize you in water for the sake of reform, but the one who will follow me is more powerful than I. I am not even fit to carry his sandals. He it is who will baptize you in the Holy Spirit and fire.”
Ephesians 5: 1-8b
Brothers and sisters: Be Imitators of God as his dear children. Follow the way of love, even as Christ loved you. He gave himself for us as an offering to God, a gift of pleasing fragrance.
As for lewd conduct or promiscuousness or less of any sort, let them not even be mentioned among you; your holiness forbids this. Nor should there be any obscene, silly, or suggestive talk; all of that is out of place. Instead, give thanks. Make no mistake about this: no fornicator, no unclean or lustful person – in effect and idolater – has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no one deceive you with worthless arguments. These are sins that bring God’s wrath down on the disobedient; therefore have nothing to do with them. There was a time when you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord.
Luke 17: 3-10
The Lord said: “Be on your guard. If your brother does wrong, correct him; if he repents, forgive him. If he sins against you seven times a day, and seven times a day turns his back to you saying, ‘I am sorry,’ forgive him.”
The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith,” and Jesus answered: “If you had faith the size of a mustard seed, you could say to this sycamore, ‘Be uprooted and transplanted into the sea,’ and it would obey you. If one of you had a servant plowing or herding sheep and he came to you from the fields, would you say to him, ‘Come and sit down at table’? Would you not rather say, ‘Prepare my supper. Put on your apron and wait on me while I eat and drink. You can eat and drink afterward’? Would he be grateful to the servant who was only carrying out his orders? It is quite the same with you who hear me. When you have done all you have been commanded to do, say, ‘We are useless servants. We have done no more than our duty.’”
Icon courtesy of Jack Figel, Eastern Christian Publications– ecpubs.com
Friday, January 2 –
