Borrower Beware
“Borrowing is the beginning of falsity; an opportunity for ingratitude, for senseless pride… When you have borrowed you will not be rich, and you will be deprived of freedom. He who borrows is the slave of his creditor, a slave serving for pay.”
-Saint Basil The Great
#slave #debt #freedom
Tuesday December 17, 2024 / December 4, 2024
26th Week after Pentecost. Tone eight.
Nativity (St. Philip’s Fast). Fish Allowed
Great-martyr Barbara and Martyr Juliana at Heliapolis in Syria (306).
Venerable John Damascene (760).
New Hieromartyrs Alexis, John, Alexander and Nicholas priests, Basil deacon and with him 10 Martyrs (1918).
New Hieromartyr Demetrius priest, Virgin-martyrs Anastasia, Catherine and Cyra (1937).
New Hieromartyr Damascene, bishop of Glukhov (1935) and his father priest Nicholas (Tsedrik).
Venerable John, bishop of Polybotum (716).
St. Gennadius, archbishop of Novgorod (1504).
New Hieromartyr Seraphim, bishop of Phanar (Greek).
Martyrs Christodula and Chistodulus (Greek).
The Scripture Readings
Matthew 25:1-13 Matins Gospel
1
Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.
2
Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish.
3
Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them,
4
but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
5
But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept.
6
And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’
7
Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps.
8
And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’
9
But the wise answered, saying, ‘No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’
10
And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut.
11
Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’
12
But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’
13
Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.
8
But we know that the law is good if one uses it lawfully,
9
knowing this: that the law is not made for a righteous person, but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and for sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,
10
for fornicators, for sodomites, for kidnappers, for liars, for perjurers, and if there is any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine,
11
according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God which was committed to my trust.
12
And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry,
13
although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.
14
And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus.
12
But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons. You will be brought before kings and rulers for My name’s sake.
13
But it will turn out for you as an occasion for testimony.
14
Therefore settle it in your hearts not to meditate beforehand on what you will answer;
15
for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries will not be able to contradict or resist.
16
You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, relatives and friends; and they will put some of you to death.
17
And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake.
18
But not a hair of your head shall be lost.
19
By your patience possess your souls.
Wednesday Reading
1 Timothy 1:18-20; 2:8-15
18
This charge I commit to you, son Timothy, according to the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you may wage the good warfare,
19
having faith and a good conscience, which some having rejected, concerning the faith have suffered shipwreck,
20
of whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I delivered to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme.
8
I desire therefore that the men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting;
9
in like manner also, that the women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and moderation, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing,
10
but, which is proper for women professing godliness, with good works.
11
Let a woman learn in silence with all submission.
12
And I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence.
13
For Adam was formed first, then Eve.
14
And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression.
15
Nevertheless she will be saved in childbearing if they continue in faith, love, and holiness, with self-control.
5
Then, as some spoke of the temple, how it was adorned with beautiful stones and donations, He said,
6
These things which you see-the days will come in which not one stone shall be left upon another that shall not be thrown down.
7
So they asked Him, saying, “Teacher, but when will these things be? And what sign will there be when these things are about to take place?”
10
Then He said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.
11
And there will be great earthquakes in various places, and famines and pestilences; and there will be fearful sights and great signs from heaven.
20
But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near.
21
Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those who are in the midst of her depart, and let not those who are in the country enter her.
22
For these are the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.
23
But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! For there will be great distress in the land and wrath upon this people.
24
And they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led away captive into all nations. And Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.
Galatians 3:23-29 Great-martyr Barbara
23
But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed.
24
Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
25
But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.
26
For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.
27
For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
28
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
29
And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.
Mark 5:24-34 Great-martyr Barbara
24
So Jesus went with him, and a great multitude followed Him and thronged Him.
25
Now a certain woman had a flow of blood for twelve years,
26
and had suffered many things from many physicians. She had spent all that she had and was no better, but rather grew worse.
27
When she heard about Jesus, she came behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment.
28
For she said, “If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well.”
29
Immediately the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of the affliction.
30
And Jesus, immediately knowing in Himself that power had gone out of Him, turned around in the crowd and said, “Who touched My clothes?”
31
But His disciples said to Him, “You see the multitude thronging You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’ ”
32
And He looked around to see her who had done this thing.
33
But the woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth.
34
And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction.”
https://rumble.com/v5z1fke-borrower-beware.html
https://old.bitchute.com/video/x8Pvdnm9rgNj/