Courageously Drink It To The Dregs
“You receive the Cup which seemingly comes from the hands of man. What is it to you whether the bearer of the Cup acts righteously or unrighteously? As a follower of Jesus, your concern is to act righteously; to receive the Cup with thanksgiving to God and with a living faith; and courageously to drink it to the dregs.”
Saint Ignatius Brianchaninov
Friday January 3, 2025 / December 21, 2024
28th Week after Pentecost. Tone two.
Nativity (St. Philip’s Fast). Fast.
Forefeast of the Nativity of Christ.
Virgin-martyr Juliana of Nicomedia, and with her 500 men and 130 women (304).
Repose of St. Peter, metropolitan of All Russia (1326).
New Hieromartyr Michael priest (1918).
New Hieromartyr Sergius deacon (1937).
New Hieromartyr Nicetas bishop of Belevsk (1938).
New Hieromartyr Leontius deacon (1940).
St. Juliana, princess of Vyazma (1406).
Blessed Procopius of Vyatka, fool-for-Christ (1677).
St. Philaret (Theodosius in schema), metropolitan of Kiev (1857).
Martyr Theomistocles of Myra in Lycia (251).
St. Macarius the Faster, Abbot of the Khakhuli Monastery (11th c.) (Georgia).
St. Anthony II The Catholicos of Georgia (1827) (Georgia).
Finding of the relics (1950) of New Monk-martyr Ephraim of Nea Makri (1426).
The Scripture Readings
John 10:1-9 Matins Gospel
1
Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.
2
But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.
3
To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.
4
And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.
5
Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.
6
Jesus used this illustration, but they did not understand the things which He spoke to them.
7
Then Jesus said to them again, “Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.
8
All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them.
9
I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.
15
To the pure all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; but even their mind and conscience are defiled.
16
They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work.
1
But as for you, speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine:
2
that the older men be sober, reverent, temperate, sound in faith, in love, in patience;
3
the older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things-
4
that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children,
5
to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed.
6
Likewise, exhort the young men to be sober-minded,
7
in all things showing yourself to be a pattern of good works; in doctrine showing integrity, reverence, incorruptibility,
8
sound speech that cannot be condemned, that one who is an opponent may be ashamed, having nothing evil to say of you.
9
Exhort bondservants to be obedient to their own masters, to be well pleasing in all things, not answering back,
10
not pilfering, but showing all good fidelity, that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things.
23
Then Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, “How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!”
24
And the disciples were astonished at His words. But Jesus answered again and said to them, “Children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God!
25
It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.
26
And they were greatly astonished, saying among themselves, “Who then can be saved?”
27
But Jesus looked at them and said, “With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible.”
28
Then Peter began to say to Him, “See, we have left all and followed You.”
29
So Jesus answered and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My sake and the gospel’s,
30
who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time-houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions-and in the age to come, eternal life.
31
But many who are first will be last, and the last first.
32
Now they were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was going before them; and they were amazed. And as they followed they were afraid. Then He took the twelve aside again and began to tell them the things that would happen to Him:
Hebrews 7:26-8:2 St. Peter
26
For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens;
27
who does not need daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the people’s, for this He did once for all when He offered up Himself.
28
For the law appoints as high priests men who have weakness, but the word of the oath, which came after the law, appoints the Son who has been perfected forever.
1
Now this is the main point of the things we are saying: We have such a High Priest, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens,
2
a Minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle which the Lord erected, and not man.
Luke 6:17-23 St. Peter
17
And He came down with them and stood on a level place with a crowd of His disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem, and from the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear Him and be healed of their diseases,
18
as well as those who were tormented with unclean spirits. And they were healed.
19
And the whole multitude sought to touch Him, for power went out from Him and healed them all.
20
Then He lifted up His eyes toward His disciples, and said: Blessed are you poor, For yours is the kingdom of God.
21
Blessed are you who hunger now, For you shall be filled. Blessed are you who weep now, For you shall laugh.
22
Blessed are you when men hate you, And when they exclude you, And revile you, and cast out your name as evil, For the Son of Man’s sake.
23
Rejoice in that day and leap for joy! For indeed your reward is great in heaven, For in like manner their fathers did to the prophets.
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