(Photos: Fr Martin, guest Fr Theodore, Br Basil. Our monastery cats Nash, Wessin, and Tigger)
Friday July 11, 2025 / June 28, 2025
5th Week after Pentecost. Tone three.
Apostles’ (Peter & Paul) Fast. Food with Oil
Translation of the relics (412) of the Holy and Wonderworking Unmercenaries Cyrus and John (311).
Venerables Sergius and Herman (14th c.), abbots of Valaam.
New Hieromartyr Basil, deacon (1918).
Virgin-martyr Sebastiana (1938).
New Hieromartyr Gregory, deacon (1940).
Venerable Xenophon, abbot of Robeika (Novgorod) (1262).
Venerable Paul the Physician of Corinth (7th c.).
Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos “Of the Three Hands” (8th c.).
Venerable Sergius of Crete.
Venerable Moses the Anchorite.
St. Sennuphius the Standard-bearer of Egypt (4th c.).
St. Austol of Cornwall (6th c.) (Celtic & British).
Hieromartyr Donatus of Libya (Greek).
Three Martyrs of Galatia (Greek).
70 Martyrs of Scythopolis (Greek).
Martyr Pappias (Greek).
Martyr Macedonius (Greek).
Venerable Magnus, monk who reposed while praying to the Lord (Greek).
Martyrs Serenus, Plutarchus, Heraclides, Heron, Raiso, and others in Alexandria (202).
The Scripture Readings
Luke 1:39-49, 56 Matins Gospel (Theotokos)
39
Now Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, to a city of Judah,
40
and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth.
41
And it happened, when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, that the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
42
Then she spoke out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!
43
But why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
44
For indeed, as soon as the voice of your greeting sounded in my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.
45
Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord.
46
And Mary said: “My soul magnifies the Lord,
47
And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.
48
For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant; For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed.
49
For He who is mighty has done great things for me, And holy is His name.
56
And Mary remained with her about three months, and returned to her house.
or Matthew 11:27-30 (if Saints Cyrus and John service perform)
27
All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.
28
Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
29
Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
30
For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.
1
I commend to you Phoebe our sister, who is a servant of the church in Cenchrea,
2
that you may receive her in the Lord in a manner worthy of the saints, and assist her in whatever business she has need of you; for indeed she has been a helper of many and of myself also.
3
Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus,
4
who risked their own necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles.
5
Likewise greet the church that is in their house. Greet my beloved Epaenetus, who is the firstfruits of Achaia to Christ.
6
Greet Mary, who labored much for us.
7
Greet Andronicus and Junia, my countrymen and my fellow prisoners, who are of note among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me.
8
Greet Amplias, my beloved in the Lord.
9
Greet Urbanus, our fellow worker in Christ, and Stachys, my beloved.
10
Greet Apelles, approved in Christ. Greet those who are of the household of Aristobulus.
11
Greet Herodion, my countryman. Greet those who are of the household of Narcissus who are in the Lord.
12
Greet Tryphena and Tryphosa, who have labored in the Lord. Greet the beloved Persis, who labored much in the Lord.
13
Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord, and his mother and mine.
14
Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermas, Patrobas, Hermes, and the brethren who are with them.
15
Greet Philologus and Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints who are with them.
16
Greet one another with a holy kiss. The churches of Christ greet you.
4
And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them.
5
Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth.
6
But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away.
7
And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked them.
8
But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.
9
He who has ears to hear, let him hear!
Saturday Reading
Romans 8:14-21
14
For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.
15
For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.”
16
The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,
17
and if children, then heirs-heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.
18
For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
19
For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God.
20
For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope;
21
because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
9
As Jesus passed on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, “Follow Me.” So he arose and followed Him.
10
Now it happened, as Jesus sat at the table in the house, that behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Him and His disciples.
11
And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to His disciples, “Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
12
When Jesus heard that, He said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.
13
But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice.’ For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.
Philippians 2:5-11 Theotokos
5
Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,
6
who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God,
7
but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.
8
And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.
9
Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name,
10
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth,
11
and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Luke 10:38-42; 11:27-28 Theotokos
38
Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house.
39
And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word.
40
But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me.”
41
And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things.
42
But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.
27
And it happened, as He spoke these things, that a certain woman from the crowd raised her voice and said to Him, “Blessed is the womb that bore You, and the breasts which nursed You!”
28
But He said, “More than that, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it!”
Galatians 5:22-6:2 Saints
22
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23
gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
24
And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
25
If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
26
Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.
1
Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.
2
Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
Luke 6:17-23 Saints
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.