Sunday January 5, 2025 / December 23, 2024
28th Sunday after Pentecost. Tone three.
Nativity (St. Philip’s Fast). Food with Oil
Sunday before the Nativity of our Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ.
Forefeast of the Nativity of Christ.
Holy Ten Martyrs of Crete: Theodulus, Saturninus, Euporus, Gelasius, Eunician, Zoticus, Pompeius, Agathopus, Basilides, and Evaristus (250).
New Hieromartyr Basil priest and Hieromartyrs Macarius and John (1938).
St. Theoctistus, archbishop of Novgorod (1310).
Venerable Niphon bishop of Cyprus (4th c.).
Venerable Paul, bishop of Neo-Caesarea (4th c.).
St. Nahum of Ochrid, enlightener of the Bulgarians (910) (Bulgaria).
New Hieromartyrs John Piankov and Nicholas Yakhontov priests (1918).
Venerable David of Echmiadzin in Armenia (693).
Venerable Niphon, bishop of Cyprus (4th c.).
New Hieromartyr Paul (Kratirov) bishop of Starobelsk.
St. Egbert of Rathmelsigi (729) (Neth.).
The Scripture Readings
Luke 24:36-53 (6th Matins Gospel)
36
Now as they said these things, Jesus Himself stood in the midst of them, and said to them, “Peace to you.”
37
But they were terrified and frightened, and supposed they had seen a spirit.
38
And He said to them, “Why are you troubled? And why do doubts arise in your hearts?
39
Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself. Handle Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have.
40
When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His feet.
41
But while they still did not believe for joy, and marveled, He said to them, “Have you any food here?”
42
So they gave Him a piece of a broiled fish and some honeycomb.
43
And He took it and ate in their presence.
44
Then He said to them, “These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.”
45
And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures.
46
Then He said to them, “Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day,
47
and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
48
And you are witnesses of these things.
49
Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.
50
And He led them out as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them.
51
Now it came to pass, while He blessed them, that He was parted from them and carried up into heaven.
52
And they worshiped Him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy,
53
and were continually in the temple praising and blessing God. Amen.
Hebrews 11:9-10, 17-23, 32-40 Sunday Before
9
By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise;
10
for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
17
By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,
18
of whom it was said, “In Isaac your seed shall be called,”
19
concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense.
20
By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come.
21
By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff.
22
By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel, and gave instructions concerning his bones.
23
By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king’s command.
32
And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah, also of David and Samuel and the prophets:
33
who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,
34
quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.
35
Women received their dead raised to life again. Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection.
36
Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment.
37
They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented-
38
of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth.
39
And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise,
40
God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us.
Matthew 1:1-25 Sunday Before
1
The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham:
2
Abraham begot Isaac, Isaac begot Jacob, and Jacob begot Judah and his brothers.
3
Judah begot Perez and Zerah by Tamar, Perez begot Hezron, and Hezron begot Ram.
4
Ram begot Amminadab, Amminadab begot Nahshon, and Nahshon begot Salmon.
5
Salmon begot Boaz by Rahab, Boaz begot Obed by Ruth, Obed begot Jesse,
6
and Jesse begot David the king. David the king begot Solomon by her who had been the wife of Uriah.
7
Solomon begot Rehoboam, Rehoboam begot Abijah, and Abijah begot Asa.
8
Asa begot Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat begot Joram, and Joram begot Uzziah.
9
Uzziah begot Jotham, Jotham begot Ahaz, and Ahaz begot Hezekiah.
10
Hezekiah begot Manasseh, Manasseh begot Amon, and Amon begot Josiah.
11
Josiah begot Jeconiah and his brothers about the time they were carried away to Babylon.
12
And after they were brought to Babylon, Jeconiah begot Shealtiel, and Shealtiel begot Zerubbabel.
13
Zerubbabel begot Abiud, Abiud begot Eliakim, and Eliakim begot Azor.
14
Azor begot Zadok, Zadok begot Achim, and Achim begot Eliud.
15
Eliud begot Eleazar, Eleazar begot Matthan, and Matthan begot Jacob.
16
And Jacob begot Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus who is called Christ.
17
So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations, from David until the captivity in Babylon are fourteen generations, and from the captivity in Babylon until the Christ are fourteen generations.
18
Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit.
19
Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly.
20
But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.
21
And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins.
22
So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying:
23
Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel, which is translated, “God with us.”
24
Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife,
25
and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His name JESUS.