The North American Thebaid
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Thursday May 8, 2025 / April 25, 2025
Third Week of Pascha. Tone two.
Holy Apostle and Evangelist Mark (63).
Martyr Sergius (1938).
Venerable Basil Polianomerulsk (1767) (Romania).
Venerable Sylvester, abbot of Obnora (1379).
“Constantinople” Icon (1071) of the Mother of God.
St. Macedonius, patriarch of Constantinople (516).
St. Aninanus, second bishop of Alexandria (86).
Hieromartyr Stephen, bishop of Antioch (479).
Martyr Nice (Greek).
Eight anchorites who were martyred. (Greek).
The Scripture Readings
Luke 10:1-15 Matins, Gospel
1
After these things the Lord appointed seventy others also, and sent them two by two before His face into every city and place where He Himself was about to go.
2
Then He said to them, “The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.
3
Go your way; behold, I send you out as lambs among wolves.
4
Carry neither money bag, knapsack, nor sandals; and greet no one along the road.
5
But whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’
6
And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest on it; if not, it will return to you.
7
And remain in the same house, eating and drinking such things as they give, for the laborer is worthy of his wages. Do not go from house to house.
8
Whatever city you enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you.
9
And heal the sick there, and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’
10
But whatever city you enter, and they do not receive you, go out into its streets and say,
11
‘The very dust of your city which clings to us we wipe off against you. Nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God has come near you.’
12
But I say to you that it will be more tolerable in that Day for Sodom than for that city.
13
Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.
14
But it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you.
15
And you, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to Hades.
26
Now an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, “Arise and go toward the south along the road which goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” This is desert.
27
So he arose and went. And behold, a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace the queen of the Ethiopians, who had charge of all her treasury, and had come to Jerusalem to worship,
28
was returning. And sitting in his chariot, he was reading Isaiah the prophet.
29
Then the Spirit said to Philip, “Go near and overtake this chariot.”
30
So Philip ran to him, and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, “Do you understand what you are reading?”
31
And he said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he asked Philip to come up and sit with him.
32
The place in the Scripture which he read was this: He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; And as a lamb before its shearer is silent, So He opened not His mouth.
33
In His humiliation His justice was taken away, And who will declare His generation? For His life is taken from the earth.”
34
So the eunuch answered Philip and said, “I ask you, of whom does the prophet say this, of himself or of some other man?”
35
Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him.
36
Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, “See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?”
37
Then Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” And he answered and said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”
38
So he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him.
39
Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, so that the eunuch saw him no more; and he went on his way rejoicing.
40
And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.
41
The Jews then complained about Him, because He said, “I am the bread which came down from heaven.”
42
And they said, “Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How is it then that He says, ‘I have come down from heaven’?”
43
Jesus therefore answered and said to them, “Do not murmur among yourselves.
44
No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day.
1 Peter 5:6-14 St. Mark
6
Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time,
7
casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.
8
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
9
Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.
10
But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.
11
To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.
12
By Silvanus, our faithful brother as I consider him, I have written to you briefly, exhorting and testifying that this is the true grace of God in which you stand.
13
She who is in Babylon, elect together with you, greets you; and so does Mark my son.
14
Greet one another with a kiss of love. Peace to you all who are in Christ Jesus. Amen.
Mark 6:7-13 St. Mark
7
And He called the twelve to Himself, and began to send them out two by two, and gave them power over unclean spirits.
8
He commanded them to take nothing for the journey except a staff-no bag, no bread, no copper in their money belts-
9
but to wear sandals, and not to put on two tunics.
10
Also He said to them, “In whatever place you enter a house, stay there till you depart from that place.
11
And whoever will not receive you nor hear you, when you depart from there, shake off the dust under your feet as a testimony against them. Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city.
12
So they went out and preached that people should repent.
13
And they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick, and healed them.