'Daily Bread'
Friday, April 26, 2024
“One evil receives strength from another. In the same way, good deeds also sprout one from another, and the one in whom they are found grows larger.”
- St. Mark the Ascetic, Homilies, 2.93
Daily Scripture Reading for Friday, April 26, 2024
6th Hour Reading: Isaiah 66:10-24
10 “Rejoice with Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all you who love her; rejoice for joy with her, all you who mourn for her;
11 That you may feed and be satisfied with the consolation of her bosom, that you may drink deeply and be delighted with the abundance of her glory.”
12 For thus says the Lord: “Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream. Then you shall feed; on her sides shall you be carried, and be dandled on her knees.
13 As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you; and you shall be comforted in Jerusalem.”
14 When you see this, your heart shall rejoice, and your bones shall flourish like grass; the hand of the Lord shall be known to His servants, and His indignation to His enemies.
15 For behold, the Lord will come with fire and with His chariots, like a whirlwind, to render His anger with fury, and His rebuke with flames of fire.
16 For by fire and by His sword the Lord will judge all flesh; and the slain of the Lord shall be many.
17 “Those who sanctify themselves and purify themselves, to go to the gardens after an idol in the midst, eating swine’s flesh and the abomination and the mouse, shall be consumed together,” says the Lord.
18 “For I know their works and their thoughts. It shall be that I will gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come and see My glory.
19 “I will set a sign among them; and those among them who escape I will send to the nations: to Tarshish and Pul and Lud, who draw the bow, and Tubal and Javan, to the coastlands afar off who have not heard My fame nor seen My glory. And they shall declare My glory among the Gentiles.
20 “Then they shall bring all your brethren for an offering to the Lord out of all nations, on horses and in chariots and in litters, on mules and on camels, to My holy mountain Jerusalem,” says the Lord, “as the children of Israel bring an offering in a clean vessel into the house of the Lord.
21 “And I will also take some of them for priests and Levites,” says the Lord.
22 “For as the new heavens and the new earth which I will make shall remain before Me,” says the Lord, “so shall your descendants and your name remain.
23 And it shall come to pass that from one New Moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another, all flesh shall come to worship before Me,” says the Lord.
24 “And they shall go forth and look upon the corpses of the men Who have transgressed against Me. For their worm does not die, and their fire is not quenched. They shall be an abhorrence to all flesh.”
Vespers 2nd Reading: Proverbs 31:8-31
8 Open your mouth for the speechless, in the cause of all who are appointed to die.
9 Open your mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy.
10 Who can find a virtuous wife? For her worth is far above rubies.
11 The heart of her husband safely trusts her; so he will have no lack of gain.
12 She does him good and not evil all the days of her life.
13 She seeks wool and flax, And willingly works with her hands.
14 She is like the merchant ships, she brings her food from afar.
15 She also rises while it is yet night, and provides food for her household, and a portion for her maidservants.
16 She considers a field and buys it; from her profits she plants a vineyard.
17 She girds herself with strength, and strengthens her arms.
18 She perceives that her merchandise is good, and her lamp does not go out by night.
19 She stretches out her hands to the distaff, and her hand holds the spindle.
20 She extends her hand to the poor, yes, she reaches out her hands to the needy.
21 She is not afraid of snow for her household, for all her household is clothed with scarlet.
22 She makes tapestry for herself; her clothing is fine linen and purple.
23 Her husband is known in the gates, when he sits among the elders of the land.
24 She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies sashes for the merchants.
25 Strength and honor are her clothing; she shall rejoice in time to come.
26 She opens her mouth with wisdom, and on her tongue is the law of kindness.
27 She watches over the ways of her household, and does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her:
29 “Many daughters have done well, but you excel them all.”
30 Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised.
31 Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her own works praise her in the gates.
St. Stephen, Bishop of Perm (1396) - April 26
Our father among the saints Stephen of Perm was a fourteenth-century Russian missionary who is known as the Enlightener of Perm and Apostle to the Zyrians for bringing Orthodox Christianity to the Zyriane (Komi) people. To facilitate his missionary activities, he developed an alphabet for the Komi (Permic) language.
Stephen is believed to have been born in the town of Ustiug about 1340 into the family of Simeon, who was among the clergy of the Ustiug cathedral. According to church tradition his mother was a Komi woman. From childhood, Stephen showed great abilities and a zeal for the services of the Church. He learned to read the Holy Scriptures within a year and also served as a canonarch and reader.
At a young age Stephen entered the monastery of St Gregory the Theologian in Rostov, where he used its extensive library to increase his knowledge of Christianity, particularly in studying the Holy Scriptures and the Greek language. He learned Greek language so that he could read the Scriptures in their original language. He soon received monastic tonsure. Having grown up with the pagan Zyrian people, he became inspired to bring them to Christ. To do so, Stephen formulated a Zyrian (Permic) alphabet using Slavonic and Greek letters, since he wanted to bring Christ to them in their own language. He then translated a number of liturgical books using this Permic alphabet. At this time he was ordained to the rank of hierodeacon by Bp. Arsenius of Rostov.
Scenes from Pascha 2023 - Saint Photios Orthodox Theological Seminary
This week’s calendar reminders:
Monday 4/22: Lenten Matins 8:30 a.m.
Tuesday 4/23: No services or events
Wednesday 4/24: Pre-sanctified Liturgy 6:30 p.m.
Thursday 4/25: Lenten Matins 8:30 a.m.
Friday 4/26: Vespers of Lazarus 7 p.m.
Saturday 4/27: Lazarus Saturday Liturgy 9:15 a.m.; Vigil for Palm Sunday 6 p.m.
Sunday 4/28: Palm Sunday Baptismal Liturgy 9:15 a.m.; Bridegroom Matins 4pm @All Saints, Hartford (not in Southbury)
