Wednesday, 3 January 2024

Forefeast of Theophany

Wednesday of the 31st week after Pentecost

262 days after Pascha · Tone 5 · Liturgy · No Fast (Fast Free)

Saints commemorated

Holy Prophet Malachi

The Holy Prophet Malachi was the last of the writing prophets of the Old Testament, born after the return of the Jewish people from exile in Babylon in 538 BC. According to sacred tradition, his name was derived from the Hebrew word "malakh," meaning messenger or angel, given perhaps because of his purity of spirit, his outward beauty, or his close communion with the angels of God. The Prophet Malachi lived approximately five hundred years before the incarnation of Christ and clearly foretold the coming and ministry of Saint John the Baptist, the Forerunner of Christ. He was particularly known as the prophet of the Day of Judgment, and his prophecies concerning the future judgement of mankind remain central to Orthodox eschatology. The book of the Prophet Malachi concludes the Old Testament canon and is filled with his warnings to the people of Israel regarding their unfaithfulness, his call to repentance, and his prophecies about the coming of the Messiah. The Prophet Malachi received his vocation from God while yet young and spent his life proclaiming God's word to the people. After him there arose no prophet in Israel until the coming of John the Baptist, who prepared the way for the Lord Jesus Christ. The exact date and manner of his repose are not recorded in Scripture, but tradition holds that he went to God in his youth. He is commemorated on 3 January in the Eastern Orthodox Church.

Martyr Gordius of Caesarea in Cappadocia

314

The Holy Martyr Gordius was born at the end of the third century in the city of Caesarea of Cappadocia to a devout Christian family. When he came of age, he entered the military service of the Roman Empire and, owing to his courage and military skill, was advanced to the rank of centurion. During the fierce persecution of Christians under the Emperor Diocletian and his successor Licinius in the early fourth century, Gordius was deeply troubled by the impiety and idolatry that surrounded him. Unable to endure the atmosphere of pagan worship any longer, he resolved to renounce the world and withdrew to the wilderness to purify himself through prayer, fasting, and ascetical struggle. He spent considerable time in the mountains in solitary prayer, preparing himself spiritually for the good work of confessing Christ before men. After perceiving that his ascetical training had sufficiently prepared him for the struggle, he descended from the mountains when a great pagan festival was being celebrated in Caesarea. Before the multitude assembled for the festival, he boldly professed his Christian faith to the Governor and the people. The pagan authorities subjected him to severe tortures on account of his refusal to renounce Christ and offer sacrifice to idols. After enduring these grievous torments with steadfast faith, the holy martyr Gordius was beheaded in the year 314 during the reign of the Emperor Licinius. His feast was originally celebrated on 2 March but was later transferred to 3 January by the Synaxarion of Constantinople.

Righteous Genevieve of Paris

Saint Genevieve was born of wealthy parents in the village of Nanterre near Paris, in Gaul (modern France), around the year 422. At the age of fifteen, she was taken to Paris to enter the monastic life, where she progressed in monasticism through rigorous fasting, vigilant prayer, and ascetical labour. Through her devotion, she received from God the gifts of clairvoyance and of working miracles. She became renowned throughout the region as a protectress of Paris and an intercessor with God on behalf of her people. Saint Genevieve fell asleep in the Lord around the year 512 at the age of eighty-nine, leaving behind a legacy of sanctity that has made her patron saint of Paris.

Righteous Thomais of Lesbos

Saint Thomais of Lesbos was a righteous ascetic of the tenth century who lived in the Orthodox tradition of monastic virtue. She is commemorated among the saints of the Eastern Orthodox Church as an example of feminine ascetical accomplishment and steadfast devotion to God. Though historical details of her life are limited in surviving records, her memory is preserved in the Church's calendar as a testament to her holiness.

Daily readings

Epistle

weekly cycle

James — James 1.1-18

¹James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are of the Dispersion, greeting.

¹James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.

²Count it all joy, my brethren, when ye fall into manifold temptations;

²My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; ³knowing that the proving of your faith worketh patience. ³Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. ⁴And let patience have its perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, lacking in nothing. ⁴But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. ⁵If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

⁵But if any of you lacketh wisdom, let him ask of God, who giveth to all liberally and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. ⁶But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. ⁶But let him ask in faith, nothing doubting: for he that doubteth is like the surge of the sea driven by the wind and tossed. ⁷For let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord; ⁷For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. ⁸a doubleminded man, unstable in all his ways. ⁸A double minded man is unstable in all his ways. ⁹Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted:

⁹But let the brother of low degree glory in his high estate: ¹⁰But the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away. ¹⁰and the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away. ¹¹For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth: so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways. ¹¹For the sun ariseth with the scorching wind, and withereth the grass; and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth: so also shall the rich man fade away in his goings. ¹²Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.

¹²Blessed is the man that endureth temptation; for when he hath been approved, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord promised to them that love him. ¹³Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God; for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempteth no man: ¹³Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: ¹⁴but each man is tempted, when he is drawn away by his own lust, and enticed. ¹⁴But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. ¹⁵Then the lust, when it hath conceived, beareth sin: and the sin, when it is fullgrown, bringeth forth death. ¹⁵Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. ¹⁶Be not deceived, my beloved brethren. ¹⁶Do not err, my beloved brethren. ¹⁷Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom can be no variation, neither shadow that is cast by turning. ¹⁷Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. ¹⁸Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. ¹⁸Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

Gospel

weekly cycle

Luke — Luke 15.1-10

¹Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him.

¹Now all the publicans and sinners were drawing near unto him to hear him. ²And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them. ²And both the Pharisees and the scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.

³And he spake this parable unto them, saying,

³And he spake unto them this parable, saying, ⁴What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? ⁴What man of you, having a hundred sheep, and having lost one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? ⁵And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. ⁵And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. ⁶And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and his neighbors, saying unto them, Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost. ⁶And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost. ⁷I say unto you, that even so there shall be joy in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine righteous persons, who need no repentance. ⁷I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.

⁸Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it?

⁸Or what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a lamp, and sweep the house, and seek diligently until she find it? ⁹And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends and her neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I had lost. ⁹And when she hath found it, she calleth together her friends and neighbors, saying, Rejoice with me, for I have found the piece which I had lost. ¹⁰Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth. ¹⁰Even so, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.