Sunday, 29 December 2024

Sunday after Nativity

27th Sunday after Pentecost

238 days after Pascha · Tone 2 · Liturgy · No Fast (Fast Free)

Saints commemorated

Holy Innocents of Bethlehem slain by Herod

When the wise men from the East had come to Jerusalem seeking the new-born King of the Jews and had departed by another way, King Herod, perceiving that he had been mocked of the Magi, was exceedingly wroth. Resolved to destroy the Christ Child whose birth he feared as a rival to his throne, he sent forth and slew all the male children that were in Bethlehem and all its borders, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men.

Tradition, following the synaxarion of Constantinople and the chant of the holy hymnographers, numbers these children at fourteen thousand. The infants, slaughtered by the sword in their mothers' arms, became the first martyrs to shed their blood for Christ, though they had not yet been able to confess Him with their lips. The Church honours them as a "harvest of first-fruits" offered to God before the harvest of His apostles and saints, and sees in them the fulfilment of the prophecy of Jeremiah: "In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not."

Among the slain Christian tradition counts also the small son of the priest Zachariah, who, when Zachariah refused to reveal where his son John, the future Forerunner, was hidden, was put to death between the temple and the altar. The Holy Family, warned by an angel, fled into Egypt and so escaped the slaughter, until the death of Herod brought them back into the Holy Land.

Saint Benjamin of Nitria

Saint Benjamin was an ascetic of the Egyptian desert, dwelling in the celebrated monastic settlement of Nitria during the late fourth and early fifth centuries. From his youth he gave himself to fasting, prayer and the eradication of the passions, and through long struggle he received from God the gift of healing. Multitudes flocked to him from far and near, and he laid his hands on the sick and they were made whole. In the last year of his life he was afflicted with a great and painful dropsy, which swelled his body to many times its natural size, so that he could neither walk nor lie at ease. Yet even in this condition he continued to heal others by laying his hands upon them, and his face was filled with peace. He used to say to those who came to comfort him, "Pray rather that the inner man may have no need of healing." So he reposed in peace around the year 392, glorified by God as a great wonderworker of the desert.

Saint Thaddeus the Confessor of the Studite Monastery

Saint Thaddeus was a Scythian by birth, taken captive in his youth and sold as a slave to the family of the noble Theodore the Studite. Recognising his piety, Theodore baptized him and afterwards received him into the great Monastery of Stoudios in Constantinople, where Thaddeus became a fervent disciple of his master and a zealous defender of the holy icons. When the iconoclast persecution flared again under the emperor Leo V the Armenian (813 to 820), Thaddeus was arrested with other monks of the Studite community and pressed to trample upon a holy icon laid before him on the ground. Refusing with horror to commit such an act, he was beaten with cudgels until his body was a single wound, and then dragged by the legs through the streets of the city and thrown out beyond the walls. There he lay for three days, still alive, before he gave up his soul to God around the year 818. His confession is commemorated each year on this day, together with the other saints who suffered for the veneration of icons.

Venerable Marcellus, Abbot of the Monastery of the Unsleeping Ones

He was born to a wealthy family in Syria at the beginning of the fifth century. Early in life he saw the futility of worldly things, gave away all of his wealth, and went to Ephesus, where he earned his living as a scribe. There he was schooled in the virtues by his fellow-worker Promotus, a slave who distributed most of his earnings to the poor; after the day’s work was done, Promotus would take Marcellus to pray all night in the churches and monasteries.

Marcellus heard of the Saint Alexander the Unsleeping (February 25), who had settled near Constantinople with about thirty disciples, who made it their discipline to send up prayer and praise to God at every hour of the day and night. The monastery aroused the resentment of some more worldly monasteries, and the brethren were forced to flee to Bithynia. It was there that Marcellus joined them and took the monastic habit.

After the death of St Alexander and his successor, Marcellus was elected Abbot of the monastery against his will. Under his direction the Monastery of the Unsleeping Ones became a beacon of sanctity, with monks flocking to it from every corner of the Empire. The practice of never-ceasing service to God spread throughout the Empire, in both the West and the East. The monks were divided into three companies according to the language they spoke: Greek, Latin, or Syriac; each company took its turn celebrating the services in its particular language, and thus every hour of the day was given over to God’s glory. The monastery not only grew but give birth to others: The famed Studion Monastery in Constantinople was founded by monks from Marcellus’ monastery.

Saint Marcellus took part in the Council of Chalcedon, defending Orthodoxy against the Monophysite heresy both at the Council and in the years that followed. His generosity and contempt for worldly wealth were known to all: anyone who came to the monastery in need received alms, but God always replenished the funds so that more could be given. When Marcellus inherited his family’s fortune upon his brother’s death, he kept none of it either for himself or even for his monastery, but distributed it to poorer communities and to the needy.

Saint Marcellus reposed in peace around 484, having lived the ascetical life for some sixty years.

Daily readings

5th Matins Gospel

Luke — Luke 24.12-35

¹²But Peter arose, and ran unto the tomb; and stooping and looking in, he seeth the linen cloths by themselves; and he departed to his home, wondering at that which was come to pass. ¹²Then arose Peter, and ran unto the sepulchre; and stooping down, he beheld the linen clothes laid by themselves, and departed, wondering in himself at that which was come to pass.

¹³And behold, two of them were going that very day to a village named Emmaus, which was threescore furlongs from Jerusalem.

¹³And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs. ¹⁴And they talked together of all these things which had happened. ¹⁴And they communed with each other of all these things which had happened. ¹⁵And it came to pass, while they communed and questioned together, that Jesus himself drew near, and went with them. ¹⁵And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them. ¹⁶But their eyes were holden that they should not know him. ¹⁶But their eyes were holden that they should not know him. ¹⁷And he said unto them, What communications are these that ye have one with another, as ye walk? And they stood still, looking sad. ¹⁷And he said unto them, What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad? ¹⁸And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days? ¹⁸And one of them, named Cleopas, answering said unto him, Dost thou alone sojourn in Jerusalem and not know the things which are come to pass there in these days? ¹⁹And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, The things concerning Jesus the Nazarene, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people: ¹⁹And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people: ²⁰And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him. ²⁰and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him. ²¹But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done. ²¹But we hoped that it was he who should redeem Israel. Yea and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things came to pass. ²²Yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulchre; ²²Moreover certain women of our company amazed us, having been early at the tomb; ²³and when they found not his body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive. ²³And when they found not his body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive. ²⁴And certain of them that were with us went to the tomb, and found it even so as the women had said: but him they saw not. ²⁴And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre, and found it even so as the women had said: but him they saw not. ²⁵Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: ²⁵And he said unto them, O foolish men, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! ²⁶Behooved it not the Christ to suffer these things, and to enter into his glory? ²⁶Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? ²⁷And beginning from Moses and from all the prophets, he interpreted to them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. ²⁷And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. ²⁸And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they were going: and he made as though he would go further. ²⁸And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and he made as though he would have gone further. ²⁹But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them. ²⁹And they constrained him, saying, Abide with us; for it is toward evening, and the day is now far spent. And he went in to abide with them. ³⁰And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them. ³⁰And it came to pass, when he had sat down with them to meat, he took the bread and blessed; and breaking it he gave to them. ³¹And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight. ³¹And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight. ³²And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures? ³²And they said one to another, Was not our heart burning within us, while he spake to us in the way, while he opened to us the scriptures? ³³And they rose up that very hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them, ³³And they rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them, ³⁴Saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon. ³⁴saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon. ³⁵And they told what things were done in the way, and how he was known of them in breaking of bread. ³⁵And they rehearsed the things that happened in the way, and how he was known of them in the breaking of the bread.

Epistle

— Sunday after Nativity weekly cycle

Galatians — Galatians 1.11-19

¹¹For I make known to you, brethren, as touching the gospel which was preached by me, that it is not after man. ¹¹But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. ¹²For neither did I receive it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came to me through revelation of Jesus Christ. ¹²For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ. ¹³For ye have heard of my manner of life in time past in the Jews’ religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and made havoc of it: ¹³For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews’ religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it: ¹⁴and I advanced in the Jews’ religion beyond many of mine own age among my countrymen, being more exceedingly zealous for the traditions of my fathers. ¹⁴And profited in the Jews’ religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers. ¹⁵But when it was the good pleasure of God, who separated me, even from my mother’s womb, and called me through his grace, ¹⁵But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb, and called me by his grace, ¹⁶To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood: ¹⁶to reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the Gentiles; straightway I conferred not with flesh and blood: ¹⁷Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus. ¹⁷neither went I up to Jerusalem to them that were apostles before me: but I went away into Arabia; and again I returned unto Damascus.

¹⁸Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas, and tarried with him fifteen days. ¹⁸Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days. ¹⁹But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord’s brother. ¹⁹But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord’s brother.

Gospel

— Sunday after Nativity and Theotokos weekly cycle

Matthew — Matthew 2.13-23

¹³And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.

¹³Now when they were departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I tell thee: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. ¹⁴When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt: ¹⁴And he arose and took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt; ¹⁵And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son. ¹⁵and was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt did I call my son.

¹⁶Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men.

¹⁶Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the Wise-men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the male children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the borders thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had exactly learned of the Wise-men. ¹⁷Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, ¹⁷Then was fulfilled that which was spoken through Jeremiah the prophet, saying, ¹⁸A voice was heard in Ramah, Weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children; And she would not be comforted, because they are not. ¹⁸In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not.

¹⁹But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying,

¹⁹But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, ²⁰Saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child’s life. ²⁰Arise and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead that sought the young child’s life. ²¹And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel. ²¹And he arose and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel. ²²But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judaea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither: notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee: ²²But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judæa in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither; and being warned of God in a dream, he withdrew into the parts of Galilee, ²³And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene. ²³and came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth; that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through the prophets, that he should be called a Nazarene.