Readings for Wed, September 4th

Vespers

Psalm

From the psalms of our teacher David the prophet, may his blessings be with us Amen.

Psalm 132:9,10,17,18

Let Your priests be clothed with righteousness,
        And let Your saints shout for joy.
        For Your servant David's sake,
        Do not turn away the face of Your Anointed.

Gospel

Matt 15:1-11

Then the scribes and Pharisees who were from Jerusalem came to Jesus, saying, "Why do Your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread."
He answered and said to them, "Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition? For God commanded, saying, "Honor your father and your mother'; and, "He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.' But you say, "Whoever says to his father or mother, "Whatever profit you might have received from me is a gift to God"-- then he need not honor his father or mother.' Thus you have made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition. Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying:
        "These people draw near to Me with their mouth,
        And honor Me with their lips,
        But their heart is far from Me.
        And in vain they worship Me,
        Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men."'
When He had called the multitude to Himself, He said to them, "Hear and understand: Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man."

Matins

Psalm

From the psalms of our teacher David the prophet, may his blessings be with us Amen.

Psalm 110:4 & Psalm 110:5 & Psalm 110:7

The LORD has sworn
        And will not relent,
        "You are a priest forever
        According to the order of Melchizedek." The Lord is at Your right hand;
        He shall execute kings in the day of His wrath. He shall drink of the brook by the wayside;
        Therefore He shall lift up the head.

Gospel

Matt 15:12-20

Then His disciples came and said to Him, "Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?"
But He answered and said, "Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch."
Then Peter answered and said to Him, "Explain this parable to us."
So Jesus said, "Are you also still without understanding? Do you not yet understand that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and is eliminated? But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man."

Liturgy

Pauline Epistle

From the epistle of teacher St. Paul the apostle to the (...), may his blessings be with us Amen.

1Cor 10:25— & 1Cor 11:1-1

Eat whatever is sold in the meat market, asking no questions for conscience' sake; for "the earth is the LORD's, and all its fullness."
If any of those who do not believe invites you to dinner, and you desire to go, eat whatever is set before you, asking no question for conscience' sake. But if anyone says to you, "This was offered to idols," do not eat it for the sake of the one who told you, and for conscience' sake; for "the earth is the LORD's, and all its fullness." "Conscience," I say, not your own, but that of the other. For why is my liberty judged by another man's conscience? But if I partake with thanks, why am I evil spoken of for the food over which I give thanks?
Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. Give no offense, either to the Jews or to the Greeks or to the church of God, just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.
Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ.

The grace of God the Father be with you all. Amen.

Catholic Epistle

The catholic epistle from the epistle of our teacher St. (...), may his blessings be with us Amen. My beloved.

1Jn 4:15-21

Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.
Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. We love Him because He first loved us.
If someone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also.

The Acts of our fathers the Apostles, may their holy blessings be with us all. Amen.

Acts 5:34:42

Then one in the council stood up, a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law held in respect by all the people, and commanded them to put the apostles outside for a little while.

Psalm

From the psalms of our teacher David the prophet, may his blessings be with us Amen.

Psalm 68:19

Blessed be the Lord,
        Who daily loads us with benefits,
        The God of our salvation!Selah

Gospel

Jn 8:21-27

Then Jesus said to them again, "I am going away, and you will seek Me, and will die in your sin. Where I go you cannot come."
So the Jews said, "Will He kill Himself, because He says, "Where I go you cannot come'?"
And He said to them, "You are from beneath; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins."
Then they said to Him, "Who are You?"
And Jesus said to them, "Just what I have been saying to you from the beginning. I have many things to say and to judge concerning you, but He who sent Me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I heard from Him."
They did not understand that He spoke to them of the Father.