Day 1 (Monday)

Genesis 13:1-18 (Abram and Lot Separate)

Last time we read from chapter 12 about how God called Abram to leave his homeland, and how he arrived in Canaan. The latter portion of chapter 12, which we did not read last week, but read last year in week 14, shows what happened when there was a famine, and how Abram and his household went into Egypt, where Abram lied to Pharaoh about his wife, and said that she was his sister, so that Pharaoh tried to take her as his own wife, until the Lord sent sickness and plague upon his household to prevent this from happening. Pharaoh was (not unreasonably) irritated with Abram, and gave Sarah back to him, and sent him and his household away. This is where we will pick up the story.

Abram and Lot Separate

13 So Abram went up from Egypt, he and his wife, and all that he had, and Lot with him, into the Negeb.

2 Now Abram was very rich in livestock, in silver, and in gold. 3 He journeyed on by stages from the Negeb as far as Bethel, to the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai, 4 to the place where he had made an altar at the first; and there Abram called on the name of the Lord. 5 Now Lot, who went with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents, 6 so that the land could not support both of them living together; for their possessions were so great that they could not live together, 7 and there was strife between the herders of Abram’s livestock and the herders of Lot’s livestock. At that time the Canaanites and the Perizzites lived in the land.

8 Then Abram said to Lot, “Let there be no strife between you and me, and between your herders and my herders; for we are kindred. 9 Is not the whole land before you? Separate yourself from me. If you take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if you take the right hand, then I will go to the left.” 10 Lot looked about him, and saw that the plain of the Jordan was well watered everywhere like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt, in the direction of Zoar; this was before the Lord had destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. 11 So Lot chose for himself all the plain of the Jordan, and Lot journeyed eastward; thus they separated from each other. 12 Abram settled in the land of Canaan, while Lot settled among the cities of the Plain and moved his tent as far as Sodom. 13 Now the people of Sodom were wicked, great sinners against the Lord.

14 The Lord said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him, “Raise your eyes now, and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward; 15 for all the land that you see I will give to you and to your offspring forever. 16 I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth; so that if one can count the dust of the earth, your offspring also can be counted. 17 Rise up, walk through the length and the breadth of the land, for I will give it to you.” 18 So Abram moved his tent, and came and settled by the oaks of Mamre, which are at Hebron; and there he built an altar to the Lord.

Discussion questions:

1) What did you notice in today’s reading? What surprised you or what was memorable to you? (Leader should note that Lot chose what seemed to be the best portion, but the result was that he went to live among great sinners, and became separated from the Lord and His blessings. Meanwhile, Abram receives here, for the first time, the promise that his descendants will inherit the land. We must remember that, at this time, Abram and his wife are both already elderly, past their 80’s, and no longer able to have children, and have never had any children up to this point, so what God is promising is impossible in terms of any human experience. This is God’s promise to raise up from Abram, in an entirely miraculous way, a new nation, that is particularly and uniquely His own priestly people.)

2) Where do we see Christ in this text; what is He saying or doing here?

3) Do we see ourselves and the Church in this text; what does it say about us?

4) What do you find difficult about this reading? Is there anything confusing about it, or anything that you dislike? (This is an open question, as always)

5) Does this reading make you think that you need to change anything in your life?

Day 2 (Wednesday)

Prayer at the Second Antiphon

When we begin the Divine Liturgy Sunday morning (at 9:30 am or so), we start with the Great Litany (with all the Lord, have mercy’s), and then we sing either two Psalms and the Beatitudes, or selected verses from the Psalms, together with a refrain. These are called Antiphons, because they are sung back and forth by two choirs. While they are being sung, the Priest prays a series of three prayers on behalf of all the people, for the beginning of the Liturgy. We will read the second of these today.

Prayer at the Second Antiphon

Lord our God, save Your people and bless Your inheritance; protect the whole body of Your Church; sanctify those who love the beauty of Your house; glorify them in return by Your divine power; and do not forsake us who hope in You. For Yours is the dominion, the kingdom, the power, and the glory of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and to the ages of ages.

Discussion questions:

1) What did you notice in today’s reading? What surprised you or what was memorable to you? (Leader should point out how this prayer is concerned with the Church gathered for worship, entrusting tha Faithful to the care of the Lord, affirming that we are His. It is also worth noting the reciprocity indicated here: the Faithful have loved the beauty of the Lord’s house, more than every desirable thing in the world, and the prayer asks that the Lord will glorify them and not forsake those who have put their hope and trust in Him. This is the natural thing to happen for those who have forsaken the brokenness of the world and chosen the glory of the Kingdom of Heaven, but it does not feel natural or certain to us, and it is perhaps for this reason precisely that we pray for it.)

2) Where do we see Christ in this text; what is He saying or doing here?

3) Do we see ourselves and the Church in this text; what does it say about us?

4) What do you find difficult about this reading? Is there anything confusing about it, or anything that you dislike? (This is an open question, as always. )

5) Does this reading make you think that you need to change anything in your life?

Day 3 (Friday)

Matthew 2:19-23; 3:1-12

Last time, we saw the Wise Men visit Jesus in Bethlehem, and then both the Wise Men and Jesus, Mary, & Joseph had to flee, as Herod sent his soldiers to kill every child 2 years old and younger in the region of Bethlehem. The wise men returned to their countries, but an angel came to Joseph in a dream and told him to take Jesus and His mother to Egypt to escape. This time, we will see them return and go to Galilee, and John the Baptist will begin to preach.

The Return from Egypt

19 When Herod died, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, 20 “Get up, take the child and his mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who were seeking the child’s life are dead.” 21 Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother, and went to the land of Israel. 22 But when he heard that Archelaus was ruling over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And after being warned in a dream, he went away to the district of Galilee. 23 There he made his home in a town called Nazareth, so that what had been spoken through the prophets might be fulfilled, “He will be called a Nazarene.”

The Proclamation of John the Baptist

3 In those days John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness of Judea, proclaiming, 2 “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” 3 This is the one of whom the prophet Isaiah spoke when he said,

“The voice of one crying out in the wilderness:
‘Prepare the way of the Lord,
make his paths straight.’”

4 Now John wore clothing of camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. 5 Then the people of Jerusalem and all Judea were going out to him, and all the region along the Jordan, 6 and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.

7 But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Bear fruit worthy of repentance. 9 Do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our ancestor’; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. 10 Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

11 “I baptize you with water for repentance, but one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and will gather his wheat into the granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”

Discussion questions:

1) What did you notice in today’s reading? What surprised you or what was memorable to you? (The Leader can point out a few things. First, more as a point of interest, the fact that Jesus spent His childhood in Egypt is something we easily forget. From that, it is reasonable to assume, contrary to many, that Jesus spoke Greek comfortably and fluently…although Greek was a common language in Galilee “of the Gentiles” at this time as well. Second, as we see Matthew introduce John the Baptist, it is worth connecting Matthew’s focus on the prophecies of the Old Testament with his presentation of John, the “last” prophet sent to the people of Israel before the coming of the Messiah. Everything in the final two paragraphs is focused on warning the people, and especially the Pharisees and Sadducees, their leaders, that the time is approaching quickly when their fruit will be required from them. The point about the axe being at the root of the trees is a vivid image, and one that we often see in icons of the Lord’s Baptism. The image of the winnowing fork speaks of the Lord calling all His people to be Faithful and to follow Him; but those who do not will be cleared and removed from the Promised Land, as in fact happens in 70 AD and 135 AD.)

2) Where do we see Christ in this text; what is He saying or doing here?

3) Do we see ourselves and the Church in this text; what does it say about us?

4) What do you find difficult about this reading? Is there anything confusing about it, or anything that you dislike? (This is an open question, as always. )

5) Does this reading make you think that you need to change anything in your life?

Day 1 (Monday)

Genesis 11:26-32; 12:1-9

Over the past two years, we have begun our Old Testament readings with the first two major cycles of story within the book, the account of the Creation and the entrance of sin into the world through the Fall of Adam and Eve in Year 1, and the destruction and restoration of the world at the time of Noah in Year 2. This year, we will continue that story with the story of Abraham. We will recall that the story of Noah and his descendants ended with the Tower of Babel, when the nations gathered together to try to control God, and God instead separated them from one another and exiled them all from His presence. From this story, Genesis gives a genealogy, which outlines the line of descent from Noah to a man named Terah, living in the city of Ur in Mesopotamia, and of his three sons, one of whom was named Abram.

The story of Abram continues immediately from this point, as God calls this man called Abram to leave his country, his city, his people, and even his father’s house, to follow the Lord. This is the beginning of God’s resolution of the exile of the nations of humanity from His presence; He creates a new nation, out of nothing but Abram’s faithful obedience to His call, through which priestly nation He will redeem and reconcile all the nations to Himself.

End of Genealogy

26 When Terah had lived seventy years, he became the father of Abram, Nahor, and Haran.

Descendants of Terah

27 Now these are the descendants of Terah. Terah was the father of Abram, Nahor, and Haran; and Haran was the father of Lot. 28 Haran died before his father Terah in the land of his birth, in Ur of the Chaldeans. 29 Abram and Nahor took wives; the name of Abram’s wife was Sarai, and the name of Nahor’s wife was Milcah. She was the daughter of Haran the father of Milcah and Iscah. 30 Now Sarai was barren; she had no child.

31 Terah took his son Abram and his grandson Lot son of Haran, and his daughter-in-law Sarai, his son Abram’s wife, and they went out together from Ur of the Chaldeans to go into the land of Canaan; but when they came to Haran, they settled there. 32 The days of Terah were two hundred five years; and Terah died in Haran.

The Call of Abram

12 Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. 2 I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

4 So Abram went, as the Lord had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran. 5 Abram took his wife Sarai and his brother’s son Lot, and all the possessions that they had gathered, and the persons whom they had acquired in Haran; and they set forth to go to the land of Canaan. When they had come to the land of Canaan, 6 Abram passed through the land to the place at Shechem, to the oak of Moreh. At that time the Canaanites were in the land.

7 Then the Lord appeared to Abram, and said, “To your offspring I will give this land.” So he built there an altar to the Lord, who had appeared to him. 8 From there he moved on to the hill country on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east; and there he built an altar to the Lord and invoked the name of the Lord. 9 And Abram journeyed on by stages toward the Negeb.

Discussion questions:

1) What did you notice in today’s reading? What surprised you or what was memorable to you? (Leader should point out how Abram begins in the city of Ur, which is famous for its ancient ziggurat, of at least the same sort as the Tower of Babel, but is called to leave it, and eventually to leave even his father’s house and his family behind, and to become a wanderer, a stranger without any settled home, to place all his trust in the God Who has called Him to follow Him. This is the Faith and faithfulness for which he was praised in our reading from Hebrews last week. We should also note what God’s intent is with Abram; He intends and promises to make of him a “great nation,” one that will be a blessing to all the nations of the world, to bring them back to the worship of the God Who created them all.)

2) Where do we see Christ in this text; what is He saying or doing here?

3) Do we see ourselves and the Church in this text; what does it say about us?

4) What do you find difficult about this reading? Is there anything confusing about it, or anything that you dislike? (This is an open question, as always. )

5) Does this reading make you think that you need to change anything in your life?

Day 2 (Wednesday)

A Prayer for 6:00 A.M.

Our Day 1 reading presents us with Abram, who is called by God to leave his home and his people and everything that had defined him to that point, and to follow God out into the unknown. We would very much like to think that it is only Abram that God asks to do this, or perhaps some other special and dedicated people. But in truth, all of us are called to follow the Lord, to hold Him more dear and precious than anything else in this life.

As a part of this struggle of the Christian life, one discipline is that we pray early in the morning, even before the sun comes up, looking toward the dawning of the sun as a reminder that the true source of light and life for us is not the sun itself, but the Son of God, Who enlightens and sanctifies everyone who comes into this world. For if He is the true source of light and life, then we must hold fast to Him, and not to the world.

We see this reflected in the prayer of the Church at the 1st Hour, which is prayed around sunrise, or perhaps around 6 am. This short service includes three Psalms (5, 89, & 100), a hymn to the Theotokos, the general prayer of the Hours, and then this prayer for the 1st Hour. We will read both the general prayer of the Hours (although we have read this before, in week 16 of Year 1), and the Prayer of the 1st Hour, and reflect on what it means to look to Jesus Christ as the light of our lives.

Prayer of the Hours

O Christ our God, who at all times and at every hour, both in heaven and on earth, are worshipped and glorified, long suffering and plenteous in mercy and compassion; who love the just and show mercy to the sinners; who call all men to salvation through the promise of the blessings to come: Do you, the same Lord, receive also our supplications at this present time, and direct our lives according to your commandments. Sanctify our souls; purify our bodies; set our minds right; clear up our thoughts, and deliver us from every sorrow, evil and distress. Surround us with your holy Angels so that being guarded and guided by their presence, we may arrive at the unity of the faith and the knowledge of your ineffable glory; for blessed are you unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Prayer at the 1st Hour

O Christ, the true light, Who enlighten and sanctify every person who comes into the world, let the light of Your countenance shine on us, that in it we may behold the unapproachable light. And direct our steps to keep Your commandments, by the intercessions of Your all-immaculate Mother and all the saints. Amen.

Discussion questions:

1) What did you notice in today’s reading? What surprised you or what was memorable to you? (Besides what has already been noted, the Leader should point out that the Prayer of the Hours affirms that the Lord is worshipped and glorified everywhere and at all times, so that, for those who follow Him, there is no place that is truly an exile, as we are at home with Him wherever we go, so long as we remain faithful to Him. The Leader should also note that, although the Lord is light and life, nonetheless the Prayer of the 1st Hour has us ASK Him to shine in our lives, for we are able to reject that Light, and too easily do so by default, so the Prayer has us purposely “reject that rejection” as it were, and ask the Lord to shine the Light of His face upon us, so that we may see the light that no one can approach.)

2) Where do we see Christ in this text; what is He saying or doing here?

3) Do we see ourselves and the Church in this text; what does it say about us?

4) What do you find difficult about this reading? Is there anything confusing about it, or anything that you dislike? (This is an open question, as always. )

5) Does this reading make you think that you need to change anything in your life?

Day 3 (Friday)

Matthew 2:7-18 (Wise Men Visit, Slaughter of the Innocent)

Last time, we saw the birth of the Lord, and how “wise men” came from the east seeking him, and went to Jerusalem to ask where the child who had been born King of the Jews had been born. We saw King Herod summon the chief priests and scribes, and ask them where the Messiah was supposed to be born, and learned from them that Bethlehem was the place that the Prophet Micah had foretold. So this time, we will see Herod send the wise men to Bethlehem, and ask them to tell him where the child was.

Wise Men Visit Jesus

2:7 Then Herod secretly called for the wise men and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. 8 Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage.” 9 When they had heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. 11 On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 12 And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road.

The Escape to Egypt

13 Now after they had left, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.” 14 Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother by night, and went to Egypt, 15 and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet, “Out of Egypt I have called my son.”

The Massacre of the Infants

16 When Herod saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, he was infuriated, and he sent and killed all the children in and around Bethlehem who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had learned from the wise men. 17 Then was fulfilled what had been spoken through the prophet Jeremiah:

18 “A voice was heard in Ramah,
wailing and loud lamentation,
Rachel weeping for her children;
she refused to be consoled, because they are no more.”

Discussion questions:

1) What did you notice in today’s reading? What surprised you or what was memorable to you? (The Leader should point out that the wise men arrived quite a while after Jesus was born; the implication here is that it was as much as two years after His birth, because the wise men had seen signs in the sky at the time that He was born, and then journeyed to Jerusalem, where they told Herod how long ago they had seen those signs. It was on the basis of this information that he had all the infants two years old and younger killed, so from this, we may understand that the wise men came from quite a distance, although the exact place from which they came isn’t made clear here. This story also shows us, importantly, that the Lord does not immediately, by His coming, abolish all evil and suffering; instead, He joins us in our suffering and brokenness, enduring it first with us, and then overthrowing the power of death itself in His Resurrection, and finally, in His glorious appearing, He will bring justice and healing and peace to all. But not immediately, and even at His coming, death and violence and injustice continue to prevail, apparently. For us, as for the Holy Innocents slaughtered by Herod, the time of restoration is yet to come, but even so, even now, we abide in the peace and the hope of the Lord, entrusting ourselves to Him until the day of the Lord arrives. Finally, we should note that Jesus is fulfilling what was prefigured by Israel itself, in going into Egypt in a time of danger, from which place He will return to the Promised Land. This is another place where we see Matthew quoting the Old Testament to show us how the Lord is fulfilling prophecy, and it is interesting that the prophecy is not just in the words of the prophet, but in the very history of the people of God. Finally, we also see here that even at the beginning of His life in this world, the Lord is welcoming and accepting the worship not only of His own people, the children of Israel, but of all nations; the Wise Men are the first from among the nations that had formerly been exiled from the presence of God at the Tower of Babel to enter into His presence and worship Him in truth, and in their visit, God’s promise to Abraham that “in his seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed” begins to be fulfilled.)

2) Where do we see Christ in this text; what is He saying or doing here?

3) Do we see ourselves and the Church in this text; what does it say about us?

4) What do you find difficult about this reading? Is there anything confusing about it, or anything that you dislike? (This is an open question, as always. )

5) Does this reading make you think that you need to change anything in your life?

Day 1 (Monday)

Hebrews 11:1-22 (Faith of Abraham & Other Patriarchs)

As we begin this third year of the Religious Education Initiative, we are preparing to read the life of Abraham from Genesis 12 through 23 in the coming weeks in our Day 1 readings. But to begin, we will see what St. Paul says about Abraham, whose faith in God is a primary example for us, and how he interprets his life and urges us to imitate him. This is from the Epistle to the Hebrews, which appears to be not so much an epistle as a transcript of a sermon. In this passage, St. Paul begins by describing what Faith (πίστις) is, and where we see it demonstrated in the Old Testament.

The Meaning of Faith

11 Now faith (faithfulness/trust) is the assurance (substance) of things hoped for, the conviction (test) of things not seen. 2 Indeed, by faith our ancestors received approval. 3 By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was made from things that are not visible.

The Examples of Abel, Enoch, and Noah

4 By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain’s. Through this he received approval as righteous, God himself giving approval to his gifts; he died, but through his faith he still speaks. 5 By faith Enoch was taken so that he did not experience death; and “he was not found, because God had taken him.” For it was attested before he was taken away that “he had pleased God.” 6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, for whoever would approach him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. 7 By faith Noah, warned by God about events as yet unseen, respected the warning and built an ark to save his household; by this he condemned the world and became an heir to the righteousness that is in accordance with faith.

The Faith of Abraham

8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to set out for a place that he was to receive as an inheritance; and he set out, not knowing where he was going. 9 By faith he stayed for a time in the land he had been promised, as in a foreign land, living in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. 10 For he looked forward to the city that has foundations, whose architect and builder is God. 11 By faith he received power of procreation, even though he was too old—and Sarah herself was barren—because he considered him faithful who had promised. 12 Therefore from one person, and this one as good as dead, descendants were born, “as many as the stars of heaven and as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore.”

13 All of these died in faith without having received the promises, but from a distance they saw and greeted them. They confessed that they were strangers and foreigners on the earth, 14 for people who speak in this way make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. 15 If they had been thinking of the land that they had left behind, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; indeed, he has prepared a city for them.

17 By faith Abraham, when put to the test, offered up Isaac. He who had received the promises was ready to offer up his only son, 18 of whom he had been told, “It is through Isaac that descendants shall be named for you.” 19 He considered the fact that God is able even to raise someone from the dead—and figuratively speaking, he did receive him back. 20 By faith Isaac invoked blessings for the future on Jacob and Esau. 21 By faith Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, “bowing in worship over the top of his staff.” 22 By faith Joseph, at the end of his life, made mention of the exodus of the Israelites and gave instructions about his burial.

Discussion questions:

1) What did you notice in today’s reading? What surprised you or what was memorable to you? (Leader should point out that the words translated as “faith” throughout and “faithful” in verse 11 are the same word, and discuss what this word actually reflects, and how faithfulness/trust are a better way in which to understand this word that “belief.” It is clear that everyone in this passage is being praised not just for opinions that they held, beliefs that they had, but actions that they took, trusting God and walking in faithfulness to His call and commandments. We are called to do the same. The other thing that should be noted is that St. Paul is identifying all the righteous of the Old Testament as having been faithful, specifically, to Christ Himself, Who was promised to them, but Whom they did not see or receive directly. But nonetheless, he counts them as Faithful, as Christians. We should therefore watch for signs of commonality with us, or points of example/warning for us, as we read the several chapters about Abraham in the coming weeks.)

2) Where do we see Christ in this text; what is He saying or doing here?

3) Do we see ourselves and the Church in this text; what does it say about us?

4) What do you find difficult about this reading? Is there anything confusing about it, or anything that you dislike? (This is an open question, as always. )

5) Does this reading make you think that you need to change anything in your life?

Day 2 (Wednesday)

Hymns from the Feast of the Elevation of the Holy Cross

Today for our selection from Church Tradition, we’ll be looking at some of the hymns from the great Feast of the Church that we celebrate on September 14th, the Elevation of the Precious and Holy Cross. This feast commemorates both the finding of the Cross by St. Helen, and its recovery and return to Jerusalem in 627, after its seizure by the Persians a decade before. The feast of the Cross is a Strict Fast, and functions almost like mini celebration of the themes of Holy Week, all distilled into a single feast day, here in the fall, at the beginning of the new Church Year.

3rd Hymn of the Kekragaria

O Cross, most revered by all, * and which the orders of Angels * joyously surround, today * at your exaltation now * by divine command, * you exalt everyone * who had been evicted * and who fell completely into death * for having stolen fruit; * therefore we are faithfully kissing you * with hearts and lips caressing you * and thus are deriving the sanctity; * and shouting, "Exalt Christ * the Lord our God who is exceeding good, * and also worship and venerate * His divine footstool, the Cross."

7th Hymn of the Liti

Let us make glad today and sing in honor of the feast, ⁄ and cry out openly with joyful faces and tongues: ⁄ O Christ, You have accepted condemnation for us, ⁄ being spat upon, scourged, and robed in purple, ⁄ You have gone up upon the Cross. ⁄ Seeing You, the sun and moon hid their light, ⁄ the earth quaked in fear, ⁄ and the veil of the temple was torn in two. ⁄ Grant us Yourself Your precious Cross as guardian and protector ⁄ the driver away of demons, ⁄ that embracing it we may cry aloud: ⁄ Save us, Cross, by your might! ⁄ Make us holy in your splendor, precious Cross, ⁄ and strengthen us through your exaltation: ⁄⁄ For you have been given to us as the light and salvation of our souls!

1st Hymn of the Orthros Kathismata

We venerate the wood of Your Cross, O humane One, * for You, the Life of all, were nailed to it. * O Savior, You opened Paradise to the Robber who approached You with faith. * He was counted worthy of delight, confessing You, Remember me, O Lord. * Accept us as You accepted him, * for we now cry, We all have sinned * against Your compassion. Do not abandon us.

Ode 7 of the Canon for the Feast

The first man went to dwell in corruption ⁄ from eating of the tree. ⁄ Condemned to shameful banishment from life, ⁄ he fell prey to bodily corruption ⁄ which he transmitted to all our kind like some pollution from disease. ⁄ But finding restoration in the wood of the Cross, ⁄ those who dwell on earth cry out: ⁄ Blessed are You and praised above all, ⁄ our God and the God of our fathers!

The breaking of the law of God came through disobedience, ⁄ and the untimely partaking of the fruit of the tree ⁄ brought death to mortals. ⁄ From that time, the tree of precious life was guarded, ⁄ until the confession of the good thief opened the way to it once more ⁄ as he perished in agony crying: ⁄ Blessed are You and praised above all, ⁄ our God and the God of our fathers!

Doxastikon of the Praises

Today the Cross of the Lord comes out, and the faithful receive it with longing, and they obtain healings of soul and body and of every infirmity. Let us kiss it with joy and with fear: with fear, for we are unworthy because of sin; and with joy, because of the salvation, which Christ the Lord grants us, since He was nailed to the Cross, and He has great mercy.

Discussion questions:

1) What did you notice in today’s reading? What surprised you or what was memorable to you? (The Leader should point out how, in many of the hymns, the Cross is being contrasted with the tree in the Garden of Eden which became the occasion for the sin and exile of our first parents; the Cross, rather, is for us the Tree of Life. As we begin this new Church Year, we are invited to do so in repentance, entering into a new year of the Lord’s salvation, taking up the “weapon of peace, and invincible trophy,” and rejoicing in the deliverance that we have been granted by the Lord.)

2) Where do we see Christ in this text; what is He saying or doing here?

3) Do we see ourselves and the Church in this text; what does it say about us?

4) What do you find difficult about this reading? Is there anything confusing about it, or anything that you dislike? (This is an open question, as always. )

5) Does this reading make you think that you need to change anything in your life?

Day 3 (Friday)

Matthew 1:18-25; 2:1-6 (Birth of Jesus, Wise Men Seek the Christ Child)

Last time we began the Gospel of Matthew, and saw him show Jesus’ ancestry from Abraham, laying the groundwork to show that the Lord was the fulfillment of the promise to Abraham that in his seed, all the nations of the world would be blessed. This time, we will continue with the Gospel of Matthew, and see his account of the birth of Jesus and the coming of the Magi from the east to search for the child born King of the Jews.

The Birth of Jesus the Messiah

18 Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. 19 Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. 20 But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” 22 All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet:

23 “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
and they shall name him Emmanuel,”

which means, “God is with us.” 24 When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife, 25 but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son; and he named him Jesus.

The Visit of the Wise Men

2 In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, 2 asking, “Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage.” 3 When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him; 4 and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. 5 They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet:

6 ‘And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for from you shall come a ruler
who is to shepherd my people Israel.’”

Discussion questions:

1) What did you notice in today’s reading? What surprised you or what was memorable to you? (Leader should point out that Matthew is explicit here in identifying Jesus as the Messiah, the Christ, the Anointed One of God, promised as the redeemer and savior of the world, and equally explicit that this Messiah is God Himself, with us. There is no uncertainty or doubt about these matters even here at the beginning. As a secondary matter, the Leader might also consider noting that, although the Church has always celebrated Christmas on December 25th, at least since the 4th century, it is not important, nor likely, that Jesus was actually born on this date. We are reading this because it comes at the beginning of the Gospel of Matthew which we are now beginning, but coincidentally, there is a fascinating argument from astronomical records that the Lord was actually born in September, and indeed during this week when we are reading this passage, on the 11th of the month. It’s not important…but it is fascinating to think about. If you want to read/hear more about this, I recommend this podcast, or its transcript, as linked here: https://www.ancientfaith.com/podcasts/lordofspirits/taught_by_a_star)

2) Where do we see Christ in this text; what is He saying or doing here?

3) Do we see ourselves and the Church in this text; what does it say about us?

4) What do you find difficult about this reading? Is there anything confusing about it, or anything that you dislike? (This is an open question, as always. )

5) Does this reading make you think that you need to change anything in your life?

Day 1 (Monday)

Proverbs 4:1-27

This reading and reflection marks the beginning of the third year of the Religious Education Initiative. Each week, we will provide three readings for the parish. Everyone is urged to participate; families should participate together, reading the selections Monday, Wednesday, and Friday (or three other days/times, if they work better). Anyone can take the lead, but we recommend that the father and mother in each household do so, and, since fathers often get left out of religious matters in the home, because of their other responsibilities and obligations outside of the home, we strongly recommend that each household take this opportunity to shift that balance in the other direction. The most important thing is for the family to do these readings and reflections as an entire and whole family, all together, but wherever possible, it is worthwhile for the father to take the lead in this initiative, either reading the selection and guiding the discussion himself, or delegating the reading to someone else.

As we begin the new Church year, then, we will start with another selection from the book of Proverbs. In this passage, the writer of Proverbs urges his children (and by extension all of us) to attend to his teaching, explaining how much depends on parents' faithful instruction of their children, and on the faithful reception of that instruction by those children. We pray that this reading will remind us all of the sacred responsibilities placed in our hands, and that we will run with patience and faithfulness the race that is set before us, not just this year, but over our entire lives.

Parental Advice

4 Listen, children, to a father’s instruction,
and be attentive, that you may gain insight;
2 for I give you good precepts:
do not forsake my teaching.
3 When I was a son with my father,
tender, and my mother’s favorite,
4 he taught me, and said to me,
“Let your heart hold fast my words;
keep my commandments, and live.

5 Get wisdom; get insight: do not forget, nor turn away
from the words of my mouth.
6 Do not forsake her, and she will keep you;
love her, and she will guard you.
7 The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom,
and whatever else you get, get insight.
8 Prize her highly, and she will exalt you;
she will honor you if you embrace her.
9 She will place on your head a fair garland;
she will bestow on you a beautiful crown.”
Admonition to Keep to the Right Path

10 Hear, my child, and accept my words,
that the years of your life may be many.
11 I have taught you the way of wisdom;
I have led you in the paths of uprightness.
12 When you walk, your step will not be hampered;
and if you run, you will not stumble.
13 Keep hold of instruction; do not let go;
guard her, for she is your life.

14 Do not enter the path of the wicked,
and do not walk in the way of evildoers.
15 Avoid it; do not go on it;
turn away from it and pass on.
16 For they cannot sleep unless they have done wrong;
they are robbed of sleep unless they have made someone stumble.
17 For they eat the bread of wickedness
and drink the wine of violence.
18 But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn,
which shines brighter and brighter until full day.
19 The way of the wicked is like deep darkness;
they do not know what they stumble over.

20 My child, be attentive to my words;
incline your ear to my sayings.
21 Do not let them escape from your sight;
keep them within your heart.
22 For they are life to those who find them,
and healing to all their flesh.
23 Keep your heart with all vigilance,
for from it flow the springs of life.
24 Put away from you crooked speech,
and put devious talk far from you.
25 Let your eyes look directly forward,
and your gaze be straight before you.
26 Keep straight the path of your feet,
and all your ways will be sure.
27 Do not swerve to the right or to the left;
turn your foot away from evil.

Discussion questions:

1) What did you notice in today’s reading? What surprised you or what was memorable to you? (Leader should note both what is being warned against, what is being advised, and what is being promised: what we should avoid, what we should do, and what we will receive if we do these things. In summary, we are being warned to reject what is evil and to hold fast to what is wholesome, and are promised that we will be blessed if we walk in faithfulness, and wretched and lost if we do not.)

2) Where do we see Christ in this text; what is He saying or doing here?

3) Do we see ourselves and the Church in this text; what does it say about us?

4) What do you find difficult about this reading? Is there anything confusing about it, or anything that you dislike? (This is an open question, as always. )

5) Does this reading make you think that you need to change anything in your life?

Day 2 (Wednesday)

Feast of the Nativity of the Theotokos

As we begin the new Church Year, we always make a start with the celebration of the feast of the Birth of the Theotokos, the Mother of God. This is unsurprising, as her birth marks the formal beginning of the Lord’s work of His Incarnation, with the fulfillment of the many promises and hopes of the people of the Covenant, who (at least when they were being faithful) had held sacred above all their responsibility to their children, to convey to them the things that the Lord had done for Israel, and what purpose He had for them. For she herself is precisely the fulfillment of that purpose, as she is the one who is truly the vessel of the Lord’s entrance into the world. As we celebrate this great feast, we will take the occasion, then, to read together some of the significant hymns of the Feast.

2nd Hymn of the Kekragaria

This is the Lord's Day, O people, be filled with gladness! Behold! The bridal chamber of the Light and the book of the Word of Life has come forth from the womb. The Temple Gate that faces east has been born, and she awaits the entry of the Great High Priest. She alone introduces the only Christ to the world, for the salvation of our souls.

Doxastikon of the Kekragaria

Today, God who rests upon the noetic thrones has prepared a holy throne for Himself upon the earth. He who established the heavens in wisdom has prepared an animate heaven, in His love for mankind; from a fruitless root, He raised for us a life-bearing plant, His Mother. God of wonders and the hope of the hopeless, Lord, glory to You.

3rd Hymn of the Aposticha

Today let the barren and childless Anna ⁄ clap her hands with splendor! ⁄ Let those on earth bear lamps; kings leap for joy; ⁄ let bishops be glad in blessing! ⁄ Let the whole world keep the feast! ⁄ For behold the Queen, the immaculate Bride of the Father, ⁄ has come from the root of Jesse. ⁄ No longer will women bear children in grief, ⁄ for joy has blossomed forth ⁄ and life lives in the world for all! ⁄ No longer will the offerings of Joachim be rejected ⁄ for the lamentation of Anna has been changed to joy! ⁄ She cries: Rejoice with me, chosen Israel! ⁄ For behold the Lord has given me the living palace of His divine glory ⁄ for our common gladness and joy ⁄⁄ and for the salvation of our souls!

Hymn from Ode 4 of the Canon of the Feast

Let us, the faithful, in songs and hymns ⁄ glorify the all-holy birth of the Theotokos! ⁄ Let us worship with faith the God Who never lies, ⁄ and Who swore of old to David to give him the fruit of his body.

Hymn from Ode 4 of the Canon of the Feast

The prophesies of those inspired by God ⁄ are now fulfilled in your birth, undefiled One: ⁄ those who in their faith called you the tabernacle and Gate, ⁄ spiritual mountain, bush, and the rod of Aaron ⁄ sprung from the root of David!

Discussion questions:

1) What did you notice in today’s reading? What surprised you or what was memorable to you? (Leader should note that the birth of the Virgin Mary is celebrated as the fulfillment of many prophecies, promises, and signs in the Old Testament, and also as the entrance of heaven into the earth, with the Virgin Mary herself prepared as the glorious throne of God. It is worth noting that this combination of themes is also seen in our iconography, with the Virgin Mary in the apse as the ladder connecting heaven with the earth. That the apse and dome are so often surrounded with icons of both the Old Covenant and the New (the Church) is just another reflection on this same reality, that the God Who made Himself known in a veil and a shadow to the Hebrew people in the Old Testament comes to us now in truth, in the flesh He has assumed from the Virgin. )

2) Where do we see Christ in this text; what is He saying or doing here?

3) Do we see ourselves and the Church in this text; what does it say about us?

4) What do you find difficult about this reading? Is there anything confusing about it, or anything that you dislike? (This is an open question, as always. )

5) Does this reading make you think that you need to change anything in your life?

Day 3 (Friday)

Matthew 1:1-17

In Year 3 of the REI, we will read the Gospel according to Matthew. This Gospel is similar in its content to the Gospels of Mark and Luke, giving somewhat less historical detail than Luke, but much more of Jesus’ actual preaching than Mark provides. One particular concern of St. Matthew is the connection of what the Lord did with the prophecies in the Old Testament that He fulfilled, and we will see these prophecies referenced time and again. He begins his Gospel account by providing a genealogy of the Lord, going back to Abraham.

The Genealogy of Jesus the Messiah

1 An account of the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham.

2 Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, 3 and Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, and Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Aram, 4 and Aram the father of Aminadab, and Aminadab the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of Salmon, 5 and Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab, and Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse, 6 and Jesse the father of King David.

And David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah, 7 and Solomon the father of Rehoboam, and Rehoboam the father of Abijah, and Abijah the father of Asaph, 8 and Asaph the father of Jehoshaphat, and Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, and Joram the father of Uzziah, 9 and Uzziah the father of Jotham, and Jotham the father of Ahaz, and Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, 10 and Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, and Manasseh the father of Amos, and Amos the father of Josiah, 11 and Josiah the father of Jechoniah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon.

12 And after the deportation to Babylon: Jechoniah was the father of Salathiel, and Salathiel the father of Zerubbabel, 13 and Zerubbabel the father of Abiud, and Abiud the father of Eliakim, and Eliakim the father of Azor, 14 and Azor the father of Zadok, and Zadok the father of Achim, and Achim the father of Eliud, 15 and Eliud the father of Eleazar, and Eleazar the father of Matthan, and Matthan the father of Jacob, 16 and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called the Messiah.

17 So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David to the deportation to Babylon, fourteen generations; and from the deportation to Babylon to the Messiah, fourteen generations.

Discussion questions:

1) What did you notice in today’s reading? What surprised you or what was memorable to you? (The Leader should note first that Matthew, in tracing the Lord’s genealogy back to Abraham, is therefore clearly showing Jesus as the child of promise, the fulfillment of the Lord’s oath to Abraham that in him all the nations of the world would be blessed. Second, it is worth noting the strange emphasis on the three sets of 14 generations. There is nothing obvious or clear about this, but one suggestion is that 3 sets of 14 is also six sets of seven, and six sets of seven makes a work week of sevens, after which one would expect a Sabbath, a completion of the work, a day of rest, or perhaps even a New Creation. This is, perhaps, what Matthew is getting at, particularly as the next portion of the chapter shows Jesus prophesied as Emmanuel, God with Us, bringing the fulfilment and completion of the promise at the end of this work week of generational sevens.)

2) Where do we see Christ in this text; what is He saying or doing here?

3) Do we see ourselves and the Church in this text; what does it say about us?

4) What do you find difficult about this reading? Is there anything confusing about it, or anything that you dislike? (This is an open question, as always. )

5) Does this reading make you think that you need to change anything in your life?