Day 1 (Monday)

Genesis 24:33-67 (Rebekah Agrees to the Marriage)

Last time, we saw Abraham send his servant back to Mesopotamia, probably Haran, in northern Mesopotamia, to find a wife for Isaac among the descendants of Abraham’s brother Nahor. The servant had prayed to the Lord for guidance, and then encountered Rebecca, the granddaughter of Nahor, who fulfilled every detail of what he had asked God to provide as a sign. She then brought the servant home, where her father and brother welcomed him and showed him hospitality. We return to the story as they are about to give him food to eat.

Abraham’s Servant Arranges the Marriage

33 Then food was set before him to eat; but he said, “I will not eat until I have told my errand.” He said, “Speak on.”

34 So he said, “I am Abraham’s servant. 35 The Lord has greatly blessed my master, and he has become wealthy; he has given him flocks and herds, silver and gold, male and female slaves, camels and donkeys. 36 And Sarah my master’s wife bore a son to my master when she was old; and he has given him all that he has.

37 My master made me swear, saying, ‘You shall not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I live; 38 but you shall go to my father’s house, to my kindred, and get a wife for my son.’ 39 I said to my master, ‘Perhaps the woman will not follow me.’ 40 But he said to me, ‘The Lord, before whom I walk, will send his angel with you and make your way successful. You shall get a wife for my son from my kindred, from my father’s house. 41 Then you will be free from my oath, when you come to my kindred; even if they will not give her to you, you will be free from my oath.’

42 “I came today to the spring, and said, ‘O Lord, the God of my master Abraham, if now you will only make successful the way I am going! 43 I am standing here by the spring of water; let the young woman who comes out to draw, to whom I shall say, “Please give me a little water from your jar to drink,” 44 and who will say to me, “Drink, and I will draw for your camels also”—let her be the woman whom the Lord has appointed for my master’s son.’

45 “Before I had finished speaking in my heart, there was Rebekah coming out with her water jar on her shoulder; and she went down to the spring, and drew. I said to her, ‘Please let me drink.’ 46 She quickly let down her jar from her shoulder, and said, ‘Drink, and I will also water your camels.’ So I drank, and she also watered the camels. 47 Then I asked her, ‘Whose daughter are you?’ She said, ‘The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor’s son, whom Milcah bore to him.’ So I put the ring on her nose, and the bracelets on her arms.

48 Then I bowed my head and worshiped the Lord, and blessed the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who had led me by the right way to obtain the daughter of my master’s kinsman for his son. 49 Now then, if you will deal loyally and truly with my master, tell me; and if not, tell me, so that I may turn either to the right hand or to the left.”

Rebekah’s Family Delays, Rebekah Agrees to the Marriage

50 Then Laban and Bethuel answered, “The thing comes from the Lord; we cannot speak to you anything bad or good. 51 Look, Rebekah is before you, take her and go, and let her be the wife of your master’s son, as the Lord has spoken.”

52 When Abraham’s servant heard their words, he bowed himself to the ground before the Lord. 53 And the servant brought out jewelry of silver and of gold, and garments, and gave them to Rebekah; he also gave to her brother and to her mother costly ornaments. 54 Then he and the men who were with him ate and drank, and they spent the night there. When they rose in the morning, he said, “Send me back to my master.” 55 Her brother and her mother said, “Let the girl remain with us a while, at least ten days; after that she may go.” 56 But he said to them, “Do not delay me, since the Lord has made my journey successful; let me go that I may go to my master.” 57 They said, “We will call the girl, and ask her.”

58 And they called Rebekah, and said to her, “Will you go with this man?” She said, “I will.” 59 So they sent away their sister Rebekah and her nurse along with Abraham’s servant and his men. 60 And they blessed Rebekah and said to her,

“May you, our sister, become
thousands of myriads;
may your offspring gain possession
of the gates of their foes.”

61 Then Rebekah and her maids rose up, mounted the camels, and followed the man; thus the servant took Rebekah, and went his way.

62 Now Isaac had come from Beer-lahai-roi, and was settled in the Negeb. 63 Isaac went out in the evening to walk in the field; and looking up, he saw camels coming. 64 And Rebekah looked up, and when she saw Isaac, she slipped quickly from the camel, 65 and said to the servant, “Who is the man over there, walking in the field to meet us?” The servant said, “It is my master.” So she took her veil and covered herself. 66 And the servant told Isaac all the things that he had done. 67 Then Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah’s tent. He took Rebekah, and she became his wife; and he loved her. So Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.

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, although we see here all the elements of an ancient marriage, with the men making the arrangements, exchanging property, eating and drinking, etc, the story makes very clear that Rebekah is not forced, but is asked if she is willing to go. She is an agent throughout in this story, and it is not for nothing that she is praised along with her husband, father-in-law, and son throughout the Scripture. It is also worth noting that there is never any indication that her marriage with Isaac is anything less than happy and pious. She, like her father-in-law, chooses to leave her father’s house, and the place of comfort and civilization, and join the Isaac, the child of promise, in his life of faith, entrusting herself to the care of the Lord. She therefore functions both as a beautiful picture of active womanhood, and as an image of the Church as well, both in her Faith, and in her proactive hospitality.)

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 for the Feast of the Meeting

On February 2nd, the Orthodox Church celebrates the Feast of the Meeting, or ῾Υπαπαντή in Greek. This feast commemorates what happened on the 40th day after the birth of Jesus, when the Virgin Mary and Joseph the Betrothed brought Him to the Temple as an infant to present Him to the Lord, and to make the sacrifice to redeem Him back, in accordance with the Law of Moses. This event can be found in Luke chapter 2, verses 22 through 39. In the narrative, we see two elderly people come to meet the Lord in the Temple, the first, a righteous man named Simeon, who had been told by the Holy Spirit that he would not die until he met the Messiah, and the second, a prophetess named Anna, who recognized Him as the Messiah as well, and told everyone who was faithful in Jerusalem that He had come. We will therefore read several of the hymns from the Feast, to see how the Church celebrates this event.

Meeting Hymns

1st Hymn of the Kekragaria

Tell us, Symeon. Whom are you holding in your arms, in the temple rejoicing? Whom are you speaking to and saying, "Now I am set free, for I have seen my Savior. He is the One born of a Virgin; He is God, the Word of God, who became incarnate for us and saved humanity. Let us worship Him."

Doxastikon of the Kekragaria

Let the gate of heaven open today. For the Father's beginningless Logos, having taken a beginning in time and not separated from His divinity, is willingly offered as a forty-day old infant, in the Temple of the Law, by His virgin Mother. And the Elder receives Him in his arms. "Let me depart," cries the servant to the Master. "For my eyes have seen Your salvation." O Lord, who came to the world to save the human race, glory to You!

Idiomelon 4 of the Liti

Today Simeon receives in his arms ⁄ the Lord of glory whom Moses saw of old on Sinai ⁄ when in the cloud and darkness he was given the tables of the law. ⁄ This is He Who has spoken through the prophets! ⁄ He is the Creator of the law! ⁄ This is He Whom David foretold: ⁄⁄ He is fearful to all, yet shows us great mercy!

Both Now Hymn of the Liti

The Ancient of Days became an infant in the flesh, and He is brought to the Temple by His Virgin Mother; and thus He fulfills the requirement of His own law. When Symeon received Him, he said, "Now You let Your servant depart in peace, according to Your word; for my eyes have seen Your salvation, O Lord."

Hymn 3 of the Aposticha

The Lord who rides the chariot of cherubim and is praised in song by the seraphim became incarnate of Mary the Theotokos without conjugal union. He is the giver of the Law, and He fulfilled the order of the Law. His Mother carried Him in her arms and handed Him to the Priest. And he, as he was holding life, asked to be released from life, saying, "Master, let me go now, to tell Adam that I have seen as an infant the immutable, pre-eternal God and Savior of the world."

Kathisma Hymn III of the Orthros

Now the Ancient of Days becomes an infant for me. * And the most pure God now shares purification with me, * to show that truly He assumed my flesh from the Virgin. * And Symeon was led to know the mystery * and recognized as God the one he saw in the flesh. * And he embraced and kissed Him as life itself, * and he rejoiced as an elder and cried aloud, * Let me depart now, for I have seen You, * O Lord, the life of all things.

Heirmos of Ode 4 of the Canon

The heavens were covered by Your virtue, O Christ. * For coming forth from the Ark of Your holiness, Your Mother who sustained no corruption, * You appeared today in Your glorious Temple, as an infant held in arms. * And the entire creation was filled with Your praise.

Both Now Hymn of Ode 4 of the Canon

When Symeon saw the unoriginate Logos, * the very cause of the existence of all things, * now incarnate, as a babe being carried by the Virgin as if on a cherubic throne, * astonished, he cried out to Him, * "The entire creation is filled with Your praise."

Hymn 3 of the Ainoi

Never separated from the Father's bosom in divinity,* and incarnated as You willed,* and held in the holy arms * of the Ever-Virgin,* You who hold all things in Your hand were given to the hands* of the divine God-receiver Symeon.* And therefore full of joy he cried to You, O Master, With my own eyes,* I Your servant have seen You, Lord;* now You let me depart in peace.

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 two things. First, that the hymns emphasize time and again that Jesus is Yahweh, the Most High God Himself, by saying that He comes into the Temple in obedience to the Law that He had Himself given, and therefore shows His humility, and how He has united Himself with us, in order to save us. Second, several of the hymns talk about the Symeon the elder receiving the Lord in his arms, standing in for the Creation itself, which receives its Creator as our Lord comes to us to save and transform us.)

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 11:2-19 (Messengers From and Praise of John the Baptist)

Last week we saw the Lord send out His disciples as apostles to proclaim the Gospel of the Kingdom throughout the towns and cities of Galilee, having instructed them in what to do, and warned them of the difficulties they would encounter. This week, we will see that one person in particular has been following what the Lord is doing from a distance, and has questions that he wants answered when the Lord sends out the Apostles.

Messengers from John the Baptist

2 When John heard in prison what the Messiah was doing, he sent word by his disciples 3 and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?” 4 Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: 5 the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them. 6 And blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me.”

Jesus Praises John the Baptist

7 As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to look at? A reed shaken by the wind? 8 What then did you go out to see? Someone dressed in soft robes? Look, those who wear soft robes are in royal palaces. 9 What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 10 This is the one about whom it is written,

‘See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you,
who will prepare your way before you.’

11 Truly I tell you, among those born of women no one has arisen greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. 12 From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force. 13 For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John came; 14 and if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come. 15 Let anyone with ears listen!

16 “But to what will I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to one another,

17 ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance;
we wailed, and you did not mourn.’

18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon’; 19 the Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds.”

Discussion questions:

1) What did you notice in today’s reading? What surprised you or what was memorable to you? (The Leader can point that, when John the Baptist sends his disciples to ask if Jesus is the one who is to come, or if they are waiting for another, there are two things that may be happening. The first is that he may be trying to send his disciples to join Jesus, when He proclaims Himself to be the one they are waiting for. The fact that they go away again indicates against this, however. The other possibility is that John is truly asking; he knows that Jesus is the Lamb of God, Who takes away the sin of the world, because he proclaimed Him to be so, but nonetheless, there was a standing question of whether there was one Messiah coming, or two, to do all the things prophesied in the Scripture; and Jesus has not yet brought judgment and justice to Herod, who is imprisoning John, and the other enemies of God. The Lord’s response, referencing the prophesies about the Messiah and connecting them to what He is doing, is saying clearly that He Himself will fulfill all things that have been prophesied. The final line: “blessed is he who takes no offense at me” may be read, then, to say, “blessed is the one who is patient and waits for the justice that I am coming to bring,” or something along these lines.)

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 24:1-32 (Finding a Wife for Isaac)

Last time, we saw God test Abraham, commanding him to sacrifice Isaac, his beloved son. When Abraham obeyed, and was about to strike the death blow, God intervened, and provided a ram instead for the sacrifice; in this way, Abraham confessed that Isaac, and all the descendants he hoped for from him, who had been the gift of God to him and to his wife Sarah, still belonged to God, and entrusted himself, and all his hopes, to the Lord. In the remainder of Chapter 22, which we will not read, Abraham learns that his brother Nahor had children and grandchildren, which will become significant in the coming chapter. In chapter 23, Sarah dies, having lived for 127 years (until Isaac was 37 years old, in short), and Abraham purchases a cave near Hebron in which to bury her; it is in this cave that he himself, and all his near descendants and their wives, will eventually be buried, and the place remains a place of pilgrimage and veneration to this day. At any rate, three years after Sarah’s death, Abraham decides that it is time for his son Isaac to marry.

The Marriage of Isaac and Rebekah

24 Now Abraham was old, well advanced in years; and the Lord had blessed Abraham in all things. 2 Abraham said to his servant, the oldest of his house, who had charge of all that he had, “Put your hand under my thigh 3 and I will make you swear by the Lord, the God of heaven and earth, that you will not get a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I live, 4 but will go to my country and to my kindred and get a wife for my son Isaac.”

5 The servant said to him, “Perhaps the woman may not be willing to follow me to this land; must I then take your son back to the land from which you came?” 6 Abraham said to him, “See to it that you do not take my son back there. 7 The Lord, the God of heaven, who took me from my father’s house and from the land of my birth, and who spoke to me and swore to me, ‘To your offspring I will give this land,’ he will send his angel before you, and you shall take a wife for my son from there. 8 But if the woman is not willing to follow you, then you will be free from this oath of mine; only you must not take my son back there.” 9 So the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master and swore to him concerning this matter.

10 Then the servant took ten of his master’s camels and departed, taking all kinds of choice gifts from his master; and he set out and went to Aram-naharaim, to the city of Nahor. 11 He made the camels kneel down outside the city by the well of water; it was toward evening, the time when women go out to draw water.

12 And he said, “O Lord, God of my master Abraham, please grant me success today and show steadfast love to my master Abraham. 13 I am standing here by the spring of water, and the daughters of the townspeople are coming out to draw water. 14 Let the girl to whom I shall say, ‘Please offer your jar that I may drink,’ and who shall say, ‘Drink, and I will water your camels’—let her be the one whom you have appointed for your servant Isaac. By this I shall know that you have shown steadfast love to my master.”

15 Before he had finished speaking, there was Rebekah, who was born to Bethuel son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham’s brother, coming out with her water jar on her shoulder. 16 The girl was very fair to look upon, a virgin, whom no man had known. She went down to the spring, filled her jar, and came up. 17 Then the servant ran to meet her and said, “Please let me sip a little water from your jar.”

18 “Drink, my lord,” she said, and quickly lowered her jar upon her hand and gave him a drink. 19 When she had finished giving him a drink, she said, “I will draw for your camels also, until they have finished drinking.” 20 So she quickly emptied her jar into the trough and ran again to the well to draw, and she drew for all his camels. 21 The man gazed at her in silence to learn whether or not the Lord had made his journey successful.

22 When the camels had finished drinking, the man took a gold nose-ring weighing a half shekel, and two bracelets for her arms weighing ten gold shekels, 23 and said, “Tell me whose daughter you are. Is there room in your father’s house for us to spend the night?” 24 She said to him, “I am the daughter of Bethuel son of Milcah, whom she bore to Nahor.” 25 She added, “We have plenty of straw and fodder and a place to spend the night.” 26 The man bowed his head and worshiped the Lord 27 and said, “Blessed be the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken his steadfast love and his faithfulness toward my master. As for me, the Lord has led me on the way to the house of my master’s kin.”

28 Then the girl ran and told her mother’s household about these things. 29 Rebekah had a brother whose name was Laban; and Laban ran out to the man, to the spring. 30 As soon as he had seen the nose-ring, and the bracelets on his sister’s arms, and when he heard the words of his sister Rebekah, “Thus the man spoke to me,” he went to the man; and there he was, standing by the camels at the spring. 31 He said, “Come in, O blessed of the Lord. Why do you stand outside when I have prepared the house and a place for the camels?” 32 So the man came into the house; and Laban unloaded the camels, and gave him straw and fodder for the camels, and water to wash his feet and the feet of the men who were with him.

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 determined Abraham is that Isaac should not go back to Mesopotamia, and also that he should not marry a daughter of the Canaanites among whom they lived. This indicates that the worship of Yahweh was not unique to him, but was shared, or at least supposed to be shared, with his father’s family, and also that he does not expect that faithfulness to persist long in the place where they live; he does not want Isaac to be corrupted, and he wants to ensure that he continues to live in the land to which God has called him. It is also worth noting that the prayer of the servant has a twofold significance. It expresses the desire to find a virtuous wife for Isaac, as he sets conditions for the sign in his prayer that match with what a virtuous young woman would do. It also expresses hope, and perhaps even trust, that Abraham’s relatives will have kept the faith…or perhaps, rather, it expresses the understanding that, regardless of blood relationships, whichever young woman is virtuous and hospitable is the true relative of Abraham, worthy of being brought into the household of Faith.)

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 Third Antiphon

When we begin the Divine Liturgy Sunday morning, 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 third of these today.

Prayer at the Third Antiphon

Lord, You have given us grace to offer these common prayers with one heart. You have promised to grant the requests of two or three gathered in Your name. Fulfill now the petitions of Your servants for our benefit, giving us the knowledge of Your truth in this world, and granting us eternal life in the world to come.

For You are a good and loving God, and to You we give glory, to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and to the ages of ages. Amen.

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 this prayer follows the normal pattern of a prayer, in which the prayer begins with a confession of a promise that God has made to us (the promise about wherever two or three are gathered in the Lord’s Name is found in Matthew 18:20), and then asks Him to fulfill that promise for us in this time and place. It varies slightly from the norm in that it begins with a statement of what God has already done, in giving us the grace to offer prayers to Him as a community. Thus we also see here another important element of prayer, that God is both the one to Whom we are speaking in prayer, and the One Who has enabled us to approach Him. He is already with us, and nonetheless we undertake actively to approach Him with purpose and intent. As we have seen elsewhere this year, it is a good reminder that God is always present with us, but it is always a struggle, a matter of hard work and diligent effort, for us to be present with God. Therefore we ask the help of Him, as He is present always with us, as we apply ourselves to the work of approaching and being present with Him, seeking the knowledge of His truth and the eternal life for which we were created in the world to come.)

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 10:34-42; 11:1 (Jesus Instructs His Apostles)

Last time the Lord warned His disciples of the troubles that they would face as they proclaimed the Gospel, both at that time, and for the rest of their lives, promising them that if they remained faithful to the end, they would be saved, and that the Holy Spirit would inspire them, and that the Father would care for them always. This time He concludes His guidance to them as they are sent out.

Not Peace, but a Sword

34 “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.

35 For I have come to set a man against his father,
and a daughter against her mother,
and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law;
36 and one’s foes will be members of one’s own household.

37 Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; 38 and whoever does not take up the cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Those who find their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it.

Rewards

40 “Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. 41 Whoever welcomes a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward; and whoever welcomes a righteous person in the name of a righteous person will receive the reward of the righteous; 42 and whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple—truly I tell you, none of these will lose their reward.”

11 Now when Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he went on from there to teach and proclaim his message in their cities.

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 the appearance of the Cross in this passage; the Lord has not yet been crucified, and yet He is already urging His Apostles that to follow Him, they must take up the Cross. This must have been a strange image for them at the time, and yet one that they came to understand much better after the Resurrection. It is a good reminder to us, as well, that the Lord is not simply speaking to His Apostles here, but through them to all of us. This is the way of the Christian life; to deny ourselves, take up the Cross, and follow 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 1 (Monday)

Genesis 22:1-19 (Abraham Offers Isaac)

Last time, we saw the aftermath of Isaac’s birth, and how Sarah was unhappy to have Ishmael still in the household together with her own son Isaac, and how Abraham sent Hagar and Ishmael away, and how God appeared to Hagar and guided her, assuring her that He would be with her son and would fulfil the promises to Abraham for him and his descendants as well. This left Abraham and Sarah together with the long-awaited son of promise; we will now see what comes next for them.

The Command to Sacrifice Isaac

22 After these things God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 2 He said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains that I shall show you.” 3 So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac; he cut the wood for the burnt offering, and set out and went to the place in the distance that God had shown him.

4 On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place far away. 5 Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; the boy and I will go over there; we will worship, and then we will come back to you.” 6 Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. So the two of them walked on together. 7 Isaac said to his father Abraham, “Father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” He said, “The fire and the wood are here, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” 8 Abraham said, “God himself will provide the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So the two of them walked on together.

9 When they came to the place that God had shown him, Abraham built an altar there and laid the wood in order. He bound his son Isaac, and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. 10 Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to kill his son. 11 But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven, and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 12 He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.” 13 And Abraham looked up and saw a ram, caught in a thicket by its horns. Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. 14 So Abraham called that place “The Lord will provide”; as it is said to this day, “On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.”

15 The angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven, 16 and said, “By myself I have sworn, says the Lord: Because you have done this, and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17 I will indeed bless you, and I will make your offspring as numerous as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of their enemies, 18 and by your offspring shall all the nations of the earth gain blessing for themselves, because you have obeyed my voice.” 19 So Abraham returned to his young men, and they arose and went together to Beer-sheba; and Abraham lived at Beer-sheba.

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 this is revealed to us as a test from the very beginning; now that Abraham has received the son that God had promised to him, and had given to him miraculously when he was as good as dead, God is testing Abraham. It doesn’t say exactly what, not immediately, but in verse 16, God does actually make clear what He is testing, whether Abraham will try to keep his son, the one God gave to him, the one that he circumcised to signify that he and all his descendants belong to God, away from God when God demands him back. God has no desire to kill Isaac, but to show to Abraham, and to Isaac, and by extension to all of us, that we truly are called to belong to Him…and the promise of the ram, which we have fulfilled in Jesus Christ, is precisely that He will care for us, and will provide whatever is necessary for our salvation and glory, so long as we remain faithful to Him. It should also be noted that there is a long tradition that the place where Abraham goes to sacrifice Isaac is precisely the same place where the Lord is Himself crucified, that is to say, where the Lord provides on the Mount of the Lord for the salvation of His people. As we begin to cast our eyes forward toward Great Lent and Pascha, it is good that we keep this story and this promise in our minds.)

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)

St. Anthony the Great on Humility

As the last great persecution of Christians in the Roman Empire was winding down, and it came to be an easier life to be a Christian in the world, and many of the great and powerful in the empire were becoming Christians, the first stirrings of what eventually became Orthodox Christian monasticism began out in the desert of Egypt. One of the great early monastic saints was St. Anthony. Since we celebrate his feast day this week, on the 17th, we will read a few of his sayings.

St. Anthony the Great

Saying 9
[Abba Anthony] said to Abba Poimen, “A man’s work is this: to take upon himself the responsibility for his faults before God, and to expect temptation until his last breath.

Saying 10
A brother went to see Abba Sisoes on the mountain of Abba Anthony, and while they were speaking the brother said to the elder, “Have you not by now attained to the stature of Abba Anthony, Father?” The elder answered him, “If I had one of Abba Anthony’s thoughts, I would become all flame.”

Saying 11
Once when Abba Anthony was praying in his cell, a voice came to him, saying, “Anthony, you have not yet attained to the stature of such and such a shoemaker in Alexandria.” So the elder arose early in the morning, took his palm-wood staff, and went to see him. Upon arriving and greeting him, he sat with him and said to him, “Brother, tell me about your deeds.” And he said, “Abba, I am not aware of having done anything good, except only that when I rise in the morning to sit at my handiwork, I say within myself, ‘This whole city, from the least of them to the greatest, will enter the kingdom because of their righteousness; I alone will inherit punishment because of my sins.’ And again in the evening before I sleep I say the same thing.” When the elder heard this, he said, “In truth, like a fine goldsmith sitting restfully in his house, you have inherited the kingdom, whereas I, though I have been living in the desert all my life, because of my lack of discernment have not caught up with you.”

Saying 13
A certain monk was praised by the brothers fo Abba Anthony. When the monk went to see him, Abba Anthony tested him to see whether he could endure dishonor. Seeing that he could not endure it, he said to him, “You are like a village that has been made to appear beautiful in front, but in back is being stripped bare by robbers.”

From Saint Anthony the Great, published by St. Anthony’s Greek Orthodox Monastery Press, Florence, Arizona, 2019.

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, while St. Anthony and all the saints are of course known for their ascetical labors, for their intense fasting and prayer, none of these feats are ultimately signs of holiness. They are rather means to an end; the end is humility before God, active repentance, genuine lowly-mindedness. It is these that we see exhibited in these sayings; if we want a true litmus test for our holiness, we need only look to see how we respond when we are ill treated.)

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 10:16-33 (The Lord’s Guidance to the Apostles)

Last time we saw that the Lord send His disciples out as apostles, with authority to cast out demons, to heal and to preach the Kingdom of God; this is the first time in Matthew’s Gospel that he gives us a full list of the Lord’s closest disciples, the twelve that He is sending out at this point. He began by giving them instructions of where to go, what to say and do, what to bring with them (nothing), what to accept for preaching (no payment, but whatever hospitality is offered to them), and who to stay with, and also what to do if a city rejected them. This time we will see Him continue to warn them of what they will experience as they proclaim His name, not just at this time, but into the future, after His death and resurrection, until their own martyrdoms.

Coming Persecutions

16 “See, I am sending you out like sheep into the midst of wolves; so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. 17 Beware of them, for they will hand you over to councils and flog you in their synagogues; 18 and you will be dragged before governors and kings because of me, as a testimony to them and the Gentiles.

19 When they hand you over, do not worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say; for what you are to say will be given to you at that time; 20 for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

21 Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death; 22 and you will be hated by all because of my name. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. 23 When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next; for truly I tell you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.

24 “A disciple is not above the teacher, nor a slave above the master; 25 it is enough for the disciple to be like the teacher, and the slave like the master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household!

Whom to Fear

26 “So have no fear of them; for nothing is covered up that will not be uncovered, and nothing secret that will not become known. 27 What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light; and what you hear whispered, proclaim from the housetops. 28 Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. 30 And even the hairs of your head are all counted. 31 So do not be afraid; you are of more value than many sparrows.

32 “Everyone therefore who acknowledges me before others, I also will acknowledge before my Father in heaven; 33 but whoever denies me before others, I also will deny before my Father in heaven.

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 many things here, as what the Lord says here applies not just to the Apostles, but to anyone who is faithful to the Lord in any age, including our own. It is good to note that the Gospel of the Kingdom is not a word that can make peace with the world as it is; anyone for whom the comfort and pleasures and passions of this world are paramount will struggle against the Gospel and reject it, and those who are faithful to it. The Lord is urging His Apostles to count themselves as citizens of the Kingdom to come, even at the cost of the kingdoms of this world.)

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 21:8-21 (Hagar and Ishmael Sent Away)

For the last several weeks, we have read selections from the Old and New Testament relating to the feast of Christmas, and had set aside temporarily our journey through the life of Abraham. This week we will return to the story, immediately after the long-awaited birth of Isaac. Back in the first full week of December, we read of his birth, and of how Abraham obeyed God’s commandment, and circumcised him on the 8th day after his birth, dedicating him, and all his descendants, to be the holy people of God. Just last week, we celebrated the great fulfillment of that dedication, in the feast of our Lord’s circumcision and naming on January 1st. But now, we will continue with the story, and see what happens to Hagar and to Ishmael now that Isaac has been born.

Hagar and Ishmael Sent Away

8 The child grew, and was weaned; and Abraham made a great feast on the day that Isaac was weaned. 9 But Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, playing with her son Isaac. 10 So she said to Abraham, “Cast out this slave woman with her son; for the son of this slave woman shall not inherit along with my son Isaac.” 11 The matter was very distressing to Abraham on account of his son.

12 But God said to Abraham, “Do not be distressed because of the boy and because of your slave woman; whatever Sarah says to you, do as she tells you, for it is through Isaac that offspring shall be named for you. 13 As for the son of the slave woman, I will make a nation of him also, because he is your offspring.” 14 So Abraham rose early in the morning, and took bread and a skin of water, and gave it to Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, along with the child, and sent her away. And she departed, and wandered about in the wilderness of Beer-sheba.

15 When the water in the skin was gone, she cast the child under one of the bushes. 16 Then she went and sat down opposite him a good way off, about the distance of a bowshot; for she said, “Do not let me look on the death of the child.” And as she sat opposite him, she lifted up her voice and wept. 17 And God heard the voice of the boy; and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven, and said to her, “What troubles you, Hagar? Do not be afraid; for God has heard the voice of the boy where he is. 18 Come, lift up the boy and hold him fast with your hand, for I will make a great nation of him.” 19 Then God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water. She went, and filled the skin with water, and gave the boy a drink.

20 God was with the boy, and he grew up; he lived in the wilderness, and became an expert with the bow. 21 He lived in the wilderness of Paran; and his mother got a wife for him from the land of Egypt.

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 in this story, we continue to see the consequences of Abraham and Sarah’s effort to take matters into their own hands and “come up with” a child despite Sarah’s barrenness. They succeeded, but now we see the very human emotions of jealousy and fear of contested inheritance. What we also see, however, is God’s faithfulness, in caring for Hagar and Ishmael, and in accepting even Abraham’s mistakes as a part of the long-term plan. We know that not a few of the descendants of Ishmael continued in faithfulness to God, even soon after Abraham’s death, and then, of course, the Arab peoples have a long tradition of faithfulness within the Church, notwithstanding the rise of Islam.)

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)

Wisdom on Living with Others from St. Dorotheos of Gaza

St. Dorotheos was a monastic saint in the 500’s after our Lord’s birth. He seems to have been born into an upper class family in Antioch around 500, but devoted himself to monasticism from an early age. He eventually came to be in a position of oversight of other monastics, and it is from this time that we have writings of his, guidance that he provided to others who were devoted to living a life of prayer in community. The passage quoted below has been found on the internet in various forms of editing, but the full version seems to be from here: https://www.holycross.org/blogs/spiritual-articles/113632902-on-blaming-others.

On Blaming Others

There came to me once two brothers who were always [arguing], and the elder was saying about the younger, ‘I arrange for him to do something and he gets distressed, and so I get distressed, thinking that if he had faith and love towards me he would accept what I tell him with complete confidence.’

And the younger was saying, ‘Excuse me, reverend father, but he does not speak to me with the fear of God, but rather as someone who wants to give orders. I reckon that this is why my heart has not full confidence, as the Fathers say.’

Impress on your minds that each blames the other and neither blames himself, but both of them are getting upset with one another, and although they are begging each other’s pardon, they both remain unconvinced ‘because he does not [from his heart] show me deference and, therefore, I am not convinced, for the Fathers say that he should.’ And the other says, ‘Since he will not have complete confidence in my love until I show him deference I, for my my part, do not have complete confidence in him.’

My God, do you see how ridiculous this is? Do you see their perverse way of thinking? God knows how sorry I am about this; that we take the saying of the Fathers to excuse our own will and the destruction of our souls. Each of these had to throw the blame on the other… What they really ought to do is just the opposite. The first ought to say: I speak with presumption and therefore God does not give my brother confidence in me. And the other ought to be thinking: My brother gives me commands with humility and love but I am unruly and have not the fear of God. Neither of them found that way and blamed himself, but each of them vexed the other.

Don’t you see that this is why we make no progress, why we find we have not been helped towards it? We remain all the time against one another, grinding one another down. Because each considers himself right and excuses himself, as I was saying, all the while keeping none of the Commandments yet expecting his neighbor to keep the lot! This is why we do not acquire habits of virtue, because if we light on any little thing we tax our neighbor with it and blame him saying he ought not to do such a thing and why did he do it—whereas ought we not rather to examine ourselves about the Commandments and blame ourselves for not keeping them? How did that [Elder] reply when asked, ‘What do you find most important in this way of life, Father?’ He replied, ‘In everything to blame oneself’. And when his questioner agreed with him about this, he underlined it by saying, ‘There is no other way but this.’…

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 we often find from monastics the clearest consideration of how to live practically with one another. Sometimes what we see from the monastic life appears to be unrealistic, and sometimes it is indeed irrelevant to us who live in the world. It would be good to foster a discussion of whether the point made in the final sentence, that we should “in everything blame one’s self,” is realistic and relevant to us Christians living in the world. If we attend carefully to this story, we will see that there is nothing uniquely monastic about it; we all have had conflicts like these, and the answer, for all of us, is to attend not to the speck that is in our brother or sister’s eye, but to the log that is in our own.)

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 9:35-38; 10:1-15 (The Disciples are Sent Out)

Last time we saw Jesus leave the house of Matthew to go to help the ruler of the synagogue whose daughter had just died. Along the way, He healed the woman with the flow of blood, and then afterward He also healed two blind men and a mute as well. This time, we will see Him go on from there and continue to do the same sort of work throughout the surrounding area, and then begin to give the disciples a share in this work.

The Harvest Is Great, the Laborers Few

35 Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and curing every disease and every sickness. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; 38 therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”

The Twelve Apostles

10 Then Jesus summoned his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to cure every disease and every sickness. 2 These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon, also known as Peter, and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; 3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; 4 Simon the Cananaean, and Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed him.

The Mission of the Twelve

5 These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Go nowhere among the Gentiles, and enter no town of the Samaritans, 6 but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7 As you go, proclaim the good news, ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ 8 Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. You received without payment; give without payment. 9 Take no gold, or silver, or copper in your belts, 10 no bag for your journey, or two tunics, or sandals, or a staff; for laborers deserve their food.

11 Whatever town or village you enter, find out who in it is worthy, and stay there until you leave. 12 As you enter the house, greet it. 13 If the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it; but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. 14 If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet as you leave that house or town. 15 Truly I tell you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town.

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 this is the point at which the disciples become “apostles.” This name begins to be applied to them precisely at the point when the Lord sends them out, and this is, of course, what apostle means: one who is sent. It is also worth attending to the very specific limits and guidelines that the Lord sets for them, and discussing why He might have set those limits, and what He is teaching them with these instructions.)

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 6:1-24 (Practical Admonitions)

As we begin the New Year of 2023, we will continue for one more week to pause from our normal narrative readings, and return once again to the Book of Proverbs. This book, written by a father seeking to provide good guidance to his son, and by extension to all of us, directs us to walk the narrow path of faithfulness, avoiding the common temptations and holding fast to the Lord in all things. It is a good way to begin the new year. Note: The previous chapter, which we have not read, is a warning against sexual immorality, especially what the text calls the “loose woman,” but it seems to be a warning against any dealings with prostitution. We may extend it in the present day to be a warning against the manifold sexual immorality in our society, whether on the internet or elsewhere, and against the evils and dangers of pornography as well. Parents of teenagers may wish to consider reading Proverbs chapter 5 with their children, or reading it themselves and then sharing relevant elements with their young people.

Practical Admonitions

6 My child, if you have given your pledge to your neighbor,
if you have bound yourself to another,
2 you are snared by the utterance of your lips,
caught by the words of your mouth.
3 So do this, my child, and save yourself,
for you have come into your neighbor’s power:
go, hurry, and plead with your neighbor.
4 Give your eyes no sleep
and your eyelids no slumber;
5 save yourself like a gazelle from the hunter,
like a bird from the hand of the fowler.

6 Go to the ant, you lazybones;
consider its ways, and be wise.
7 Without having any chief
or officer or ruler,
8 it prepares its food in summer,
and gathers its sustenance in harvest.
9 How long will you lie there, O lazybones?
When will you rise from your sleep?
10 A little sleep, a little slumber,
a little folding of the hands to rest,
11 and poverty will come upon you like a robber,
and want, like an armed warrior.

12 A scoundrel and a villain
goes around with crooked speech,
13 winking the eyes, shuffling the feet,
pointing the fingers,
14 with perverted mind devising evil,
continually sowing discord;
15 on such a one calamity will descend suddenly;
in a moment, damage beyond repair.

16 There are six things that the Lord hates,
seven that are an abomination to him:
17 haughty eyes, a lying tongue,
and hands that shed innocent blood,
18 a heart that devises wicked plans,
feet that hurry to run to evil,
19 a lying witness who testifies falsely,
and one who sows discord in a family.

20 My child, keep your father’s commandment,
and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.
21 Bind them upon your heart always;
tie them around your neck.
22 When you walk, they will lead you;
when you lie down, they will watch over you;
and when you awake, they will talk with you.
23 For the commandment is a lamp and the teaching a light,
and the reproofs of discipline are the way of life,
24 to preserve you from [great sin and destruction].

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 warning in the first paragraph, against “becoming surety for one’s neighbor” is referring to underwriting other peoples’ debts, as one might do when participating in a charlatan’s get-rich scheme. The warning is against giving money to someone that cannot be trusted: not a friend or close neighbor, but someone that you just happen to come into contact with. This remains good advice when it comes to random advertising and income opportunities, on the internet or in person. The rest of the passage speaks of the importance of diligent work, rather than laziness, and the terrible dangers presented by those who create discord, and finally ends with a warning for children to hold fast to the essential instruction of a patient and conscientious parent. We may note, as well, that the chapter continues with a warning against marital infidelity, especially with someone else’s spouse, and how this will be even more destructive than the sexual immorality that was warned against in the previous chapter. We have not included this part of the chapter, but again, parents of teenagers would do well to read verses 25-35 of this chapter, and consider sharing them with their young 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)

Theophany Hymns (to be selected for multiple years)

On January 6th, the Orthodox Church celebrates the feast of Theophany, which commemorates the Baptism of Jesus Christ in the Jordan River by John the Baptist. This feast is not a simple historical remembrance, but is laden with cosmic significance; the Church sees this moment as a turning point, a fulfillment of many expectations, and a promise of greater things to come, as the water of the Jordan becomes the first matter of the Creation (apart from His own Holy Flesh) to be made holy by the Lord Who has come into our midst as one of us, in order to sanctify us, and all Creation with us. This marvelous reality, and the wonder that it is God Himself Who has entered within His own Creation to save and sanctify it, is at the core of themes that the Church reflects on in the hymns of this feast day. There are a great many hymns worth reading for the feast-day, so please don’t hesitate to read a smaller selection of what we have set forth here, if your time (or the attention of your family/class) runs short.

Hymns from the Services of Theophany

Idiomelon 1 of Sixth Hour

Thus did the Lord say to John: "O Prophet, come and baptize me, the One who created you, and who by grace illumines and purifies all people. Touch my divine head, do not be hesitant. O Prophet, let it be so now, for I have come to fulfill all righteousness. So, do not hesitate at all, for I very much want to destroy the enemy who is hiding in the waters, the prince of darkness, and thus to redeem the world from his traps, and to grant eternal life, in my love for humanity."

Idiomelon 2 of Sixth Hour

Today, that prophecy in the Psalms is close to coming to pass. For it says, "The sea saw it and fled, the Jordan turned back, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob," who has come now to His servant to receive Baptism, so that through it we might be cleansed from the impurity of idols and our souls may be illumined

Doxastikon of the Sixth Hour

Why are you restraining your waters, O River Jordan? Why do you reverse your current and not proceed to flow naturally? And the River replies, "I am unable to bear the all-consuming fire. I am enthralled and shaking with holy thrill at the extreme condescension. For I am not accustomed to cleansing one who is clean; I know not how to purify the sinless, but only to wash the dirtied vessels. But now Christ, who is being baptized in me, is teaching me to burn up thorns of sins. And John bears witness with me; yes, the voice of the Logos cries out, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!'" To Him, O faithful, let us cry aloud, "O God, who made Your epiphany for our salvation, glory to You!

Idiomelon 4 of the Kekragaria

Wishing to save mankind which had gone astray, You did not deem it unworthy to put on the form of a servant; it was fitting for You, the Master, to assume what is ours for our sake. When You were baptized in the flesh, O Redeemer, You granted us forgiveness. Therefore we shout to You, "O Benefactor, Christ our God, glory to You!

Idiomelon 4 of the Liti

Christ is baptized: ⁄ He comes up from the waters, bringing the world with Him. ⁄ He sees the heavens opened which Adam had closed ⁄ against himself and his posterity. ⁄ the Spirit bears witness to His divinity, hastening to His own nature; ⁄ and a voice comes from heaven, ⁄ for He to whom this testimony is given has come down from heaven, ⁄⁄ and He is the Savior of our souls.

Kathisma 2 of the Orthros

Jordan River, tell us do: * What did you see and were amazed? * I saw naked Him whom none * can see, and shuddered in fear. * And how was I not to shudder at Him and be frightened? * The Angels, when they saw Him also shuddered in awe. * And heaven was astonished, and astounded was earth. * The sea recoiled along with all things * both visible and invisible. * For Christ appeared in the River Jordan, * to sanctify the waters.

Both Now Hymn of Ode 4 of Canon 2 of the Feast

In the lairs of dragons, God the Word searches for us ⁄ to lead us back to the life-giving pastures of Paradise. ⁄ He destroys the dreadful snares the enemy had laid for mankind, ⁄ He makes a prisoner of him who bruised all mankind in the heel, ⁄ and so He saves the creation.

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 the final hymn selected, we are invited to reflect on the Lord’s Incarnation as our God and Creator coming into the very den of the dragons that enslave us to rescue us and restore us to communion with Him. This is not really a metaphor, as the demons who have led us into sin are rightly referred to as dragons, and especially because the water itself was understood in the ancient world as the dwelling place of monstrous and terrifying sea beasts, associated with death itself. Thus it is important that the Lord enters even into the depths of the waters, into the realm of chaos and death, and destroys the power of these things, and makes even the substance which they had dominated, the waters of the river Jordan, an instrument of grace and sanctification for all the Creation.)

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 9:18-34 (Daughter Raised from Dead, Woman Healed, Blind and Mute Men Healed)

This week we return to our journey through the Gospel of Matthew. Last time, we saw the disciples of John the Baptist come to Jesus with a question about fasting, at what seems to have been the meal hosted by Matthew the tax collector and newest disciple of the Lord; while He is answering this question, as we will see, a leader of the synagogue comes in to ask for Jesus to help him.

A Girl Restored to Life and a Woman Healed

18 While he was saying these things to them, suddenly a leader of the synagogue came in and knelt before him, saying, “My daughter has just died; but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live.” 19 And Jesus got up and followed him, with his disciples. 20 Then suddenly a woman who had been suffering from hemorrhages for twelve years came up behind him and touched the fringe of his cloak, 21 for she said to herself, “If I only touch his cloak, I will be made well.”

22 Jesus turned, and seeing her he said, “Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well.” And instantly the woman was made well. 23 When Jesus came to the leader’s house and saw the flute players and the crowd making a commotion, 24 he said, “Go away; for the girl is not dead but sleeping.” And they laughed at him. 25 But when the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took her by the hand, and the girl got up. 26 And the report of this spread throughout that district.

Jesus Heals Two Blind Men

27 As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed him, crying loudly, “Have mercy on us, Son of David!” 28 When he entered the house, the blind men came to him; and Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They said to him, “Yes, Lord.” 29 Then he touched their eyes and said, “According to your faith let it be done to you.” 30 And their eyes were opened. Then Jesus sternly ordered them, “See that no one knows of this.” 31 But they went away and spread the news about him throughout that district.

Jesus Heals One Who Was Mute

32 After they had gone away, a demoniac who was mute was brought to him. 33 And when the demon had been cast out, the one who had been mute spoke; and the crowds were amazed and said, “Never has anything like this been seen in Israel.” 34 But the Pharisees said, “By the ruler of the demons he casts out the demons.”

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 when the blind men call Jesus the “Son of David,” this is a statement that He is the Messiah, the awaited Anointed One, as the Messiah was expected to be a descendant of David, and one who would restore things to how they ought to be. What is remarkable is that these blind men expect a Messiah Who heals, and not just a Messiah to lead an army or establish a kingdom. David never healed the blind; so we can see that there were some in Judaea who expected the sort of Messiah that Jesus was, based on the prophecies of God coming to be with His people, and it is striking that they call out to him in this way, asking for help. It is also worth noting that this verse, and its analogues in the other Gospels, is considered the Scriptural basis for what we call the Jesus Prayer: “Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me,” since what they say: “Son of David, have mercy on us,” could be stated rather as “Christ, have mercy on us,” and adding the title Lord and the name Jesus is only making it more specific Who it is that we are calling upon in our prayer.)

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?