Day 1 (Monday)

Proverbs 2:1-22; 3:1-18

As we prepare to begin the New Year of 2026, we take a pause from the Old Testament and continue through the Book of Proverbs, to remind us of the importance of learning God’s teachings, of respecting our parents, and of avoiding the sins in which those around us encourage us to take part. In this passage, the writer of Proverbs urges his son (and by extension all of us) to receive wisdom, and to treasure it and to seek it with dedication and zeal, promising that all those who seek the Lord faithfully will be saved and preserved from sin, and find all good things from God.

The Value of Wisdom

2 My son, if you receive my words
and treasure up my commandments with you,
2 making your ear attentive to wisdom
and inclining your heart to understanding;
3 yes, if you cry out for insight
and raise your voice for understanding,
4 if you seek it like silver
and search for it as for hidden treasures;
5 then you will understand the fear of the Lord
and find the knowledge of God.

6 For the Lord gives wisdom;
from his mouth come knowledge and understanding;
7 he stores up sound wisdom for the upright;
he is a shield to those who walk in integrity,
8 guarding the paths of justice
and preserving the way of his saints.

9 Then you will understand righteousness and justice
and equity, every good path;
10 for wisdom will come into your heart,
and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul;
11 discretion will watch over you;
understanding will guard you;
12 delivering you from the way of evil,
from men of perverted speech,
13 who forsake the paths of uprightness
to walk in the ways of darkness,
14 who rejoice in doing evil
and delight in the perverseness of evil;
15 men whose paths are crooked,
and who are devious in their ways.

16 You will be saved from the loose woman,
from the adventuress with her smooth words,
17 who forsakes the companion of her youth
and forgets the covenant of her God;
18 for her house sinks down to death,
and her paths to the shades;
19 none who go to her come back
nor do they regain the paths of life.

20 So you will walk in the way of good men
and keep to the paths of the righteous.
21 For the upright will inhabit the land,
and men of integrity will remain in it;
22 but the wicked will be cut off from the land,
and the treacherous will be rooted out of it.

Admonition to Trust and Honor God

3 My son, do not forget my teaching,
but let your heart keep my commandments;
2 for length of days and years of life
and abundant welfare will they give you.
3 Let not loyalty and faithfulness forsake you;
bind them about your neck,
write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 So you will find favor and good repute
in the sight of God and man.

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and do not rely on your own insight.
6 In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make straight your paths.
7 Be not wise in your own eyes;
fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.
8 It will be healing to your flesh
and refreshment to your bones.

9 Honor the Lord with your substance
and with the first fruits of all your produce;
10 then your barns will be filled with plenty,
and your vats will be bursting with wine.
11 My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline
or be weary of his reproof,
12 for the Lord reproves him whom he loves,
as a father the son in whom he delights.

The True Wealth

13 Happy is the man who finds wisdom,
and the man who gets understanding,
14 for the gain from it is better than gain from silver
and its profit better than gold.
15 She is more precious than jewels,
and nothing you desire can compare with her.
16 Long life is in her right hand;
in her left hand are riches and honor.
17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness,
and all her paths are peace.
18 She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her;
those who hold her fast are called happy.

Selection 2
636 words

Discussion questions:

1) What did you notice in today’s reading? What surprised you or what was memorable to you? (The 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. Above all, the value of wisdom is emphasized; and we must remember, as well, that Wisdom in the book of Proverbs is not simply facts or experience, but is personified. Wisdom speaks, and cries out in the streets, and is said to have been the agent of the Creation itself; Wisdom is, in fact, the Word and Son of God Himself.)

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)

Saint Basil the Great
The life of St. Basil is quite long, but it gives an unusually full picture of the life of the Church in the 4th century, at its best and at its worst. For this reason we will read his entire life – it will probably take between 10 and 15 minutes to read.

St. Basil truly stands as a beautiful example of what a Christian Bishop is. As one of his fellow bishops said after his death: “He belongs not to the Church of Caesarea alone, nor merely to his own time, nor was he of benefit only to his own kinsmen, but rather to all lands and cities worldwide, and to all people he brought and still brings benefit, and for Christians he always was and will be a most salvific teacher.”

St Basil was born in the year 330 at Caesarea, the administrative center of Cappadocia. He was of illustrious lineage, famed for its eminence and wealth, and zealous for the Christian Faith. The saint’s grandfather and grandmother on his father’s side had to hide in the forests of Pontus for seven years during the persecution under Diocletian.

St Basil’s mother St Emilia was the daughter of a martyr. On the Greek calendar, she is commemorated on May 30. St Basil’s father was also named Basil. He was a lawyer and renowned rhetorician, and lived at Caesarea.

Ten children were born to the elder Basil and Emilia: five sons and five daughters. Five of them were later numbered among the saints; besides Basil, Macrina (a nun), Gregory of Nyssa, Peter of Sebaste (both bishops), and Theosebia (a deaconess).
St Basil spent the first years of his life on an estate belonging to his parents at the River Iris, where he was raised under the supervision of his mother Emilia and grandmother Macrina. They were women of great refinement, who remembered an earlier bishop of Cappadocia, St Gregory the Wonderworker (November 17). Basil received his initial education under the supervision of his father, and then he studied under the finest teachers in Caesarea of Cappadocia, and it was here that he made the acquaintance of St Gregory the Theologian (January 25 and January 30). Later, Basil transferred to a school at Constantinople, where he listened to eminent orators and philosophers. To complete his education St Basil went to Athens, the center of classical enlightenment.

After a four or five year stay at Athens, Basil had mastered all the available disciplines. “He studied everything thoroughly, more than others are wont to study a single subject. He studied each science in its very totality, as though he would study nothing else.” Philosopher, philologist, orator, jurist, naturalist, possessing profound knowledge in astronomy, mathematics and medicine, “he was a ship fully laden with learning, to the extent permitted by human nature.”

At Athens a close friendship developed between Basil the Great and Gregory the Theologian, which continued throughout their life. In fact, they regarded themselves as one soul in two bodies. Later on, in his eulogy for Basil the Great, St Gregory the Theologian speaks with delight about this period: “Various hopes guided us, and indeed inevitably, in learning… Two paths opened up before us: the one to our sacred temples and the teachers therein; the other towards preceptors of disciplines beyond.”

About the year 357, St Basil returned to Caesarea, where for a while he devoted himself to rhetoric. But soon, refusing offers from Caesarea’s citizens who wanted to entrust him with the education of their offspring, St Basil entered upon the path of ascetic life.

After the death of her husband, Basil’s mother, her eldest daughter Macrina, and several female servants withdrew to the family estate at Iris and there began to lead an ascetic life. Around the same time, Basil was baptized by Dianios, the Bishop of Caesarea, and was tonsured a Reader. He first read the Holy Scriptures to the people, then explained them.

Later on, “wishing to acquire a guide to the knowledge of truth”, the saint undertook a journey into Egypt, Syria and Palestine, to meet the great Christian ascetics dwelling there. On returning to Cappadocia, he decided to do as they did. He distributed his wealth to the needy, then settled on the opposite side of the river not far from his mother Emilia and sister Macrina, gathering around him monks living a cenobitic life.

By his letters, Basil drew his good friend Gregory the Theologian to the monastery. Sts Basil and Gregory labored in strict abstinence in their dwelling place, which had no roof or fireplace, and the food was very humble. They themselves cleared away the stones, planted and watered the trees, and carried heavy loads. Their hands were constantly calloused from the hard work. For clothing Basil had only a tunic and monastic mantle.

In their solitude, Sts Basil and Gregory occupied themselves in an intense study of Holy Scripture. They were guided by the writings of the Fathers and commentators of the past. From all these works they compiled an anthology called Philokalia. Also at this time, at the request of the monks, St Basil wrote down a collection of rules for virtuous life. By his preaching and by his example St Basil assisted in the spiritual perfection of Christians in Cappadocia and Pontus; and many indeed turned to him. Monasteries were organized for men and for women, in which places Basil sought to combine the cenobitic (koine bios, or common) lifestyle with that of the solitary hermit.

During the reign of Constantius (337-361) the heretical teachings of Arius were spreading, and the Church summoned both its saints into service. St Basil returned to Caesarea. In the year 362 he was ordained deacon by Bishop Meletius of Antioch. In 364 he was ordained to the holy priesthood by Bishop Eusebius of Caesarea. “But seeing,” as Gregory the Theologian relates, “that everyone exceedingly praised and honored Basil for his wisdom and reverence, Eusebius, through human weakness, succumbed to jealousy of him, and began to show dislike for him.” The monks rose up in defense of St Basil. To avoid causing Church discord, Basil withdrew to his own monastery and concerned himself with the organization of monasteries.

With the coming to power of the emperor Valens (364-378), who was a resolute adherent of Arianism, a time of troubles began for Orthodoxy, the onset of a great struggle. St Basil hastily returned to Caesarea at the request of Bishop Eusebius. In the words of Gregory the Theologian, he was for Bishop Eusebius “a good advisor, a righteous representative, an expounder of the Word of God, a staff for the aged, a faithful support in internal matters, and an activist in external matters.”

From this time church governance passed over to Basil, though he was subordinate to the hierarch. He preached daily, and often twice, in the morning and in the evening. During this time St Basil composed his Liturgy. He wrote a work “On the Six Days of Creation” and others on the Prophet Isaiah, and on the Psalms, as well as a second compilation of monastic rules.

St Gregory the Theologian, speaking about the activity of Basil the Great during this period, points to “the caring for the destitute and the taking in of strangers, the supervision of virgins, written and unwritten monastic rules for monks, the arrangement of prayers [Liturgy], the felicitous arrangement of altars and other things.” Upon the death of Eusebius, the Bishop of Caesarea, St Basil was chosen to succeed him in the year 370. St Athanasius the Great, with joy and with thanks to God welcomed the appointment to Cappadocia of such a bishop as Basil, famed for his reverence, deep knowledge of Holy Scripture, great learning, and his efforts for the welfare of Church peace and unity.
St Basil’s had many difficulties as he became the bishop of Caesarea, schisms and political controversies both inside the Church and outside it. Amidst the constant perils St Basil gave encouragement to the Orthodox, confirmed them in the Faith, summoning them to bravery and endurance. The holy bishop wrote numerous letters to the churches, to bishops, to clergy and to individuals. Overcoming the heretics “by the weapon of his mouth, and by the arrows of his letters,” as an untiring champion of Orthodoxy, St Basil challenged the hostility and intrigues of the Arian heretics all his life. He has been compared to a bee, stinging the Church’s enemies, yet nourishing his flock with the sweet honey of his teaching.

The emperor Valens, mercilessly sending into exile any bishop who displeased him, and having implanted Arianism into other Asia Minor provinces, suddenly appeared in Cappadocia for this same purpose. He sent the prefect Modestus to St Basil. He began to threaten the saint with the confiscation of his property, banishment, beatings, and even death.

St Basil said, “If you take away my possessions, you will not enrich yourself, nor will you make me a pauper. You have no need of my old worn-out clothing, nor of my few books, of which the entirety of my wealth is comprised. Exile means nothing to me, since I am bound to no particular place. This place in which I now dwell is not mine, and any place you send me shall be mine. Better to say: every place is God’s. Where would I be neither a stranger and sojourner (Ps. 38/39:13)? Who can torture me? I am so weak, that the very first blow would render me insensible. Death would be a kindness to me, for it will bring me all the sooner to God, for Whom I live and labor, and to Whom I hasten.”

The official was stunned by his answer. “No one has ever spoken so audaciously to me,” he said.

“Perhaps,” the saint remarked, ” that is because you’ve never spoken to a bishop before. In all else we are meek, the most humble of all. But when it concerns God, and people rise up against Him, then we, counting everything else as naught, look to Him alone. Then fire, sword, wild beasts and iron rods that rend the body, serve to fill us with joy, rather than fear.”

Reporting to Valens that St Basil was not to be intimidated, Modestus said, “Emperor, we stand defeated by a leader of the Church.” Basil the Great again showed firmness before the emperor and his retinue and made such a strong impression on Valens that the emperor dared not give in to the Arians demanding Basil’s exile. “On the day of Theophany, amidst an innumerable multitude of the people, Valens entered the church and mixed in with the throng, in order to give the appearance of being in unity with the Church. When the singing of Psalms began in the church, it was like thunder to his hearing. The emperor beheld a sea of people, and in the altar and all around was splendor; in front of all was Basil, who acknowledged neither by gesture nor by glance, that anything else was going on in church.” Everything was focused only on God and the altar-table, and the clergy serving there in awe and reverence.

St Basil celebrated the church services almost every day. He was particularly concerned about the strict fulfilling of the Canons of the Church, and took care that only worthy individuals should enter into the clergy. He incessantly made the rounds of his own church, lest anywhere there be an infraction of Church discipline, and setting aright any unseemliness. At Caesarea, St Basil built two monasteries, a men’s and a women’s, with a church in honor of the Forty Martyrs (March 9) whose relics were buried there. Following the example of monks, the saint’s clergy, even deacons and priests, lived in remarkable poverty, to toil and lead chaste and virtuous lives. For his clergy St Basil obtained an exemption from taxation. He used all his personal wealth and the income from his church for the benefit of the destitute; in every center of his diocese he built a poor-house; and at Caesarea, a home for wanderers and the homeless.

He had always been sickly since his youth, and the toil of teaching, his life of abstinence, and the concerns and sorrows of pastoral service took their toll on him. St Basil died on January 1, 379 at age 49. Shortly before his death, the saint blessed St Gregory the Theologian to accept the See of Constantinople.

Upon the repose of St Basil, the Church immediately began to celebrate his memory. St Amphilochius, Bishop of Iconium (November 23), in his eulogy to St Basil the Great, said: “It is neither without a reason nor by chance that holy Basil has taken leave from the body and had repose from the world unto God on the day of the Circumcision of Jesus, celebrated between the day of the Nativity and the day of the Baptism of Christ. Therefore, this most blessed one, preaching and praising the Nativity and Baptism of Christ, extolling spiritual circumcision, himself forsaking the flesh, now ascends to Christ on the sacred day of remembrance of the Circumcision of Christ. Therefore, let it also be established on this present day annually to honor the memory of Basil the Great festively and with solemnity.”

St Basil is also called “the revealer of heavenly mysteries” (Ouranophantor), a “renowned and bright star,” and “the glory and beauty of the Church.” His honorable head is in the Great Lavra on Mount Athos.

In some countries it is customary to sing special carols today in honor of St Basil. He is believed to visit the homes of the faithful, and a place is set for him at the table. People visit the homes of friends and relatives, and the mistress of the house gives a small gift to the children. A special bread (Vasilopita) is blessed and distributed after the Liturgy. A silver coin is baked into the bread, and whoever receives the slice with the coin is said to receive the blessing of St Basil for the coming year.

Discussion questions:

1) This was an especially long reading, so we won’t lengthen today’s session with many questions. It would be good, though, to have everyone present mention one thing that they had noticed in particular about the life of St. Basil.

Day 3 (Friday)

Luke 8:19-39 (True Kindred of Jesus, Jesus Calms a Storm, Cleanses the Gerasene Demoniac)

Last time, we saw the Lord preaching and delivering to those who heard Him the parable of the Sower, also explaining why He spoke in parables, so that those who were not yet ready to hear His words would not understand them, and therefore, as we concluded, might be granted time to become ready before the seed planted in their hearts sprouted and began to grow. This time, we will see His mother and the sons of Joseph come to Him, but He will proceed without them to cross the sea of Galilee and to cleanse a man grievously afflicted by evil spirits.

The True Kindred of Jesus

19 Then his mother and his brethren came to him, but they could not reach him for the crowd. 20 And he was told, “Your mother and your brethren are standing outside, desiring to see you.” 21 But he said to them, “My mother and my brethren are those who hear the word of God and do it.”

Jesus Calms a Storm

22 One day he got into a boat with his disciples, and he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side of the lake.” So they set out, 23 and as they sailed he fell asleep. And a storm of wind came down on the lake, and they were filling with water, and were in danger. 24 And they went and woke him, saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!” And he awoke and rebuked the wind and the raging waves; and they ceased, and there was a calm. 25 He said to them, “Where is your faith?” And they were afraid, and they marveled, saying to one another, “Who then is this, that he commands even wind and water, and they obey him?”

Jesus Heals the Gerasene Demoniac

26 Then they arrived at the country of the Ger′asenes, which is opposite Galilee. 27 And as he stepped out on land, there met him a man from the city who had demons; for a long time he had worn no clothes, and he lived not in a house but among the tombs. 28 When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell down before him, and said with a loud voice, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beseech you, do not torment me.” 29 For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. (For many a time it had seized him; he was kept under guard, and bound with chains and fetters, but he broke the bonds and was driven by the demon into the desert.) 30 Jesus then asked him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Legion”; for many demons had entered him. 31 And they begged him not to command them to depart into the abyss. 32 Now a large herd of swine was feeding there on the hillside; and they begged him to let them enter these. So he gave them leave. 33 Then the demons came out of the man and entered the swine, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned.

34 When the herdsmen saw what had happened, they fled, and told it in the city and in the country. 35 Then people went out to see what had happened, and they came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had gone, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. 36 And those who had seen it told them how he who had been possessed with demons was healed. 37 Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Ger′asenes asked him to depart from them; for they were seized with great fear; so he got into the boat and returned. 38 The man from whom the demons had gone begged that he might be with him; but he sent him away, saying, 39 “Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you.” And he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole city how much Jesus had done for him.

Reading 18
596 words

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 Lord’s response when His mother and the sons of Joseph (for that is who His brothers are) come to Him is not necessarily dismissive of them, but notes that all those who hear Him and trust in Him are also His near family. Second, it must be noted that everything else that happens is a) specifically Jesus’ idea and b) all centered on the cleansing of the demoniac. That is to say, Jesus, on purpose, crosses the sea and calms the storm for the express and sole purpose of finding this one man afflicted by demons, cleansing him, and sending him back to his home to declare the glorious works of God. This may bring some clarity about what what is often considered a difficult and confusing episode.)

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)

Micah 1:1-5; 4:1-13; 5:1-4 (Prophecy against Samaria and Jerusalem, Consolation, Prophecy of a Ruler Born in Bethlehem)

This week of Christmas, we will read one of the prophecies of His birth, the one that is referenced in the gospel of Matthew, and that the scholars in Jerusalem referenced when the Magi came there asking where the Messiah was supposed to be born. This comes in the Prophecy of Micah, and we will read the introduction first, so that we understand that this prophecy is speaking primarily of the sins of the kingdoms of Israel and Judah, and of the coming judgment of God upon them. This is the content of the first three chapters, but in the fourth, the prophet begins also to speak of consolation, and in the fifth reaches the prophecy which is referenced to the Magi.

Prophecy of Micah (Excerpts)

1 The word of the Lord that came to Micah of Mo′resheth in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezeki′ah, kings of Judah, which he saw concerning Samar′ia and Jerusalem.

Judgment Pronounced against Samaria & Jerusalem

2 Hear, you peoples, all of you;
hearken, O earth, and all that is in it;
and let the Lord God be a witness against you,
the Lord from his holy temple.
3 For behold, the Lord is coming forth out of his place,
and will come down and tread upon the high places of the earth.
4 And the mountains will melt under him
and the valleys will be cleft,
like wax before the fire,
like waters poured down a steep place.
5 All this is for the transgression of Jacob
and for the sins of the house of Israel.
What is the transgression of Jacob?
Is it not Samar′ia?
And what is the sin of the house of Judah?
Is it not Jerusalem?

Through chapter 3, the prophet then continues to outline the destruction that God is warning the people of Israel and Judah will come upon them, which is fulfilled soon after in the destruction of both kingdoms by the Assyrian and Babylonian Empires, respectively. Then, in chapter 4, the tone changes.

Peace and Security through Obedience

4 It shall come to pass in the latter days
that the mountain of the house of the Lord
shall be established as the highest of the mountains,
and shall be raised up above the hills;
and peoples shall flow to it,
2 and many nations shall come, and say:
“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
to the house of the God of Jacob;
that he may teach us his ways
and we may walk in his paths.”
For out of Zion shall go forth the law,
and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
3 He shall judge between many peoples,
and shall decide for strong nations afar off;
and they shall beat their swords into plowshares,
and their spears into pruning hooks;
nation shall not lift up sword against nation,
neither shall they learn war any more;
4 but they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree,
and none shall make them afraid;
for the mouth of the Lord of hosts has spoken.
5 For all the peoples walk
each in the name of its god,
but we will walk in the name of the Lord our God
for ever and ever.

Restoration Promised after Exile

6 In that day, says the Lord,
I will assemble the lame
and gather those who have been driven away,
and those whom I have afflicted;
7 and the lame I will make the remnant;
and those who were cast off, a strong nation;
and the Lord will reign over them in Mount Zion
from this time forth and for evermore.
8 And you, O tower of the flock,
hill of the daughter of Zion,
to you shall it come,
the former dominion shall come,
the kingdom of the daughter of Jerusalem.
9 Now why do you cry aloud?
Is there no king in you?
Has your counselor perished,
that pangs have seized you like a woman in travail?
10 Writhe and groan, O daughter of Zion,
like a woman in travail;
for now you shall go forth from the city
and dwell in the open country;
you shall go to Babylon.
There you shall be rescued,
there the Lord will redeem you
from the hand of your enemies.
11 Now many nations
are assembled against you,
saying, “Let her be profaned,
and let our eyes gaze upon Zion.”
12 But they do not know
the thoughts of the Lord,
they do not understand his plan,
that he has gathered them as sheaves to the threshing floor.
13 Arise and thresh,
O daughter of Zion,
for I will make your horn iron
and your hoofs bronze;
you shall beat in pieces many peoples,
and shall devote their gain to the Lord,
their wealth to the Lord of the whole earth.

5 Now you are walled about with a wall;
siege is laid against us;
with a rod they strike upon the cheek
the ruler of Israel.

The Ruler from Bethlehem

2 But you, O Bethlehem Eph′rathah,
who are little to be among the clans of Judah,
from you shall come forth for me
one who is to be ruler in Israel,
whose origin is from of old,
from ancient days.
3 Therefore he shall give them up until the time
when she who is in travail has brought forth;
then the rest of his brethren shall return
to the people of Israel.
4 And he shall stand and feed his flock in the strength of the Lord,
in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God.
And they shall dwell secure, for now he shall be great
to the ends of the earth.

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 prophecy of Micah, the prophecy begins with a promise that God will come down and tread the earth, and then proceeds to speak first of judgment…but then after judgment, restoration is promised, and with the restoration, this marvel, of the birth of the Messiah in the town of Bethlehem. We might note how Israel is delivered in what follows by being taken to Babylon, and then it is even promised that Israel will plunder the wealth of the nations from them. This might be read, and certainly was read by some when the Lord was preaching, as prophesying a war leader, but…for us as Christians, we may recognize that the wealth of the nations, the gain or produce of these peoples, is the people themselves, whom the Lord claims for Himself, sending out Israel to thresh and reap the harvest, which is to say, sending the Apostles and the Church out from the Promised Land to bring all nations into His inheritance. The Leader can also attend to the other discussion questions below.)

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?

Additional Discussion questions:

1) What does this reading have to do with Jesus and Christmas? (This is the prophecy that tells where the Messiah, the Christ, will be born. Bethlehem means “house of bread,” because it was a town in the farming area of Judaea, and Ephrathah refers to the man who founded the town. Bethlehem was the home town of King David, who was the ancestor of the Virgin Mary, and therefore the ancestor of Jesus, according to the flesh. This is why Joseph & Mary had to go back to Bethlehem to be registered. It was their ancestral home town.)

2) What sort of town is Bethlehem, according to the prophet Micah? Is it important or not? (Micah says it is not important, that it is “one of the little clans of Judah).

3) What does Micah say about the One Who is going to be born in Bethlehem? (He says that He will rule in Israel, and that His origin is from old, from ancient days).

4) What do you think it means, that Micah says someone will be born later, whose origin is from ancient days? (This is how the prophet talks about the fact that Jesus is God Himself, now born as a human being. He didn’t just come into existence, but has always been, and made all things, and will now become a human being, even though He is the One Who made human beings).

5) What else does this prophecy say about Jesus? (It says that when He comes, people who had wandered will come back, and that He will feed His flock, and will be great to the ends of the earth, and will bring peace).

6) Do you have any questions about this? (This is an open question, of course – it’s important for all of us to get comfortable with the way the Prophets talk. It’s often not obvious what it is talking about, and often we can’t immediately find answers to the questions that we ask. Sitting and reflecting on those questions, though, as we pray and worship and celebrate the Liturgy, often results in us finding answers after some time. It is a rare month that I don’t find an answer in the Liturgy or the Bible or my prayers to questions that I have been pondering for a long time. We can’t ever find answers if we aren’t comfortable asking questions for which we can’t find immediate, easy answers. The best answers are the ones that we have to work for and wait for.).

Day 2 (Wednesday)

Hymns from Christmas

Every year, on December 25th, we celebrate the Nativity, or Birth, of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. In this feast, we see our Creator and God become human, born of the Virgin Mary, present in our midst for our salvation. The themes of this celebration are nothing less than the wonder and awe of beholding Emmanuel, God With Us, but this marvel has manifold facets, which the Church meditates upon in the hymns that accompany the Feast. The feast-day celebrations last two full days, not just one, and begin with the Royal Hours the morning of Christmas Eve, continuing with the Vesperal Liturgy that evening, and finishing with the Orthros and Liturgy on Christmas Day itself.

Hymns sourced from dcs.goarch.org

Hymns from the Celebration of the Nativity of the Lord

Troparion of the Royal Hours
As she carried in her womb * what she conceived without seed, * Mary went to Bethlehem * with elder Joseph to enroll, * for they were of the house and the lineage of David. * The time arrived for her * to give birth to her Child; * but then there was no place * in the inn for them. * Therefore the grotto served as a luxurious * royal palace for the Queen. * And Christ the Lord is born, to raise the image * which was formerly fallen.

Idiomelon 2 of the 3rd Hour
Before Your Nativity, O Lord, the heavenly hosts trembled in amazement, as they watched the mystery unfold. For You, who adorned the sky with the stars, became a little baby, in Your good pleasure. You, who hold the whole world in Your hand, lay in a manger, a trough meant for beasts. Such was Your plan for our salvation, and thus was Your compassion made known. O Christ, the great mercy, glory to You!

Doxastikon of the 9th Hour
Today, He who holds the whole world in His hand is born from a Virgin. (3) He who is impalpable in essence is wrapped in swaddling clothes as a mortal. God, who in the beginning established the heavens of old, is lying in a manger as a newborn babe. He who rained down manna for the people in the wilderness is nursed by His mother. He who is the Bridegroom of the Church is summoning the Magi. And He is accepting their gifts, now as the Son of the Virgin. “We adore Your Nativity, O Christ. We adore Your Nativity, O Christ. We adore Your Nativity, O Christ. Also show us Your divine Epiphany.”

Doxastikon of the Vespers Kekragaria
When Augustus reigned alone on the earth, the many kingdoms of mankind came to an end; and when You became man from the pure Virgin, the many gods of idolatry were destroyed. The cities of the world passed under one single rule, and the nations came to believe in one God. The peoples were enrolled by decree of Caesar; we the faithful were enrolled in the name of the Godhead, when You became man, O our God. Great is your mercy. Lord, glory to you.

Doxastikion of the Liti
The Magi, kings of Persia, ⁄ know that You, the heavenly King, ⁄ were assuredly born on earth. ⁄ They came to Bethlehem, led by the light of a star, ⁄ and offered their chosen gifts: ⁄ Gold, and frankincense and myrrh! ⁄ Falling before You, they worshiped You: ⁄⁄ For they saw You, the timeless one, lying as a Babe in the cave.

Kathisma 1 of the Orthros
Come, believers, let us see the place where Christ has been born.* With the Magi, those three kings who from the orient are,* now let us follow to where the star is proceeding.* Ceaselessly do Angels sing praises there.* Shepherds in the field sing a worthy song,* saying: Glory in the highest be to Him who* was born today in the grotto* from the Virgin and Theotokos,* in Bethlehem of Judea.

Eirmos of Ode 1 of Canon 1 of the Feast
Christ is born; glorify Him! * Christ is come from heaven; go and meet Him. * Christ is on earth; arise to Him. * Sing to the Lord, all you who dwell on the earth; * and in merry spirits, O you peoples, praise His birth. * For He is glorified.

Troparion of Ode 1 of Canon 1 of the Feast
The Master Builder, seeing collapsed * the man whom He constructed with His own hands, * bowing the heavens now descends. * And through a pure and holy Virgin unites * wholly with his nature, having truly taken flesh. * For He is glorified.

Troparion of Ode 1 of Canon 2 of the Feast
Plainly foreshadowed by the burning bush that was not consumed, ⁄ a hallowed womb has borne the Word. ⁄ God is mingled with the form of mortal men, ⁄ and so He looses the unhappy womb of Eve from the ancient, bitter curse. ⁄⁄ Therefore we glorify Him!

Year 1
669 words

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 what is happening at Christmas is the birth of God the Word/Logos Himself, the Son of God, through Whom the Father created all things, enters into His Creation, in order to raise us up, to restore in us His image in which we are created, to free us from sin and slavery to the demons, to heal and re-fashion and restore us. God becomes human, which is marvel enough; but He does it for us, in order to save us. The hymns which we sing each year are a master class in the Orthodox Christian understanding of the Lord’s Incarnation, and its place at the very center and foundation of not just human history, but the very existence of the cosmos.)

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)

Luke 8:1-18 (Some Women Accompany Jesus; Parables of Sower & Lamp under Jar)

Last time, we saw the Lord speak about John the Baptist, and then encounter a sinful woman at the dinner which Simon the Pharisee had held for Him. She washed His feet with her tears and dried them with her hair, and although Simon judged her, and judged Jesus for not discerning that she was a sinful woman, the Lord was merciful to them both, granting to Simon the miracle of discerning his thoughts, and thus revealing His divinity to the Pharisee, even as He also forgave the sins of the woman. This time, we will see Him continue to preach, and will read one of the most famous parables from the New Testament.

Some Women Accompany Jesus

8 Soon afterward he went on through cities and villages, preaching and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with him, 2 and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Mag′dalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, 3 and Jo-an′na, the wife of Chu′za, Herod’s steward, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them out of their means.

The Parable of the Sower

4 And when a great crowd came together and people from town after town came to him, he said in a parable: 5 “A sower went out to sow his seed; and as he sowed, some fell along the path, and was trodden under foot, and the birds of the air devoured it. 6 And some fell on the rock; and as it grew up, it withered away, because it had no moisture. 7 And some fell among thorns; and the thorns grew with it and choked it. 8 And some fell into good soil and grew, and yielded a hundredfold.” As he said this, he called out, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

The Purpose of the Parables

9 And when his disciples asked him what this parable meant, 10 he said, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God; but for others they are in parables, so that seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand. 11 Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. 12 The ones along the path are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, that they may not believe and be saved.

13 And the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy; but these have no root, they believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away. 14 And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature. 15 And as for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bring forth fruit with patience.

A Lamp under a Jar

16 “No one after lighting a lamp covers it with a vessel, or puts it under a bed, but puts it on a stand, that those who enter may see the light. 17 For nothing is hid that shall not be made manifest, nor anything secret that shall not be known and come to light. 18 Take heed then how you hear; for to him who has will more be given, and from him who has not, even what he thinks that he has will be taken away.”

Reading 17
500 words

Discussion questions:

1) What did you notice in today’s reading? What surprised you or what was memorable to you? (The Leader should note the resonance between this parable and the passage we highlighted with the Day 1 reading, from the prophecy of Micah, with the prophet speaking of Israel being sent out to thresh and harvest among the nations, to bring their gain, their fruit/produce as wealth to the Lord. He should also urge a discussion about why the Lord speaks in parables, purposely concealing the full truth of His coming from some of those who hear Him. The second parable, about the Lamp in the Jar, may shed some light on the subject; nothing that is hidden will not eventually be revealed, but the Lord is, perhaps granting time to those who hear for their hearts to soften, or even providing them with a puzzle on which to reflect, so that they may learn to seek the meaning, and from there may be trained toward seeking after Him. In any case, the truth of the Gospel is hidden from no one forever, and the Lord provides each human being with what is most needful for our salvation. In this, as in all things, we are called to trust Him and to seek Him earnestly.)

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?

Additional Discussion Questions

1) What happens in this reading? What are the main events? (1 – Jesus goes out preaching with the twelve and with some of the women disciples as well; 2 – He tells and explains the Parable of the Sower; 3 – He talks about the lamp and lamp stand, and his mother and brothers come to see Him. All three of these can bear more discussion.)

2) What do these things mean? Do any of them represent or tell a lesson beyond just telling what happened? (Obviously the parables of the sower and the lamp and the lamp stand mean something more…it would be good to see what everyone thinks they mean. The parable of the Sower is explained by Jesus, and it’s good to consider exactly how He explains it, but the small parable of the lamp and lamp stand is worth looking at again to see what Jesus is getting at. It may be important to think about whether the lamp on the lamp stand is connected with the good seed in the parable of the Sower.)

Day 1 (Monday)

Revelation 11:15-19; 12:1-17 (Seventh Trumpet; The Woman and the Dragon)

As we approach Christmas, we skip ahead for this week to the last book of the Bible, where we see a dramatic vision of what we are about to celebrate. St. John’s vision shows us the cosmic significance of the Lord’s birth.

The Seventh Trumpet

15 Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign for ever and ever.” 16 And the twenty-four elders who sit on their thrones before God fell on their faces and worshiped God, 17 saying,

“We give thanks to thee, Lord God Almighty, who art and who wast,
that thou hast taken thy great power and begun to reign.
18 The nations raged, but thy wrath came,
and the time for the dead to be judged,
for rewarding thy servants, the prophets and saints,
and those who fear thy name, both small and great,
and for destroying the destroyers of the earth.”

19 Then God’s temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant was seen within his temple; and there were flashes of lightning, loud noises, peals of thunder, an earthquake, and heavy hail.

The Woman and the Dragon

12 And a great portent appeared in heaven, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars; 2 she was with child and she cried out in her pangs of birth, in anguish for delivery. 3 And another portent appeared in heaven; behold, a great red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and seven diadems upon his heads. 4 His tail swept down a third of the stars of heaven, and cast them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to bear a child, that he might devour her child when she brought it forth; 5 she brought forth a male child, one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron, but her child was caught up to God and to his throne, 6 and the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, in which to be nourished for one thousand two hundred and sixty days.

Michael Defeats the Dragon

7 Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, 8 but they were defeated and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. 9 And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the Devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. 10 And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. 11 And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death. 12 Rejoice then, O heaven and you that dwell therein! But woe to you, O earth and sea, for the devil has come down to you in great wrath, because he knows that his time is short!”

The Dragon Fights Again on Earth

13 And when the dragon saw that he had been thrown down to the earth, he pursued the woman who had borne the male child. 14 But the woman was given the two wings of the great eagle that she might fly from the serpent into the wilderness, to the place where she is to be nourished for a time, and times, and half a time. 15 The serpent poured water like a river out of his mouth after the woman, to sweep her away with the flood. 16 But the earth came to the help of the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed the river which the dragon had poured from his mouth. 17 Then the dragon was angry with the woman, and went off to make war on the rest of her offspring, on those who keep the commandments of God and bear testimony to Jesus.

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 the end of Chapter 11 has a hymn sung by the 24 elders celebrating the Lord taking up His rule over all things, and then shows the Temple opened, and the Ark of the Covenant present within it…and then moves immediately to this vision of the woman with a child. This is, I think firmly, no coincidence at all. The additional discussion questions should also be attended to.)

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?

Additional Discussion questions:

1) Who or what do you think the woman here represents? What do you notice about her that makes you think you are right? (There could be a lot of answers here. The fact that the woman bears a son who is to rule the world, and the plots against His life from even before He was born, makes it sound like we are talking about the Virgin Mary. The sun and the moon and the twelve stars makes it sound like we are talking about the Children of Israel. And the cosmic scope of the story, and the reference to all her children throughout the world, and the fact that the woman gave birth with great pain, which we know wasn’t the case when the Virgin Mary bore Christ, makes it sound like we are talking about the Church, since all of us bear Christ with great labor and suffering).

2) Who do you think the dragon represents? (At first it seems like it represents the Roman Empire, with the seven heads and seven crowns, which usually refer to the seven hills that Rome is built on. But it could also refer to the devil himself, since it talks about him sweeping the stars out of the sky, which looks like a reference to the rebellion of the angels. Or it might represent the power of this world in rebellion against God more generally, across space and time.)

3) Do you think this vision is talking about only one event in history? Or is it describing the whole scope of the history of the world in relationship with God all at once, with a single image? (Revelation is complicated, and it’s easy to find a lot of interpretations for what it says. I think, though, that it is talking about the whole history of the universe in rebellion against God, and God’s restoration of the creation and reconciliation with us. So in a sense, the image can refer to multiple events at the same time).

4) What part of this image is your favorite? Or, if you don’t have a favorite, which makes you think of Christmas? (This is an open question – just see what they have to say, and let the conversation flow for a bit).

Day 2 (Wednesday)

Life of St. Eleutherios (December 15th Feastday)

St. Eleutherios is one of the most often remembered hieromartyrs in the Orthodox Church. A hieromartyr is a priest-martyr, a martyr who was an ordained deacon, priest, or bishop). He is commemorated with his mother Anthia on December 15. Orthodox believers have long considered Saints Eleutherios and Anthia to be the patrons of expectant mothers and of childbirth. Their fame as wonderworkers, the fact that they were mother and son and the implications of their names contributed to this. “Eleutherios” is a variant of “freedom” in Greek, thus, mothers pray that they might safely be free of their pregnancies by giving birth to healthy children. “Anthia” resembles “anthos” meaning flower.

St Eleutherios is held to be the protector of the oppressed, prisoners and all those undergoing any kind of trial, and together with his mother is a fervent intercessor and protector against all demonic influences. Orthodox Christians living in the Ottoman Empire thought of St. Eleutherios as their helper in the movement for independence. In Albania where the previous Communist regime had banned the Orthodox faith and all religion, the Saints became a focus for Orthodox Christian resistance -particularly amongst the Greek Epirote minority in the south.

Life of St. Eleftherios

From a good tree comes good fruit. This wonderful Saint had noble and greatly eminent parents. Eleutherios was born in Rome, where his father was an imperial proconsul. His mother Anthia heard the Gospel from the great Apostle Paul and was baptized by him. Having been left a widow early, she entrusted her only son for study and service to the Bishop of Rome.

Seeing how Eleutherios was gifted by God and illumined by the grace of God, the bishop ordained him a deacon at the age of fifteen, a priest at the age of eighteen, and a bishop at the age of twenty. Eleutherios’s God-given wisdom made up for what he lacked in years, and this chosen one of God was appointed Bishop of Illyria, in what is now Albania, in the city of Valona (modern Vlorë). The good shepherd guarded his flock well and increased their number day by day. Emperor Hadrian, a persecutor of Christians, sent the commander Felix with soldiers to seize Eleutherios and bring him to Rome. When the raging Felix arrived in Valona and entered the church, he saw and heard the holy hierarch of God; suddenly his heart changed, and he became a Christian. Eleutherios baptized Felix and departed for Rome with him, returning joyfully as if he were going to a feast and not to trial and torture.

The emperor subjected the noble Eleutherios to harsh torture: flogging, roasting on an iron bed, boiling in pitch, and burning in a fiery furnace. But Eleutherios was delivered from all these deadly tortures by God’s power. Seeing all this, Caribus the Roman eparch declared that he also was a Christian. Caribus was tortured and then beheaded, and so was Blessed Felix. Finally, the imperial executioners cut off the honorable head of St. Eleutherios. When his mother, the holy Anthia, came and stood over the dead body of her son, she also was beheaded. Their bodies were translated to Valona, where even today St. Eleutherios glorifies the name of Christ by his many miracles. He suffered during the reign of Hadrian in the year 120.
(From The Prologue)

Discussion questions:

1) Who was Eleutherios? When did he live? (He was a bishop in the 2nd century in Albania; his mother was converted by the Apostle Paul)

2) What did he do before he died? (It says he took good care of his flock, of the Faithful entrusted to his care by the Lord, and that more and more people became Christians through his preaching and pastoral care).

3) What happened when the emperor Hadrian sent Felix to arrest Eleutherios and bring him to Rome? (Instead of arresting him, Felix was moved to repentance when he heard Eleutherios preach, and he became a follower of Christ.)

4) Did Eleutherios then go into hiding once Felix told him the emperor wanted to kill him? (No – he baptized Felix, and then went with him back to Rome, where he confessed Christ to the emperor.)

5) What happened when the Emperor tried to torture and kill Eleutherios? (The Lord sustained him through all the tortures, and another official of the Emperor became a Christian. Finally, the Emperor had them all beheaded).

6) What are St. Eleutherios and his mother St. Anthia known for? Who do they pray for and help in particular? (St. Eleutherios and St. Anthia are the patron saints of expectant mothers and their children, and of those who are oppressed or imprisoned. They especially help those who are under the assault of demonic powers.)

Day 3 (Friday)

Luke 7:24-50 (Jesus Speaks about John the Baptist, Sinful Woman Forgiven)

Last time we saw the Lord raise from the dead the son of the widow of Nain, and then, when John the Baptist heard about this, he sent messengers to ask Jesus whether He was the one for whom they were waiting, or whether another was coming. The Lord answered by referencing His works, which were all the good things that it had been prophesied that the Messiah would accomplish, and which He had read aloud in the synagogue in Nazareth in Luke 4. At the end of this proclamation, He also says: “Blessed is the one who takes no offense in Me,” which I think we must see as a warning to all who see and hear of Him, that they should embrace and follow Him, and not be scandalized or offended at His works. We continue forward from that point.

Jesus Speaks about John the Baptist

24 When the messengers of John had gone, he began to speak to the crowds concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to behold? A reed shaken by the wind? 25 What then did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? Behold, those who are gorgeously appareled and live in luxury are in kings’ courts. 26 What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 27 This is he of whom it is written,

‘Behold, I send my messenger before thy face,
who shall prepare thy way before thee.’

28 I tell you, among those born of women none is greater than John; yet he who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.” 29 (When they heard this all the people and the tax collectors justified God, having been baptized with the baptism of John; 30 but the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected the purpose of God for themselves, not having been baptized by him.)

31 “To what then shall I compare the men of this generation, and what are they like? 32 They are like children sitting in the market place and calling to one another,

‘We piped to you, and you did not dance;
we wailed, and you did not weep.’

33 For John the Baptist has come eating no bread and drinking no wine; and you say, ‘He has a demon.’ 34 The Son of man has come eating and drinking; and you say, ‘Behold, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ 35 Yet wisdom is justified by all her children.”

A Sinful Woman Forgiven

36 One of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee’s house, and sat at table. 37 And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was sitting at table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment, 38 and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.

39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw it, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner.” 40 And Jesus answering said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he answered, “What is it, Teacher?” 41 “A certain creditor had two debtors; one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42 When they could not pay, he forgave them both. Now which of them will love him more?” 43 Simon answered, “The one, I suppose, to whom he forgave more.” And he said to him, “You have judged rightly.”

44 Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house, you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. 46 You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. 47 Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little.” 48 And he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” 49 Then those who were at table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this, who even forgives sins?” 50 And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

Reading 16
651 words

Discussion questions:

1) What did you notice in today’s reading? What surprised you or what was memorable to you? (The Leader can ask the standard questions, but should attend to the information/questions provided in additional questions below.)

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?

Additional Discussion Questions

1) What did Jesus say about John? (He praised John, and said that he was the greatest of those born of women, but that the least in the kingdom of God was greater than he. This is worth reflecting on…the idea may be that John was the greatest saint to ever have lived, but that he had only foretold the coming of the Lord and His Kingdom, so those who live in the Kingdom in communion with the Lord are greater than him, because they have received in full what John longed to see.)

2) What did Jesus point out about those who criticized both John and Himself? (He pointed out that they had criticized John for fasting strictly, and had criticized Himself for NOT fasting, and that it showed that their criticism had nothing to do with either Him or with John, but with their foolish determination to find fault with the wisdom of God.)

3) What does the Pharisee hosting the dinner think when the sinful woman comes in and starts to wash Jesus’ feet? (He thinks that Jesus must not actually be a prophet, because if He were a prophet, He would know what sort of woman was touching Him, and making Him unclean because of her great sinfulness.)

4) What does Jesus do? (He asks Simon a question, telling him a story about two debtors, and asking which of them would love his merciful master more, the one who was forgiven a small debt, or the one who had a large debt. In short, He knows what Simon is thinking, so He shows that He IS indeed a prophet, and more than a prophet, by answering Simon’s unspoken challenge.)

5) Who does Jesus think is closer to the Kingdom of God? Who does He say loves God more? (He says that the sinful woman, who has been forgiven much, loves more, and proceeds to tell her that her sins are indeed forgiven. As for Simon – we don’t know what ends up happening to him.)

6) What is more important to the Lord? Would He rather we be perfect, or is it better that we learn how to repent? (This is a discussion question – some of the kids might say that it would be better to be perfect. If it were possible for us to be perfect, they might be right…but we know that it is not possible for us to be perfect. We all are sinful and inclined to sin – so we must learn to repent, how to confess our sinfulness and turn to the Lord, seeking His mercy and putting our trust in Him, and not in ourselves.)

Day 1 (Monday)

Exodus 9:13-35 (7th Plague – Thunder & Hail)

Last time, we saw the plagues of flies, and the death of livestock, and of boils on the skin.m These plagues show the vanity of the gods of Egypt, which claimed as sacred various kinds of livestock, but were unable to protect them, and then God strikes the Egyptians, and even Pharaoh himself, in their own bodies. At this point, even Pharaoh’s magicians are acknowledging that they are helpless before the Lord, and everyone else in Egypt is prepared to acknowledge the power of the God of Israel and to let His people go, but Pharaoh is continuing to double down upon his refusal to humble himself and obey the commandment of God. This time, then, we will see the Lord turn even the skies against Egypt, after first warning them that this disaster is coming, and giving them every opportunity to avoid it.

The Seventh Plague: Thunder and Hail

13 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Rise up early in the morning and stand before Pharaoh, and say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord, the God of the Hebrews, “Let my people go, that they may serve me. 14 For this time I will send all my plagues upon your heart, and upon your servants and your people, that you may know that there is none like me in all the earth.”

15 “For by now I could have put forth my hand and struck you and your people with pestilence, and you would have been cut off from the earth; 16 but for this purpose have I let you live, to show you my power, so that my name may be declared throughout all the earth. 17 You are still exalting yourself against my people, and will not let them go. 18 Behold, tomorrow about this time I will cause very heavy hail to fall, such as never has been in Egypt from the day it was founded until now.”

19 “Now therefore send, get your cattle and all that you have in the field into safe shelter; for the hail shall come down upon every man and beast that is in the field and is not brought home, and they shall die.”’” 20 Then he who feared the word of the Lord among the servants of Pharaoh made his slaves and his cattle flee into the houses; 21 but he who did not regard the word of the Lord left his slaves and his cattle in the field.

22 And the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch forth your hand toward heaven, that there may be hail in all the land of Egypt, upon man and beast and every plant of the field, throughout the land of Egypt.” 23 Then Moses stretched forth his rod toward heaven; and the Lord sent thunder and hail, and fire ran down to the earth. And the Lord rained hail upon the land of Egypt;

24 there was hail, and fire flashing continually in the midst of the hail, very heavy hail, such as had never been in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation. 25 The hail struck down everything that was in the field throughout all the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and the hail struck down every plant of the field, and shattered every tree of the field. 26 Only in the land of Goshen, where the people of Israel were, there was no hail.

27 Then Pharaoh sent, and called Moses and Aaron, and said to them, “I have sinned this time; the Lord is in the right, and I and my people are in the wrong. 28 Entreat the Lord; for there has been enough of this thunder and hail; I will let you go, and you shall stay no longer.” 29 Moses said to him, “As soon as I have gone out of the city, I will stretch out my hands to the Lord; the thunder will cease, and there will be no more hail, that you may know that the earth is the Lord’s. 30 But as for you and your servants, I know that you do not yet fear the Lord God.”

31 (The flax and the barley were ruined, for the barley was in the ear and the flax was in bud. 32 But the wheat and the spelt were not ruined, for they are late in coming up.) 33 So Moses went out of the city from Pharaoh, and stretched out his hands to the Lord; and the thunder and the hail ceased, and the rain no longer poured upon the earth. 34 But when Pharaoh saw that the rain and the hail and the thunder had ceased, he sinned yet again, and hardened his heart, he and his servants. 35 So the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, and he did not let the people of Israel go; as the Lord had spoken through Moses.

Reading 10
674 words

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 Yahweh here gives a clear warning to Pharaoh and to his people, specifically to give them the opportunity to preserve the lives of everything living out in the fields. It is also worth noting that not all the crops were destroyed; with the hail, Yahweh is striking at the luxury and the economy of Egypt, its pleasure and its power, but is not bringing about a famine that would leave Egypt destitute. This is a warning, escalated from the previous warnings.)

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)

Life of St. Nicholas of Myra (commemorated December 6th)

St. Nicholas is one of the most beloved saints of the Church; he lived from the end of the 3rd century into the early decades of the 4th century, and therefore both endured the Great Persecution and saw peace come to the Church, as well as the great controversy of Arianism. The full life of the saint, written in the early 800’s, may be found at the link below, but we will read some excerpts.

https://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2019/12/the-life-of-saint-nicholas-wonderworker.html

The Life of Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker (Michael the Archimandrite, early 9th century)

1. Appearing to us as the brightest dawn of piety and the epitome of the wondrous stars, Nicholas, the holy hierarch of Christ, trains everyone to give praise to God. As we annually commemorate him, he illuminates the way ahead of us like a light-filled beam of the sun of justice, casting the radiance of his virtues like gold-gleaming rays. Moreover, he stirs lovers of the poor, and indeed those who love Christ and those who pardon humanity, to celebrate his memory with psalmody and with hymns and, by the example he set, with mercy for those in need and, through this, to purify themselves in anticipation of sojourning with us of the divine Word made flesh of the holy Virgin. For I think there is no believer throughout the world who has not found him a help in danger and a keen ally amid various troubles. For this reason every tongue that reverences him in Christ hastens, as a debtor, to honor him with song and is roused to have him as an advocate before God.

He then sums up his childhood in Myra in a wealthy Christian household, and notes the miracle that even as an infant, Nicholas kept the Wednesday and Friday fasts, receiving his mother’s milk, but only once each day, and that in the evening. He notes, also, that he refrained from politics, business, spectacles, and from romantic relationships, attending to the things of God from his earliest youth, and then recounts the famous story of how, after his parents died and their wealth came into his hands, he was notable in his generosity, giving that wealth to those in need, and specifically to save the three daughters of his next-door neighbor from a life of sin, by secretly providing them each with a dowry, throwing a bag of gold through the window of the home on three separate occasions, and when the father caught him in this act of generosity the third time, he gave all glory to God and swore the father to secrecy until after the death of St. Nicholas.

Eventually, through the guidance of the Lord, the Faithful of Myra selected him as their bishop, and he led them faithfully, rejecting the heresies of the day and overthrowing the temples of the demons in their midst, while always attending to the needs of the poor and destitute in the city, and to the protection of sailors in danger, as well as defending the innocent when they were falsely accused, even by the emperor.

Sanctity and Death

40. As one of his friends and one of the most devout monks described it to me, an account has come down from the beginning, which has its origin in tradition, that saint Nicholas was as follows: venerable and angelic in appearance, and exuding sweet smells full of sanctification, so that just at the sight of him he improved those who were with him and pushed and changed them to a better state which bordered on salvation. And if some heretic ever encountered him as he was passing by, he immediately sent away the disease of his impiety that had been blended with him over a long period of time, and sincerely accepted the faith of the righteous man.

41. And so, after living in this manner in the metropolis of Myra and after anointing everyone with his sweetest smelling and all-holy life and episcopate, he left his mortal life and went to his eternal rest, rejoicing with choruses of angels and exulting together with companies of patriarchs and ceaselessly interceding on behave of those who call upon him in faith with gladness, especially those who are in the midst of calamities and afflicted by the confiscations of property and are being tried.33 His body, honored and anointed with the sweet fragrance of his virtues, buried in the church of that district, straightaway gushed forth a sweet-smelling perfume, turning away all adverse and destructive power, but providing a saving remedy that wards off evil for the glory of the one who glorified him, Christ, our true God.

The life concludes with the recounting of several of the wonders which the Lord has accomplished through the intercessions. It is a beautiful example of hagiography from the 9th century Church.

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 list of benefits which the Faithful gain from St. Nicholas at the beginning, listing both the blessings we receive from his example, and the direct help that we receive at his intercessions. This is a beautiful summary of the relationship that we are invited to have with the Saints, as both inspirations and intercessors for us as we walk the path of salvation.)

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)

Luke 7:11-23 (Widow’s Son at Nain, Messengers from John the Baptist)

Last time, we saw the conclusion of St. Luke’s rendition of the Sermon on the Mount, and after the Lord concluded His preaching, we saw Him go to heal the servant of the centurion, whose faith was so profoundly exemplary. This time, we will see the Lord raise the dead, and then begin a conversation with the disciples of St. John the Baptist.

Jesus Raises the Widow’s Son at Nain

11 Soon afterward he went to a city called Na′in, and his disciples and a great crowd went with him. 12 As he drew near to the gate of the city, behold, a man who had died was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow; and a large crowd from the city was with her. 13 And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her and said to her, “Do not weep.”

14 And he came and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still. And he said, “Young man, I say to you, arise.” 15 And the dead man sat up, and began to speak. And he gave him to his mother. 16 Fear seized them all; and they glorified God, saying, “A great prophet has arisen among us!” and “God has visited his people!” 17 And this report concerning him spread through the whole of Judea and all the surrounding country.

Messengers from John the Baptist

18 The disciples of John told him of all these things. 19 And John, calling to him two of his disciples, sent them to the Lord, saying, “Are you he who is to come, or shall we look for another?” 20 And when the men had come to him, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to you, saying, ‘Are you he who is to come, or shall we look for another?’”

21 In that hour he cured many of diseases and plagues and evil spirits, and on many that were blind he bestowed sight. 22 And he answered them, “Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have good news preached to them. 23 And blessed is he who takes no offense at me.”

Reading 15
326 words

Discussion questions:

1) What did you notice in today’s reading? What surprised you or what was memorable to you? (The Leader should attend to the information from the additional study questions, and may also emphasize how Jesus’ response to John the Baptist’s question makes clear that, for both of them, there was the clear understanding that the Anointed One of God would be doing particular things that would by themselves demonstrate Him to be the promised Messiah. This idea was not limited to them; the point is present throughout the Scripture, and was generally recognized at the time by a great many 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?

Additional Discussion Questions

1) What does the raising of the young man at Nain show us about Jesus? (This is also an open question, but there are two main points that I see. a) He is compassionate to those who are grieving and bereaved by death. b) He has authority over death itself, power to raise the dead and restore them to life.)

2) When John the Baptist heard about what Jesus was doing, what did he send his disciples to ask? (He told them to ask Jesus if He was the one they were waiting for, that is to say, if He was the Messiah, the Christ.)

3) What did Jesus say in response? (He told them to tell John what they saw and heard, people being healed and restored, and the poor receiving good news. The idea is that His deeds answered more clearly even than a simple “yes” would have done that yes, He was the Messiah.)