Year 1a – Week 20 (January 11 – 17, 2026)

Day 1 (Monday)

Exodus 10:21-29, 11:1-10 (9th Plague – Darkness, Warning of the 10th Plague)

Last time we saw the 8th plague come upon Egypt when Pharaoh still refused to let the people of Israel go. It came as a plague of locusts that covered the land and consumed everything green that was left. For the first time, Pharaoh confessed that he had sinned, and asked Moses to pray to the Lord for mercy for him and his people. Yet again, however, once Yahweh took the locusts away, Pharaoh refused to let the people go. We can see this process is winding down towards the end that God foretold to Moses, as the 9th plague, the Darkness that could be felt, comes upon Egypt. We will see Pharaoh make one more offer of a “bargain” with Yahweh, to let the Israelites go, but to require them to leave their livestock behind. When Moses replies that this is unacceptable, Pharaoh will tell him to leave his presence and never come back again. Moses will agree that this is indeed the last time Pharaoh would see his face, and from this we understand that the time of warnings is over, and the moment of the judgment of Pharaoh for the enslavement of Israel and the murder of their children has now arrived. So today we will also see what God tells Moses to say to Pharaoh as he leaves his presence, as the 10th plague is announced.

The Ninth Plague: Darkness

21 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward heaven that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, a darkness to be felt.” 22 So Moses stretched out his hand toward heaven, and there was thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days; 23 they did not see one another, nor did any rise from his place for three days; but all the people of Israel had light where they dwelt.

24 Then Pharaoh called Moses, and said, “Go, serve the Lord; your children also may go with you; only let your flocks and your herds remain behind.” 25 But Moses said, “You must also let us have sacrifices and burnt offerings, that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God. 26 Our cattle also must go with us; not a hoof shall be left behind, for we must take of them to serve the Lord our God, and we do not know with what we must serve the Lord until we arrive there.”

27 But the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he would not let them go. 28 Then Pharaoh said to him, “Get away from me; take heed to yourself; never see my face again; for in the day you see my face you shall die.” 29 Moses said, “As you say! I will not see your face again.”

Warning of the Final Plague

11 The Lord said to Moses, “Yet one plague more I will bring upon Pharaoh and upon Egypt; afterwards he will let you go hence; when he lets you go, he will drive you away completely. 2 Speak now in the hearing of the people, that they ask, every man of his neighbor and every woman of her neighbor, jewelry of silver and of gold.” 3 And the Lord gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians. Moreover, the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, in the sight of Pharaoh’s servants and in the sight of the people.

4 And Moses said, “Thus says the Lord: About midnight I will go forth in the midst of Egypt; 5 and all the first-born in the land of Egypt shall die, from the first-born of Pharaoh who sits upon his throne, even to the first-born of the maidservant who is behind the mill; and all the first-born of the cattle. 6 And there shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as there has never been, nor ever shall be again.”

7 “But against any of the people of Israel, either man or beast, not a dog shall growl; that you may know that the Lord makes a distinction between the Egyptians and Israel. 8 And all these your servants shall come down to me, and bow down to me, saying, ‘Get you out, and all the people who follow you.’ And after that I will go out.” And he went out from Pharaoh in hot anger. 9 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Pharaoh will not listen to you; that my wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt.”

10 Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh; and the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not let the people of Israel go out of his land.

Reading 12
556 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, even though, Pharaoh has begun to humble himself somewhat, he has only done so when forced to, and is struggling to hold on to some sort of consolation prize at every stage. Unfortunately for him, this is not repentance, but only a grudging capitulation. He remains a false god and oppressor to the Israelites and to all his people; therefore, Yahweh will overthrow and humiliate his power, and the power of the gods he serves, and from him he claims to have his power. The darkening of the sun, the chief of the Egyptian gods and the one Pharaoh claims to represent, is precisely this, a destruction and humiliation of the power of these false gods. The final plague, then, will strike both for justice, as a recompense for the slaughter of the Hebrew children, and as a blow against the dynasty of the Pharaoh, and his claim to immortality in his heir. He should also point out that this reading shows us Moses as he is still with Pharaoh, and tells us what God says to Moses there. Moses then warns Pharaoh of the impending death of the firstborn, and then, when Pharaoh does not relent, he leaves his presence. Then God makes clear to Moses that the purpose of all this is to show to all of Egypt, and to all nations, the glory and the wonders of Yahweh. Thus, in Egypt, a place dedicated to the demon gods who had raised rebellion against their Creator, in a place of darkness and horror, the Lord stands up and abolishes every other power, and delivers His people, and all who are willing to hear Him, from the power of Hell. We should definitely see in all this a prefigurement of the Lord’s Descent into Hades after His crucifixion.)

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?

6) “What is the a) literal, b) allegorical, c) moral/ethical, d) anagogical/eschatological meaning of this text? (Think of these questions as a mountain which we can ascend, or as layers of meaning upon which we can reflect. Oftentimes, as we reflect upon a text in this way, we may find that the anagogical reading, in which we see the text as revealing the glory of God and His kingdom in a deeper manner, sheds new insights on the lower levels of interpretation. But often these insights are only gained after long and deep reflection upon the text and its various other meanings at the lower levels of interpretation.)

Day 2 (Wednesday)

Prayer of the Hours and St. Basil on Prayer and Thanksgiving

We know that the Christian life is supposed to be a life of constant prayer (St. Paul says we should “Pray without ceasing and give thanks in all circumstances” in 1 Thessalonians 5:16), but it can be difficult to figure out what that would actually look like, and how we should begin to do so. To help us out, we look at two resources today. The first is the Prayer of the Hours, which is repeated at Compline, at the Midnight Office, and at the services of the 1st, 3rd, 6th, and 9th Hour, which means that we actually pray this particular prayer four times at the service of Royal Hours on the Eve of both Christmas and Theophany, as well as on Great & Holy Friday. It is also commonly used in the private evening prayers of an Orthodox Christian in the home. The second selection is an excerpt from a homily of St. Basil, in which he provides us with a beautiful and detailed account of how we can and should think about prayer throughout our daily life.

Prayer of the Hours

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

St. Basil on Prayer and Thanksgiving

“As you take your seat at table, pray. As you lift the bread, offer thanks to the One Who Gives it to you. When you sustain your bodily weakness with wine, remember Him Who supplies you with this gift, to make your heart glad and to comfort your infirmity. Has your need for eating food disappeared once you are full? Do not let the thought of your Benefactor disappear with it. As you are putting on your clothes, thank the One Who gave it to you. As you wrap your coat around you, feel yet greater love to God, Who both in summer and in winter has given us coverings convenient for us, at once to preserve our life, and to cover what is unseemly.

Is the day come to an end? Give thanks to Him Who has given us the sun for our daily work, and has provided for us a fire to light up the night, and to serve the rest of the needs of life. When night has come, take it as yet another opportunity for prayer. When you look up to heaven and gaze at the beauty of the stars, pray to the Lord of the visible world; pray to God the Maker of the universe, Who in wisdom has made them all. When you see all nature sunk in sleep, then again worship Him Who gives us release from the continuous strain of toil (even when we would rather not sleep), and by a short refreshment restores us once again to the fullness of our strength.

But do not allow sleep to possess the night completely. Do not allow half of your life to be useless through the senselessness of slumber. Divide the time of night between sleep and prayer. More than that, do all you can to make your sleeping itself an experience in piety; for it is only natural that our sleeping dreams should echo the cares of the day. Whatever our conduct and pursuits have been, our dreams will follow after them. In this way, then, your thought will pray without ceasing: if you direct your thought to God in prayer, not only in words, but by uniting yourself to God through all the course of life, with every action and pursuit. This is how your life will be made one ceaseless and uninterrupted prayer.”

+ St. Basil the Great, from Homily V. In martyrem Julittam, adapted from the translation quoted in the Prolegomena in Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers Series II Volume 8. From https://orthodoxchurchquotes.wordpress.com.

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 following points about the Prayer of the Hours:

a) Which Person of the Holy Trinity do we address in this prayer? (We are talking specifically to Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the 2nd Person of the Holy Trinity).

b) What do we say about God in this prayer? (We say that He is worshiped all the time both in heaven and earth, that He loves people who do well and is merciful to those who don’t, and that He calls everyone to salvation.)

c) What do we ask God to do in this prayer? (We ask Him to accept our requests and to guide us according to His instructions).

d) What parts of ourselves do we ask the Lord to help? (Our souls, bodies, minds, & thoughts).

e) Who do we ask the Lord to send to help us? (The Angels – we ask the Lord to surround us with the Angels, so that their protection and guidance can help us reach the unity of the Faith and the knowledge of the glory of God.)

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?

6) “What is the a) literal, b) allegorical, c) moral/ethical, d) anagogical/eschatological meaning of this text? (Think of these questions as a mountain which we can ascend, or as layers of meaning upon which we can reflect. Oftentimes, as we reflect upon a text in this way, we may find that the anagogical reading, in which we see the text as revealing the glory of God and His kingdom in a deeper manner, sheds new insights on the lower levels of interpretation.)

Additional Discussion questions:

1) What does St. Basil say about being thankful? (This covers most of the prayer – he gives specific examples about how we should actively give thanks to God for every good thing that we have each day).

2) What does it mean to be thankful? (This is a point for reflection and discussion – there are two points that are essential for thanksgiving, however. First, there must be a recognition that the good thing we are receiving comes from God. Second, we must actively give thanks to God for that good thing; we must encounter Him in the good thing we are receiving, allowing it to be a meeting between God and ourselves.)

3) What does St. Basil say we should be thankful for at night? (The sun as it sets, the stars and the entire creation, and the rest that we are given at night.)

4) What does he say we should do at night? (He says we should pray, and not just sleep).

5) How does he say we should make night a time of prayer? (Two ways – actively, by actually praying at night. This can be just our evening prayers before we go to sleep, but there is a long Christian tradition of taking some time to pray, perhaps reading a Psalm or two, or just saying the Lord’s Prayer or the Jesus Prayer, or simply “Lord, have mercy,” at any time we wake during the night. But he also urges that, if our thoughts and cares are directed toward the Lord during the day, then even in our dreams we will continue to be oriented toward Him, and even our sleep will be a prayer.)

Day 3 (Friday)

Luke 9:1-17 (Apostles Sent Out, Herod’s Perplexity, Feeding 5000)

We talked last week about how Jesus healed the woman with the flow of blood and raised the daughter of Jairus from the dead. In this chapter, we will see Him send the twelve disciples out to preach and heal and cast out demons. Let’s see what happens next!

The Mission of the Twelve

9 And he called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, 2 and he sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and to heal. 3 And he said to them, “Take nothing for your journey, no staff, nor bag, nor bread, nor money; and do not have two tunics. 4 And whatever house you enter, stay there, and from there depart. 5 And wherever they do not receive you, when you leave that town shake off the dust from your feet as a testimony against them.” 6 And they departed and went through the villages, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere.

Herod’s Perplexity

7 Now Herod the tetrarch heard of all that was done, and he was perplexed, because it was said by some that John had been raised from the dead, 8 by some that Eli′jah had appeared, and by others that one of the old prophets had risen. 9 Herod said, “John I beheaded; but who is this about whom I hear such things?” And he sought to see him.

Feeding the Five Thousand

10 On their return the apostles told him what they had done. And he took them and withdrew apart to a city called Beth-sa′ida. 11 When the crowds learned it, they followed him; and he welcomed them and spoke to them of the kingdom of God, and cured those who had need of healing. 12 Now the day began to wear away; and the twelve came and said to him, “Send the crowd away, to go into the villages and country round about, to lodge and get provisions; for we are here in a lonely place.” 13 But he said to them, “You give them something to eat.” They said, “We have no more than five loaves and two fish—unless we are to go and buy food for all these people.” 14 For there were about five thousand men. And he said to his disciples, “Make them sit down in companies, about fifty each.” 15 And they did so, and made them all sit down. 16 And taking the five loaves and the two fish he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke them, and gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd. 17 And all ate and were satisfied. And they took up what was left over, twelve baskets of broken pieces.

Reading 20
411 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 that when Jesus sends the twelve out, it is effectively their ordination. They were just His followers before, but now they are acting as ministers of His love and His power, and when they return, they are called Apostles, not just disciples. Herod’s confusion of Jesus with John the Baptist, or the feeding of the 5,000, are also worth highlighting. The leader can pick which aspect they want to focus on, of course, if the group doesn’t take the conversation in a different direction.)

2) Where do we see Christ in this text; what is He saying or doing here? (We see that He chooses to act through human beings, through His Apostles, and that that even applies in the feeding of the 5,000; Jesus multiplies the food, but He begins with what the Apostles have to offer, with the 5 loaves and 2 fish).

3) Do we see ourselves and the Church in this text; what does it say about us? (We see the problems that we have that Jesus comes to heal, for one thing: sickness, hunger, demon possession. And we see their potential; human beings are created to be like Jesus, and we see the Apostles beginning to grow and be transformed by the Lord in this passage.).

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, but the shaking of the dust as a testimony against towns that reject the Apostles is a potentially challenging aspect. The reality that even receiving the Good News of the Gospel is an occasion for judgment, if we fail to receive it, is challenging, but profoundly important, since this is generally how God’s judgment operates. He doesn’t come and condemn us for our sins; first, He comes and calls us to repentance, offers us a better way. But if we reject that call and that offer, then He accepts our decision, and we are left outside the Kingdom.)

5) Does this reading make you think that you need to change anything in your life? (This passage reminds us that we are also called to be the vessels and ministers of the love of Jesus Christ; and also that, as we hear the Word of God, it is important that we respond with a good will and a willing heart.)

6) “What is the a) literal, b) allegorical, c) moral/ethical, d) anagogical/eschatological meaning of this text? (Think of these questions as a mountain which we can ascend, or as layers of meaning upon which we can reflect. Oftentimes, as we reflect upon a text in this way, we may find that the anagogical reading, in which we see the text as revealing the glory of God and His kingdom in a deeper manner, sheds new insights on the lower levels of interpretation.)