Day 1 (Monday)
Genesis 40:1-23; 41:1-8 (Joseph in Prison, Pharaoh’s Dreams)
Last time we saw Joseph arrive in Egypt, where he became the slave of a wealthy Egyptian named Potiphar. God was with him, and he gained the favor of his master, who entrusted all his household and property to Joseph’s stewardship. However, Potiphar’s wife tried to seduce Joseph, and when he refused her, she slandered him to her husband, who threw Joseph into prison. Even there, God remained with him, and he gained the favor of the master of the prison, who set him over everything within the prison. We will continue the story from there.
The Dreams of Two Prisoners
40 Some time after this, the butler of the king of Egypt and his baker offended their lord the king of Egypt. 2 And Pharaoh was angry with his two officers, the chief butler and the chief baker, 3 and he put them in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, in the prison where Joseph was confined. 4 The captain of the guard charged Joseph with them, and he waited on them; and they continued for some time in custody.
5 And one night they both dreamed—the butler and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were confined in the prison—each his own dream, and each dream with its own meaning. 6 When Joseph came to them in the morning and saw them, they were troubled. 7 So he asked Pharaoh’s officers who were with him in custody in his master’s house, “Why are your faces downcast today?” 8 They said to him, “We have had dreams, and there is no one to interpret them.” And Joseph said to them, “Do not interpretations belong to God? Tell them to me, I pray you.”
9 So the chief butler told his dream to Joseph, and said to him, “In my dream there was a vine before me, 10 and on the vine there were three branches; as soon as it budded, its blossoms shot forth, and the clusters ripened into grapes. 11 Pharaoh’s cup was in my hand; and I took the grapes and pressed them into Pharaoh’s cup, and placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand.”
12 Then Joseph said to him, “This is its interpretation: the three branches are three days; 13 within three days Pharaoh will lift up your head and restore you to your office; and you shall place Pharaoh’s cup in his hand as formerly, when you were his butler. 14 But remember me, when it is well with you, and do me the kindness, I pray you, to make mention of me to Pharaoh, and so get me out of this house. 15 For I was indeed stolen out of the land of the Hebrews; and here also I have done nothing that they should put me into the dungeon.”
16 When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was favorable, he said to Joseph, “I also had a dream: there were three cake baskets on my head, 17 and in the uppermost basket there were all sorts of baked food for Pharaoh, but the birds were eating it out of the basket on my head.” 18 And Joseph answered, “This is its interpretation: the three baskets are three days; 19 within three days Pharaoh will lift up your head—from you!—and hang you on a tree; and the birds will eat the flesh from you.”
20 On the third day, which was Pharaoh’s birthday, he made a feast for all his servants, and lifted up the head of the chief butler and the head of the chief baker among his servants. 21 He restored the chief butler to his butlership, and he placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand; 22 but he hanged the chief baker, as Joseph had interpreted to them. 23 Yet the chief butler did not remember Joseph, but forgot him.
Joseph Interprets Pharaoh’s Dream
41 After two whole years, Pharaoh dreamed that he was standing by the Nile, 2 and behold, there came up out of the Nile seven cows sleek and fat, and they fed in the reed grass. 3 And behold, seven other cows, gaunt and thin, came up out of the Nile after them, and stood by the other cows on the bank of the Nile. 4 And the gaunt and thin cows ate up the seven sleek and fat cows. And Pharaoh awoke.
5 And he fell asleep and dreamed a second time; and behold, seven ears of grain, plump and good, were growing on one stalk. 6 And behold, after them sprouted seven ears, thin and blighted by the east wind. 7 And the thin ears swallowed up the seven plump and full ears. And Pharaoh awoke, and behold, it was a dream. 8 So in the morning his spirit was troubled; and he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt and all its wise men; and Pharaoh told them his dream, but there was none who could interpret it to Pharaoh.
Reading 3 – 741 words
Discussion questions:
1) What did you notice in today’s reading? What surprised you or what was memorable to you? (Leader should note that this story of Joseph, beginning with his own dreams when he was first introduced to us, is the first time that we really see dreams featuring in the Bible. In the ancient world, dreams were understood to be a space in which divine beings spoke to human beings, whether for good or for ill. Thus each of these dreams is considered to have a meaning beyond the sort of psychologizing that we are inclined to today. Now, it must be noted that these are a particular sort of dream, strange visions that connect to nothing in one’s daily life, and this matters. The point that we should take away, perhaps, is that not all dreams come from God, and not all dreams mean something…but also that sometimes they do. When they do, the Fathers of the Church urge us not to take them as a source of pride, nor to be guided by them, unless we are able to be absolutely certain that God is speaking to us. In the dreams we see in this passage, the dreams are revealing Joseph to be a man of discernment, able to interpret God’s revelation to humankind. We should not expect to have similar dreams, and if we do, we should be careful of believing or following them, should apply ourselves to prayer and the things of God, and should ask the priest for guidance in interpreting what we have dreamed.)
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)
7th Vespers Prayer at the Lighting of the Lamps
At sunset each day, the Church celebrates the service of Vespers, which simply means sunset, or evening. This is built around the very ancient custom of lighting the lamps inside the Church, while Psalms are read that reflect on the coming of the night, the rest that God gives to us, and our expectation of the new day that is to come, and of the enlightenment that we are given by the Lord as He illumines our hearts and our minds. As the service begins, there are seven prayers that are read by the Priest; we will read today the last of those seven prayers.
7th Vespers Prayer at the Lighting of the Lamps
O God, Who are great and most high, Who only have immortality, dwelling in light unapproachable; Who have made the whole creation in wisdom; Who have divided between the light, and between the darkness; and have appointed the sun for the ruling of the day, but the moon and the stars for the ruling of the night; Who have deigned that we, sinners, should, at the present hour also, come before Your presence with confession, and offer You the evening doxology: do Yourself, O Lord, lover of man, direct our prayer, as incense before You, and accept it for an odour of a sweet smell.
And grant us that the present evening, and the approaching night may be peaceful: put on us the armour of light; deliver us from the terror of the night, and from every thing that walks about in the dark; and grant us that the sleep, which You have ordained for the refreshing of our infirmity, may be safe from every phantasy of the devil.
Yea, O Master of all, supplier of good things; that, upon our beds also feeling compunction, we may be mindful of Your Name in the night; and being enlightened by meditation on Your commandments, may arise in exultation of soul, to glorify Your goodness, bringing to Your tenderness of heart entreaties and supplications, for our own sins, and for those of all Your people; whom, at the intercessions of the holy Theotokos, do You visit in mercy.
For a good God, and lover of man are You, and to You we send up glory, to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Discussion questions:
1) What did you notice in today’s reading? What surprised you or what was memorable to you? (The Leader should point out how this prayer establishes us in relationship with God and with the natural order of the world. The first portion confesses the Lordship of God the Creator over all things, having set everything in order, and recognizes our place in this order, that we should come before the Lord at sunset to make confession, to glorify God, and to offer our prayer like incense. As we inhabit this space which God has given to us, we ask for His protection throughout the night, that we may be preserved from any sin or temptation, so that we may rise in the morning in that same right relationship with the Creator of all things and with His Creation. This prayer, then, is nothing less than a template for our life in Christ, our life in this world, our existence as stewards of the creation and fellow laborers with the Creator in the tending and pruning and ordering of the Creation.)
2) Where do we see Christ in this text; what is He saying or doing here?
3) Do we see ourselves and the Church in this text; what does it say about us?
4) What do you find difficult about this reading? Is there anything confusing about it, or anything that you dislike? (This is an open question, as always. )
5) Does this reading make you think that you need to change anything in your life?
Day 3 (Friday)
Acts 2:37-47; 3:1-10 (First Converts, Life of the Early Church, Crippled Beggar Healed)
Last time, we saw St. Peter’s sermon to the crowd that had gathered when they heard the sound of the mighty rushing wind on the day of Pentecost. Peter had spoken to them of how what they were experiencing that day was the fulfillment of the prophecy of Joel, of how God would send His Spirit upon all flesh on the occasion of the great and glorious Day of the Lord, and then explained that the Day of the Lord had come as well, and that they had experienced it, with the darkness and the earthquake that had accompanied the death of the Lord on the Cross. He then proclaimed to them the Resurrection of the Lord, and that He had ascended and been enthroned in the fullness of His divinity and humanity at the right hand of God the Father, and that therefore that same Jesus whom they had crucified was alive, and was the Lord, God Himself, and the long awaited Messiah, the Christ. This time, we will see what those who heard him say in response, and what follows.
The First Converts
37 Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and to the other apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?” 38 Peter said to them, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is for you, for your children, and for all who are far away, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to him.”
40 And he testified with many other arguments and exhorted them, saying, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” 41 So those who welcomed his message were baptized, and that day about three thousand persons were added. 42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.
Life among the Believers
43 Awe came upon everyone, because many wonders and signs were being done by the apostles. 44 All who believed were together and had all things in common; 45 they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46 Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, 47 praising God and having the goodwill of all the people. And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.
Peter Heals a Crippled Beggar
3 One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, at three o’clock in the afternoon. 2 And a man lame from birth was being carried in. People would lay him daily at the gate of the temple called the Beautiful Gate so that he could ask for alms from those entering the temple. 3 When he saw Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked them for alms. 4 Peter looked intently at him, as did John, and said, “Look at us.” 5 And he fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them.
6 But Peter said, “I have no silver or gold, but what I have I give you; in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth,[a] stand up and walk.” 7 And he took him by the right hand and raised him up; and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong. 8 Jumping up, he stood and began to walk, and he entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. 9 All the people saw him walking and praising God, 10 and they recognized him as the one who used to sit and ask for alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple; and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.
Reading 4 – 485 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 St. Peter’s sermon basically articulated the Gospel to the crowd, in the terms of the Scriptures that had been fulfilled by the Lord. Their question to him, then, of what they need to do to be saved, may be taken as the appropriate response to hearing the Gospel of the Lord, and the answer is, to repent and be baptized, and to answer the Lord’s call to all to follow Him. We should make a note about the life of the early Church as provided here: when it says they devoted themselves to the Apostles’ teaching, to the breaking of bread and to prayers, this is a reference essentially to what would have been the earliest Divine Liturgy, the regular celebration of the Lord’s Mystical Supper, which is what the Breaking of the Bread refers to, along with the prayers. What we know about the life of the Early Church is that they continued to participate in the life of the Jewish community, attending the reading and preaching of the Scriptures in the synagogues, and attending and participating in the prayer and worship that continued to take place in the Temple. On the Lord’s Day, the 1st day of the week, however, they gathered in the homes of the Faithful and celebrated the Eucharist, with the breaking of the bread and with prayers.)
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?