2024
On Wednesday | November 13
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The Readings from the Regular Cycle
The Epistle
Wednesday of the 21st Week
The reading is from Paul’s Letter to the Colossians.
Col. 1:18 – 23
Brethren, Christ is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the first-born from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. And you, who once were estranged and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and irreproachable before him, provided that you continue in the fight, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which has been preached to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister. [RSV]
The Gospel
Wednesday of the 9th Week of Luke
The reading is from the holy Gospel according to Luke.
Lk. 15:1 – 10
At that time, the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear Jesus. And the Pharisees and the scribes murmured, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.” So he told them this parable: “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost, until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost.’ Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance. Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and seek diligently until she finds it? And when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin which I had lost.’ Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” [RSV]
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The Readings for the Commemoration
2024
November 13
Memory of St. John Chrysostom
The Readings from Vespers the Previous Evening
From Menaion - - -
Pr 10:8a, 7a; 3:13 – 16, 18; 8:32, 34, 4, 12, 14, 17, 5 – 9; 22:24, 22; 15:4b
The remembrance of the righteous is with eulogies; the blessing of the Lord is upon the head of a righteous man. Blessed is a man who finds wisdom, and a mortal who sees discernment; for the profits gained from wisdom are better than the treasures of gold and silver. Wisdom is more valuable than precious stones, and nothing evil will withstand her. She is well known to all who come near her, and no honor is worthy of her. Righteousness proceeds from her mouth, and she carries law and mercy upon her tongue. Now therefore, my son, hear me: Blessed is the man who shall hearken to me and the man who shall guard my ways; for my issues are the issues of life, and grace is prepared from the Lord. You, O men, I exhort, and I utter my voice to the sons of men. I, wisdom, dwell with counsel, and I call upon knowledge and understanding. Counsel and safety are mine; discernment is mine, and strength is mine. I love those who love me, and those who seek me shall find me. Understand astuteness, O simple ones, and put it in your heart, O uninstructed ones. Obey me, for I speak sacred things, and from my lips I will bring forth things that are true. For my mouth shall speak the truth, but false lips are an abomination before me. All the words of my mouth are with righteousness; there is nothing in them crooked or twisted. All things are evident to those who understand and true to those who find knowledge. Therefore, I teach you a true word and good knowledge to be obeyed, that you might answer words of truth to those who question you, that your hope might be in the Lord, and the one who guards it will be filled with the Spirit. [SAAS]
WSol 4:7 – 15
Though a righteous man may die before his time, he shall be at rest. For old age is not honored for its length of existence, nor measured by its number of years; but discernment is gray hair for mankind, and a spotless life is the maturity of old age. There was once a man pleasing to God and loved by Him, and while living among sinners he was taken up. He was caught up lest evil change his understanding or deceit deceive his soul. For envy arising from lack of judgment obscures what is good, and a whirling of desire undermines an innocent heart. He was made perfect, for in a short time he fulfilled long years, for his soul was pleasing to the Lord; therefore, He took him early from the midst of evil. Yet peoples saw this but did not understand, nor take such a thing to heart, that the Lord’s grace and mercy are with His elect and that He watches over His holy ones. [SAAS]
WSol Proverbs 10:32a, 33a; 11:2b, 5a, 6a, 18a; 13:2a, 9a; 15:2a; 14:34a; 22:12. Wisdom of Solomon 6:12a, 13, 12b, 14a, 15b, 16a; 7:30b; 8:2c, 2a-b, 3b-4, 7b-d, 8, 17c, 18d, 21e; 9:1 – 3a, 4 – 5a, 10 – 11, 14
The mouth of a righteous man distills wisdom; the lips of righteous men distill grace, but the mouth of the humble meditates on wisdom. The righteousness of upright men delivers them. When a righteous man dies, his hope does not perish. A righteous son is begotten unto life; a good man eats from the fruits of righteousness. Light is with the righteous continually, and they will find grace and glory from the Lord. The tongue of the wise understands good things. There is wisdom in the good heart of a man. The Lord loves holy hearts, and all the blameless are acceptable to Him. Wisdom is radiant and unfading; she comes upon those who long to know her beforehand, and is easily perceived by those who love her. He who rises early in the morning to seek her will not grow weary, and he who keeps watch for her will soon be free from worry; because she goes about seeking those worthy of her, and she appears to them favorably in their paths. Evil cannot overcome wisdom. I became a lover of her beauty, I loved her and sought her from my youth, and desired to take her as a bride for myself. The Master of all loves her. For she is the initiate of the knowledge of God and one who chooses His works. The products of righteousness are the virtues. For wisdom teaches self-control, discernment, righteousness and courage, concerning which things there is nothing more valuable in the life of man. But also, if anyone longs for great experience, she knows the things of old and portrays the things to come; she understands subtlety of words and the solution of riddles; she has foreknowledge of signs and wonders and the outcomes of times and seasons. And to all she is a good counselor. In kinship with wisdom there is immortality, and in the fellowship of her words there is good repute. So I entreated the Lord and besought Him, and with all my heart, I said: “O God of our fathers and the Lord of mercy, who made all things by Your word and in Your wisdom built a man, that by You He might be the master of what is created, and manage the world in holiness and righteousness, give me the wisdom that sits by Your throne, and do not reject me from among Your servants; because I am Your servant and the son of Your maidservant. Send her forth from Your holy heavens, and send her from Your glorious throne, that she might be present with me and labor and that I might know what is well-pleasing to You. For she knows and understands all things, and she will guide me wisely in my actions and guard me with her glory. For the reasoning of mortals is cowardly, and our intents are unsafe. [SAAS]
The Epistle
For the Saint.
The reading is from Paul’s Letter to the Hebrews.
Heb. 7:26 – 28; 8:1 – 2
Brethren, it was fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, blameless, unstained, separated from sinners, exalted above the heavens. He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people; he did this once for all when he offered up himself. Indeed, the law appoints men in their weakness as high priests, but the word of the oath, which came later than the law, appoints a Son who has been made perfect for ever. Now the point in what we are saying is this: we have such a high priest, one who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, a minister in the sanctuary and the true tent which is set up not by man but by the Lord. [RSV]
The Gospel
For the Saint.
The reading is from the holy Gospel according to John.
Jn. 10:9 – 16
The Lord said, “I am the door; if any one enters by me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. He who is a hireling and not a shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hireling and cares nothing for the sheep. I am the good shepherd; I know my own and my own know me, as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. And I have other sheep, that are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will heed my voice. So there shall be one flock, one shepherd.” [RSV]
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Stand for the reading of the Synaxarion.
Synaxarion
From the Menaion.
On November 13, we commemorate our father among the saints John Chrysostom, Archbishop of Constantinople.
By the intercessions of St. John Chrysostom, Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us. Amen.
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Fasting Rule
Wine: Wine and oil are allowed. Refrain from meat, fish, dairy, and eggs.
It is a minor feast.