Readings - Nativity of St. John the Baptist

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Epistle+Gospel Readings-July 7/June 24 -2nd Sunday after Pentecost

Tone 1

Nativity of the Honorable and Glorious Prophet and Forerunner John the Baptist

'The Cross is the Guardian of the whole earth; the Cross is the beauty of the Church.  The Cross is the strength of kings; the Cross is the support of the faithful.  The Cross is the glory of angels and a wound to demons.'  

from the Exapostilarion of the Cross, Tone Two - page 8

'Man was created neither for distress, nor for suffering.  We received life in order to thrive, says St. Gregory the Theologian, and we thrived after we received our existence.  Paradise was entrusted to us in order to enjoy.  We were given commandments to obey, so that in following them we would receive glory.  They were bestowed upon us , not because God did not know the future, but because He decreed the law of freedom.  We were enticed because we provoked envy, and we fell because we violated the law and did not maintain submissiveness and obedience to God.  For this transgression of disobedience we were banished from Paradise by the Father of the human race and led into an earthly life of suffering, sickness, sorrow and finally death.  Thus sin was the origin of tears and sighing for the human race, a fate common to all living on earth.  This violation of God's commandment not only subjected man to temporary misery and suffering, but it removed him from God, made him shun eternal life, and closed the gates of the heavenly Kingdom for him, so that even the souls of the righteous descended in hell before the coming of the Redeemer on earth.  

But the all-merciful Lord did not leave man in this unfortunate state.  In order to save the human race, in His great compassion our Creator bowed the heavens and descended to earth, became Himself man, suffered on the Cross, and redeemed us with His most pure blood, thereby delivering us from the curse.  With His resurrection He opened the heavenly Kingdom and gave us access to the enjoyment of heavenly bliss.  However, He did not release His followers from sorrow and suffering on this earth.  On the contrary, as He Himself endured suffering in the process of saving us and ascending into His glory, so too must we follow this path.  Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow His steps (I Peter 2:21), says the Apostle Peter. And the Lord Himself warned, If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me (Saint Matthew 16:24) He added, And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after Me, is not worthy of Me (Saint Matthew 10:38).  And again in His sermon to His disciples shortly before His death, the Lord proclaimed, In the world ye shall have tribulation (Saint John 16:33).  Thus the Saviour of the universe considered sorrow to be an inevitable part of man's earthly life.  Through His salvific suffering the Lord redeemed man from the trials and sorrows he brought on himself by not obeying God's commandments, changing them into a means of attaining eternal blessedness for the believing Christians, as the Evangelist Luke confirms: We must through much tribulation enter the Kingdom of God (Acts 14:22). 

More than a few people realized this truth and, devoted to God's will, wisely endured the sorrows of the present life in the hope of obtaining eternal blessings.  Many people seek blessings where they cannot be found, that is on earth, in the changing fame and the futile, fleeting enjoyments of this world.  Rather than seeking the true blessings, they chase shadows, forgetting that suffering and torment follows indulgence in pleasures.  But for those Christians who endure the sorrow of the present life, there is the consolation of spiritual gifts even while here on earth, and in the Age to Come unimaginable eternal blessings and unending joy and delight.'  

Part One - Chapter 1 ENTRY TO THE WAY OF THE CROSS page 9 of the :  'The Royal Way of the Cross of Our Lord Leading to Eternal Life' Translated from the Russian original published in 1877 by Optina Monastery by Vera Kencis - published by Monastery Press 2002 available for purchase through www.monasterypress.com cost US$16.00

**Prayer Before Reading Scripture: 

O Lord Jesus Christ, open Thou the eyes of my heart, that I may hear Thy word and understand and do Thy will, for I am a sojourner upon the earth.  Hide not Thy commandments from me, but open mine eyes, that I may receive the wonders of Thy law.  Speak unto me the hidden and secret things of Thy wisdom.  On Thee do I set my hope, O my God, that Thou shalt enlighten my mind and understanding with the light of Thy knowledge, not only to cherish those things which are written, but to do them; that in reading the lives and sayings of the saints I may not sin, but that such may serve for my restoration, enlightenment and sanctification, for the salvation of my soul, and the inheritance of life everlasting.  For Thou art the enlightenment of those who lie in darkness, and from Thee cometh every good deed and every gift. Amen

Saint John Chrysostom**

There are two Epistle readings for this day and three Gospel readings:  

The Epistle of Saint Paul to the:  

Romans 2:10-16; 

King James Version (KJV 1611)

10 But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile:

11 For there is no respect of persons with God.

12 For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law;

13 (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.

14 For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves:

15 Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)

16 In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.

++ second reading : Romans 13:11-14:4

11 And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.

12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.
13 Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.
14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.
14 Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations.
2 For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs.
3 Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him.
4 Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.

The Holy Gospel according to: 

Saint Matthew 4:18-23; 

King James Version (KJV 1611)

18 And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.
19 And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.
20 And they straightway left their nets, and followed him.
21 And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them.
22 And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him.
23 And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.

++ second reading: Saint Luke 1:1-25; 76, 80

1 Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us,

2 Even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were eyewitnesses, and ministers of the word;
3 It seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus,
4 That thou mightest know the certainty of those things, wherein thou hast been instructed.
5 There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth.
6 And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.
7 And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were now well stricken in years.
8 And it came to pass, that while he executed the priest's office before God in the order of his course,
9 According to the custom of the priest's office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord.
10 And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense.
11 And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense.
12 And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.
13 But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.
14 And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth.
15 For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb.
16 And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God.
17 And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.
18 And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years.
19 And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings.
20 And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season.
21 And the people waited for Zacharias, and marvelled that he tarried so long in the temple.
22 And when he came out, he could not speak unto them: and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple: for he beckoned unto them, and remained speechless.
23 And it came to pass, that, as soon as the days of his ministration were accomplished, he departed to his own house.
24 And after those days his wife Elisabeth conceived, and hid herself five months, saying,
25 Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein he looked on me, to take away my reproach among men.

++ third reading: Saint Luke 1:57-68; 76; 60

57 Now Elisabeth's full time came that she should be delivered; and she brought forth a son.

58 And her neighbours and her cousins heard how the Lord had shewed great mercy upon her; and they rejoiced with her.
59 And it came to pass, that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child; and they called him Zacharias, after the name of his father.
60 And his mother answered and said, Not so; but he shall be called John.
61 And they said unto her, There is none of thy kindred that is called by this name.
62 And they made signs to his father, how he would have him called.
63 And he asked for a writing table, and wrote, saying, His name is John. And they marvelled all.
64 And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue loosed, and he spake, and praised God.
65 And fear came on all that dwelt round about them: and all these sayings were noised abroad throughout all the hill country of Judaea.
66 And all they that heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, What manner of child shall this be! And the hand of the Lord was with him.
67 And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying,
68 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people,
76 And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways;
80 And the child grew and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts until the day of his appearing unto Israel.