Sacred Scripture readings in preparation for Great Lent

[Maria]

Today (Feb. 9/22) is the Feast of the Martyr Nikephoros according to the GOC-Kallinikos ecclesiastical calendar.

The epistle reading is taken from Ephesians 5: 8-19 *

• 8: For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord.

  17: Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

  18: And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit,

  19: speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,
  singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord,

  20: giving thinks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,

  21: submitting to one another in the fear of God.

• The Orthodox Study Bible, NKJV, Thomas Nelson, 2008, p. 1606, 1608

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p.s. I am only giving excerpts from the daily reading so as to avoid copyright violations.

[Matthew]

Yes amen. I think that it is good to read this in preparation because wine is a very big temptation for so many TOC believers.

[Maria]

Not only wine, but also sugar and fruit juice can cause dissipation.
I remember buying some root beer on a hot day. It must have fermented naturally, because it gave me a high. In fact, some of the bottles seemed to explode when we opened them. We called the manufacturer who said that they were having a little problem during transportation especially with the triple digit weather. Bottles were shaking in the hot delivery trucks.

However, one does not need to drink alcohol to become dissipated.
Personally, I know that I must guard all my senses.
During Divine Liturgy, if a child is doing something "cute," I may be physically present but spiritually, I may not be participating in the Divine Liturgy at that time. It is hard not to laugh at their antics, but if I crack a smile ever so slightly, these children who are so quick to see any encouraging signs may continue to act like clowns. And the children are usually on the same side with the women. Lord have mercy.

[Edit: Symeon, I accidentally hit "edit" when I attempted to quote and respond to your post, but I have restored your post to its original state. Please forgive me as I am still a new mod here.]

[Matthew]

No problem re: edit error. I think it is great that you are assisting the moderating.

[Maria]

Thanks, Symeon.

The Gospel reading for the Feast of the Hieromartyr Haralampos:

John 15:17-16:2*

• 17. These things I command you, that you love one another.

  1. If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you.

  2. If you were of the world, the world would love its own.

  3. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world,
     therefore the world hates you.

Again, we are commanded to love one another.

We are often told that charity begins at home, and that it is much easier to be charitable to strangers than those who are members of our family. Perhaps this is because we expect so much more of those who are our relatives or those who are members of our church. Yet, we are all sinners in need of God's mercy. This is why we should pray for each other and be willing to forgive even up to 70 x 70 times.

Lord have mercy. If I have not shown love, but have been sarcastic, please forgive me a sinner.

• reference: Orthodox Study Bible, NKJV, Thomas Nelson Publishers: 2008, p. 1455, 1456.

[Matthew]

Amen, God forgives. May God and all of you forgive me my many sins also.

[Maria]

Friday, February 16/March 1, 2013

Feast day of Martyr Pamphylos

The Epistle reading is taken from I John 2: 7-17

• 10. He who loves his brother abides in the light,
  and there is no cause for stumbling in him.

  1. But he who hates his brother is in darkness and walks in darkness,
     and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

  2. Do not love the world or the things in the world.
     If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

  3. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it;
     but he who does the will of God abides forever.

Let us pray for those who are in darkness, that they may see the Truth and come to the Light.