January 13, 2020

Events of the day

• St Melania of Rome

  Commemoration

• Leave-taking of the feast: Nativity of our Lord, God and Saviour Jesus Christ

Fasting

No fast

Christmastide (25 Dec – 4 Jan Old Style) is fast-free: no fasting.

Food rules are reference church information. Agree your personal measure of fasting with a priest; consult a doctor if you are ill.

Readings of the day

• Epistle

  Hebrews 11:17–23, 27–31

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  ¹⁷By faith, Abraham, being tested, offered up Isaac. Yes, he who had gladly received the promises was offering up his one and only son,

  ¹⁸to whom it was said, “Your offspring will be accounted as from Isaac,”

  ¹⁹concluding that God is able to raise up even from the dead. Figuratively speaking, he also did receive him back from the dead.

  ²⁰By faith, Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau, even concerning things to come.

  ²¹By faith, Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff.

  ²²By faith, Joseph, when his end was near, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel, and gave instructions concerning his bones.

  ²³By faith, Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw that he was a beautiful child, and they were not afraid of the king’s commandment.

  ²⁷By faith, he left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.

  ²⁸By faith, he kept the Passover, and the sprinkling of the blood, that the destroyer of the firstborn should not touch them.

  ²⁹By faith, they passed through the Red Sea as on dry land. When the Egyptians tried to do so, they were swallowed up.

  ³⁰By faith, the walls of Jericho fell down, after they had been encircled for seven days.

  ³¹By faith, Rahab the prostitute didn’t perish with those who were disobedient, having received the spies in peace.

• Gospel

  Mark 12:13–17

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  ¹³They sent some of the Pharisees and the Herodians to him, that they might trap him with words.

  ¹⁴When they had come, they asked him, “Teacher, we know that you are honest, and don’t defer to anyone; for you aren’t partial to anyone, but truly teach the way of God. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?

  ¹⁵Shall we give, or shall we not give?” But he, knowing their hypocrisy, said to them, “Why do you test me? Bring me a denarius, that I may see it.”

  ¹⁶They brought it. He said to them, “Whose is this image and inscription?” They said to him, “Caesar’s.”

  ¹⁷Jesus answered them, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” They marveled greatly at him.

Source: Orthocal: lectionary data — Slavic tradition, Julian calendar. Text: World English Bible.

Saints and icons

• Prayer of the day: Morning prayer of St Macarius the Great