May 24, 2024

Events of the day

• Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Methodius and Cyril, Teachers of the Slavs

  Polyeleos rank

• Hieromartyr Mocius

  Commemoration

• Afterfeast: Pascha. The Bright Resurrection of Christ

Fasting

Fast day · Wednesday / Friday

Wednesday and Friday from Thomas Sunday to Pentecost: fish is allowed.

• Meat: not allowed
• Dairy & eggs: not allowed
• Fish: allowed
• Oil: allowed
• Wine: allowed

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

• Vespers

  Composite reading — Proverbs 10, 3, 8

• Vespers

  Proverbs 10:31–11:12

• Vespers

  Wisdom of Solomon 4:7–15

• Matins Gospel

  John 10:1–9

  Show the text

  ¹“Most certainly, I tell you, one who doesn’t enter by the door into the sheep fold, but climbs up some other way, is a thief and a robber.

  ²But one who enters in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.

  ³The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name, and leads them out.

  ⁴Whenever he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.

  ⁵They will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him; for they don’t know the voice of strangers.”

  ⁶Jesus spoke this parable to them, but they didn’t understand what he was telling them.

  ⁷Jesus therefore said to them again, “Most certainly, I tell you, I am the sheep’s door.

  ⁸All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep didn’t listen to them.

  ⁹I am the door. If anyone enters in by me, he will be saved, and will go in and go out, and will find pasture.

• Epistle

  Acts 8:40–9:19

  Show the text

  ⁴⁰But Philip was found at Azotus. Passing through, he preached the Good News to all the cities, until he came to Caesarea.

  ¹But Saul, still breathing threats and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest

  ²and asked for letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.

  ³As he traveled, he got close to Damascus, and suddenly a light from the sky shone around him.

  ⁴He fell on the earth, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”

  ⁵He said, “Who are you, Lord?” The Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.

  ⁶But rise up and enter into the city, then you will be told what you must do.”

  ⁷The men who traveled with him stood speechless, hearing the sound, but seeing no one.

  ⁸Saul arose from the ground, and when his eyes were opened, he saw no one. They led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus.

  ⁹He was without sight for three days, and neither ate nor drank.

  ¹⁰Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias!” He said, “Behold, it’s me, Lord.”

  ¹¹The Lord said to him, “Arise, and go to the street which is called Straight, and inquire in the house of Judah for one named Saul, a man of Tarsus. For behold, he is praying,

  ¹²and in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and laying his hands on him, that he might receive his sight.”

  ¹³But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he did to your saints at Jerusalem.

  ¹⁴Here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name.”

  ¹⁵But the Lord said to him, “Go your way, for he is my chosen vessel to bear my name before the nations and kings, and the children of Israel.

  ¹⁶For I will show him how many things he must suffer for my name’s sake.”

  ¹⁷Ananias departed and entered into the house. Laying his hands on him, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord, who appeared to you on the road by which you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”

  ¹⁸Immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he received his sight. He arose and was baptized.

  ¹⁹He took food and was strengthened. Saul stayed several days with the disciples who were at Damascus.

• Epistle · Saints

  Hebrews 7:26–8:2

  Show the text

  ²⁶For such a high priest was fitting for us: holy, guiltless, undefiled, separated from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;

  ²⁷who doesn’t need, like those high priests, to offer up sacrifices daily, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. For he did this once for all, when he offered up himself.

  ²⁸For the law appoints men as high priests who have weakness, but the word of the oath which came after the law appoints a Son forever who has been perfected.

  ¹Now in the things which we are saying, the main point is this. We have such a high priest, who sat down on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens,

  ²a servant of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, not man.

• Gospel

  John 6:48–54

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  ⁴⁸I am the bread of life.

  ⁴⁹Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness and they died.

  ⁵⁰This is the bread which comes down out of heaven, that anyone may eat of it and not die.

  ⁵¹I am the living bread which came down out of heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. Yes, the bread which I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”

  ⁵²The Jews therefore contended with one another, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?”

  ⁵³Jesus therefore said to them, “Most certainly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you don’t have life in yourselves.

  ⁵⁴He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.

• Gospel · Saints

  Matthew 5:14–19

  Show the text

  ¹⁴You are the light of the world. A city located on a hill can’t be hidden.

  ¹⁵Neither do you light a lamp, and put it under a measuring basket, but on a stand; and it shines to all who are in the house.

  ¹⁶Even so, let your light shine before men; that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

  ¹⁷“Don’t think that I came to destroy the law or the prophets. I didn’t come to destroy, but to fulfill.

  ¹⁸For most certainly, I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not even one smallest letter or one tiny pen stroke shall in any way pass away from the law, until all things are accomplished.

  ¹⁹Whoever, therefore, shall break one of these least commandments, and teach others to do so, shall be called least in the Kingdom of Heaven; but whoever shall do and teach them shall be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven.

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

Saints and icons

• Prayer of the day: Short penitential prayers