September 21, 2031

Events of the day

• Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos

  Twelve Great Feast

  The birth of the Virgin Mary to the righteous Joachim and Anna; the first of the Twelve Great Feasts in the church year.

Fasting

No fast

No fast today.

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

  Genesis 28:10–17

• Vespers

  Ezekiel 43:27–44:4

• Vespers

  Proverbs 9:1–11

• Matins Gospel

  Luke 1:39–49, 56

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  ³⁹Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Judah,

  ⁴⁰and entered into the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth.

  ⁴¹When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.

  ⁴²She called out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!

  ⁴³Why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?

  ⁴⁴For behold, when the voice of your greeting came into my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy!

  ⁴⁵Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of the things which have been spoken to her from the Lord!”

  ⁴⁶Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord.

  ⁴⁷My spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior,

  ⁴⁸for he has looked at the humble state of his servant. For behold, from now on, all generations will call me blessed.

  ⁴⁹For he who is mighty has done great things for me. Holy is his name.

  ⁵⁶Mary stayed with her about three months, and then returned to her house.

• Epistle · Sunday before Elevation

  Galatians 6:11–18

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  ¹¹See with what large letters I write to you with my own hand.

  ¹²As many as desire to make a good impression in the flesh compel you to be circumcised; just so they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ.

  ¹³For even they who receive circumcision don’t keep the law themselves, but they desire to have you circumcised, that they may boast in your flesh.

  ¹⁴But far be it from me to boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

  ¹⁵For in Christ Jesus neither is circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation.

  ¹⁶As many as walk by this rule, peace and mercy be on them, and on God’s Israel.

  ¹⁷From now on, let no one cause me any trouble, for I bear the marks of the Lord Jesus branded on my body.

  ¹⁸The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers. Amen.

• Epistle · Theotokos

  Philippians 2:5–11

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  ⁵Have this in your mind, which was also in Christ Jesus,

  ⁶who, existing in the form of God, didn’t consider equality with God a thing to be grasped,

  ⁷but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men.

  ⁸And being found in human form, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to the point of death, yes, the death of the cross.

  ⁹Therefore God also highly exalted him, and gave to him the name which is above every name,

  ¹⁰that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, those on earth, and those under the earth,

  ¹¹and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

• Epistle

  2 Corinthians 6:1–10

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  ¹Working together, we entreat also that you do not receive the grace of God in vain,

  ²for he says, “At an acceptable time I listened to you. In a day of salvation I helped you.” Behold, now is the acceptable time. Behold, now is the day of salvation.

  ³We give no occasion of stumbling in anything, that our service may not be blamed,

  ⁴but in everything commending ourselves, as servants of God, in great endurance, in afflictions, in hardships, in distresses,

  ⁵in beatings, in imprisonments, in riots, in labors, in watchings, in fastings;

  ⁶in pureness, in knowledge, in perseverance, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in sincere love,

  ⁷in the word of truth, in the power of God; by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,

  ⁸by glory and dishonor, by evil report and good report; as deceivers, and yet true;

  ⁹as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as punished, and not killed;

  ¹⁰as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.

• Gospel · Sunday before Elevation

  John 3:13–17

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  ¹³No one has ascended into heaven but he who descended out of heaven, the Son of Man, who is in heaven.

  ¹⁴As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up,

  ¹⁵that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

  ¹⁶For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

  ¹⁷For God didn’t send his Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through him.

• Gospel · Theotokos

  Luke 10:38–42, 11:27–28

• Gospel

  Matthew 25:14–30

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  ¹⁴“For it is like a man, going into another country, who called his own servants, and entrusted his goods to them.

  ¹⁵To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one; to each according to his own ability. Then he went on his journey.

  ¹⁶Immediately he who received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents.

  ¹⁷In the same way, he also who got the two gained another two.

  ¹⁸But he who received the one talent went away and dug in the earth, and hid his lord’s money.

  ¹⁹“Now after a long time the lord of those servants came, and reconciled accounts with them.

  ²⁰He who received the five talents came and brought another five talents, saying, ‘Lord, you delivered to me five talents. Behold, I have gained another five talents in addition to them.’

  ²¹“His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a few things, I will set you over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’

  ²²“He also who got the two talents came and said, ‘Lord, you delivered to me two talents. Behold, I have gained another two talents in addition to them.’

  ²³“His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a few things, I will set you over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’

  ²⁴“He also who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you that you are a hard man, reaping where you didn’t sow, and gathering where you didn’t scatter.

  ²⁵I was afraid, and went away and hid your talent in the earth. Behold, you have what is yours.’

  ²⁶“But his lord answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant. You knew that I reap where I didn’t sow, and gather where I didn’t scatter.

  ²⁷You ought therefore to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received back my own with interest.

  ²⁸Take away therefore the talent from him, and give it to him who has the ten talents.

  ²⁹For to everyone who has will be given, and he will have abundance, but from him who doesn’t have, even that which he has will be taken away.

  ³⁰Throw out the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

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