January 4, 2020

Events of the day

No commemorations in the content package for this day yet

• Forefeast: Holy Theophany. The Baptism of the Lord

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

  Ephesians 2:11–13

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  ¹¹Therefore remember that once you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called “uncircumcision” by that which is called “circumcision” (in the flesh, made by hands),

  ¹²that you were at that time separate from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of the promise, having no hope and without God in the world.

  ¹³But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off are made near in the blood of Christ.

• Epistle · Saturday before Theophany

  1 Timothy 3:14–4:5

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  ¹⁴These things I write to you, hoping to come to you shortly;

  ¹⁵but if I wait long, that you may know how men ought to behave themselves in God’s house, which is the assembly of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

  ¹⁶Without controversy, the mystery of godliness is great: God was revealed in the flesh, justified in the spirit, seen by angels, preached among the nations, believed on in the world, and received up in glory.

  ¹But the Spirit says expressly that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons,

  ²through the hypocrisy of men who speak lies, branded in their own conscience as with a hot iron,

  ³forbidding marriage and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.

  ⁴For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be rejected, if it is received with thanksgiving.

  ⁵For it is sanctified through the word of God and prayer.

• Gospel

  Luke 18:2–8

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  ²saying, “There was a judge in a certain city who didn’t fear God, and didn’t respect man.

  ³A widow was in that city, and she often came to him, saying, ‘Defend me from my adversary!’

  ⁴He wouldn’t for a while, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God, nor respect man,

  ⁵yet because this widow bothers me, I will defend her, or else she will wear me out by her continual coming.’ ”

  ⁶The Lord said, “Listen to what the unrighteous judge says.

  ⁷Won’t God avenge his chosen ones who are crying out to him day and night, and yet he exercises patience with them?

  ⁸I tell you that he will avenge them quickly. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”

• Gospel · Saturday before Theophany

  Matthew 3:1–11

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  ¹In those days, John the Baptizer came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying,

  ²“Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!”

  ³For this is he who was spoken of by Isaiah the prophet, saying, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness, make the way of the Lord ready! Make his paths straight!”

  ⁴Now John himself wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey.

  ⁵Then people from Jerusalem, all of Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him.

  ⁶They were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins.

  ⁷But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for his baptism, he said to them, “You offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

  ⁸Therefore produce fruit worthy of repentance!

  ⁹Don’t think to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham for our father,’ for I tell you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones.

  ¹⁰“Even now the ax lies at the root of the trees. Therefore every tree that doesn’t produce good fruit is cut down, and cast into the fire.

  ¹¹I indeed baptize you in water for repentance, but he who comes after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you in the Holy Spirit.

Source: Orthocal: lectionary data — Slavic tradition, New Calendar (OCA practice). Text: World English Bible.

Saints and icons

• Prayer of the day: Prayer for the departed