Coptic for GOD

Coptic Date

Gregorian Date

DAILY VERSE

Be very careful, then, how you live — not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. —Ephesians 5:15-16

Be very careful, then, how you live — not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.

—Ephesians 5:15-16

Even though we are God's holy children, we also need to be aware of what time it is in our world. The evil one still exercises his control over the hearts of many people. God wants us to "redeem the time," making the most of every opportunity we have to touch the lives of others with his grace and to resist the temptation and overcome the opposition of the evil one.

DAILY SYNEXARIUM

17 Babah 1741

Day 17 of the Blessed Coptic Month of Babah, may God make it always received, year after year, with reassurance and tranquility, while our sins after forgiven by the tender mercies of our God my fathers and brothers.
Amen.

The Seventeenth Day of the Blessed Month of Babah

Departure of St.Dioscorus the Second, the Thirty-First Pope of Alexandria

On this day of the year 511 A.D., the holy father Abba Dioscorus the Second, the thirty-first Pope of Alexandria, departed. He was chosen Patriarch by the guidance of the Holy Spirit after the departure of his predecessor, St. John. This father was gentle in disposition, his work and knowledge were outstanding, and he was perfect all his days; no one was like him in his generation. His first work after his enthronement to the See of St. Mark was writing an epistle to the holy father Abba Severus, Patriarch of Antioch. This epistle contained the faith in the Holy Trinity as equal in essence and divinity, and an explanation of the Incarnation. He said that the Word of God was incarnated in a human body perfect in everything, and united with it and became one Son, one Christ, one God, in inseparable unity and that the Trinity is one before and after this unity and no addition was effected to Him by the Incarnation. When this epistle reached Abba Severus, he read it and rejoiced and made it known to the people of Antioch. He felt optimistic with it and wrote to St. Dioscorus a reply to the epistle congratulating him on his Christian presidency and on the Orthodox faith. He commanded him not to turn aside from it, neither to the right nor to the left, and to depend in all his sayings and works on the Orthodox faith which was established by the Three Hundred and Eighteen Fathers in Nicea and according to what they commanded in the Canon and the Law. When the message reached Abba Dioscorus, he joyfully received it and commanded that it be read from the pulpit to be heard by all the people. This father read and taught continually, and urged and commanded the priests in every city to shepherd and guard their flocks. Having ended his course, he departed in peace.

May his prayers and blessings be with us all, and Glory be to God forever. Amen.

DAILY KATEMAROS

The Third Sunday of Babah1741

Vespers

Vespers Psalm

From the Psalms of our teacher David the prophet.
May his blessings be with us all.

Psalms 70 : 4 - 4

Chapter 70

4	Let all those who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; And let those who love Your salvation say continually, "Let God be magnified!"

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Our Lord God, Savior, and King of us all, Jesus Christ, the Living Son of God to whom be glory forever.
Amen.

Vespers Gospel

Stand in the fear of God and listen to the Holy Gospel.
A reading from the Gospel according to our teacher Saint Mark the Evangelist.
May His Blessings be with us all.

Mark 4 : 35 - 41

Chapter 4

35	On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, "Let us cross over to the other side."

36	Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was. And other little boats were also with Him.

37	And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling.

38	But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, "Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?"

39	Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Peace, be still!" And the wind ceased and there was a great calm.

40	But He said to them, "Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?"

41	And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, "Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!"

And Glory be to God forever.

Matins

Matins Psalm

From the Psalms of our teacher David the prophet.
May his blessings be with us all.

Psalms 56 : 11 - 13

Chapter 56

11	In God I have put my trust; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?

12	Vows made to You are binding upon me, O God; I will render praises to You,

13	For You have delivered my soul from death. Have You not kept my feet from falling, That I may walk before God In the light of the living?

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Our Lord God, Savior, and King of us all, Jesus Christ, the Living Son of God to whom be glory forever.
Amen.

Matins Gospel

Stand in the fear of God and listen to the Holy Gospel.
A reading from the Gospel according to our teacher Saint Luke the Evangelist.
May His Blessings be with us all.

Luke 24 : 1 - 12

Chapter 24

1	Now on the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they, and certain other women with them, came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared.

2	But they found the stone rolled away from the tomb.

3	Then they went in and did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.

4	And it happened, as they were greatly perplexed about this, that behold, two men stood by them in shining garments.

5	Then, as they were afraid and bowed their faces to the earth, they said to them, "Why do you seek the living among the dead?

6	He is not here, but is risen! Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee,

7	saying, "The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again."'

8	And they remembered His words.

9	Then they returned from the tomb and told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest.

10	It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them, who told these things to the apostles.

11	And their words seemed to them like idle tales, and they did not believe them.

12	But Peter arose and ran to the tomb; and stooping down, he saw the linen cloths lying by themselves; and he departed, marveling to himself at what had happened.

And Glory be to God forever.

Liturgy Gospel

Paulines Epistle

Paul, the servant of our Lord Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, appointed to the Gospel of God.
A reading from the Epistle of our teacher Paul to the Corinthians .
May his blessings be upon us.
Amen.

1 Corinthians 16 : 12 - 24

Chapter 16

12	Now concerning our brother Apollos, I strongly urged him to come to you with the brethren, but he was quite unwilling to come at this time; however, he will come when he has a convenient time.

13	Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong.

14	Let all that you do be done with love.

15	I urge you, brethren--you know the household of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia, and that they have devoted themselves to the ministry of the saints--

16	that you also submit to such, and to everyone who works and labors with us.

17	I am glad about the coming of Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus, for what was lacking on your part they supplied.

18	For they refreshed my spirit and yours. Therefore acknowledge such men.

19	The churches of Asia greet you. Aquila and Priscilla greet you heartily in the Lord, with the church that is in their house.

20	All the brethren greet you. Greet one another with a holy kiss.

21	The salutation with my own hand--Paul's.

22	If anyone does not love the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be accursed. O Lord, come!

23	The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

24	My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen.

The grace of God the Father be with you all.
Amen.

Catholic Epistle

A Reading from Epistle of St. James .
May his blessing be upon us.
Amen.

James 4 : 7 - 17

Chapter 4

7	Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

8	Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

9	Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom.

10	Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.

11	Do not speak evil of one another, brethren. He who speaks evil of a brother and judges his brother, speaks evil of the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge.

12	There is one Lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy. Who are you to judge another?

13	Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit";

14	whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.

15	Instead you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that."

16	But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.

17	Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.

Do not love the world or the things in the world.
The world passes away, and its desires; but he who does the will of God abides forever.
Amen.

Acts of the Apostles

The Acts of our fathers the apostles, may their blessings be with us.

Acts 15 : 4 - 12

Chapter 15

4	And when they had come to Jerusalem, they were received by the church and the apostles and the elders; and they reported all things that God had done with them.

5	But some of the sect of the Pharisees who believed rose up, saying, "It is necessary to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses."

6	Now the apostles and elders came together to consider this matter.

7	And when there had been much dispute, Peter rose up and said to them: "Men and brethren, you know that a good while ago God chose among us, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe.

8	So God, who knows the heart, acknowledged them by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He did to us,

9	and made no distinction between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.

10	Now therefore, why do you test God by putting a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?

11	But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved in the same manner as they."

12	Then all the multitude kept silent and listened to Barnabas and Paul declaring how many miracles and wonders God had worked through them among the Gentiles.

The word of the Lord shall grow, multiply, be mighty, and be confirmed, in the holy Church of God.
Amen.

Divine Psalm

Stand in the fear of God and listen to the Holy Gospel.
A reading from the Gospel according to our teacher Saint John the Evangelist.
May His Blessings be with us all. Amen.
From the Psalms of our teacher David the prophet, and the Good King.
May his blessings be with us all.

Psalms 70 : 6 - 7

Hallelujah.

Divine Gospel

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Our Lord God, Savior, and King of us all, Jesus Christ, the Living Son of God to whom be glory forever.
Amen.

Matthew 12 : 22 - 28

Chapter 12

22	Then one was brought to Him who was demon-possessed, blind and mute; and He healed him, so that the blind and mute man both spoke and saw.

23	And all the multitudes were amazed and said, "Could this be the Son of David?"

24	Now when the Pharisees heard it they said, "This fellow does not cast out demons except by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons."

25	But Jesus knew their thoughts, and said to them: "Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand.

26	If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand?

27	And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges.

28	But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you.

And Glory be to God forever.

DAILY CONTEMPLATION

On Rebuke and Grace; ...

To the righteous, however, pertains that Scripture: He that glories, let him glory in the Lord. 1 Corinthians 1:31 For this the apostle most manifestly showed, when, after saying that no flesh should glory in His presence, lest the saints should suppose that they had been left without any glory, he presently added, But of Him are you in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: that, according as it is written, He that glories, let him glory in the Lord. 1 Corinthians 1:30 Hence it is that in this abode of miseries, where trial is the life of man upon the earth, strength is made perfect in weakness. 2 Corinthians 12:9 What strength, save that he that glories should glory in the Lord?