Sunday
Luke 12:49“ I came to send fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! 50But I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how distressed I am till it is accomplished! 51Do you suppose that I came to give peace on earth? I tell you, not at all, but rather division. 52For from now on five in one house will be divided: three against two, and two against three. 53Father will be divided against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.” 54   Then He also said to the multitudes, “Whenever you see a cloud rising out of the west, immediately you say, ‘A shower is coming’; and so it is. 55And when you see the south wind blow, you say, ‘There will be hot weather’; and there is. 56Hypocrites! You can discern the face of the sky and of the earth, but how is it you do not discern this time? 57“ Yes, and why, even of yourselves, do you not judge what is right? 58When you go with your adversary to the magistrate, make every effort along the way to settle with him, lest he drag you to the judge, the judge deliver you to the officer, and the officer throw you into prison. 59I tell you, you shall not depart from there till you have paid the very last mite.”

 

Prayer:  O Gentle Light of the holy glory of the immortal, heavenly, holy, blessed Father, O Jesus Christ: Having come to the setting of the sun, having beheld the evening light, we praise the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit: God. Meet it is for Thee at all times to be hymned with reverent voices, O Son of God, Giver of life. Wherefore, the world doth glorify Thee.
*Eastern Vesper Hymn

Monday
Luke 13:There were present at that season some who told Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. 2   And Jesus answered and said to them, “Do you suppose that these   Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things? 3I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish. 4Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem? 5I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.”   He also spoke this parable: “A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. 7Then he said to the keeper of his vineyard, ‘Look, for three years I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree and find none. Cut it down; why does it use up the ground?’ 8But he answered and said to him, ‘Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and fertilize it. 9And if it bears fruit, well. But if not, after that* you can cut it down.’  ”

 

Prayer:  Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle, be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray; and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly host, by the power of God thrust into hell Satan and all the evil spirits who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.

Tuesday
Luke 13:Now He was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. 11   And behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bent over and could in no way raise herself up. 12   But when Jesus saw her, He called her to Him and said to her, “Woman, you are loosed from your infirmity.” 13   And He laid His hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God. 14   But the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath; and he said to the crowd, “There are six days on which men ought to work; therefore come and be healed on them, and not on the Sabbath day.” 15   The Lord then answered him and said, “Hypocrite!* Does not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or donkey from the stall, and lead it away to water it? 16So ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound— think of it— for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath?” 17   And when He said these things, all His adversaries were put to shame;  and all the multitude rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by Him.

 

Prayer:  Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world: have mercy upon us. Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world: have mercy upon us. Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, grant us peace.
*Agnus Dei

Wednesday
Luke 13: Then He said, “What is the kingdom of God like? And to what shall I compare it? 19It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and put in his garden; and it grew and became a large* tree, and the birds of the air nested in its branches.”  And again He said, “To what shall I liken the kingdom of God? 21It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures* of meal till it was all leavened.”

John 9:1   Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth. 2   And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” 3   Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him. 4I* must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work. 5As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” 6   When He had said these things, He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva; and He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay. 7   And He said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which is translated, Sent). So he went and washed, and came back seeing. 8   Therefore the neighbors and those who previously had seen that he was blind* said, “Is not this he who sat and begged?” 9   Some said, “This is he.” Others said, “He is like him.”* He said, “I am he.” 10   Therefore they said to him, “How were your eyes opened?  CONTINUED…

Prayer:  O Lord, save Thy people and bless Thine inheritance. Grant victory over their enemies to Orthodox Christians, and protect Thy people with Thy Cross.

Thursday
John 9:11   He answered and said, “A Man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes and said to me, ‘Go to the pool of* Siloam and wash.’ So I went and washed, and I received sight.” 12   Then they said to him, “Where is He?” He said, “I do not know.” 13   They brought him who formerly was blind to the Pharisees. 14   Now it was a Sabbath when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes. 15   Then the Pharisees also asked him again how he had received his sight. He said to them, “He put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and I see.” 16   Therefore some of the Pharisees said, “This Man is not from God, because He does not keep the Sabbath.” Others said, “How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?” And there was a division among them. 17   They said to the blind man again, “What do you say about Him because He opened your eyes?” He said, “He is a prophet.” 18   But the Jews did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind and received his sight, until they called the parents of him who had received his sight. 19   And they asked them, saying, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?” 20   His parents answered them and said, “We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; 21   but by what means he now sees we do not know, or who opened his eyes we do not know. He is of age; ask him. He will speak for himself.” 22   His parents said these things because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had agreed already that if anyone confessed that He was Christ, he would be put out of the synagogue. 23   Therefore his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.” 24   So they again called the man who was blind, and said to him, “Give God the glory! We know that this Man is a sinner.” 25   He answered and said, “Whether He is a sinner or not I do not know. One thing I know: that though I was blind, now I see.” 26   Then they said to him again, “What did He do to you? How did He open your eyes?” 27   He answered them, “I told you already, and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become His disciples?” 28   Then they reviled him and said, “You are His disciple, but we are Moses’ disciples. 29   We know that God spoke to Moses; as for this fellow, we do not know where He is from.” 30   The man answered and said to them, “Why, this is a marvelous thing, that you do not know where He is from; yet He has opened my eyes! 31   Now we know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, He hears him. 32   Since the world began it has been unheard of that anyone opened the eyes of one who was born blind. 33   If this Man were not from God, He could do nothing.” 34   They answered and said to him, “You were completely born in sins, and are you teaching us?” And they cast him out

Prayer:  O my God relying on Thy infinite goodness and promises, I hope to obtain pardon of my sins, the help of Thy grace, and life everlasting, through the merits of Jesus Christ, my Lord and Redeemer.
*Act of Hope

Friday
John 9: 35   Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when He had found him, He said to him, “Do you believe in the Son of God?”* 36   He answered and said, “Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?” 37   And Jesus said to him, “You have both seen Him and it is He who is talking with you.” 38   Then he said, “Lord, I believe!” And he worshiped Him. 39   And Jesus said, “For judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may be made blind.” 40   Then some of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these words, and said to Him, “Are we blind also?” 41   Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, ‘We see.’ Therefore your sin remains.

Prayer:  O my God I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee, and I detest all my sins, because I dread the loss of heaven and the pains of hell, but most of all because they offend Thee, my God, who art all-good and worthy of all my love. I firmly resolve, with the help of Thy grace, to confess my sins, to do penance, and to amend my life.
*Act of Contrition

Saturday
John 10:1“ Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. 2But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. 5Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” 6   Jesus used this illustration, but they did not understand the things which He spoke to them. 7   Then Jesus said to them again, “Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 8All who ever came before Me* are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. 9I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. 10The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

Prayer:  O my God I love Thee above all things, with my whole heart and soul, because Thou art all-good and worthy of all love. I love my neighbor as myself for the love of Thee. I forgive all who have injured me, and ask pardon of all whom I have injured. (Act of Charity)