While [Joseph and Mary] were [in Bethlehem], the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
Day 28 of the Blessed Coptic Month of Kiahk, 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 Twenty-Eighth Day of the Blessed Month of Kiahk
Martyrdom of One Hundred and Fifty Men and Twenty-Four Women from Ansena
On this day, 150 men and 24 women were martyred. They were from the city of Ansena (Antione) and they worshipped idols. They came once to the Governor's place and they watched the torture of St. Paul the Syrian. The Governor ordered the soldiers to gouge out the saint's eyes with red-hot nails then they cast him in prison. The following morning when they brought him, these men and women were present and they saw that his eyes were whole as they were before. They marveled saying, "No one can do this sign except God alone Who is the Creator of nature from nonexistent." They cried with one accord, "We believe in the God of St. Paul." They came and bowed down at the saint's feet asking him to pray for them. He lifted them up and blessed them. Then they went before the Governor and confessed the Name of the Lord Christ. He ordered them beheaded and they received the crown of martyrdom.
May Their intercessions be with us and Glory be to our God forever. Amen.
Vespers
Vespers Psalm
From the Psalms of our teacher David the prophet.
May his blessings be with us all.
Psalms 72 : 10
Chapter 72
| 10 | The kings of Tarshish and of the isles Will bring presents; The kings of Sheba and Seba Will offer gifts. |
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 Luke the Evangelist.
May His Blessings be with us all.
Luke 3 : 23 - 38
Chapter 3
| 23 | Now Jesus Himself began His ministry at about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, the son of Heli, |
| 24 | the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melchi, the son of Janna, the son of Joseph, |
| 25 | the son of Mattathiah, the son of Amos, the son of Nahum, the son of Esli, the son of Naggai, |
| 26 | the son of Maath, the son of Mattathiah, the son of Semei, the son of Joseph, the son of Judah, |
| 27 | the son of Joannas, the son of Rhesa, the son of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, the son of Neri, |
| 28 | the son of Melchi, the son of Addi, the son of Cosam, the son of Elmodam, the son of Er, |
| 29 | the son of Jose, the son of Eliezer, the son of Jorim, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, |
| 30 | the son of Simeon, the son of Judah, the son of Joseph, the son of Jonan, the son of Eliakim, |
| 31 | the son of Melea, the son of Menan, the son of Mattathah, the son of Nathan, the son of David, |
| 32 | the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Salmon, the son of Nahshon, |
| 33 | the son of Amminadab, the son of Ram, the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah, |
| 34 | the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, the son of Nahor, |
| 35 | the son of Serug, the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Eber, the son of Shelah, |
| 36 | the son of Cainan, the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech, |
| 37 | the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of Mahalalel, the son of Cainan, |
| 38 | the son of Enosh, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God. |
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 72 : 15
Chapter 72
| 15 | And He shall live; And the gold of Sheba will be given to Him; Prayer also will be made for Him continually, And daily He shall be praised. |
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 John the Evangelist.
May His Blessings be with us all.
John 1 : 14 - 17
Chapter 1
| 14 | And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. |
| 15 | John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, "This was He of whom I said, "He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me."' |
| 16 | And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. |
| 17 | For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. |
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 Hebrews .
May his blessings be upon us.
Amen.
Hebrews 1 : 1 - 2 : 4
Chapter 1
| 1 | God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, |
| 2 | has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; |
| 3 | who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, |
| 4 | having become so much better than the angels, as He has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. |
| 5 | For to which of the angels did He ever say: "You are My Son, Today I have begotten You"? And again: "I will be to Him a Father, And He shall be to Me a Son"? |
| 6 | But when He again brings the firstborn into the world, He says: "Let all the angels of God worship Him." |
| 7 | And of the angels He says: "Who makes His angels spirits And His ministers a flame of fire." |
| 8 | But to the Son He says: "Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom. |
| 9 | You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You With the oil of gladness more than Your companions." |
| 10 | And: "You, LORD, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth, And the heavens are the work of Your hands. |
| 11 | They will perish, but You remain; And they will all grow old like a garment; |
| 12 | Like a cloak You will fold them up, And they will be changed. But You are the same, And Your years will not fail." |
| 13 | But to which of the angels has He ever said: "Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool"? |
| 14 | Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation? |
Chapter 2
| 1 | Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away. |
| 2 | For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward, |
| 3 | how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him, |
| 4 | God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will? |
The grace of God the Father be with you all.
Amen.
Catholic Epistle
A Reading from Epistle 2 of St. Peter .
May his blessing be upon us.
Amen.
2 Peter 1 : 12 - 17
Chapter 1
| 12 | For this reason I will not be negligent to remind you always of these things, though you know and are established in the present truth. |
| 13 | Yes, I think it is right, as long as I am in this tent, to stir you up by reminding you, |
| 14 | knowing that shortly I must put off my tent, just as our Lord Jesus Christ showed me. |
| 15 | Moreover I will be careful to ensure that you always have a reminder of these things after my decease. |
| 16 | For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty. |
| 17 | For He received from God the Father honor and glory when such a voice came to Him from the Excellent Glory: "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." |
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 13 : 26 - 33
Chapter 13
| 26 | "Men and brethren, sons of the family of Abraham, and those among you who fear God, to you the word of this salvation has been sent. |
| 27 | For those who dwell in Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they did not know Him, nor even the voices of the Prophets which are read every Sabbath, have fulfilled them in condemning Him. |
| 28 | And though they found no cause for death in Him, they asked Pilate that He should be put to death. |
| 29 | Now when they had fulfilled all that was written concerning Him, they took Him down from the tree and laid Him in a tomb. |
| 30 | But God raised Him from the dead. |
| 31 | He was seen for many days by those who came up with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are His witnesses to the people. |
| 32 | And we declare to you glad tidings--that promise which was made to the fathers. |
| 33 | God has fulfilled this for us their children, in that He has raised up Jesus. As it is also written in the second Psalm: "You are My Son, Today I have begotten You.' |
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 2 : 7 - 8
Chapter 2
| 7 | "I will declare the decree: The LORD has said to Me, "You are My Son, Today I have begotten You. |
| 8 | Ask of Me, and I will give You The nations for Your inheritance, And the ends of the earth for Your possession. |
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 2 : 1 - 12
Chapter 2
| 1 | Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, |
| 2 | saying, "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him." |
| 3 | When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. |
| 4 | And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. |
| 5 | So they said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet: |
| 6 | "But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, Are not the least among the rulers of Judah; For out of you shall come a Ruler Who will shepherd My people Israel."' |
| 7 | Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared. |
| 8 | And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also." |
| 9 | When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. |
| 10 | When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. |
| 11 | And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. |
| 12 | Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way. |
And Glory be to God forever.
3. Oh for one to have regulated my disorder, and turned to my profit the fleeting beauties of the things around me, and fixed a bound to their sweetness, so that the tides of my youth might have spent themselves upon the conjugal shore, if so be they could not be tranquillized and satisfied within the object of a family, as Your law appoints, O Lord,— who thus formest the offspring of our death, being able also with a tender hand to blunt the thorns which were excluded from Your paradise! For Your omnipotency is not far from us even when we are far from You, else in truth ought I more vigilantly to have given heed to the voice from the clouds: Nevertheless, such shall have trouble in the flesh, but I spare you; 1 Corinthians 7:28 and, It is good for a man not to touch a woman; 1 Corinthians 7:1 and, He that is unmarried cares for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please the Lord; but he that is married cares for the things that are of the world, how he may please his wife. 1 Corinthians 7:32-33 I should, therefore, have listened more attentively to these words, and, being severed for the kingdom of heaven's sake, Matthew 19:12 I would with greater happiness have expected Your embraces. By St. Augustine