The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.
While even the most fierce hunters cannot ensure their security and nourishment, those whose hunger is for God will find themselves nourished, blessed, and sustained.
Day 1 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 First Day of the Blessed Month of Babah
Martyrdom of St.Anastasia
On this day was the martyrdom of St.Anastasia. This fighter was a native of Rome, the daughter of Christian parents who raised her well and taught her the Christian manners and doctrines of the church. When she grew up, her parents her parents wanted her to get married, but she did not agree with them because she had forsaken the worthless world and its lusts. She instead had chosen to lead a spiritual life and had longed for the heavenly glories since her young age. She entered one of the convents of the virgins in Rome and she put on the monastic garb. She subdued her body with asceticism and absteniousness, and she did not eat food except once every two days. During the holy fast of the forty days she ate only on Saturdays and Sundays after the prayer of the sixth hour of the day. Her food during all the days of the monastic life was dry bread and salt.
It came to pass that some of the convent virgins nearby the monastery where this saint was staying were celebrating a feast. The abbess took her with some of the virgins, and went to join the celebration of that feast. As they were going, St. Anastasia saw the soldiers of Emperor Decius the infidel torturing some Christians and dragging them. Her heart became inflamed with divine love and she shouted At them saying, "O you hard-hearted men, is that what you do to those whom God created in His own form and image and for whom he gave Himself?" One of the soldiers seized her and brought her to the governor who asked her saying, "Is it true that you are a Christian, worshipping Him who was crucified?" And she confessed the truth and did not deny it. He inflicted her with severe tortures, then he crucified her and had a fire lighted under her, but it did not harm her. When she did not give up her faith because of these pains, he commanded that her head and the swordman cut off her neck and received the crown of martyrdom.
May her blessings be upon us all and Glory be to God forever. Amen.
Vespers
Vespers Psalm
From the Psalms of our teacher David the prophet.
May his blessings be with us all.
Psalms 68 : 25 - 26
Chapter 68
| 25 | The singers went before, the players on instruments followed after; Among them were the maidens playing timbrels. |
| 26 | Bless God in the congregations, The Lord, from the fountain of Israel. |
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 Matthew the Evangelist.
May His Blessings be with us all.
Matthew 26 : 6 - 13
Chapter 26
| 6 | And when Jesus was in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, |
| 7 | a woman came to Him having an alabaster flask of very costly fragrant oil, and she poured it on His head as He sat at the table. |
| 8 | But when His disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, "Why this waste? |
| 9 | For this fragrant oil might have been sold for much and given to the poor." |
| 10 | But when Jesus was aware of it, He said to them, "Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a good work for Me. |
| 11 | For you have the poor with you always, but Me you do not have always. |
| 12 | For in pouring this fragrant oil on My body, she did it for My burial. |
| 13 | Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her." |
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 8 : 2 - 3
Chapter 8
| 2 | Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants You have ordained strength, Because of Your enemies, That You may silence the enemy and the avenger. |
| 3 | When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, The moon and the stars, which You have ordained, |
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 4 : 15 - 24
Chapter 4
| 15 | The woman said to Him, "Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst, nor come here to draw." |
| 16 | Jesus said to her, "Go, call your husband, and come here." |
| 17 | The woman answered and said, "I have no husband." Jesus said to her, "You have well said, "I have no husband,' |
| 18 | for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; in that you spoke truly." |
| 19 | The woman said to Him, "Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet. |
| 20 | Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, and you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where one ought to worship." |
| 21 | Jesus said to her, "Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father. |
| 22 | You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. |
| 23 | But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. |
| 24 | God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth." |
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 Ephesians .
May his blessings be upon us.
Amen.
Ephesians 5 : 8 - 21
Chapter 5
| 8 | For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light |
| 9 | (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), |
| 10 | finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. |
| 11 | And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. |
| 12 | For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret. |
| 13 | But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light. |
| 14 | Therefore He says: "Awake, you who sleep, Arise from the dead, And Christ will give you light." |
| 15 | See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, |
| 16 | redeeming the time, because the days are evil. |
| 17 | Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. |
| 18 | And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, |
| 19 | speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, |
| 20 | giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, |
| 21 | submitting to one another in the fear of God. |
The grace of God the Father be with you all.
Amen.
Catholic Epistle
A Reading from Epistle 1 of St. Peter .
May his blessing be upon us.
Amen.
1 Peter 3 : 5 - 14
Chapter 3
| 5 | For in this manner, in former times, the holy women who trusted in God also adorned themselves, being submissive to their own husbands, |
| 6 | as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, whose daughters you are if you do good and are not afraid with any terror. |
| 7 | Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered. |
| 8 | Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; |
| 9 | not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing. |
| 10 | For "He who would love life And see good days, Let him refrain his tongue from evil, And his lips from speaking deceit. |
| 11 | Let him turn away from evil and do good; Let him seek peace and pursue it. |
| 12 | For the eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, And His ears are open to their prayers; But the face of the LORD is against those who do evil." |
| 13 | And who is he who will harm you if you become followers of what is good? |
| 14 | But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you are blessed. "And do not be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled." |
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 21 : 5 - 14
Chapter 21
| 5 | When we had come to the end of those days, we departed and went on our way; and they all accompanied us, with wives and children, till we were out of the city. And we knelt down on the shore and prayed. |
| 6 | When we had taken our leave of one another, we boarded the ship, and they returned home. |
| 7 | And when we had finished our voyage from Tyre, we came to Ptolemais, greeted the brethren, and stayed with them one day. |
| 8 | On the next day we who were Paul's companions departed and came to Caesarea, and entered the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, and stayed with him. |
| 9 | Now this man had four virgin daughters who prophesied. |
| 10 | And as we stayed many days, a certain prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. |
| 11 | When he had come to us, he took Paul's belt, bound his own hands and feet, and said, "Thus says the Holy Spirit, "So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man who owns this belt, and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles."' |
| 12 | Now when we heard these things, both we and those from that place pleaded with him not to go up to Jerusalem. |
| 13 | Then Paul answered, "What do you mean by weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus." |
| 14 | So when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, "The will of the Lord be done." |
The word of the Lord shall grow, multiply, be mighty, and be confirmed, in the holy Church of God.
Amen.
Synaxarium
Day 1 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 First Day of the Blessed Month of Babah
Martyrdom of St.Anastasia
On this day was the martyrdom of St.Anastasia. This fighter was a native of Rome, the daughter of Christian parents who raised her well and taught her the Christian manners and doctrines of the church. When she grew up, her parents her parents wanted her to get married, but she did not agree with them because she had forsaken the worthless world and its lusts. She instead had chosen to lead a spiritual life and had longed for the heavenly glories since her young age. She entered one of the convents of the virgins in Rome and she put on the monastic garb. She subdued her body with asceticism and absteniousness, and she did not eat food except once every two days. During the holy fast of the forty days she ate only on Saturdays and Sundays after the prayer of the sixth hour of the day. Her food during all the days of the monastic life was dry bread and salt.
It came to pass that some of the convent virgins nearby the monastery where this saint was staying were celebrating a feast. The abbess took her with some of the virgins, and went to join the celebration of that feast. As they were going, St. Anastasia saw the soldiers of Emperor Decius the infidel torturing some Christians and dragging them. Her heart became inflamed with divine love and she shouted At them saying, "O you hard-hearted men, is that what you do to those whom God created in His own form and image and for whom he gave Himself?" One of the soldiers seized her and brought her to the governor who asked her saying, "Is it true that you are a Christian, worshipping Him who was crucified?" And she confessed the truth and did not deny it. He inflicted her with severe tortures, then he crucified her and had a fire lighted under her, but it did not harm her. When she did not give up her faith because of these pains, he commanded that her head and the swordman cut off her neck and received the crown of martyrdom.
May her blessings be upon us all and Glory be to God forever. 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 45 : 14 - 15
Chapter 45
| 14 | She shall be brought to the King in robes of many colors; The virgins, her companions who follow her, shall be brought to You. |
| 15 | With gladness and rejoicing they shall be brought; They shall enter the King's palace. |
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 25 : 1 - 13
Chapter 25
| 1 | "Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. |
| 2 | Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. |
| 3 | Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, |
| 4 | but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. |
| 5 | But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. |
| 6 | "And at midnight a cry was heard: "Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!' |
| 7 | Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. |
| 8 | And the foolish said to the wise, "Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' |
| 9 | But the wise answered, saying, "No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.' |
| 10 | And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut. |
| 11 | "Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, "Lord, Lord, open to us!' |
| 12 | But he answered and said, "Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.' |
| 13 | "Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming. |
And Glory be to God forever
Chapter 33 [XII.]— What is the Difference Between the Ability Not to Sin, to Die, and Forsake Good, and the Inability to Sin, to Die, and to Forsake Good?
On which account we must consider with diligence and attention in what respect those pairs differ from one another—to be able not to sin, and not to be able to sin; to be able not to die, and not to be able to die; to be able not to forsake good, and not to be able to forsake good. For the first man was able not to sin, was able not to die, was able not to forsake good.