Be joyful always, pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
Day 8 of the Blessed Coptic Month of Hatour, 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 Eighth Day of the Blessed Month of Hatour
Commemoration of the Four Incorporeal Beasts
On this day is the commemoration of the four Incorporeal Beasts who carry the throne of God. As it is mentioned by St. John who witnessed this in his Revelation saying, "Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne set in heaven, and One sat on the throne. And He who sat there was like a jasper and a sardine stone in appearance: and there was a rainbow around the throne in appearance like an emerald: ... and in the midst of the throne and around the throne, were four living creatures full of eyes in front and in back. The first living creature was like a lion, the second living creature like a calf, the third living creature had a face like a man, and the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle. The four living creatures each having six wings, were full of eyes around and within. And they do not rest day or night, saying, 'Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God Almighty who was, and is, and is to come.'" (Revelation 4:2-8)
Isaiah the Prophet said: "I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up and the train of His robe filled the temple. Above it stood seraphim: each one had six wings; with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one cried to another and said, 'Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of His glory.'" (Isaiah 6:1-3) Ezekiel the Prophet said: "Then I looked, and behold, a whirlwind was coming out of the North, a great cloud with raging fire engulfing itself, and brightness was all around it, and radiating out of its midst like the color of amber, out of the midst of the fire. Also from within it came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance; they had the likeness of a man... and each one had four wings. Their legs were straight; and the soles of their feet were like the soles of calve's feet. They sparkled like the color of burnished bronze..." (Ezekiel 1:4-7)
St. John the Evangelist said: "After these things I heard a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, 'Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honor, and power, belong to the Lord our God,' ... and the four living creatures fell down and worshipped God who sat on the throne, saying, 'Amen, Alleluia... for the Lord God Omnipotent reigns. Let us be glad and rejoice, and give Him glory......'" (Revelation 19:1-7) The Lord set them near His throne in order for them to make supplications on behalf of all the creation. The beast with the man's face makes supplications on behalf of the human race, the one with the lion's face makes supplications on behalf of the beasts, the one with the bull's face makes supplications on behalf of the cattle, and the one with the eagle's face makes supplications on behalf of the birds. The teachers of the church built churches in their names and commemorated them on this day.
May Their intercession be for 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 103 : 14 - 15
Chapter 103
| 14 | For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust. |
| 15 | As for man, his days are like grass; As a flower of the field, so he flourishes. |
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 12 : 27 - 31
Chapter 12
| 27 | Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. |
| 28 | If then God so clothes the grass, which today is in the field and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will He clothe you, O you of little faith? |
| 29 | "And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind. |
| 30 | For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things. |
| 31 | But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you. |
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 66 : 5 - 6
Chapter 66
| 5 | Come and see the works of God; He is awesome in His doing toward the sons of men. |
| 6 | He turned the sea into dry land; They went through the river on foot. There we will rejoice in Him. |
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 Mark the Evangelist.
May His Blessings be with us all.
Mark 16 : 2 - 8
Chapter 16
| 2 | Very early in the morning, on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen. |
| 3 | And they said among themselves, "Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?" |
| 4 | But when they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away--for it was very large. |
| 5 | And entering the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a long white robe sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed. |
| 6 | But he said to them, "Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him. |
| 7 | But go, tell His disciples--and Peter--that He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you." |
| 8 | So they went out quickly and fled from the tomb, for they trembled and were amazed. And they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid. |
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 6 : 7 - 15
Chapter 6
| 7 | For the earth which drinks in the rain that often comes upon it, and bears herbs useful for those by whom it is cultivated, receives blessing from God; |
| 8 | but if it bears thorns and briers, it is rejected and near to being cursed, whose end is to be burned. |
| 9 | But, beloved, we are confident of better things concerning you, yes, things that accompany salvation, though we speak in this manner. |
| 10 | For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister. |
| 11 | And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, |
| 12 | that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. |
| 13 | For when God made a promise to Abraham, because He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself, |
| 14 | saying, "Surely blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you." |
| 15 | And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise. |
The grace of God the Father be with you all.
Amen.
Catholic Epistle
A Reading from Epistle of St. Jude .
May his blessing be upon us.
Amen.
Jude 1 : 14 - 25
Chapter 1
| 14 | Now Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men also, saying, "Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints, |
| 15 | to execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him." |
| 16 | These are grumblers, complainers, walking according to their own lusts; and they mouth great swelling words, flattering people to gain advantage. |
| 17 | But you, beloved, remember the words which were spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ: |
| 18 | how they told you that there would be mockers in the last time who would walk according to their own ungodly lusts. |
| 19 | These are sensual persons, who cause divisions, not having the Spirit. |
| 20 | But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, |
| 21 | keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. |
| 22 | And on some have compassion, making a distinction; |
| 23 | but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh. |
| 24 | Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, And to present you faultless Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, |
| 25 | To God our Savior, Who alone is wise, Be glory and majesty, Dominion and power, Both now and forever. Amen. |
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 5 : 19 - 29
Chapter 5
| 19 | But at night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out, and said, |
| 20 | "Go, stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this life." |
| 21 | And when they heard that, they entered the temple early in the morning and taught. But the high priest and those with him came and called the council together, with all the elders of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought. |
| 22 | But when the officers came and did not find them in the prison, they returned and reported, |
| 23 | saying, "Indeed we found the prison shut securely, and the guards standing outside before the doors; but when we opened them, we found no one inside!" |
| 24 | Now when the high priest, the captain of the temple, and the chief priests heard these things, they wondered what the outcome would be. |
| 25 | So one came and told them, saying, "Look, the men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people!" |
| 26 | Then the captain went with the officers and brought them without violence, for they feared the people, lest they should be stoned. |
| 27 | And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the high priest asked them, |
| 28 | saying, "Did we not strictly command you not to teach in this name? And look, you have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this Man's blood on us!" |
| 29 | But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: "We ought to obey God rather than men. |
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 163 : 18,11
Chapter 163
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 13 : 1 - 9
Chapter 13
| 1 | On the same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the sea. |
| 2 | And great multitudes were gathered together to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore. |
| 3 | Then He spoke many things to them in parables, saying: "Behold, a sower went out to sow. |
| 4 | And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them. |
| 5 | Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth. |
| 6 | But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away. |
| 7 | And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked them. |
| 8 | But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. |
| 9 | He who has ears to hear, let him hear!" |
And Glory be to God forever.
On which account also the mother of the Maccabees says to her son, That in that mercy I may receive you with your brethren.
2 Maccabbees 7:29 For when a righteous king,
as it is written, shall sit on the throne, no evil thing shall oppose itself to him. Who willboast that he has a pure heart? Or who will boast that he is pure from sin?
Proverbs 20:8 And thus God'smercy is even then necessary, by which he is made blessed to whom the Lord has not imputed sin.
But at that time even mercy itself shall be allotted in righteous judgment in accordance with the merits of goodworks. For when it is said, Judgment without mercy to him that has showed no mercy,
it is plainly shown that in those in whom are found the good works of mercy, judgment shall be executed with mercy; and thus even that mercy itself shall be returned to the merits of good works.