What's the secret of having a good day? How about waking up and recognizing that we begin each day just as we ended the previous one — we are in the grip of God's unfailing love. That should make our hearts stir with love and our voices sing with joy. This song should stir God's Spirit within us and lead us to a deep and profound thanksgiving that gladdens all of our days. So rather than waking up tired, cranky, and dreading another day, let's begin this day with a reminder of God's grace in our daily lives and a reminder of God's promises in our hearts. Then, I don't think we're going to have any problem singing the rest of the day!
Day 11 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 Eleventh Day of the Blessed Month of Hatour
Departure of St.Hannah
On this day, the pious and righteous St.Hannah, the mother of our Lady, the holy virgin St. Mary, the Mother of God, departed. This holy woman was the daughter of Matthan, the son of Levi, the son of Melki, who was a descendant of Aaron the priest. Her mother's name was Mary (Mariam) and she was from the tribe of Judah. Matthan had three daughters. The first was called Mary after her mother, and she was the mother of Salome, the midwife. The second was Sophia, the mother of Elizabeth, the mother of St. John the Baptist. The third was St.Hannah, the wife of the righteous man Joachim, who was of the tribe of Judah. She was the mother of our Lady, the holy virgin St. Mary, the Mother of the Savior of the world. That makes our Lady the Virgin St. Mary, Salome, and Elizabeth cousins. Although we know little about St. Anna, having been chosen to be the mother of the Mother of God in the flesh is an indication of her virtues and righteousness, which distinguished her from other women to have this great grace. Because she was barren, she entreated God to take away her shame. So the Lord gave her a daughter that delighted her eyes and the eyes of all mankind; she is the Virgin St. Mary, the Mother of the Savior of the world.
Her intercession be for us all. Amen.
Commemoration of the Martyrdom of St.Archelaus and the Martyrdom of Elisha the Hegumen
On this day also is the commemoration of the martyrdom of St. Archelaus and the martyrdom of Abba Elisha the Hegumen.
May their prayers and blessings be with 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 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.
Chapter 43 [XIV.]— Rebuke and Grace Do Not Set Aside One Another.
Let men then suffer themselves to be rebuked when they sin, and not conclude against grace from the rebuke itself, nor from grace against rebuke; because both the righteous penalty of sin is due, and righteous rebuke belongs to it, if it is medicinally applied, even although the salvation of the ailing man is uncertain; so that if he who is rebuked belongs to the number of the predestinated, rebuke may be to him a wholesome medicine; and if he does not belong to that number, rebuke may be to him a penal infliction.