Saturday, January 25
St Gregory the Theologian
Appointed readings
6 passagesVespers · Old Testament
Wisdom of Solomon 4:7–15
7But though a righteous man may die before his time, He shall be at rest.
8For old age is not honored for its length of existence, Nor measured by its number of years;
9But discernment is gray hair for mankind, And a spotless life is the maturity of old age.
10There was once a man pleasing to God and loved by Him, And while living among sinners he was taken up.
11He was caught up lest evil change his understanding Or deceit deceive his soul.
12For envy arising from lack of judgment obscures what is good, And a whirling of desire undermines an innocent heart.
13He was made perfect, For in a short time he fulfilled long years,
14For his soul was pleasing to the Lord; Therefore, He took him early from the midst of evil. Yet peoples saw this but did not understand, Nor take such a thing to heart,
15That the Lord's grace and mercy are with His elect And that He watches over His holy ones.
Matins · Gospel
John 10:1–9
1Most 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.'
6Jesus used this illustration, but they did not understand the things which He spoke to them.
7Then 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.
Epistle
Colossians 1:3–6
3We give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you,
4since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of your love for all the saints;
5because of the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, of which you heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel,
6which has come to you, as it has also in all the world, and is bringing forth fruit, as it is also among you since the day you heard and knew the grace of God in truth;
Epistle
1 Corinthians 12:7–11
7But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all:
8for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit,
9to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit,
10to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.
11But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.
Gospel
Luke 16:10–15
10He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much.
11Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?
12And if you have not been faithful in what is another man's, who will give you what is your own?
13'No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.'
14Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, also heard all these things, and they derided Him.
15And He said to them, 'You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God.
Gospel
John 10:9–16
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.
11'I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.
12But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them.
13The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep.
14I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own.
15As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep.
16And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd.