Orthodox Readings

Thursday, October 19, 2023

Prophet Joel; Relics Ven. John of Rila; Righteous John, Wonderworker of Kronstadt (1908).

Thursday of the 20th week after Pentecost

Tone 2. No fast. What this means

The Epistle for Prophet Joel

Acts 2:14–21

But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judæa, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words: 15For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day. 16But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; 17And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: 18And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy: 19And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke: 20The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come: 21And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

The Gospel

Luke 9:49–56

And John answered and said, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name; and we forbad him, because he followeth not with us. 50And Jesus said unto him, Forbid him not: for he that is not against us is for us.

51And it came to pass, when the time was come that he should be received up, he stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem, 52And sent messengers before his face: and they went, and entered into a village of the Samaritans, to make ready for him. 53And they did not receive him, because his face was as though he would go to Jerusalem. 54And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did? 55But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. 56For the Son of man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them. And they went to another village.

Commemorated today

  • Prophet Joel
  • Relics Ven. John of Rila
  • Felix the Hieromartyr & Eusebius the Deacon
  • Righteous John, Wonderworker of Kronstadt (1908).
  • Holy Martyr Varus and those with him (304)
  • Holy Hieromartyr Sadoth (Shahdost) and his 128 companions (342)

Hymns and lives of the saints are on the Online Chapel of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese.

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