Daily Scripture Readings and Lives of the Saints, on Sunday, May 18,
2008 we celebrate:
EPISTLE READING The Reading is from Acts of the Apostles 9:32-42
IN THOSE DAYS, as Peter went here and there among them all, he came
down also
to the saints that lived at Lydda. There he found a man named Aeneas,
who had
been bedridden for eight years and was paralyzed. And Peter said to
him,
"Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you; rise and make your bed." And
immediately he
rose. And all the residents of Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they
turned to the
Lord. Now there was at Joppa a disciple named Tabitha, which means
Dorcas. She
was full of good works and acts of charity. In those days she fell
sick and
died; and when they had washed her, they laid her in an upper room.
Since Lydda
was near Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two
men to
him entreating him, "Please come to us without delay." So Peter rose
and went
with them. And when he had come, they took him to the upper room. All
the
widows stood beside him weeping, and showing tunics and other
garments which
Dorcas made while she was with them. But Peter put them all outside
and knelt
down and prayed; then turning to the body he said, "Tabitha, rise."
And she
opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up. And he gave her
his hand
and lifted her up. Then calling the saints and widows he presented
her alive.
And it became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed in the
Lord.
GOSPEL READING Sunday of the Paralytic
The Reading is from John 5:1-15
At that time, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now there is in Jerusalem
by the
Sheep Gate a pool, in Hebrew called Bethesda which has five
****ticoes. In these
lay a multitude of invalids, blind, lame, paralyzed, waiting for the
moving of
the water; for an angel of the Lord went down at certain seasons into
the pool,
and troubled the water; whoever stepped in first after the troubling
of the
water was healed of whatever disease he had. One man was there, who
had been
ill for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him and knew that he had
been lying
there a long time, he said to him, "Do you want to be healed?" The
sick man
answered him, "Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the
water is
troubled, and while I am going another steps down before me." Jesus
said to
him, "Rise, take up your pallet, and walk." And at once the man was
healed, and
he took up his pallet and walked.
Now that day was the sabbath. So the Jews said to the man who was
cured, "It is
the sabbath, it is not lawful for you to carry your pallet." But he
answered
them, "The man who healed me said to me, 'Take up your pallet, and
walk.' "They
asked him, "Who is the man who said to you, 'Take up your pallet, and
walk'?"
Now the man who had been healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had
withdrawn, as there was a crowd in the place. Afterward, Jesus found
him in the
temple, and said to him, "See, you are well! Sin no more, that
nothing worse
befall you." The man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus
who had
healed him.
Sunday of the Paralytic
Reading: Close to the Sheep's in Jerusalem, there was a pool, which
was called the
Sheep's Pool. It had round about it five ****ches, that is, five sets
of pillars
sup****ting a domed roof. Under this roof there lay very many sick
people with
various maladies, awaiting the moving of the water. The first to step
in after
the troubling of the water was healed immediately of whatever malady
he had.
It was there that the paralytic of today's Gospel way lying,
tormented by his
infirmity of thirty-eight years. When Christ beheld him, He asked
him, "Wilt
thou be made whole?" And he answered with a quiet and meek voice,
"Sir, I have
no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool." The
Lord said
unto him, "Rise, take up thy bed, and walk." And straightaway the man
was made
whole and took up his bed. Walking in the presence of all, he departed
rejoicing to his own house. According to the expounders of the
Gospels, the
Lord Jesus healed this paralytic during the days of the Passover,
when He had
gone to Jerusalem for the Feast, and dwelt there teaching and working
miracles.
According to Saint John the Evangelist, this miracle took place on
the Sabbath.
Kontakion in the Third Tone
I am grievously paralyzed in a multitude of sins and wrongful deeds.
As You
raised up the paralytic of old, also raise up my soul by Your divine
guidance,
that I may cry out, "Glory to Your Power O Compassionate Christ."
Holy Martyrs: Peter, Dionysius, Andrew, Paul, Christina, Heracles,
Paulinus and
Benedimus May 18
Reading: These Saints all contested in martyrdom during the reign
of Decius (249-251)-
Peter was from Lampsacus in the Hellespont. For refusing to offer
sacrifice to
the idol of Aphrodite, his whole body was crushed and broken with
chains and
pieces of wood on a torture-wheel; having endured this torment
courageously, he
gave up his soul.
Paul and Andrew were soldiers from Mesopotamia brought to Athens with
their
governor, there they were put in charge of two captive Christians,
Dionysius
and Christina. The soldiers, seeing the beauty of the virgin Christina,
attempted to move her to commit sin with them, but she refused and,
by her
admonitions, brought them to faith in Christ. They and Dionysius were
stoned to
death, and Christina was beheaded.
Heraclius, Paulinus, and Benedimus were Athenians, and preachers of
the Gospel
who turned many of the heathen from their error to the light of
Christ. Brought
before the governor, they confessed their Faith, and after many
torments were
beheaded.
Apolytikion in the Fourth Tone
Thy Martyrs, O Lord, in their courageous contest for Thee received as
the prize
the crowns of incorruption and life from Thee, our immortal God. For
since they
possessed Thy strength, they cast down the tyrants and wholly
destroyed the
demons' strengthless presumption. O Christ God, by their prayers,
save our
souls, since Thou art merciful.
Kontakion in the Fourth Tone
Ye were born of earth, and came from divers cities, but became the
citizens of
that blest city in the heights, being united in one great choir, O
stalwart
Martyrs who championed the Trinity.
Reading, Apolytikion , Kontakion courtesy of Holy Transfiguration
Monastery (C) 2008 Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America DAILYREADINGS
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