Daily Orthodox - December 25th, 2024
Today is Wednesday of the 27th Week after Pentecost.
Fasting Obligations
- OCA, GOARCH, Antioch: No fasting obligations.
Today, we commemorate...
- THE NATIVITY OF OUR LORD, GOD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST
But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son (Galatians 4:4) to save the human race. And when nine months were fulfilled from the Annunciation, when the Archangel Gabriel had appeared to the Most-holy Virgin in Nazareth, saying, Rejoice, thou that art highly favored … behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a Son (Luke 1:28, 31), at that time there went forth a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the people of the Roman Empire should be taxed. In accordance with this decree, everyone had to go to his own town and be registered. That is why the righteous Joseph came with the Most-holy Virgin to Bethlehem, the city of David, for they were both of the royal lineage of David. Since many people descended on this small town for the census, Joseph and Mary were unable to find lodging in any house, and they sought shelter in a cave which shepherds used as a sheepfold. In this cave—on the night between Saturday and Sunday, on the 25th of December—the Most-holy Virgin gave birth to the Savior of the world, the Lord Jesus Christ. Giving birth to Him without pain just as He was conceived without sin by the Holy Spirit and not by man, she herself wrapped Him in swaddling clothes, worshiped Him as God, and laid Him in a manger. Then the righteous Joseph drew near and worshiped Him as the Divine Fruit of the Virgin's womb. Then the shepherds came in from the fields, directed by an angel of God, and worshiped Him as the Messiah and Savior. The shepherds heard a multitude of God's angels singing: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men (Luke 2:14). At that time three wise men arrived from the east, led by a wondrous star, bearing their gifts: gold, frankincense and myrrh. They worshiped Him as the King of kings, and offered Him their gifts (Matthew 2). Thus entered the world He Whose coming was foretold by the prophets, and Who was born in the same manner in which it had been prophesied: of a Most-holy Virgin, in the town of Bethlehem, of the lineage of David according to the flesh, at the time when there was no king in Jerusalem of the lineage of Judah, but rather when Herod, a foreigner, was reigning. After many types and prefigurings, messengers and heralds, prophets and righteous men, wise men and kings, finally He appeared, the Lord of the world and King of kings, to perform the work of the salvation of mankind, which could not be performed by His servants. To Him be eternal glory and praise! Amen.
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The Adoration of the Magi: Melchior, Caspar, and Balthasar
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Commemoration of the shepherds in Bethlehem who were watching their flocks and came to see the Lord
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Massacre of Monk-martyr Jonah, and with him 50 monks and 65 laymen, at St. Tryphon of Pechenga Monastery, by the Swedes (1590)
For more information on today's saints or commemorations not provided, see https://www.oca.org/saints/lives (Slavic) and/or https://www.goarch.org/chapel (Greek).
Reflection
Reflections are added when it includes additional stories from the life of a saint commemorated today.
Daily Scriptures
Slavic and Greek
- Epistle: Galatians 4:4-7
<4> But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, <5> to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. <6> And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, "Abba, Father!" <7> Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
- Gospel: Matthew 2:1-12
<1> Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, <2> saying, "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him." <3> When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. <4> And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. <5> So they said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet: <6> 'But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, Are not the least among the rulers of Judah; For out of you shall come a Ruler Who will shepherd My people Israel.' " <7> Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared. <8> And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also." <9> When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. <10> When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. <11> And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. <12> Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.