February 22, 2022

Events of the day

• Martyr Nicephorus

  Commemoration

• Leave-taking of the feast: Meeting of the Lord in the Temple

Fasting

No fast

No fast today.

Food rules are reference church information. Agree your personal measure of fasting with a priest; consult a doctor if you are ill.

Readings of the day

• Epistle

  1 John 3:10–20

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  ¹⁰In this the children of God are revealed, and the children of the devil. Whoever doesn’t do righteousness is not of God, neither is he who doesn’t love his brother.

  ¹¹For this is the message which you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another;

  ¹²unlike Cain, who was of the evil one, and killed his brother. Why did he kill him? Because his deeds were evil, and his brother’s righteous.

  ¹³Don’t be surprised, my brothers, if the world hates you.

  ¹⁴We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. He who doesn’t love his brother remains in death.

  ¹⁵Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life remaining in him.

  ¹⁶By this we know love, because he laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.

  ¹⁷But whoever has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, then closes his heart of compassion against him, how does God’s love remain in him?

  ¹⁸My little children, let’s not love in word only, or with the tongue only, but in deed and truth.

  ¹⁹And by this we know that we are of the truth, and persuade our hearts before him,

  ²⁰because if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things.

• Epistle · Meeting

  Hebrews 7:7–17

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  ⁷But without any dispute the lesser is blessed by the greater.

  ⁸Here people who die receive tithes, but there one receives tithes of whom it is testified that he lives.

  ⁹We can say that through Abraham even Levi, who receives tithes, has paid tithes,

  ¹⁰for he was yet in the body of his father when Melchizedek met him.

  ¹¹Now if perfection was through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people have received the law), what further need was there for another priest to arise after the order of Melchizedek, and not be called after the order of Aaron?

  ¹²For the priesthood being changed, there is of necessity a change made also in the law.

  ¹³For he of whom these things are said belongs to another tribe, from which no one has officiated at the altar.

  ¹⁴For it is evident that our Lord has sprung out of Judah, about which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning priesthood.

  ¹⁵This is yet more abundantly evident, if after the likeness of Melchizedek there arises another priest,

  ¹⁶who has been made, not after the law of a fleshly commandment, but after the power of an endless life;

  ¹⁷for it is testified, “You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek.”

• Gospel

  Mark 14:10–42

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  ¹⁰Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve, went away to the chief priests, that he might deliver him to them.

  ¹¹They, when they heard it, were glad, and promised to give him money. He sought how he might conveniently deliver him.

  ¹²On the first day of unleavened bread, when they sacrificed the Passover, his disciples asked him, “Where do you want us to go and prepare that you may eat the Passover?”

  ¹³He sent two of his disciples, and said to them, “Go into the city, and there you will meet a man carrying a pitcher of water. Follow him,

  ¹⁴and wherever he enters in, tell the master of the house, ‘The Teacher says, “Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?” ’

  ¹⁵He will himself show you a large upper room furnished and ready. Get ready for us there.”

  ¹⁶His disciples went out, and came into the city, and found things as he had said to them, and they prepared the Passover.

  ¹⁷When it was evening he came with the twelve.

  ¹⁸As they sat and were eating, Jesus said, “Most certainly I tell you, one of you will betray me—he who eats with me.”

  ¹⁹They began to be sorrowful, and to ask him one by one, “Surely not I?” And another said, “Surely not I?”

  ²⁰He answered them, “It is one of the twelve, he who dips with me in the dish.

  ²¹For the Son of Man goes, even as it is written about him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would be better for that man if he had not been born.”

  ²²As they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had blessed, he broke it, and gave to them, and said, “Take, eat. This is my body.”

  ²³He took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave to them. They all drank of it.

  ²⁴He said to them, “This is my blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for many.

  ²⁵Most certainly I tell you, I will no more drink of the fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it anew in God’s Kingdom.”

  ²⁶When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

  ²⁷Jesus said to them, “All of you will be made to stumble because of me tonight, for it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’

  ²⁸However, after I am raised up, I will go before you into Galilee.”

  ²⁹But Peter said to him, “Although all will be offended, yet I will not.”

  ³⁰Jesus said to him, “Most certainly I tell you, that you today, even this night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.”

  ³¹But he spoke all the more, “If I must die with you, I will not deny you.” They all said the same thing.

  ³²They came to a place which was named Gethsemane. He said to his disciples, “Sit here, while I pray.”

  ³³He took with him Peter, James, and John, and began to be greatly troubled and distressed.

  ³⁴He said to them, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here, and watch.”

  ³⁵He went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass away from him.

  ³⁶He said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible to you. Please remove this cup from me. However, not what I desire, but what you desire.”

  ³⁷He came and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “Simon, are you sleeping? Couldn’t you watch one hour?

  ³⁸Watch and pray, that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

  ³⁹Again he went away, and prayed, saying the same words.

  ⁴⁰Again he returned, and found them sleeping, for their eyes were very heavy, and they didn’t know what to answer him.

  ⁴¹He came the third time, and said to them, “Sleep on now, and take your rest. It is enough. The hour has come. Behold, the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.

  ⁴²Arise! Let’s get going. Behold: he who betrays me is at hand.”

• Gospel · Meeting

  Luke 2:22–40

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  ²²When the days of their purification according to the law of Moses were fulfilled, they brought him up to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord

  ²³(as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every male who opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”),

  ²⁴and to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, “A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.”

  ²⁵Behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him.

  ²⁶It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.

  ²⁷He came in the Spirit into the temple. When the parents brought in the child, Jesus, that they might do concerning him according to the custom of the law,

  ²⁸then he received him into his arms, and blessed God, and said,

  ²⁹“Now you are releasing your servant, Master, according to your word, in peace;

  ³⁰for my eyes have seen your salvation,

  ³¹which you have prepared before the face of all peoples;

  ³²a light for revelation to the nations, and the glory of your people Israel.”

  ³³Joseph and his mother were marveling at the things which were spoken concerning him,

  ³⁴and Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary, his mother, “Behold, this child is set for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which is spoken against.

  ³⁵Yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul, that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”

  ³⁶There was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher (she was of a great age, having lived with a husband seven years from her virginity,

  ³⁷and she had been a widow for about eighty-four years), who didn’t depart from the temple, worshiping with fastings and petitions night and day.

  ³⁸Coming up at that very hour, she gave thanks to the Lord, and spoke of him to all those who were looking for redemption in Jerusalem.

  ³⁹When they had accomplished all things that were according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own city, Nazareth.

  ⁴⁰The child was growing, and was becoming strong in spirit, being filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him.

Source: Orthocal: lectionary data — Slavic tradition, Julian calendar. Text: World English Bible.

Saints and icons

• Prayer of the day: The Jesus Prayer