January 16, 2025

Events of the day

• Prophet Malachi; Martyr Gordius

  Commemoration

• Forefeast: Holy Theophany. The Baptism of the Lord

Fasting

No fast

Christmastide (25 Dec – 4 Jan Old Style) is fast-free: no fasting.

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

  Hebrews 10:35–11:7

  Show the text

  ³⁵Therefore don’t throw away your boldness, which has a great reward.

  ³⁶For you need endurance so that, having done the will of God, you may receive the promise.

  ³⁷“In a very little while, he who comes will come, and will not wait.

  ³⁸But the righteous will live by faith. If he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.”

  ³⁹But we are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the saving of the soul.

  ¹Now faith is assurance of things hoped for, proof of things not seen.

  ²For by this, the elders obtained testimony.

  ³By faith, we understand that the universe has been framed by the word of God, so that what is seen has not been made out of things which are visible.

  ⁴By faith, Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he had testimony given to him that he was righteous, God testifying with respect to his gifts; and through it he, being dead, still speaks.

  ⁵By faith, Enoch was taken away, so that he wouldn’t see death, and he was not found, because God translated him. For he has had testimony given to him that before his translation he had been well pleasing to God.

  ⁶Without faith it is impossible to be well pleasing to him, for he who comes to God must believe that he exists, and that he is a rewarder of those who seek him.

  ⁷By faith, Noah, being warned about things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared a ship for the saving of his house, through which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.

• Gospel

  Mark 12:38–44

  Show the text

  ³⁸In his teaching he said to them, “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk in long robes, and to get greetings in the marketplaces,

  ³⁹and the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts:

  ⁴⁰those who devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation.”

  ⁴¹Jesus sat down opposite the treasury, and saw how the multitude cast money into the treasury. Many who were rich cast in much.

  ⁴²A poor widow came, and she cast in two small brass coins, which equal a quadrans coin.

  ⁴³He called his disciples to himself, and said to them, “Most certainly I tell you, this poor widow gave more than all those who are giving into the treasury,

  ⁴⁴for they all gave out of their abundance, but she, out of her poverty, gave all that she had to live on.”

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

Saints and icons

• Prayer of the day: Prayer to the Holy Spirit “O Heavenly King”