December 17, 2027

Events of the day

• Great-martyr Barbara; St John of Damascus

  Polyeleos rank

Fasting

Fast day · Nativity Fast

Nativity Fast, Wednesday and Friday: xerophagy.

• Meat: not allowed
• Dairy & eggs: not allowed
• Fish: not allowed
• Oil: not allowed
• Wine: not allowed
• Xerophagy

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 Timothy 4:4–8, 16

  Show the text

  ⁴For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be rejected, if it is received with thanksgiving.

  ⁵For it is sanctified through the word of God and prayer.

  ⁶If you instruct the brothers of these things, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, nourished in the words of the faith, and of the good doctrine which you have followed.

  ⁷But refuse profane and old wives’ fables. Exercise yourself toward godliness.

  ⁸For bodily exercise has some value, but godliness has value in all things, having the promise of the life which is now, and of that which is to come.

  ¹⁶Pay attention to yourself and to your teaching. Continue in these things, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you.

• Epistle · St Alexander

  Hebrews 13:7–16

  Show the text

  ⁷Remember your leaders, men who spoke to you the word of God, and considering the results of their conduct, imitate their faith.

  ⁸Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

  ⁹Don’t be carried away by various and strange teachings, for it is good that the heart be established by grace, not by food, through which those who were so occupied were not benefited.

  ¹⁰We have an altar from which those who serve the holy tabernacle have no right to eat.

  ¹¹For the bodies of those animals, whose blood is brought into the holy place by the high priest as an offering for sin, are burned outside of the camp.

  ¹²Therefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people through his own blood, suffered outside of the gate.

  ¹³Let’s therefore go out to him outside of the camp, bearing his reproach.

  ¹⁴For we don’t have here an enduring city, but we seek that which is to come.

  ¹⁵Through him, then, let’s offer up a sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of lips which proclaim allegiance to his name.

  ¹⁶But don’t forget to be doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.

• Gospel

  Luke 20:19–26

  Show the text

  ¹⁹The chief priests and the scribes sought to lay hands on him that very hour, but they feared the people—for they knew he had spoken this parable against them.

  ²⁰They watched him and sent out spies, who pretended to be righteous, that they might trap him in something he said, so as to deliver him up to the power and authority of the governor.

  ²¹They asked him, “Teacher, we know that you say and teach what is right, and aren’t partial to anyone, but truly teach the way of God.

  ²²Is it lawful for us to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?”

  ²³But he perceived their craftiness, and said to them, “Why do you test me?

  ²⁴Show me a denarius. Whose image and inscription are on it?” They answered, “Caesar’s.”

  ²⁵He said to them, “Then give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”

  ²⁶They weren’t able to trap him in his words before the people. They marveled at his answer and were silent.

• Gospel · St Alexander

  Luke 12:32–40

  Show the text

  ³²Don’t be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the Kingdom.

  ³³Sell that which you have, and give gifts to the needy. Make for yourselves purses which don’t grow old, a treasure in the heavens that doesn’t fail, where no thief approaches, neither moth destroys.

  ³⁴For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

  ³⁵“Let your waist be dressed and your lamps burning.

  ³⁶Be like men watching for their lord, when he returns from the wedding feast; that when he comes and knocks, they may immediately open to him.

  ³⁷Blessed are those servants, whom the lord will find watching when he comes. Most certainly I tell you that he will dress himself, make them recline, and will come and serve them.

  ³⁸They will be blessed if he comes in the second or third watch, and finds them so.

  ³⁹But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what hour the thief was coming, he would have watched, and not allowed his house to be broken into.

  ⁴⁰Therefore be ready also, for the Son of Man is coming in an hour that you don’t expect him.”

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

Saints and icons

• Prayer of the day: Short penitential prayers