Saturday 6th December 2025
Nativity Fast: fish, wine and oil allowed
Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker, Archbishop of Myra
Today we commemorate:
St. Nicholas, bishop of Patara (c.3rd C). New Martyr Nicholas of Karamania in Asia Minor (1657). St. Theophilus, bishop of Antioch (181). Blessed Maximus, metropolitan of Kiev (1305).
British Isles and Ireland:
SS Auxilius, Isserninus and Secundinus, workers with St. Patrick (5th C).
Galatians 3:8-12; Luke 12:32-40
For the Commemoration: Hebrews 13:17-21; Luke 6:17-23
Readings in bold type are those appointed by the Typikon for use at the Liturgy
Galatians 3:8-12
Brothers and sisters, Scripture foresaw that God justifies the Gentiles by faith, for he announced the Gospel in advance to Abraham: ‘In you all the nations will be blessed.’ Therefore those ‘of faith’ are blessed with faithful Abraham, but whoever is ‘of the works of the law’ is under a curse, for it is written, ‘Cursed are all who do not abide by everything that is written in the book of the law by practising them.’ It is clear that before God no one is made righteous by the law, because ‘the righteous will live by faith.’ The law is therefore not about faith, but rather ‘whoever practises them shall live by them.’
Luke 12:32-40
The Lord said, ‘Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father is pleased to give you the Kingdom. Sell your possessions and give alms. Make for yourselves purses that do not wear out, an inexhaustible treasure in the heavens that no thief goes near, no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Let your belts be fastened and the lamps lit, and be like people waiting for their master when he returns from the wedding, so that immediately he arrives and knocks they may open up for him. Blessed are those servants whom the master finds keeping watch when he comes. Truly I tell you that he will fasten his belt, give them a place at the table, and come forward to serve them. If he should arrive in the second watch, or it may be the third watch, and find it so, blessed are those servants. But be aware of this, that if the householder had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and not allowed his house to be broken into. You too are to be prepared, for the Son of Man is coming at a time you do not expect.’
Hebrews 13:17-21
Brothers and sisters, obey your leaders, for they are watching over your souls as those who will give an account; and submit to them so that they may do this with joy and not with a sigh, for that would be unprofitable for you. Pray for us, for we trust that we have a good conscience and want to live uprightly in every way. I beg you earnestly to do this so that I may be restored to you quickly. Now may the God of peace who by the blood of an everlasting covenant brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep, our Lord Jesus, make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you what is pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory to the ages of ages. Amen.
Luke 6:17-23
At that time Jesus came down and stopped at a level place. A crowd of his disciples and a great number from all Judaea, Jerusalem, and from the coastal areas of Tyre and Sidon came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases, those too who were troubled by unclean spirits, and they were healed. The whole crowd was trying to touch him because power was coming from him, and he was healing them all. Then he raised his eyes to his disciples and said, ‘Blessed are the poor, for yours is the Kingdom of God. Blessed are those who hunger now, for you will be filled. Blessed are those who weep now, for you will laugh. Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude and insult you and drag down your name as evil on account of the Son of Man. Rejoice on that day and leap for joy, for you know that your reward is great in heaven.’