Wednesday 2nd July 2025
Fast day: wine and oil allowed
Placing of the Precious Robe of the Mother of God at Blachernae
Today we commemorate:
St. John Maximovitch, bishop of Shanghai and archbishop of San Francisco (1966) (19th June OS). St. Juvenal, patriarch of Jerusalem (c.458). The New Martyrs of Samothrace. St. Photius, metropolitan of Kiev (1430)
British Isles and Ireland:
St. Eddogwy, bishop at Llandaff (c.615).
Romans 11:2-12; Matthew 11:20-26
For the Commemoration: Hebrews 9:1-7; Luke 1:39-49, 56
Readings in bold type are those appointed by the Typikon for use at the Liturgy
Romans 11:2-12
God has not rejected his people whom he has always known. Do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah? How he pleads with God about Israel and says, ‘Lord, they have killed your prophets and have overthrown your altars, and I alone am left. And they are seeking my life.’ But what is the divine reply to him? ‘I have left myself seven thousand men who have not bent the knee to Baal.’ And in the same way there is also a remnant at the present time, chosen by grace. And if it is by grace then it is not from works, otherwise grace is no longer grace; while if it is from works then it is not from grace, otherwise work is no longer work. What is the conclusion? Israel did not obtain what it was seeking, but the chosen ones did and the rest became hardened. As it is written, ‘God has given them a spirit of insensibility with unseeing eyes and unhearing ears up to the present day.’ And David says, ‘Let their table be a snare and a trap and a stumbling block, and their retribution. Let their eyes be darkened, unseeing, and keep their backs forever bent.’ I ask, did they stumble in order that they should fall? No, not at all. But by their fall, and with the intention of provoking them to jealousy, there is salvation for the Gentiles. Now if their fall enriched the world and their loss is the Gentiles’ gain, how much more their fulfilment?
Matthew 11:20-26
At that time Jesus began to reproach the cities in which most of his miracles were performed because they did not repent. ‘Woe to you, Chorazin. Woe to you, Bethsaida. For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and sitting in ashes. And I tell you that it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon on the Day of Judgement than for you. And you, Capernaum, would you be raised all the way up to heaven? You will be thrust down to Hades, for if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to the present day. And I tell you that it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom on the Day of Judgement than for you.’ That was the moment when Jesus said, ‘I acknowledge before you, Father, Lord of heaven and of earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and revealed them to infants. Yes, Father, for such was your good pleasure.’
Hebrews 9:1-7
Even the first Tent had regulations for worship and an earthly sanctuary. A chamber was prepared, the first one, which was called Holy. In it were the lamp stand, the table and the shewbread. Beyond the second curtain was a chamber called the Holy of Holies. It held the golden censer, and the Ark of the Covenant that was entirely covered in gold on every side. In this were a golden jar holding the manna, and Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tablets of the covenant. Above it, cherubim of glory overshadowed the mercy seat. Now is not the time to speak about this in detail. With these things so arranged, the priests always went into the first chamber to fulfil the rites of worship, and into the second the High Priest entered once a year, alone, and not without the blood that he offered for himself and for the sins committed in ignorance by the people.
Luke 1:39-49, 56
In those days Mary set out and went with all speed to the hill country, to a town of Judah. She entered the house of Zachariah and greeted Elisabeth. Then, when Elisabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leapt in her womb, and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. She called out in a loud voice and said, ‘Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb. Why is this happening to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For the moment the sound of your greeting came to my ears the baby in my womb leapt for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfilment of what had been said to her from the Lord.’ And Mary said, ‘My soul magnifies the Lord, for my spirit has rejoiced in God my Saviour because he looked upon the lowliness of his maidservant. From now on all generations will call me blessed because he who is mighty has done great things for me. Holy is his name.’ … Mary stayed with her for about three months and then returned home.