Announcement to Mary Readings

Ephesians 2:1-10
From Death to Life
Brothers and Sisters:
You were dead through the trespasses and sins in which you once lived, following the course of this world, following the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work among those who are disobedient. All of us once lived among them in the passions of our flesh, following the desires of flesh and senses, and we were by nature children of wrath, like everyone else. But God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ — by grace you have been saved — and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God — not the result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life. Praise be to God always!

Luke 10:38-42
As they continued their journey he entered a village where a woman whose name was Martha welcomed him. She had a sister named Mary (who) sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak. Martha, burdened with much serving, came to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving? Tell her to help me.” The Lord said to her in reply, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her.”

Prayer of the Faithful, vol. 1

FIRST PRAYER
Lord, have mercy on us and save us.
God of goodness,
you have promised your heavenly treasures to those who
are good.
Grant us the rewards you assured the laborers of the eleventh
hour, who sincerely believe in you and acknowledge you.
Count us among those invited to your spiritual banquet,
and grant us a place at your right hand.
Then, clothed in resplendent apparel,
we shall joyfully go out to meet you with deeds of love,
and receive from you the happiness you promised to those
who do good.
We shall praise and glorify you,
now and for ever.
Amen.

Saint of the Day:
The holy, glorious and right-victorious Martyr Menas (or Mina; 285-309 A.D.), the Wonder-worker, is one of the most well known Egyptian saints in the East and the West, due to the many miracles that are performed through his intercessions.

Meditation:
For whereas Eve, yet a virgin and undefiled, through conceiving the word that came from the serpent, brought forth disobedience and death; the Virgin Mary, taking faith and joy, when the Angel told her the good tidings that the Spirit of the Lord should come upon her, and the power of the Most High overshadow her, and therefore the Holy One to be born of her should be the Son of God, answered, Be it done to me according to thy word. And so by means of her was he born, concerning whom we have shown so many Scriptures were spoken; through whom God overthrows the serpent, and those angels and men who have become like to it, and on the other hand, works deliverance from death for such as repent of their evil doings and believe in him.
Justin the Martyr (110-165 A.D.) Dialogue with Trypho