Occurring Scripture for the
Hour of Matins
Sunday
Lesson i
A Reading from the First book of Kings
1 Kings 17:1-7
Now the Philistines gathering together
their troops to battle, assembled at Socho of Juda, and camped between Socho
and Azeca in the borders of Dommim. And Saul and the children of
Israel gathered together and came to the valley of Terebinth, and they set
the army in array to fight against the Philistines. And the
Philistines stood on a mountain on the one side, and Israel stood on a
mountain on the other side: and there was a valley between them. And
there went out a man of base birth from the camp of the Philistines named
Goliath, of Geth, whose height was six cubits and a span: And he had a
helmet of brass upon his head, and he was clothed with a coat of mail with
scales, and the weight of his coat of mail was five thousand sicles of
brass: And he had greaves of brass on his legs, and a buckler of brass
covered his shoulders. And the staff of his spear was like a weaver's beam,
and the head of his spear weighed six hundred sicles of iron: and his armor
bearer went before him.
Lesson ii
1 Kings 17:8-11
And standing he cried out to the bands
of Israel, and said to them: "Why are you come out prepared to fight? am not
I a Philistine, and you the servants of Saul? Choose out a man of you, and
let him come down and fight hand to hand. If he be able to fight with me,
and kill me, we will be your servants: but if I prevail against him, and
kill him, you shall be servants, and shall serve us." And the
Philistine said: "I have defied the bands of Israel this day: Give me a man,
and let him fight with me hand to hand." And Saul and all the
Israelites hearing these words of the Philistine were dismayed, and greatly
afraid.
Lesson iii
1 Kings 17:12-16
Now David was the son of that
Ephrathite of Bethlehem in Juda previously mentioned, whose name was Isai,
who had eight sons, and was an old man in the days of Saul, and of great age
among men. And his three eldest sons followed Saul to the battle: and
the names of his three sons that went to the battle, were Eliab the
firstborn, and the second Abinadab, and the third Samma. But David was
the youngest. So the three eldest having followed Saul, David went,
and returned from Saul, to feed his father's flock at Bethlehem. Now
the Philistine came out morning and evening, and presented himself forty
days.
Lesson iv
From the Sermons of Saint Augustine, Bishop
Sermon 197 of the season (near the middle)
The children of Israel faced their
enemies for forty days. These forty days, by reason of the four Seasons of
the year, and of the four Continents of the globe, are a figure of this
present life, during which the Christian world ceases not to be arrayed in
battle against the devil and his angels, as it were against Goliath and the
army of the Philistines. Neither can they hope to overcome him, were it not
for the true David, that is, Christ, with His staff, that is, with the
Mystery of His Cross. For before Christ came, my dearly beloved brethren,
the devil was at large. But when Christ came, He did to him what is written
in the Gospel, where it is said "How can one enter into a strong man's
house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man" (Mark 3:27;
Matthew 12:29). Christ therefore came, and bound the devil.
Lesson v
But some man will say: If he is bound,
why is he still so powerful? It is quite true, my dearly beloved brethren,
that he is very powerful but his lordship is over the lukewarm and the
careless, and such as do not fear God in truth. He is chained up like
a dog, and can only bite those who are such suicidal fools as to go within
the length of his chain. Look, my brethren, what a dolt a man must be who
gets himself bitten by a dog that is chained up. Let not the desires
and lusts of the world draw you within reach of him, and he will not be
able to get at thee. He can bark, he can whine but he can only bite
those who are willing to be bitten. He assails us, not by violence, but by
persuasion—he asks, not seizes, our
consent.
Lesson vi
David, then, came, and found the Jewish
people set in battle array against the devil and since there was no one who
dared to go to single combat, he, who was a type of Christ, sallied out to
the battle, took his staff in his hand, and went forth against Goliath. In
him was a shadow of a substance which is in Christ. Christ, the true David,
when He went forth to fight against the spiritual Goliath, that is to say,
against the devil, went forth bearing His Cross. You see, my brethren, in
what part it was that David smote Goliath—it
was upon that forehead whereon the Cross had never been traced. And as the
staff of David was a figure of the Cross of Christ, so was the stone
wherewith the giant was smitten a figure of the Lord Himself.
Lesson vii
The continuation of the Holy Gospel according to
Luke
Luke 5:1-11
At that time: As the multitudes pressed
upon Jesus, to hear the word of God, He stood by the lake of Gennesareth.
And saw two ships standing by the lake: but the fishermen were gone out of
them, and were washing their nets. And going into one of the ships
that was Simon's, He desired him to draw back a little from the land. And
sitting He taught the multitudes out of the ship. Now when He had
ceased to speak, He said to Simon: "Launch out into the deep, and let down
your nets for a draught." And Simon answering said to Him: "Master, we
have labored all the night, and have taken nothing: but at Thy word I will
let down the net." And when they had done this, they enclosed a very great
multitude of fishes, and their net broke. And they beckoned to their
partners that were in the other ship, that they should come and help them.
And they came, and filled both ships, so that they were almost sinking.
Which when Simon Peter saw, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying: "Depart
from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord." For he was wholly astonished,
and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had
taken. And so were also James and John the sons of Zebedee, who were
Simon's partners. And Jesus said to Simon: "Fear not: from henceforth you
shall catch men." And having brought their ships to land, leaving all
things, they followed Him.
An Homily of Saint Ambrose, Bishop
Book IV on Luke V
When the Lord worked so many acts of
healing, neither time nor place could restrain the people from seeking
health. Evening came, and they still followed Him He went down to the lake,
and they still pressed upon Him and therefore He entered into Peter's ship.
This is that ship, which spiritually up to this very hour, according to the
expression of Matthew, is buffeted by tempests, but still, according to
Luke, is filled with fish, this signifying, that, for a while, to labor is
present to the Church, but, hereafter, it shall be to rejoice. The fish are
they who swim in the troubled waters of human life. In this ship, also
spiritually, does Christ, for His disciples, still sleep, and still command
for He sleeps for the lukewarm, and watches for the perfect.
Lesson viii
O fear, then, for the ship where wisdom
steers, false teaching is not known, and faith fills the sails. How shall
she be troubled, whose Lord is Himself the Church's sure Foundation?
It is where faith is weak that there is fear. Where love is perfect,
there there is safety. To many it is commanded to loose their nets, but to
Peter only to "Launch out into the deep," that is, into the depths of
doctrine. What indeed is there so deep, as to gaze upon the depth of all
riches, to recognize the Son of God, and to take up the confession of His
Divine generation. This is a thing which the mind is not able to grasp by
the searching of man's reason, but which is embraced by a hearty faith.
Lesson ix
Even though, it is not given unto me to
know how He was born, yet that born He was, I may not be ignorant. What the
order of His generation was, I know not, but the Source of His generation I
acknowledge. No one has beheld the Begetting of the Son of God by the
Father, but the Church has stood by to hear the Father testify that this is
His beloved Son. If we believe not God, whom shall we believe? For whatever
we believe comes either by sight or by hearing—sight
is oftentimes deceived, but "faith comes by hearing."
Let us pray:
Grant, we beseech Thee, O Lord, that the course of this world
may be so peaceably ordered by Thee, that Thy Church may joyfully serve Thee
in quiet devotion. Through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Monday
Lesson i
A Reading from the First book of Kings
1 Kings 17:25-26
And someone of Israel said: "Have you
seen this man that has come up, for he has come up to defy Israel. And the
man that shall slay him, the king will enrich with great riches, and will
give him his daughter, and will make his father's house free from tribute in
Israel." And David spoke to the men that stood by him, saying: "What
shall be given to the man that shall kill this Philistine, and shall take
away the reproach from Israel? for who is this uncircumcised Philistine,
that he should defy the armies of the living God?"
Lesson ii
1 Kings 17:31-33
And the words which David spoke were
heard, and were rehearsed before Saul. And when he was brought to him,
he said to him: "Let not any man's heart be dismayed in him: I thy servant
will go, and will fight against the Philistine." And Saul said to
David: "You art not able to withstand this Philistine, nor to fight against
him: for you art but a boy, but he is a warrior from his youth."
Lesson iii
1 Kings 17:34-36
And David said to Saul: "Your servant
kept his father's sheep, and there came a lion, or a bear, and took a ram
out of the midst of the flock: And I pursued after them, and struck
them, and delivered it out of their mouth: and they rose up against me, and
I caught them by the throat, and I strangled and killed them. For I
your servant has killed both a lion and a bear: and this uncircumcised
Philistine shall be also as one of them. I will go now, and take away the
reproach of the people: for who is this uncircumcised Philistine, who has
dared to curse the army of the living God?
Tuesday
Lesson i
A Reading from the First book of Kings
1 Kings 17:38-40
And Saul clothed David with his
garments, and put a helmet of brass upon his head, and armed him with a coat
of mail. And David having girded his sword upon his armor, began to try
if he could walk in armor: for he was not accustomed to it. And David said
to Saul: I cannot go like this, for I am not used to it. And he laid them
off, And he took his staff, which he had always in his hands: and
chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them into the
shepherd's scrip, which he had with him, and he took a sling in his hand,
and went forth against the Philistine.
Lesson ii
1 Kings 17:41-46
And the Philistine came on, and drew
nigh against David, and his armor bearer before him. And when the
Philistine looked, and beheld David, he despised him. For he was a young
man, ruddy, and of a comely countenance. And the Philistine said to
David: "Am I a dog, that you come to me with a staff?" And the Philistine
cursed David by his gods. And he said to David: "Come to me, and I
will give your flesh to the birds of the air, and to the beasts of the
earth." And David said to the Philistine: You come to me with a sword,
and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to you in the name of the
Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, which you have defied this
day, and the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will slay you, and
take away your head from you: and I will give the carcasses of the army of
the Philistines this day to the birds of the air, and to the beasts of the
earth: that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.
Lesson iii
1 Kings 17:48-51
And when the Philistine arose and was
coming, and drew near to meet David, David made haste, and ran to the fight
to meet the Philistine. And he put his hand into his scrip, and took a
stone, and cast it with the sling, and fetching it about struck the
Philistine in the forehead: and the stone was fixed in his forehead, and he
fell on his face upon the earth. And David prevailed over the
Philistine, with a sling and a stone, and he struck, and slew the
Philistine. And as David had no sword in his hand, he ran, and stood over
the Philistine, and took his sword, and drew it out of the sheath, and slew
him, and cut off his head. And the Philistines seeing that their champion
was dead, fled away.
Wednesday
Lesson i
A Reading from the First book of Kings
1 Kings 18:6-8
Now when David returned, after be slew
the Philistine, the women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and
dancing, to meet king Saul, with timbrels of joy, and cornets. And the
women sung as they played, and they said: "Saul slew his thousands, and
David his ten thousands." And Saul was exceedingly angry, and this
word was displeasing in his eyes, and he said: "They have given David ten
thousands, and to me they have given but a thousand; what can he have more
but the kingdom?"
Lesson ii
1 Kings 18:9-13
And Saul did not look on David with a
good eye from that day and forward. And the day after the evil spirit
from God came upon Saul, and he prophesied in the midst of his house. And
David played with his hand as at other times. And Saul held a spear in his
hand, And threw it, thinking to nail David to the wall: and David
stepped aside out of his presence twice. And Saul feared David,
because the Lord was with him, and was departed from himself.
Therefore Saul removed him from him, and made him a captain over a thousand
men, and he went out and came in before the people.
Lesson iii
1 Kings 18:14-17
And David behaved wisely in all his
ways, and the Lord was with him. And Saul saw that he was exceeding
prudent, and began to beware of him. But all Israel and Juda loved
David, for he came in and went out before them. And Saul said to
David: "Behold my elder daughter Merob, I will give her to you to wife: only
be a valiant man, and fight the battles of the Lord." Now Saul said within
himself: "Let not my hand be upon him, but let the hands of the Philistines
be upon him."
Thursday
Lesson i
From the first Book of Kings
1 Kings 19:1-3
And Saul spoke to Jonathan
his son and to all his servants, that they should kill David. But Jonathan
the son of Saul loved David exceedingly. And Jonathan told David,
saying: Saul my father seeks to kill you: therefore look to thyself, I
beseech you, in the morning, and you shall abide in a secret place and
shall be hid. And I will go out and stand beside my father in the
field where you are: and I will speak of you to my father, and whatsoever
I shall see, I will tell you.
Lesson ii
1 Kings 19:4-6
And Jonathan spoke good
things of David to Saul his father: and said to him: Sin not, O king,
against thy servant, David, because he has not sinned against thee, and his
works are very good towards thee. And he put his life in his hand, and
slew the Philistine, and the Lord wrought great salvation for all Israel.
You saw it and did rejoice. Why therefore will you sin against innocent
blood by killing David, who is without fault? And when Saul heard this he
was appeased with the words of Jonathan, and swore: "As the Lord lives he
shall not be slain."
Lesson iii
1 Kings 19:8-10
And the war began again,
and David went out and fought against the Philistines, and defeated them
with a great slaughter, and they fled from his face. And the evil
spirit from the Lord came upon Saul, and he sat in his house, and held a
spear in his hand: and David played with his hand. And Saul endeavored
to nail David to the wall with his spear. And David slipped away out of the
presence of Saul: and the spear missed him, and was fastened in the wall,
and David fled and escaped that night.
Friday
Lesson i
From the First book of Kings
1 Kings 20:1-2
But David fled from Najoth, which is in Ramatha, and came and said to
Jonathan: "What have I done? what is my iniquity, and what is my sin against
thy father, that he seeks my life?" And he said to him: "God forbid, you shall
not die: for my father will do nothing great or little, without first
telling me: has my father hid this word only from me? no, this shall
not be.
Lesson ii
1 Kings 20:3-4
And he swore again to David. And David said: "your father certainly knows
that I have found grace in your sight, and he will say: 'Let not Jonathan know
this, lest he be grieved.' But truly as the Lord lives, and your soul lives,
there is but one step (as I may say) between me and death." And Jonathan
said to David: "Whatsoever your soul shall say to me, I will do for you."
Lesson iii
1 Kings 20:5-7
And David said to Jonathan:
"Behold tomorrow is the new moon,
and I according to custom am wont to sit beside the king to eat: let me go
then that I may be hid in the field till the evening of the third day. If
your father looks and inquires for me, you shall answer him: 'David asked me
that he might run to Bethlehem his own city: because there are solemn
sacrifices there for all his tribe.' If he shall say, 'It is well': thy
servant shall have peace: but if he be angry, know that his malice is come
to its height."
Saturday
Lesson i
From the First Book of Kings
1 Kings 21:1-3
And David came to Nobe to Achimelech
the priest: and Achimelech was astonished at David's coming. And he said to
him: "Why are you alone, and no man with you?" And David said to Achimelech the priest: "The king commanded me and said:
'Let no man know the thing for which I sent you, and what manner of
commands I have given you: and I have appointed my servants to such and
such a place.' Now therefore if you have any thing at hand, though it
were but five loaves, give me, or whatsoever you can find."
Lesson ii
1 Kings 21: 4-9
And the priest answered David, saying:
"I have no common bread at hand, but only holy bread, if the young men be
clean, especially from women?" And David answered the priest, and said
to him: "Truly, as to what concerns women, we have refrained ourselves from
yesterday and the day before, when we came out, and the vessels of the young
men were holy. Now this way is defiled, but it shall also be sanctified this
day in the vessels." The priest therefore gave him hallowed bread: for
there was no bread there, but only the loaves of proposition, which had been
taken away from before the face of the Lord, that hot loaves might be set
up. Now a certain man of the servants of Saul was there that day,
within the tabernacle of the Lord: and his name was Doeg, an Edomite, the
chief of Saul's herdsmen. And David said to Achimelech: "Have you here
at hand a spear, or a sword? for I brought neither my own sword, nor my own
weapons with me, for the king's business required haste." And the
priest said: "Behold, here is the sword of Goliath the Philistine whom you
slew in the valley of Terebinth, wrapped up in a cloth behind the ephod: if
you will take this, take it, for here is no other but this." And David said:
"There is none like that, give it me."
Lesson iii
Of the feast of the day or of the Saturday office of the Blessed Virgin