1 Timothy 6.11-16
(Epistle, Saturday after Nativity)
11But you, man of God, flee these things, and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness.
12Fight the good fight of faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and you confessed the good confession in the sight of many witnesses.
13I command you before God who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus who before Pontius Pilate testified the good confession,
14that you keep the commandment without spot, blameless until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ,
15which at the right time he will show, who is the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords.
16He alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen nor can see, to whom be honor and eternal power. Amen.
Colossians 1.3-6
(Epistle)
3We give thanks to God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you,
4having heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love which you have toward all the saints,
5because of the hope which is laid up for you in the heavens, of which you heard before in the word of the truth of the Good News
6which has come to you, even as it is in all the world and is bearing fruit and growing, as it does in you also, since the day you heard and knew the grace of God in truth,
Hebrews 2.11-18
(Epistle, Holy Innocents)
11For both he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from one, for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brothers,
12saying, “I will declare your name to my brothers. Among the congregation I will sing your praise.”
13Again, “I will put my trust in him.” Again, “Behold, here I am with the children whom God has given me.”
14Since then the children have shared in flesh and blood, he also himself in the same way partook of the same, that through death he might bring to nothing him who had the power of death, that is, the devil,
15and might deliver all of them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
16For most certainly, he doesn’t give help to angels, but he gives help to the offspring of Abraham.
17Therefore he was obligated in all things to be made like his brothers, that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make atonement for the sins of the people.
18For in that he himself has suffered being tempted, he is able to help those who are tempted.
Matthew 12.15-21
(Gospel, Saturday after Nativity)
15Jesus, perceiving that, withdrew from there. Great multitudes followed him; and he healed them all,
16and commanded them that they should not make him known,
17that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through Isaiah the prophet, saying,
18“Behold, my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved in whom my soul is well pleased. I will put my Spirit on him. He will proclaim justice to the nations.
19He will not strive, nor shout, neither will anyone hear his voice in the streets.
20He won’t break a bruised reed. He won’t quench a smoking flax, until he leads justice to victory.
21In his name, the nations will hope.”
Luke 17.3-10
(Gospel)
3Be careful. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him. If he repents, forgive him.
4If he sins against you seven times in the day, and seven times returns, saying, ‘I repent,’ you shall forgive him.”
5The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.”
6The Lord said, “If you had faith like a grain of mustard seed, you would tell this sycamore tree, ‘Be uprooted and be planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.
7But who is there among you, having a servant plowing or keeping sheep, that will say when he comes in from the field, ‘Come immediately and sit down at the table’?
8Wouldn’t he rather tell him, ‘Prepare my supper, clothe yourself properly, and serve me while I eat and drink. Afterward you shall eat and drink’?
9Does he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded? I think not.
10Even so you also, when you have done all the things that are commanded you, say, ‘We are unworthy servants. We have done our duty.’”
Matthew 2.13-23
(Gospel, Holy Innocents)
13Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Arise and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and stay there until I tell you, for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.”
14He arose and took the young child and his mother by night and departed into Egypt,
15and was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, “Out of Egypt I called my son.”
16Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked by the wise men, was exceedingly angry, and sent out and killed all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all the surrounding countryside, from two years old and under, according to the exact time which he had learned from the wise men.
17Then that which was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled, saying,
18“A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children; she wouldn’t be comforted, because they are no more.”
19But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying,
20“Arise and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel, for those who sought the young child’s life are dead.”
21He arose and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel.
22But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in the place of his father, Herod, he was afraid to go there. Being warned in a dream, he withdrew into the region of Galilee,
23and came and lived in a city called Nazareth; that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through the prophets that he will be called a Nazarene.