Monday, 14 December 2026

Strict Fast (Xerophagy)

Gospel Reading

Mark 8:11-21

¹¹ The Pharisees came out and began to question him, seeking from him a sign from heaven, and testing him. ¹² He sighed deeply in his spirit, and said, “Why does this generation seek a sign? Most certainly I tell you, no sign will be given to this generation.” ¹³ He left them, and again entering into the boat, departed to the other side. ¹⁴ They forgot to take bread; and they didn’t have more than one loaf in the boat with them. ¹⁵ He warned them, saying, “Take heed: beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and the yeast of Herod.” ¹⁶ They reasoned with one another, saying, “It’s because we have no bread.” ¹⁷ Jesus, perceiving it, said to them, “Why do you reason that it’s because you have no bread? Don’t you perceive yet, neither understand? Is your heart still hardened? ¹⁸ Having eyes, don’t you see? Having ears, don’t you hear? Don’t you remember? ¹⁹ When I broke the five loaves among the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?” They told him, “Twelve.” ²⁰ “When the seven loaves fed the four thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?” They told him, “Seven.” ²¹ He asked them, “Don’t you understand yet?”


Epistle Reading

Hebrews 3:5-11

⁵ Moses indeed was faithful in all his house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were afterward to be spoken, ⁶ but Christ is faithful as a Son over his house; whose house we are, if we hold fast our confidence and the glorying of our hope firm to the end. ⁷ Therefore, even as the Holy Spirit says, “Today if you will hear his voice, ⁸ don’t harden your hearts, as in the rebellion, like as in the day of the trial in the wilderness, ⁹ where your fathers tested me by proving me, and saw my deeds for forty years. ¹⁰ Therefore I was displeased with that generation, and said, ‘They always err in their heart, but they didn’t know my ways;’ ¹¹ as I swore in my wrath, ‘They will not enter into my rest.’”

Hebrews 3:17-19

¹⁷ With whom was he displeased forty years? Wasn’t it with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? ¹⁸ To whom did he swear that they wouldn’t enter into his rest, but to those who were disobedient? ¹⁹ We see that they were not able to enter in because of unbelief.