Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts
At Psalm 140
In Tone 4
- Lead my soul forth from prison* that I may give thanks to Your name.
Like the prodigal I squandered my paternal inheritance,
and now I am in desolation.
I dwell in the land of the wicked.
In my folly, I became like the unreasoning beasts,
stripped of all divine grace.
So I return and cry out to You:
O merciful and compassionate Father,
I have sinned, O God.
Receive me as a penitent and have mercy on me.
- The just shall gather around me* when You have been good to me.
Like the prodigal I squandered my paternal inheritance,
and now I am in desolation.
I dwell in the land of the wicked.
In my folly, I became like the unreasoning beasts,
stripped of all divine grace.
So I return and cry out to You:
O merciful and compassionate Father,
I have sinned, O God.
Receive me as a penitent and have mercy on me.
- Out of the depths I cry to You, O Lord;* O Lord, hear my voice!
O martyrs of the Lord,
you are living sacrifices and spiritual offerings
and perfect incense burnt to God.
You are sheep that know God and are known to Him,
and wolves cannot break into His fold.
Pray that we may be led with you
to pasture beside the still waters.
In Tone 6
- Let Yours ears be attentive* to the voice of my prayer.
O apostles who have seen God,
and who reflect the light of the spiritual Sun for us,
pray for the illumination of our souls
and deliver us from the gloomy darkness of suffering.
Intercede that we may behold the day of salvation.
Through your prayers and intercessions
cleanse our heart which the Evil One has wounded,
so that, saved by faith, we may ever honour you
who brought the world salvation through your all-wise preaching.
- If You mark iniquities, Lord, who can stand?* But with You forgiveness is that You may be revered.
Into an evil land I have wandered,
prodigal that I am;
the wealth You gave to me, O compassionate Father,
I have squandered in a life filled with vice.
And now in hunger I long for the good I lost;
I am clothed with the shame of my transgression.
I have been stripped of righteous deeds and of divine grace.
Now I cry out that I have sinned.
But I know Your righteousness, O Christ;
in Your kindness receive me as Your hired servant,
through the prayers of Your apostles who love You.
- I have waited for You as You have commanded; my soul patiently relies on Your promise,* for it has trusted in the Lord.
Apostles of the Lord and bright lights of the universe,
you made us the recipients of salvation,
and like the heavens you proclaim the glory of God;
you are adorned with wonders and bright miracles.
Intercede for us unceasingly before the Lord,
that He may receive our prayers as a pleasing aroma,
and grant that with love we may contemplate and kiss His life-giving Cross.
In Your love for humankind,
grant mercy to us who bow low before Your Cross, O Saviour.
In Tone 2
- From the morning watch until night* let Israel trust in the Lord.
You that love the things of God, honouring those of the Spirit,
come today and let us behold the banquet
of the sweet savour of abstinence
which Tarasius, the godly host, by his immaterial virtues,
has prepared for us in spirit.
Let us all cry out eagerly:
We entreat you, pray that we may obtain forgiveness of our sins!
- For with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him there is plentiful redemption;* and He shall redeem Israel from all its iniquities.
You that love the things of God, honouring those of the Spirit,
come today and let us behold the banquet
of the sweet savour of abstinence
which Tarasius, the godly host, by his immaterial virtues,
has prepared for us in spirit.
Let us all cry out eagerly:
We entreat you, pray that we may obtain forgiveness of our sins!
- Praise the Lord, all the nations;* proclaim His glory, all you people.
You revealed the faith to the whole world in truth,
wise and eminent father,
you wrote it in stone, shaking off the dirt of heresy,
establishing the beauty of the Church,
as you followed the teachings of the apostles of Christ.
Together with them we all cry out to you:
Rightly-praised father, pray that our souls may be saved!
- Strong is the love of the Lord for us;* eternally will His truth endure.
You received everything of Christ
and the blessedness of giving alms in love for the poor.
Pouring forth alms upon them richly,
you received the mercy of the promise,
for mercy will cry out to be praised at the judgment.
Therefore you departed to life!
We beseech you, pray that we may obtain forgiveness of our sins!
In Tone 6, Glory… Now…
O Theotokos, you are the true vine,
who brought forth the fruit of Life.
Therefore we entreat you, O Lady:
intercede together with the apostles and all the saints
that our souls be granted peace and great mercy.
Prokeimenon I, Tone 4
I trust in the goodness of God* forever and ever.
verse: I will thank You forevermore; for this is Your doing.
Reading I
Genesis 7:6-9
Noah was six hundred years old when the flood waters came upon the earth. Together with his sons, his wife, and his sons’ wives, Noah went into the ark because of the waters of the flood. Of the clean animals and the unclean, of the birds, and of everything that creeps on the ground, (two by two) male and female entered the ark with Noah, just as the Lord had commanded him
Prokeimenon II, Tone 4
When God delivers His people from bondage,* then Jacob will be glad and Israel rejoice.
verse: Fools have said in their hearts: There is no God above.
Reading II
Proverbs 9:12-18
If you are wise, it is to your own advantage; and if you are arrogant, you alone shall bear it. The woman Folly is fickle, she is inane, and knows nothing. She sits at the door of her house upon a seat on the city heights, Calling to passers-by as they go on their straight way: “Let whoever is simple turn in here, or who lacks understanding; for to him I say, Stolen water is sweet, and bread gotten secretly is pleasing!” Little he knows that the shades are there, that in the depths of the nether world are her guests!
Epistle
2 Corinthians 4:6-15
Brothers and Sisters, it is the God who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that it may be made clear that this extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible in our bodies. For while we live, we are always being given up to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus may be made visible in our mortal flesh. So death is at work in us, but life in you. But just as we have the same spirit of faith that is in accordance with scripture—“I believed, and so I spoke” —we also believe, and so we speak, because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus, and will bring us with you into his presence. Yes, everything is for your sake, so that grace, as it extends to more and more people, may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.
Alleluia, Tone 4
verse: The just man shall flourish like the palm tree; and he shall grow like the cedar in Lebanon.
verse: They who are planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish the courts of our God. (Psalm
1:13,14)
Gospel
Matthew 11:2-15
At that time, when John heard in prison what the Messiah was doing, he sent word by his disciples and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?” Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them. And blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me.” As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to look at? A reed shaken by the wind? What then did you go out to see? Someone dressed in soft robes? Look, those who wear soft robes are in royal palaces. What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is the one about whom it is written, ‘See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.’ Truly I tell you, among those born of women no one has arisen greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force. For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John came; and if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come. Let anyone with ears listen!