Day: 11 April 2017

Vespers with the Divine Liturgy of St. Basil the Great

There is no kathisma reading

At Psalm 140

In Tone 2

10. Lead my soul forth from prison* that I may give thanks to Your name.

The Jewish Council gathers to deliver to Pilate
the Author and Creator of all.
O what iniquity and infidelity!
They prepare for judgement
the One who comes to judge the living and the dead;
they prepare to make suffer the One who heals all suffering:
therefore, O long-suffering Lord, great is Your mercy.
Glory be to You.

9. The just shall gather around me* when You have been good to me.

The Jewish Council gathers to deliver to Pilate
the Author and Creator of all.
O what iniquity and infidelity!
They prepare for judgement
the One who comes to judge the living and the dead;
they prepare to make suffer the One who heals all suffering:
therefore, O long-suffering Lord, great is Your mercy.
Glory be to You.

8. Out of the depths I cry to You, O Lord;* O Lord, hear my voice!

At the supper Judas the transgressor dipped his hand into the dish with You, O Lord,
yet reached out to the transgressors to receive the money.
He calculated the value of the oil of myrrh,
yet was not afraid to sell You, the One beyond all price.
He stretched out his feet to be washed,
yet deceitfully kissed the Master and betrayed Him to the lawless ones.
Cast out of the company of the apostles,
he threw away the thirty pieces of silver,
and did not see Your Resurrection on the third day.
Through this Your Resurrection have mercy on us.

7. Let Yours ears be attentive* to the voice of my prayer.

At the supper Judas the transgressor dipped his hand into the dish with You, O Lord,
yet reached out to the transgressors to receive the money.
He calculated the value of the oil of myrrh,
yet was not afraid to sell You, the One beyond all price.
He stretched out his feet to be washed,
yet deceitfully kissed the Master and betrayed Him to the lawless ones.
Cast out of the company of the apostles,
he threw away the thirty pieces of silver,
and did not see Your Resurrection on the third day.
Through this Your Resurrection have mercy on us.

6. If You mark iniquities, Lord, who can stand?* But with You forgiveness is that You may be revered.

With a kiss that was deceitful
Judas, the deceitful traitor,
betrayed the Lord and Saviour,
selling the Master of all as a slave to the transgressors;
the Lamb of God, the Son of the Father, went as a sheep to the slaughter:
for He alone is rich in mercy.

5. I have waited for You as You have commanded; my soul patiently relies on Your promise,* for it has trusted in the Lord.

With a kiss that was deceitful
Judas, the deceitful traitor,
betrayed the Lord and Saviour,
selling the Master of all as a slave to the transgressors;
the Lamb of God, the Son of the Father, went as a sheep to the slaughter:
for He alone is rich in mercy.

4. From the morning watch until night* let Israel trust in the Lord.

Judas showed himself by his deeds
to be a servant yet deceiver,
a disciple yet betrayer,
and a friend yet a devil.
For as he followed the Master
he concealed the betrayal, saying to himself:
I will betray this One and gain much wealth.
He sought to sell the spice that he might trap the Lord.
He gave a kiss and betrayed Christ,
who like a lamb was led to the slaughter
and who alone has compassion and love for mankind.

3. For with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him there is plentiful redemption;* and He shall redeem Israel from all its iniquities.

Judas showed himself by his deeds
to be a servant yet deceiver,
a disciple yet betrayer,
and a friend yet a devil.
For as he followed the Master
he concealed the betrayal, saying to himself:
I will betray this One and gain much wealth.
He sought to sell the spice that he might trap the Lord.
He gave a kiss and betrayed Christ,
who like a lamb was led to the slaughter
and who alone has compassion and love for mankind.

2. Praise the Lord, all the nations;* proclaim His glory, all you people.

The Lamb proclaimed be Isaiah
goes of His own will to the slaughter.
He gives His back to be scourged, and His cheeks to be slapped;
He does not turn His face from the shame of their spitting;
He is condemned to a disgraceful death.
Though sinless, He accepts all these things willingly,
that He may grant to all resurrection from the dead.

1. Strong is the love of the Lord for us;* eternally will His truth endure.

The Lamb proclaimed be Isaiah
goes of His own will to the slaughter.
He gives His back to be scourged, and His cheeks to be slapped;
He does not turn His face from the shame of their spitting;
He is condemned to a disgraceful death.
Though sinless, He accepts all these things willingly,
that He may grant to all resurrection from the dead.

In Tone 6, Glory… Now…

Truly, Judas is the son of those ungrateful
who ate the manna in the wilderness,
and murmured against the Nourisher;
for, while food was still in their mouths,
those ingrates murmured against God.
Likewise this wicked one,
while the Holy Bread was still in his mouth,
conspired to betray the Saviour.
O, what greedy purpose!
What bold inhumanity!
For he betrayed the Nourisher
and delivered to death the Master who loved him.
In truth, this lawbreaker is a son of unbelievers,
and inherited destruction with them.
Save our souls, O Lord, from such unkindness;
for You alone can endure such long-suffering.

Prokeimenon, Tone 1
Deliver me, O Lord, from an evil person from the unrighteous man keep me safe.
verse: From those who plan evil in their hearts all the day.

Reading
Exodus 19:10-19

Prokeimenon, Tone 7
O God, deliver me from my enemies; redeem me from those who rise up against me.
verse: Rescue me from those who work iniquity, and from men of blood save me.

Readings
Job 38:1-23; 42:1-5; Isaiah 50:4-11

Small Litany and Trisagion Hymn

Prokeimenon, Tone 7
The rulers have gathered together against the Lord and His anointed.
verse: Why have the nations grown insolent, and peoples contemplated vain things?

Epistle
1 Corinthians 11:23-32

Alleluia, Tone 6
verse: Blessed is he who considers the poor and needy; the Lord will deliver him on the day of evil.
verse: My enemies spoke evil against me: “When will he die and his name perish?”
verse: He who ate My bread has lifted up his heel against Me.

Gospel
Matthew 26:2-20; John 13:1-17; Matthew 26:21-39; Luke 22:43-45; Matthew 26:40-27:2

Instead of the Cherubic Hymn, the following troparion is sung:
Accept me this day, O Son of God, as a partaker of Your mystical supper. I will not tell the mystery to Your enemies, nor will I give You a kiss as did Judas, but like the thief I confess to You: remember me, O Lord, when You come into Your Kingdom.

After the Great Entrance, the following is sung:
Remember me, O Lord, when You come into Your Kingdom. Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!

Hymn to the Mother of God
Come, you faithful, let us lift up our minds on high,* and enjoy the Master’s hospitality,* and the Table of Immortal Life in the upper room;* and let us hear and learn the exalted teaching* of the Word, Whom we magnify.

Communion Hymn
Accept me this day, O Son of God, as a partaker of Your mystical supper. I will not tell the mystery to Your enemies, nor will I give You a kiss as did Judas, but like the thief I confess to You: remember me, O Lord, when You come into Your Kingdom.

Instead of “We have seen the true Light” and “Let our mouths be filled with Your praise, O Lord” we sing:
Accept me this day, O Son of God, as a partaker of Your mystical supper. I will not tell the mystery to Your enemies, nor will I give You a kiss as did Judas, but like the thief I confess to You: remember me, O Lord, when You come into Your Kingdom.

Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts

At Psalm 140

In Tone 1

10. Lead my soul forth from prison* that I may give thanks to Your name.

In You, born of the Virgin, the harlot recognized her God;
ashamed of her sinful deeds, she sighed and wept, and said:
O Lord, loosen my debt to You, as I unloosen my hair.
Grant Your love to the one who loves You, despite all my unworthiness;
and I shall exalt Your love for all,
harlots and publicans alike,
O Lover of humankind and their Benefactor.

9. The just shall gather around me* when You have been good to me.

The harlot mixed her tears with the precious myrrh,
as she poured them over Your most pure feet,
which she covered with kisses;
thus You showed her to be justified.
O Lord, who suffered for us,
grant us Your forgiveness and save us.

8. Out of the depths I cry to You, O Lord;* O Lord, hear my voice!

While the sinful woman was offering You her ointment,
Your disciple conspired against You.
She rejoiced to pour out the precious myrrh,
while he hastened to sell the One who is beyond price.
As she came to recognize her Lord,
the disciple separated himself;
she was set free,
while Judas became enslaved to the Enemy.
She was ennobled through repentance,
while he was disgraced by his vile actions.
O Saviour, who suffered for us,
grant us Your forgiveness and save us.

7. Let Yours ears be attentive* to the voice of my prayer.

O the misery of Judas!
He saw the sinful woman kiss the feet of the Lord,
and he shamefully thought of his kiss of betrayal.
She loosened her hair,
while he let himself be bound up by passion;
instead of the fragrance of myrrh, he bore the odour of his perverse and evil ways;
for jealousy does no know how to seek what is good.
O the misery of Judas!
O Lord, keep our souls from falling like him.

In Tone 2

6. If You mark iniquities, Lord, who can stand?* But with You forgiveness is that You may be revered.

The sinful woman hastened to buy the precious myrrh,
in order to anoint her Saviour.
She said to the merchant:
Give me the myrrh that I might anoint the One
who washed me of all my sins.

In Tone 6

5. I have waited for You as You have commanded; my soul patiently relies on Your promise,* for it has trusted in the Lord.

Drowning in the abyss of sin,
the harlot found in You a harbour of salvation.
She poured out myrrh with her tears, and said:
O Lord, You can forgive sins,
but You await the repentance of sinners.
Behold me, O Master, for I am sinking in the storm of sin;
in Your great goodness, save me.

4. From the morning watch until night* let Israel trust in the Lord.

Today Christ comes to the house of the Pharisee,
and the sinful woman falls at His feet.
She bows before Him and says:
Behold, I am drowning in the abyss of sin;
I have lost all hope because of my deeds.
In Your goodness, do not turn away from me;
but grant me forgiveness, O Lord, and save me.

3. For with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him there is plentiful redemption;* and He shall redeem Israel from all its iniquities.

The harlot loosened her hair for You, O Lord,
while Judas reached out his hand to the godless ones.
One acted to receive Your forgiveness, the other to gain money.
Therefore, we cry out to You:
O Lord, sold for our deliverance, glory to You.

2. Praise the Lord, all the nations;* proclaim His glory, all you people.

Filled with the odour of sin, the woman drew near to You, O Saviour;
she poured out her tears over Your feet and thus proclaimed Your Passion.
“O Master, how shall I dare to raise my eyes to You,” she cried.
Yet You came to save the fallen;
You raised Lazarus from the tomb;
so lift me also from the abyss of death.
O Lord, accept me in my misery and save me.

1. Strong is the love of the Lord for us;* eternally will His truth endure.

She who was rejected because of her life,
and who was accepted because of her conversion,
came to You, bearing myrrh, and saying:
Do not cast me out, O Son of the Virgin, for I am a wretched one;
O Joy of the angels do not despise my tears;
but receive me in repentance, and in Your goodness, accept me a sinful one.

In Tone 8, Glory… Now…

O Lord, the woman who had fallen into a multitude of sins,
recognized Your divinity and thus joined the ranks of the myrrh-bearing women;
before Your burial, she offered You myrrh with her tears:
“Alas,” she said, “Woe is me!
The stinging night of pleasure seizes me;
the dark and moonless love of sin grasps me.
Accept the stream of my tears and my copious weeping, O Lord,
for You make the waters fall from the clouds into the sea.
Incline Your ear to the cry of my heart,
for You incline the heavens in Your ineffable condescension.
Allow me to kiss Your most pure feet,
and to dry them with the locks of my hair;
for these are the feet that Eve heard in Paradise,
and, trembling at their approach, she hid herself.
O Lord, who can search out the number of my sins?
Who shall search the depth of Your judgments, O Redeemer and Saviour of our souls?!
In Your infinite love, do not despise Your servant.”

Prokeimenon I, Tone 4
To the God of heaven give thanks* for His love endures forever.
verse: Give thanks to the God of gods, for His love endures forever.

Reading I
Exodus 2:11-22

Prokeimenon II, Tone 4
Your love, O Lord, is eternal,* do not discard the work of Your hands.
verse: I thank You, Lord, with all my heart.

Reading II
Job 2:1-10

Gospel
Matthew 26:6-16

Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts

At Psalm 140

In Tone 1

10. Lead my soul forth from prison* that I may give thanks to Your name.

How shall I enter the splendour of your saints,
because of my unworthiness?
If I dare to enter into Your bridal chamber,
my garment shall give me away;
for I do not have a wedding garment,
and the angels shall cast me out.
Purify my soul, O Lord, and in Your goodness, save me.

9. The just shall gather around me* when You have been good to me.

How shall I enter the splendour of your saints,
because of my unworthiness?
If I dare to enter into Your bridal chamber,
my garment shall give me away;
for I do not have a wedding garment,
and the angels shall cast me out.
Purify my soul, O Lord, and in Your goodness, save me.

In Tone 2

8. Out of the depths I cry to You, O Lord;* O Lord, hear my voice!

My slothful soul has fallen into sleep, O Christ, my Spouse,
and I do not have a lamp shining with the fire of virtues.
I have become like the foolish virgins;
for, instead of labouring, I have wasted my time.
Do not close off Your love and Your heart to me, O Master;
but dispel my dark slumber;
awaken me that I may enter Your palace with the wise virgins.
There the choir of the just shall resound as they sing to You:
O Lord, glory to You.

7. Let Yours ears be attentive* to the voice of my prayer.

My slothful soul has fallen into sleep, O Christ, my Spouse,
and I do not have a lamp shining with the fire of virtues.
I have become like the foolish virgins;
for, instead of labouring, I have wasted my time.
Do not close off Your love and Your heart to me, O Master;
but dispel my dark slumber;
awaken me that I may enter Your palace with the wise virgins.
There the choir of the just shall resound as they sing to You:
O Lord, glory to You.

In Tone 4

6. If You mark iniquities, Lord, who can stand?* But with You forgiveness is that You may be revered.

You have heard of the condemnation of the one who hid the talent;
O my soul, do not hide the word of God.
Proclaim His wonders and increase His gifts,
that you may enter into the joy of your Lord.

5. I have waited for You as You have commanded; my soul patiently relies on Your promise,* for it has trusted in the Lord.

You have heard of the condemnation of the one who hid the talent;
O my soul, do not hide the word of God.
Proclaim His wonders and increase His gifts,
that you may enter into the joy of your Lord.

In Tone 6

4. From the morning watch until night* let Israel trust in the Lord.

Come, O faithful, let us zealously labour for the Lord;
for He entrusts His riches to His servants;
let each multiply the talent of grace.
Let one gain wisdom by doing good;
let another serve with splendour;
let the faithful share the knowledge of faith with the unenlightened;
let others share their goods with the poor.
Thus we shall multiply the treasure that has been entrusted to us,
and we shall be the faithful stewards of grace,
and we shall be worthy of the joy of the Lord.
Grant this to us, O Christ our God,
in Your goodness toward humankind.

3. For with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him there is plentiful redemption;* and He shall redeem Israel from all its iniquities.

Come, O faithful, let us zealously labour for the Lord;
for He entrusts His riches to His servants;
let each multiply the talent of grace.
Let one gain wisdom by doing good;
let another serve with splendour;
let the faithful share the knowledge of faith with the unenlightened;
let others share their goods with the poor.
Thus we shall multiply the treasure that has been entrusted to us,
and we shall be the faithful stewards of grace,
and we shall be worthy of the joy of the Lord.
Grant this to us, O Christ our God,
in Your goodness toward humankind.

2. Praise the Lord, all the nations;* proclaim His glory, all you people.

When You shall come in glory with the powers of heaven,
to be seated on the throne of judgment, O Jesus,
do not cast me far away from You, O Good Shepherd.
On Your right are the paths that lead to You,
and on Your left are those who turn away from You.
Do not make me perish with the goats,
even though I have been disfigured by sin.
But place me on Your right with Your sheep,
and in Your love for humankind, save me.

1. Strong is the love of the Lord for us;* eternally will His truth endure.

O Bridegroom, whose grace surpasses all human beauty,
You invite us to the spiritual feast in Your palace.
Strip me of the coarse garment of my sin,
and make me a partaker of Your Passion.
Clothe me in the glorious adornment of Your beauty.
In Your mercy, accept me as a luminous guest
at the banquet in Your Kingdom.

In Tone 7, Glory… Now…

Behold, the Lord entrusts His talent to you;
accept this gift with fear, O my soul.
Multiply it for the One who granted it to you;
share it with the poor and you shall have the Lord as your friend.
Then you shall be at His right when He comes in glory,
and you shall hear His blessed voice say to you:
You are indeed my servant;
enter into the joy of Your Lord.
Even though I have gone astray, O Lord,
make me worthy of this joy.

Prokeimenon I, Tone 6
Arise, O Lord, and go to Your resting place,* You and the ark of Your might.
verse: O Lord, remember David and the many hardships he endured.

Reading I
Exodus 2:5-10

Prokeimenon II, Tone 4
How good and how pleasant it is,* when people live in unity!
verse: It is like precious oil upon the head, running down upon the beard, upon the beard of Aaron.

Reading II
Job 1:13-22

Gospel
Matthew 24:36-26:2