New Texts arriving in the evening of April 17, 2024!
Event Information:
-
Fri24Feb2023
Friday of the First Week of the Great Fast - Presanctified
LITURGY OF THE PRESANCTIFIED GIFTS
At Psalm 140
In Tone 5
Lead my soul forth from prison* that I may give thanks to Your name.
Come, O faithful, let us fulfil the works of God in the light;* and let us walk with dignity as in the light of day;* let us tear up every unjust contract,* and let us cast aside every object of scandal for our neighbour.* Let us turn away from the pleasures of the flesh,* so that we may grow in our spiritual gifts.* Let us give food to the poor;* let us draw near to Christ, and in repentance, let us say:* O our God, have mercy on us.
The just shall gather around me* when You have been good to me.
Come, O faithful, let us fulfil the works of God in the light;* and let us walk with dignity as in the light of day;* let us tear up every unjust contract,* and let us cast aside every object of scandal for our neighbour.* Let us turn away from the pleasures of the flesh,* so that we may grow in our spiritual gifts.* Let us give food to the poor;* let us draw near to Christ, and in repentance, let us say:* O our God, have mercy on us.
Out of the depths I cry to You, O Lord;* O Lord, hear my voice!
Come, O faithful, let us fulfil the works of God in the light;* and let us walk with dignity as in the light of day;* let us tear up every unjust contract,* and let us cast aside every object of scandal for our neighbour.* Let us turn away from the pleasures of the flesh,* so that we may grow in our spiritual gifts.* Let us give food to the poor;* let us draw near to Christ, and in repentance, let us say:* O our God, have mercy on us.
In Tone 5
Let Your ears be attentive* to the voice of my prayer.
Rejoice, holy and light-bearing head, venerated by the angels!* Of old, you were cut off by the sword,* for you had cut through the shame of impurity with incisive reproofs!* Like a fountain refreshing the faithful with wonders,* you declared the saving coming of the Saviour,* and perceived the coming of the Spirit, which took up his abode in you,* as you stood between the grace of the Old and New Covenants.* Entreat Christ God to grant our souls great mercy!
If You mark iniquities, Lord, who can stand?* But with You forgiveness is that You may be revered.
The head of the Forerunner is made manifest.* Once it was concealed in an earthen vessel;* now it is openly given up from the depths of the earth,* pouring forth streams of healing.* For he washed in the waters the Head of the One* who even now covers the chambers of the firmament with waters* and rains down divine forgiveness for all peoples!* Then let us bless this truly praiseworthy head* and joyfully celebrate its finding,* entreating Christ to grant our souls great mercy!
I have waited for You as You have commanded; my soul patiently relies on Your promise,* for it has trusted in the Lord.
The head which proclaimed the Lamb of God who appeared in the flesh* declared to all the ways of saving repentance with divine precepts,* before it had denounced the transgression of Herod* and therefore was severed from its body.* It was concealed for a time and has risen to us as a shining sun,* crying out: repent and with compunction of soul submit to the Lord* who grants the world great mercy!
In Tone 2
From the morning watch until night* let Israel trust in the Lord.
Come, all you friends of the martyrs,* let us celebrate this feast in the joy of the Spirit;* for, on this day, the holy martyr Theodore prepares a spiritual banquet for us,* the lovers of the feast;* he brings joy to our hearts,* and we cry out to him:* Rejoice, invincible warrior, who has vanquished powerful tyrants;* and for the love of Christ our God,* you have given over your body of flesh to torments.* Rejoice, for in the midst of dangers,* you showed yourself to be a valiant soldier of the heavenly army.* Therefore, we pray to you, O glory of martyrs,* intercede for the salvation of our souls.
For with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him there is plentiful redemption;* and He shall redeem Israel from all its iniquities.
O holy martyr Theodore,* you generously grant the God-given grace of your miracles* to all the faithful who hasten to you.* We rejoice in this, and we sing:* You are the liberator of captives and healer of the sick,* the wealth of the poor and salvation of those who sail the seas,* the defender of those who cherish your holy memory;* now, for all of us who praise you,* beseech Christ for His great mercy.
Praise the Lord, all the nations;* proclaim His glory, all you people.
O holy martyr Theodore,* you are truly the “gift of God,”* for, being alive even after your death,* you are attentive to the requests of those who come to you.* A son was once seized from his mother* and made a prisoner in the pagan army;* the widow bathed your sanctuary with her tears;* and you were moved with compassion.* You mounted a white horse and mysteriously returned her child;* and even now, you do not cease to work miracles.* Beseech Christ our God to save our souls.
Strong is the love of the Lord for us;* eternally will His truth endure.
O Theodore, thrice-blessed,* with your name, I praise the gift of God;* you are a shining torch of the divine brightness.* By your deeds you have illuminated the universe.* You have shown yourself to be stronger than fire,* and you crushed the head of the treacherous dragon.* Therefore, Christ has placed on your head the crown of victory.* And now that you enjoy the divine favour,* O holy and great martyr,* beseech God for the salvation of our souls.
In Tone 6, Glory…
The enemy used the apostate emperor as his servant* against the Christian people who were purified by the Fast;* he tried to defile them with food polluted by the blood of sacrifices.* But, you more wisely foiled his plan,* by appearing in a dream to the bishop of that time* and warning him of the danger.* We also offer you our sacrifices of thanksgiving,* and we honour you with the title of protector* as we celebrate the annual memory of this event.* We beseech you to preserve us from the evil designs of the enemy* by interceding with God for us,* O holy martyr Theodore.
In Tone 4, Now…
O Mother of God,* because of you David the prophet became an ancestor of God;* he foretold and sang a joyous hymn of praise* and cried out to Him who worked wonders in you:* “The Queen stood at Your right hand.”* God revealed you as a life-giving mother, when He chose to be incarnate of you without a father.* He renewed in man His image which the passions had corrupted.* He found the lost sheep in the mountains,* carried it on His shoulders, offered it to the Father,* generously numbered it among the powers of heaven,* and saved the whole world, since He is Christ of great and rich mercy.
Prokeimenon I, Tone 5
May the Lord answer in time of trial;* may the name of Jacob’s God protect you!
verse: May He send you help from His shrine and give you support from Sion!Reading I
Genesis 2:20-3:20
Adam gave names to all the cattle, to all the birds of heaven, and to all the wild animals of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper comparable to him. Thus God brought a trance upon Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and filled up the flesh in its place. Then the Lord God built the rib He took from Adam into a woman, and brought her to him. So Adam said, “This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh. She shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife; and the two shall become one flesh.” Now the two were naked, both Adam and his wife, and were not ashamed.
Now the serpent was more cunning than all the wild animals the Lord God made on the earth. And he said to the woman, “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat from every tree of the garden’?” And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat the fruit from the trees of the garden; but from the fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden, God said, ‘You shall not eat from it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.’” Then the serpent said to the woman, “You shall not die by death. For God knows in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like gods, knowing good and evil.” So when the woman saw the tree was good for food, was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree beautiful to contemplate, she took its fruit and ate. She also gave it to her husband with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of the two were opened, and they knew they were naked. So they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings. Then they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden that afternoon, and Adam and his wife hid themselves within the tree in the middle of the garden from the presence of the Lord God. So the Lord God called Adam and said to him, “Adam, where are you?” He replied, “I heard Your voice as You were walking in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid myself.” Thus He said, “Who said you were naked? Have you eaten from the one tree from which I commanded you not to eat?” Then Adam said, “The woman You gave me, gave me of the tree, and I ate.” So the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.” Thus the Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, you are cursed more than all cattle, and more than all the wild animals of the earth. On your breast and belly you shall go, and you shall eat dust all the days of your life. I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed. He shall bruise your head, and you shall be on guard for His heel.”
To the woman He said, “I will greatly multiply your pain and your groaning, and in pain you shall bring forth children. Your recourse will be to your husband, and he shall rule over you.” Then to Adam He said, “Because you heeded the voice of your wife, and ate from the one tree of which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat from it,’ cursed is the ground in your labours. In toil you shall eat from it all the days of your life. Both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you, and you shall eat the herb of the field. In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread till you return to the ground from which you were taken. Earth you are, and to earth you shall return.” So Adam called his wife’s name Life, because she was the mother of all living.
Prokeimenon II, Tone 6
O Lord, arise in Your strength;* we shall sing and praise Your power.
verse: O Lord, Your strength gives joy to the king; how Your saving help makes him glad!Reading II
Proverbs 3:19-34
The ways of wisdom are good ways,
And all her paths are in peace.
She is a tree of life for all who cleave to her,
And she is security for those who lean upon her as upon the Lord.
God by wisdom founded the earth
And prepared the heavens with discernment.
With perception the depths were broken up,
And the clouds flowed with dew.
My son, do not be careless,
But keep my counsel and thinking,
That your soul may live,
And grace may be around your neck.
And there will be healing for your flesh
And care for your bones,
That you may walk confidently in peace in all your ways,
And your foot may not stumble.
For if you sit down, you will be without fear,
And if you lie down, your sleep will be pleasant.
And do not be afraid of intimidation when it comes upon you,
Nor of the attack of the ungodly when it comes at you;
For the Lord will be over all your ways,
And He will plant your feet firmly, that you may not be shaken.
Do not withhold doing good to the needy,
When you may give a helping hand;
Do not say, when you are able to do good,
“Come back tomorrow, and I will give you something”;
For you do not know what the next day will bring forth.
Do not devise evil things against your friend
Who dwells beside you and trusts in you.
Do not be ready to quarrel with a man in vain,
Lest he do you some harm.
Do not incur the reproach of evil men,
Neither seek their ways.Reading III
Isaiah 40:1-11
“Comfort, yes, comfort My people,” says God. “O priests, speak to the heart of Jerusalem, comfort her, for her humiliation is ended, her sin is pardoned; for she received from the Lord’s hand double for her sins.” The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the Lord; make straight the paths of our God. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill humbled; the crooked places shall be made straight, and the rough places into plains. The glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see the salvation of God; for the Lord has spoken.” The voice said, “Cry out.” So I said, “What shall I cry?” “All flesh is grass, and all man’s glory is like the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God abides forever.’ O you who bring good tidings to Zion, go into the high mountain; O you who bring good tidings to Jerusalem, lift up your voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid. Say to the cities of Judah, “Behold your God.” Behold, the Lord is coming with strength, and His arm is with authority. Behold, His reward is with Him, and His work before Him. He will feed His flock like a shepherd and gather the lambs with His arm; and He will comfort those with young.
Reading IV
Malachi 3
“Behold, I send My messenger, and he will prepare the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come into His temple, even the Messenger of the covenant, whom you desire. Behold, He is coming,” says the Lord Almighty. “But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can withstand His appearance? For He enters like a refiner’s fire and as soap in one’s wash. He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver and gold. He will purify the sons of Levi and pour them out as purified gold and silver, and they will bring an offering to the Lord in righteousness. Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord, as in the days of old, as in former years.
“And I will draw near to you in judgment, a swift witness against sorcerers, adulterers, those who swear falsely by My name, those who exploit wage-earners, those who oppress widows and afflict orphans, those who pervert the justice due foreigners, and those who do not fear Me,” says the Lord Almighty. “For I am the Lord your God; I have not changed. But you, O sons of Jacob, have not abstained from the sins of your fathers. You have turned away from My ordinances and have not kept them.
“Return to Me and I will return to you,” says the Lord Almighty. “But you say, ‘In what way shall we return?’ Will a man insult God? Yet you have insulted Me! But you say, ‘In what way have we insulted You?’ You kept back your tithes and offerings. You most certainly turned your back on Me, you and the whole nation, and you insulted Me. You brought all the produce into the storehouses—but it will be plundered in its house. Return now in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not open for you the floodgates of heaven and pour out for you a blessing until it is overflowing. And I shall send it to you for food and I will not destroy the fruit of your ground, nor will the vine in the field fail to bear fruit,” says the Lord Almighty. “And all nations will call you blessed, for you will be a delightful land,” says the Lord Almighty.
“You spoke harsh words against Me,” says the Lord, “yet you say, ‘What have we spoken against You?’ You have said, ‘One who serves God is foolish; what profit have we from keeping His ordinances, and why do we go as suppliants before the face of the Lord Almighty? And now we call foreigners blessed, and those doing lawless deeds are raised up—they even oppose God and go free.’”
Then those who feared the Lord spoke these things each to his neighbor, and the Lord listened and heard them, and He wrote a book of remembrance before His face for those who feared the Lord and reverenced His name. “They shall be mine,” says the Lord Almighty, “in the day that I make them My possession, and I will choose them as a man chooses his own son who serves him. Then you shall return, and you will discern between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve Him.
“For behold, the day of the Lord is coming, burning like an oven. And it will burn them up, and it shall be that all foreigners and all who do wickedly will be stubble; and the day that is coming shall burn them up,” says the Lord Almighty, “and neither root nor branch will be left of them.† But to you who fear My name the Sun of Righteousness shall arise with healing in His wings, and you shall go forth leaping as little calves released from their bonds. You shall trample the wicked, for they shall be ashes under your feet on the day I do this,” says the Lord Almighty. “Behold, I will send you Elijah before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord. And he will turn the heart of the father to his son, and a man’s heart to his neighbor, lest I come and strike the earth completely. Be in remembrance of the Law of Moses My servant as I commanded him, with its statutes and judgments, at Horeb for all Israel.”
Reading V
Wisdom 4:7-15
Though a righteous man may die before his time,
He shall be at rest.
For old age is not honored for its length of existence,
Nor measured by its number of years;
But discernment is gray hair for mankind,
And a spotless life is the maturity of old age.There was once a man pleasing to God and loved by Him,
And while living among sinners he was taken up.
He was caught up lest evil change his understanding
Or deceit deceive his soul.
For envy arising from lack of judgment obscures what is good,
And a whirling of desire undermines an innocent heart.
He was made perfect,
For in a short time he fulfilled long years,
For his soul was pleasing to the Lord;
Therefore, He took him early from the midst of evil.
Yet peoples saw this but did not understand,
Nor take such a thing to heart,
That the Lord’s grace and mercy are with His elect
And that He watches over His holy ones.