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Fri17Mar2023
Friday of the Fourth Week of the Great Fast - Presanctified
LITURGY OF THE PRESANCTIFIED GIFTS
At Psalm 140
In Tone 7
Lead my soul forth from prison* that I may give thanks to Your name.
I have enslaved the dignity of my soul to the passions,* and have become like the beasts;* I can no longer raise my eyes to You, O God most high.* But, like the Publican I bow to the earth,* and I cry to You in supplication:* Forgive me, O Lord, and save me.
The just shall gather around me* when You have been good to me.
I have enslaved the dignity of my soul to the passions,* and have become like the beasts;* I can no longer raise my eyes to You, O God most high.* But, like the Publican I bow to the earth,* and I cry to You in supplication:* Forgive me, O Lord, and save me.
In Tone 7
Out of the depths I cry to You, O Lord;* O Lord, hear my voice!
Glory to You, O Christ our God.* You are the praise of the apostles,* and the delight of the martyrs,* who preached the consubstantial Trinity.
Let Your ears be attentive* to the voice of my prayer.
O holy martyrs who fought the good fight* and have received your crowns,* entreat the Lord to have mercy on our souls.
If You mark iniquities, Lord, who can stand?* But with You forgiveness is that You may be revered.
Not caring for any earthly things, O holy martyrs,* you boldly preached Christ during your trials,* and received your due reward from Him.* But since you possess confidence before Him,* we beseech you to entreat Him, as the Almighty God, to save our souls.
I have waited for You as You have commanded; my soul patiently relies on Your promise,* for it has trusted in the Lord.
O martyrs, lofty praise is due to you,* for you are lambs of the Spirit and spiritual offerings.* You are pleasing sacrifices that have found favour with God;* and though the earth may not have covered you, the heavens received you.* We entreat you; for you have become partakers with the angels,* to join with them in beseeching our God* to give the world peace and to save our souls.
In Tone 4
From the morning watch until night* let Israel trust in the Lord.
You shone like a star, enlightening the faithful* with the sacred brightness of your teachings,* while you darkened the heresies.* You were victorious to the end,* as a servant increasing the talent given to you.* You were well-pleasing to God, Cyril, blessed one of God,* and you surrendered your spirit into His hands.
For with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him there is plentiful redemption;* and He shall redeem Israel from all its iniquities.
You shone like a star, enlightening the faithful* with the sacred brightness of your teachings,* while you darkened the heresies.* You were victorious to the end,* as a servant increasing the talent given to you.* You were well-pleasing to God, Cyril, blessed one of God,* and you surrendered your spirit into His hands.
Praise the Lord, all the nations;* proclaim His glory, all you people.
In the wisdom of your words and the splendor of your life,* you shone forth in the midst of the council of the fathers* like a most luminous star.* You were worthy of working wonders!* You choked the godless Macedonius with the cords of grace* as he madly blasphemed and openly worked iniquity* against the Holy Spirit Who gives life to all!
Strong is the love of the Lord for us;* eternally will His truth endure.
You put the evil mind of the senseless Manes to shame,* denouncing the unworthy teachings of his foolishness wisely and well,* chief among teachers and splendor of priests;* Godly champion of the Church of Christ!* Therefore in gladness we celebrate your holy dormition.
In Tone 7, Glory…
Grant repose, O God our Saviour,* to our departed loved ones who cry out to You:* O Lord and Giver of life, glory to You.
Now…
Immaculate Mother of God,* you became a mother outside the laws of nature,* remaining a virgin in a way that exceeds all description and human understanding.* The wonder of your birth-giving could not be told in human language,* for your conception of Christ blinded intelligence,* and your birth-giving exceeded understanding:* for whenever God so desires, the laws of nature are broken.* Wherefore we all firmly believe that you are the Mother of God,* and we eagerly beseech you to intercede for the salvation of our souls.
Prokeimenon I, Tone 4
O Shepherd of Israel, hear us,* You who lead Joseph’s flock.
verse: Shine forth from Your Cherubim throne.
Reading I
Genesis 12:1-7
The Lord said to Abram, “Get out of your country, from your kindred and from your father’s house, to a land I will show you. I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and curse those who curse you; and in you all the tribes of the earth shall be blessed.” Then Abram departed as the Lord said to him, and Lot went with him. Now Abram was seventy-five years old when he de-parted from Haran. So Abram took Sarai his wife and Lot his brother’s son and all their possessions and every soul they acquired in Haran, and they departed for the land of Canaan. Thus they came to the land of Canaan. Abram passed through the land to the place of Shechem, as far as the oak of Moreh. And the Canaanites were then in the land. Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your seed I will give this land.” And there Abram built an altar to the Lord, who appeared to him.
Prokeimenon II, Tone 2
Ring out your joy to God, our strength,* shout in triumph to the God of Jacob.
verse: Raise a song and sound the timbrel, the sweet-sounding harp and lute.
Reading II
Proverbs 14:15-26
A simple man believes in every word,
But an astute man comes to repentance.
A wise man fears and turns away from evil,
But a man without discernment persuades himself to mingle with a lawless man.
A quick-tempered man acts with recklessness,
But a man with discernment bears many things.
Men without discernment will share in evil,
But the astute will take hold of perception.
Evil men will slip and fall in the presence of good men,
And the ungodly shall serve at the gate of the righteous.
Friends will hate poor friends,
But the friends of the rich are many.
He who dishonors the poor sins,
But he who has mercy on the poor is very blessed.
Deceivers devise evil things,
But good men devise mercy and truth.
Devisers of evil things do not understand mercy and faithfulness,
But mercies and faithfulness are with devisers of good things.
To everyone who is careful there is an abundance,
But he who is pleasure-taking and slothful shall be in want.
The crown of the wise is astuteness,
But the pastime of the undiscerning is evil.
A faithful witness will rescue a soul from evil men,
But a deceitful man kindles lies.