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Fri24Mar2023
Friday of the Fifth Week of the Great Fast - Presanctified
LITURGY OF THE PRESANCTIFIED GIFTS
At Psalm 140
In Tone 6
Lead my soul forth from prison* that I may give thanks to Your name.
Departing from Your divine precepts as from Jerusalem,* and going down to the passions of Jericho,* travelling by way of the cares of this life* on the pathways of dishonour,* I fell prey to the thievery of thoughts;* they stripped me of my noble garment,* which You gave me by the grace of adoption.* I was left half-dead and covered with wounds;* a priest passed by and saw my misfortune, but he paid no attention;* a Levite felt nothing but disgust, and so he turned away from me;* but You, O Lord, who were born ineffably from the Virgin,* You poured as oil and wine,* the blood and water which flowed freely from Your life-giving side,* to dress and bind up my wounds.* In Your compassionate love, O Christ our God,* grant me a place in Your Kingdom.
The just shall gather around me* when You have been good to me.
Departing from Your divine precepts as from Jerusalem,* and going down to the passions of Jericho,* travelling by way of the cares of this life* on the pathways of dishonour,* I fell prey to the thievery of thoughts;* they stripped me of my noble garment,* which You gave me by the grace of adoption.* I was left half-dead and covered with wounds;* a priest passed by and saw my misfortune, but he paid no attention;* a Levite felt nothing but disgust, and so he turned away from me;* but You, O Lord, who were born ineffably from the Virgin,* You poured as oil and wine,* the blood and water which flowed freely from Your life-giving side,* to dress and bind up my wounds.* In Your compassionate love, O Christ our God,* grant me a place in Your Kingdom.
In Tone 6
Out of the depths I cry to You, O Lord;* O Lord, hear my voice!
Gabriel stood in your presence, O holy Virgin,* and revealed the eternal plan to you.* He greeted you and announced:* Rejoice, O earth that has not been sown!* Rejoice, O burning bush that was not consumed!* Rejoice, O unsearchable depth!* Rejoice, O bridge which leads to heaven;* O high ladder which Jacob saw!* Rejoice, O vessel of divine manna!* Rejoice, O invocation of Adam!* The Lord is with you.
Let Your ears be attentive* to the voice of my prayer.
Gabriel stood in your presence, O holy Virgin,* and revealed the eternal plan to you.* He greeted you and announced:* Rejoice, O earth that has not been sown!* Rejoice, O burning bush that was not consumed!* Rejoice, O unsearchable depth!* Rejoice, O bridge which leads to heaven;* O high ladder which Jacob saw!* Rejoice, O vessel of divine manna!* Rejoice, O invocation of Adam!* The Lord is with you.
If You mark iniquities, Lord, who can stand?* But with You forgiveness is that You may be revered.
Gabriel stood in your presence, O holy Virgin,* and revealed the eternal plan to you.* He greeted you and announced:* Rejoice, O earth that has not been sown!* Rejoice, O burning bush that was not consumed!* Rejoice, O unsearchable depth!* Rejoice, O bridge which leads to heaven;* O high ladder which Jacob saw!* Rejoice, O vessel of divine manna!* Rejoice, O invocation of Adam!* The Lord is with you.
I have waited for You as You have commanded; my soul patiently relies on Your promise,* for it has trusted in the Lord.
The blameless Maiden said to the captain of the heavenly hosts:* You appear to me as a mortal,* and your words go beyond human thought.* You have said that God is with me,* and that He shall take up abode in my womb.* Tell me then, how am I to become a holy temple for the infinite One,* the Lord who rides on the Cherubim?* Do not mislead me with deceit,* for I have known no pleasure and have not approached wedlock.* Therefore, how shall I give birth to a child?
From the morning watch until night* let Israel trust in the Lord.
The blameless Maiden said to the captain of the heavenly hosts:* You appear to me as a mortal,* and your words go beyond human thought.* You have said that God is with me,* and that He shall take up abode in my womb.* Tell me then, how am I to become a holy temple for the infinite One,* the Lord who rides on the Cherubim?* Do not mislead me with deceit,* for I have known no pleasure and have not approached wedlock.* Therefore, how shall I give birth to a child?
For with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him there is plentiful redemption;* and He shall redeem Israel from all its iniquities.
The blameless Maiden said to the captain of the heavenly hosts:* You appear to me as a mortal,* and your words go beyond human thought.* You have said that God is with me,* and that He shall take up abode in my womb.* Tell me then, how am I to become a holy temple for the infinite One,* the Lord who rides on the Cherubim?* Do not mislead me with deceit,* for I have known no pleasure and have not approached wedlock.* Therefore, how shall I give birth to a child?
Praise the Lord, all the nations;* proclaim His glory, all you people.
The Archangel then said to her:* Whenever God wills, the order of nature is overcome,* and that which is beyond human power is accomplished.* Therefore, O most pure and ever-holy One, believe my true words.* She then cried out, saying:* Let it now be done to me according to you word,* and I will give birth to the One who is without flesh.* He will take flesh from me,* so that by the union He may raise the human race to the original dignity,* for He alone is all-powerful.
Strong is the love of the Lord for us;* eternally will His truth endure.
The Archangel then said to her:* Whenever God wills, the order of nature is overcome,* and that which is beyond human power is accomplished.* Therefore, O most pure and ever-holy One, believe my true words.* She then cried out, saying:* Let it now be done to me according to you word,* and I will give birth to the One who is without flesh.* He will take flesh from me,* so that by the union He may raise the human race to the original dignity,* for He alone is all-powerful.
Glory… Now…
The archangel Gabriel was sent from heaven* to bring to the Virgin glad tidings of her conception.* When he came to Nazareth,* he marvelled at the miracle and thought to himself:* How is it that He Whom the heavens cannot comprehend* is now being born of a virgin?* The One Who has heaven for a throne and earth for a footstool* is being enclosed within a virgin’s womb.* He, upon whom the six-winged Seraphim and the many-eyed Cherubim cannot gaze,* wills to become incarnate of her by a single word.* The Word of God is at hand.* Then why do I stand by and not say to the Virgin:* Rejoice, O Full of Grace; the Lord is with you!* Rejoice, O pure Virgin and Maiden Bride!* Rejoice, O Mother of the Life!* Blessed is the fruit of your womb.
Prokeimenon I, Tone 4
The Lord is compassion and love,* slow to anger and rich in mercy.
verse: My soul, give thanks to the Lord; all my being, bless His holy name.
Reading I
Genesis 22:1-18
Now it came to pass after these things that God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Abraham! Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” Then He said, “Take now your beloved son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a whole burnt offering on one of the mountains I tell you.” So Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey; and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son; and he split firewood for the whole burnt offering, and arose and went to the place God told him. Then on the third day Abraham lifted his eyes and saw the place afar off. Thus Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; the lad and I will go yonder and worship, and we will come back to you.”
So Abraham took the firewood of the whole burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son. Then he took the fire in his hand, and a knife, and the two of them went together. Then Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said, “My father.” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” Then he said, “Look, the fire and the firewood, but where is the sheep for a whole burnt offering?” And Abraham said, “My son, God will provide for Himself the sheep for a whole burnt offering.” So the two of them went together. They came to the place where God had told him. And Abraham built an altar there and placed the firewood in order; and he bound Isaac his son hand and foot and laid him on the altar, upon the firewood.
Then Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. But the Angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham! Abraham!” So he said, “Here I am.” He then replied, “Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him, for now I know you fear God, since for My sake you have not spared your beloved son.” Then Abraham lifted his eyes and looked, and there behind him a ram was caught in a thicket by its horns. So he brought it for a whole burnt offering in the place of his son. Thus Abraham called the name of the place The-Lord-Has-Appeared; as it is said to this day, “In the mountain the Lord was seen.” Then the Angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time out of heaven, and said, “By Myself I have sworn, says the Lord, because you did this thing, and for My sake did not spare your beloved son, I will certainly bless you, and assuredly multiply your seed as the stars of heaven and as the sand on the seashore; and your seed shall inherit the cities of their enemies. In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you obeyed My voice.”
Prokeimenon II, Tone 4
How great are Your works, O Lord;* You have made all things in wisdom.
verse: Bless the Lord, O my soul! O Lord my God, You are exceedingly great.
Reading II
Proverbs 17:17-18:5
Why do goods belong to a man without discernment?
For a heartless man is unable to gain wisdom.
He who makes his own house lofty seeks destruction,
And the one who turns away from learning will fall into evils.
Let a friend be with you on every occasion,
And let brethren be useful in necessities,
For they are begotten for this reason.
A man without discernment applauds and rejoices over himself,
As also the one who gives himself as surety for his friend.
He who loves sin rejoices in quarrels,
And the hard-hearted man does not assemble with good men.
A changeable man will fall into evils with his tongue,
And a heart without discernment is grief to the one possessing it.
A father does not delight in an uninstructed son;
But a son with discernment gladdens his mother.
A cheerful heart makes a man healthy,
But the bones of a sorrowful man dry him up.
The ways of a man who receives gifts unrighteously do not prosper,
And the ungodly man shuns the ways of righteousness.
The face of a wise man shows understanding,
But the eyes of the man without discernment are upon the ends of the earth.
A son without discernment is wrath to a father
And grief to her who bore him.
It is not good to punish a righteous man,
Nor is it holy to plot against righteous princes.
He who refrains from uttering a harsh word is intelligent,
And a longsuffering man has discernment.
Wisdom shall be imputed to a man without understanding who asks for wisdom,
And anyone who holds his peace will seem to have discernment.
A man seeks a pretext when he wishes to separate from his friends,
But he shall be reproached at every opportunity.
A man lacking understanding has no need of wisdom,
For he is rather led by lack of discernment.
When an ungodly man comes into the depth of evil things, he acts contemptuously,
But dishonor and reproach come upon him.
A word in the heart of a man is deep water,
And a river and a fountain of life spring up from it.
It is not good to admire the person of the ungodly,
Nor is it holy to pervert righteousness in judgment.Readings for the Feast
Exodus 3:1-8
Now Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Mid′ian; and he led his flock to the west side of the wilderness, and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. And the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush; and he looked, and lo, the bush was burning, yet it was not consumed. And Moses said, “I will turn aside and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt.” When the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here am I.” Then he said, “Do not come near; put off your shoes from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” And he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God. Then the Lord said, “I have seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters; I know their sufferings, and I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Per′izzites, the Hivites, and the Jeb′usites.
Proverbs 8:22-30
The Lord created me at the beginning of his work, the first of his acts of old. Ages ago I was set up, at the first, before the beginning of the earth. When there were no depths I was brought forth, when there were no springs abounding with water. Before the mountains had been shaped, before the hills, I was brought forth; before he had made the earth with its fields, or the first of the dust of the world. When he established the heavens, I was there, when he drew a circle on the face of the deep, when he made firm the skies above, when he established the fountains of the deep, when he assigned to the sea its limit, so that the waters might not transgress his command, when he marked out the foundations of the earth, then I was beside him, like a master workman; and I was daily his delight, rejoicing before him always.
Genesis 28:10-17
Jacob left Beer-sheba, and went toward Haran. And he came to a certain place, and stayed there that night, because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones of the place, he put it under his head and lay down in that place to sleep. And he dreamed that there was a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven; and behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it! And behold, the Lord stood above it and said, “I am the Lord, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to you and to your descendants; and your descendants shall be like the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south; and by you and your descendants shall all the families of the earth bless themselves. Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done that of which I have spoken to you.” Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely the Lord is in this place; and I did not know it.” And he was afraid, and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.”
Ezekiel 43:27-44:4
And when they have completed these days, then from the eighth day onward the priests shall offer upon the altar your burnt offerings and your peace offerings; and I will accept you, says the Lord God.” Then he brought me back to the outer gate of the sanctuary, which faces east; and it was shut. And he said to me, “This gate shall remain shut; it shall not be opened, and no one shall enter by it; for the Lord, the God of Israel, has entered by it; therefore, it shall remain shut. Only the prince may sit in it to eat bread before the Lord; he shall enter by way of the vestibule of the gate, and shall go out by the same way.” Then he brought me by way of the north gate to the front of the temple; and I looked, and behold, the glory of the Lord filled the temple of the Lord; and I fell upon my face.
Proverbs 9:1-11
Wisdom has built her house, she has set up her seven pillars. She has slaughtered her beasts, she has mixed her wine, she has also set her table. She has sent out her maids to call from the highest places in the town, “Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!” To him who is without sense she says, “Come, eat of my bread and drink of the wine I have mixed. Leave simpleness, and live, and walk in the way of insight.” He who corrects a scoffer gets himself abuse, and he who reproves a wicked man incurs injury. Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you; reprove a wise man, and he will love you. Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; teach a righteous man and he will increase in learning. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight. For by me your days will be multiplied, and years will be added to your life.